She Said It in Latin...

Chapter 1: New Faces

It was five minutes to eleven and the scarlet Hogwarts train was preparing to depart from Platform 9 ¾. Young witches and wizards were saying their good-byes to their families as the last warning whistle sounded. An eleven-year-old girl was hanging out of a window from the train, waving a goodbye to her parents. As the train began to move forward it whipped her red hair around her head covering her bright green almond shaped eyes. She pulled her head into the compartment she was standing in and sidled into a seat.

Tears suddenly began accumulating in her eyes as it dawned upon her that she had never once left her parents for this long. Sure there had been summer camp, but it had never been for months at a time.

Lily Evans, along with many other young children in the train, was headed to her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a large castle in Scotland, where its staff was dedicated to teaching their students the rules of the magical world and train to begin life after school.

As she sat back in her seat she blinked back her tears. No, I won’t let this get to me. This isn’t that long, and I’m sure I’ll find friends at Hogwarts. I don’t have to see my sister again for a year…that is certainly a plus. The compartment door slid open distracting Lily from her thoughts. A modestly pretty brunette girl walked in, her green-blue eyes sparkling delicately under long lashes.

"Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." She sat down across from the girl and smiled. "My names Amber, by the way. Amber Eros. What’s yours?"

"Lily Evans," said Lily, unconsciously twisting her necklace around her finger. "Nice to meet you."

Amber swung her leg over the long seat and leaned her back against the wall to the corridor outside and squinted at Lily. "Have you been crying?" Lily shook her head, but wiped at her face anyway, to check of tears.

"Allergies," she lied. She pulled a book out of her bag and started to read. Amber rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes, glancing every now and then at Lily.

The compartment door slid open again and another girl stumbled in, pushing up a pair of gold glasses, her strawberry blond hair surrounding her face in multiple curls, her gray eyes were glittering. "Someone’s just about to let off a bunch of dungbombs." She said, a tone of mischievous excitement in her voice. She was already wearing her robes, which swooshed as she went to the back of the compartment. Lily had already looked up from her book and was staring at the girl, who was wearing flame tipped boots over a pair of fishnet stockings. The girl’s face went dull as she stared out the window.

Amber was the first to speak, "Hi!" She said, quite loud in the sudden silence. The girl’s gray eyes drifted over to them. "Are you a first year too?" She said. The girl nodded her eyes sparkling. Amber blinked. "What… what’s your name?" She said, suddenly uncomfortable by the girl’s silence.

"Brentney Stafford." She said, an aristocratic tone to her voice, which had just been riddling with excitement seconds earlier. "I prefer Brent." She said.

"Hi Brent. I’m Lily." Lily put her hand out and her book down. Brent just glared at it. Lily faltered slightly, then lowered her hand.

"Did I say I was friends with you?" She snapped. Lily blinked and gulped; hoping no one else was like this mood swingy girl. Suddenly a bright smile spread across Brent’s face. "HA! You should’ve seen the look on your face. That was great." She said loudly, grabbing Lily’s slowly descending hand and shaking it fervently. She yanked out a switchblade and began cutting holes in her fishnets. She chuckled to herself as if she’d just taken the crown jewels and flushed them down the toilet while the Royal Army watched.

"Very funny…" muttered Lily, a blush rising to her cheeks steadily. Amber spoke up.

"God, you worried me for a few seconds. I thought for sure you would be in Slytherin." Said Amber. Brent’s eyes went round and she put her knife delicately on the seat.

"I want to be in Slytherin." She said, adding a dreamy tone to her voice. Amber’s mouth turned into an O and she gulped.

"I…I mean…" Brent’s face spread in a wide sinister smile again and she chuckled again. The jewels were obviously floating out to sea. Amber sighed, "You were joking again." She commented.

"What can I say, I love to make people feel stupid. After all, it’s a fact that all people are in the first place, why not make it a little more obvious?" she said, a hand pressed firmly over her mouth so as not to burst out in laughter. She stood an air of aristocracy around her as she held out her hand to Amber. "And for the formal introduction. My name is Brentney Stafford, heir to the Zonko’s throne and honorable prankster. I know every single secret tunnel in Hogwarts, due to my father and his stories at the dinner table. I’m a pureblood." She shook both Amber and Lily’s hands and grinned.

