Hogwarts for the Marauders

Chapter 9 Pickled toads

Severus Snape watched as Sirius Black blissfully took his place on the Gryffindor table. The year wasn't even started and he had already developed a horrible loathing to him and his other egoistic friends.

Severus looked around and saw Lily looking at him, her face lit up in a smile. She started walking towards him, the grin never escaping her lips. But as she reached him, she didn't stop, rather she continued walking until she reached professor McGonagall and sat down on the stool. It was then that Severus realised that her name had been called and within a matter of a few seconds it would be decided whether they would remain together or not.

Severus clasped his hands together, like he had seen his neighbours do in front of a cross, and wished desperately that Lily, his Lily, would be in Slytherin, with him.

"Gryffindor!", Shouted the hat and Severus saw Lily hopping towards the table decorated with maroon and gold, and sitting down beside Sirius Black.

She looks happy, was all Severus could think. He somehow knew; knew that Lily was too good to be sorted in Slytherin. A place so evil was not one for some one as bright as Lily Evans.

"Lupin, Remus." Called professor McGonagall, from her list. Severus saw the pale, scared looking boy make his way upto the stage. He too was sorted in Gryffindor and with each passing student, the dragon of hope within Severus was starting to die. Maybe he too would be sorted in Gryffindor, with Lily. But even as he thought that, he knew he had no scope there. Maybe Lily would change her house, once she hears how lonely Severus has become. Maybe she will beg Dumbledore to transfer Severus into Gryffindor. Maybe, just maybe.

"Potter, James."

Severus turned around to look for the boy whose name had now been called twice and yet he hasn't crept up to the stage yet. He looked around, his eyes searching with others, when he saw everybody looking at the boy from the express, the one who had mocked him.

James realised several eyes upon him, and stopped chatting with a boy named Dirk Cresswell.

"Hmm hmm, James Potter." He heard professor McGonagall call, for the third time. He marched towards her and flopped down on the stool.

Unlike other students, James Potter wasn't nervous or scared. He knew where he would go and his destiny was pretty clear.

The moment the hat touched his messy dark hair, it shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Smiling, James danced towards the Gryffindor table and flopped down beside Lily and gave her a sloppy grin. Severus smirked as Lily turned away from James, visibly irritated.

After a couple more students, Severus walked up to the stool and slid beneath the hat.

"Hey, look. It's Snivelly Snivellus." Sirius called out to James and Remus.

"Thank god. My sorting is done before his. I won't be wearing that hat after his greasy hair touched it." James amused.

As they laughed, however it was only James that noticed how Lily looked hurt when Severus was sorted into Slytherin.

As the sorting came to an absolute end, the four house tables magically filled themselves with mouth watering food and the children dove in, ready to begin their new lives.

                             ***

After the meal was over, and Sirius was stuffed with Apple pie and turkey roasts, that the fact that he actually was in Gryffindor truly dawned upon him. He realised that his father would be abnoxiously angry when he knows about the Sorting. After all his cousin's didn't look particularly happy seeing him jump towards the Gryffindor table. Well, except, Andromeda, who was the only one aside from the Gryffindor's that truly seemed happy.