Once in a Lifetime

"Briar Shiel. Uh...Lil, what time does the train leave?"

"Er... FIVE MINUTES!"

"OOH! We're gonna miss the train! Crap!" Briar spun around and caught sight of a taller, black haired girl carrying an owl.

"Oi!" the girl looked around, and then spotted Briar waving frantically. She walked over, carrying a black screech owl.

"Yes? Oh... this is how you get onto the Platform. Just run through the wall."

"Are you potty? This is a WALL... you don't walk through WALLS!"

" Er... this is a wizarding wall, they're really not solid to any wizard or witch, but it'll hurt if a Muggle goes through. Now watch!" She ran through the wall, and the other two girls followed.

On the Hogwarts Express

The girls made their way to a middle compartment labeled Compartment 14. They dropped their luggage on a seat, and sat down with the black haired girl on one side and Arin and Briar on the other.

" Phew... made it. I'm Jae Coren, from Cambridge. You?"

"I'm Lily Evans from Surrey, and this is Briar Shiel."

"I'm from Skye, Ireland."

"There's another Skye?"

"Hush."

"Glad to meetcha!" The train picked up speed, zooming through the English countryside. The girls had just started a game of Chinese Poker when screaming filled the halls.

"Oh my god! I hope its not Voldem..." Jae was cut off by a high pitched screaming.

" James Potter! I swear I'll get you! Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Suddenly, a petite blond girl crashed through the door into Jae, knocking her over.

"OW! Arin!"

"Hey, Jae! Didn't see ya there!"

"Obviously, ya dork! Bri, Lil, meet Arin Clarke, my second cousin." The girl looked around, revealing her startlingly gold eyes, and hid underneath Briar's chair.

"Hide me!" she squeaked. Lily sat on the floor in front of her, and Briar on the side. Jae stood up and opened the door.

"Potter! Lupin! Black! Get your scrawny arses in here! NOW! Accio Mauraders!" she pointed her wand, and three boys flew into the compartment.

"Oi! Jae! Where ya been?" a boy with black hair and blue eyes grabbed her, and dipped her backwards, kissing her dramatically. Jae elbowed him, and pushed him aside.

"Sirius!"

"Yes, milady?"

"Be serious for once!"

"I am...duh."

"No, serious!"

"I am Sirius."

"Argh!" Lily burst in. " Both of you! Honestly!" The three boys stood up and looked around. The other black-haired boy grabbed Lily and drooled, muttering,

"Ooo...fresh meatttttttttttttttttttttttttt." Arin ruined this by smacking him in the back of the head.

"I don't there's been a proper introduction here. I'm Arin Clarke from Stratford-upon-Avon. Before you ask, my mum's a witch, my dad's a Muggle. I'm also Jae's second cousin. Boys..."

" Hello, lovely ladies, and Arin. Black, Sirius Black."

"James Potter, and you're pretty."

" Remus Lupin at your service." They each took a bow, and waited for the girls to introduce themselves.

"I'm Lily, don't call me Lil."

"Briar but Bri only please!" With that, the boys left the compartment, which became much more peaceful.

" Okay guys, this is the plan. The guys are some of the worst pranksters in the world, so we gotta get back at them." As she said this, her hair turned bright green. She muttered an incantation, and it went normal. She also sent a curse down to James, giving him a tail. "Anyway...have you guys practiced anything yet?"

"I've done a bit... so far, Charms are the easiest for me, but the Tran...Transfiguration is really hard!" said Lily.

"Oh, Transfiggie is easy! Potions, however, is EVIL!"shouted Arin.

"Heh, Potions is a snap! Charms kinda mess me up, though," whispered Jae.

"I really haven't tried much, but all these odd... creatures keep appearing by me." said Briar.

" Brilliant! Your specialty is COMC, then!" squealed Arin.

"Huh?" said Briar and Lily.

"She means Care of Magical Creatures."

"Oh..." Quickly, for they were reaching Hogwarts, Jae explained that they needed to form their own prank group for protection against the Mauraders, as the boys fancied themselves. The girls chose the name "The Avengers".

As they got off the train, they were met by a small giant named Hagrid. They split up into boats of four, and were soon at the castle. They were led inside, and lined up to be sorted.

"First years, please stand here to be sorted into your new houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family." Professor Halasz, the Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House put a tattered old hat on a stool. The hat began to sing.

Beauty isn't everything.

As those around you know.

Just plop me on your head,

And I'll tell you where to go.

Perhaps to mighty Gryffindor,

The scarlet lions brave,

Or 'haps to loyal Hufflepuff,

The yellow badgers true.

You could also stay in Ravenclaw

The brains of raven blue.

Ambition goes in Slytherin,

The cunning serpent green.

I am not often wrong,

As you shall see,

Before long.

The Hall burst into applause, and Professor Halasz stood forward. She brought out a piece of parchement, and read names. The first years stood nervously and waited for their name to be called.

"Avery, Avery."

"Slytherin, no doubt."

"Black, Sirius!"

" GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bones, Andrew!"

" HUFFLEPUFF!" cried the hat.

"Clarke, Arin!" Arin ran up eagerly and jammed the hat on hear head.

" Hmm... brave...oh yes, and completely loyal. Could be Hufflepuff...no...GRYFFINDOR!" she ran over to the nearest table and sat next to Sirius.

"Coren, Jae!"

"Ahh...yes, we've been waiting a long time for you, my girl. Let's see...smart, a brilliant tactician, but strong of heart. Sadness will come, but for now... GRYFFINDOR!" Jae walked off to the table, wondering what the hat meant about sadness.

"Chang, David!"

" RAVENCLAW!"

"Crabbe, Torl!"

"Slytherin."

"Evans, Lily!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Granger, Bartholemew!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Goyle, Georgefreide!"

"Slytherin."

"Interesting name that chap's got, what?" queried James.

"Lestrange, Fluffenaught."

"Slytherin."

"Why do all the weird-named people go into Slytherin?"

"Look who's talking! Your name is SIRIUS."

"Longbottom, Frank!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Longbottom? LongBOTTOM?"

"Shh! It's Remus!" whispered Jae.

"Lupin, Remus!"

"Ah... your secret is deadly, no? Well, you'll need friends to support you. GRYFFINDOR!" he wandered over, hoping that nobody heard what the hat had said. He didn't notice Jae look at him oddly.

"Malfoy, Lucius!"

"Slytherin."

"McCloude, Molly!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Nott, Jorge!"

"Slytherin."

"Parkinson, Daisy." A girl who resembled a troll shambled up.

"Slytherin."

"Patil, Shaba!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

"Uh... Gryffindor."

"Potter, James!"

"We need you strong. Keep a watch on the Flower. GRYFFINDOR!"

"Rosier, Billith."

"Slytherin."

"What did I say?"

"Shiel, Briar!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Snape, Severus!"

"Eww! Greasy hair! Slytherin, now get me off!" The entire school burst out laughing, even Professor Zegers, the head of Slytherin house.

"Tobbes, Amelia!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Arthur."

" GRYFFINDOR!"

"Let the feast...begin!"

)(Well? How was it?)(