I stood on the platform desolately. Uncle Remus wasn't here. Uncle Severus, Uncle James and Aunt Lily weren't the same. Uncle Remus was my godfather and he wasn't here. I knew last night was the full moon but really. It was the day I went to Hogwarts. Marie was standing with me, trying to keep me company. I sighed.
"C'mon, we better get on the train. We still have to find a compartment." She sighed sympathetically. Uncle Remus was her godfather too, but she was closer to my dad than Uncle Remus.
"Going to leave without saying goodbye?" A familiar voice called. I turned around, grinning. I flung myself into Uncle Remus' arms and he chuckled as he hugged me. "You didn't think I'd miss seeing you off, did you?" He asked affectionately. I grinned. "Now, you be a good girl and I'll see you at Christmas. Don't worry about the sorting. Do well in your classes and do your best to stay awake in History of Magic." He said with a wink. I giggled. I leaned forward and gave him an Eskimo kiss before wiggling down and heading for the train with Marie following close behind. I looked back to wave but saw him talking to a woman I didn't recognize. I shrugged and boarded the train. I led her to a compartment that dad had told me had been 'The Marauder's Compartment'. I chuckled to myself as I remembered all the stories Dad, Uncle James, Uncle Remus and Aunt Lily had told me about the Marauders. Mum hadn't joined them until seventh year, having been home-schooled until then, but she'd told me some stories all the same. I opened the door and walked in. I stopped when I saw two boys already there. They were identical twins with red hair and blue eyes. Marie didn't stop in time and she bumped into me. I stumbled but got my balance quickly.
"Sorry." Marie said quickly. I flashed a grin and did the Marauder hand-sign for I'm alright. She nodded and I turned to face the boys.
"Sorry, we didn't know anyone was in here. Do you guys mind if we sit with you?" I asked, curious. One of the twins shook his head easily and I lifted my trunk, putting it in the rack. It was heavy, but I managed fine. I took Marie's trunk from her and put it next to mine. Marie sat down across from the boys and I sat next to her. I was curious about these boys, but also wary. I wouldn't let Marie get hurt by someone trying to be friends with us to get fame. The twin who'd allowed us to sit down extended a hand, grinning.
"George Weasley, at your service, madam." He said gallantly. The other twin's lips burst into a grin identical to his twin.
"And Fred at yours, milady." He said, extending his hand towards Marie. I flashed her a grin and her eyes lit up.
They're twins. I bet George is Fred and Fred is George. I informed her. She nodded.
What are we doing? She asked.
Hair. Green or Pink or Yellow? I responded. She grinned widely.
Green. They seem like Gryffindors. I nodded and we turned to face the boys.
"I'm Elizabeth, call me Lizzie. She's Marie, you can call her Marie." I said, extending my hand towards the one who'd called himself George. He shook it, just as the one who'd called himself Fred shook Marie's. Instantly, their hair turned lime green. I bit my lip, but Marie burst into full bellied laughter. They looked at each other and their eyes both got wide. Suddenly, a boy came into the compartment and his eyes got huge. He was stocky and very freckly. He also had red hair and blue eyes.
"Charlie Weasley. I bow to you two girls. No one, and I mean no one, has ever pranked the twins." He said awed. Marie and I exchanged wry grins.
"Our families are used to doing the impossible. I'm Lizzie Black and this is Marie Potter. It's lovely to meet you Charlie." I said. His jaw hung slack at the mention of our names.
"Yes, lovely." He agreed faintly. He shook himself and regained his easy disposition. "Well, I just wanted to warn whoever was sharing a compartment with them two to watch out but it seems the warning is unnecessary. It's a pleasure to meet you two ladies and if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He gave a short bow and a handsome grin and disappeared.
Handsome bloke, charming too. Marie commented. I nodded my agreement. I turned to the twins.
"You can't trick us. We know you're Fred and you're George." I said easily. They both grinned.
"Fellow pranksters." Fred hailed. I grinned.
"Our dads and our godfather were the Marauders." I said pompously. Fred and George raised an eyebrow each.
"Who're the Marauders?" George asked. Marie let out a gasp.
"It's an outrage! A scandal! The next generation of Hogwarts students not knowing who the Marauders are? You call yourselves pranksters and yet you don't know about the greatest pranksters that ever lived?" I shook my head solemnly.
"What will Uncle James and Dad say?" I mourned.
"Uncle Sirius and Dad will say we need to correct their education immediately!" Marie put forth. I contemplated it for a second.
"I dunno. Are they Rouge material?" I asked. Her eyes widened slightly.
"I said we should teach them about the Marauders, not induct them into the Rouges!" She exclaimed, shocked. I shrugged.
"It's kind of the same thing, isn't it? You heard their brother about them. Besides, there are only two of us. We have to have at least three before Dad and Uncle James will give us their journals." She looked reluctant.
"If you say so. We'll find out soon enough, I suppose." She said. I nodded firmly. Like our godfather, I was alpha of this pack. One of the twins cleared their throat and we faced them. So began the tale of the Marauders. We told them everything from their first year to their sixth before it was time to change. After all of us we're changed we began seventh year. I explained how mum's brother and mum's mum were killed and mum went to live with grandpa Albus at Hogwarts. Just as I finished with Voldemort's death, the train pulled to a stop. Marie and I exited the train. The boys hadn't said a word since I'd finished.
"Li'l Lizzie! An' li'l Marie too. Welcome to 'Ogwarts you two." Hagrid called. I grinned.
