Peter gasped.
Remus froze.
James choked.
Lily's stomach dropped.
Hermione was rendered speechless.
Sev inhaled sharply at the casual use of the slur and in a blink of an eye, he was diving for the boy sitting opposite her.
And just like that, everything went into chaos.
Remus had started hitting the choking James Potter's back as the bespectacled boy leaned forward, heaving. He was gasping for air, hitting his fist on his chest at the same time Remus was punching his back. Peter was repeating words of encouragement as he hesitated, not knowing whether to scream, cry, or faint from stress.
Zeus flapped his wings inside his cage, screeching in panic as his cage was jostled by James' hip.
Lily stayed frozen in her seat, the squeezing sensation in her chest prominent. Hermione's memories flashed through her mind at a dizzying speed and she felt the start of a panic attack.
Stay calm, Lily.
I'm not Hermione. I'm not Hermione. I'm not Hermione.
"What did you just call her?!" Her pseudo-brother gripped the collar of the Black heir angrily.
Not Hermione. Not Hermione.
Inhale and exhale for me, love.
Lily followed, copying Hermione's slow and exaggerated breathing.
Sirius' eyes went wide with confusion and he raised both of his hands in a surrendering gesture. His eyes darted around the compartment, trying to silently ask for the others' help. Still, Lily was staring at the ground breathing heavily, James was trying not to die, Remus was helping James not die, and Peter looked like he was going crazy as he righted Snape's panicking owl's cage.
"W-What— Did I do something wrong?"
"You're asking me?!" Severus tightened his hold on the taller boy. He'd love nothing more than to punch this ignorant guy in the face.
Lily! Do something! Hermione screamed from within Lily's mind. LILLIANE!
"GUYS!" Everyone froze when they heard someone's shout.
They all whipped their heads to look at a red-faced, snot-nosed, wailing Peter Pettigrew who was pointing at something. Lily, Severus, and Sirius followed his finger (the third one having to tilt and lift his head to see), and they were all horrified when they noticed James and Remus' situation.
The messy-haired boy (whose glasses had fallen off sometime during the ordeal) was turning purple as he clawed at his throat while Remus was still trying to dislodge the candy he was choking on by hitting his back as hard as he could.
"F-Fuck…I-I'm dying," James gasped.
Remus glanced at them and growled in disbelief, green eyes now gold. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! CALL FOR HELP! A-A prefect or something!"
Sirius and Severus quickly shot up and both ran out of the compartment, shouting profanities and blaming each other as their voices faded distantly.
"This is your fault!"
"My fault?! I didn't even do anything!"
"Yes, ….say…. M-word!"
"What …on about?"
"There…dunderhead!"
"Greasy…!"
Lily came to herself and stood up, running behind James and pushing Remus away. The werewolf looked at her like she was crazy and tried to get back to his position but she simply glared at him in challenge.
Do the Heimlich maneuver!
The girl winced at her conscience's loud voice and was overwhelmed with panic and confusion. What's the Hind-lick maneuver?!
"Lily, move aside!" Remus tried to get her to step away so he could help James but the short red-head was too stubborn for her own good. He had no idea what she wanted to do but could only watch as the girl wrapped her arms around the bespectacled boy's torso from behind.
Above the belly button but below the ribcage. Make sure you don't accidentally break his ribs or something. Doing it wrong can rupture his diaphragm and...basically, he might die.
That's comforting. Lily replied sarcastically.
James tried to move away from her but she hissed, "Stay still! I'm saving you!"
She did as Hermione instructed and felt the area, ensuring she held him in the correct place. Once she was sure, she pulled inward, leaning back slightly to force the air in the boy's lungs upward.
She could hear James' heaving and did it again.
"Lily-" Remus tried to intervene again but he was stopped by Peter's trembling hand.
Once, twice, three, four more times, and the small piece of taffy flew out of James' throat. The boy took a massive breath of air, collapsing to his knees and resting his head on the floor as he breathed heavily. "Bloody…Hell."
