Chapter 1
Lily Evans' normal world was thrown upside down on her 11th birthday. She received a letter saying that she was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Normally, she would have thought that it was some joke of her sister, Petunia's, except that Petunia had no sense of humor. Her mum and dad didn't believe it was true. After a week of hard thinking, and convincing, she was finally aboard the Hogwarts Express.
The moment that she came onto the train, Lily had met Sukie Jones, an 11 year old with blonde curls and brown eyes. Sukie and Lily, both from Muggle families, had immediately become best friends. The moment that our story starts, Sukie and Lily are sitting alone in a compartment, but not alone for long…
"So did your parent's believe all this?" Sukie asked Lily.
"No, it took me all week to get them to take me to go shopping… and my sister, Petunia! Hah! She turned all pale and hasn't talked to me since," Lily laughed.
"Why are you laughing? If anyone didn't talk to me for a week, I'd be quite upset," said a cheerful voice from behind Lily. She turned around and saw two boys. Both had black hair, though the taller boy's hair was very unruly and stuck up in the back. He was wearing glasses and had deep brown eyes. The shorter boy, the one that had spoke, had no glasses and dark, cheerful eyes.
"I'm Sukie Jones," Sukie said, "and this is Lily Evans…who may I ask are you?" The boy with the glasses looked quickly from Lily.
"I'm James Potter, and this is the idiot known to most as Sirius Black."
"Sirius? Hmmm, that's odd," said Lily thoughtfully.
"Lily, isn't it? Why is that odd? I rather like my name." Sirius said, trying to act offended.
"You don't seem to serious," she said as he bounced around the room, "or sane for that matter…" Lily and Sukie said back down. Moments later, James and Sirius joined them.
"Are you two from Wizarding families?" Sukie asked.
"Yup. You must be from Muggle families," Sirius said.
"How'd you guess?" Lily asked, very surprised.
"Well, you'd know from our names that we were not from Muggle families. Our families have been known to be causers of havoc and chaos at Hogwarts for ages," James smiled.
"And we don't wish to break the tradition," Sirius added as he pulled one of Sukie's curls.
"Hey!" Sukie said as she tackled him. James and Lily sat and watched them. Out of the corner of his eye, James was studying Lily's dark red hair and brilliant green eyes that were shinning with laughter.
"Ok, ok! I give up!" Sukie laughed. Sirius glanced at James and Lily, then whispered something in Sukie's ear. She turned bright red and laughed. They sat down again and Lily looked at Sukie in puzzlement. Hours later, they arrived at Hogwarts. Lily, Sukie, James and Sirius all got into a boat together as a huge man lead the way to a foreboding castle. Lily shivered slightly. Soon a tall woman with black hair in a tight bun with square glasses appeared at a tall door.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said with regal authority, "My name is Professor McGonagall. You will be taken to the sorting shortly. Follow me." Not another word was spoken. They passed by two huge doors and the drone of people talking could be heard. But Professor McGonagall didn't stop there. Instead she lead them into a small room, "I will be coming back for you shortly. Do not, I repeat, do not leave this room for anything." It could have been Lily's imagination, but she thought she saw Professor McGonagall's eyes settle on Sirius, then James, before she left the room.
"How are we sorted?" someone whispered.
"We have to fight a troll," Sirius grinned.
"Or if you're lucky," James added catching on, "it will only be a few dozen complicated spells." The other first years looked nervously at each other. Was he serious? Many of them wondered. The minutes passed and no one said a word. Lily felt like hundreds of butterflies were flying around in her stomach. Finally, after ages, Professor McGonagall led them out onto a large stage. There were four tables with many students sitting at them. On the stage was a large table with the staff sitting at it. A great golden chair was in the center of the table. An old man with white hair and beard down to his belt was sitting in it. He had a kind face with a nose that looked like it had been broken at least twice. He wore half moon spectacles over his kind blue eyes. Professor McGonagall lined the first years in a line. Then she put a stool with an old ratty hat on it in the middle.
"When I call out your name," she said in her clear voice as she pulled a long piece of parchment out of your pocket, "sit on the stool and place the sorting hat on your head. Avery, Luke." A boy with sandy blonde hair sat down at the stool after the hat had sung its song.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" it called out moments later. The boy-Luke-sat down at the send table from the door. He was great with much cheering. Lily looked up as more students' names were called. It looked like the night sky outside. Lily could remember reading that it was enchanted to look like that in Hogwarts, A History. She was jerked back into place as "Black, Sirius, oh my, not another one," was called. Sirius grinned stupidly and sat down. He had hardly placed it on his head when it called out:
"GRYFFINDOR!" the table farthest from the doors gave him cheers and cat calls. Lily tuned out. Finally her name was called. She timidly walked up and placed the hat over her head. It fell down over her eyes.
"Ahh, yes," said a little voice inside her head, "much talent and wisdom, yet bravery by the ton…where do you belong?" Not Hufflepuff or Slytherin, Lily thought.
"So then it must be GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted out the last word. The Gryffindor Table broke out in applause, Sirius clapping the loudest. She took a seat across from him.
"I was waiting for somebody to join me. They must be a load of fluffs if none of 'em got into Gryffindor. Then again, not everyone can be Gryffindor," he said thoughtfully.
"Goyle, Adam," went to Slytherin where he joined his friend, Alex Crabbe.
"Halliburton, Alexandria," a very lovely girl with brilliant blonde hair and bright eyes, went to Ravenclaw.
"Jones, Sukie!" Professor McGonagall called out. Sukie walked up and put the hat on.
"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted out. Sukie glanced at Lily before going to the Ravenclaw Table. "Lupin, Remus!" came to Gryffindor, and was shortly joined by "Pettigrew, Peter," though, he looked surprised to how he even got in. Lily watched with interest as her classmates got sorted. Finally, "Potter, James, oh dear, what a year this will be," was called. The sorting hat was on him for a good minute or two before he was sorted into Gryffindor. He slid in the seat next to Sirius.
"Did you see Professor McGonagall's face when she saw that we were both here? Priceless!" laughed James.
