September first started out as a bright and cheerful morning. The sun seemed to burn hotter than normal for this time of year, reminding students everywhere of the season that had just passed. Lily no different as she woke up to the first rays of sunshine hitting her face, though today was one of her favorite days of the year, the beginning of another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For Lily getting on a train heading toward the highlands of Scotland and a magical castle meant heading back into a world she felt at home, a world that she did not know existed until her eleventh birthday, just about six and a half years ago.

This year Lily was a bit sentimental realizing that this morning was the last time she would be waking up in her childhood bedroom and getting ready for the train to Hogwarts. Today more than her seventeen last winter at Hogwarts did she feel like she was truly growing up. It was almost as if the realities of growing up were becoming more real to her, she would likely not be coming back to live here at home ever again. While she may come home following graduation for a few weeks, this world, and the muggle world really wasn't her home any more. When she paused to think about it this house had not really been her home, since she walked into the doors of Hogwarts for the first time seven years ago. Ever since she found a place, her place within the magical world the muggle world felt empty, almost like some place she passed time in the summers before she would be able to go back to Hogwarts.

Later that morning, Lily walked quickly through the portal to platform 9 3/4 it seemed surreal almost that she was about to start her seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It seemed like just yesterday that Professor McGonagall arrived in her quiet home in Surrey and gave her and her parents the news that turned her life upside down and right side up all at the same time. Thinking of her parents Lily felt a slight pang in her heart. Her parents had decided that at Petunia's persisting, they would not, "waste the day" taking Lily to Kings Cross Station. That seeing her off to school really wasn't that important. Besides she is seventeen, and being able to apparate did make the trip easier and much quicker. Still Lily would have loved if her parents were here to see her off before the start of her last year. There she went being sentimental again.

As of late, Petunia seemed to be more and more upset with Lily. It was like the simplest of things could set her off. This morning it was the fact that Mum had made her favorite breakfast, pancakes and sausage instead of eggs which Petunia prefers. Then Dad wanted to take her to Kings Cross and miss out on Petunia's boyfriend visiting house, was it really all that important that both Mum and Dad were there every time Vernon came over. Couldn't what she was doing win out for once. Though to be fair over the summer it seemed that Mum and Dad both wanted to spend more time with her, but who can blame them she was gone ten months of the year and frankly Petunia's attitude is getting worse and worse. Still she would have liked if at least one of her parents had decided to take her to the station.

Looking up and shaking off the melancholy state that had taken a hold of her Lily took in the air and excitement around her on the platform. There was just something about the start of the school year that offered a sense of new adventure. It was like a new book just waiting to be opened, the spine cracked and enjoyed. A new school year really was like a new book, Lily decided, it was a new adventure with fresh things to learn. There was something about learning in the Wizarding world that just made Lily want to study. Something that she really didn't enjoy as much in the muggle world. This of course was something that would shock all of the house at Hogwarts if they knew. Somehow in the last six years she had developed something of a reputation of a workaholic and a Brainiac.

She smiled as she waved hello to Remus who seemed to have just gotten to the platform as well. It did not appear that his parents had joined him this year. This relieved Lily a little at least there were other seventh years that were coming alone to the train.

"Do you need any help with that" Remus said motioning to her trunk as he walked up to her.

"Thanks" Lily stated with a smile. "I was wondering if I would have to lug this thing on myself this year, or if some big strong man would do it for me."

Remus blushed at the implied compliment and smiled, stuck out his wand smiling at Lily saying, "Are you a witch or not Lily." Lily flushed with embarrassment here she was the Head Girl and completely forgot that she was seventeen and therefore could do magic making it really easy to get her trunk on to the Hogwarts Express this year.

Remus just smiled as he noticed her blush and stated sheepishly, "Even the best of us make mistakes. Some of us even forget things once and a while."

She quickly pulled out her wand, shrunk her trunk, charmed her trunk so it was weightless, and stowed it in her pocket. With a quick glance down at her watch she headed towards the prefect's carriage with Remus. If today was any indication of how the year was going to turn out, seventh year was going to be a long one.