Chapter Eight

Lily and Sarah flopped onto the emerald couch back in Slytherin Common Room after a long and eventful first day at Hogwarts.

After their interesting Charms class, They had gone off to Herbology, back with the first years again, where Professor Longbottom nearly made them all go deaf with Mandrakes.

From there, there came Potions with Ebullio, History of Magic with Binns, in which Lily and Sarah enjoyed a nice nap, Transfiguration with Mutatello (where Sarah found she could change a doorknob into a flower petal with ease) and finally Flying lessons with Ollivander, the daughter of the wandmaker Ollivander, where Lily discovered that she had definitely inherited Harry's flying skills. Both girls walked away from their classes relatively happy.

"That was tiring" Sarah groaned.

Lily laughed. "And it's not even dinner yet!"

Sarah groaned again. "That means facing all those laughing idiots from breakfast!"

"Come on," Lily replied, twirling her wand absentmindedly between her fingers. "Wasn't super bad. And besides, we can just…" Lily held her wand between her eyes and grinned evilly. "Blow them up."

Sarah snorted and got up. "Let's go."

Lily followed Sarah into the Great Hall, which was already packed. They managed to find seats… right on either side of Scorpius Malfoy.

"Potter. Parker. I notice you're still dreaming of being in Ruddy Ravenclaw and Goblin-faced Gryffendor." He sneered.

"Wow, Malfoy. Looks like someone's lost all hope at insults." Lily snapped, who suddenly felt an urge to push Scorpius' face into his spaghetti and mashed potatoes.

Lily turned back to her own dinner, picking at it absent-mindedly. Out of nowhere, a paper airplane collided with her left ear. She looked up angrily, but almost smiled when she saw James just lowering his wand, and Albus smiling sadly. Quickly, she unfolded the airplane and a news clipping fell out… the one from earlier that morning, the picture stared up at her, replaying the incident again and again. And again. On the airplane paper was a note.

Lils,

This sucks. And that's saying something, coming from me. Al is all weepy - hah, I bet you can hear him protesting across the hall. Anyways, I didn't write Mum and Dad, b/c this is too personal, so I hope you did. Also, I noticed you're friend Parker wanted Ravenclaw, right? Well, I happen to know that you both were misplaced. Trust me. We'll find a way to get you outta this. In the meantime, hang tight.

~Jay

Lily grimaced. Something that had to do with James was going to end up with detention. The fact that James was being nice to her was going to end up with detention. And yet…

"Sarah, I'll be right back. Ok?" Lily said, standing.

Through a mouthful of chicken, Sarah waved her off.

Lily resisted sprinting along the hall, weaving between students and benches, walking to the opposite end. She slunk around behind the last bench on the far side, and with a cry, leapt into the space between James and Albus.

"Lily!" They both cried, and flung their arms around her.

"What are you doing here?!" squealed Rose, coming under the table and hugging Lily's legs. Hugo grinned at her from the other end of the table.

"Hey, No one said anything about students from one house sitting at another, especially if they should be in this house instead of that one." Albus growled, nodding across the hall.

Lily burst into tears. Quickly and quietly, James, Rose, Albus and Hugo pulled her out of the hall and out into the dim twilight grounds.

"Lils…" Albus said awkwardly.

"This SUCKS!" Lily cried, leaning against her brother, her head in her hands. "I'd rather be expelled, or dead, or even a troll, if it means getting into Gryffendor!"

"Is it that bad?" Hugo murmured, who rested against a pillar. "I thought that Parker girl was alright, and what with the whole advanced charms…"

"That Parker Girl has a name," barked Lily. "And Sarah is great, but I grew up with you guys, and everyone is treating me like a freak because I'm a Potter in Slytherin." Lily spat the last word like it was an Unforgivable Curse.

"I know where you're coming from, Potter."

They all turned around and saw Sarah grinning at them from the doors.

"Just so you know, McGonagall wants us all in. I'm Sarah Parker, by the way." She said casually.

Lily watched as James shook Sarah's hand, and tried not to laugh when Sarah blushed. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Parker Girl." James laughed. Then he turned to Lily. "We're gonna get you through this. Who knows… like I said in the note – you can be mis-misplaced."

He grinned, Albus gave Lily a quick hug, and they were gone.

It was dark. Lily lay awake, talking to Sarah in the bed next to her.

Sarah paused. "James is cute."

Lily pretended to gack. "James is my annoying brother."

"James is your annoying, cute brother."

Groaning but smiling, Lily rolled over. "Night"

"Night."

A mischievous grin spread across Lily's face. "Sarah loves Jaaames! Sarah loves Jaaames!"

"Lily loves Scorpius!"

Another girl in the room sat up and hissed to her friend, "Alyssa loves Maaaarcus!"

"Amanda loves Daniel!"

"Shut up, everyone!!" Lily laughed, and lay back down, and room grew silent again.