Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

A/N: Wow! Thanks for all of the reviews last chapter! I'm glad you like the background information!

Warning: Stuff you may or may not like…I don't know…whatever my twisted mind can come up with!

Everlasting Sacrifice Beginnings

Chapter 2: Wrong House!

Katherine (Cat)

I was only vaguely listening as Professor McGonagall was telling us about the sorting. I already knew what house I'd end up in and then I'd get to be with Lily! I was going to be a Gryffindor all the way! I stood excitedly with the other first years and awaited my name to be called.

"Forest, Katherine Anne…" Professor McGonagall announced and I came forward, excited to seal my fate. I sat down obediently on the seat and felt the hat get placed on my head. Lily had told me it was really nerve-wracking but a kinda cool experience.

"So…Forest, eh?" the hat said and my ears perked up.

"You talk!" I exclaimed softly, I didn't want anyone to really hear me.

"Didn't you hear my song?" he asked, "Of course you didn't…now onto business, where am I going to put you…"

"…" I didn't say anything but kept thinking as hard as I could, 'Gryffindor, Gryffindor…'

"You could be good in any of the houses…especially Gryffindor…and Slytherin…" he continued, "Ah, a descendent of both, however distant…interesting…"

"…" I kept thinking Gryffindor even as my mind reeled that he was reading into all of my thoughts and my mind.

"You would be best suited for…" he began and I crossed my fingers, "SLYTHERIN!" I froze.

Lily Evans

"SLYTHERIN!" the sorting hat called out and I watched Cat freeze on the stool. That wasn't right…she wanted to be a Gryffindor! She had even been asking for it, I could tell! Why would the sorting hat…why would it place her in Slytherin? I watched her slowly get down from the seat and make her way depressingly to the Slytherin table and sitting down away from the others. Everyone was looking at her oddly, and the Slytherins were doing their usual cheering greeting…but she wasn't listening, I knew she wasn't. She was the only one who didn't seem happy…and I knew why…

"Cat…" I murmured, I'd have to talk to her later…and then maybe see Dumbledore. The ceremony continued on and Cat seemed farther and farther away. I wouldn't stop being her friend just because she ended up in a bad house…

Cat

"Why are you so glum?" a voice asked and I turned to see Severus Snape, "You made it into Slytherin so I don't have to ignore that fake friendship crap you talked about on the train. I'll show you to the dungeons…" I didn't want to go, but I had no where else I could go. The feast was over and even though the food was good I hardly ate and that wasn't like me.

"Cat, Cat, I need to talk to you!" a voice called out and I turned away from Snape to see Lil coming up to me at a jog, "Cat, you don't look too good…"

"Lil I don't know what went wrong!" I exclaimed, allowing a small amount of tears to run into my eyes, "I did everything you told me I could do!"

"Cat its okay, I'm not going to stop being your friend…" she began.

"I don't want this though!" I exclaimed.

"Hey mudblood, get away from the first year, she's ours…" Malfoy called out as he headed towards the dungeons, "We don't want to have to curse you…"

"You leave Lil alone!" I cried and turned to face him and glared, "You touch her and I will kill you!"
"Whatever," he said, obviously bored. Snape was looking at me oddly.

"What do you mean…did you not want to be a Slytherin?" he asked.

"No, no, it was all wrong…I wanted to be with Lil in her house!" I exclaimed, "You wouldn't understand!"

"No, I wouldn't," he said, "What good are you when you're an unwilling Slytherin? You're a freak!" He stormed off down into the dungeons.

"Sev…" I murmured and felt Lily embrace me, "Lil, what am I going to do?"

"Cat, its okay…Sev's just a jerk," she said.

"Not about that…" I said, "He is acting like a jerk…but where am I going to sleep?"

"I know you like trees…" she said, "There's a whomping willow you can sleep in if you want…"

"A tree, are you sure it's alright?" I asked, "I haven't slept in one of those for a while…"

"I'll show you where it is, I'm sure Dumbledore won't mind…" she said, "C'mon hon, you know I'll look out for you…"

"Uh-hu…" I said and relaxed into her embrace.