"Ew."
Remus and Lily looked at Peter who wore an expression of disgust as he stared at the piece of candy that had hit the door and rolled over to the side.
They gave him a look to which the blond blushed and muttered a soft apology.
Lily leaned down and ran her hand up and down the now-murmuring boy's back. He lifted his head to look at the three of them.
"I can't believe my last words were gonna be 'Fuck, I'm dying'." He groaned and lifted himself off the floor, flopping tiredly on the seat and wincing when his back met the cushion. "I think I'm gonna have bruises. You're stronger than you look, Lupin."
The werewolf gave him a dry look and scoffed. "You're welcome."
Lily chuckled, sitting beside the winded messy-haired boy, then burst out in laughter, feeling a tremendous amount of relief that Potter didn't die.
What a way to die, really. Choking on a half-eaten piece of Saltwater Taffy.
Remus and Peter followed soon after, the former more quietly and the latter a little more shakily. It seemed he was still in shock—which was ironic because he looked more shaken than the one who almost died who was back to normal like nothing even happened was now collecting his chocolate cards which were strewn around the compartment messily.
"You guys should change. We'll be arriving soon." James told the two boys who looked down at themselves and realized they were still in their civilian clothing.
The two nodded and reached up to open their trunks slightly. Lily spied Remus' eyes flashing gold as he lifted them with ease, pretending he was having a hard time by grunting. She found it funny how the others didn't find it suspicious that he was lifting the trunks open with one hand especially since he was the third smallest but thinnest out of everyone in the compartment with Lily being the shortest, Peter just slightly taller than her.
He reminded Hermione more of Harry at eleven than James, Harry's father.
He said he didn't have much appetite before full moons up until their sixth year.
Lily studied the werewolf. Hmm…That'll have to change.
You're welcome to try. But just so you know, even Lily-Lily tried. Hermione snorted.
And how many times have I told you? I'm Lilliane-Lily.
Remus passed Peter his clothes before moving on to his trunk which Lily thought could fall apart at any moment. It looked like it was made before Merlin himself was born.
Don't worry. He'll get a better one in the future.
How would you know that?
Did you forget he was my Professor in my third year?
Lily rolled her eyes at the woman. That still doesn't explain it.
We were in the same compartment on the way to—!
The eleven-year-old frowned when Hermione cut herself off. She felt her conscience's surprise and found herself curious about what happened.
What is it?
Can you check if there are initials engraved by the door on the seat to the left, please?
Okay…?
Remus opened the compartment door, school uniform bundled up under his arm.
"Don't do anything stupid," Remus called from outside without looking back.
Peter followed him but not before cringing at the taffy still on the floor.
Lily rolled her eyes and took her wand out from her robe pocket. With a delicate wave, she muttered, "Evanesco."
She heard the Potter boy beside her gasp at the same time the piece of candy vanished. She turned to him and raised her brows.
"What?"
He pointed at her, opening and closing his mouth but flinched when she glared at the offensive appendage and dropped his finger. "Y-You…How.."
He studied her for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. He leaned back and slouched, pursing his lips and counting the cards he collected. He would glance her way but would avert his eyes as quickly as he could whenever she caught him.
"Thanks."
She frowned, looking at him in confusion. "For?"
Widening his pretty hazel eyes, he told her, "For not letting me die, duh."
"Oh," she scratched her chin, a little flustered. She thought she didn't really deserve the thanks. Hermione was the one who knew what needed to be done. Still, she replied kindly. "You're welcome."
He gave a satisfied grin before going back to his counting, muttering about how he needed a few more dozen.
Remembering what Hermione asked her, she stood up and approached the door.
"Where are you going?"
She turned and raised a brow at the boy who was still sitting, though looked like he was about to stand up as well.
"I'm not going anywhere." She slid the compartment door open without taking her eyes off him.
Potter frowned, still not sure if she was telling the truth but he slowly reclined back to his position and narrowed his eyes on her, counting his cards while still staring suspiciously. "Don't leave me."
