Author’s Note: Oh my! It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? Many apologies, I have been positively swamped in school, and had very little time for anything but school. All that time for something of a bland chapter! This chapter kind of seems like a filler chapter, but it’s quite important for more than just character development…=D

This chapter was very difficult to write, as most transition chapters are. I had about three pages written (this one is approximately five), decided I hated it, and started over. Blargh.

So, tell me what you think! =D

And, for the record, writing sorting songs really sucks.

Disclaimer: Two reasons I am JKR: I like to write. I like tea. Countless reasons I’m not JKR: I don’t live in Britain. I would never, ever kill off Sirius. I'm not richer than the queen. I don't know who the half-blood prince is. I don't own Harry Potter. (dangit)

Lily made her way to the Great Hall disheartened. She had awoken, in the Hospital Wing, rather confused. Madame Pomfrey had insisted on keeping her in bed all day, though it was mid-afternoon when she awoke. Her bones still ached dreadfully, but, she thought bitterly, that was nothing compared to her heart. She was trying not to think about that night. Trying to forget that she was an orphan…

She stopped just outside the doors to the Great Hall. She could hear the preparations going on inside. After much persuasion, Lily had been allowed by Madame Pomfrey to attend the start of year feast. She really wasn’t looking forward to it, but anywhere was better than the Hospital Wing, where she was surrounded by constant reminders…

Sighing, she leaned against the wall. She would wait until the other students started to arrive, then maybe she could drift in inconspicuously. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself.

After several moments she heard the sounds of students pour in from the other side and decided it was a safe time to enter. Heading towards the Gryffindor table, she felt rather ill at seeing all the familiar, smiling faces…all unaware that the world had ended -- for her, anyway.

She took a deep breath, swallowing her emotions. She sat down near the end of the table, alone. Glancing through the crowds, she saw James and his friends take a seat farther down the table. Their eyes met. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. His expression was unfathomable. Was it pity? She couldn’t tell. After a second, it changed abruptly. His lips formed an impish smirk and he gave her a quick wave. He turned his back to her to talk to Sirius, who was staring expectantly at his plate.

“You do know we have to wait until after the sorting, right Padfoot?” she heard him snort. She didn’t hear Sirius’s reply, however, as a wail behind her erupted suddenly, and she was engulfed in a tight embrace.

“Oh Lily,” cried her friend, sitting on the bench beside her. “Merlin, I was so worried when I heard…”

“Marlene, please…” Lily loved her friend, but one thing Marlene could not refrain from doing was making a scene.

“I mean, honestly!”

Lily crumpled her napkin in her hand and resisted the urge to stuff it in Marlene’s mouth. People were starting to stare….

“And when you weren’t on the train…”

“Marlene!” Lily snapped. Marlene took the hint and quieted. Lily exhaled slowly. “H-how did you find out? Does everyone know?” Lily closed her eyes for a moment, her fears dancing in front of her.

“Oh, no,” said Marlene, shaking her head. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“No? How did you find out then?”

Marlene scoffed. “I’m your best friend, Lily. I have my ways.”

Lily raised an eyebrow, knowing Marlene would give in in a moment’s time. “Right.”

Marlene heaved an exaggerated sigh. “When I couldn’t find you on the train I was really nervous, thinking you missed it or something, but that didn’t seem like you at all. Especially not when you’re Head Girl and all -- congrats, by the way, I don’t guess you ever got my owl -- So when I learned that James Potter -- Potter of all people! -- was Head Boy, I assumed he kidnapped you or something, so I hunted him down.”

Lily snickered as the image of Marlene storming into the Marauders compartment expecting to find her, Lily, bound and gagged appeared in her mind.

“Really though!” huffed Marlene, “Potter? Potter, for Head Boy! What are the teachers on?”

