Author's Note: This might not be the best but it's what I've got. I don't own any of the characters or places because they belong to the Great and Amazing J.K. Rowling (my idol) except for the character Anna. I made her up, even though she's based on a real person. This chapter's about Lily Potter (Harry's daughter, not his mum) on the train to Hogwarts and meeting a new friend, Anna. And just so you know, I'm from the US but I'm trying to use British words and spellings. If it's not correct, review and tell me. Read on, please!
A light breeze whistled through King's Cross Station as the Potter family arrived, causing eleven year old Lily to wrap her sweater more tightly around herself. She shivered, and paused for a minute, contemplating what lay ahead for her. She hook herself back to reality and hurried to retrieve her trunk, cat, and owl from the family car, placing it on a trolley. "So Lily, you scared yet?" teased her fourteen year old brother James. "Almost everyone is for first year. Girls especially."
"Shut UP! I'm not scared and you know it," she shouted back.
"My, my. Aren't we touchy?" he laughed, before galloping off towards the barrier to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"James Sirius Potter! Wait for the rest of your family," cried his mum, Ginny Potter. "Remember, no serious fighting out there. We can't keep on coming to Hogwarts every fortnight to tell you off." Hogwarts. Ever since she was little, the word sent thrills of excitement through Lily. And now she would be going there herself.
James responded to his mum with an unenthusiastic, "Sure, Mum." before bolting through the barrier. Albus, determined not to be outdone, sprinted through twice as fast. Lily sighed; her brothers were so immature sometimes. She supposed it came of being a boy. Then she jogged slowly, with dignity, onto the platform.
It was packed with students and families, all jostling for space, to get a good seat, to meet friends, or to say goodbye to someone. Eventually, Lily saw her cousins, the various branches of the Weasley tree, as her mum referred to them. Hugo, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's son, was Lily's age. He was entering Hogwarts for his first year too. But he wasn't the only one there. His older sister Rose was a third year, and with the seven children of her other uncles, some only along for the send-off, and Teddy Lupin, Lily's foster brother, and the Weasley grandparents, it was almost like a family reunion.
"Ready?" asked Hugo, clearly not ready himself.
"Ready as I'll ever be, and I won't get readier waiting," replied Lily saucily, trying to boost her confidence. Then they were recaptured by their parents.
"We'll write as often as you want us to, dear. Are you positive you'll be okay?"
"I'll be fine, Mum. Did you fuss like this when James and Al went for the first time, too?"
"Unfortunately she did. It's the only times I've seen her get emotional," laughed Harry Potter. "You'll do great. Just don't provoke Slytherins and don't take James too seriously." Lily allowed them one last hug before disentangling herself from her dad and leaping onto the train with her multiple family members.
James was nowhere to be seen, probably with his trouble-maker friends, already planning their next batch of mischief. Rose went to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Albus cleared his throat awkwardly, muttered, "Listen to Dad." and disappeared down the corridor.
Hugo looked around uncomfortably. "What d'you reckon we do?"
"I suppose we'd better get into a compartment. See any empty ones?" Lily looked as she spoke, and found one with only one occupant. "Reckon we try there?" she pointed to it.
"Guess we have to. There're no other options." And with that, they shuffled down the train.
Lily knocked on the door. "Can we sit here?"
The girl looked up from her book. She was actually kind of pretty, Hugo noted appreciatively, if you like waves of sandy hair partially covering greenish eyes, which he did. "Sure. Come right in. I'm Anna Timberlake, by the way."
"'Kay. I"m Lily, and this is my cousin Hugo." They sat down and got their trunks settled, when they noticed Anna staring at them, with wide-eyed amazement.
"Er, is that an owl?" she asked, wonder clear in her voice. Hugo's Spotted owl opened its eye critically as if to say, who me?
"Yep. Mine's Eglantine and his is Spots. And this cat is Ebony. You can tell who has more imagination," Lily sang. The barn owl tucked her head under her wing and the black cat purred. "Sorry. Eggy doesn't like Hugo. Anyway, my brothers each have an owl, too. James has a Snowy and Albus has a Great Horned." Whatever Anna had just opened her mouth to say was lost because at that moment, James burst through the compartment door.