"Hi Hagrid!" Marie and I called together. We followed him to the boats and the twins sat with us in one. I watched the castle draw closer as we crossed the lake. It was beautiful. A marvel. It was magic. I heard several Muggleborn students exclaim at the beauty. I sat quietly.
"Lizzie?" I heard Marie whisper.
"Yes, Marie?" I asked. A long pause echoed.
"I'm scared." She admitted finally. "I don't like not knowing what's ahead." I nodded.
"Don't worry, girls." One of the twins said.
"Yeah, all you have to do is fight a troll." The other said. I snorted but Marie began shaking slightly.
"Don't joke like that!" She scolded. "This is serious, and don't you say anything about your dad, Liz." She said, turning on me. I gave her an innocent smile in the dark. The boat jolted to a halt and we all climbed out. Hagrid led us to the doors where Uncle Severus met us. He eyed all of us.
"Come with me." He said sternly. All of us followed him silently as he led us to a room that was near the Great Hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts." He said after closing the door. "I am Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin and Deputy Headmaster. I teach Potions. Here at Hogwarts, you will learn to control your magic, and how to use it appropriately. In a few moments, I will lead you to the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your house. While you are here, your house will be your family. You will sleep in the dormitories with the rest of your house and you will have a Common Room that is connected to each dormitory. There are protections around each common room so that no one unaccompanied by a member of the house may enter. When you excel here, you will be given house points. When you break rules, points will be taken away. The house with the most points will be given the house cup at the end of the year, a great honor for your Head of House. You are free to associate with members of the other houses and we encourage you to do so. Until the defeat of Voldemort, when several Slytherins helped defeat him, Slytherin was known as the 'dark' house of Hogwarts. I assure you that this is untrue. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is known and encouraged, to a certain extent. If you are placed in either house, you may compete against each other, but do not bully or discourage friendships between the two houses. Your Head of House will explain more if you have any questions or concerns. Inside your common rooms, there are six prefects, a girl and boy from fifth, sixth and seventh year. The Head Girl is from Gryffindor this year, a Muggle-born whose name is Sandra Morrow. Follow me to be sorted." He strode from the room and we followed behind. We all gaped in awe at the ceiling and I saw Charlie at the Gryffindor table. Uncle James winked at us from the seat next to McGonagall and I grinned at him. There was a hat at the front of the hall that everyone else was staring at. Suddenly, a rip opened and it began to sing.
Oh you may not think me pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
your top hats sleek and tall,
for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
and I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
so try me on and I will tell you
where you ought to be.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
and power-hungry Slytherin
loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
their favorites from the throng,
yet how to pick the worthy ones
when they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
the founders put some brains in me
so I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
and tell where you belong!
I let out a snort as the hat finished. Try on a hat? That was nothing! Marie let out a small giggle and I knew without looking back that Fred and George had big grins on their faces.
"When I call your name, put the sorting hat on your head and go to your table when it calls out your house!" Uncle Severus announced. "Anderson, Lorie!" He called.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat called.
"Black, Elizabeth!" He called. I moved forward confidently, ignoring the whispers. "Luck, Liz." He whispered as he dropped the hat over my eyes.
Hmm...Very interesting. Sneaky, courageous, hard-working when you want what you work for, intelligent. All the traits of all of the houses. Very interesting. What do you think my dear?
Me? I squeaked inwardly. I could feel the hat's amusement.
Yes, you. It is our choices that decide who we are, Elizabeth Black. Who are you?
I'm Alpha Rouge; I'm the daughter of Sirius and Alexianna Black, and the very protective older sister of Regulus, Matthew and Ana Black. I'm Elizabeth Lillian Black. I said confidently.
Yes, you are all of those things. But what can you be? What do you want to do with your life and where is the best place that you can go to achieve those things? My dear girl, so many things can come to you and they all depend on what house you're in. Let's see, ah yes, most interesting. Well, we'd better finish your sorting. How about...GRYFFINDOR!
I took the hat from my head and went to the cheering Gryffindor table, giving Marie a smile as I went.
"Dagget, Ryan!" I heard Uncle Severus call. I turned my attention to the sorting.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Diggory, Cedric!" A very handsome blonde boy made his way to the front and I hoped he'd be put in Gryffindor. No such luck.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat called. Oh well, Uncle Severus did say we could make friends with other houses.
"Johnson, Angelina!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Jordan, Lee!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Lestrange, Adam!" I jumped. I didn't know that either of the Lestrange's had children.
"RAVENCLAW!" The hat called. The boy, tall with black hair and blue eyes and tan skin, moved to the table, head high despite the stares.
"Montague, Alan!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Potter, Marie!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" I slumped in relief as I cheered. She had several Hufflepuff characteristics so it was between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. She sat across from me, grinning.
"Pucey, Adrian!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Spinnet, Alicia!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Stimpson, Patricia!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Towler, Kenneth!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Warrington, Coron!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Weasley, Fred!" There was a long pause before the hat opened its mouth.
"Please ask Fred to come up here. This is George." The hall burst into laughter as the twins exchanged places. "There we go. GRYFFINDOR!"
"Weasley, George!" Uncle Severus called, voice strict, though I could detect a hint of amusement in his strict tone.
"What were you guys thinking?" I asked in an amused whisper as Fred sat down beside me. He grinned and began clapping and I realized that George had been sorted into Gryffindor.
"We wanted to know if the hat could tell. We wanted to find a smarter hat so he'd eat himself." I laughed at the image. I quieted as Professor McGonagall stood to speak.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I know you must all be hungry so we'll eat before I make announcements. Tuck in!" Food appeared on the table and I began loading my plate.
Later that night, I slipped into bed, warm, full and content.