Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Petunia had called her a freak.

Lily's long awaited, much anticipated day had finally arrived. But the first of September, and her first trip off to Hogwarts, was definitely not turning out as she'd hoped. She had hugged her parents goodbye, promised to do her best for them, then looked at Petunia hoping for some sort of 'bon voyage', a hug, a wave, anything would have been nice. But her sister had looked at her with such loathing that she felt like her heart was going to stop beating. She'd then simply looked away.

She hadn't looked back.

Almost in tears, Lily entered the train, desperately trying not to cry as she passed all the other students. Finally, she'd holed herself away in an empty carriage, pressed her face against the window, and stared out at the platform. She'd hoped she'd catch a glimpse of her sister, that Petunia would come to her and apologise, but there was nothing. Her father had waved goodbye to her, her mother had blown her a kiss; Petunia had stood there, looking at the ground, refusing to even acknowledge her.

And who knew where Rose was? She'd disappeared the moment they'd stepped through the barrier onto platform nine and three-quarters. Knowing Rose, how cocky and confident she was, she'd probably already found herself a bunch of new friends on the train, without so much as a backward glance to their parents.

She never should have let Petunia know she'd read the letter from Headmaster Dumbledore. It had been a really stupid mistake, but one she couldn't take back now. And now, Petunia hated her. Her dear older sister despised her. Lily felt terrible, she should have made more time for Petunia, refused to go to Hogwarts when Petunia couldn't. Something, anything. But no, she'd just danced around so excited, practically rubbing Petunia's nose in it. She felt one tear spill over and trickle down her cheek.

Lily glanced up when she heard the door to the carriage slide open, only to find Rose standing there looking too pleased with herself.

"Where's Snivellus, Lil?" she asked nastily, a triumphant smirk on her face.

"I told you to stop calling him that! He had a cold!" Lily said, snapping her head back round at her sister.

"Aw, is dear Lily sticking up for her boyfriend?" Rose mocked, making kissing motions with her lips. "Funny, I don't even see him here!"

"That's none of your business, Rose!" Though Lily had been a little surprised not to see him at the station. That would just clinch it for her, to have him not be at Hogwarts either.

"Okay, you sit and mope by yourself, I'm going to find some fun people to hang out with!'

Lily turned her back on her sister. Knowing Rose's idea of fun, that was bound to mean some people she could cause trouble with. And Lily was in no mood to talk to anyone, let alone the sort of people Rose would meet. Even as she heard a crowd of rowdy boys enter her carriage she didn't pull her face away from the window.

Severus had eventually found her as well, stumbled into the swaying compartment to sit beside her. He'd tried to cheer her up, even. And his presence and excitement had worked a little, bringing the smallest of smiles to her face. And maybe, she thought, she could write to Tuney when she got to Hogwarts and her sister would forgive her and everything would be all right. Maybe at Hogwarts she really could talk to Dumbledore and change his mind about excluding Petunia.

The boys, who'd paid no attention at all to her when she had been leaning against the window crying, suddenly had all the time in the world for them when Severus had proclaimed, "You'd better be in Slytherin."

"Slytherin? Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" one of the boys asked another nastily.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," the other one replied with self-disgust.

"Blimey," said the first boy, "and I thought you seemed all right!" He got a grin in return from the other lad.

Lily just sat there, listening to them shooting their jibes at each other, her dislike for the group growing and growing at their arrogance. And Severus was fuming next to her, she could feel the stiff way he was sitting on the seat beside her. Why he couldn't just ignore them, she didn't know.

"Maybe I'll break tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got a choice?"

The first boy made a great show of lifting an invisible sword, and Lily had the overwhelming thought of a little kid playing Arthur pulling Excaliber from the enchanted stone. So ridiculous, so immature, she thought.

"‛Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Snape made a small, disparaging noise. The boy turned on him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," Snape replied, but by the tone of his voice Lily knew he meant nothing of the sort. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy–"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" one of them replied, and the group broke into laughter.

Their final insult to Severus had been quite enough!

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment!"

She wasn't surprised at the stupid noises the boys made behind her back as she'd left. But as a voice called out "See ya, Snivellus!" as she slammed the compartment door behind them, she stiffened. Rose had been doing her usual work again, spreading her hateful nickname for Severus about the other first years.

Who cares? Lily thought. They're just silly little boys!

Severus, however, didn't seem to feel the same.

She'd eventually found a carriage that was empty, not an easy thing to do. They'd finally had to make do with one that smelt suspiciously funny, something Lily couldn't quite pinpoint, the closest she could think of was sulphur and burning plastic, but it was either that or cram into yet another full carriage, and Lily wasn't in the mood.