"Hey Hugo, wanna come hang out with my friends? It's got to beat sitting with my sister," he teased loudly. Hugo gave himself one last longing look at Anna before allowing James to pull him away.
"So, are you one of those Pureblood families that some kids keep going on about?" asked Anna cautiously.
"Luckily enough, nope. Some parts of my family are, but my dad's mum was Muggle-born and my mum's family don't care about that. Who keeps going on about it?"
"Some very unpleasant looking people, I can tell you that," Anna shuddered. "Let's change the subject. What's your family like?"
"Besides amazing and large? Well, I have nine cousins, two brothers, five uncles, four aunts, two grandparents, and two family friends that we call aunt and uncle. That boy that was here before is my brother James. He is the annoying one. Albus is the quieter one. Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione are Hugo's parents. He has an older sister Rose who's Al's age. They are the closest to us. Uncle George and Aunt Angelina have two kids who are older. They're fun to be with. Uncle Percy, God he's boring, works in the Ministry of Magic, and Aunt Audrey have two daughters, one older, one younger. Uncle Charlie works with dragons in Romania. Uncle Bill, who's incredibly cool, and Aunt Fleur, who's French, have three older kids. 'Aunt' Luna is kinda crazy, and 'Uncle' Neville is obsessed with plants."
"Wow. Have you ever been to Hogwarts?" Anna looked like she was pleading the answer would be yes; she was clearly scared.
"No, sorry. But I've heard quite a lot about it. From my brothers and cousins,"
"Yeah, so, what've you heard?" she was hanging onto Lily's every word.
"Well, after we arrive, the first years, that's us, go in boats to the castle. Then we get Sorted-"
"Sorted? Sorted by what? For what?"
"Calm down. All you have to do is put on a hat and it Sorts you into a house depending on your characteristics. If you're brave, you go to Gryffindor, like my whole family. If you're smart and clever, you go to Ravenclaw. If you're loyal but not that brave, you go to Hufflepuff, but a whole load of people think they're all rubbish. If you're cunning and proud, you go to Slytherin. They like the whole blood purity thing."
"Hmm. What d'you reckon you'll be? I think I'm sure to be in Hufflepuff," sighed Anna.
"I dunno," shrugged Lily. "My family's in Gryffindor, but I'm not all that brave. Anyway, once you get Sorted, you live and have classes with your House. And if you want, you can try out for your House's Quidditch team."
"What's Quidditch?"
"What's Quidditch? Why, it's the best game ever invented. Even better then Muggle football. It's-"
The compartment door rattled. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" inquired the matronly woman.
"Yeah. I'll have- How hungry are you, Anna?"
She blushed and stuttered, "You don't have to-"
"Yes I do. You're my friend. Four Pumpkin Pasties and one box of Every-Flavoured Beans. Two of everything else, please." She counted out the money and returned with her treats. "Try these. They're really good, depending on what flavour you get. Some are, like, toffee or chocolate or lemon meringue, but some are gross, like dirt or cat-vomit. Er, I wouldn't eat that one if I was you. It's earwax." Anna looked revolted and spit it out. Lily introduced Anna to chocolate frog cards and various other sweets whilst explaining the game of Quidditch. When Anna thoroughly understood the game, talk turned to wands.
"Have you tried any spells yet?" asked Lily with an evil glint in her eye.
"No. I guess I'm afraid that something will go wrong."
"Oh. I have. I turned James' blankets pink. He chased me up and down the house, blasting smoke and sparks at me. Not the smartest, since we live in a partially wooden house. Mum yelled at him for that one. What's your wand? Can I see it?"
Anna drew her wand like one would draw a sword, and held it as carefully as one would hold a glass dragon. "It's birch and phoenix feather, thirteen inches."
Lily drew hers, but she drew it like a wand, and held it like a conductor's baton. "Mine's twelve and a half inches, ash and unicorn hair. Oh, I'm really excited now. I hope we're in the same House."
"Me, too. But I'm worried it might not be the right one." And with that ominous statement, the train jolted to a stop at Hosmeade Station.
Another AN: Thanx for reading this far. I hope you like it. It isn't the best but I don't write for the critics. I write for myself, and my fans, if I have any. Hey, if you like it, tell me if I have fans or not. REVIEW! If you don't like it, then tell me how to make it better. I want to improve as a writer, and I'll gladly accept constructive criticism.
