DISCLAIMER: I do not own nor make any claims to anything Harry Potter related. This story is entirely my own creation and it is merely the nonsensical ramblings of an idle author.

September 1, 1971

Introduction: James Potter & Lily Evans

"So, you just walk right through, then?"

"Right through. Just like nothing's out of the ordinary, son."

James Potter swallowed deeply, nervously peeking at the entrance to Platform 9 ¾. He believed his father, he truly did, it was just that James didn't see how it was possible to simply walk through a brick wall. It would make much more sense to apparate, Floo even, anything else at all, really - but if Fleamont Potter said to walk through the wall, James would most certainly follow him.

He wasn't one to back down from a challenge, least of all in front of his father.

"Boys!" Euphemia Potter appeared behind them, somewhat out of breath as she wrapped her arms around the father and son duo. Ushering the two forward, not even bothering to wait for James to wrap his mind around what was about to happen, she propelled them ahead with a quick glance over her shoulder to ensure that no one was watching. "The train is leaving soon, let's get a move on it."

James' eyes closed tightly as the wall came within centimeters of his face, only opening them again when the deafening sound of a train coming to life and dozens upon dozens of people milling about sounded around him. His eyes soon widened, a smile breaking out on his face. It was finally happening - he was finally going to Hogwarts.

Completely oblivious as his father unloaded the two hefty trunks and a large owl cage from the trolley, James practically skipped forward, his mother following closely at his heels. Witches and wizards, as far as the eye could see, and the Hogwarts Express, what a beauty she was - he could hardly contain his excitement. James was determined to live up to his father's prime example; he'd join the dueling club, probably Gobstones and wizard's chess, too. He'd get top marks in Potions, just like Fleamont - maybe he'd even be the next inventor in the family. And Gryffindor, well, Gryffindor was a given; his first baby blanket had been crimson and gold, after all. Potters had been sorted into Gryffindor for decades and James would be no exception.

His daydreaming was abruptly cut short, though, as he felt five firm fingers grasping onto the collar of his robes. Stumbling back in surprise, he looked up to see his mother staring down at him, her impressive height always a disadvantage at the most inopportune moments.

Blinking, James immediately abandoned his explorations as Euphemia spun him around, pulling him back gently with a tut of her tongue. "Do wait for your father, James." She corrected him softly, holding him at an arm's length so that she could take a good look at her handsome boy.

James pulled a face, even though he secretly enjoyed the attention; his mum meant the world to him, though his pubescent self hardly would admit it freely lest wild hippogriffs pulled it out of him. Euphemia seemed pleased with what she saw: his clothes were neatly pressed, the Hogwarts crest stitched intricately into the soft fabric of his robes. As she smoothed the wrinkles from his shoulders, she hummed appreciatively; Fleamont had tried to talk her out of spending so much on custom made robes but the cut fit James' lanky form so cleanly. He was an attractive boy and she acknowledged the fact, dutifully making sure James was dressed in a way that complimented his inherited good looks.

She was proud of her son, after all, and not only for his intelligence and wit.

"Now, James, make sure you write whenever you can." Euphemia fussed with her son's tie, pulling at it here and there until she was satisfied it finally looked decent enough. "And don't you dare dream of staying there over the holidays or I'll come get you myself."

"Mum, really-"

"And If she doesn't, I will." Fleamont squashed James' rebuttal once and for all, raking a hand frustratedly through his salt and pepper hair. He occasionally felt older than most parents (mostly because he was) but now, surrounded by hordes of families, he truly did feel his age. Euphemia's beauty had hardly dimmed over the years - even now, he could spy a few wandering eyes on her - but Fleamont knew he hadn't been quite so fortunate.

"Dad, really-"

"Don't fuss with your hair, James." Euphemia batted James' hand away from his head, knowing he was intent on messing up the masterpiece she'd worked so hard on. For once, his hair was combed tidily, slicked back with what one could call the family inheritance. She saw no reason as to why James should have messy hair, not when his father had tamed the tresses of the entire wizarding world.

