The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

The First Year Gryffindors

One of the awful boys from the train had been sorted into Gryffindor.

Well, thought Lily, tightening her grip on Severus's hand, that settled that - she definitely did not want to be sorted to Gryffindor if that was the sort that ended up in that house! She couldn't imagine spending the entire term with Sirius Black sharing the same breathing space as her. It made her shudder. Besides - it would be utter chaos, him and Severus together in one room all term! They'd be fighting constantly!

Lily watched a couple more students sorted - Carin, Dorothy and Drewer, Penelope both went to Hufflepuff - and then Professor McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily!"

The world seemed to stop. She turned, panicked, to Severus. "I'm scared Sev," she whispered in a rush. She stared up at him. Her palms were all sweaty and she didn't want to let go of his hand - it felt safe. This was the moment they'd both been waiting for, constantly talking about for two years, and now that it was here she was too terrified to take the step towards the stool.

Severus's pale face stared back at her with a hint of a gentle smile growing beneath his dark, sparkling eyes. "Go on," he said, encouraging her. "You'll be brilliant."

"What if I trip on the way up to the stool?" she asked. She'd asked him this at least a hundred times before, probably a hundred times a day even, and she knew, even as she said the words exactly what he would say in reply.

"Then I'll catch you," Severus said, "I'll always catch you, Lily."

She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves with his words.

"But I won't have to," he said, "You'll be okay. I'll see you in a minute at the Slytherin table!" Severus pulled her hand away from his and pushed her gently forward.

Lily swallowed and turned, nervously climbing the steps to the stool and sat down gingerly upon it. Professor McGonagall smiled down at her, "There you are, m'deary," she said, her Scottish accent lilting the words. Despite the harshness of her face, Professor McGonagall had a really kind smile and it was comforting, so Lily smiled back and McGonagall said, "Here comes the hat, dear," then dropped it onto her head.

The last thing Lily saw before the hat covered her eyes was the hopeful, eager look of anticipation on Severus's face.

"Interesting..." said a voice. Lily jumped in surprise. The hat hadn't been talking aloud to anyone else. She panicked for a moment, wondering if everyone could hear it. "No," the Hat replied, "Only me and you. Anything we say here is between us. No one else can hear us."

"Even me?" she whispered.

"Even you," answered the Hat.

"You must use magic to create a soundproof barrier, then?" she questioned.

"Yes. We're under a muffliato charm," the Hat explained. The Hat chuckled in her ear, "Yes... yes... exactly. You are a smart one, aren't you? Yes... yes I see, very smart indeed. Hmm... And a hard worker, too. I see a lot of ambition, but not overdone... Goodness, but you are a powerful witch, you'll do amazing things - very amazing things.. Hmm."

"Are you looking at my brains?" Lily questioned.

"I am. Your driving forces, as well, looking at what makes you tick," the Hat said. "You've got a lot of love in you. That's a mighty, ancient power that many wizards don't understand the scope of. You're a rare one, Lily Evans. Very rare indeed. Now... where to put you... You'd do marvelous in Ravenclaw, with such a quick wit and smarts..."

Lily felt her stomach twist. "Please," she told the hat, "Let me be in Slytherin. I want to be with my friend Severus and he's going to be in Slytherin, his whole family's been. Please."