Chapter 21:

"He's probably just bluffing," Ron said as he, Harry, and Hermione all left potions together.

"Whose bluffing?" Hermione asked as the three of them made there way to Herbology.

"Malfoy," Harry said as he explained the entire situation to Hermione.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" Hermione said shocked and sounding a little hurt.

"Wasn't in the mood for the whole disapproving thing," Harry said. "Anyway, it was just something that happened. We weren't trying to hide it from you."

"Fine," Hermione said shrugging. "Whatever…"

"Don't be upset," Ron said as they walked into the greenhouse. "We have other things to be concerned about right now."

"Yeah," Hermione said shrugging.

"Hermione? Ron?" said a female voice from behind them. It was Parvati. "I was just wondering what color you all are wearing to the ball?"

"Color?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Parvati asked. "I mean you two are going to match, right? Or at least make sure that you don't clash?"

"You all think about these things?" Ron asked looking at Hermione.

"Well," Hermione said blushing a little. "It is something to think about…"

"Hermione," Lavender said cutting in. "I think you should wear the blue robes. You looked lovely in the them, and they would go well with Ron's eyes…"

"You need to match my eyes?" Ron said looking at Hermione and then to Harry in confused disbelief.

"Oh don't play dumb, Ron," Parvati said. "Lily's wearing this beautiful green robe of Lavender's. Looks fabulous on her…"

"Almost as good as it does on me," Lavender said grinning.

"Right…" Parvati said giving Lavender a look. "Anyway, they make her eyes stand out beautifully. So of course they would look good with Harry's green eyes as well." She paused and looked at Harry. "You know, I just noticed, but you and Lily have almost identical eyes…I mean they're both a brilliant shade of green…"

"Well," said Harry as he changed the subject. "I've got green robes already, so that works out nicely."

"I have Fred's old blue ones," Ron said. "and George's old red ones, and Percy's old silver ones…."

"There you have it!" Parvati said looking at Hermione. "Blue it is! I can't wait until the ball!"

"I can tell," Hermione said awkwardly as she looked up at Ron. "So I'll wear the blue?"

"Ok….blue…" Ron said blushing.

"This ball will be the end of us all," Harry said as he opened up his Herbology book and began to preoccupy himself.

**************

By Friday afternoon, the whole school was buzzing about the ball. Who was going with who, and what everyone was going to wear. Everyone's thoughts seemed to be on it. Well, almost everyone…

"Are you feeling better?" Harry asked Lily as they laid around the common room. Hermione had dragged Ron off to the library so it was only him and Lily.

"Yes," Lily said smiling. The sunlight crept across her face as it spilled in from the window she was looking out of. "I just had this headache that I couldn't shake. Madame Pomfrey helped though."

"I'm sure," Harry said as he glanced out the window and watched the Giant Squid bob up and down in the lake.

"I can't believe that thing is still around," Lily said smiling as she glanced around the grounds of Hogwarts. "And look, the Whomping Willow. You know they planted that the year I started here?"

"Did they?" Harry asked pretended that he didn't already know this.

"Uh huh," Lily said nodding. "My friend Emily said that there was this rumor about it guarding something. I didn't believe it though. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all thought that that was the stupidest thing they'd ever heard. Like anyone can hide anything in Hogwarts."

Harry smiled as he thought about how his dad and his friends would sit there and try to convince people that there really was nothing going on regarding that tree. "Hey Lily?" he asked. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?" Lily said looking at Harry.

"Why did my dad and Snape not get along?" Harry asked. "I mean did they just not like each other from the beginning or did something happen?"

Lily was quiet. She seemed deep in thought. "I think it was a collection of things," she said finally.

"Really?" Harry asked. "It's just…I mean Snape's always hated me. I've heard little stories from Sirius and Remus as to why this was, but I was just curious as to if there was a crucial moment…"

"Not that I know of," Lily said. "I mean the four of them were very secretive. James and I told each other a lot of things, but there was a bond he had with those guys…a bond that no one could break. This unbreakable trust…"

Harry frowned at that. The simple fact that that unbreakable trust was broken by one of his father's most trusted friends. It made his stomach hurt.

"I mean Snape's just a bad seed," Lily said sighing. "I can still remember the first time I met him. Sometimes first impressions are the only impressions you ever need…"

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"It was on the Express," Lily said looking out the window. "Probably sounds cliché since you really do meet a lot of people the train, but it's true. That and the sorting…"

************

"Take care sweetheart," said a tall woman with light reddish hair.

"I will mum," Lily said nervously. She couldn't help but notice how large this train was. This was the first time she would ever be away from home. London and Scotland were worlds apart.

"Your father told me to tell you how much he loves you," her mother continued as she brushed her daughter's long hair out of her eyes. "We'll both miss you. I'm sure Petunia would say the same."

"I doubt that," Lily said scoffing. "But tell dad that I'll miss him dearly. I love you both."

