Prologue: First Year

Lily giggled as she allowed her older sister Andromeda to kiss her on the forehead.

"Andy!" she protested, wriggling out of her hold. "Stop it!"

Andromeda Black gazed down into those brilliant green eyes with a twist in her heart. "Sorry," she murmured, brushing away the twist of fear that touched her whenever she wondered about what lay in store for her youngest sister.

The whistle blew, and Lily swung around eagerly. "We're going to be leaving soon, I have to go! Bye, Andy. Write to me loads and loads!"

"I promise," Andromeda said, smiling. "I'll even make an Unbreakable Vow if you want me to."

Lily tilted her head as though seriously considering it, then shook her head. "I don't think you should. I mean – "

"Come on!" Alice McKinnon, the girl who had been Lily's best friend practically since birth, hollered. "Quickly!"

Andromeda gave her youngest sister one last hug. "Be careful," she whispered. Then she stepped back, watching as the eleven-year-old danced blithely up the steps and out of sight. A few moments later a head of flaming hair appeared at the window. Lily and Alice waved furiously as the Hogwarts Express began pulling out of the station into a haze of steam. Narcissa, being a fifth-year prefect, had already said her goodbyes and boarded, while their oldest sister Bellatrix was currently on honeymoon with her new husband Rodolphus Lestrange.

Her grey eyes followed them until she could do so no more, then with a sigh Andromeda turned around.

And froze.

Her aunt, a striking woman in her forties she hadn't seen in years, was standing there watching her coolly and slightly derisively. She swallowed.

"Hello, Aunt Walburga."

"Andromeda," the woman returned. "What a pleasant surprise." Her words indicated that she thought the exact opposite.

The younger Black searched for something to say. "So, um… you are here to see off someone?"

Walburga's gaze narrowed. "Your cousin Sirius starts Hogwarts this year. The same as Delilah, I presume."

Andromeda remembered abruptly Sirius Black, the boy she had last seen as a young terror of nine years old and who had been every inch the arrogant Black even then. So he was the same age as Lily, was he? Dread clutched at her heart as she prayed that her sister and cousin would never cross paths. She was under no illusions about the type of people her family were.

She remembered that her aunt had asked her a question and nodded, a tad too late. Winifred seized upon the weakness.

"So how is Delilah?"

"Lily is fine," Andromeda said curtly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go." She hurried away, uncaring that she was being rude.

Walburga Black watched her niece go and smiled.

Inside the Hogwarts Express, Lily and Alice had their textbooks open as they got an early start on the spells and charms they would be learning that year. The compartment was littered with Chocolate Frog wrappers.

"I don't get this," Alice said, squinting at The Book of Spells (Grade One) by Miranda Goshawk. "It says that you have to flick the wand, but when I flick – "

Suddenly a loud voice echoed through the train, cutting her off. "We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please get dressed and leave your trunks on board as they will be collected later."

Lily had changed into her black robes almost the moment she had got on board. Instead she looked out of the window as Alice changed, excitement leaping within her. She had had to wait behind as her three older sisters went to Hogwarts without her; but now here she was, with her wand tucked safely in her pocket, on her own way at last. It was dark outside but she could hear rain pitter-pattering on the roof.

Finally the great steam train drew to a stop. Lily and Alice waited dutifully until the older years had filed past first before inching out themselves.

"There you are!" Narcissa cried as she hurried up to them, the silver-and-green Slytherin prefect badge gleaming on her chest. "Dad would kill me if you got lost and fell under the train or something. Here, follow me."

The two girls followed her white-blonde head down the steps to the platform. Narcissa pointed at a huge, mountain-like man who was waving his arms over his head and bellowing.

"Bloody hell," Alice breathed. "Who is that?"

"That's Hagrid," Narcissa explained. "He's in charge of the first-years, so you go over there and wait with him. I have to organise the others." She ran off again.

Lily and Alice looked at each other. The former shrugged, so they fought against the flow of the crowd to get nearer to him. As she got closer Lily realised that he was shouting, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years over here!"

The bunch of first-years clustered around him shivered as the rain beat down heavier on their heads. Lily wrapped her cloak tighter around her, examining the faces of her fellow beginners. She frowned as she saw someone she recognised.

"Sirius?"

Even though it had been at least two years since she'd last seen him there was no mistaking the Black looks. His hair was a sleek inky mop, eyes heavy-lidded and dark grey. He, Bellatrix, Andromeda and his younger brother Regulus had always resembled each other. All of them had inherited the classic family looks. Meanwhile, although Narcissa and Lily shared the same delicate – verging on arrogant – face structure and icy good looks as their family, the former's hair was as pale as their Rosier mother's and the latter had fiery locks and green eyes that had come from their grandmother. She had been a Crabbe of impeccable breeding.

