The first of September had finally arrived, and Lily was nearly hyperventilating in fear. She double-checked her textbooks and robes, went through all her potions materials, and polished her wand three times. By the time ten o'clock rolled around, she had worn her mother's nerves down to just a thread. Eyes wide, the family made their way through the bustling crowds in King's Cross Station, Lily's red hair whipping in her face as she looked frantically for Platform 9 and ¾.
She couldn't find it. There was nothing but a stone barrier between 9 and 10. Her mother looked at her, a bit sadly.
"Lily, honey, are you sure this is right? I mean, there are an awful lot of train stations in England. We still have half an hour; we can look in other places."
Lily shook her head, desperate. "No! No, Severus said that he would be here to help! He specifically said King's Cross Station, at - "
She was startled by a tap on her arm. She whirled around, ready to hit whoever it was, but lowered her hand and smiled in relief when she saw it was her friend. He shrugged apologetically - "We were late getting out of the house" - and took her hand, tugging her toward the barrier. Lily frowned in confusion.
"Severus, we can't walk through solid concrete. It defies all sense of logic and physical matter."
"I know! That's why it's enchanted. I'll run with you the first time, to make sure you don't panic."
He took hold of her cart and gestured for her to do the same. She looked at her family, who nodded encouragingly - well, Petunia didn't, but she at least looked resigned. Lily turned her head back to the barrier, swallowing as she took note of the solid appearance, shut her eyes firmly, and began to run.
She kept running. Severus, beside her, shouted, "Lily, you'll run into the train!" and she stopped and opened her eyes.
Her surroundings had changed completely. The crowd remained, but it was louder and dressed in clothes quite different from normal Londoners and more similar to the black robes in her own trunk. Owls hooted, friends shouted, parents called impatiently to small children to hurry up and board. At a glance, the scene was chaotic and extremely scary for an eleven-year-old going off on her own, but after a minute it began to feel like home.
Lily's parents, through the barrier, were gaping. Standing slightly behind her, they questioned her about everything from her state of mind to if she was feeling nervous to -
"You know, it's not like you're never going to see her again. She's only going away for the school year; I'm glad she is, too." Petunia frowned at Lily, who grew slightly defensive and hurt. Blinded by anger, her sister continued to berate her. "You've been nothing but trouble these last months, what with causing those 'accidents' like breaking the new television and scaring me with those flowers just because I'm not as abnormal as you. I never want to be. You continue hanging around with that awful boy, and you'll get hurt."
"Severus is not an awful boy, I promise! He's just shy."
"And you're just slightly strange, my foot! The two of you are going to get hurt going off this way, I just know it! And you haven't even bothered to say goodbye to me, because I know you don't care; you're just like the rest of them, just like that odd old man with his abnormal beard and that boy you've been meeting with…"
Lily's eyes teared up. Petunia didn't seem to care; she went off, hissing under her breath and telling Lily that she was awful, that she'd never want to go to that horrible school, that Lily was a nosy brat and a -
"Freak!"*
Lily gasped as her sister turned her back and marched off. Her hand reached out of its own accord, but her brain said no; Tuney had been against her new school ever since that letter from Professor Dumbledore, and so had been against her going. Blinking back tears, she waved goodbye to her oblivious parents, picked up her too-big trunk with the owl cage perched precariously on top, and clambered onto the train and into the unknown.
As she pulled her belongings along the narrow corridor connecting the train cars, Lily looked everywhere for peace and quiet. Finally, an empty compartment appeared and she collapsed on the seat beside the window, hands covering her face and shoulders shaking in grief. She calmed herself within several minutes. Just then, a boy's voice drifted into her ear.
"I'm famished. Where's the trolley witch when you need her?"
Lily looked up at the strangers that had entered her small sanctuary. Four boys - two tall and dark haired, one medium height with light brown hair, the last fair-headed, short, and rather pudgy - stood framed in the doorway, looking down at her. She squeaked a hello and looked quickly at them all.
"This compartment taken?" drawled one of the tall ones. He had grey eyes that glinted with a dark humor. Lily shook her head wordlessly and they all filed in, slumping on the seats in relief. Lily smiled shyly at the other tall boy, whose hazel eyes were fixed curiously on her own.
"What's your name?"
"I - sorry, what?" Lily shook her head and blushed. "I didn't catch that."
The boy gave her a smile too big for his face. "I asked, what's your name? Mine's Potter. James Potter." He looked sideways at her. "You're really pretty, you know. Why were you crying?"
Lily frowned. She thought she had covered her face well enough; obviously not, because he could tell so easily. "Evans. Lily Evans. And I don't want to talk about it."
"Did it have anything to do with that blonde girl on the platform for the train?"