She rolled her eyes but nodded with a small smile.
When she realized he wouldn't be looking away anytime, she crouched down and studied the wall both inside and where the door met it. She furrowed her brows and made sure to scan every nook and cranny but she couldn't find the engraved initials told her.
There's nothing here.
Hermione hummed. Nevermind.
Lily shrugged, slid it close, and went back to sit. James scooted to make some more space for her between him and the window but she didn't notice and went straight to the opposite side.
So are you going to tell me how you know about Remus' trunk?
Why are you so pushy? Haven't you seen it in your dreams?
I don't remember everything I dreamt.
Well, if you really must know, we were in the same compartment on the way to Hogwarts. It had an engraving of his name.
I see. But why were you asking me to find initials carved in the compartment?
Hermione considered telling her but decided she wasn't in a reminiscing mood at the moment.
She heard Hermione murmur about thinking they were in the same compartment right now but the woman didn't seem like she wanted to tell her so she busied herself by reading some of the empty candy packaging lying around. She snorted at the lacking ingredient lists and the vague warnings.
She heard rustling in front of her but didn't bother to look, thinking Potter was probably eating his treacle tart.
She lifted her eyes to ask him about the safety of acid pops when she saw him tossing another piece of Sirius' saltwater taffy in his mouth.
There was no way she was letting him eat another one of those ever again.
She shot up her seat and held the back of his neck, tilting his head up with her left hand.
He flushed and looked at her with shocked eyes. "What are you-mmph!"
She shoved her right hand past her knuckles inside his open mouth and tried to reach the candy he put inside. He tried to move but Lily's hold on him was firm and she was digging her knee on his thigh to keep him from moving. He could've easily thrown her off as she weighed almost like nothing but he was scared he'd hurt her. He was holding his wrists and squeezing, trying to ask what she was doing but, again, he was too afraid he'd accidentally bite and hurt her hand. He almost rolled his eyes at himself for caring and he gagged when her fingers tried to grab something too close to his throat.
The door slid open, revealing a panting Sirius—a bruise forming around his eye— and a ruffled Severus. They made to announce they found a prefect but their voices died in their throat when they took in the scene.
A distressed, once again choking, James Potter was flailing in his seat. Though he wasn't choking on candy but on the hand Lily Evans had in his mouth with a determined glint in her eye, her other hand keeping him from turning his head.
"Lilliane!" Severus quickly moved and tried to pry away the redhead's hand. He clicked his tongue when he saw James' face. The boy's eyes were closed in acceptance and he looked like he was trying not to throw up.
Severus cringed at the spit dripping down the bespectacled boy's jaw and found himself frustrated when his cousin wouldn't budge. "I was only gone for five minutes, Lily!"
"What on earth?!"
Sirius jumped from where he was gaping by the door and started when he was roughly pushed aside by an irritated Remus Lupin followed by a small, defeated-looking Peter who was running both hands down on either side of his face.
"I told you two not to do anything stupid!" The young werewolf's eyes flashed gold as he tried to yank Lily's hands but James' head only followed when her hand supporting his neck moved forward.
The two boys, Severus and Remus, tried to pull her off the poor bespectacled boy who'd already been through too much in thirty minutes. Remus had both of his hands on her wrist while Sev had his arms around her waist as he tried to lift her. He didn't know how his cousin was this strong when she could barely even do the one push-up their phys-ed teacher in muggle school told them to do.
"Aha!" They jumped when Lily finally took away her hand, raising it in the air and showing off the small piece of chewed candy she was holding. The girl threw the candy along with a small plastic package out the train's window and cringed as she wiped the saliva off her hand using the owner—James'—robes. She also discreetly spelled it with the cleaning charm just to be sure, though she thinks the bespectacled boy saw her do so.
Said boy had already wiped his face with the napkin Peter gave him but was still on his seat, head on the backrest as he stared at the ceiling with a traumatized expression. "I…am never…eating taffy ever again."
"You better not." Lily tsked.