Sirius turned to her at her word and nodded once, briefly. "Delilah."

"It's Lily now," she corrected. The mask she wore when dealing with most members of her family fell automatically into place. She hated it because it was a trait of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, but one that she found undeniably useful.

"McKinnon, isn't it?" Sirius was asking, looking Alice up and down with contempt evident on his face. "I remember you. Half-blood?"

Alice nodded hesitantly. Instantly he let out a bark of laughter.

"Really, Lily? Still hanging out with people who are practically Mudbloods?"

"Shut up," she snapped. Alice's blue eyes had gone wide and round in shock. Lily grabbed her best friend's arm and tugged her back, away from where Sirius was standing.

"Ignore him," she said gently. "He's just a stuck- up little snob, okay?"

Alice blinked back something that looked suspiciously like a tear. "Who was he, Lily?"

She hesitated, wanting to lie, but knowing she couldn't. "That was Sirius. He's my… cousin."

"Your cousin," the other girl repeated. "A Black." A self-mocking laugh. "Well, I should have known. A half-blood can't possibly be good enough for the pureblooded daughter of generations of Blacks, can she?"

"Alice!" Lily said fiercely. "Listen to me. "You're my best friend, and yes I know that my family don't approve of you – except Andy, anyway – but I don't care. I'll always be there for you, understand?"

Alice gave her a watery smile and nodded. The two girls climbed into a small rowing boat, taking care to pick one as far from Sirius as possible. He appeared to have forgotten about them since he was talking and laughing loudly with three other boys.

Another boy and girl climbed into the same boat. Lily looked up at them curiously. The boy was tall and lanky, with brown hair and blue eyes, while the girl was a blonde like Alice.

"Hi, I'm Frank Longbottom," the boy introduced himself. He smiled nervously at them. "Can we sit here?"

"Sure!" Lily said brightly. "And who are you?"

"Arabella Figg," the girl said shyly.

Conversation stalled as the boat abruptly set off without any visible means. The rain had stopped by this time, and a thousand flickering lights shone as Lily gazed hungrily upon Hogwarts Castle. This was to be her home for the next seven years, and she'd be damned if she allowed her family to ruin it.

"I was thinking Gryffindor," Frank said as the boat continued to rock on its way. "You know, because of Dumbledore being in it and all." Once his initial bashfulness had faded, he had turned out to be an enthusiastic and fun-loving person. So was Arabella, although she was slightly more reserved. The four of them were discussing which Houses they wanted to be Sorted in to.

"That's a good choice," Alice agreed. "But what about Ravenclaw? It's for the clever ones!"

"True," Frank conceded. "I guess I don't really mind where I'm Sorted, as long as it's not Slytherin." He shuddered exaggeratedly. "I don't think I could live with myself if I was Sorted into Slytherin!"

Lily looked down. Every single member of her family for centuries had been Sorted into Slytherin, a House which her new friends obviously despised. She felt a sudden comforting hand on her back and looked over at Alice, smiling. Those blue eyes were telling her that even if Lily was Sorted into Slytherin, they would always be friends.

The boats stopped at a small pier and they clambered out. Hagrid shepherded them up to the huge front doors and inside, the wet and bedraggled first-years were told to wait and try to make themselves look presentable.

Lily threw her waterlogged mane of hair over her shoulder. There were butterflies in her stomach, even if she didn't want to admit it. She was going to have to walk out in front of hundreds of people and see the horrified expressions on her friends' faces as the Sorting Hat roared out Slytherin!

Nerve-wracking, to say the least.

Then the doors to the antechamber swung open and the first-years streamed out.

Lily felt hundreds of pairs of eyes drilling into her but resolutely kept her head high, face blank. She quickly glanced at the Slytherin table. Narcissa was there already chivvying people to move up and make space. The blonde raised her eyes for a fraction of a second and nodded encouragingly at her sister.

Finally they stopped in front of the stool with the Sorting Hat. Lily stared at it in fascination. It was bent over and moth-eaten, nothing special, but she knew it had the power to determine where she would spend the next years of her life.

The beaky-nosed professor who had introduced herself as the Deputy Headmistress McGonagall unfurled a long scroll.

"Acerman, Colin!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Alphard, Juliet!"

"Hufflepuff!"

Lily tuned out the cheering that occurred whenever a House's name was called. She was a B; not long now.

"Black, Delilah!"

