Disclaimer: *sighs* Why do I have to do this? I'm sure you all know that J.K.R. owns everything. I own nothing. *runs from the room crying hysterically* No! Don't leave! I'm still here! =D

A/N: This is my first attempt at a ficcy, so please bear with me. I absolute LOVE reviews. Flame me if you want, I don't care, as long as you reply. Constructive criticism is always welcome. =P Enjoy!

The Taste of Death

Chapter 1
Diagon Alley

I sighed. Petunia was out with her boyfriend, Vernon Dursley, again. Much as I'd like to deny it, I was jealous. I've always looked up to her; she's so popular and cool. Except all she's ever seen me as is an annoying little sister.

I wonder if she even remembered that today was my eleventh birthday. Probably not.

A tapping noise suddenly interrupted my thoughts. Glancing up I was astounded to see that tapping the window was a large, tawny owl. Its tapping became even more insistent as it noticed it had my attention. As I continued to stare at it in amazement, I noticed that in its beak, it held a letter.

Slowly, I got up and walked towards the window, and then opened it.

The owl swooped in, and I let out a shriek of surprise. Then, before I could do anything else, it had dropped the letter on my bed and swooped out.

Uncertainly I moved forward and picked it up. Turning it over in my hands, I noticed that in emerald green writing, the envelope was most certainly addressed to me:

Ms. L. Evans The Bedroom Upstairs 7 Godric's Hollow

Slowly, I opened the envelope, and pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

I continued to stare in incredulity at the piece of paper, than pulled out the other slip inside the envelope.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM First-year student will require: Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS All students should have a copy of the following: The standard book of spells (Grade 1) By Miranda Goshawk A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT 1 wand 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) 1 set glass or crystal phials 1 telescope 1 set brass scales Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

It was a nasty trick; that was all, I told myself as I stood there staring dumbfounded at the letter, just reading it, and rereading it over and over.

I don't know how long I stood there in total amazement, but suddenly I heard my mum calling, "Lily, we're home."

Instantly, I found that I was leaping down the stairs, shouting, "MUM! LOOK AT THIS!" I shoved the letter into her hands.

I'm not even really sure why I reacted that way, but I had a feeling that this was no trick letter. It just felt-right, as if I belonged at this place. Sure, I had thought it was just a fake, but I was beginning to feel differently about it. I was remembering all the times that things had happened to me that I just couldn't explain.

Like the time after school, when an older boy had been trying to bully me, he suddenly went flying backwards and was pinned against the school wall by some invisible force.

Or the time when my cat had gotten stuck in the tree outside. No one else had been around then, but I remember panicking, thinking that my mum would kill me. He had been my first pet, and I had promised to take care of him. Then, just when I was giving up, the cat suddenly floated down off the tree and into my arms!

And even the time when my dad was forcing me to eat lima beans, and they suddenly tasted like chocolate! Lima beans just do not naturally taste like anything similar to chocolate.

Looking up, a saw a small smile on my mum's lips. "It's just a fake letter, Lily, it doesn't mean anything."

I stared at her for a moment then replied in a dry voice, "It was delivered by an owl. An OWL! What sort of person would deliver a letter by an owl?!"

Mum frowned at me. "Are you feeling alright, Lily? I'm sure that you are just imagining things." She attempted to place her hand on my forehead, but I jumped back. "Come on, Lily, it's your birthday! Time for presents!" she said, deciding that a better tactic would be to change the subject.

And she started walking to the family room. I didn't fail to notice that she was crumpling up the letter, and that once in the room, threw it away.

Pretending not to notice, I opened my presents in record time. I barely even noticed what they were except for the $50-and clothes of course. Then it was time for cake, and my dad kept insisting that I eat more. I felt as if the night would never end! To my absolute amazement afterwards, I realized that I was so preoccupied about the letter, that I wasn't even enjoying my own birthday!

