Reaching Home
The train was slithering on the endless tracks, the engine pushing out mushrooms of smoke in the air. The hills on the sides were becoming greener. The castle slowly became visible on the horizon, its minarets poking the clouds in their bellies. The lights of the castle were bright enough to illuminate the whole sky.
It was already dark and the crescent moon had come up in the black sky when the train stopped at its destination. The prefects came out of their assigned compartments and led the students to their respective carriages.
"First years, towards me please," shouted a deep voice from above the crowd.
"Hi Hagrid," chirped Lily going up to him.
"Hey Lily. Congratulations. I knew you'd be the one," said Hagrid.
"Hello Hagrid," Sirius greeted him with a hug around his belly. " Blimey, not even half of your waist," he commented.
They were chatting when a little girl with light brown hair and green eyes came around the corner and asked, " Are you Rubeus Hagrid? My elder sister has told me a lot about you. Won't you be taking us to the boats?" Her name was Alainy Kent.
"Oh yes. I must go now," Hagrid hurried.
The first year students followed the mountainous leader like a flock of sheep dressed in black robes. He took them towards the lake and steered them into the boats, which took them towards the castle.
Meanwhile, the other students waited for their turn to go into the self-driven carriages. James, Remus, Peter and Sydney were the last batch to leave.
"You fulfilled your duty quite satisfactorily. But I must admit that our last batch was particularly more responsive," remarked professor Hopkins much to the displeasure of both the captains.
For Lily, it was criticism that showed she was not unto the mark. For Sirius, it was plain insult.
"Now, follow me you two," she ordered.
They left the station and entered a rickety carriage, which Sirius thought was reserved for them, especially after the snide remarks passed by professor Hopkins. The carriage started moving on its own and took them on a stony path full of pits and bumps.
"I bet this is some kind of game plan to execute us before we reach Hogwarts," whispered Sirius to Lily.
"Why?" Lily asked back equally silently while holding the seat tightly to avoid falling off.
"I had transfigured her pet frog into a glass goblet and she had accidentally tripped it over the floor shattering it to pieces and I think she has come to know it was me," he answered her query with as eager an interest as he got every time someone asked him about the latest prank he had pulled.
Lily smiled to it, the first time she ever did so without threatening him about detentions, but her nervousness was evident on her face.
"Don't worry, I'll not let you fall off the cart. Because if I did, Prongs will bury me alive and grow a crop of mandrakes over my grave and pull them out of the soil and never put them back," he piped trying to divert her mind.
She started giggling on this, her cheeks turning hot and pink. They had been doing this since last Christmas every time her ears heard the name 'James Potter' or anything related to him.
"Is somebody blushing?" Sirius teased her.
"Shut up, Black," she cut him short.
They soon reached Hogwarts without much exchange of words between Lily and Sirius. Sirius who was jabbering endlessly didn't give Lily a chance. She was replying in expressions, sometimes horrified, at other times simply agitated and when the mention of James came, which was more than often, smiling.
"I'll leave you here. Go and meet professor Dumbledore. He'd be waiting in the office with lime bulbs," professor Hopkins told them on reaching the gate of Hogwarts, as expressionlessly as ever.
"Why lime bulbs?" Sirius quizzed looking puzzled.
"It was the password, Black. Can't you realize?" Lily sputtered irritatedly.
They stood before the phoenix statue in front of the office and Lily muttered the password. The gargoyle moved and the spiral staircase appeared behind the statue. They stepped on it and it escalated them to the office.
The office was a warm place, decorated in shades of red and orange. The wall behind the headmaster's chair had the portraits of all the previous headmasters. The floor was carpeted and the fireplace held trophies won by the students of Hogwarts in various inter-school competitions.
"Good evening, Mr. Black and Ms. Evans," professor Dumbledore greeted them warmly.
He was an old, but extremely active, man with his white beard reaching down to his torso.
"Good evening, sir," they replied in unison.
"Take your seat,"
They sat in front of his table for minutes while he was busy pacifying the portrait of Phineas Nigellus who was ruffled up on seeing his great grand son, Sirius. A few dangerous stares exchanged between Sirius and Phineas and then the great grand father disappeared.
"I think he's right, sir. Let me send somebody who is much more worthy and deserving for this duty," proposed Sirius in a serious tone, getting up from his seat.
Lily was surprised to see this serious man standing next to her, giving up his duty for his ego that had been grilled and pestled.
