Of Deer and Flowers

Chapter Two

The owl and the Fat Lady

September 1, evening

Dear Kate,

After the train ride I didn't know what to expect, but Remus (he's really nice) made James and Sirius (total jerks) behave. I was really scared about the sorting, and Christy (a new friend) kept going over all the stories her sisters had told her, trying to figure out which one was true. But in the end everything worked out.

Lily followed the giant Hagrid out of her boat and up the stepes to the castle. She wasn't really nervous until the professor left them in a side room and went to tell the headmaster they were ready. Christy was only making it worst, "I've got three older sisters, two in Gryffindor and one in Hufflepuff. None of them told me the same thing!"

"What did they say?" Lily whispered.

"Well Kathy said we had to make fireworks appear, Lana said we had to explain magic to a Muggle."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"Yes, but Marie said we had to wrestle a troll!"

Lily paled as the professor walked in, "follow me and form a line!" As they stood along a wall all Lily could see was a grubby hat on a stool. She nearly gasped as it straightened and began to sing.

To Hogwarts you students came,

Here you hope to learn.

Come sit down and put me on,

I'll sort you all in turn.

Lily sighed with relief, trying on the Hat was all she had to do.

There once were four great founders,

I'll tell you all about them.

Gryffindor for the brave,

Ravenclaw for wise.

Hufflepuff for loyal and true,

Then there's Slytherin.

With Cunning Loyalty,

Bravery and wisdom,

There is always a catch.

Now all four did not get along,

And Slytherin soon met his Match.

Then one stormy night there was,

A duel over who had right to attend.

No one realized till that point,

That Salazar was foe not friend.

There sparks flew with all their might,

All was said and done.

Though it was unexpected then,

'Twas Gryffindor who won.

After the duel Slytherin left,

He stormed strait out the hall.

After that, the new term started,

Students were accepted all.

So come on up. Put me on,

Place me on your head.

I'll tell you one or two things more,

But to your house you'll be led.

The professor stood and began to call out names. "Abbot, Boa."

"Ravenclaw!'

"Black, Sirius." Lily watched as he walked up and sat down.

"Gryffindor!" and so it went until,

"Evens, Lilith." Lily stepped forward and placed the hat on her head.

"Ah I see bravery, I see loyalty to your friends, but mostly I see the will to always do your best. Better be, Ravenclaw!" Lily smiled took of the hat and went to sit down at the table. Not long after Christy joined her. They were a little disappointed when Remus was sorted into Gryffindor but the sight of James joining his friends made up for it.

They learned from the announcements that the headmaster, Dumbledor, had just been appointed. They learned the professor who had led them in was named McGonagall, and that she taught Transfiguration. They also learned that the forest was out of bounds and a new Whomping Willow was not to be touched. "Like anyone would want to get near one of those!" Christy hissed.

At the end of the feast the students were released, but before any one could leave a boy at their table stood up and yelled.

"Excuse me but I have an announcement to make!" He looked at the headmaster who nodded and then with everyone's attention continued, "For those of you who don't know me I am Stanton Black a Ravenclaw Prefect. I believe some of you have met my brother Sirius." He pointed and everyone looked at the Gryffindor table. Upon realizing who it was, there were a few angry murmurs.

"For those of you who have, I would like to personally apologize for any prank or childish trick he may have pulled!'

"Childish!" a few people laughed at the outburst from the boy in question.

"If any of you would like to fill me in on any details I would be happy to give him a little chat! Thank you, Ravenclaw first years please follow me."

Lily looked at Christy and they both stood up. A few minutes later they found themselves in a dark corridor in front of a large figure of an owl with it's wings outstretched. Stanton looked around the group.

"Now listen carefully." The owl raised his head letting out a hoot that sounded very like a request for a password. "Othello," The owl nodded and lowered its right wing. Behind it was a small tunnel leading to the common room. Lily gasped, the room, though on the ground floor, was beautiful. Two of the walls, waist high and up, were made entirely of glass letting the light of the stars shine through.

Stanton pointed to an allycove with two sets of stairs. "Boys are down and to the right, Girls up and to the left."

Lily and Christy found their dorm. Three other girls soon joined them. They didn't talk though, in fact they fell straight asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In another area of the castle the Gryffindors had approached the Fat Lady.

"I'm telling you Stanton is a nightmare!"

"Mr. Black would you please be quiet, or would you like to miss the password?" Sirius shut his mouth but it only lasted until they were on the stairs to the dorms.

"Pity those two girls aren't in the same house with us."

"Well I hardly think turning peoples hair and faces colors is a good way to make friends!" Remus quipped.

"Hey it was James who turned her hair pink and he's the one who brought the toffee in the first place!"

"Well you're the one who gave it to her. Oh hello!" the boy sitting on one of the four posters jumped. He was rather chubby with a sharp nose and small watery eyes. "I'm James, they're Sirius and Remus, You?"

"P . . . P . . . Peter P. . . Pettigrew."

"And I'm Jon, that's Clark." A voice cut in from the door. Sirius looked up excitedly,

"You're a Weasley!"

"No but my mother was." Clark smiled. The other boy, Jon had dark blond hair and he was very short. He started to say something but was cut off by a snore from Remus who had already fallen asleep.