"I hate Sleekeazy's," James interrupted her ministrations, wrinkling his nose as he complained. And he truly did - it was greasy and made his cowlick look odd. Besides, his dad barely used it these days, so why should James?

He was a Potter, through and through; their trademarks were being in Gryffindor and having exceedingly messy hair. He was simply following in the family tradition.

"James Potter, don't you dare." His mother warned him one last time, swatting his hand away again as he tried to sneak in a quick scratch. Her chiding stopped abruptly, though, as a family a short distance away caught her attention.

James followed her glance, spotting a group of four looking very much confused by what was happening around them. The father was calmly ushering the others through the platform, though definitely somewhat shellshocked by the overwhelming crowds and hooting owls. The mother, a slender woman with brilliant red hair, was holding the hands of two young girls. One was surly looking, the darker haired of the two, and the other had a wide smile on her pretty face. It was the younger girl that caught James' eye, her auburn locks nearly identical to her mother's. As they passed by, the girl turned and looked almost directly over his shoulder, emerald eyes scanning the crowds eagerly.

"Poor dears," Euphemia murmured softly, looking to the family sympathetically. "How strange and confusing we must look to Muggles. I can't imagine how odd it must be to be surrounded by wizards for the very first time."

Fleamont gave his wife a reassuring smile, knowing just how much she must have wanted to offer her assistance. Had it not been the last few remaining moments they had to spend with their son before an anguishing separation, he had no doubt Euphemia would've left him behind long ago to introduce herself to the family.

"I think it's time for James to get going." Fleamont piped up, wrapping his son up in a great bear hug. "Good luck, lad." He said just loud enough for James to hear, resting his chin on the boy's head. He knew Euphemia would miss James terribly but he felt as if he was losing a part of himself, letting James go off into the world.

"I suppose so." Euphemia's cheerful tone dropped and she joined her husband and son, wrapping herself around them. Fleamont looked to her lovingly, opening up his arms so that she could come closer to them, pulling her to his side. His family may have been small but he'd trade all of the gold in Gringotts to ensure their happiness.

Dropping a kiss on James' cheek, Euphemia wiped a few tears away before anyone could catch sight of her. She'd give anything for another year with James at home, even though he'd been dreaming of Hogwarts for months now. It was his time and she knew that, deep down.

"Goodbye, my love." She whispered, tucking back a stray hair that was threatening to break free. Not even Sleekeazy's could tame the cursed Potter men - their hair was almost as stubborn as they were.

James reveled in the warmth of his parents, hugging them both tightly. However, the excitement eventually got to him once again, and he stepped back with a bright look in his hazel eyes. "Love you mum, love you dad - see you in December, eh?" He waited around long enough only for one more kiss from his mum, discreetly wiping away her lipstick when she wasn't looking, and then hurried towards the train with a skip in his step.

The cars were crowded with people, luggage in the aisles making it hard to pass, and he hurried through the narrow corridors in search of an empty compartment. Already people seemed to be forming their alliances; cabins were full of Slytherins, even a few boisterous Hufflepuffs enjoying a loud game of Exploding Snap. James knew a handful of wizarding children his age, having grown up in a magical community his entire life, but saw no faces he recognized. He felt very little all of a sudden, unsure of himself, but he forged forward and swung around a corner.

Almost immediately, he ran headfirst into another boy, letting out a surprised cry as they bumped into each other. The long haired boy stepped back, equally as shocked by the intrusion on his personal space, and rubbed his forehead wryly. His grey eyes danced, seemingly amused.

"Well, that's one way to introduce yourself."

Violet Evans felt more out of place than she ever had before in her entire life.

So much so that she was waiting for someone (preferably someone in a starched white uniform of sorts) to come and escort her out of there. She barely believed in magic and yet here she was, about to send off her smiley eleven year old daughter to some unknown school on the blind encouragement of an old man with the longest beard she'd ever seen.

