Green Eyed Shadows

Battle Ground

"Evans, Lily."

Lily walked up to the three-legged stool and placed the old hat on her head. The students weren't paying too much attention by this time and so none of this was making her very self conscious.

"Hmm…this is very interesting. Courage, loyalty, brilliance, and slyness. You will be a tough one."

The voice shocked her only the slightest bit. She was starting to get use to all the little surprises the magical world was throwing at her, but sometimes little things like a talking hat got the better of her.

"That was a lovely song you sang earlier. I found it simply fascinating," she told the hat in her mind.

"My dear, you are the first person to complement me on a song in years. You know, it's not easy coming up with a different rhyme every year century after century."

"No, I don't imagine it is."

"In fact, the last person to compliment me was Rowena Ravenclaw. I think that will be the house for you. Any objections?"

"No. Ravenclaw's fine. You've been doing this longer than I have."

"Ok then, dear. It's been nice chatting with you. RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

Lily rushed over to her appointed table. She hadn't made any friends so she just sat in the middle of a group of people. "Took you long enough," commented one of the upper years. "I'm starving!"

The rest of the sorting went rather quickly. Soon Dumbledore was standing up and warning them not to go into the Forbidden Forest, looking at a group of fourth year Gryffindor boys as he said it and with a clap of his hands, their feast appeared.

During the feast Lily talked to Cara, a fourth year girl, about the professors. "Oh Professor Gropes is completely horrid. He favors the Slytherins. Wish Sprout would favor us once in a while, but she's ok I—"

She broke off as the Slytherin table began bawling like babies. "I want my mommy!" one screamed. While another one cried, "I have'ta go potty!"

The students—minus the crying ones—burst into laughter. Even some of the teachers had trouble keeping a straight face. Only two of the professors looked positively mad: Gropes and McGonagall. Heads of the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses.

Lily looked at Cara questioningly. "It's the Marauders," Cara explained. "They're the biggest pranksters in the whole school and probably the hottest guys too. They're in my year, but even the seventh year girls adore them. They have the great marks and are even better than some Ravenclaws in some classes. They're really funny and are great at Quidditch—well only James and Sirius play, but they're good enough to go pro if they wanted to. Oh, and they hate the Slytherins. It was a huge scandal when Sirius got into Gryffindor, cause his whole family for generations went to Slytherin. The two houses are always hexing each other. They pretty much ignore us—except for the convenient snog and all—so we want to stay out of their way. Getting close to a Gryffindor will make you a target for snakes and getting close to Slytherins will get you in the lions' den. Stick to Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and stay neutral with the other two houses. We wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Lily thought over what Cara had said. Apparently Hogwarts was more than a school. It was a battle ground, and she had just unknowingly entered it. She glanced between the two rival tables. The Gryffindor table looked far more pleasant. All its occupants were laughing and conversing with each other. And yet, it seemed so… fake. All the students seemed almost too perfect. Lily knew this wasn't entirely fair; everyone had problems, but as she gazed at the Slytherins they all seemed so much more real.

True, they all seemed cold and harsh and a little too full of themselves, but these people had witnessed real life. They had seen pain and torture and were ready to embrace it. There was a strong foundation of loyalty there that most would barely notice, but Lily did. Sure, a lot of people were loyal. Those Hubbleputts or whatever they were called