Chapter 4:
Lily stood gaping at the scene before her, the boy with messy black hair was already taking her trunk into one of the compartments. Numbly she followed. He led her into the last compartment which was already occupied by three other boys.
"You know I don't think I ever introduced my self. I'm James Potter. That's Sirius Black," he pointed to the other boy who had been outside the barrier, "Remus Lupin," James pointed to a sandy haired boy who looked very tired, "and that's Peter Pettigrew," he said pointing to the third boy, a short, chubby little boy curled up on the last seat of the compartment.
"Umm, hello. My name's Lily Evans."
"Lily, it's nice to meet you," Remus got up and shook her hand.
"Lily, huh? Well pleased to make your acquaintance," Sirius said in an exaggerated impression of Remus' introduction, as he bowed over her hand.
"Hullo, Lily," Peter said formally.
"It's nice to meet all of you too."
"Hey Lil, you want a Fizzing Whizbee?" James asked her.
"Umm, what is a Fizzing Whizbee?" Lilly asked hesitantly.
"Oh, sorry I forgot, you wouldn't know. They're a really super wizard sweet. Try one."
Lily paused a moment and then took one from James' outstretched hand. A moment later she hit her head on the ceiling of the compartment. It took her a minute to realize what had happened; she had levitated at least three feet of off the ground.
"James Potter, you get me down from here!" she shrieked.
All of the boys fell over themselves laughing. When he caught his breath, James lowered her down and Lily joined in the laughter. Once they had all calmed down, the five of them discussed Hogwarts and the different school Houses. Lily was particularly interested in what the boys had to say, since she knew nothing about the school.
"Well there are four different houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Gryffindor's supposed to be the best, Ravenclaw isn't that bad, it's for all of the smart people, Hufflepuff are supposed to be kind of dumb, but I don't know if that's really true. Slytherins are the evil ones. They're all interested in the Dark Arts. I don't know which one I'll be in, I mean my parents were both in Gryffindor so I'll probably be one too," James explained.
"Full of ourselves, aren't we?"
As they were talking none of them noticed when a small boy with greasy black hair entered their compartment. He stood in the doorway, just staring at them.
"Could you keep it down? We can hear your noise compartments away," the new boy said.
"Oh, sorry, we weren't aware that this train had suddenly become a library," Sirius retorted.
The boy flushed. "It would be smart of you not to talk to me that way."
"Why? Are you somebody special? You're not Voldemort in disguise, are you?" James asked sardonically.
"I am Severus Snape and I don't forget insults," the boy replied haughtily.
"Oh well excuse me, Severus Snape, but I don't remember inviting you to join us," James said.
"Don't worry I wouldn't want to join with you. I'm the only one who volunteered to tell you that we'll be at Hogwarts shortly. You might want to get ready." With that Snape left the compartment.
James went and closed the door behind Snape. Then he came back and sat down again.
"Well, we're not even at school yet and we've already made an enemy. Anyway maybe we'd better take Snapie's advice. We'd better change."
Lily pulled out one of her new black Hogwarts robes and pulled on. It felt strange, but she figured that she'd eventually get used to it. She was curious about a name that James had used. It sounded important. She decided to ask him.
"Umm, James? Who's Voldemort?"
Instantly the compartment went dead silent and Peter was shaking. Lily could tell that she had said the wrong thing, but she didn't understand what was so terrible about a name.
"Well Lily, most people don't actually say his name. I kinda got carried away. He's a cruel dark wizard and very powerful. It's best I don't say anymore. The good thing is that the only wizard that You-Know-Who's afraid of is our Headmaster Dumbledore. Best leave it at that."
The boys finished adjusting their robes. Remus' were patched in a few places and Peter's were a bit too short, but they all looked very presentable. With a slight jerk, the train stopped. Lily glanced out the window and was disappointed to see nothing. She said something about it and Remus explained.
"You'll see the castle in a moment. We first years have to cross the lake to get to the main hall. Then there's the Sorting, which'll tell us which house we're in and then we get to eat."
Lily suddenly felt very nervous. What house would she get into? Lily thought that she might just die if she was put in Slytherin. Think positive thoughts, she told herself.
"Lily come on! If you don't move then the train's gonna leave again with you on it," Sirius called.
"I'm coming!" she called back.
Lily ran off of the train and found her new friends on the deck. They heard a voice calling the first years over.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
They moved over towards a giant-sized man who didn't look that much older than the oldest students. He was ushering all of the first years into little four person boats. Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus got into one; Peter was stuck getting into the next boat with three other first years.
"Yeh'll be seein your first sight of the castle in a momen'."
Lily gasped at the sight of Hogwarts. It was immense! James grinned at the look in her face.
"Hey Lil, what do you think of Hogwarts?" he asked her.
"It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
They got out of their boats and the giant man led them up to the castle doors. He knocked a few times and the doors creaked open, revealing a young, but stern looking witch.
"These're the firs' years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you Hagrid," Professor McGonagall, "Students please follow me."
Lily and a few others waved goodbye to Hagrid and they all stepped into the Great Hall. Amazed at the size of the room, Lily looked around and saw four long tables and a fifth that stood facing the other four. A coat of arms on a large banner hung above the fifth table, bearing the pictures of a lion, snake, badger, and eagle. The hall was filled with excited chatter. Most of the students stopped and looked at the incoming new students.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your house will be like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend your free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has it's own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor.