"My best friend shouldn't have to cry without her best friend by her side," Lil said, "C'mon…"

"Are you sure Dumbledore will understand?" I asked, "I mean…"

"He's really nice," she said, "And I'm going to talk to him tomorrow about what the sorting hat did…I'm sure your powers just interfered with it or something…"

"That has to be it…" I muttered, "I mean…"

"Cat, don't worry about it, alright?" she asked, "I'll help you…hey, you helped me out a fair few times…"

"Uh-hu," I said as she grabbed my hand, "Thanks Lil…"

"Tomorrow I'll introduce you to some of my school friends," she said, "I'm sure they'd all like you…"

"That'd be great! But…I kinda wanna learn more about those Marauders…" I said.

"What…they're troublemakers Cat!" she exclaimed, "I don't want you to get into trouble!" I began to giggle.

"I think that Potter guy likes you," I said.

"I know…" she groaned, "Don't remind me…c'mon, I better get you to that tree or else I won't get any sleep!"

"All my stuff is my house dorm though, right?" I asked.

"Run in, grab it and then change in a bathroom out here if you have to," she suggested, "You do know the password, right?"

"I'll read someone's mind for it…" I said, "Or something…"

"Everything'll be okay Cat, I know it will…" Lil murmured soothingly, "You'll be fine…you're not alone…"

"I know Lil…I needed that…thanks," I whispered, following her and allowing a smile to fill my face, "Thanks."

…

"I'm late! I'm really late!" I exclaimed as I clutched my bag, running down the hallway to Transfiguration. I was different than most students because where I come from we have earlier schooling so basic classes are offered, so here I only have to take a few first year classes while my schedule also includes some second and third year classes, like third year potions and second year charms. Transfiguration was tough for me so I was in the beginning class…no friends at all. I sighed; at least I had Lily in potions later today! I found the classroom and ran towards my seat, which was the only empty one around that I could see and I noticed that McGonagall wasn't even in the room, although a cat was.

"You're late," the girl next to me hissed and I noticed she was a Slytherin too.

"Where's the teacher then?" I asked and at that moment the cat changed into McGonagall!

"Late I see…" she said walking up to my desk and a few of the kids snickered, "Well what's your excuse?"
"I have none Professor," I said, "I was late and that's that. It's no one's fault but my own…"

"Now that's one I haven't heard before and I've heard them all…" she said and walked back to her desk to begin class. I sighed, I think she let me off easy and after all I heard about her I should feel honored!

…

"Hey, do you want to eat lunch outside?" Lily asked, coming up to me as I waited outside the Great Hall, "Wait…you're not even going to sit with your house? I'm talking to Dumbledore after dinner, you should be alright hon."
"Don't tease me…" I said, "I don't need it!"

"Cat calm down, I know your fear…" she whispered, embracing me slowly and holding me close, "Geeze…you're a wreck!"

"And you're not?" I asked teasingly, "I just don't know what went wrong…what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you," she said, "You're pretty, you're smart…geeze, you're making me sound like a guy!"

"You are quite the tomboy…" I began.

"Look who's talking," she said and then released me and patted me on the shoulder, "You need to get something to eat…I don't want you starving to death…"

"Sit by me then, okay?" I asked.

"Sure thing," she said.

"Hey, I meant to tell you last night, as I was sleeping in the whomping willow…guess what? I could have sworn I heard it singing," I said, "Singing to me…"
"Cat, you can talk to trees, if it was singing then cool," she said, "Was it a he or a she? Was their voice pretty or rough?"

"I think it was a he and his voice was smooth and kind," I said dreamily as we went into the Great Hall, "Like a dream…almost like he was the Phantom from Phantom of the opera…"
"The Phantom of the Tree," she said with a giggle, "It's entirely possible!"

…

"Hey, Slytherins are in this class too!" I said in awe as we entered the potions classroom and took our seats next to one another in the back, "Whoa…"
"You wouldn't be in this class with me if they weren't," Lil said almost bitterly, "I mean…they're jerks, all of them…"
"I kinda like Sev," I said, glancing at the back of his head. I don't think he even knew I was here!

"Cat, you like pretty much everybody…and I know you try to see the good in everyone…or something like that," she said, "But it beats me as to what you think you see in him…any of them…"

"I saw good things in those Marauders too," I said as I unloaded my cauldron.

"Oh, well…maybe there's something in everyone," she said, "I mean…Remus isn't too bad…"

"Remus is really nice," I said, "I can tell and I don't know him well!"
"Yeah, but the others have issues," she muttered, "But then again, don't we all?" I simply smiled as my answer.