Just then, a tall boy not that older than them with brown hair and brown eyes entered the compartment, blue and silver tied perfectly, robes not a wrinkle in sight, shoes shined, and prefect badge glinting under the light.
"Everything alright here? These two boys sounded like someone was dying when they found me earlier." The prefect nodded his head in the general direction of the only two long black-haired boys present.
No one was answering as they were still too stunned to speak so Lily took it upon herself to do so. The boys (minus James who was still staring blankly at the ceiling, looking like he was reflecting on his whole life), watched as the redhead returned to normal and smiled an innocent smile, approaching the older boy.
"Yes, sorry to bother you, sir." She nodded.
The boy's lips twitched but he scoffed, trying to keep a poker face. "No need to call me sir. I'm only in second year myself."
Severus and Sirius whipped their heads to him. "Second year?"
He nodded and put out his hand to the younger girl. "Keith Jordan, Ravenclaw."
She glanced at his hand and took it, shaking it firmly. "Lily Evans. I'm not sorted yet."
Pretty sure he knows that.
Lily ignored Hermione. She was about to speak again but suddenly her vision was blocked by three backs. She stared at the two Marauders and Severus who were frowning slightly, the latter looking annoyed, though she wasn't sure why.
"You said you were a prefect," Severus said with gritted teeth.
Keith looked down at him, a little confused. "No, I didn't?"
"You're wearing a prefect badge," Sirius said dryly.
The older boy looked down at the pin on his chest and he seemed to understand then. He laughed and pointed at it. "This is my brother's. I sto-" He stopped and cleared his throat. "I borrowed it."
Grasping that she was now being ignored, she scoffed and turned around to go sit back down. She momentarily thought of Sir Bluewumps and wondered where the fat cat had gone to but Hermione assured her he'd be in their dorms later.
She shook her head when James flinched when he caught her eye and rolled her eyes when Peter sighed loudly, asking when they'd get there. It was already dark outside and he was getting hungry.
"Peter—agh!" She yelped when the train screeched to a stop and she lost her balance, bumping her knee to the edge of the seats.
"We're here!" James announced.
She winced and rubbed the sore spot, lifting her skirt a little to look at it but both of her wrists were suddenly seized and she was pulled up and dragged off the train before she could say anything.
She smiled and made to approach a few other first years who looked nervous and scared but changed her mind when she saw Hagrid a few paces away.
"First years! First years this way!"
"Hey, Hagri—" She was dragged off again before she could finish her greeting but the giant's eyes brightened and he waved at her enthusiastically.
She blew a few strands out of her face, glaring at a smirking James who was walking a little behind her. Sirius was beside him, quiet. He'd been avoiding looking at her since a while ago but she reckoned he'd approach her sooner or later—though she knew it'd be later. (Based on the bruise he sported now, she guessed Severus already taught him quite the lesson.) She guessed he must've learned it with all the accidental brawls he'd get into at school. He would always lose, of course, as the boys in muggle school were all bigger than him, but Sirius grew up somewhat coddled and probably didn't even know fighting without magic existed—until now.
Peter was leading the group with Remus and Severus following, one hand holding either of her wrists. She grunted, trying to pull herself free but one was a werewolf and the other took physical education classes seriously. Hermione's old professors seemed a little more lively than what she'd seen in her dreams but she excused it as them being in their youth.
They passed a group of other first-years. A blonde girl with dark eyes looked at her worriedly while a petite brunette with pixie hair smiled at her, waving hello. There was a boy in the middle of them which Hermione commented looked like her friend, Neville Longbottom. He raised a brow when he saw the five boys carrying her like a wave.
"No more 'an four on a boat!" Hagrid instructed as he helped a few struggling students onto them.
She was squeezed in with her werewolf friend and her cousin, Peter sitting on the front excitedly after Remus managed to pull him up without rocking the small boat. James and Sirius were left on the shore and they glared at Severus and Peter's smug faces while Remus shrugged apologetically. Rolling his eyes, the Potter heir ushered his fellow pureblood onto another boat with the blonde girl from earlier (who was also glaring at her two friends who were in the boat beside hers) and another boy with pointy features with robes a tad too small.