If that didn't make her a total crackpot, she didn't know what did.

Lily Evans, on the other hand, felt similarly but for entirely different reasons. Everything was like a dream to her, so completely unreal - from the moment the first acceptance letter had arrived to this very instant, none of it seemed true. Sure, she'd believed Severus years ago when he'd told her she was a witch; after all, she didn't know anyone else who could control flowers blooming or make the playground swings move just by willing it to happen. She'd always felt different, always known something wasn't 'normal' about her, and his explanation had certainly made Lily feel less afraid… Especially considering the alternative was less than favourable.

Humming to herself, eyes darting around the platform, Lily was taking in every sight, every sound, every smell she possibly could. This was her world now - she belonged with them, to them. For the first time in her life, Lily felt genuinely excited about her abilities. And for the first time, with her entire being, she truly believed Severus when he'd told her she was magical.

"Don't want to forget this, d'you?" Mr. Evans laughed, interrupting her thoughts as he held up Lily's wand pointedly.

In all of the haste and excitement, she'd handed it off to him without a second glance. Truth be told, Lily had been far more excited about the familiar they'd purchased for her last week in Diagon Alley; she'd never been allowed a pet before and a piece of wood paled in comparison to her new cat, at least temporarily.

"Thanks, dad, s'pose I do need that… Is it almost time? I think it's - Tuney?" Lily turned to look at her sister, tucking her wand into an empty pocket. She'd heard a little whimper, only to realize her sister was crying - again.

Lily's parents exchanged a wordless look, her mother quickly coming around to wrap an arm about Petunia's shoulders comfortingly. For the last two days Petunia had been crying on and off, the girl an emotional wreck in the wake of her sister's departure.

Violet Evans had seen her daughter fall to pieces the day Professor Dumbledore had come around, asking for Lily but not for the eldest Evans girl. Petunia did not handle rejection very well, much less being pushed aside in lieu of her younger sister. She'd begged and pleaded to go along, even imploring the shopkeeper in Ollivander's to sell her a wand also. Petunia had thumbed eagerly through Lily's textbooks, ran a hand longingly over her sister's cauldron and scales, desperately hoping Dumbledore would return to collect her too.

The only thing Petunia hadn't done was come to terms with the fact that she wasn't meant for Hogwarts. She wasn't accepted, nor was she even wanted - Petunia Evans was to remain behind, while her sister went off on an adventure without her.

She just simply wasn't magical.

Lily had taken the news equally badly, though in her own way. She'd let Petunia try out her new wand, only to be confused when it didn't produce the same pretty blue sparks that it did for her when Petunia had waved it about. She'd let Petunia borrow her textbooks, the two of them reading late into the night together underneath a blanket, whispering spells to each other. She'd even insisted that her mother purchase an extra set of robes and uniforms for her older sister, in preparation for the time when Petunia's letter inevitably came.

Petunia refused to believe that Lily was going to leave her behind and Lily refused to understand that was how it was meant to be. They were, after all, sisters - they did everything together.

As she looked on, the sound of her sister crying almost broke Lily in two. She watched the tears fall, sloppily staining Petunia's cheeks, and suddenly she felt overwhelmed with guilt. "I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen - maybe once I'm there - no, listen, Tuney!" Lily reached out for her but Petunia pulled away, hiccuping loudly. "Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

Petunia stepped back, determined to distance herself from her little sister. She could see Lily's distress but oddly it only served to anger her further. " I don't - want - to - go!" She spat through her hiccups, shoulders heaving. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a - a - you think I want to be a - a freak?"

Lily blinked, shocked into silence. Petunia had whispered that word around her before, taunting her when their mother's back was turned, but never had she said it so hatefully, so full of venom. Lily could only watch her sister, heart fully broken now, and desperately wish the roles were reversed. Why could it not have been Tuney who had gotten the letter? Lily would have accepted it, even understood eventually, but Petunia would never forgive her - Lily could see that now.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, wrapping her arms around her waist as Petunia merely looked at her, almost through her, with blank eyes. Accepting magic was costing Lily a sister - a sister who turned on her heel and walked away, abandoning Lily at the start of what would be her life's greatest adventure.