Lily could feel her mouth straightening into a thin line. She stared at him a moment, then turned and resolutely watched the speeding cityscape flash by, gathering speed as they left King's Cross station and traveled into the country.
A few minutes later, the compartment door opened once again. She looked up hopefully, then her heart leapt as she saw it was Severus who entered. She glanced at the boys again, who were still talking loudly about pranks or something of the sort, then not wanting to be caught, she turned her back and pressed her forehead into the window, watching her breath fog the glass and trying not to cry again.
The door slipped open once more, and Severus entered quietly. Ignoring the four boys, he sat across from her. She looked at him and then looked away, ashamed she had been crying. He tried to engage her in conversation, but when he insulted Petunia, she shut her eyes against the flood of tears threatening to overwhelm her. Severus, obviously trying to cheer her up, spoke once again.
"But we're going! This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"*
Lily smiled through her tears, noting the enthusiasm plainly woven in his words. He looked at her hesitantly, then said, "You'd better be in Slytherin."* Confused, she sank back onto her seat as the two dark-haired boys turned at the word and began talking to her friend in a rather rude manner. She tuned them out and instead glared at the trees, wishing she could just escape the compartment and hide in one with a good book.
She was shaken from her reverie when the bolder of the two made a particularly snide comment, and the other laughed too loud and too long for it to be a joke. Insulted on her friend's behalf, she frowned at the two, then motioned for him to follow her. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."*
Holding her head high as the two loud boys mocked her, Lily led Severus out of the compartment. The two looked at each other for a moment, then began talking at the same time.
"Lily, I forgot to tell you - "
"Severus, they had no right to - "
The two looked at each other, cheeks pinkening. Severus gestured to Lily. She opened her mouth to start again."Severus, they had no right to tell you those awful things. You led me to this new world, and you're so much better than they'll ever be. Don't believe them for a second."
Her friend smiled at her, peeking out from under his long hair. "I'm so sorry. I forgot to tell you about some of these kids… They're not exactly what you'd call kind. They don't think that kids like you should be at Hogwarts, just because your mum isn't a witch and your dad can't brew a Cough Solution. You don't deserve to have to deal with them; just try to ignore them. Maybe you won't even have the same classes if we're both in Slytherin!"
Something about his tone made Lily smile at him, hope fluttering in her chest. She was off to a new start; she was where she belonged, with kids her age who could do what she had discovered. She could be whoever she wanted, and a couple of dumb boys weren't going to change that.
The castle finally came into view, and Lily couldn't help but gasp in disbelief. The building itself was huge, with soaring turrets and lit footbridges crossing over giant expanses between the cliffs that made up the grounds. A calmly rippling sea lay at the base of the rocks, lapping gently at the beach. But what struck her most was the sheer feeling of seeing it, the feeling of home and safety and happiness. She gazed longingly at the light-filled windows of the castle, and felt a presence behind her. She turned, face glowing with happiness.
"I think I'll be happy here, Severus. I really think I will."
"Firs' years! Firs' years! Come over here, we'll be gettin' in the boats. Mind yer feet now, don't trip over the other kids!" Lily, looking for the source of the bellowing voice, had accidentally stepped on another student's foot, causing them to stumble and fall. Their foot caught around hers and she collapsed atop them, groaning in embarrassment. A giant hand closed around her thin arm to pull her upright and she shrieked.
"Up you get, don' worry about it. Jus' watch yerself better next time, alrighty?"
Lily turned to her rescuer to thank him, but ended up freezing. Her eyes traveled up an enormous stomach and past a bushy, wild beard to reach the long, tangled hair that framed his face. And what a face it was, with deep black eyes and a rather ferocious looking scar across his wide nose. But a further examination revealed laughter lines crinkling around his eyes, a kind smile, and a gentle eyes that reassured her immediately. But a stranger was a stranger, and she quickly stepped away, thanking him profusely, and wormed her way between people to find Severus.
Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. Heart sinking, she boarded an empty boat, looking forlornly out at the water. Before even a full minute had passed, a giggling girl with plump, rosy cheeks pulled herself onto the bench beside Lily, exclaiming as she did so.
"I do wonder what muggleborns think of all this. I mean, it's overwhelming for me, and I'm the youngest of five! My siblings all went to Hogwarts, so I know what to expect, but I guess I - " The girl stopped talking as Lily turned to face her. "Oh. Sorry, I thought you were someone else." She squinted, then grinned in a friendly sort of way. "Say, do you have siblings?"
Lily blinked. She was a bit overwhelmed, and to be honest, quite intimidated. This girl would obviously be the top of her class; she had likely learned everything she needed to know, and Lily herself would be left behind, clueless and confused, to fail all of her classes. She felt her eyes well up once more, but before she could hide it, the girl noticed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry. I take it you're muggleborn then?" Mistaking Lily's look of confusion, she elaborated. "You don't have any magical relatives."