She could hear Remus and Severus lecturing her for her actions with James earlier but she tuned them out, watching the trio of friends that were split into two boats. The blonde girl was sulking, arms crossed with her chin up in the air, while the pixie-haired girl and the boy who looked like Neville tried to get her attention.
I swear I'm going to be in a girl's only friend group.
That'd be a great change for this life. I wanted some when I was in school as well.
Lily frowned, remembering the Weasley girl in her dreams. Weren't you friends with Ginny?
I was but we weren't that close.
"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, already sitting in his boat. "Right then - FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake.
The students stared at the castle they were approaching with wonder.
"Heads down!" The half-giant called out as the first boats reached the cliff. They all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbor where they got off.
Peter scrambled to get off, grinning in palpable excitement. Lily wanted to squeeze his cheeks. He looked like a hamster.
"Watch your step, cousin." Severus got down next, holding his hand out to her.
Remus supported her by her elbow when the boat wobbled a little.
The werewolf then looped his arm with her and gave her a gentle smile while Severus did the same on her other side. She returned the smile but groaned inwardly. She desperately needed some personal space. It would've been great if Hermione was awake right now. She needed to rant to someone.
The first-year students whispered excitedly to themselves as they walked through the entrance hall, Professor McGonagall leading them up to the front where the other teachers sat, looking down at them with poker faces —sans Dumbledore who wore a welcoming, grandfatherly smile. Most older students were smiling kindly, others looking like they'd rather be anywhere than there while some were gesturing to their rumbling stomaches.
Lily caught the eye of Keith Jordan from the train and he waved at her, prefect badge now gone from his robes. The older boy beside him glanced at him before looking at her. She deduced that he must be Keith's brother. They had nearly identical smiles, though the older boy had darker skin and was well-built.
They watched as McGonagall took a scroll of parchment from Filch—who still looked as evil as he did in her dreams— and she gasped in awe when the sorting hat opened its wide mouth—which was just a long wrinkle on by its brim—and started singing.
.
.
.
"Oh, you may not think I'm 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.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
.
.
.
Afterward, Professor McGonagall stepped onto the small platform and unrolled her parchment. "When I call your name, you will come forth, I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses."
Once the professor was sure they heard her, she called out the first student. "Abbott, Giffard!"
A boy with auburn hair and a smattering of freckles sat on the stool where the hat was placed on his head. It was a few moments later that it announced, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table filled with students wearing yellow ties stood up and cheered as the little boy made his way shyly, his tie turning yellow and the Hufflepuff emblem stitching itself on his robes as the facings faded to a muted dark yellow. He was given a series of welcoming pats and hugs from his new housemates.
"Adams, Samuel!"
The boy had slicked-back dark hair and tanned skin.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Next was a lively girl named Raine Andrews with caramel skin and whose face had a pattern of moles. The hat barely touched her head before it exclaimed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Lily looked over to the table of green and silver applauding with a considerably less amount of whistling and exuberance. They were all seated and welcomed their newcomer with handshakes and polite nods.
"Barnes, Wendell!"
A pretty girl with dimples hopped up and sat on the stool. It was as quick as the last one because the hat only brushed her head before it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Hmm… no Gryffindors yet. She guessed Sirius would be the first one to be welcomed by the House of Lions—who were scowling at the Hufflepuff table who'd already received two first-years so far.
She'd somehow lost Remus and Severus in the small crowd but the two pureblood heirs and Peter were still near. Sirius looked extremely nervous as he stared at the sorting hat placed on the stool on top of the platform. Lily knew he was hoping both to get and not to get sorted to Slytherin. The former was because he wanted to prove he was different from his family and the latter was because he was afraid of the punishment that would await him if he got sorted into the 'wrong' house—at least that's what Hermione told her before.