By that time, Severus was burning red, his fingers clenching and unclenching.

"I hope they do all end up in Gryffindor!" he'd announced. "It's where they belong!"

"Don't listen to them, Severus. They're just bullies, there's no point..."

But instead he wasn't listening to her. "Stupid, ignorant twits, the lot of them! Slytherin would never have them!"

*****

Lily had left the sorting ceremony feeling thoroughly downhearted. So much for her wonderful first day at Hogwarts. Her sisters hated her, she and Severus had already made a bunch of enemies, and now she'd been split up from him. Even Rose wasn't in her House, though Lily, even if she didn't want to really admit it to herself, was relieved.

She'd followed the rest of Gryffindor up to their tower, and sat awkwardly in the common room as everyone else chattered and cheered.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," a young boy with a too cocky smile said, sauntering up to her. Lily took one look at him, and the dark haired boy that flanked him, and felt her hackles go up.

"What a loss," she'd said angrily, recognising them as two of the jeering boys from the train.

"Oh, come on now. You're in Gryffindor now; you wouldn't want to be in Slytherin. They're all a bunch of losers over there, obsessed with the Dark Arts and pretending they're oh so superior to everyone," the boy had told her.

Lily didn't hear anymore that he said for a while. The Dark Arts? She'd heard word of them from Severus, not much, but enough to make her know this wasn't a good thing. And now Severus and Rose were both in Slytherin. She worried for Severus, and as for Rose, for Rose she worried for everyone else.

"I'm going to bed," she'd said haughtily, getting to her feet.

"Hey, we haven't even told you our names!" the other boy called at her retreating back.

"I'm sure they're not worth knowing," Lily called tersely, and departed for the first years dorm without so much as a glance back in their direction.

*****

Weeks flew by, and Lily began to detest her time at school. James and Sirius, who'd finally forced their names on her, refused to leave her alone in class or in their common room; they'd even followed her to library until Madam Pince had banned them from there, Lily included, for three weeks for disturbing the other students. Nor had Petunia replied to any of her letters, not one, and she'd written to her sister nearly every day, each time apologising more and more.

If it hadn't been for seeing Severus in Potions and outside classes, Lily would have given up and gone home.

She glanced around the empty hallway, searching for any sign of anyone watching her. Just as she went to slip into Dungeon Five, movement at the end of the hall caught her eye. Around the corner snooped Mrs Norris. Lily liked cats, and usually kittens, almost any animal in fact, but Mrs Norris was the exception. She was tiny, even for a kitten, but those eyes – they bore right through her. She made the mistake on her second day of reaching out to pat her and she'd nearly lost her hand for her troubles. The scrawny moggy's mere name made her shiver. Mostly because she was synonymous with the castle's decrepit caretaker, but partly because she really was a nasty looking feline. And sure enough, limping, but not far behind, came Argus Filch.

"You!" His cracked and corrosive voice made her her flinch. "You, stop right there!"

Lily froze on the spot, terrified. She'd only been at Hogwarts three-and-a-bit months and she already knew all the tales, tall or not, about Hogwarts decrepit caretaker. Everything from him being a Squib to tying pupils up by their thumbs. She didn't know how much of it to believe, but although she was small and only eleven, she wasn't stupid enough to take any chances.

"I have had enough of your nonsense, missy! First, you destroy Greenhouse Two Then you're found breaking into my office – and then you have the audacity to run! But it's too late now, you silly girl, I've got you!"

"Wh-what?" Lily stammered, her voice coming out as a mere squeak.

"Don't what me, girly. You know exactly what I'm talking about! I'd hang you up by the ankles in my office if I had it my way! Count yourself lucky all I can do is take you to Dumbledore!" he shouted at her, his jowls wobbling as he spoke.

Lucky? Lily thought, quivering. Being sent to the Headmaster's office didn't sound lucky at all.

"Wretched little beast," he wheezed under his breath. "Silly enough to give me your horrid name and all before you took off. Lily Evans. Don't doubt for a minute girly, that I'll be watching you. I know your sort, and I won't be having it! You hear me? I won't!"

She stared at him, her mouth gaping, utterly confused at what he was talking about. But she had a fair idea who was behind it all, the same person who was always behind it.

"Don't stand there gawking, get a move on! You," he said with a scary smile cracking his face, "have an appointment with the Headmaster!"

Lily traipsed along behind Filch all the way to Dumbledore's office, her heart thumping, her heels dragging. The caretaker stopping in his limped walk every so often to make sure she was following him. "Move it, girly!" he'd yell at her occasionally. Everyone in the corridors stopped to stare at her as she walked past, head hanging. She'd never been so humiliated in her life.