Lily looked at the floor. "Um… you don’t mind me asking, but… what are Slytherin and Zonko?" Brent stared at her.

"You’re a muggle-born aren’t you?" She said, her eyes wide to the point of seeing the whites completely around her pupils. Lily nodded slowly and Brent smirked. "Well in that case, Slytherin is a house. Not a house that you live in with your respective parents and siblings, if cursed by them, but houses of students that you kind of spend time with. You take classes with them, eat with them, and sleep with them…" Brent cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Not…sleep with them…well not until after you learn how to actually have sex, but that’s only in fifth year. They have a Sex-Ed course that you’re required to take. Of course, by then we’re probably going to be going at it like rabbits." Amber was chuckling slightly and Lily’s eyes were wide. "Sorry, going off on a tangent. Any way, there are four houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Most don’t want to be in Slytherin."

"I want to be in Gryffindor," Amber stated proudly.

Lily’s brow furrowed, "why wouldn’t you want to be in Slytherin?"

"Because the people in it are evil." Said Brent simply. "Well… most are. There are some pretty sexy ass…" she glanced at the girls and blushed. "Um…yeah…so, many of the Deatheaters out there are Slytherins. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was in that house, needless to say, you’ll want to stay away from many of them. Ever since his rise to power a few months ago, they’ve all been flocking to join him. Why people flock is unknown to me… I hate flocking, conforming… it’s not fun."

"Oh, ok." Said Lily, not having any idea what a Deatheater was, but not wanting to ask so she didn’t sound stupid. She picked up her book again, but put it down again, once a smell hit her nostrils. "Do any of you smell that?" She said.

Brent took a big whiff and smiled. "Ah, dungbombs, Daddy’s creation, Grandpa handed the store over to him on account they sold so well," she said, a proud glint appearing in her eyes. Brent’s eyes started watering as they began waving their hands before their noses, trying to make the smell leave the room.

Suddenly the compartment door slid open again and four boys tumbled into the room, grinning widely, their hands slightly dirty. They quickly shut the door behind them and panted, the tallest one taking out his wand. "Scourgify." He muttered, pointing it at their hands.

"Glad we’re out of there. I thought we were dead for sure."

"Well, Sirius, if you hadn’t let off the stupid dung bombs, we wouldn’t have been chased all throughout the train. Besides they already saw our faces, we’re dead any way."

"Yeah, but didn’t you see those fourth years faces?!? PRICELESS!"

"Um, excuse me?" The boys turned away from the door and stared at the girls. Lily spoke again. "Did you let those…things off?" The boys smirked and sat down, two on either side of Lily, one next to Brent and another next to Amber, who was forced to remove her feet from the bench. The one sitting next to Lily stuck out his recently cleaned hand.

"My name’s James. James Potter, and you are?"

"Lily Evans," she said, shaking his hand and rolling her eyes. James had messy black hair and hazel eyes that had a mischievous glint to them. His nose was slightly pointy and he was slightly short for his age, which was obviously eleven due to their immaturity. He withdrew his hand and nodded at the boy next to Brent.

"Sirius Black." Said Sirius nodding and glancing at Brent through the corner of his dark blue eyes, covered slightly by the few pieces of black hair that hung smoothly before his face.

"Best prankster in the world." Said James proudly. Brent shook her head.

"I could prank you any day." She said cocking an eyebrow at Sirius.

"Whatever darling." He said smirking at her. Brent’s cheeks colored, but she frowned at him, giving him the finger.

"Remus Lupin." Said the boy sitting next to Amber. His long brown hair that hung to his shoulders normally was pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck, there were the beginning spacklings of gray in his hair, his eyes purplish blue and his nature slightly shy.

"P-Pe-Pete-" the boy on the right of Lily stuttered, trying to shrink into the corner, but was unable to, due to his chubby disposition.

"That’s Peter Pettigrew." Said James under a chuckle. "He’s afraid of girls." Peter just shrank more as James said this. The three boys who could actually utter a sensible word, Brent and Amber started talking, leaving Lily to pick up her book again.

"So you guys are first years?" Said Amber.

"Yeah, we are, how did you know?"

"Because you’re immature," muttered Lily from behind her book. James smirked.

