Title: Which Way Is Right?
Summary: Lily's about to embark on a seven-year journey in a place called Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Here she hopes to make friends, learn magic, and find herself. But when her life is so bizarre that she can barely find her quills, how will she manage to accomplish anything??
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Except the plot, sort of.and a few of the characters! Anything you don't recognize is mine, pretty much! Unless, of course, you haven't read the books.but then why would you be here?!? So never mind that! Just read!
Author's Note: First chapter, as you can see! Starts off in her first year, but you would know that had you read the summary. . . I hope you all like this story, because I really tried to make it pleasing. Any requests on the storyline are welcome, as I write this chapter-by-chapter! Have fun reading! ;)
Chapter 1: Where It All Begins. . .
The excited voices, the sounds of footsteps on gravel . . .the several shouts of "Call me!" that could be heard throughout the grounds. These were her last memories of primary school. . . She would certainly miss it. Everything had been so easy, and she had not a worry in the world. Not to mention that all of her friends had been there, making life so much better. But now, she was going to start her year at Hubble's Academy, a girl's school for the "elite".
Her father had gotten a job promotion, and they could now afford a larger house. Lily supposed this was good, because she would be getting her own room, after so many years bickering with her sister Petunia over the cleanliness of their shared one. But it was also very, very bad, because not only would she be starting a new school, but her friends were so far away that it would be impossible to just walk over to each other's houses anymore. And her dad was going to be at work a lot longer than he used to be, and now that her mom had found a job as well. . .it was pretty much hopeless that Lily would ever see them anymore, unless something miraculous occurred, which was doubtful.
Her parents had been sympathetic, but Petunia had told Lily to "suck it up". She should be proud to be going to such an elite school. Of course, Petunia was very prissy and seemed to think she was too good for her family. So of course she would think so highly of a school where there were bound to be several girls like her.
And so she sat that Saturday, the day before her family's move, eating breakfast at the kitchen table. It seemed so empty in there now, as her parents had already packed away all of the wall hangings and portraits that used to surround their meals. It was hard for her to think of a new home, which she had visited once or twice with her family to check things out. It was a newer house, one that had just been built, and to Lily, it seemed so cold. It had that paint smell, which had simply hung in the air when she had toured the house. What she would give to stay here, in her real home, the one she had lived in ever since she could remember. The one she had come home to after being born, the one where Petunia and her had had countless fights. . . the one she had grown up in.
Suddenly, air swishing past her ear sounded, and Lily turned around, ready to start yelling at Petunia for throwing things at her again. But to her surprise, it was not her horse-faced sister, but instead, a beautiful tawny owl. Lily's mouth hung open, for she was completely shocked at the sight before her. She looked around the kitchen, her eyes stopping on the open window by the sink. 'How am I going to get rid of an owl??'
Just as she was going over tactics in her mind, the kitchen door swung open, and in walked her sister, "Pancakes again?? Why can't mom make something else for a change??" Petunia complained. She sat down at the kitchen table, completely oblivious to the strange sight before her. She reached for a pancake, and happened to look up. Petunia looked shocked for a second, but then her wits came about her and she screamed. Not a little scream of shock, and not even a scream that you might hear from a woman terribly afraid of mice if she happened to see one before her. Oh no. This was an ear-splitting, high-pitched scream of utter terror. Lily's sister jumped up and ran out of the kitchen, screaming the whole while. The screams grew quieter and quieter, but to Lily, they were still very loud.
Lily looked back at the owl, who looked a bit miffed at the display. She smiled at the fact that even an animal was annoyed of Petunia. As she thought this, she happened to notice an envelope tied to the owl's leg. Curious, she reached forward. To her surprise, the owl didn't move, and she untied the envelope, which appeared to be made of a thick yellowish parchment. On the back, there was an elegant stamped H. Lily turned the envelope over, and was greatly surprised at what she saw, indeed.
Miss Lily Evans
Round Table in the Kitchen
742 Fletcher Boulevard
London
It would be an understatement to say Lily was amazed. She was more astonished. Her name, her exact placing in the house. . . all written in emerald green ink. Lily peered out the window, to see if anyone was spying on her. There didn't seem to be anyone, but she couldn't be sure. . . Slightly, worried, Lily slowly got up from her seat at the table, her brow furrowed.
She suddenly bolted up the stairs, frantically trying to find her parents. She found her mother first, and explained the events.
"An owl, you say? Is that why Petunia was screaming and running to her room??" her mother asked, a bit confused.
Lily considered this for a moment, and then answered, "Either that, or she discovered she looked even more like a horse than before."
