The Long and Winding Road

"Firs' years over here!" Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts, called out over the frenzy of students and shouting. It was raining harder than ever as several timid first years made their way over Hagrid - whose usually bright pink and yellow polka dot umbrella managed to look dark in the torrential weather.

"Come on, you lot. Go over to Hagrid. No, he won't eat you, dear. Just please let's get the platform cleared," said Lily as she helped the first years move towards Hagrid. They aren't going to like that boat ride, thought Lily as she watched Hagrid and the first years' silhouettes move toward a familiar narrow path into the thick dark trees.

"Hello, Evans," said a voice. Those words sent a strange shiver up her spine and the warmth of the air on her ear was comforting. Lily turned around and to her horror was facing a soaked James Potter grinning and messing up his wet hair.

"Potter! Don't sneak up on me like that," Lily muttered and continued to help the first years find their boats.[Author ID1: at Wed Aug 30 12:02:00 2006 ]

"How was your summer?" James asked, ignoring her.

"Fine," Lily said shortly. "Potter, I'm trying to help out the students, so if you don't mind--"

"Evans, you know you don't mind me hanging out around you. I can see it in your eyes...your beautiful green eyes," said James, perhaps attempting to be poetic. It failed.

But Lily blushed despite herself. She had always known James was charming - but this was a bit too much. He never said that she was beautiful...well, to her face, that is. "You must be blind, because my eyes have big, glaring, yellow signs that say 'piss off' in them. Now if you'll excuse me," Lily growled, pushed past him, and walked towards the horseless carriages to find her friends.

XXX

"When will I get Harold back, sir?" asked a small blonde girl.

"Your, erm, Harold, is currently in the pet's compartment and will be in your dormitory after the feast," replied Severus. Why do little girls with disgustingly high-pitched voices keep talking to me today?

"Thank you!" said the little girl.

Severus walked towards the carriages and settled down in an empty one. He then rummaged through his satchel and searched for his Potions book. He wrote everything in that book. He corrected it, he wrote down short notes - he even created new spells and sketched them down in it. To his dismay, it was nowhere to be found. Must have put it in my trunk for once, I suppose.

The carriage door opened and Severus instinctively put his hand in his pocket and felt for his wand, just in case it was Potter or Black. Demetrius Nott entered the carriage instead.

"Severus! How are you, mate?" Demetrius asked in a cheery manner. After sharing a dormitory with him for five years, the little things that Demetrius did (like the way he prepared for bed, the way he greeted people, and even the way he brushed his hair) made him terribly annoying.

"Fine," Severus said shortly.

"Did you two hear?" Nott asked with a glint in his eye.

"Hear what?" asked Narcissa Black, who just entered the carriage as well. Her blonde hair was matted and soaked but as soon as she sat down, she performed the drying charm on her hair and unnecessarily swished it around.

"Your 'boyfriend' got the Dark Mark," replied Demetrius.

"No way! That's wicked!" squealed Narcissa with one of the biggest smiles that Severus had ever seen.

"What's wicked?" asked Evan Rosier. Evan was another one of the people that Severus could sometimes consider a friend. He had always been a pompous, pure-blood fanatic, and a bit too fond of the opposite sex.

"Lucius received the Dark Mark from the Dark Lord!" Narcissa squealed. "When did this happen, Demetrius? We haven't talked in about a month. He said he's been busy."

"About a week ago, Narcissa. Killed a Muggle to celebrate," Demetrius laughed.

Everyone laughed heartily, except for Severus. On the contrary, he felt a bit sick. Killing helpless Muggles never appealed to him. However he couldn't deny that he was curious about being a part of "the Dark Lord's" service. Severus didn't consider himself racist against Muggles or Muggle-borns - he thought they were immaterial, and he didn't mind insulting them; but he couldn't see himself murdering anyone. Power is what he was interested in. Evan constantly told him about the enormous amounts of power that the Dark Lord's followers had and, although he didn't tend to show it, he was intrigued.

Severus assumed that the Dark Lord only let pure-bloods into his ranks, however. Severus, and only a couple of other students, knew that he was a half-blood (apparently pure-bloods had an odd enthrallment with family trees and the surname "Snape" was nowhere to be found on their tapestries). He was surprised to be accepted by most of them, but he assumed it was his attitude that made him respected, not to mention being the interest of Lucius Malfoy and other older pure-bloods in his first year. His talent was also well known, as well as his fascination in the dark arts. If you are interested in the dark arts, any Slytherin is your friend, it seems, he mused.

As the laughter died down everyone was looking at him as though he was a very tricky puzzle. So they wouldn't strain themselves so far that they would explode, Severus gave a small smile, which seemed to please the rest and their petty conversation continued.

"Bellatrix showed that Mudblood Evans who's boss on the platform," Narcissa said with a nasty smile and recalled the events on the platform. "Sorry she got her muck all over you, Severus. We didn't mean for her to be so clumsy, but now that I think about it, I'm not that surprised. With her blood and all..."

Severus merely grunted while the others snickered.

"That Evans sure has become a bit attractive over summer, though," said Demetrius as he scratched his scalp.

Narcissa looked as though she swallowed a spider. "That Mudblood? Attractive? Oh please! Sure, she's popular but attractive is a bit much, yeah?"