"The Sorting ceremony will begin shortly. Please line up over there," Professor McGonagall pointed and she left the Hall.
The students filed in a line waiting for something to happen. Professor McGonagall came back in carrying a stool and a ratty, dirty, torn wizard's hat. She placed the hat on the stool. To Lily's astonishment the hat began to sing.
The Hall applauded as the hat finished it's song. (I am not good at poems!)
"When I call your name, please come forward and place the Sorting Hat on your head. It will call out the name of your house and then you are to sit at the corresponding table," said Professor McGonagall, "Alonso, Jean."
A small girl with short blond hair walked over to the stool and put the hat on her head. A moment later it called out.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Aaron, Sylvester."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Black, Sirius."
Sirius walked almost jauntily to the stool. After a moment the hat proclaimed him a Gryffindor. And so it went, student after student went up to the stool and tried on the hat. Lily relaxed after the first student and pretty soon it was her turn.
"Evans, Lily," Professor McGonagall called out.
Lily walked over to the hat vaguely aware that most of the school was watching her. She picked up the hat with slightly sweating hands. Lily put the hat on her head and sat on the stool.
"Hmm, let me see," said the voice in her ear, "You are very intelligent, there's definitely a desire to learn, but there's also a defiance. A hidden rebel inside, eh? You're a difficult one. I can see it, you are destined for greatness, but your life is not going to be easy child. I suppose you must be, GRYFFINDOR!"
It pronounced the last word to the entire room. Relieved, Lily walked over to the Gryffindor table, while the other students applauded politely. She sat down next to Sirius and listened to the others being sorted. Remus went up shortly after Lily.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily and Sirius congratulated Remus as he sat down next to them and they waited for James and Peter to be Sorted.
Finally Peter was called up to the hat. He sat on the stool for at least a full minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor. Then it was James' turn.
"Potter, James."
Confidently, James walked over to the stool and put the hat on his head. Almost instantly the hat called:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
There were only a few more people to be sorted, one of which was Severus Snape. As James walked over to the Gryffindor table and joined his friends, the Sorting Hat declared Snape a Slytherin. When White, Alistair was made a Ravenclaw, the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.
"Welcome students, it is wonderful to see you all again, and it's wonderful to see those of you who are new here. I'm sure we will all have a wonderful year ahead. Now let's get this feast started."
Lily wondered who was going to bring the food in when Sirius tapped her on the shoulder and offered her some tripe.
"Hey Lil, what are you waiting for?" he asked her.
For the third time that day, Lily gasped. The food had magically appeared on the plates and it was filled with all of her favorite foods. Her whole table tucked in. After the last plate had been cleared the Gryffindors, new and old, started to discuss the school.
"Hogwarts is great, you'll really love it. Which subjects are you interested in?"
"Oh it's Transfiguration for me!"
"You'll be starting out small, needles to toothpicks, things like that."
"Is it true that there are ghosts here?"
"Oh sure. In fact you'll be meeting Nearly Headless Nick any moment now. He's the Gryffindor ghost."
"Is it easy to get lost around here?"
"It sure is. If you can't find your class or something, then just ask a Prefect. They'll help you."
A small distraction occurred just then; fireworks exploded from the Slytherin table. James and Sirius were doubled up trying to contain their laughter. It was total chaos over at the Slytherin table. No one could figure out who had set them off and instead of just making sparks, the fireworks created rude words in the air above the table.
Lily looked at James and Sirius, and even Remus too. "What did you do?" she hissed at them.
They stopped laughing for a moment and James tossed her a small rectangular box. It was a box of Filibuster Fireworks. Lily was confused. How could either of the boys made it back to the Gryffindor table before the fireworks went off? Then she saw the label on the bottom of the box– 'Delayed Action: Gives you time to get away!'.
"Miss Evans!"
Lily knew who it was even before she looked up.
"Professor McGonagall! Oh, I, it's not what you think!"
"Miss Evans, I am incredibly surprised at you. What were you thinking?" Professor McGonagall asked angrily.
"But Professor, these aren't mine! I don't even know what these are or how to use them!"
"If they aren't yours, Miss Evans, then who do they belong to?"
James and Sirius held their breath.
"I don't know Professor, I just found them. I'm Muggleborn and I just thought that they looked interesting."
The boys all exchanged glances. Lily lied to a professor to get them out of trouble? Why?
"Alright, Miss Evans. I'll accept that– this time. It is your first day. Perhaps though it would be best if you went up to your common room. I'll have Arthur Weasley show you where it is."
Lily got up quietly and followed a tall boy with bright red hair out of the Great Hall. He led her though hallway covered in wall to wall paintings that moved. Lily would have liked to stop and look at the painting more closely, but the boy named Arthur led a brisk pace. They ended up in front a large painting of a fat lady.
"Here we are," Arthur said, "The password's cream puff."
The portrait swung open and revealed a cozy looking living room, with purple squashy chairs in front of a glowing fireplace. Lily thought that she was definitely going to like it there. Arthur pointed up one of the staircases and showed her where her dorm was. She climbed the stairs and collapsed on her bed. Lily was really confused. Why had she helped those boys and lied to a teacher for them? They didn't try to get her out of trouble, why did she help them? Those boys confused her. Without even changing Lily fell asleep.