"Last call!" said a loud voice from the train. "All aboard!"

"I have to go?" Lily said looking at her mother. Her nerves were probably most visible right now.

"You do, dear," said her mother soothingly. "Have fun."

"I….I will…" Lily said turning towards the train. She clutched the bag lunch her mother had prepared for her tightly in her hand as she trembled. She took a few steps forward before she stopped and turned around to face her mother, who just gestured for her to keep walking.

"Ok Lily," Lily thought to herself and she slowly walked forward. "Just keep walking. Look, everyone else is doing it. Just step up to the train and get on it. Everyone else seems to know everyone though. I'm probably the only person who doesn't have any friends here. I wonder how much magic they all know already? They've all grown up around this and I only know what I've read. This is a bad idea, I should have just gone to Dovedale Prep School with my friends. I would have learned everything I needed to know to become a banker. I would have had to have been in Petunia's shadow for the rest of my life, but it probably…….."

"You do understand the train leaves, not the station?" said a male voice from behind her.

"Beg your pardon?" she said as she turned around to see a short, skinny, well dressed boy with dark hair and bluish eyes standing behind her waiting to get on the train.

"I was kidding," said the boy. "I just meant that if you're planning on going to school you actually need to get on the train."

"I know," she said defensively as she took a step up and boarded the train.

"I knew you had it in you," the boy said smiling as he stepping on after her. "First year?"

"Is it that obvious?" she said blushing furiously.

"Probably," he said still grinning as the train began to move. "Wouldn't really know though, since I'm one too."

"Are you?" she asked as she looked the boy up and down. How come he was so confident and collected?

"Yeah," he said seemingly preoccupied by something over Lily's shoulder. "Sirius Black." He extended his hand out.

"Lily Evans," she said nervously shaking his hand.

"A muggle, huh?" he said smiling widely. "Fresh meat."

"What?" Lily said shocked. "What does that mean?"

"I'm kidding," Sirius said. "I didn't mean anything by it. I'm assuming you're a muggle by your name. I don't recall any wizarding families with that name…"

"There aren't," Lily said. "At least I know I'm the first from mine. Does your family go back far?"

"Something like eighteen generations," Sirius said rubbing his head. "I think."

Lily's mouth dropped. "Oh my…"

"You think that's impressive," he said laughing. "You should meet my best mate James. He's a first year as well, so I'm sure you two will eventually cross paths. He can't even trace how many generations his goes back. Completely pure blooded."

"Pure blooded?" she asked questionably.

"Each marriage into the family has had an impressively long wizarding family tree as well," Sirius said. "His is pretty complicated."

"Sounds like it." Lily said in disbelief.

"Well," Sirius said shrugging. "It was nice meeting you. I'm sure I'll see you at the sorting. Try for Gryffindor, it's the best."

"Gryffindor?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said smiling. "My whole family has been it. Well, have a good trip." With that he smiled and disappeared towards the back of the train.

"There's so much I need to learn," Lily said as she began to walk forward before a compartment door clicked open and out walked a tall dark haired boy, followed by a shorter boy with dark slicked back hair.

"Now," said the taller boy. "If you are to end up in Slytherian, then of course there are a lot of things that it entails…" He stopped right before Lily, obviously wanting to get around her. "Are you going to move?"

"Umm…yes," Lily said nervously.

"Well then do it," he said condescendingly. "Honestly, first years can be so ignorant…"

"Sorry," Lily said moving out of his way.

"Anyway," said the taller boy. "Severus are you getting all this?"

"Yes," said the shorter boy. He glanced at Lily as they walked past her, before he stopped and faced her. "Are you a first year?"

"I should hope so," said the taller boy.

"Yes," Lily said looking down at her feet.

"So am I," Severus said. "Severus Snape."

"Lily Evans," she said smiling awkwardly.

"Evans?" said the taller boy. "Are you a muggle born?"

"Apparently," Lily said sighing. "I should just stop saying my last name," she thought to herself.

The older boy scoffed and continued walking. "Come along Snape."

"Coming," said the shorter boy. Lily wasn't thrilled with the look he had given her when she admitted that she was muggle born. He seemed to step back like she had the plague. She watched as he quickly chased after the older boy, seemingly happy to get away.

"I hate this," Lily said out loud to herself. She felt like crying. Just jumping off the train and running back to London as fast as she could. She couldn't do that though. So she'd do the next best thing. Find an empty compartment and lock herself away.

"Excuse me," said a small girl who was trying to get around Lily.

"Sorry," Lily said as she finally took a step and started searching for and empty compartment. She reached the end of the train before she found one. "If I don't like it," she said to herself. "I can always just go home…"

The ride was long and very silent before Lily saw the giant castle appear in the distance. "A castle," she thought to herself. "Amazing." The idea of her learning magic was beginning to sound more appealing to her. As the train stopped, she hopped of and followed a group of confused looking first years to the lake. A giant man was standing there beckoning for them to get in the boats. "This is mad," Lily thought to herself. Before she knew it she was standing in a very large room waiting to go into a much larger room.