"Hey, what's a first year doing in our class?" a voice asked and I looked to see James and Sirius staring at us from their seats in the middle row, right in front of us.

"And it's a Slytherin," Sirius added, making a disgusted noise.

"Oh, hello," I said with a smile.

"Hello? The Slytherin says hello?" James asked.

"Hello Cat, are you faring alright?" Remus said, "I noted your reaction last night…"
"I'm fine," I lied and he smiled sadly, "No, really I am!"
"Forest, I can't believe you're still thinking you can be friends with Evans as a Slytherin," Potter said.

"That's my choice to make not yours," Lil said, "And if I want to be friends with a Slytherin who has been my best friend for longer than I've known you I'd shut your mouth."

"Aw Evans don't make me curse you," James said and I plunged my hand into my pocket to pull out a card but Lily put her hand on my arm.

"Don't let the Baka get to you," she said.

"Who're you calling a Baka?" James asked, "What the hell is a Baka?"
"…" I didn't say anything, merely smiled at Lily and pulled my hand out of my pocket, "Lil, you have the patience of a saint to put up with these Baka."

"I know," she said with a giggle, and then decided to change the subject, "I wonder what we'll be making in class today."

"I'm ready for whatever we need to make!" I said, proudly brandishing my cauldron.

"You two are really weird when you're together," Sirius said, "I though Lil was just talking about some weird girl in her own imagination…but here you are, living proof…"

"I'm not odd…I'm nuts!" I said and set my cauldron down on the table again, and giggled at the ridiculous expression on his face.

"You're still cute you know…" he said, "And I know you'll…"

"She will do what?" Lily asked, "As far as I'm concerned, you don't know what you're doing and Cat is too smart for you…"

"I'm being completely innocent!" he said.

"No, you're not, hush up before the professor catches you and deducts house points," Lil said and Sirius turned away, mumbling something under his breath.

"Um…I meant to ask…who's the Slytherin Head of house?" I muttered to Lily.

"Oh him? He teaches Defense against the Dark arts. His name is Professor Ray," she said.

"Ray is a common name," I said.

"Yeah, no one thinks his real name is Ray but he hasn't said anything to anyone about his real name," she said, "I don't think even Dumbledore knows…"

"Hey, class is beginning!" I said, changing the subject. Real names or fake he didn't sound too nice…but I wouldn't dwell on that just yet!

"Alright," Lil said, "A class together, fancy that!"

…

"So you see sir, that's why…" Lil said as she finished explaining to Dumbledore the situation.

"I see…well, this is a pickle…Miss Forest I think you have too much power for your own good," Dumbledore said with a smile, "Let me just bring the sorting hat down." He went to a shelf and pulled the sorting hat down and plopped it on his head, and I watched the sorting hat's mouth moved and Dumbledore nodded knowingly. He took the hat off of his head.

"So…what did he say?" Lil and I asked in unison.

"He said he is never wrong…" Dumbledore said, "He won't reverse his decision, much less admit a mistake…"

"May I talk to him?" I asked and Dumbledore nodded.

"By all means…" he said and placed the hat upon my head.

"What is it KatherineAnneForest of the portals…my decision is final…"

"Uh-uh," I said, "You can't really mean to keep me in Slytherin, can you? I mean… I don't want to be there!"

"I never am wrong…"

"What if my magical abilities messed with your decision making?"

"You have no greater magic than anyone here…"
"Yes I do! I'm not from…around here," I said cautiously, "I think my abilities may have interfered…or something…they might have hidden something…"

"Ah, you're from the tree of portals then…Open your mind fully Katherine…keeping things hidden from me…that's a new one," the hat said and I closed my eyes, letting all barriers, both created and natural drop. I actually only did this once before…let everything show when I had Michiru, my godmother, who had been trying to help me… she was like my mother. I had all these barriers…because I was trying to protect myself and others.

"…" I didn't say anything, too frightened to speak for one and for another the moment I stopped focusing my barriers would go back up.

"Ah, I see…" it said and I found my hands clenched and I probably was grinding my teeth.

"Cat…it's alright…" Lil said with a worried tone in her voice. She knew I had dropped my barriers and she was worried about me!

"Uh-hu," I said, trying to retain my focus.

"Well, I see it now…you are a Gryffindor…" the hat said, "But I don't see you leaving Slytherin just yet…"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You are to remain in Slytherin for two years, on your third year, I shall resort you," it said.