"No, that's - I already know what a muggleborn is, my friend explained it. I'm muggleborn, yes, but I take it you're not? Will you…" She found herself growing anxious. "Did you already learn all of the spells and magic then? I bet I'll be behind… I mean, I've read through the course books, and memorized some of the more useful spells, but I'm sure you'll know more than I will, and - "
"Hold on! Wait! You think that you won't be good at anything, just because your parents were non-magic? That's one of the craziest things I've ever heard. You'll be fine, I promise. My brother's a through-and-through pureblood, and he's rubbish at magic that doesn't include practical jokes. My second cousin twice removed married a muggleborn like you, by the name of Tonks, and they had a baby girl, and the father's one of the best wizards of his day! Don't worry, you'll be okay."
Lily smiled, her eyes thankfully devoid of tears. "That helped more than you can ever believe." She tilted her head at the girl, curious. "But we haven't even properly met! I'm Lily. Lily Evans. What's your name?"
"Alice Prewett. Who's your friend you mentioned, by the way? The one who explained everything to you?"
Lily smiled again, this time for real. She felt herself turn a bit pink. "His name is Severus. Severus Snape."
Alice's cheerful face turned suddenly sour. "You're friends with him? You do realize that he'll go into Slytherin just like his mother, then he'll turn on you and you'll never forgive him." Lily stared at her in astonishment and disbelief, too stunned to say anything. "Well, my mum's been trying to get me to develop my Divination skills - telling the future - because she thinks that I'm a natural, but I don't agree. It's just easy to tell people and what they'll do. And Eileen Snape and her son have quite a reputation in the Wizarding world, I can tell you that."
Lily sniffed, appearing scandalized but inwardly wondering what was really going on. "Well, I'm still his friend. Nothing will change that."
"No, no, I didn't mean that. I was just urging caution, of course - "
But their conversation was interrupted by two more girls joining the boat, which rocked dangerously with the unbalanced weight. Lily clutched the sides tightly, desperately wishing not to fall into the cold water.
"Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm from Ireland, and I'm halfblood."
"Mary. Northern England. Pureblood, though I don't want to be. Nice to meet you."
"Alice. I'm from Wales, and I'm a pureblood, though it really doesn't matter."
Lily swallowed dryly, pushing her nerves into her stomach. "I'm Lily. England, just nearby King's Cross Station. I'm muggleborn." She watched Lisa and Mary out of the corner of her eye, but neither showed a reaction. She sighed in relief. "So, does anyone know how to get these boats moving, or oof." Lily felt herself sliding backwards into Alice, who squealed in alarm. The boat had jolted while they were all of balance, then recovered its smooth riding on the waves and glided towards the castle. The four newfound friends could do naught but stare, their mouths hanging wide open, as the full sight came into view and they glimpsed their home for the next seven years.
Once the first years had all clambered out of their watercraft, the giant - he had introduced himself as simply Hagrid - led them, shivering but thrilled, up a narrow rocky path to the gates of the castle. He pushed the tall doors open and gestured to them. Lily, nodding hesitantly at Hagrid, was the first to make her way past. Once she had gone, the others followed, and so in this manner Lily led the entirety of her year inside the gates, inside the castle, and up to a dark-haired, serious looking witch dressed in a set of deep green robes with a no-nonsense bun drawn tight to the nape of her neck. The witch appraised the nervous group, then spoke.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. In a few moments, you will walk through the doors to the Great Hall and be Sorted into your Houses. The Houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I will call your name and you will sit on the school and place the Sorting Hat upon your head. That is all."
Lily, who had been expecting some kind of test against another wizard, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Now, come along, and don't stray away from the group."
The teacher - McGonagall - turned and strode briskly towards the doors. Lily sank into the midst of the group as they half ran to catch up, and started as she felt something brush her hand. She looked up into bright hazel eyes, the same ones that had so closely scrutinized her on the train. He grinned at her. She gave a tentative smile in return, and tore her eyes away from him and back to the Great Hall.
Four long tables dominated the enormous room, and every table was full of older students who were talking and laughing comfortably. Each table was unique in two main colors; red and gold, blue and silver, yellow and black, and green and gray. The seated teens wore corresponding colored ties.
At the front of the room, a large group of adults sat at a table overlooking the rest of the room. This, Lily presumed, was for the professors. But everyone fell silent as an extremely small man brought forth a three-legged stool with an old hat settled precariously on top. Lily opened her mouth to ask Alice, who stood beside her, what was happening, but was interrupted.
