Lily

She gasped. Everything was so... Magical! She was reminded of a conversation with Severus.

"Sev," she had asked, "How come these wizards and witches aren't found by anyone?"

"Well, we have magic that hides us, and keeps the muggles away."

"But that's impossible! There must be thousands of wizards! There's no way they could all stay hidden!" Severus had just shaken his head.

"When you get your letter, and we get to the train, you'll understand." And now, understand she did. These people simply generated magic. It was in their bones! She looked around and saw a girl that looked rather like Petunia, with her long face and overbite. And, yet again she was transported bavknin time, but this time only a few minutes ago.

"Petunia, come say good bye to your sister."

"I won't! I really won't! Its not fair, why does she get to go?"

"Petunia, we've been through this! You weren't invited, darling." Petunia's upper lip trembled, as if she was about to cry. But then she suddenly yelled,

"Well, I'm glad I wasn't invited! I don't want to go to a school for- for FREAKS! Because thats all they are, a whole bunch of freaks!"

Lily's eyes filled with tears at the thought of it. Her encouraging sister calling her a freak. This thought would also echo through her head, but instead of one of encouragement, it was one that would drag her down. Her head echoed with these gloomy thoughts, until Severus interrupted her.

"Come on! The trains' going to leave!" He shouted loudly. "Let's go!" So she got on, her head now full with thoughts of Hogwarts and houses and feasts and trials. They looked for a mostly empty compartment and found one with three boys, one scraggly looking, one rather handsome, and one rather arrogant looking.

"Can we sit here?" Lily asked nervously. The arrogant looking one was staring at her oddly, and she began to feel uncomfortable. But finally after what seemed like ages, the scraggly one said,

"Of course! Come in!" The others murmured their agreement, and Lily and Severus sat down.

"So, what are your names?" Lily asked the boys.

"Mines Sirius Black."

"I'm Remus Lupin."

"I'm James Potter." Lily said,

"I- I'm Lily Evans. I'm new to magic. And my friend over here is Severus Snape."

"So, what house you want to be in?" Sirius asked after a while. Severus spoke up.

" I want to be in Slytherin. What about you?"

"I want to be in Gryffindor, but my entire family's in Slytherin." Sirius said.

"And here I was, thinking you weren't that bad!" James said, shock on his face. "What about you, Remus?"

"I don't really know, but I'd like either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, I guess."

"Well I am going to being Gryffindor, the home of the brave!" James said, striking a heroic pose.

"You mean the house of the utterly stupid?" Severus said contemptuously.

"Well, Snivulus, at least I don't want to be in the house that sired the evilest people alive!" James said, and then the boys got all offensive. She finally just yelled,

"CALM DOWN!" And then pulled Severus out, stomping angrily away. But those boys got a parting shot.

"Better watch your step, Snivulus, cause we'll be ready!"

After they had left those offensive boys behind, Lily and Severus changed into their robes, and then they talked. Finally the train stopped.

"Are we here? Is- is this Hogwarts?" Lily said, hardly daring to hope.

"Yes." Severus whispered, clearly as in awe as Lily was. Then they heard,

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" And saw a giant of a man waving them over. They followed him and saw thousands of boats.

"Well, what are yer waitin' fer? Get in!" So the first years climbed in, and looked nervously out towards the lake.

The boats started going, and Lily almost tumbled out. Then it was smooth sailing from then on, letting Lily gain a tremendous amount of nerves. Finally the boat ride ended, and they were in the castle. A stern looking woman announced herself as professor McGonagall, and told them to stay put until told otherwise. The first years tittered nervously and Lily was biting her nails. The woman appeared after what seemed ages, and told them to come in single file. The sorting was about to begin.

The first years looked around for the sorting, and then saw a hat. And then to Lily, Severus, and everyone else's surprise, the hat began to sing

"Oh, I am the sorting hat, I am the winning thing, just put me on your head and I will tell you where you go..."

"Oh, for I am the sorting hat, I'll tell you if you're a Gryffindor, brave and bold and strong! I'll tell you if you're a Ravenclaw, smart and brainy within! I'll tell you if you're a Slytherin, sneaky and cruel! Or maybe you're a Hufflepuff, loyal to the end! For I am the sorting hat!"

Everyone was shocked, but they started applauding anyways. Then the professor pulled out a list and said,

"When your name is called, come up and put the hat on your head, then go to the correct table."

"Achyth, Glen!"

The poor boy sat down, shaking. He put the hat on his head and then waited. The hat yelled out,

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The boy was still shaking, but also smiling. After a few more names, it was Lily's turn.

"Evans, Lily!" Lily walked up to the hat, sat down and jammed the hat on her head. To her surprise, the hat began to speak.

"Ahh, lots of bravery, and plenty of spirit. You'd better be in..."

"GRYFFINDOR!"