Finally, my parents went up to their room. I tiptoed into the family room, trying not to make a noise. Reaching into the trash can, I grabbed the crumpled letter, and did my best to smooth it out. Then I grabbed all my presents, and did the best I could to walk to my room silently, and make my way upstairs. Quietly, I packed as much clothes as I could fit into my backpack, put in a toothbrush, and a hairbrush, and all my money, which, after tonight, came to a total of $173.42.

Then, grabbing the letter, I made my way downstairs and outside. It never occurred to me to wonder why I, normally a very sensible girl who would never run away from home, was doing this.

However, as I walked down the street, I began to wonder where I should go. I realized that I didn't even know where this 'Hogwarts' was, or how I was supposed to get there. It seemed I didn't know where I was to get my school supplies on the list either. Then, suddenly my question was answered in a very odd way.

I tripped on a rock in the sidewalk and went tumbling down. Next moment, there was a screeching sound. Looking up from the ground, I saw that next to me was a large, purple, three-floor bus. On the side were gold letters that read 'The Night Bus.'

"Wha're ya doin' lyin' there on th' groun'?" A voice asked.

Pushing myself up, I muttered, "I fell."

"Well then, welcome aboar' th' Nigh' Bus!"

"The what?" I asked, staring at him as if he were crazy.

He frowned. "Didn' ya flag us dow'? Stuck ou' your wan' arm, didn' ya?"

"Well, I-" My voice trailed off as I realized what he had said. "Did you say wand arm?" I asked incredulously.

"You arn' a muggle, are ya?" he answered with his own question, now staring at me suspiciously?

"What is a muggle?"

"A non-magic person," he answered still staring at me warily.

"Oh!" I cried, "I got my Hogwarts letter today!" I frowned to myself. How had I known to say that? And it was the right answer, for instantly the young man looked relieved.

"Well, then, it's eleven sickles for a ride, but for 13 you get hot chocolate, and for 15 you a hot water bottle and toothbrush in the color of your choice."

"Err-what's a 'sickle'?" I asked feeling incredibly stupid.

"So ya are from a muggle fam'ly then. How come your ou' 'ere?"

Quickly I tried to think of a good lie that would actually be believable. I decided that it might be best just to tell the man the truth. "My mum didn't want me to go to Hogwarts so I-err-I ran away. Except I-uh-I don't know where to go."

He stared at me in amazement for a moment, then said, "Well I guess I' wouldn' hur' to take ya to the Leaky Cauldron. Well, wha're ya standin' there for, we should be goin'." And with that, he climbed onto the purple bus. After a moment I followed him, and the bus took off with a loud 'bang' that sent me flying backwards.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Wake up! We're a' th' Leaky Cauldron!"

"Wha'?" I asked sleepily. I rolled over trying to block out the noise.

"We're a' th' Leaky Cauldron. You gotta wake up!"

"All right, all right," I said, forcing myself to get up. Getting woken up in the morning is one of the worst things that can happen, in my opinion. "What time is it?"

"I's 8:00. I don' think ya ever said your name-?"

"Oh-err-it's Lily-Lily Evans."

"Well, guess you'd better be goin'. Jus' remember, if yer ever wantin' a ride, jus' stick ou' your wan' arm, and the Nigh' Bus'll come!"

I walked off the bus, thanking the man for the help, even as I realized he hadn't told me his name either. The Night Bus took off with a bang, leaving me standing there before I could ask him. Shrugging, I looked at the broken down building that read 'The Leaky Cauldron.' Its looks surprised me. If I hadn't been looking for it, I would have never noticed the building. Shrugging once again, I entered.

I stood there in the doorway, now uncertain of what to do.

Noticing me, the bartender came over. "Can I help you, miss?" he asked.

"Err-the Night Bus said that I should come here."

"Are you a first year than, and from a muggle family I suppose, judging from your lost look?" he asked me kindly.

Uncertain, I just nodded.

"Well, then, why don't you come with me," he said, and led me through the bar and out into a small walled courtyard. I watched as he walked forward and tapped a brick three times, then backed up.

I felt as if my eyes would pop out of my head as I saw the bricks move aside to form a large archway.