"Sit down, Mr. Black," professor Dumbledore said calmly. " My primary intention in calling you both for this meeting was to remove any doubt which might linger in your minds about your so-called worth,"
Lily and Sirius listened carefully to what Dumbledore was saying.
"Every person on this earth is worthy, is capable. It is not the perception of society but our own thoughts and more importantly our decisions, which decide our worth. You two were selected for this duty because you were found as the most apt candidates," elucidated Dumbledore.
"But Remus Lupin is much more mature and responsible than me," demanded Sirius.
Lily was again surprised, this time on hearing the innocent confession of Sirius. She was also happy that her doubt too would be solved.
"Indeed he is. But we do not want to add to his woes. You know about his condition. And it is not wise to thrust tasking responsibilities on the poor boy when he is trying to cope up with the already existing ones," Dumbledore explained.
A flash of grief spread over Sirius' heart. He understood what the professor meant. Remus was a werewolf. Many people, including his own family, were averse to the fact that a werewolf was studying amidst their 'superior' children. It was Dumbledore who took up his responsibility. If he were to be made the Head Boy of the school, those people would have made his life into a mess.
Lily too understood. She and Sydney had come to know about it last year. Remus had told them about his being a werewolf, himself, when Sydney had asked him out. He did not want to endanger her life. But she never gave up. She had been named as 'male Potter' by Sirius for being persistent in her proposals. Remus succumbed to her wishes during the holidays.
Both, Lily and Sirius, understood what professor Dumbledore meant.
"And James?" questioned Sirius after a long gap of silence.
"Mr. Potter's parents are the top-notch aurors and the most sought after ones, by the death-eaters, too. Since the head boy and head girl are an important link in the Hogwarts Security Chain, we did not want to invite unnecessary attention towards the boy and endanger his life by exposing him to the death-eaters," rationalized Dumbledore.
"You wish to endanger our lives then?" Sirius asked again, this time impatience taking over him.
Lily was sitting quietly, looking wary of the sudden change in Sirius' tone. He was going overboard, Lily thought, but did not intervene.
"Absolutely not. Let me explain further. You belong to one of the most respected wizarding families. And very unfortunately, the most number of servants of the dark lord belong to your family. I presume that they would not want to hurt you until you go out of your way to damage them," Dumbledore peered from over his half moon spectacles.
"And what about Lily? Is she not in danger being a so-called mudblood?"
Lily felt a rush of nerves when he addressed her safety issues. She did not have the courage to question the professor then. She was relieved when Sirius asked about her welfare.
"Ms. Evans is the most brilliant witch in your batch and I'm quite sure that she would not mind fighting for her friends. Moreover, the responsibility of her safety lies on my shoulders as well as yours. And I hope I can trust you with that,"
"Of course, sir,"
Lily and Sirius looked satisfied with the explanation.
"If you both are now convinced, let us progress towards the assembly,"
……………………………………………………..
The great hall was buzzing with energy. All the students, seated at their respective tables, were chatting away with their friends. The hall was decorated beautifully with candles floating in the air, ferns and flowers arranged near the edges of the hall.
Lily and Sirius entered the great hall and joined their friends at the Gryffindor table. Sirius was cheerful, again. His expression perfectly hid the turbulence he had gone through just a few moments back.
Lily too seemed positively joyful. She was answering the ever-going-on queries of Sydney.
Then the first year students entered the great hall, in files of two, led by professor Mcgonagall. The nervous lot mazed their way towards the Sorting hat.
The sorting ceremony took place and the students were placed in their houses.
The little girl, Alainy Kent, was sorted into Gryffindor. The blue eyed – Timothy Moore, the fat bellied – Patrick Faber, and the blonde curled – Cordelia Littrow were a few others who were sorted into Gryffindor.
As the sorting ceremony ended, professor Dumbledore got up to give his welcome speech. The noise in the hall in the hall ended and all the eyeball and ears were focused on their headmaster.
"It is pleasure to see all of you in the school. I take this opportunity to welcome all the students, old and new, for the coming year,"
The whole hall echoed with the sound of clapping. As the applause ended, he spoke again, " I would now like to introduce you to a new student who has joined our school. She is from Beauxbaton as a part of our exchange policy and will join the seventh year students – Ms. Lily de Moiré.
A petite girl with deep blue eyes and matchless fair skin walked on the stage. Her brunette hair flowed till her shoulders. Her pink lips were curved into a smile. She stood on the stage confidently as professor Mcgonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. After a few seconds the sorting hat shouted, " Gryffindor"