"She's simply grimy, of course. Disgusting too, but she's still got some...positive attributes," said Demetrius in the same sly manner as Regulus had earlier.

The carriages started to make their way up to Hogwarts and while the others made jokes about Mudbloods and Muggles, Severus stared out the window lost in thought.

XXX

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! To our newly sorted students, welcome! To our returning students, glad to have you all back. I'd like to remind you that that the Forbidden Forest is...as it is called, forbidden...and Quidditch tryouts should occur within the next month or so. So without further ado, let the feast commence!" declared Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

Food popped onto the long tables in the great hall and all the students, with glee, started to pile on potatoes, chicken, carrots, and all the other various foods.

"I broke up with William in July. But I said I still wanted to be his friend," Emmeline told Alice with a sigh. "I'm a failure at relationships."

"Oh shut up," Marlene smiled. "Why did you end it? Bad at kissing? Pick his nose? Read too many smutty magazines?"

"No!" Emmeline blushed.

"Horrible shag?" Marlene shrugged and took a bite of her Shepard's pie.

"This is me you're talking about," Emmeline simpered.

"Never know, Emmeline. We're living in strange times..." Marlene said sagely. "I'd never imagine that my sister would have a child at her age but look at her now! As big as a bloody house round the middle."

"Marlene is right," Lily said as she buttered her bread. "Didn't you read that article in the Daily Prophet a couple weeks back about so many people rushing to get married and have kids before it's too late because of the war?"

"Yeah, but...I'm not pregnant," Emmeline sighed.

"Then what happened?" Alice asked.

"Well...he was always talking about the bloody Quidditch games he listened to on the wireless!" Emmeline said as she slammed her goblet on the table.

"And what's wrong with Quidditch, Emmeline?" asked Marlene, sounding quite offended.

"Nothing is wrong with Quidditch, Marlene. I just prefer to talk about something other than the Chudley Cannons' record-breaking season," Emmeline said.

"Well they did do quite well last season, didn't they, Prongs?" asked Sirius Black as he sat down next to Lily.

"Eh, they did alright," replied James, unceremoniously squeezing in-between Sirius and Lily. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew and snickered at James' awkwardness and sat across from the girls.

"Hello Lily, Alice, Marlene...Emmeline," said Lupin.

"Remus," replied Emmeline with a smile.

Peter nudged Remus in the ribs and Remus, blushing, began to pick at a piece of pie on his plate.

"So...Evans," said James as he tried to snake his arm around her waist. "Hogsmeade weekend is coming up in October, and--"

"And you are more desperate than ever, you were about to say?" Lily said with a fake smile as she wriggled out of his grip.

"No," he said, looking a bit embarrassed. "I wanted to know if you would go with me. I'm sure loads of guys are going to be asking you."

"And the answer is, as usual, no, Potter."

James frowned. "Will you at least give me a chance, Evans? I really want to go with you, so--"

"I'll think about it, Potter," Lily said reluctantly.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm in Lily's voice, James didn't seem to care. He grinned at Sirius, who smirked back and continued to eat his pudding.

He just won't give up, will he? But I can't help but feel bad for him. She glanced at James and saw that he was currently having an eating match with Peter. Pudding was flying everywhere and she looked at him with disgust. Or maybe I don't. James made a noise of triumph and looked at Lily; his face was covered with pudding and Lily could see bits of it on his long nose, glasses, and even on a stand of hair. His large beam didn't make him look any better.

"If you think an eating competition will seal the deal you have another think coming, Potter," Lily said, eagerly waiting for the feast to be over.

XXX

Severus ate quickly. He was starving - the only thing he'd eaten all day was the chocolate frog that Lily gave to him on the train. He finished before everyone else and his eyes began to wander around the Great Hall.

Slughorn was talking merrily with Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore was chuckling at a joke that Professor Flitwick had made. A few tables down he spotted James Potter squeezing in between Lily and Sirius. His blood began to boil as he remembered what happened just months ago. Trying to push the memory out of his head he began to watch Lily. She looked unhappy about James' advances and he couldn't help but be satisfied. At least she's smart about her opinion of Potter. He watched as she tucked her hair behind her ear and begun to talk with Alice. She then stood up with her plate of pudding and moved over to sit next to Marlene after James started to finger her hair.

"Finally come to your senses?" whispered Regulus. When did he get there?

"What are you talking about?" Severus muttered. He knew he was talking about that blasted redhead who came up so much in that day's conversation.

"Okay, at least admit that she has a nice figure," suggested Regulus.

Severus glanced at Lily again. Wizarding robes usually left much to the imagination, but most girls wore their robes a bit tighter than traditional.

"I don't know. She's not ghastly, are you satisfied?" said Severus with irritancy.

Regulus smirked, again resembling Sirius too much for his liking. "Yup. Oh well, not like we are pursuing anything. I mean, she's a Mudblood - her parents are...Muggles!" he said with an utter look of disgust on his face. "How can she even live with that muck? It amazes me, really. Like my mother always says, one of the best ways to judge someone is by their parents. And looking at Evans, well, draw your own conclusion, mate."

"What about your brother? Should I judge him based on your parents, too?" Severus asked, just to find a loophole.

Regulus was quiet for a moment before turning around and spotting Sirius laughing at something James said. He made a face resembling someone swallowing tar and his hands clenched around his fork before turning back to Severus. "As far as I'm concerned, I have no brother."