"You know you like it," he said cockily. Lily didn’t read one more word as she looked up at him, an eyebrow up, but her cheeks blushing furiously. James smiled and snatched her book from her hands. The four boys scrambled from the compartment, leaving the three girls in confusion. Lily boiled in her seat as Brent shrugged.

"There goes one of the sexiest bastards I’ve ever seen." She said. Lily glared at her.

"I pray you’re not speaking of that monstrosity, James Potter." She said. Brent chuckled.

"No, no, Sirius, dear. I must comment on his nice arse. I got quite the wonderful look as he was rushing from the compartment. Jamesy is all yours dear." Said Brent getting up and grabbing her purse. "Must be going. Mingle time." She said, holding her nose high and giggling as she exited the compartment. Lily looked at the floor anger flooded her veins. Yep, she thought, this is going to be a long year.

Chapter 2: The Sorting

Far back in the past,

Was a man who knew life wouldn't last,

He took his mind

And left it in me

And that how I came to be.

I was to chose the houses for all to be in,

If they belonged in Hufflepuff or Syltherin,

Maybe Gryffindor,

Maybe Ravenclaw,

But you have to put me on.

OH! Gryffindor for those,

Who fear nothing in their way,

They always look to the future,

And never turn away.

Slytherin for cunning,

Smart and quick witted foes,

They always watch out for the dim,

And keep people on their toes.

There's Hufflepuff for trustworthy,

Where many don't get their glory,

Though that may be sometimes,

They have great capability.

Ravenclaw for intelligence,

Great in the minds many secrets,

Knowing mostly all you can,

Given there grand accredits.

So now I'll chose the house you'll be in,

The house with for you no strain,

Now try me on and I will sort,

And you’ll belong here at Hogwarts.

The hat finished its song and yielded to applause from the four houses and a few first years that weren’t as nervous as their classmates. These people included Brent, whose hat was fixed, so it hung over one of her eyes and her hair was in a ponytail on the side of her head. Many of the students sitting at the tables were pointing at her and whispering behind their hands. Brent didn’t seem to notice or care.

Lily was busy staring around the hall in awe. Amber and Brent were standing beside her and quietly waiting for their names to be called. A female professor who had introduced herself as Professor McGonagoll only a few minutes earlier walked to the stool at the front of the hall. "As I call your name you will come up here and put on the hat. After being sorted, take a seat at your table." Brentney began picking at her nails, chipping the black nail polish that was already coming off in the first place. Lily suddenly became very interested in what Brentney was doing, and stopped listening to the professor.

"Patil, Velma." Amber nudged Lily and looked at the hat.

"You might want to watch." She said quietly.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat suddenly. Lily’s eyes widened.

"The hat talked!" She whispered to Brent, who cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Didn’t you see it sing?" She said quietly. Lily shook her head. "You should really pay a little more attention to things darling." She said

"Pellagreeni, Andrea." A short curly brown haired girl walked meekly to the hat.

"RAVENCLAW!" Cheers and claps erupted from the table on the farthest right. She grinned widely and jumped from the stool to join the Ravenclaws.

"Black, Bellatrix." A girl with waist length black hair and red tips went up to the stool and sat, her dark eyes flitting to the table on the far left. The hat had barely touched her head.

"SLYTHERIN!" Only one table clapped and cheered this time. Lily turned to glance at Sirius, who had gone slightly paler since the last time she saw him. She then shifted her glance over to James, who happened to be looking at her any way. He winked and smirked, holding up her book; a story by the muggle author V.C. Andrews. She swished her head back around and glared at no one unparticular.

He’s mocking me, testing me. He probably did something to my book, stuck a dungbomb in it or something. I should get him back for this.

"Stafford, Brentney." Brentney flicked her ponytail over her shoulder and sauntered over to the stool, grinning widely.

He thinks he’s so cool with his three stupid friends and his pranking ability.

"GRYFINNDOR!"

He’ll get it in the end. If he steals anymore of my things he’ll be dead where he stands.

"Lily…hello! Earth to Lily."

Lily shook her head. "Huh? Amber?"

"McGonagoll just called your name. GO!" Said Amber, giving her a shove from behind. Professor McGonagoll lifted the hat and Lily had just the right amount of time to see Brent giggling at her, before it dropped over her eyes.

"Hmmm," a strange voice murmured in her ear.

Wha- she thought.