“Floo powder?” suggested Lily mildly, though the joke was half-hearted as she glanced down the table at James who was talking emphatically to his friends. Visions of him and his broomstick passed her mind. Suddenly she felt very wary. Marlene had talked to James? She didn’t want anyone else knowing what had happened…she just wanted to forget it all….

Marlene laughed, jerking Lily away from her thoughts. “Probably,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But anyways, you weren’t with him, but he seemed uncomfortable, so I pried and he told me.”

“He…told you?” Lily swore her heart stopped beating.

“He seemed reluctant to tell me anything, but I got the information in the end. Really, it wasn’t like he had any right to keep information from me. He’s not even your friend!” Marlene was clearly irritated that James had found out before she, Lily’s best friend, did. “If his father didn’t work with the ministry, then he wouldn’t have even known.”

“What?” Lily said very quickly, unsure of what she just heard. “What did he…tell you?”

Marlene gave her a bemused look. “Well, I asked him -- rather forcefully and with my wand, maybe, but I was justified! I was a concerned friend! Anyways, I asked him what he had done with you. And he looked at me -- you know that infuriating look of his -- and said, ‘what do you mean?’ But he said it kind of nervous and worried-like, you know? So I knew something was up. That’s when I got a little…angry. I demanded that he told me where you were right this instant, and then Black, of course, said something rude, so I made to curse him, but then Potter told me to ‘calm down’ -- git -- and he said that it really wasn’t ‘his to tell’ or something like that. Well, I told him that there was nothing that you wouldn’t tell me,” she paused here, and sent Lily a grilling look as if to validate this statement.

Lily, who was anxious to know what Marlene actually knew, just nodded impatiently and asked, “And what did he say?”

“Well, he looked rather miffed, but he told me what had happened -- Oh, Lily!” her voice dropped to a whisper, “He told me how several Death Eaters showed up at your house and…they…Lily, I’m so, so sorry!”

Lily looked down. She didn’t really want to talk about it. “That’s what he said? That’s all?”

Marlene looked at her curiously, “Is there more to it?”

“No!” Lily said quickly, stumbling to cover her error, “I just -- I thought he would, you know, say…something…”

“Rude?” Marlene inquired, nodding. “Yeah, I thought so too. But I guess even gits have hearts.”

“Mm…” muttered Lily, feeling slightly guilty. She gratefully took refuge in silence as the Sorting Hat was placed on the stool in front and began to sing.

A school was built to give the young knowledge and lore.
Because at that time I had no brain nor opened-mouth flap
Students were selected by our founders four.
Fair Ravenclaw selected only those of cleverness and wit
Sly Slytherin believed only those of true ambition were fit
Good Hufflepuff was partial to the loyal with hearts of gold
Brave Gryffindor took those few of courage bold
But then the problem arose of how to choose
For they were not undying, and each had very different views
Finally it was Gryffindor, who out frustration
Grabbed me from his head and stuffed in me a brain
To choose houses for this foundation
In which house new students are to train!
So come, set me upon your skull
Take a seat and be at ease!
Through your thoughts I shall quickly mull,
For sorting is my expertise!”

A round of applause met the end of the song, and Lily smiled in spite of herself as a young girl with curly, brown hair hurried towards the stool. After a few moments, “RAVENCLAW!” was yelled, and Arning, Jemma made her way to the Ravenclaw table.

“Garver, Jones!” became the first Gryffindor and “Varen, Parley!” became a Slytherin. Finally “Zim, Brody !” was sorted to Hufflepuff and the Sorting ended.

Dumbledore soon began to speak. “Students, old and new,” he said, “It is my pleasure to welcome you once more to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” There was applause. “Though we are waltzing through hard days of tragedy,” Lily looked away as Dumbledore’s cool, blue eyes skimmed over the students briefly. Lily knew she was lucky. Many of the students had lost their entire families -- Lily at least still had Petunia…if that counted for much. A sudden anxiety flowed through her veins. She had forgotten about Petunia. Was she alive? What would she say? “It is,” Dumbledore continued, “our good fortune and,” he paused, as if delicately contemplating his words, “our fate, to learn and be well educated so we may prosper and live long, happy lives… So! With that bit of fodder for your surely empty minds, let us start our feast!”