"What do we have to do?" asked a small blonde girl.

"You have to stand in front of the whole school and perform a transfiguration," said a boy with dark hair and glasses who was standing right next to Lily. "Hope you've all been practicing."

"Are you serious?" said another boy.

"No, that's me," said the boy from earlier on the train. A few people laughed.

"A new group of people for you to use that on," said the boy with glasses as he rolled his eyes.

A woman soon came and gathered the group and took them into a large room in front of the whole school. Slowly everyone was sorted into different house. Lily had ended up in Gryffindor, the house that the boy from the train had said to shoot for. She sat down at the table, not realizing how hungry she really was. She was amazed by the giant feast that appeared before them instantly as everyone dug in.

"Hi there girl from the train," said a voice. It was Sirius.

"Who me?" said Lily.

"Who else would I be talking about," said Sirius smiling.

"I don't know," said the boy with glasses who sat down next to him. "Maybe every other girl in this school who rode the train?"

"Smart ***," Sirius said looking at the boy before turning back to Lily. "Sorry, your name is…"

"Lily," she said.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "I knew that!" Lily smiled.

"Ignore him," said the boy with glasses. "He's a loony. They should lock him up."

"Lock me up?" Sirius said. "That'll never happen! Anyways, James, this is my friend from the train, Lily."

"Hi Lily," the boy named James said as he plastered a goofy grin on his face. "I'm James Potter."

"The one and only," said a blonde girl who sat down beside him.

"Emily," he said looking at her. "You started school this year as well didn't you?"

"That I did," she said smiling widely. "You knew that of course though, right James? I mean we live two house down from each other. You've playing Quidditch with my brothers for years now…"

"We don't talk about you with your brothers," Sirius said coldly.

"Are you still mad about what happened this summer?" Emily asked looking down at Sirius.

"Stop," James said. "I'm not putting up with this on the first day…"

'Hi," Emily said ignoring him and looking at Lily and the various other first years at the table. "I'm Emily Darbur. Just thought I should introduce myself since we'll be together for the next seven years."

"Yes," Sirius said glaring at Emily. "Lets all just introduce ourselves and sing songs and hold hands, shall we?"

Emily glared at him. "Anyway," she said. "You are?"

"Lily Evans," Lily said smiling. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Emily said smiling warmly. "And you?" She looked at a tall skinny boy that had been quietly sitting next to Lily.

"Remus," he said slowly. "Remus Lupin,"

"And you?" Emily said looking at a chubby boy that was next to him.

"Peter Pettigrew," he said glancing around the table. Emily continued to ask every new person at the table and soon enough everyone had been introduced.

"Well nice to meet all of you," Emily said.

"You didn't introduce me," Sirius said with his mouthful.

"Or me," James said grinning.

"This is Sirius Black and James Potter," Emily mumbled quickly as she began to eat her food. "Obnoxious troublemakers who think they're really funny, but they're not."

"Thanks Em," Sirius said as he threw a pea at her. "I swear if you weren't Liam and Sean's little sister…"

"Anyway," Emily said smiling at Lily. "Are you a muggle born?"

"Yes," Lily said meekly. She was beginning to get very tired of everyone ask her this.

"I always think that that's quite an accomplishment," Emily began. "To come from knowing nothing about this world…"

"I suppose," Lily said awkwardly.

"I mean some people just come from long lines of wizarding families and really take advantage of the powers that they have." Emily glared at James and Sirius.

"She's just upset because James turned her cat into a potato," Sirius said smiling. Many of the boys at the table laughed.

"That's funny Sirius," Emily said ignoring him as she buttered bread. "You weren't laughing so hard this summer when I…"

"Stuff it," Sirius said glaring at her. "To think its only the first day…"

"For once I agree with you," Emily said. "And anyway, I didn't just mean you two, I meant people like the Avery's, the Nott's, the Snape's…"

"Snape…" Lily said looking up. "I met him on the train…"

"Sorry," Emily, James, and Sirius all mumbled together.

"He's a prat," James continued.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Just look at what house he's in," Sirius said looking over at the Slytherian table. "Enough said…"

"Snape and I had a run in at camp a few years ago," James began. "He was in our cabin…things happened…we have yet to get along since."

"Oh," Lily said as she quietly began to eat the rest of her food.

************************************

"Things happened?" Harry asked Lily.

"That's all he ever said," Lily said shrugging. "Never ever commented on it. I asked him a few times and all he would ever do is go off on a tangent about how much he hated Snape. It'll forever be a mystery I suppose."

"I suppose so," Harry said looking out the window wondering even more as to what really transpired between his father and Snape.