Her mother's face grew stern, but there was a hint of a smile, "May I see this letter of yours?" Lily passed her mother the envelope, and waited in anticipation, pondering what the contents would read.
Lily rocked on her heels, with her hands behind her back. Her mother was taking so long, it was all she could do to keep from screaming out, "Would you tell me what it says already?!?"
After a few moments, her mother moved the letter downwards, so her face could be seen. And when it was visible to Lily, she saw a huge grin. Curious, Lily grabbed the letter from her mother's hold.
'Dear Ms. Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'
"Witchcraft?? What sort of rubbish is this?!" Lily exclaimed.
"Why, this isn't rubbish at all!"
"Er. . .It isn't?"
"Heavens, no! I have heard of this school before! You remember the Steiner's, who lived next door to us?"
"Yes. . ."
"Well, I don't know if you remember her, but they had a daughter who was a few years older than you!"
"Did they really?"
"Yes! She had left for Hogwarts before you were three, so that's why you can't recall. Anyway, she got a letter just like this and went to that school, and she is doing very well for herself, I must say!"
"So this is real??"
"It really is!"
Lily was shocked. She frantically read the rest of her letter, searching for more information. It said something about September the 1st, and King's Cross Station. When she was done skimming, she was quite convinced that she was indeed a witch.
"OH MY GOD!!!!!!" She shrieked, sounding a bit more like her sister, though not half as annoying. Lily jumped up and down, hugging her mother, who had tears in her eyes.
But you can always count on Petunia to ruin a good moment.
"What's this??" Petunia exclaimed, snatching the letter out of Lily's hand. After reading it through quickly, she turned to Lily, "I always knew you were some sort of freak!!!"
Before her mother could say anything, Lily stepped forward, looking up at her slightly taller sister. She looked hardly into Petunia's eyes, and was about to say something cruel back, when she noticed something in Petunia's eyes. Anger? Surprisingly, no. Happiness? Certainly not! Guilt? Depression? No, no. . . It was. . .sadness.
Lily's green eyes were startled. She stepped back, her mouth open. Never, NEVER had her sister ever shown any sort of emotion other than pure hatred toward her. Had she not been so close, Lily would have likely missed it. Shaking her head, Lily walked backwards, narrowly missed bumping smack into her mother, and went to her room. She shut the door behind her, leaving her surprised sister and mother in the upstairs hallway of 742 Fletcher Boulevard.
Summary: Lily's about to embark on a seven-year journey in a place called Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Here she hopes to make friends, learn magic, and find herself. But when her life is so bizarre that she can barely find her quills, how will she manage to accomplish anything??
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Except the plot, sort of.and a few of the characters! Anything you don't recognize is mine, pretty much! Unless, of course, you haven't read the books.but then why would you be here?!? So never mind that! Just read!
Author's Note: First chapter, as you can see! Starts off in her first year, but you would know that had you read the summary. . . I hope you all like this story, because I really tried to make it pleasing. Any requests on the storyline are welcome, as I write this chapter-by-chapter! Have fun reading! ;)
Chapter 1: Where It All Begins. . .
The excited voices, the sounds of footsteps on gravel . . .the several shouts of "Call me!" that could be heard throughout the grounds. These were her last memories of primary school. . . She would certainly miss it. Everything had been so easy, and she had not a worry in the world. Not to mention that all of her friends had been there, making life so much better. But now, she was going to start her year at Hubble's Academy, a girl's school for the "elite".
Her father had gotten a job promotion, and they could now afford a larger house. Lily supposed this was good, because she would be getting her own room, after so many years bickering with her sister Petunia over the cleanliness of their shared one. But it was also very, very bad, because not only would she be starting a new school, but her friends were so far away that it would be impossible to just walk over to each other's houses anymore. And her dad was going to be at work a lot longer than he used to be, and now that her mom had found a job as well. . .it was pretty much hopeless that Lily would ever see them anymore, unless something miraculous occurred, which was doubtful.
Her parents had been sympathetic, but Petunia had told Lily to "suck it up". She should be proud to be going to such an elite school. Of course, Petunia was very prissy and seemed to think she was too good for her family. So of course she would think so highly of a school where there were bound to be several girls like her.
And so she sat that Saturday, the day before her family's move, eating breakfast at the kitchen table. It seemed so empty in there now, as her parents had already packed away all of the wall hangings and portraits that used to surround their meals. It was hard for her to think of a new home, which she had visited once or twice with her family to check things out. It was a newer house, one that had just been built, and to Lily, it seemed so cold. It had that paint smell, which had simply hung in the air when she had toured the house. What she would give to stay here, in her real home, the one she had lived in ever since she could remember. The one she had come home to after being born, the one where Petunia and her had had countless fights. . . the one she had grown up in.