The bartender smiled at me. "You just go on in there. Do you have muggle money then? You can go exchange it for wizards' money at Gringotts."

I found that I couldn't take my eyes off the place. It was absolutely amazing.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Slowly I walked forward. My attention was so fixed upon the people and stores that I didn't even notice the archway shrink back into a wall as I entered.

I stood there, trying to take everything in.

Deciding if I was to get all the things on the list, I had better start now. Remembering what the bartender had said, I made my way towards the tallest building in the alley. It was snowy white, and had a large sign that read 'Gringotts.'

Slowly I entered through the doors. I gaped in complete amazement. Standing behind tall counters were the oddest creatures I had ever seen.

In an attempt to take my eyes off the creature, I looked around the room. My eyes focused on a second pair of doors, which had a sort of poem on them.

I read:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly, in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

I shivered. That did not sound very nice. Glancing back up at the creature, I swallowed hard, and forced myself to walk forward.

"I'd like to change my money to-to wizard's money," I squeaked.

The thing looked down at me its long fingers gripping the counter. "Of course."

Hastily I took my backpack off and pulled out all my money and handed it to him.

I watched as he counted it, then from stashed it somewhere under the counter and pulled out gold, silver, and bronze coins.

"That is 35 galleons, 16 sickles, and 13 knuts. Good day, to you."

Taking the odd money, I did my best not too run from the bank.

I felt much better, once outside. Now I blended in with the thick crowd of people. I spent most of the day shopping for my school things and staring at all the unfamiliar items in the shops. I spent an especially long time in the book store, Flourish and Blotts. I had always liked reading, and these books were more interesting than anything I had ever read before.

Finally, I had spent 17 galleons 14 sickles and 24 knuts on everything, and there was only 1 thing left on the list. A magic wand.

I made my way to the last shop. It was narrow and shabby. Gold letters that were peeling read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. In the dusty window of the shop, a single wand lay on a faded purple cushion.

As I entered, a tinkling bell rang somewhere inside the shop. Looking around I saw a spindly chair in the middle of the room. Near the back were rows upon rows of boxes.

"Ah! Who do we have here?" A voice suddenly called. An old man, yet still very energetic, walked forwards.

"Lily Evans."

"Never had an Evans before," he said softly, more to himself than to me, I think. "Which is your wand arm?" He asked as he pulled out a tape-measure.

"Err-I'm right handed," I answered uncertainly.

"Hold out your arm, then," he said. The tape measure began measuring all from elbow to hand, from shoulder to elbow, from shoulder to hand.

I realized with surprise that it was measuring by itself.

Finally Mr. Ollivander said, "That's enough." The tape-measure instantly curled up and fell to the floor.

"Ebony, 11 inches, containing a dragon heartstring. Go ahead, give it a wave," he said, handing it to me.

Feeling like an idiot, I waved the wand. I gasped in surprise as Mr. Ollivander went flying backwards.

"No," he said getting up and taking the wand back, "I don't think so."

And on it went, he handed me wand after wand. However the more wands I tried, the happier he seemed to become.

"Try this one," he commanded. "10 and a quarter inches long, and made of willow. It's quite swishy, good for charm work, containing a unicorn hair."

I took the wand; it felt warm in my hands. I waved it, and out shot sparks. On one side, red and gold sparks, on the other green and white. They seemed to merge together as they disappeared.

Mr. Ollivander frowned, and muttered something softly, under his breath.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He looked about to say something, but seemed changed his mind, "Nothing. Nothing at all. That is seven galleons."

I paid for the wand, and left the store making my way back to the Leaky Cauldron, where I hoped I would have enough money to stay for the rest of the summer.

I now had 11 galleons, 1 sickle, and 18 knuts left. Back at the Leaky Cauldron, I paid the bartender, who said his name was Tom, 10 galleons to stay for the rest of the summer until September 1st, leaving me with 1 galleon, 1 sickle, 18 knuts. Sighing, I tried not to think how I would afford to pay for supplies next year.