"I'm so nervous." Neville's lookalike whispered to no one in particular as the sorting went on in the background. He was pale and looked ready to throw up.
James wrapped an arm over the shorter boy and grinned. "Don't worry, mate. It'll be awesome when you defeat the troll."
The boy turned paler and even Peter looked scared. "T-Troll?!"
"Yes, the largest they could find. Think of it as an initiation to the school."
Lily slapped a hand to her forehead. The boy was shaking like a leaf. "You're scaring the poor kid, Potter."
The bespectacled boy's attention turned to her and he pouted and removed his arm from the Neville lookalike, moving to terrorize the next student. Lily rolled her eyes and approached the boy who was now being comforted by the blonde and pixie-haired girls from earlier.
"Hey, don't worry about what he said. You don't need to fight a troll." She said.
The blonde snorted. "You didn't really believe him, did you Frank?"
The boy looked away, embarrassed.
"He did." The pixie-haired girl said in a dreamy tone. She reminded her of Luna Lovegood.
"I'm Lily, by the way." She smiled.
"Marlene. This is Frank, and that's Alice." The blonde seemed vivacious and confident. "You're hair's so pretty! We wanted to talk to you earlier but your bodyguards were intimidating as heck."
She blushed at the compliment and thanked her but cringed at the reminder. "Yeah, one of them was my cousin."
"Which one?" Frank asked. He looked like he needed all the distraction he could get while they waited for their name to be called out.
"It was—" She was cut off when she heard the next name.
"Black, Sirius!"
The hall was silent in suspense from the name called. She pressed her lips together when she noticed the tension in the Black heir's shoulders as he marched to the front and sat on the stool with his head held up proudly. Lily smiled encouragingly at him when he met her eyes but he looked away quickly, making her frown.
As each minute passed the hall grew louder with whispers. Sirius looked passive as ever but she knew he was nervous.
She felt someone squeeze her hand and she saw it was Severus who'd found her, Remus on his other side.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Sirius wore a relieved grin as he walked toward the House of the Snakes' table calmly, his tie and the facings inside his tobes swirling to Slytherin colors, the emblem now stitched onto the fabric. His housemates wore proud smirks and grins as they welcomed him warmly, showing him to a seat in the middle of the table where his older cousins hugged him and fussed over the bruise on his eye.
Lily stared in shock, jaw dropped as she watched the whole thing transpire.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
What. The. Fuck.
The redhead stared at the back of the Black heir's head in shock, calling for Hermione in panic as the sorting continued.
This was wrong. So wrong. There has to be some kind of mistake. There just has to be. This was a change that would alter everything. The boy would grow up to be one of the First Order of the Phoenix's star frontliner, for goodness sake! That might not happen if he's all buddy-buddy with future death eaters plus the Marauders might not form which means Sirius might not be the secret keeper but was she even sure James would love her like he loved the other Lily? No, she wasn't. Neither was Hermione which was why they'd already accepted that Harry might not exist in this reality.
But still! The thought of the greatest Slytherin hater in Hermione's lifetime becoming a Slytherin in her universe never crossed her mind. She didn't even think it was possible but here she was being proved wrong.
"…iane!"
She ignored Severus' elbow jab to massage her temples and closed her eyes, not knowing what to do. She could've vaguely guessed the future if not much had changed but now, it was different. Now she'll have to go blindly with her self-made mission to save everyone by giving them a second chance.
She was jolted out of her thinking when Severus nudged her again. She glared at him but he looked at her with wide eyes.
"Evans, Lilliane?!" McGonagall repeated in the background.
Lily gasped and quickly walked over, her heart beating loudly in her ears. McGonagall raised a brow at her to which she returned with an apologetic smile.
She sat on the stool and the professor placed the hat on her, covering her vision slightly. She could see Sirius looking at her expectantly from the Slytherin table and her cousin giving an excited look (though others wouldn't notice as he looked like he was suffering from boredom), Peter and Remus gave her smiles while James was still off scaring his fellow first years.