"Yes, well, there is courage, I see that in you, and cunning. My, my, you have a thirst to prove yourself. Yes this will be a tough decision."

"What do you mean?" whispered Lily, barely moving her mouth. "I’m not courageous or cunning. I’m just an average girl."

The hat ignored her. "Slytherin would help you, but I can see it here that you don’t want to be in Slytherin."

"No…" She whispered.

"Well, alright than… GRYFINNDOR!" Lily smiled and shakily removed the hat, walking over to the table that was cheering the most. She sat down next to Brent and watched Amber walk up to the hat and the stool. Brent leaned towards Lily. "I knew you’d be sorted into Gryffindor," she whispered in her ear. "My father told me that students who are going to be in the same house become friends or acquaintances before hand. They subconsciously know they’ll be in the same house."

" What do you know?" Said Amber cheerfully, as she walked over to sit next to Lily. Lily and Brent clapped loudly. Brent winked at Lily.

"That was so luck." Said Lily pompously. Brent cocked an eyebrow, showing of the glitter she’d placed on her eyelids.

"Okay, don’t believe me? Recognize him." She pointed to the boy now sitting under the hat. Lily squinted and nodded.

"That’s one of those four boys, er… Remus Lupin."

Brent nodded. "I’ll bet you…" she dug into her pocket and counted the change in her hand. "Three sickles and five knuts that all four of those boys will be in the same house."

Lily smirked. "Alright, deal."

"GRYFINNDOR!" The two girls and Amber stood up and clapped with their house as Remus walked over to the table.

"Hey Congratulations!" Amber said. He sat down next to her, across from Lily and Brent.

"Thanks," he started, then paused to watch Sirius. Lily stared blankly at her golden plate as Brent sat next to her crossing her fingers under the table and whispering something about a sexy bastard and snogging in the broom closets.

Great! If Brent is right I’ll lose three sickles and five knuts and I’ll be stuck with these four boys for seven years! Lily turned her gaze towards the Sorting Hat, which seemed to be in deep thought. How Lily knew this upon looking back she could not figure out, as it was just a hat… that could obviously speak.

"GRYFINNDOR!" Sirius sauntered over to the Gryffindor table as, yet again, the three girls jumped up, accompanied by Remus, to clap with their house. Brent gave Sirius thumbs up and he winked at her, while Lily resumed her never-ending gaze at the dinner plate before her.

I hope I have three sickles and five knuts!

"Pettigrew, Peter!" The boy shook as he went towards the hat. It seemed to take forever but finally the hat spoke.

"GRYFINNDOR!"

"Wow, three in a row!" A forth year commented. Brent smirked as Lily and held up a finger.

"One more," she mouthed.

"Potter, James."

James casually walked to the front and sat on the stool. The hat was placed atop his head for a few seconds before the hat yelled its answer. Lily held her breath.

"GRYFINNDOR!"

The whole house jumped up at once, cheering and clapping for James as he sat down next to Lily across from Peter, Sirius, Remus and Amber. Lily scooted a little away from James and dug in her pockets.

"Here," she said, holding her hand out to Brent. "Three sickles and five knuts. You were right."

"Of course I was!" said Brent, smirking and snatching the money.

"Attention, please." Everyone quieted down and turned toward the voice. An old man with long, white hair and equally long white beard stood up and looked over all of the students, old and new, and smiled. He wore a purple robe and had brilliant blue eyes that twinkled as they settled on the first years at the Gryffindor table. Brent had pulled out a pad of paper and begun to sketch his nose as Lily glanced over her shoulder.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Will first years please note that the Forest surrounding the Hogwarts Grounds is forbidden, unless you would like to suffer a most painful death. Also a new tree has been planted on the grounds, I suggest that everyone avoids this tree as it will ‘knock your bollucks out’ as our Grounds Keeper would like to phrase." A very large man down the table waved a tad to a few of the students. This tree had obviously hit his left eye, as it was very swollen and red. "I hope we all have a good year this year, and all inter-house competition is kept at a minimum." A few of the teachers chuckled, except for a very strict looking professor about two seats away from the headmaster. He was slightly tall, and very muscular. He looked rather peaky, but over-bearing with his great scowl and narrowed eyes. It was as though he didn’t like the students at all. But why would someone like that teach? Thought Lily to herself as food suddenly appeared on their plates.

