''Because this is how you react.'' Fred cut in. He turned to Albus. ''So, what was she like.?''

"Strange, but very...nice." Was nice the right word? Albus faltered before continuing. "She had a sort of aura about her, and didn't quite speak the same way as one of us would..didn't really use slang."

"Didn't you find out anything else about her?" Rob asked, listening intently.

"Well, in an awkward blunder I found out her parents are dead." Albus replied, grimacing at the memory.

Fred pulled a sympathetic face. "That must have been awkward."

Albus creased his brow. "Yeah..but the funny thing was she wasn't actually offended."

Fred raised his eyebrows before Rob spoke again. "So, if her parents are dead, who's she living with?"

Fred laughed before Albus could answer. "Al wasn't interrogating her as you are him." He looked at his friend. "Or were you?..."

Albus laughed in return. "Nope, I was not intrreogating her. But as a matter o fact, I did find out quite a bit about her." He looked at his two friends. "Are you ready for this?"

"Ready for what?" Fred asked with a bemused grin.

"Ready for the awful answer to Rob's question?" Albus said with an ominous tone.

"What, who she's been living with? It can't be that bad..." Rob looked at his friend. "...can it?"

"Prepare yourselves." Albus said with distaste. "She lives with the Malfoy's."

Both of his friends grimaced.

"And even worse...she's best friends with Vlad Malfoy." Albus enjoyed the increase in horror in the expressions of his friends.

"Is she really Slytherin, then?" Asked Rob after another grimace.

Albus shook his head immeditely. "No, no, most defintely not. She was really friendly, although strange."

"Well, it seems there's hope for her yet." Rob said. Neither of his friends disputed this. As pure Gryffindoors, all were set against Slytherins and used all the historical prejudices. Although, to be fair, the Slytherins did just that. The three friends were also completly hostile to the Malfoys, as there was still the schoolboy rift between the classic Slytherin family and the Gryffindoor Potters and Weasleys. 

The sorting had progressed now, and they were onto 'P's. Lily, it seemed, would be sorted at the end because of her age, despite her surname beggining with A. Albus watched the sorting with instincal clapping at the right moments till her turn came. Silence settled again, but there were slight murmurs of enquiry at various tables. Albus' stomach contracted as he saw Vlad Malfoy give the girl the thumbs up as she made her way to the stool and hat. The most irritating thing is she smiled slightly back.

Crossing her legs elegantly, the girl sat down on the stool, noticeably calmer than the new first years. The hat was placed on her head and then came the wait for an announcement.

They waited in vain. A minute passed and the hat still didn't speak. It kept opening it's tear of a mouth then closing it again as it reconsidered. Albus saw that Lily didn't seem to be having a good time either, her face was worried and her eyes kept rolling distractedly as she exchanged private words with the hat.

And finally, after a long three minutes of waiting - it must have been a record - the hat spoke.

"Huff-Rave-Slytheri-Gryffindoor!"

There was a bemused and slightly stunned silence. Albus saw the headmistress exchange a quick glance with Professor Longbottom. Then the hat, after another breath, boomed;

"GRYFFINDOOR!"

This time people snapped into gear - the Gryffindor table clapped, Professor Longbottom took the hat and levitated the stool away and Lily, confused as she was, spotted Albus at the table and gave a smile before heading his way. As she reached him he welcomed her, glad that he could spare her from Vlad Malfoy, who was watching her as if the world had just ended. 

"Erm - You wanna sit here?" Albus gestured to a seat between him and his sister, who had also just snapped into gear and was eager to welcome the new member of the house her Brother had mentioned. Lily smiled graciously and Lily Potter immediately greeted her with a laugh and a friendly smile

''So, another Lily. This is going to be confusing.'' 

Lily Archeron blinked, then smiled in return. ''Ah, so you are called Lily too! That is nice. Are you Albus' kin?''

Albus frowned slightly at her wording but leapt in before his sister could. ''Yeah, this is my sister, Lily." He grinned. "You're right, this is going to be confusing." 

Rob opened his mouth to speak, eager to get in a word, but at that moment Headmistress Minerva McGongaul rose and drew the attention of her students with a loud 'ahem!'. She smiled a rare smile as heads turned obediently, then began to speak.

''Hello and welcome all of you to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! This year is a paticularly special year for you, especially to those of you who are in your last year. This year, A triwizard tournament will take place, inviting the Beabaxtons and the Durmstrang students to compete with us in series of three tasks. They will be joining us on the 31st of October, Halloween." There was a slight cheer - it was always fun when the foreign students came to stay. Once again, Minerva McGonagaul smiled, then continued. "Now, this time, the rules have been changed slightly.'' This gained everyone's attention and Albus listened intently.

''This year, there will be two students competing for each school, forming a team. They will do the tasks together and share the winners gold if their team wins. However, as always, the two competitors must be seventeen years of age.'' There was the general groan from the six lower forms, but Albus, Rob, and Fred all grinned with triumph.

''Now, for three tournaments, Hogwarts has failed to win the cup, so this time I advise that only the best witches and wizards enter. This year, the cup must be ours!'' There was another general cheer, and with a click of her glass as she toasted with Professor Longbottom, Minerva McGonagaul spoke the words they'd all wanted to hear for some time.

''Now, let us eat!''