AN| I'm going to put Jily fanart and gifs when I don't find an image too relevant to the chapter! :) Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this but the long sentences in italic come from the book. So, not mine.

"So, what can I do for you today, Mr and Mrs Potter?" Merlin beamed genially at them. "Do you want to apply for jobs, or for passes to human Heaven?" Lily started shaking her head then changed her mind. "Actually yes to both, but we had a little question for you..." She trailed off. "We want to be able to descend to earth and that people can see us and hear us." James put bluntly. Merlin frowned. "I'm afraid that is impossible. You will understand when you grow as old as me." Lily stared at James. They both had an impression of déjà-vu. "But, why?" asked James. "That's life, Mr Potter. Or rather, afterlife." He chuckled at his own joke. Lily forced a smile. "Thank you for answering our question. Now about passes and jobs....?"

Twenty minutes later they walked out of the building. "Don't you think he reminded you of Dumbledore?" asked James. "Yes! The way he speaks condescendingly and the way he knows he's more important than you. But also, the way you would think of him as a really powerful Good wizard. The one who protects everyone, you know?" Lily answered. "Uh hmm. Anyway! We have jobs now and we can go visit your parents whenever we want! Isn't that good, Lilyflower?" "I suppose..." Lily said sadly. "It's just...we can't tell Dumbledore not to put Harry with the Dursleys, we can't let Sirius be free from Azkaban, we can't tell the Wizarding world that Wormtail is a traitor...I feel as if we could do so many things, there's just the problem that we're dead." "Which is just a teeny tiny little problem, right?" James joked. Lily laughed. "Okay, come on let's go back, I have a shopping session with Marlene. We need to buy new dresses from Beatrix's Beautiful Ballroom." And with that, the pair set off to Potter Cottage.

10 years later

"JAMES! GO OPEN THE DOOR! You parents are here, sweetie." James grumbled and put aside his Quidditch magazine. He had been looking at the top new racing brooms of the year. "Hi Mum, hullo Dad." James led them inside. So, what house do you think he's going to be in?" Fleamont Potter asked. They had decided to have a big dinner in honor of Harry's Sorting. Over the past years, they had watched Harry grow alongside their friends and family. James insulted the Dursleys daily, and had been extremely happy to meet Fred and George. Lily was pleased that Harry had made friends with Molly's son, and she saw a bit of herself in Hermione Granger. They had also seen Neville briefly, and James had commented on how Mrs Longbottom "still dressed atrociously after all these years". James was also ecstatic at how his little Prongslet had refused to be friends with Lucius' scum. He also despaired in fact that Harry didn't know about Quidditch, making him burst into (fake) tears in Lily's arms about how his little fawn couldn't already be  a Quidditch star. Both of them had gone to complain to Merlin numerous times about not being able to tell Dumbledore nicely that Harry should be removed from the Dursleys immediately. Now, after all these years, they were about to see their little boy be Sorted. Lily went to get crisps and drink from the kitchen whilst James welcomed more people.

There were James' parents, Lily's parents, Fabian and Gideon, Marlene's family, Dorcas Meadowes, Edgar Bones and his family, and a few friends they had made. They all gathered in the living room, on the sofa, in the armchairs Lily had conjured. They turned on the projector and snuffed out the lights. As the years in Heaven had passed, new technology had been created which permitted the witch or wizard who wanted to see on earth a better view than from a tiny window. As everyone grabbed their drink, the film began to play. 

Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

James laughed. "Always as harsh, Minnie" Lily slapped him on the arm. "Respect your elders, James!" Everyone watched as Harry walked into the Great Hall, looking amazed by it all.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. 

Lily was amused at the little muggleborn witch she had seen on the train. She seemed just like her when she told the person next to her that"Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Lily's parents gasped at the sky. They had never been to Hogwarts, they had only heard descriptions from their daughter, but it was much more magical to see for yourself.

 Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry, Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true, And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Marlene giggled as she heard what Ron whispered to Harry. "That poor boy! He thought he had to fight a troll!" She laughed. Her husband smiled at her. "Well, I remember you telling me that we had to-" Marlene had muffled her husband's talking with her hand, and blushed. "He doesn't know what he's talking about." She flushed a violent scarlet when Lily nudged her.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause --
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

Edgar Bones smiled proudly. "That's my niece!" He said enthusiastically.

"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
" Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; 

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. 

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

James laughed. He had probably been like that when Lily went to the stool, only moments later he had been struck by her beauty and charm and grace and intelligence when she said "Hi!" to him at the table.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Lily sighed. He looked all shy and he resembled Alice so much, she couldn't not have tears in her eyes. James squeezed her hand on one side, Marlene on the other. James watched the little Malfoy brat swagger forward when his name was called and was pleased when he got Slytherin.

"Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last -- "Potter, Harry!"
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
 Fleamont beamed. "My little grandson, famous already!" Euphemia Potter sighed. "You shouldn't say that, Fleamont. Poor boy." James and Lily stared at the screen, seeing the Hat moving on Harry's head. Marlene gripped Lily's thumb tightly. Everyone waiting with bated breath. A few seconds later, Fleamont interrupted by asking who was willing to bet with him. Mr Evans agreed, as did Fabian. His brother abstained. Fleamont, of course, bet on Gryffindor, Mr Evans put his money on Slytherin because he had no idea about the houses, and Fabian bet on Hufflepuff. James was about to bet but Lily glared at him so he quickly stopped. The suspense was agonizing for James. He was about to burst when the Hat yelled out loud to the Great hall "GRYFFINDOR!" James cheered "YOOHOO PRONGSLET, GOOD FOR YOU, MY BOY, WAY TO GO, WHAT A WONDERFUL LITTLE FAWN WE HAD, LILY!" Lily just smiled mysteriously and sipped her wine quietly. Fleamont Potter collected his winnings, a huge grin etched on his face, and Euphemia Potter shook her head at him.

James was in a state of euphoria for the next week. He even smiled and said hello to Merlin at work, which made Lily wonder if she should do stuff involving Gryffindor more often since it seemed to cheer him up. He hadn't talked to or acknowledged Merlin in the past ten years because of Merlin's refusal. Now, everyone around him couldn't help cracking a smile when they saw him. He was a burst of sunshine in the cold autumn of Heaven. Lily also seemed quietly happier than before. Always laughing, smiling, talking or playing pranks and telling jokes. They led a wonderful afterlife. But none of the family, except maybe Lily, ever knew that Harry had been quite close to going in Slytherin.

AN| Thanks for reading!                                                                                                                                                        -Lily-Luna