Lily, Brent and Amber grabbed all food imaginable as Sirius and James exchanged glances. "Hey, sorry about today on the train," said Remus to Lily. She smiled and looked back down at her food.

"Yea sorry. James was just about to give you your book back, right James?" Sirius glanced at James as Lily turned towards him. A smile flickered in the corners of his mouth.

"Er…yea…here."

Lily cautiously grabbed her book. James and Sirius exchanged quick glances. "Uh…thanks," said Lily as she looked her book over. James smirked.

"We didn’t do anything to it." She glared at him and set the book down on the table.

Talk soon turned to families. "My father is Thomas Stafford, owner of Zonko’s." Said Brent proudly. Sirius and James exchanged glanced before Sirius began questioning her about the secret passages in the school.

"Well my father’s Leonard Potter." Said James looking from Lily to Amber. Amber nodded.

"My dad’s just an operator for WWN." Said Amber shrugging.

"Mine’s a fisherman." Muttered Lily. James glanced at her.

"Don’t worry, Peter here’s a muggle-born too." He said grinning as Peter’s cheeks flared red and he tried to sputter something out. "Not all of them are losers like dear Peter."

"That’s not very nice." Said Brent glaring at James. Peter went an even more violent shade of red. "You shouldn’t talk about your friends like that, they won’t be your friends much longer."

"Oh Petey doesn’t care. Do ya Peter?" Said Sirius slapping him on the back. Brent rolled her eyes and shoved her plate away.

"I think the testosterone in the room is ruining my appetite." She mumbled. Sirius stared at her.

"Testoster-what?" He said, brows furrowed. Brent started but then paused, choosing rather not to answer, since the poor guy hadn’t even been through puberty yet anyway.

Dinner soon ended and the first years all followed their house prefects to the respective common room and dormitories. The students all stared in wonder and with awe at the beautiful castle with it’s millions of moving paintings and photos. The multiple suits of armor surprised a few of the first years as they tended to move as they walked past. There seemed to be millions of floors throughout the castle. The staircases would often move as well as the paintings, that talked to the students as they went by. Lily found it quite fascinating and gorgeous at the same time.

After what seemed to be a few seconds, the students arrived at a portrait of a garden. The prefect sighed and stamped his foot.

"What’s going on?" Lily whispered into Amber’s ear. She shrugged and looked back towards a prefect. A few of the other first years were becoming anxious.

"Maybe we’ll all have to sleep on the floor." Sirius whispered to James behind Lily. She fought the urge to smirk and craned her neck to see the prefect. He shook his head and put his face on the picture.

"Halls? WE NEED TO GET TO OUR DORMS!"

"Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m coming." A lady’s voice sounded from a distance. The first years craned their necks in the direction the voice came from, then fought for balance as the lady came closer down the hall. Actually, she was bounding through the pictures of the walls of the corridor. A flit of pink could be seen in the pictures as she made her way to her own portrait. A fat lady stopped in the garden, red in the face, out of breath, and sweating in her large silk pink dress.

"Not very lady-like that one." Muttered Brent out of the corner of her mouth. "Needs to lose a little weight too, though, I’m not one to talk." She patted her stomach and smirked.

"S-So-Sorry. Pa-Password?"

"’Bout time."

"Not the co- phew- correct password."

"Lemon drops."

The Fat Lady’s portrait swung open, revealing a beautifully decorated room. The room was of red and gold décor, red plush couches and chairs with gold trim and lace were strategically placed next to and in front of a large fireplace near the entrance and along the walls were red chairs placed next to cherry chessboards.

"This is the common room. The boys to the left up the stairs you’ll find your dormitories. Girls the same on your right. You’ll find your things have already been brought up for you. Pleasant dreams." The prefect turned and walked out of the common room.

Lily, Amber and Brent followed the two other first year girls to their dorms and the three fell into their beds. Lily drew her curtains shut and picked up her book, flipping it open to the page she’d left off on. Suddenly, with out warning, the book shot out a fowl smelling mist into her face. She slammed the book shut and cursed to herself. The other girls in the dorm soon became aware of the odor. Many commented on it, until Brent saved Lily with a comment about over induced flatulence and never feeding her turkey again. James Potter, Lily thought as she snuggled under her comforter, this is WAR!