"Oh, on this wondrous day today, a thousand years ago,
Four wizards came together, formed a school for all to go;
And now you sit in this very same Hall to learn what can be taught,
As these Founders of old intended you to give textbooks a shot…"
Lily looked on, amazed, as the hat on the stool continued to sing. It went on to describe the four Houses and their Founders; a brief history of the school itself; how to unite for a common goal and, most ominously, not to give up hope in the face of real danger and adversity. The stunned girl turned to the boy who had slipped his hand into hers.
"You didn't tell me about this! Did you know?"
Severus shook his head. "Mum didn't tell me about the hat, or the song. But I did know that the Sorting was rather unusual and that the houses were all there. I really hope we're both in Slytherin though, that would be amazing." His smile was nothing short of blinding, and she blushed slightly. "I just hope we're in all the same classes… I can tell you're really smart and pretty and - "
"Black, Sirius."
"Oh, they've started! I want to watch this, Sev, just a second. We can keep talking at the table, alright?" Lily craned her neck to see above the taller students in front of her - she was rather short - and watched as the hat touched his head, then without pause screamed "GRYFFINDOR!"
This announcement seemed to shock the school. Mutterings filled the air, and Lily noticed that the students under the green and silver banners in particular were throwing dirty looks and glares at Sirius Black as he strode, apparently unconcerned, towards the red-and-gold table, from smattering of applause broke out. Lily was too busy watching the tables and their expressions, the way they all threw suspicious-looking glances at the new Gryffindor, to pay any attention to the next few Sortings until -
"Evans, Lily."
Her heart dropped into her stomach. She muttered, "excuse me," to many of the students around her - she was somehow stuck at the back of the group - and mounted the steps on shaky, barely-staying-upright legs. She was biting her lip and squeezing her hands into fists in her sleeves, trying not to panic. At last, she reached the stool and practically collapsed onto it. McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head. Her eyes shut tight. She felt a slight pressure, then a small voice in her ear made her jump nearly a foot into the air.
"Lily Evans… I can tell you'll leave quite the legacy behind when you leave, but you still must be chosen… Now, is it Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?"
Remembering what the two boys on the train had said about the houses, all thoughts of Sev and Slytherin flown, Lily whispered quietly to herself, imagining daring adventures and brave heroism.
"I'd like to go to Gryffindor, if you don't mind, sir."
A breathy laugh sounded, then a murmur of approval. "Then I suppose you'll get your wish… Gryffindor!" The last word was shouted to the rest of the hall. Lily, faint with relief, stood and handed the hat back to the professor. Her eyes were drawn back to the unSorted first years, and as her eyes caught Severus', her stomach twisted guiltily. She managed a small smile and hoped desperately to still share classes, then turned to trot down the steps to join her table.
After several more students were sorted, the sandy-haired boy from the train was called ("Lupin, Remus"). He walked hesitantly over and had barely sat down when the hat screamed, "Gryffindor!" He walked over to where she sat, a huge smile on his pale face.
"I wasn't quite sure what to expect, as I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to come and didn't do much research on Hogwarts. But I guess with Professor Dumbledore as Headmaster, I can… "
Lily stared at him, confused. He turned pink and glanced back at the Sorting Hat, which was being placed on Mary's head. After a moment of quiet tension her friend joined her at the Gryffindor table, followed shortly by Marlene and the short boy from the train (whose name was Peter) and finally Alice.
After the two girls had reunited, Lily turned her attention back to the stool. Only two students she recognized were left; that Potter boy from the train, the one who was alternately sweet and observant and arrogant and obnoxious, and of course, Severus.
"Potter, James."
The other boy stood, ran a hand through his hair, and sauntered up to the stool. The hat didn't need to touch his mussed-up locks before screaming the name of her own new house, which caused Lily to grit her teeth and stick it out. Potter high-fived Black as he sat down, then turned to Lily.
"So, recovered from the bout of snivelling snot?" Perhaps he had noticed her confused expression, as he added, "the one on the train? With greasy hair and an unnerving urge to be in the House of dark wizards?"
Lily felt her mouth open and close like a fish. Previous thoughts aside, she immediately began to dislike him. He had insulted Severus, pushed a girl into the lake, tripped her getting off the train, and evidently thought that he was the cream of the crop. But before she could open her mouth to tell him this, she heard Sev's name being called.
The Hat took an especially long time with him, but in the end decided to place him in the green and silver house - Slytherin. Those around her sneered, but she gave Sev a small sad smile before he sat at his own seat on the far side of the hall. Maybe the situation wasn't quite ideal, but at least they would still have some of the same classes, and friends, and share bits of their lives.
Right?
*Lines from the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33
A/N: Sorry, updates are going to be rather inconsistent... Review? I'm a bit shameless like that :)