"Professor," Filch said, as they stood before Dumbledore's desk. "This is the little miscreant I found breaking into my office!"

"Professor, I never..." Lily protested, but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence her.

He turned to the caretaker. "That will be all, Argus."

"Don't you let her off!" Argus had screeched. "I've had enough of her delinquency! She'll destroy the whole damn school if you're not careful!"

"Thank you, Argus. You may go." Dumbledore sat in silence as the caretaker stared at him, but when Dumbledore said no more and refused to break his gaze, Filch had finally turned and left his office, scowling at Lily on his way past. Lily quickly looked away, frightened by his stringy hair and wheezing. Her fingers twisted nervously in her own hair, twirling the dark red strands around her fingers.

"Now, Miss Evans," Dumbledore said, sitting back and eyeing her carefully. "Lily, I believe."

"Yes," Lily squeaked.

Ever since she'd arrived at Hogwarts it hadn't been Lily anything – in fact, her and her sister appeared to be as one as far as everyone here was concerned. Both Miss Evans. It drove her crazy, because Rose was about the last person in the world she wanted to be mistaken for; Rose who had landed herself in Slytherin and was living up to her House's reputation more than anyone could believe for a first year. The Slytherins were so proud. Well, most of them. Severus, at least, seemed to side with Lily. She found herself wondering once more at the injustice of it all, why they couldn't have been placed in the same house; Ravenclaw maybe, that wouldn't be so bad. And they'd fit in there, both smart, both dedicated to their work....

"This wasn't you, was it? Who broke into Mr Filch's office?"

Lily contemplated her answer for a moment. She didn't want to get Rose into trouble, but she didn't want to be expelled either. "No, sir," Lily replied, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Nor was it you who blew up Greenhouse Two?"

"No, sir."

"Or hexed Miss Winter's ear into bats ears? Or stole the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson plan? Or, I assume, wrote 'Albus Dumbledore is a doddery pillock' on the third floor girls' bathroom wall?"

She pulled her head up straight and looked at him in horror. "No, sir!" she said with a gasp.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I do prefer being called a fool to a pillock, but there you go."

Lily laughed nervously, not sure if she should find that funny or not.

"I shall talk to your sister then." Dumbledore tapped his fingers on his desk. "Sherbert lemon?" he asked, offering her one from the small bowl on his desk.

"Thank you," she said, unwrapping the sour sweet and popping it in her mouth.

"And how is Petunia?"

Lily's heart fell at mention of her older sister, the sharp sweet in her mouth suddenly turning much more bitter. "I don't know, sir. She won't return my letters."

Dumbledore nodded. "It is hard, I must think, being left out. Especially when both your sisters are off at Hogwarts. Though, Miss Evans, you must remember – it is not your fault. This is just the way things happen. And I'm sure, one day, your sister will see that."

"Yes, sir," Lily replied, though she didn't find his words comforting. The last thing Petunia had said to her was to call her a freak as she boarded the Hogwarts Express. That was hardly something to just be washed under the bridge.

"Well, then. You may go. And might I suggest spending the day out in the sun? It's a little chilly, but I suspect it will be the last fine day we'll get for a while. Goodness knows, you're looking a little pale." He looked at her and smiled. "You and Mr Snape both."

Lily blushed. "Yes, sir."

She'd moved to the door, about to leave, but she had to ask him. She had to know. "Sir?"

"Yes, Miss Evans?"

"I was wondering – could I be sorted again?"

Dumbledore smiled. "And why might you ask such a thing?"

"I just... I don't think Gryffindor is for me. Maybe Ravenclaw..." she looked up and met his gaze. "Maybe Slytherin?"

Dumbledore gave her a consoling look. "You know, I do think sometimes we sort too soon. But I'm afraid, Lily, the sorting hat's word is final. Not even I can change that."

Lily's hope vanished. "Yes, sir."

"You know, Lily, it wouldn't hurt for the Houses to get along a bit more. There really is no reason that just because your friend is in Slytherin and you are in Gryffindor that you can't continue to be friends. If everyone would just sit back and see, put aside all this nonsense, Gryffindor and Slytherin compliment each other quite nicely."

His words did lift her hopes a little, and she gave him a smile before she left. "Thank you, Professor."

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AN: Thank you again to my wonderful beta for wrangling this into shape :-*. I couldn't do without her!

Legal stuff: Parts of this chapter contain quoted material from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - no copy right infringement intended, just having some fun!