Accio Evans

Chapter 3: The Sorting Ceremony

Lily's breath caught in her throat as she entered the Great Hall, it was easy to forget how truly magical Hogwarts was during the school year or holidays, but now on September 1st the Great Hall looked stunning. Lily's sense of euphoria was somewhat dampened when a sudden pang of sadness hit her; her friends seemed to come to the same thought.

"Just think," Alice said, the other three listened intently. "That's the last time we'll walk through those doors on the first day of term." Hestia squeezed Lily's hand as they all realised Alice was right, this was their last year of school, the last year of Hogwarts. This time next year they wouldn't be boarding the Hogwarts Express on September 1st, but going out into the real world, getting real jobs and facing the harsh reality of the unsettled world outside of the confines of the Hogwarts Castle.

The three girls turned back to face the doors, and it truly hit them, this really was their last year, next year they would not be coming back. The girls were silent for a few moments as they somewhat glumly made their way down the Gryffindor table to somewhere near the front. Just as they had taken their seats, they were joined by the Marauders and Frank Longbottom, another Gryffindor student from their year.

"You mind if I sit here?" Frank asked, gesturing to the seat next to Alice, who blushed pink but nodded. Jessica rolled her brown eyes as Hestia watched them intently, for a few seconds Alice said nothing and stared at her lap.

"For Goodness sake Alice – talk to the boy!" Jessica hissed from the seat next to her, on a command from Hestia across the table who was grinning at the two of them. "You've had a thing for him since fifth year – now act on it!" Jessica added. Alice, whose face was now returning to a normal colour, swallowed and started up a conversation with Frank, somewhat shakily but it was conversation nevertheless.

The Marauders flopped down in the seats the other side of the girls to Sirius and Remus next to Lily and Hestia, and James and Peter next to Jessica, Alice and Frank. Remus smiled at Jessica and blush crept up the cheeks. Remus hadn't noticed Jessica's blush, but Hestia had, she noted it and decided to confront Jess about this later. Frank and Alice seemed to now be in comfortable conversation which including less stuttering and more flirtatious giggles, Lily had to stop herself from rolling her eyes as another set of Alice's giggles could be heard over her conversation with Remus with random (inappropriate) interjections from Sirius.

Several minutes later, Professor McGonagall, followed by a bunch of anxious first years entered the Great hall. Memories of Lily's own sorting came flooding back, she was convinced someone would jump out at any second and yell 'Got you!' and that the whole thing would just be a cruel prank, however that thankfully didn't happen. Lily smiled to herself at remembering the excitement of being sorted into the same house as her new friend Hestia and meeting Alice and Jessica for first time whilst huddled together waiting to be sorted. Then she remembered the look Severus had given her for not being sorted into Slytherin, unconsciously her eyes trailed over the table decorated with green and silver until her eyes found the boy she'd been looking for. Her eyes lingered on him for a second, before she let out a sigh and returned her attention to the sorting ceremony which was about to start. No-one else had noticed Lily's wandering eyes, no-one that was except James who had watched her demeanour change as the memory filled her brain.

"You alright?" James asked, squeezing her hand lightly from across the table. The sudden contact made Lily jump, but she didn't pull her hand away when she realised whose skin was against hers, James noted.

"Um... yeah, just remembered something." She stammered, slightly flustered. James pulled his hand away and smiled, he'd flustered her – was that a good thing?

"Good." He replied, her eyes still trained on his hand. She looked up and smiled back and James struggled to hold onto the rational part of his brain. It was just a smile, it means nothing more he tried to tell himself, but then he caught the sparkle in her eyes and wondered, was there something more going on? Sirius arched an eyebrow at James who shrugged at the look from his best friend and grinned cheekily, as the sorting ceremony started.