"It seems history will not repeat itself this time."
Lily jumped when she heard a deep voice in her head.
It's just the sorting hat. Hermione laughed.
Lily scoffed. Oh, now you're here? Where were you when Sirius was sorted in the wrong house?!
Hermione didn't reply and was once again quiet.
"Mr. Black was sorted correctly so you needn't worry."
She rolled her eyes at the hat's amused voice. Of course, she needed to. The future she saw in her dreams was fading away right in front of her eyes. How was she supposed to save them now?!
"It is improbable to save everyone, Ms Evans. Sacrifices must be made. Fate and destiny will always restore balance."
Lily felt her heart hurt. "It wouldn't hurt to try."
The hat only laughed and she felt it nod (or wiggle) on her head.
"Then, I wish you good luck."
"Can you hear her?"
"Who?"
Lily didn't reply. If the hat can see inside her head then how come he didn't see or hear Hermione Granger?
"There is a reason why there are two minds in one heart, Ms Evans. You'd be surprised knowing there might only be one."
She frowned, "What does that—"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Her tie changed into the red and gold colours, the Gryffindor emblem on her robes as the table of the House of the Lions shot up and cheered loudly for their first newcomer, whistling and waving her welcome.
"Ms Evans?"
She looked at McGonagall who was frowning worriedly.
"Is everything alright?"
She wanted to shout that no, everything was not alright and that they should re-sort Sirius Black just to make sure there was no mistake because she was pretty sure the grey-eyed boy was supposed to be seated in Gryffindor right now. But instead, she nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Welcome to Gryffindor, Ms Evans." The woman gave her a barely there smile and gestured for her table.
Lily got off the stool and walked down toward the joyful house, catching Severus' slightly sad but proud expression. She gave him a shrug and a hesitant smile to which he nodded to, black eyes happy for her.
Sirius had his head turned and was talking to a more sane-looking Bellatrix Black (soon Lestrange - unless that changes too...Lily had to roll her eyes).
Deciding to forget every problem she had for now, she greeted her older housemates who each gave her a handshake, a nod, a hug, and more. She sat in front beside an older red-headed boy who had an identical red-headed boy sitting opposite them, watching the ongoing sorting.
"Gideon Prewett." The boy introduced, holding out his hand.
She accepted it and shook it once. "Lily Evans."
"You were up there for a while-"
"-almost as long as Black." The other boy finished his brother's sentence.
"I was stuck between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." She lied.
"Well, Lily, since you're now a lion and have red hair, you're basically a Prewett!" Gideon's twin grinned. "Feel free to call us your older brothers."
She coughed awkwardly, "Err, no thanks."
"We insist." Both boys said in chorus.
"This is Fabian…" Gideon introduced the boy who gave her a wink across the table.
He pointed at an Asian girl sitting beside Fabian who smiled at her kindly. "That right there's Meryl Pepper."
"And I'm Grace." Another girl similar looking to Meryl but with plumper features leaned over from where she was sitting beside Gideon to shake her hand. "I'm Mer's older sister."
"She's a sixth year but we're fourth years."
Lily made an 'ooh' sound.
Gideon grinned and was about to say something again but she'd already turned around, eager to watch the rest of the sorting.
If Sirius got Slytherin, there was a high possibility that the other members of the infamous Marauders would get sorted into different houses as well.
"Fortescue, Alice!"
The pixie-haired girl glided forward with a serene smile, big blue eyes sparkling.
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table stood up and cheered. She clapped her hands and smiled warmly when the girl winked at her as she walked over and sat beside Luke Conner, another first-year.
"Gooseberry, Kailani!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Hawks, Michael!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Hold, Leandro!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Merlin, the badgers are on a roll today." Fabian groused, glaring at one of their friends who looked at them with a smug smile.
"Knotts, Harvey!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Gideon, Fabian, Meryl, Grace, and several other older Gryffindors raised their middle fingers at the Hufflepuff students currently making gloating faces at them, dancing in celebration of getting two in a row.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and gave them a look, making them drop the digits.