Suddenly, air swishing past her ear sounded, and Lily turned around, ready to start yelling at Petunia for throwing things at her again. But to her surprise, it was not her horse-faced sister, but instead, a beautiful tawny owl. Lily's mouth hung open, for she was completely shocked at the sight before her. She looked around the kitchen, her eyes stopping on the open window by the sink. 'How am I going to get rid of an owl??'
Just as she was going over tactics in her mind, the kitchen door swung open, and in walked her sister, "Pancakes again?? Why can't mom make something else for a change??" Petunia complained. She sat down at the kitchen table, completely oblivious to the strange sight before her. She reached for a pancake, and happened to look up. Petunia looked shocked for a second, but then her wits came about her and she screamed. Not a little scream of shock, and not even a scream that you might hear from a woman terribly afraid of mice if she happened to see one before her. Oh no. This was an ear-splitting, high-pitched scream of utter terror. Lily's sister jumped up and ran out of the kitchen, screaming the whole while. The screams grew quieter and quieter, but to Lily, they were still very loud.
Lily looked back at the owl, who looked a bit miffed at the display. She smiled at the fact that even an animal was annoyed of Petunia. As she thought this, she happened to notice an envelope tied to the owl's leg. Curious, she reached forward. To her surprise, the owl didn't move, and she untied the envelope, which appeared to be made of a thick yellowish parchment. On the back, there was an elegant stamped H. Lily turned the envelope over, and was greatly surprised at what she saw, indeed.
Miss Lily Evans
Round Table in the Kitchen
742 Fletcher Boulevard
London
It would be an understatement to say Lily was amazed. She was more astonished. Her name, her exact placing in the house. . . all written in emerald green ink. Lily peered out the window, to see if anyone was spying on her. There didn't seem to be anyone, but she couldn't be sure. . . Slightly, worried, Lily slowly got up from her seat at the table, her brow furrowed.
She suddenly bolted up the stairs, frantically trying to find her parents. She found her mother first, and explained the events.
"An owl, you say? Is that why Petunia was screaming and running to her room??" her mother asked, a bit confused.
Lily considered this for a moment, and then answered, "Either that, or she discovered she looked even more like a horse than before."
Her mother's face grew stern, but there was a hint of a smile, "May I see this letter of yours?" Lily passed her mother the envelope, and waited in anticipation, pondering what the contents would read.
Lily rocked on her heels, with her hands behind her back. Her mother was taking so long, it was all she could do to keep from screaming out, "Would you tell me what it says already?!?"
After a few moments, her mother moved the letter downwards, so her face could be seen. And when it was visible to Lily, she saw a huge grin. Curious, Lily grabbed the letter from her mother's hold.
'Dear Ms. Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'
"Witchcraft?? What sort of rubbish is this?!" Lily exclaimed.
"Why, this isn't rubbish at all!"
"Er. . .It isn't?"
"Heavens, no! I have heard of this school before! You remember the Steiner's, who lived next door to us?"
"Yes. . ."
"Well, I don't know if you remember her, but they had a daughter who was a few years older than you!"
"Did they really?"
"Yes! She had left for Hogwarts before you were three, so that's why you can't recall. Anyway, she got a letter just like this and went to that school, and she is doing very well for herself, I must say!"
"So this is real??"
"It really is!"
Lily was shocked. She frantically read the rest of her letter, searching for more information. It said something about September the 1st, and King's Cross Station. When she was done skimming, she was quite convinced that she was indeed a witch.
"OH MY GOD!!!!!!" She shrieked, sounding a bit more like her sister, though not half as annoying. Lily jumped up and down, hugging her mother, who had tears in her eyes.
But you can always count on Petunia to ruin a good moment.
"What's this??" Petunia exclaimed, snatching the letter out of Lily's hand. After reading it through quickly, she turned to Lily, "I always knew you were some sort of freak!!!"
Before her mother could say anything, Lily stepped forward, looking up at her slightly taller sister. She looked hardly into Petunia's eyes, and was about to say something cruel back, when she noticed something in Petunia's eyes. Anger? Surprisingly, no. Happiness? Certainly not! Guilt? Depression? No, no. . . It was. . .sadness.
Lily's green eyes were startled. She stepped back, her mouth open. Never, NEVER had her sister ever shown any sort of emotion other than pure hatred toward her. Had she not been so close, Lily would have likely missed it. Shaking her head, Lily walked backwards, narrowly missed bumping smack into her mother, and went to her room. She shut the door behind her, leaving her surprised sister and mother in the upstairs hallway of 742 Fletcher Boulevard.