Lily and James' Prophecy

Chapter 4 - The Sorting and Some New Friends

"Hurry up, hurry up," said the stern lady. She seemed much like someone who would be keen to have been anywhere but showing first-year Hogwarts students into an underground grotto. "Get in one line... good. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor Faustine. If you would please follow me," she said curtly, waving a hand at Ogg to dismiss him as she started up a large stone stairwell leading above ground. Their footsteps echoed loudly off the stone walls. Violet held on to Lily whose grip was equally as tight.

James Potter, unlike everyone else, seemed to be light hearted and not worried about this "test" whatsoever. Violet was slightly annoyed by this, but also taken aback by his bravery. When she mentioned this to Lily she laughed and said, "Has it occurred to you that maybe he doesn't know there is a 'test'?" Violet scowled and looked at him again. Something about him captivated her.

"Now," came Faustine's voice, "you shall all wait here (she motioned to the large Entrance Hall around them) until you receive further instructions." She marched off. Everyone had a look around. To their right were huge oak double doors which led outside. To the front, there was another pair of oak doors from which a faint hum of voices could be heard.

Violet looked at Lily and then at everyone else. Everyone seemed to have finally stopped talking. Their faces were white and Violet, with satisfaction, saw that James Potter's face had also turned white. After about ten minutes Faustine came back in. "This way please," she said shortly and opened the huge oak doors. As they entered Violet couldn't help but look up at the ceiling which was enchanted to resemble the sky outside. There were many gasps as Faustine took them to the front of the Hall where behind them was a long staff table and before them were four long tables, each belonging to the four houses. Violet couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as everyone's eyes were suddenly on them.

"When I call your name you shall come up and sit on this stool and put on the hat," said Faustine motioning to a stool with a frayed hat atop it.

"That's the test?" hissed Violet in Lily's ear. "Trying on a hat?" Lily shrugged.

"Adams, Percival."

A red-haired boy went to the stool and tried on the hat. After a short while, the hate called out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" The table second from the right exploded in applause. Percival made his way, quite red-faced which complimented his hair perfectly, to the table.

Soon after Violet started to complain about standing for so long, Faustine shouted, "Evans, Lily!" Lily looked practically terrified as she went in front and put on the hat. After one minute the hat did not budge. Violet started to wring her hands nervously. What if the hat never chooses a house for you? she wondered. But just as she thought this-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"What?" said Violet, and many of the people in front of her turned to look at her. Lily looked over at Violet guiltily and shrugged as the Gryffindor table applauded loudly. Lily couldn't help grinning as she made her way towards them.

Violet's mind started to spin. Lily was in Gryffindor... by nature Gryffindors and Slytherins did not ever communicate. What was she going to do? Lily had become one of her first friends... wait. Lily had become her only friend. And she was also Lily's only friend. Dare she break the unspoken law of students for no communication between the two houses? Or would she just have to ignore Lily for the rest of her Hogwarts life? But before she had time to contemplate this fully-

"Potter, James."

James Potter walked across the hall quite coolly and put on the hat. After about half a minute, the hat declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Not too long after that...

'Riddle, Violet."

There was a small murmur across the hall as Violet moved swiftly across the hall to the stool brushing her dirty blonde hair out of her eyes. But before the hat could touch her head...

"SLYTHERIN!" it squeaked. She started over to the table and glimpsed, out of the corner of her eye, Lily clapping (the only Gryffindor to be doing so) amid many hisses from her fellow Gryffindors. She looked away and took a seat at the table between a dark girl and a blue eyed boy.

"Hello," said the girl. "I'm Gracie Melrose. I heard about your family... really decent wizards," she smiled.

"Yeah..." said Violet, not paying attention but looking at Lily. As she went along the table her eyes landed on James Potter who was looking back. They looked at each other for some time before there was a slight cough in the front of the Hall at which time everyone became quiet. Faustine was taking the stool out of the hall as the last person to be sorted walked over to the Ravenclaw table while a tall, aged man who was at the very centre of the table stood up. Violet recognised him as Armando Dippet, the Headmaster.