"Lee, Bruce!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table gave the boy an incredibly loud welcome and applause (to spite the Badgers) as he proudly sat at their table, shaking her hand over the table.
"Longbottom, Frank!"
The pale boy shakily sat down and looked deathly afraid of the sorting hat which guffawed as it rested on his head. After a few moments of consideration, the sorting hat folded and yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Fuck! That was Neville's dad! She wanted to cry. Where were Hermione's comments when she needed them?!
The table cheered louder, sending infuriating smirks at the Gryffindors but also just happy at receiving another one. Frank sat beside Giffard Abbott who patted him on the back.
"Lupin, Remus!"
Lily leaned forward in anticipation. Maybe this time the hat will get it right. Given that the sorting hat takes into account one's preference, Remus might still end up in Gryffindor. But there was a good chance he'd end up in-
"RAVENCLAW!"
Double fuck… She ran a stressed hand down her face.
The blue and silver table cheered for one of its new members, though a little more tamed than Hufflepuff and Gryffindor's welcomes. The werewolf met her eyes and smiled. He gave her a small wave before sitting beside Michael Hawks who immediately engaged him in conversation.
Merlin help me.
She hit the table with her head repeatedly and groaned, the older students looking at her weirdly while her fellow first years watched, confused.
"McKinnon, Marlene!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily was sobbing inside. Thank Merlin.
The blonde skipped and gave her a hug before sitting beside her.
"Pettigrew, Peter!"
She crossed her fingers as a shaky Peter sat on the stool with closed eyes. The sorting hat looked like it was having fun being on his head as it mouthed silent, indiscernible words.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily breathed a sigh of relief. At least one of the Marauders had the right house. She waved excitedly at Peter who was gaping as he watched his tie turn red and gold, holding it in wonder. He jogged to sit beside Alice and plopped down. Bruce shook hands with him over the table and Fabian introduced his twin and himself, along with their friends who said hello as they did with the previous newcomers.
Now all she needed to worry about was James Potter. If he wasn't in Gryffindor then what house could he be? She highly doubted he'd be in Hufflepuff. He was too - - just no. She can't imagine it at all. Ravenclaw? There's no way. Slytherin… Well if one takes into account how Harry Potter was a stall between Slytherin and Gryffindor, then it was possible. Maybe he'd still be best friends with Sirius if he went there!
"Potter, James!"
The grinning boy barely sat down when the sorting hat exclaimed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
He went straight to where Lily was and sat beside her, forcing her and Gideon to scoot to make some space between them.
"Of course you're in Gryffindor." She rolled her eyes. Why did she even worry? He's the exact personification of the house.
The boy scoffed and turned to the Prewetts to introduce himself.
"Snape, Severus!"
She watched in moral support as her cousin approached the stool quietly. She could sense his nervousness but she knew he was trying not to show it.
"SLYTHERIN!"
She felt a little sad that they weren't in the same house but she gave him a wholehearted smile and clapped proudly anyway. He returned it with his barely-seen one. She couldn't help but notice he seemed a little different. In a good way. He held his head higher, and held his shoulders just a little straighter. It was obvious he was proud of going to Slytherin.
After that, the last three students were sorted: a group of triplets with the last name Yang. One each in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
She tuned out Dumbledore's welcome speech as she stared at the table, trying to think of a plan to keep the future together. Or the happy ending at the very least.
Nevertheless, she was happy that she was finally at Hogwarts, the place that Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley considered their second home. She felt warm all around.
What are we going to do now, 'Mione? She asked, hoping the woman would answer.
Now we try to be happy.
Lily frowned. That wasn't what she thought her conscience would say.
But what about the others? James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter might not become best friends like in your lifetime.
What will happen, will happen. Be a child, Lilliane. Enjoy your life and don't go looking for trouble.
Her emerald eyes met clear grey ones.
Too late.
...
Boat Ride from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Chapter 6 - 'The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters'.