Yay! Second fic! All right: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did I'd be the happiest person on EARTH!

Please R+R!

Chap. 1
First sight

The scarlet engine pulled out of Kings Cross Station. Lily Evans stared out of the window, gazing at the crowd of people waving goodbye at their sons and daughters. Her attention was caught on a particular trio. Two of them were adults; the woman had straight red hair, just like Lily, while the man was blonde and slightly taller than his wife. They both waved goodbye happily at her, in direct contrast with the thin, blonde-haired girl in between them, who had her arms tightly crossed to her chest. Lily sniffed quietly, wiping her eyes, feeling a pang of remorse. Eleven-year-old Lily wished she never gotten that darn letter from Hogwarts. If she didn't, her only sister wouldn't have been mad at her. If she didn't, she'd never be on this train, which quickly sped ahead, carrying her farther and farther away from her loved ones.

Family out of sight, Lily nestled in her seat, glancing sideways with wet eyes at the two boys in the compartment with her. Watching them made her feel even more lonely. They were in the middle of a lively conversation and she did not know them - they, of course, didn't know her either, and they seemed just fine with that. Pulling her knees to her chest, Lily sobbed bitterly. Lily had always dreamed this day to be happy and wondrous. But Petunia had to ruin it: by disowning her.

Meanwhile

James Potter watched as the scenery outside his train window whizzed by quickly. In mere minutes, the Hogwarts Express chugged rhythmically on an open track, as red as the foliage on the surrounding trees, smoke trailing behind them. He started to chat with his new friend Sirius Black, whom he met in the station. They talked about Quidditch and the school year ahead. Sirius talked about the many pranks he pulled on his many cousins as James's thoughts began to wander away from the compartment and back to the train station, where his parents watched the back of the train disappear.

James knew well that his parents tried for many years to have a son or daughter, but to no avail. Their youth waning, the Potters started to lose hope, but then his mother was pregnant with James. He was their only son, and thus a "miracle child" in the Potter family. James was told this many times.

Then the force of fate tugged James's attention to the red-haired girl sharing their compartment, crying quietly. Watching her shoulders tremble with sobs, he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her. "Hey," he said. He pointed. "Are you okay?"

The girl looked up. She sniffed. "Does it look like it?" she implored dully.

She doesn't lie, thought James. "Well…no."

"Are you going to make fun of me for crying?" Lily challenged.

"No," James replied, taken aback. What made this girl think that she could talk to him like that? He searched her face. And for a second, James was startled by how green her eyes were.

"Well?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"It's just that Hogwarts is a great school, and you shouldn't be worried about anything." Now, where did those words come from? he wondered. Sirius raised a brow.

Her gaze softened. "Thank you," she said, and Lily turned back to the window, gazing at outside.

As the two boys resumed their conversation Lily blushed ever so slightly. The boy who comforted her was pretty cute, though he could run a comb through his hair. She wondered what Petunia would say about him…but then Lily remembered…

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. The compartment door scraped open as Sev entered. Lily looked away deliberately as he sat down across from her. "I don't want to talk you," she said.

"Why not?" Severus asked.

"Tuney h-hates me because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?" the sallow-faced boy replied. James, who was half-listening to their conversation, frowned. "Tuney" obviously was dear to the red-haired girl. He took an immediately disliking to this boy.

James turned back to Sirius and forgot about them until he heard the forbidden words: "You'd better be in Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" repeated James, shocked that anyone would actually want to be in that wretched house. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he asked Sirius.

Sirius answered flatly. "My whole family's been in Slytherin."

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed all right!" joked James, and Sirius cracked a smile.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition," his friend said, as if he'd been thinking about this for a while. "Where would you be heading, if you've got the choice?"

James imagined the Gryffindor sword in his hands. " 'Gryffindor, where the brave dwell at heart'. Like my dad."

He heard a snort from that greasy-haired boy's direction. "Got a problem with that?" James hissed. When would this guy stop ticking him off?

"No," sneered grease-boy. "But if you'd rather have brawn than brains – "

"Don't see where you're going, as you've got neither!" mocked Sirius.

The red-haired girl stood up, red with anger. "Come on, Severus, let's go," she said. All good thoughts about James had already evaporated like wet pavement on a sunny day. So had the pity James had for Lily. Sirius and James mocked her voice, substituting the name "Severus" for "Snivellus". And that is how the rivalry started.


