"Fancy finding a compartment?" Albus said tapping Lily on the shoulder. Lily turned to her older brother, nodding her head. She looked back out the window and waved one last goodbye to her parents while stashing away a pouch filled with galleons and sickles in her pocket, she then followed Albus down the hallway of the Hogwarts Express. "Albus, what if I don't get into Gryffindor?"
"Don't worry," Albus replied reassuringly, "all the Potter's got placed in Gryffindor."
"And the Weasley's?" Lily asked, thinking of her mum's side of the family.
"Yeah. Well, that is, if you don't count her fourth cousins or something. I think they were in Slytherin or maybe Hufflepuff. I'm not sure, but you'll definitely be in Gryffindor." He turned around and smiled at his little sister. Lily pushed away her fears, Albus was right, he was always right. Albus suddenly stopped short, and Lily, not paying close attention, ran right into him. "Ouch, sorry Al."
"It's alright," he said, brushing away her mistake, "I was just thinking, where's Hugo?" Lily thought for a moment, and then gasped.
"You don't he didn't make it on, do you?"
"Nah, I made sure myself. And if he didn't, I'm pretty sure that Uncle Ron would find some way for him to get to Hogwarts. Did he ever tell you about the time he and Dad came in a flying car?" Lily shook her head, "Hm, remind me to tell you sometime. Real funny story that one is. I was just hoping that, you know, James didn't get a hold of him or something." Lily stiffened. Hugo was pretty easy to pick on, and James made sure that he never missed a chance to scare him. Al shrugged and continued to walk past compartment after compartment. "Ah, here's a good one." He said when they finally stopped. He slid open the door, then turned to talk to Lily. "I'm hoping the Malfoy wont find us here. I don't want you to meet him yet." He turned back and walked in. He stood in the doorway for a moment then yelled, "Potter!" Lily jumped and ran around Albus to see what was going on. It was a very odd scene. Her older brother James was pointing his wand above him where a suitcase seemed to be moving, and his best friend, Alex Jordan, was standing against the wall, laughing.
"Called me by your own name, eh Al? Someone might think that you were yelling at yourself in the window. What would people think of that? Oh, hello Lily!" Alex winked at her while James made a goofy face. Lily giggled.
"Are you scaring Hugo again?"
"Albus? Lily? Is that you?" A small boy with flaming red hair came out from behind the suitcase.
"We're right here buddy." Al said lazily, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, thank goodness! Al, he told me that he was going to throw me in the air! With magic!" Alex started laughing even harder and James snickered.
"Really James? Really?" Al turned from his brother back to his cousin. "He can't do that Hug-"
"Oh James! You wouldn't do that would you? That's mean." James turned his head and looked at his sister.
"For the last time. James can not levitate people!" Albus glared at James. James glared back.
"He's right." James said, breaking the silence. "I can't levitate people."
"Oh good!" Hugo cried, climbing out from behind his wall of defense.
"But," James continued pointing his wand at Hugo again, "I can do the full body bind curse." Lily gasped and Hugo whimpered.
"Okay, you only know how to do that because I taught you." Lily turned around to face that recognizable voice. Rose stood there, her blue eyes icy, her brown hair bushier than ever, and her arms crossed angrily.
"Rose!" Lily cried. Hugo smiled in relieve as Lily ran up to hug his older sister.
"Hello newbie's." Rose said, hugging Lily back. "James, leave my brother alone. You have already terrorized him enough about the giant squid taking the first years in the boats as his prisoner. Please don't tell him that you will curse him so that he can't move." Hugo started whimpering even more, James rolled his eyes.
"Fine, you have my word." James said, annoyed. Rose nodded satisfied.
"Yours too Alex?"
"Your wish is my command princess Rose," Alex mocked, bowing to Rose. Rose blushed furiously.
"Come on Hugo," Rose said, not looking at Alex, "I already got a compartment with Elizabeth."
"I don't wanna sit with you guys." Hugo complained.
"If you don't come right now I will put the body bind curse on you and drag you there."
"You wouldn't..." Hugo said cautiously, his eyes getting wide.
"Pertrificus-" James said warningly. Hugo yelped, jumped out of the cart and ran down the hall. Rose mouthed 'thanks' to James, and ran after Hugo. Albus, who hadn't taken his eyes off James the whole, time said, "This is our compartment James, go find your own."