The Great Hall fell silent in anticipation as the youngest daughter of the illustrious Cygnus Black walked calmly up to the stool. Professor McGonagall jammed it on Lily's head.

Almost instantly the Sorting Hat opened its mouth. "Sly – "

"No!" Lily thought desperately. "Please, I don't want to be Slytherin!"

To her surprise a small voice spoke in her ear, like the whining of a mosquito.

"You don't want to be Slytherin? Even when your blood cries out for it?"

"I don't care about my blood," she said mentally. "I don't want people to think I'm some kind of, of… blood purist!"

There was a pause, then the Hat spoke once more. "Interesting. You are cunning, conniving and prideful, and you have the makings of a fine Slytherin, but there is a courage in you which means that if you refuse Slytherin I must place you in – "

"Gryffindor!"

Instead of the cheering which usually followed the Hat's pronouncement, there was a dead silence. Lily cracked her eyelids open.

Nearly everyone looked dumbstruck, Narcissa's mouth open in astonishment. Had they really heard correctly? Had a Black just been Sorted into Gryffindor?

Apparently. Lily placed the Hat back on its stool and scurried to the table decorated with scarlet and gold. She slid into place beside Scott August who had been Sorted before her. For the rest of the Sorting she did her best to ignore the furious glares she could feel aimed her way from her sister's table.

Alice McKinnon, Arabella Figg and Frank Longbottom were also all Sorted in Gryffindor, to her pleasure. The Hall seemed to suck in a breath when Sirius Black was called directly after her but he swaggered up and was placed immediately in Slytherin. As he walked past her on his way to his new table he shot her a glance, as if to say that she had no idea what she was missing.

Lily also discovered the names of her cousin's new friends. James Potter was a tall, skinny boy with wild black hair and hazel eyes, from a distinguished pureblood family. Next was Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. All of them were placed in Slytherin.

Finally the Sorting came to an end, and the plates filled up with food. Lily dug in hungrily. Beside her, her companions chattered.

"I'm Muggleborn," Arabella said brightly. "I had no clue I was magic until I got the letter – my parents thought it was an April Fools' joke at first!"

They laughed. "I've always known I was a wizard," Frank said. "Couldn't wait to get here. Pass me the potatoes, would you, Lily?"

Lily looked up at him. He was smiling at her with no hint that he was about to denounce her for belonging to a family long steeped in the Dark Arts. With a rush of relief, she did as he had asked.

"Oh, Lily, I wanted to ask you," Arabella said. "Why didn't anyone cheer for you when you got Sorted?"

There was a sudden silence in their corner of the table. Of course Arabella, being Muggleborn, would have no idea of the uproar Lily had just caused by being the first Black ever to not be in Slytherin. Worse, she was in Gryffindor. The two houses were mortal enemies.

Alice shot Lily a look and jumped in to explain. "Oh, it's nothing really. It's just that everyone thought Lily would be in another house since all her sisters were in it."

"And that's where she should be," a voice cut in nastily. Lily turned to look at the pretty brunette girl a few metres away who was currently glaring at her in disgust. Kylie Brown, she remembered.

"I mean," Kylie continued, "everyone knows the Blacks can't be trusted. She'll end up going back to her royal pureblood family and betray all the rest of us – "

"Shut up!" Lily snarled. She was aware of people staring, but for her every iota of her immense concentration was focussed on the sneering girl in front of her. She curled her lip.

"You don't know anything about me," Lily said dangerously quietly. "You're so narrow-minded that you don't think a bloody Black could ever think about anything except themselves. Well, you know what? I am a Black, and I'm in Gryffindor, because I belong here. And nobody will tell me that I don't, least of all you."

She looked back at her food in clear dismissal. Kylie seemed to be lost for words, gaping at Lily in clear shock. The redhead drained her goblet of pumpkin juice and tugged on one of Alice's golden locks.

"You done yet?"

"Nearly," Alice said. She polished off her plate and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Frank hissed. "You'll get caught!"

"Relax," Lily said. "Alice and I are just going to wander round the school for a bit."

"But you'll get lost," Arabella pointed out.

"No, we won't. Lily's sister Andromeda drew her a map," Alice said, as Lily produced it with a flourish. The two of them waved goodbye and ducked into one of the smaller doorways that led off the Hall.

When they had gone Arabella leaned closer to Frank. "What was that all about? Why was she yelling at Lily?"

Frank sighed and prepared to explain. "Well, her family…"

He stopped abruptly. He had just seen two figures stealthily sneak out after Lily and Alice. Their identities were unmistakeable.