"But…" I began.

"I've never been wrong before and I won't admit to making a fault, therefore you must remain in the house I originally picked," it said.

"Reputation…" I murmured.

"I've never had a girl from the tree of portals before," it said, "And part of you wanted Slytherin…" Why would I want Slytherin? Wait…was it because I was thinking about Sev? The hat smiled and told Dumbledore it was done.

"Well, what did he say?" Lil asked.

"He said I was to remain in Slytherin for the next two years…and on the third year he shall resort me, that time to Gryffindor," I said and Lil hugged me, "What? That isn't…"

"Yes it is," she said, "he could have very well said you were a Slytherin to the end…"

"Oh, right…" I said, looking as Dumbledore as he set the hat back in its place.

"You may go now," he said, his eyes twinkling slightly. This was the first time I'd actually met him and talked to him…all the other times I had merely glimpsed him and such. It was kinda nerve-wracking.

"Let's go Cat," Lil said, grabbing my hand. I nodded and stood, ready to go anywhere she was about to go… needing to get out of the stuffy room and get a breath of fresh air.

"Uh-hu, sure thing Lil," I said and Dumbledore smiled at us.

"It's good to see two true friends…we don't get that a lot here, especially having them be in different houses…" he said. Lil dragged me out the door and down the staircase back to the hallway.

"Cat, that's so wonderful, you'll be coming over in a bit…I'll tell you everything about Gryffindor, it's so great!" she said, embracing me.

"She's not a Gryffindor mudblood, stop treating her like your friend!" We turned to see who was talking, despaired in a way to find it was Lucious, Lucious Malfoy.

"Don't call her a nasty name!" I exclaimed.

"Oh that's right…you're friends with her. You must be a pureblood, the hat wouldn't let any mudbloods of half-bloods into our noble house but your last name isn't in any of the registries, where are you from?" Lucious asked.

"It took you that long to figure out?" I asked, feeling just as mad as Lil, who was trembling with silent anger.

"Are you calling me stupid? You better be glad you're a Slytherin or else I'd have you humiliated and cursed before the whole school. I run our house even more than Professor Ray does, so watch your back summoner," he sneered and I didn't even blink as I stared into his eyes. Lil squeezed my hand as if telling me to go easy on the guy.

"I wouldn't mess with me if you don't know what I can do," I said, "You couldn't even tell my summoning on the train wasn't a battle summoning!"

"You little bitch!" he said and lunged forward. I pushed Lil aside and jumped out of the way.

"Aren't you going to use your wand?" I asked, "Or are you afraid because you just started a fight outside of Dumbledore's office?"

"I'm not afraid of him," Lucious gritted and pulled out his wand and I dug my hand into my pocket, and yanked out a card, "I'm not falling for that again…"
"Powers of my heart…hear my cry and answer my call…" I spoke the incantation, "Beast of the plains, arise! TIGER!" I chucked the card towards Lucious and he began to back away as a huge white tiger came out of the card, roaring and stretching its claws. He pointed his wand towards it and shot out some spells, most likely curses but his spells fell flat. He turned and ran. I smiled. The tiger yawned and stretched itself out and walked over to me and I scratched it behind its ears as it disappeared and returned to the card form.

"You really are something Cat," Lil said, "Let's go do something fun, what do you say?"

"Alright Lil," I said, "Anyways…yeah…you know…the whomping willow told some interesting stories, you wanna hear any of the stories?"

"I have a feeling I don't want to know…" she said, "So don't tell, if I want to know… I'll ask…"

"Alright Lil…say, how much homework did you get today?" I asked, "I got a bit…"

"Me too…we could do it together though," she said with a smile, "I know you're smart enough…"

"Don't degrade yourself…you're smarter than I am!" I said as we began to walk down the hallway, "I admire a lot about you Lil…I wish I were as smart as you!"

"Whatever Cat…c'mon, let's go…I'll tell you about things you should watch out for then…I'm sure there're still things you should know about the teachers…not like I don't gossip enough about them during the summer…Christmas…other times too," she said with a giggle.

"Lil…I'm so glad you're my best friend," I said and hugged her tight, "Thanks for everything."

"What're friends for?" she asked.

TBC

A/N: So…second chapter wasn't too bad was it? I liked it so please review! I'll love you all forever! Just don't flame! Flames are used to roast my marshmallows and I promise to update Everlasting Sacrifice soon!