"Petunia!" Mrs. Evans started, wringing her hands as she looked hurriedly between Lily and her other daughter's departing back. "Petunia Evans!"

"Go," Mr. Evans urged his wife, glancing at Lily with furrowed brows. He had expected Petunia to get upset but this was beyond acceptable. "She's bound to get lost, Vi - she doesn't know the station, or the city, for that matter."

Violet nodded and turned, quickly sweeping Lily up into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, darling - she'll come around, I promise. Have a marvelous year," She leaned back, pushing away Lily's hair from her face as she brushed her lips against the girl's forehead. "I love you so much, don't you forget that - I just know you'll do wonderfully."

And with that her mother was gone, Violet's cream colored coat disappearing into the crowds of strangers as she ran off after Petunia. Mr. Evans looked sympathetically to his youngest, pulling her into the crook of his arm as he ran a hand over her hair, leaving a gentle kiss at the crown of her head.

"Never forget how brilliant you are, Lily." He said quietly, pride evident in his voice. He couldn't comment on what had just happened - nothing he could say would make it better, not now - but he also couldn't let Lily see just how much it pained him to watch his girls grow apart.

"I love you," Lily murmured into him, the soft wool of his jumper comforting against her cheek. "I'm going to miss you all so very much. Please tell her that, and often - tell her that I wanted to say goodbye and that I understand. I truly do - I know she just wanted to come too."

"I will, Lil." He closed his eyes as she hugged him tightly, yet again impressed by the strength embodied in his magnificent little girl. He'd held her, loved her for eleven years, and yet the purity of her kindness never failed to surprise him. "I'll tell her."

"You should catch up to mum." Lily pulled back, collecting herself. She looked to the ground, twisting her hands together. "If she can't find her, mum will be going crazy - she'll need you."

Mr. Evans smiled one last time, the sentiment not quite reaching his eyes, and he sadly tweaked Lily's chin as he kissed her cheek. "Just a few short months til Christmas, darling. We'll miss you terribly but it's going to fly by, I promise."

Moments later her father too was gone, hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets, shoulders somewhat deflated as he headed swiftly towards the exit and the dramatics that lay beyond. Lily watched him go until she lost all sight of him, holding onto her luggage with one hand and making a fist with the other as she willed herself not to cry. Lily felt more alone than she ever had before, a lost child standing on the platform, waiting for someone to come collect her and tell her everything would be okay.

But no one would come. She knew that now.

Just as Lily knew, deep in her heart, that she would be okay.

Glancing over to her luggage, Lily pulled her trunk closer, thinking of all the things the leather case held inside; all of the potentials, all of the learning she would do in the next seven years. She looked at her cat carrier, the small calico inside mewing softly as he tried to reach her fingers, and she gathered herself up. Squaring her shoulders, wiping a few stray tears from her dark green eyes, Lily started through the crowds.

Heading directly for the train, she only paused once, running into a dark haired boy her age as she struggled to make her way through the families and luggage trollies. Apologizing hastily, she barely registered his presence as a trunk bumped into her, too distracted to notice the pain in her shin as she began to search in vain for Severus. Surely he was around here somewhere…

It was time to go home. Her new home, whatever that may be.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the first installment. This is the first part of several introductions (eep!) - originally, I had intended for the train scene to be one long chapter but eventually, it simply got to be way too much. Therefore, I've split it into five parts: James/Lily, Sirius/Emmeline, Frank/Alice, Remus/Dorcas/Mary, Severus, and Marlene/Peter. I know, I know, longest introduction ever. Oops.

Hang in there with me, I promise it'll be worth the wait. Please review, I'd love to know your thoughts and comments about what's to come…

- Charlie