ICN: I know that many people see Lily as feisty like her Mum but I just never have, even though that's a cool HC too. I think she'd have a thing for Slytherin boys though, including Scorpius, which might create some teenage drama later with Rose...

HAIR: red.

EYES: brown.

WAND: pear, unicorn hair, nine inches.

Lily Potter's bright brown eyes peered up at the moonlit, cloud-swirled ceiling and her freckle-smattered cheeks dimpled in a smile. Her family weren't lying when they enthused about the beauty of Hogwarts. So far it had exceeded every expectation she'd had. James, of course, had frightened her with stories of ghosts swooping through walls and dark, creepy dungeons and a malicious poltergeist, but Lily had clung to her other brother's descriptions and had not been disappointed.

Tapping the toes of her gleaming black Mary-Janes together and stretching her small arms behind her back, the pretty little red-headed girl watched with interest as another student was Sorted. She was a tad nervous of the raggedy old hat, but none of her cousins or brothers had ever mentioned it being scary and she was determined, now that she was at 'the big school', to cultivate a sensible and grown-up approach to things. At home she was known as a sweet and sunny but easily frightened child, as different from her mother in personality as she was like her in looks. James had always mercilessly exploited his little sister's trusting nature, telling her gruesome stories about the bloodstains on the dining room ceiling and once even locking her in the small cupboard in the hallway, the soundproofed one that had been created to hide that horrid old portrait of Walburga Black. Lily had cried all afternoon after that; the gleefully vicious and insulting tirade she had endured from the painting far exceeded anything her parents had ever dealt out to her. In fact, her parents almost never reprimanded her for anything, not that she misbehaved much anyway. Ginny was usually too busy chasing after James to scold her other two children and Harry unashamedly spoiled his daughter.

Lily sighed. She missed home already. Grimmauld Place, although much changed in the hands of the Potters, would never quite shake off the creepiness that her newly engaged parents had tried to renovate out of it when they'd first moved in. Still, the family had all grown to love their strange home. Whatever house she got into, Lily was sure that her dorm bed could never be as comfy as her bed at home, with the enchanted pillow that sighed lullabies and the floating, coloured orbs of light chasing away the dark. Dad wouldn't be making her porridge with extra honey in the mornings and Mum wouldn't be brushing her hair before bed. Lily was excited to be at Hogwarts but part of her wished that she would be going home in the afternoons, like her muggle friends from her old primary school got to. It had been sort of nice over the last year or so, having her parents to herself in the evenings without James and Albus fighting or teasing her. Still, she was glad that she had her brothers here at school. James might be a prat but he was protective of her, and Al always had something useful to say when she needed help with something. And Hugo, cool-headed and quiet, would be a comforting presence to experience it all alongside her. Of course, there was always Abby too. Abby's parents had broken up during the previous year so she was often closed off and tense, but in general she was quite sweet and sisterly towards Lily.

Twisting around, Lily caught her quieter brother's eye at the Slytherin table, receiving and returning his slight smile. She'd been surprised when Albus' fears had come true and he'd been Sorted into the green and silver house, but had quickly decided it didn't matter much. James had been much more difficult, avoiding his brother for most of the term and acting awkward when they came home from the holidays. He'd seemed caught between guilty and suspicious and it had clearly upset poor Al, who had returned from Hogwarts even more serious and withdrawn than before. He'd spent much of the Christmas break over at Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's place, or with Abby, whilst Harry had tried to talk to James. The brothers had returned to their familiar old antagonistic relationship by the end of the year but Lily had hated those first, tense holidays and had invited Roxy over as much as possible. Sighing, she wished that her favourite cousin was a few months older so she could be in Lily's year.

Her gaze lingered on the tables, watching Rose argue with Fred and James whilst Dom looked on in amusement. Rose was getting quite pretty, growing into her long nose and attempting to tame her voluminous red hair, but was still a stubborn know-it-all. Lily's eyes returned to Albus and they lit up with interest as she saw who her brother was talking to: a blond boy, regally handsome even for thirteen, who was nodding at whatever Al was saying but whose attention seemed rather more focused on none other than Rose herself. Lily had heard her wild-haired cousin scoffing at Al's friendship with the insufferably self-important Scorpius Malfoy and she'd never gotten the impression that Rose and Scorpius got along. Why was he staring at her?

Lily's musings were interrupted by Professor Vector calling her name. Jerking back around to the front, she paled when she realised that it was her turn to be Sorted. She scurried forward, trying to ignore the predictable mutters that accompanied her surname. She didn't know which house she might be placed in but knew which one she wanted. The Hat was lowered to her head and Lily, tense on the battered little stool, let out a puff of relief as it realised her secret hope, fostered since childhood as she had worshipped her eldest cousin's beauty and kindness.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"