Loud footsteps filled the hallway, but not as loud as the mouths of the reuniting children were as they boarded the Hogwarts train. But Lily Evans didn't pay any attention to that, nor how lonely she was as she sat all by herself in the large compartment. What she did pay attention to was her family as they watched her, waiting for her to leave.

Usually she'd be upset to leave, but this time she wasn't. Not since this is her final year at Hogwarts. And with the current events going on in her muggle life, she'd rather be in the magical world for all of eternity. But she couldn't be. She had a life there, in the muggle world. She had a family. Even last summer she met a boy, although she knew nobody from her hometown could put up with what she was. 'A freak' as her older sister, Petunia, would call her. A freak girl going to a school especially for freaks. And maybe Petunia was right, maybe she was a freak. But she couldn't control what she was born to do.

She leaned her head against the window, watching as her sister glared at her from the platform. She felt nauseous, sick to her stomach because the person she had been closest to growing up, the person she looked up to the most had hated her so much.

There was a light knock on the compartment door before it slid open, her head shot to the side, noticing a familiar boy.

"What do you want, Potter?" She asked with a tiny smile. Brushing a strand of auburn hair behind her ear.

"I haven't seen you all summer, and that's the greeting I get?" James Potter whined, shaking his head. "I just wanted to give you a welcome back present from Professor McGonagall." He handed her a pin with the words 'Head Girl' written on it in silver. She took it from him and groaned, sighing.

"I forgot to go to the meeting. Thank you." She mumbled, feeling so stupid at how her feelings overwhelmed her so foolishly.

"That's all right." James chuckled lightly. "I did enough work for the two of us. Mind if I sit?" He asked, sitting across from her after she nodded acceptingly. He grabbed a pin out of his pocket, almost identical to hers, pinning it to his chest.

"Oh no." She moaned. "Please don't tell me that you're Head Boy." She whined, cupping her hands in her face teasingly. James nodded, a slight smile forming on his face.

"Don't be so rude, Evans. You're hurting my feelings." He mumbled, trying to hide the smile. Suddenly, the compartment door opened once again. Two boys entering. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Remus sat beside Lily, Sirius beside James.

Being best friends, James and Sirius began talking about everything they did during the summer, meanwhile, Remus handed Lily an envelope, which caught Sirius' eye. "What is it?" Sirius asked, catching James' attention.

"It's from some boy. He said his name was Rory. He came up to me and asked if I knew a Lily Evans, then handed me the envelope, demanding I deliver it to her when I see her." Those words caused Lily to blush slightly.

Rory Jackson was the boy's name. She met him the summer leading into her fifth year. Although this was the first summer they had had a conversion. When she met him the first time before fifth year, he was the first guy she had gotten along with at home, in fear that any boy she met would turn out like Severus Snape, the boy who broke her heart, the 'Mudblood caller.'

This summer, the Rory boy had come to her house everyday, he was like all the muggles in her town, practically poor. He helped her mother with tidying the house, and she payed him enough money for his family to get through the week. Lily felt bad, so she helped him. They had become friends over the very few weeks he had worked for her mother, but she tried not to get too attached to him like she had Severus.

A few weeks after, he had quit on a good account, finding a job that payed better money. And each day, he still visited her home, every day they took a walk around the neighborhood lake. She had fallen for the Rory boy, but she was convinced that he'd never feel anything for her. For she was a witch. A freak.

Ever since that summer she had avoided him, and he didn't bother her anymore.

This summer, her family moved a few neighborhoods away from where she had first lived. The next few days were boring until their neighbors welcomed them to their new home. And one boy, one sad looking boy looked familiar. He was seen on their porch. Maybe he was so sad because her sister, Petunia, had been flirting with him. She soon figured out who it was. It was the Rory boy. Their eyes met and she could feel her heart drop to her stomach. Thoughts ran through her head about how much he must hate her or how the first thing to come out of his mouth would be why she had avoided him. But that's not what happened at all.

Petunia, right in the middle of a flattering sentence noticed the boy ignoring her, walking up the steps dreamily as he approached Lily. "Hi." He mumbled.

Lily looked down guiltily. "Hi, Rory." She murmured softly, avoiding the gaze of his beautiful blue eyes.

"Long time, no see." He sighed, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his chest. "I missed you." He whispered, like he was trying to keep it a secret. But it was no secret, but neither was Lily missing him a secret as she wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands embracing her waist as her pulled her into a close hug. It must've been obvious to him that she didn't need to say, 'I miss you' for him to know that indeed she did.

Over that summer, they had gotten very close to each other. In fact, Lily had never been closer to anyone else. Maybe this was meant to happen. Maybe they were meant for each other. He had known everything about her, except her magical ability. Which she swore to herself she wouldn't expose.

A few days before Lily left, they sat by the lake together. That was night she had her first kiss. That was the night he told her that he loved her.

But right now, sitting on the train moments before it started it's journey to Hogwarts, Lily couldn't figure out why she had seen Rory outside the window from the corner of her eye. How could he be there? Only those who know of Hogwarts can get to the platform. She never told him what she was. How could he know? She looked at over at him, his face was sad and angry. She held the envelope tightly before opening. It was a small letter. She read the whole thing over at least three times, but the only thing that caught her eyes the most was the words, "I can't love a freak." Tears formed in her eyes, not even caring about James, Sirius, and Remus staring at her, she shakily set the letter on the table. "Excuse me." She whispered before walking out of the compartment quickly, making her way towards the bathroom.

The three boys looked at each other. James slowly reached for the letter, Remus noticing the Rory boy had gone now, talking to Petunia. James read the letter, the words sinking into his head, causing pain to his heart.

My dear Lily Evans,

I've never been happier with a girl. I missed you so much that lonely summer you while you avoided me. And I never figured out why. I thank your sister for telling me the truth when the girl I loved never could. You're beautiful, Lily. You're smart, beautiful, and you look like everybody else. But you're not. You're a freak. And I'm sorry, but I can't love a freak.

Sincerely, Rory Jackson

James' heart sank. He gripped the letter tightly before ripping it in half, throwing it onto the ground, startling Remus and Sirius. "Did you see the look on her face when you told her who it was from?" James asked almost silently, his voice shaky. "She was so happy. She loved him. But he's just as bad as Snape. He's just as bad as her sister. He called her a freak. He said he could never love a freak." His voice was filled with such hatred. That Rory kid didn't love her. But James did. Since fifth year he did love her. And nobody knew but his two closest friends who had just witnessed his frustrated break down.

"James, she won't be coming back to the compartment." Remus murmured. "The three of us will watch over her during dinner, make sure she doesn't do something she'll regret. After she's finished eating, you need to talk to her. You're the one she trusts the most, she feels most comfortable around you." He stated, looking concerned for both Lily and James as the train began to start, heading for Hogwarts. Their true home.