I thought I knew my ending - Year 1 and 2

Chapter 2 - The sorting ceremony

After quickly saying goodbye to my family (we had arrived at 10:54 a.m. at platform 9 3/4 in King's Cross Station, London), I decided to find a carriage on the train all to myself so that I could sort out my thoughts before we arrived at Hogwarts.

I regretted my parting with Petunia. In the car, I had decided to do my best to improve my bond with her, but once we had to say goodbye to each other, it happened rather quickly. Dad and I had put the trunk on the train and I only had time to give Mom a quick hug and nod to my sister before I had to jump back on the train.

The fifth wagon I came across was empty and I sat down on the bench farthest from the door with my legs drawn up. Before I could let my thoughts run wild and fully focus on yet another panic attack, the door of the wagon opened. I sighed and looked up. A boy with a round face and sweet smile entered. With a shock, I realized that I had seen that same face from behind the veil in the Ministry of Magic less than a few hours ago. He looked very much like one of Harry's friends.

"Hi, is anyone else sitting here? The rest of the carriages are full and I don't feel like sitting with a bunch of Slytherins. They were testing new spells on first-years." He gave me a huge smile. I smiled back and tried not to think about my last visit to St. Mugo's.

"My name is..."

"Frank," I muttered.

"What?"

"Ohh, nothing, sorry, what were you saying?" I could curse myself, but he didn't seem to realize anything.

"My name is Frank Longbottom." He held out his hand and I shook it. He looked at me expectantly.

"Um, Lily Po... Evans, Lily Evans hi."

"Is this your first year?"

"Yes, it is."

"Ohh, how exciting. I don't know your last name, so I assume your parents are muggles?

"Yes, they are," I said. Frank grinned.

"My father loves Muggles. He collects all kinds of stuff from them and likes to watch... what's the name of that crazy machine where pictures move on it just like our pictures?"

"A television?"

"Right. Right. Very weird that you guys can do that without magic. Dad says you guys have invented something incredibly interesting, something that makes stuff move by itself and it gives you light that doesn't come from candles."

It bothered me that he said "you guys" as if I were only a muggle and didn't belong to his world.

"You mean electricity."

"Yeah, right! So cool that you guys can do that without using..." Frank couldn't finish his sentence because at that moment the door opened again. A skinny boy with raven-black hair down to his shoulders and a slight bend in his nose poked his head through the doorway.

"There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere. I thought we had agreed to wait for each other on the platform." I was overcome with emotion when I saw my former best friend standing in front of me. Severus looked at me angrily, but his gaze turned to confusion as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Hi, Sev." Tears filled my eyes as he looked at me in surprise.

"Everything allright?" He chuckled. "You act like you haven't seen me for months but we have just met at the old willow the day before yesterday." We hadn't seen each other for over sixteen years.

We sat down for a while chatting with Frank about the four Houses, the food at Hogwarts and flying lessons. I did my best to pretend I knew nothing about Hogwarts and looked at Severus out of the corner of my eye. He was laughing at Frank's jokes and cheerfully talked about all the rumors he had heard about Hogwarts. How could this boy, my best friend ever be able to do the terrible things that came with being a Death Eater? How could he become His follower?