Whatever reason Sirius Black and James Potter had for following the girls out of the Hall, it could not be a good one.

"This is the corridor to the Potions dungeons," Lily murmured. She was whispering, since the echoes bounced easily around the stone walls and floor of the passageway. Alice nodded in response.

"The Slytherin common room is down in the dungeons too, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Andy said it's under the lake," Lily replied. The two girls skipped over the entrance to the dungeons and carried on. The light from their wands illuminated the piece of parchment with its crude outline of the school.

"Well, if it isn't my dear blood traitor cousin and the half-blood," a voice said. Instantly Lily whirled around, her emerald eyes widening. Sirius Black and James Potter were standing only a few metres away, both of them smirking. She repressed the urge to take a step backwards.

"What are you doing here?" She addressed herself to her cousin, not knowing the other boy apart from a few pureblood functions she had seen him at several years before.

"We could ask you the same question," Sirius said. "This is the way to the Slytherin common room, Lily, or are you already gaining the thickness of your fellow Gryffindors?"

His voice was deceptively calm and even. Lily matched his tone, knowing that in their family soft words were always the prelude to a shouting match. She had witnessed it first-hand in her parents enough times.

"What of you, Sirius? Has the cowardice of the Slytherins infected you yet?"

"It is self-preservation, not cowardice," he corrected. "Merely displaying that we Slytherins rely on our brains, not brawn. And how do you think our family will react once I write to them about the results of the Sorting?"

Involuntarily Lily winced. Her parents would be beyond furious. Visions of the Howler that would be gracing her soon swam before her eyes, along with the threats of disownment and assorted punishments. Even Andromeda had been in Slytherin! Maybe getting into Gryffindor was a bit too far? Sirius saw his advantage and pressed it.

"See, you know I'm right. And if they don't flat-out disinherit you – "

"Enough!"

The voice came from Alice. Lily blinked and swung around to look at her best friend, who was glaring at Sirius, her eyes narrowed.

"That's enough," she snapped. "Lily belongs in Gryffindor, alright? She isn't some high-and-mighty blood snob like you, and thank God for that!"

"She's betrayed the family!" Sirius roared.

Lily found her voice. "And so what if I have? It wasn't all that much of a family anyway!" she screamed back.

His grey eyes burned as he strode closer to her. "Now all everyone will be talking about is how a Black got into bloody Gryffindor!"

"I don't care!" she snarled straight back. Once ignited, her temper had always been formidable, and she stood until they were face-to-face. James – who had still said nothing – and Alice had faded into the background for her. All she could concentrate on was her roaring anger.

"I'll do as I damn well please, Sirius, and I'll thank you to keep out of my business!"

"You're a Black, like it or not, so you are my business!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Lily and Sirius sprang apart. A tall seventh-year prefect with a Ravenclaw badge was standing beside them, his wands out. The boy who had interrupted the shouting match looked them up and down.

"First-years," he snorted contemptuously. "Wandered off and got lost, did you?"

"Mind your own business, Prewitt," Sirius said arrogantly. Prewitt narrowed his eyes.

"Five points from Slytherin for disrespect, Black. And make that another five for arguing. As for you," he turned to face Lily, "hey, aren't you that Black who got sorted into Gryffindor?"

She nodded, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

"Five from Gryffindor too for arguing. Now get back to your common rooms." He left, his footsteps clanging on the stone floor.

The four of them waited until he had gone. Then Lily glanced back at Alice.

"Come on, we'd better go. We start classes tomorrow."

Alice nodded. Lily took a step forward, trying to skirt round the side of James Potter. He hadn't a said in all this time, preferring to watch them fight with disconcerting hazel eyes, and something about him put her on edge. She didn't want to get any nearer him than necessary.

Then suddenly she fell, sprawling out onto the flags, the wind knocked out of her. Sirius burst into laughter. Immediately Lily jumped to her feet and spun around.

"What?"

She saw that Potter had stuck his leg out and tripped her up. The hand holding her wand lifted, a spell on her lips, but Sirius eyed her.

"You thinking about cursing James, cousin? Go on then. Prove to us just how Slytherin you are. Well, what are you waiting for?"

Lily glanced at Alice. The blonde was looking at her, expression just as angry, but she mouthed something: Don't do it. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of proving him wrong.

So Lily took a deep breath and lowered her wand. "Quick, Alice," she said tightly. "Let's go before I do something I'll regret."

"See you later," James said, speaking for the first time, the curl of his mouth mocking. His voice made her want to run. She walked off slowly, Alice by her side, steps forcedly slow.

Something told her this was far from over.