The Marauders: Year One (female)

7. What The Sorting Hat Said

After leaving the compartment with the annoying girls in it, Severa and Lillian went to find their own compartment. The rest of the train journey went smoothly, only small talk and excited whispers filling the air.

When they arrived at the quaint little town of Hogsmeade, a large man called Hagrid herded all the first years to the Black Lake, where they would sail across the lake in small boats as was custom.

Severa and Lillian cautiously climbed into a boat, both squealing as the boat rocked and splashed both of them. Sirius and the messy haired girl were still messing about, splashing each other as well as Severa and Lillian. Lillian soon learned that her name was Jamie Potter. He hoped he wouldn't be sorted into the same house as her. She looked like a right handful who would lose Slytherin loads of points. He didn't know what to do if he wasn't sorted with Severa.

'We're a boat to catch a wild ride!' Sirius joked lamely as she tottered to the water's edge.

Jamie snorted and shoved her over to a boat, and climbed in. 'Come on, you great wanker,' she sniggered.

Sirius rolled her eyes, before climbing in. 'Who are you calling a wanker?'

Lillian rolled his eyes, and finally climbed in, steadying the boat for Severa, who wobbled in uneasily. The other first years got in as well.

Lillian watched as a skinny, ill looking girl hopped in with a rather plump girl, and trailed her hand in the cool water. The plump, mousy girl looked worried. 'You ought to be careful, you know. There's supposed to be a massive squid in there.'

'I know,' said the other girl mildly. 'But it's only supposed to come near us if we fall in. Best not to rock the boat,' she added knowledgeably to her co-sailor, who was trying to get as far away from the sides as she could, making the boat bob up and down wildly as she did so.

Lillian heard Jamie and Sirius make a bet on the thin girl. She was even skinnier than Severa.

Hagrid waved a large, pink umbrella at the ropes tying the boats to the dock, and they immediately fell away. With another flick of Hagrid's umbrella, the boats were soon moving quickly across the great expanse of dark water.

Jamie clutched her hand to her stomach. 'I think I might be sick,' she groaned. She looked a bit green.

Sirius scoffed. 'Well, if you're going to be such a famous Quidditch player like you keep saying, don't you think you'd better get used to a little rocking?'

Jamie sniffed. 'I am excellent at Quidditch, thank you. Brooms don't bother me. I've been flying since I was six. It's just boats I don't like.'

'I wouldn't worry about that anyway,' added Lillian. 'First years can't play. It says so, in the rulebook.'

Jamie turned to him. 'There's a rulebook?'

'That you bothered to read?' Sirius asked scornfully.

Lillian pursed his lips. 'This is my first proper entry to the Wizarding World, apart from when I went to Diagon Alley to pick up my school things with Sev. I don't fancy getting kicked out in my First Year.'

'Kicked out?' asked Jamie.

'Sev?' asked Sirius, with a sneer in her voice.

Lillian flushed. 'Well, it could happen. And I don't want to risk it. And yes, Sev,' he said, with a fierce glare in Sirius's direction.

'Alright, Sev?' Sirius jeered. Severa shot her a baleful look from under her greasy hair, and hunched in her seat.

'Oh, stop it,' said Lillian crossly. 'It's our first day and we haven't even gone in the castle yet.'