Chapter One: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

My name is Lily, like the flower on the rippling water opening its white petals to the sky, my middle name is Luna, the silver crescent glowing against the velvety black sky. Finally my last name is Potter, which means a lot in the word I live in.

Me? I live in a world of magic.

I still remember September the first, two years ago, when I clung onto my father's arm while we walked down King's Cross Station, telling him I wanted to follow my brothers to school now. Of course I couldn't have, only nine years old at the time.

But here I was now, my fingers numb as I gripped the trolley so hard my knuckles turned white, pushing it down the very station with the tawny brown owl in the cage staring at me with her large eyes. In front of me Albus was talking animatedly to James about his new subjects as a third year, and James listening with a slightly bored expression. And then me, so silent you might've thought I was mute.

We drew curious gazes from the Muggle commuters, with our trolleys loaded with a huge trunk and most strangely of all, an owl cage. I counted the numbers as we passed them-Platform three...five...seven...nine.

We stopped.

As always James dashed through first, charging towards the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, on a seemingly reckless, head-on collision course. But he just disappeared. I wasn't alarmed. I'd seen it so many times already, when my mum and dad saw Teddy off, as they so often did, then later when James started going to school. Then it was Albus' turn. Finally now it was mine.

I passed through the magical barrier with no problem, something I'd been doing for years. Usually I went home after eleven o clock. This year I'd finally get onto the scarlet Hogwarts Express, puffing and billowing smoke.

"Lily!" Someone said, sounding relieved, grabbing my shoulder. It was a voice I knew well.

"Hugo." I smiled, mirroring his relief. Hugo Weasley was my favourite out of my numerous cousins, who'd be attending Hogwarts for the first time this year, like me. He had wild brown hair but his father's eyes. Not like me. I looked like my mum, down to the distinctive ginger hair.

"Hey, Lily, Albus." Hugo's older sister, a third year like Albus, waved at me as she approached us with her parents.

"It's almost eleven, we'd better get going." Albus said, staring worriedly at the clock. James had already given mum a quick kiss and then disappeared to find his friends and to relieve himself of his trunk. "Rose, we'd better get a move on."

Rose nodded. "You'll be all right, Hugo?"

"I'll be fine." Hugo waved his older sister away.

"Okay." She hugged her parents and ran off with Albus to load their trunks.

My father, Harry, was a Gryffindor like my mum and Hugo's parents. They were all involved in the war against Voldemort, especially my dad, but he says I'm not ready to know about it. James knows, but he won't tell me. All I know is that it has something to do with that distinctive lightning-shaped scar on my father's forehead.

"There's Malfoy again." Hugo's mum, Hermione, said quietly.

Malfoy. I'd heard that name multiple times. Albus complained frequently about a third year Slytherin with that name; dad and mum sometimes mention it in passing. They are the aristocrats in the wizarding world.

Dad caught Mr. Malfoy's eye-he's the tall, blonde man with the coat and pointed chin-and they nodded at each other. That's all they ever did when they saw each other.

"Lily, darling, you'd better go. You don't want to miss the train." Mum said gently. I notice that they've loaded my trunk for me.

I turned to her. "You'll write to me?"

"Of course. As often as you want." She said soothingly, hugging me. "Have fun. Make friends. Don't get into too much trouble, not like your father and your uncle... right Ron?" She looked pointedly at her brother who shrugged sheepishly. "And honey, don't worry too much about the sorting." She smiled and looked at dad. "Any house is lucky to have you."

To be honest, I hadn't considered any other houses besides Gryffindor. I mean, practically everyone I knew had been in Gryffindor. "OK..." I whispered. I was really going away, for months, I wouldn't see them. But I wasn't going to cry-I was going to Hogwarts!

The first time I met him was on the Hogwarts Express. Hugo and I were being led by Albus and Rose, trying to find an empty compartment, or one with familiar faces. Rose saw one that looked empty, but as we got nearer Albus' face darkened and he said in disgust, "no, it's full. Go on, Rose."

Rose frowned too and moved on. I looked in as we passed and saw that it wasn't full, it only had three people in it. One-the one gazing at us in contempt as we walked by-looked familiar somehow. Light blonde hair, pointed chin... of course. he resembled Draco Malfoy down to every detail. This was Scorpius Malfoy.