"Welcome to yet another year!" he said. "I am Professor Dippet, your Headmaster," he announced, obviously to the newcomers. "Just a few announcements before we get to our feast (there was a loud sigh from the crowd and Violet's stomach grumbled). Firstly, Mr. Filch the caretaker has asked me to let everyone know that anyone seen trying to bewitch the marble staircase to look like a waterfall will be suspended as our returning students know the pain and anguish it caused many." Dippet couldn't help but let a small smile cross his lips. "Also, students are reminded, as always, to stay away from the Forbidden Forest on the grounds. The Forest is quite dangerous, and as neither I nor any teacher would like to have to contact anyone's parents with the news that their child has lost a limb or two, I must make it clear that the Forest is off limits. Thank you and have a good time!" He sat down and as he did so food materialised out of thin air onto the silver platters before them on the table. Violet took some of everything. Every now and again she snatched a glance at Lily who seemed to be having a fun time with some fellow Gryffindors.

"So... I hear your father caught the person responsible for the Granson murders?" asked the blue-eyed boy.

"Err... yeah. He did," said Violet.

"My dad's an Auror, too. William Benedict," he said, putting out a hand.

"You or your father?" asked Violet laughing a little taking the boy's hand.

"Both... I'm named after him," he said smiling.

"So how long have you been here?" she asked him.

"I'm a second year," he said and took a quick gulp of pumpkin juice.

After dessert Dippet dismissed them and everyone got up at once. William looked over at Violet, "I'll see you around?" he asked, smiling.

"Sure," she said. He winked at her and left.

"All first-years, this way please," came a voice and Violet looked over to see a very pretty girl with a Slytherin Prefect badge pinned to her chest. Violet looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Lily getting up with her fellow first-years and going over to a boy who was also calling for them. "Follow me," said the girl shortly and Violet was forced to leave the Great Hall through a small door. Violet had expected to be going up the marble staircase but the girl took them down to the dungeons. It got colder as they went further and finally stopped at a hard stone wall.

"Serpentine," said the girl and, together with many gasps, the wall slid open to reveal an opening, and beyond that was what looked like a large square room with a huge chandelier spilling green light all over. The prefect showed them to the dormitories, both boys and girls having separate dorms.

"Sleep well," she bade them and went back down to the common room.

Violet entered the dormitory as five other girls followed her. She took the bed furthest to the right and sat down on it. It was a grand four poster with green hangings. The other girls chose beds too and Violet, for the first time, saw Annie, the same girl who shared her boat on the way across the lake.

"Hey Vi," called Annie smiling, her bed the nearest to Violet's.

"Hey Annie," smiled Violet and surveying the others closely.

"I'm Meridith Jordan," said a girl with long red locks and dark green eyes, to the whole room.

"Hey Meridith," said Annie, who was obviously the friendliest out of the group. "I'm Annie Yuan," said Annie as she got on her stomach and put her feet up in the air.

"Violet Riddle," said Violet, and all the girls except Annie looked at her intently. It was a known fact that the Riddles were one of the oldest Wizarding families with one of the purest Blood Lines.

"Mary Gonzalez," said another girl who was tall and slim, her long, dark brown hair clashing with her pale skin.

"Riddle?" said the last girl, eyeing Violet. "Your father is Paris Riddle?" asked the girl.

"Yeah, he is," she answered looking at the girl curiously. "Why?"

"Nothing... I'm Septima Merivicodotch," said the girl and had conjured a band in her hand and put her hair up.

After chatting a bit about their families the girls said good night and changed into their pyjamas and fell asleep. Violet lay in her bed for a while taking it all in. She was finally here, at Hogwarts. She felt as if she would burst with excitement. Then she remembered Lily and uneasiness fell over her. What if Lily had new friends now, just as she, Violet had made some new ones too? Violet turned over uneasily, her mind still on Lily and fell into a restless sleep, hoping that the morning would solve its troubles for itself.