All of the first-years practically bounced in their seats with excitement as the train, after perpetual motion, finally pulled to a stop at Hogwarts. Lily was ecstatic enough to forget about Petunia. The moon reflected brilliantly on the inky black water as dozens of boats carrying first-years drifted towards Hogwarts. Severus and Lily shared a boat. She gasped in awe when the shining windows of Hogwarts came into sight. Yearning for a better look at the great castle, she leaned forward in the boat, causing it to rock and splash water all over her robes.

"Careful!" said a girl sharing the boat with them. She had a round face and cropped blonde hair, with kind eyes. Gently pulling Lily back into the boat's seat, she magically caused her robes to dry with a flick of her wand.

"Thanks," said Lily.

"Alice Fiona Barnard, at your service," the girl grinned, holding out a hand.

Lily shook it, smiling at her new friend, though she did not notice a look of jealousy in Severus's eyes.

As she walked into the Great Hall with her two comrades, Lily's nervousness began to grow. On the train Severus explained all of the Houses at Hogwarts. He insisted that Lily belonged in Slytherin, though Lily wasn't sure if she belonged in any of them. Ravenclaw seemed cool, but you had to be really smart. Lily had always attended a Muggle school; she had no idea about her academic status in a magic school. Lily felt a slight pity to those who went to Hufflepuff, but she guessed it'd have to be interesting to be in a great melting pot of characters. Gryffindor seemed better than Sev had explained to her, but Lily knew you had to be brave; she never had her bravery tested before. Mostly purebloods went into Slytherin, but Lily remembered what Severus told her: that blood status didn't matter.

Lily chatted with Severus and Alice, trying to calm her nerves, when an aged man stood up. The Hall immediately hushed; his authority was that apparent. "I welcome you one and all," he announced, "to Hogwarts: school of witchcraft and wizardry."

Everyone applauded. Lily clapped half-heartedly. Her fear and anxiety piled up in her stomach like sand in an hourglass. The Sorting would be soon.

The old man turned out to be Professor Dumbledore, and he was the Headmaster of the school. Lily observed the kind twinkle in his blue eyes and his wise demeanor. Then the Sorting began. As a teacher called up students in alphabetical order, a nightmare appeared to Lily:

Lily's name was called, and the Hat was plopped down on her head. A moment passed, and the Hat said nothing. Another moment. Silence. "How odd," the Hat croaked. "This girl doesn't belong in any of the Houses!" A collective gasp rang through the whole Hall.

Dumbledore shook his head, disappointed. "I'm afraid we'll have to send her home," he said. The teachers seized Lily and commenced to drag her out of the Hall. "No, no!" Lily screamed, "Give me another chance! Don't send me back to Petunia!…"

Lily blinked, realizing that it didn't happen and trying to convince herself that it wouldn't happen. Then, horror of horrors:

"Evans, Lily!"

Lily stood up on wobbly knees and walked toward the Hat. She sat on a tall stool and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

It was a short exchange:

Ah, Muggle-born, I see. Interesting, very interesting, said the Hat.

"Oh please, Mr. Hat, put me in a House where I'll feel like I belong!" pleaded Lily mentally.

And before she knew it, the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Cheers rose from the Gryffindor table. Lily stood up, surprised, but was even more surprised that she was…happy. She handed the Hat to the Professor and quickly flounced over to the Gryffindor table. She saw Severus, staring glumly in her direction. Lily gave him a remorseful smile, then sat at the table, feeling glad nonetheless.


"GRYFFINDOR!" cried out the Sorting Hat. James Potter jumped up from the stool in victory and swaggered to the Gryffindor table. He high-fived Sirius, fingers sore from crossing them so tight, and managed to squeeze in between him and the red-haired girl they met on the train. James heard her name during the Sorting and remembered that it was a name of a flower or something. She gave them both a little glare, obviously recognizing them, and turned around firmly. James grinned. It was a perfect day. He ate candy on the train, came to the best wizarding school in the world, and got sorted into Gryffindor. Less than an hour into his school career, he made one solid friend and two enemies. James sighed in contentment. "This is going to be a great year…"

So how did you like that? Since I am not telepathic, ya gotta review! ;) Come back in 2-3 weeks for the next chapter.

~Love, mysterywings