There was silence for a few moments -- Students reflecting on lost ones, students counting their blessings in these dark days -- but soon chatter broke out as food and drink appeared in the goblets before them.

Marlene quickly helped herself to liberal amounts of potatoes, but Lily realized she wasn’t very hungry. Instead, she picked at some chicken without much enthusiasm.

“Evans,” Lily looked up to see that James Potter had seated himself in the empty spot in front of her. Evans? She thought, rather confused. He was calling her Evans again?

Marlene was looking very disgruntled. “Potter, how lovely of you to impose your delightful company upon us,” she said sarcastically.

“Anytime, McKinnon,” was his smirking response. “I just came over to offer my salutations and, of course, to have a few words with Evans over here.”

Lily said nothing, but Marlene suddenly became very protective, as if she was trying to defend Lily from any unpleasantness, and, to Marlene, James Potter was the epitome of unpleasantness. “Okay?” she said aggressively.

James must have realized that she was not going to leave, for he looked rather put out. “Right,” he said, “So…” he seemed to be searching for something to say, as clearly whatever he had wanted to, he did not want to discuss in front of Marlene. “I, uh, just wanted to …congratulate you -- again -- on, er, Head Girl.”

“Well,” Lily replied, not looking at him, “thanks, and uh, congrats to you too.” Marlene snorted.

“Also,” he said, “The Head Boy and Girl have a private lounge,”

“Is that so?”

“Yup,” James nodded, “and I was wondering if you would meet me there after the feast to discuss…Head duties. Because,” he added in a solemn tone, “you know I take my duties very, very, seriously.”

“I’m sure Lily is very tired,” interrupted Marlene.

“And I’m sure Lily can decide for herself if she’s tired or not,” countered James, clearly agitated by Marlene’s continued interference.

Lily knew Marlene was only doing what she thought best, but it was getting rather frustrating. “No, it’s okay, I’ll meet you there,” she said, nodding at James.

“But Lily --”

“Excellent,” James cut Marlene off. “It’s on the fifth floor, by the statue of Boris the Bewildered … by the prefect’s bathroom, you’d know that wouldn’t you? Second door to the right or so…you’ll find it. Password is jelly slugs, but that’s just the default, we can change it.”

“Alright,” said Lily, trying to take this all in.

“Very well,” said James, standing up and giving the two girls a quick bow. “Dessert is calling my name! I must get back before those pigs over there eat it all,” he said, motioning to his friends. “Evans, I will see you soon, and McKinnon -- hopefully not so soon, tata!” And he left before either of them could say anything.

Marlene glared after him, and sent a withering look at the gaggle of fifth year girls who were giggly madly as he walked by. A few were looking enviously at Lily, as it was common knowledge that James had a thing for her.

Lily heard one of the fifth year girls say to a few first years, “That’s James Potter, he’s probably the most popular boy in school, with the exception of Sirius Black. However, he’s completely off limits to anyone but that red-head over there. He’s made that pretty clear.”

“I honestly don’t see what everyone sees in him,” Marlene said, shaking her head. “Sure, he’s got a good body -- bloody Quidditch player -- but he’s not that good looking. And he’s a git.” Lily said nothing. “And you!” said Marlene, rounding on her, “What was up with that? ‘No, it’s okay, I’ll meet you there?’”

“It’ll only be for a little bit,” shrugged Lily. “He is Head Boy and I’m going to have to work with him all year. I might as well start off on good terms.”

“Knowing him, all he wants is to make out or something,” scowled Marlene.

“Well, if that’s the case, then I’ll hex him and leave immediately,” Lily stated matter-of-factly.

“Too right you will,” muttered her friend, helping herself to a cookie.