"Funny," James replied, not as coldly, "I don't see your name anywhere. I guess we should just share it then, as a family." James plopped down on the bench and started twiddling with his wand. Alex sat next to him.
"Alex isn't part of our family though," Lily commented, sitting across from James.
"Good point, Alex, how would you like to become Alex Potter? Or Alex Weasley if you rather have Rose as your sister." Alex scrunched his nose.
"I'm good. I prefer Alex Lee thank you."
"Suit yourself."
"Al, you were going to tell me about Uncle Ron and the flying car," Lily begged pulling at his sleeve.
"He was in a flying car?" James said looking up, suddenly interested.
"Not just in, but he was driving it. He and Dad missed the train their second year, so instead they-"
"Bragging about your blood traitor parents again Potter?" Said a drawling and lazy voice.
"Malfoy." Lily looked away from her brother to see this Malfoy character. He was tall for twelve years old; he had bleached blonde hair and grey eyes. She could tell that the smirk he had on his face was used often.
"Who's this?" Malfoy said walking into the compartment as if he owned it. He looked at Lily for an answer, and then she realized he was talking to her.
"Lily Potter," she answered unsure if that was what he wanted or expected to hear.
"Charming, another child of the famous chosen one at Hogwarts."
"Beat it Malfoy." Albus demanded, stuffing his hand in his robes, looking for his wand.
"Oh, I'm scared. Terrified really. What are you going to do? Poke me with your wand?"
"Well to be honest, I'm planning on throwing you out the trains window." Lily's head snapped over to James and Alex, who had their wands pointed at Malfoy.
"Then I would have to call my mum and get you arrested for breaking wizard laws." A different voice came from the corner, piercing like ice. Lily jumped and almost started shaking.
"Storm," Albus shakily whispered, Lily felt slightly relieved that she wasn't the only one scared. A girl walked into the compartment and stood next to Malfoy, her arms crossed. Lily could swear that misty black smoke stirred at her feet.
"Kerry Storm," the girl said, stabbing Lily with her eyes, "I would shake your hand, but I fear that I would get your mudblood dirt on my clean hands."
"Hey!" Alex yelled, gold sparks flying from his wand
"Oh I'm sorry, did I offend you?" Storm mocked, placing a hand dramatically over her heart as if she cared. Her fingernails were black, except for the tips, which were icy green.
"Funny that your name sounds so pretty, yet you could practically be a dementor." James snarled.
"Oh sweetie," Storm's voice was soft and gentle. It was the most poisonous thing Lily had ever heard, and she was terrified for James. "Kerry means Dark Princess. I take pride in that. C'mon Scorpious, I got a compartment with Jessica and Jett." Storm grabbed Malfoy's elbow, leading him the way. Before they could turn the corner, Malfoy shot Lily a 'I'm sorry.' look. She raised her eyebrow; didn't he just call her parents blood traitors? She shrugged it off, and stood up next to Albus, rubbing his arm to calm him down.
"Good grief, Lily I'm sorry. You shouldn't have met Storm. She can make mandrakes die with her voice I swear..."
"It's alright, I was bound to meet them any way sometime soon, I mean, I do have the most popular kids ever as my brothers." Albus smiled and sat down again.
"Anything from the carts darlings?" A very sweet voice compared to Kerry's asked.
"Finally!" James stood up eagerly, "you want anything Alex?"
"Can you get me a licorice wand?" Alex asked, handing over a couple of sickles.
"Sure thing. Uhm," James stared at the cart, debating over which treats were worthwhile. "Two licorice wands and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans please." The lady with the cart swapped with James, who sat back down, satisfied with his decisions.
"One Chocolate Frog then," Albus concluded, tossing over his money, and catching his frog.
"Go on then Lily," Alex encouraged, his mouth filled with licorice.
"Umm, can I please have a Pumpkin Pasty?"
"Sure thing hon," she traded with Lily, and she sat back down next to Albus, who was reading his Chocolate Frog card.
"Hey Lily, try this bean." James handed her a vibrant red bean, Lily examined it carefully.
"What is it?"
"Dunno, but that's fun, isn't it?" Lily took a bite of the bean, and spit it out almost immediately. James and Alex laughed so hard, no one would be surprised if they started crying.
"Yach! Dragons blood!"
"Now that's bloody disgusting," everyone stared at Albus, "no, pun intended of course." He said hurriedly.
"Exploding Snap anyone?" They played for the rest of the train ride, and Lily, having so much fun, forgot all about her worries.