Hello, everyone!

Goodness, it's been an awfully long time. I hope you've had a splendid start to the school year.

Time for a new fanfic! This one's based on Lily's years at Hogwarts. As of now, I'm not sure how I'll be spacing out time and events.

Let me know what you think of the first chapter! I love to hear from you!

All rights go to J.K. Rowling.

September 1, 1971

Tuney, Mummy, Daddy, and I stand on the platform. Behind them, I can see Severus and his mother pushing through to get to the train. I hug Mummy and kiss Daddy on the cheek. Then I turn to Tuney. I begin to say goodbye, but her sharp eyes flash at me.

"Freak," she whispers.

My eyes fill with tears. "I'm not a freak. That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going. A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy..." She turns her head slightly to make sure our parents don't hear her. "Weirdos, that's what you two are."

The tears spill over and I don't even bother trying to wipe them away. For a second, I consider forgetting all about Hogwarts, and Professor Dumbledore, and magic, and Severus. I just want Tuney to love me again. If I pretended that none of this had happened, maybe...

But then Mummy gives me one last hug and gently pushes me toward the door. I stand and wave goodbye as the train slowly pulls out of the station, until my family gradually becomes a dot in the distance, and then nothing at all.

The evening approaches quickly. Severus and I had met several other pupils during the trip, most of whom seemed friendly enough.

"Now approaching Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the conductor announces as he passes by our compartment. I glance at Severus and then at Alice Fortescue, who had been kind enough to let us sit with her after we relocated from our original compartment.

"Are you ready?" Severus asks me with one of those smiles that only seem to appear when he's around me.

I nod, but I don't say anything.

The train lurches as it stops, and I almost fall off my seat. Alice helps me regain my balance.

"I'll meet you outside," Severus says as he hurries out the door.

Alice and I take our time as we grab our bags. "So," she says to me, "are you excited?"

"Yes," I say hesitantly, "But I'm also a bit nervous."

She smiles shyly. "Do you want to know a secret?" I nod. "I'm nervous, too. But look," She pulls a colorfully-wrapped sweet out of her coat pocket and hands it to me. "Drooble's Best Blowing Gum," she says in response to my puzzled look. "It's wonderful for curing a few nerves."

We exit the train together. "What's your family like?" Alice asks me.

"Well," I begin, "There are four of us - me, my mum, my dad, and my sister, Petunia."

Before I know it, I'm telling her everything- how Petunia and I were always close growing up, how I met Severus, what happened when I received my letter, and how it had driven some kind of wedge between my sister and me. She listens and pays attention to every word. It's so wonderful to be able to talk to another girl. Not that I don't like talking to Severus, of course, but I had always had Tuney to lean on... Perhaps some good could come out of this.

We find our way over to the group of first-years who look just as nervous and scared and excited as we feel. It briefly crosses my mind that I don't know where Severus is, but I assume that he's making friends on his own. The Hogwarts gamekeeper leads us to the lake, where we divide into groups of four and five and step into boats, which row themselves across the water. As we steadily float, I can hear the other children around me whispering things like, "Billy told me to look out for the giant squid," and, "My uncle says that if I'm not in Ravenclaw, I may as well just consider myself part of a different family."

Hearing this makes my stomach lurch. What if I'm not put in any house? What if it was all a mistake? Should I even be here?

I remember Severus telling me that I had better be in Slytherin. And then there were James Potter and Sirius Black, both of whom seemed very sure of where they were going. What will happen when I get up there? I don't have any magical background in my family. What if-

Alice puts her hand on my arm. "You okay?" she asks me.

I take a deep breath. "I'm fine," I tell her. I unwrap the gum that she gave me before we left the train and put it in my mouth. It's chewy and sugary and comforting.

The boats reach the other side of the lake and we help each other out of the boats. We are taken inside to a gathering hall and left alone. The other students begin to talk, and it gets louder and louder until it begins to echo off the walls.

Alice and I walk until we find a safe corner to hide in. We're not there for a minute before a group of boys finds us.

"Hey," the tallest says.

I look up and a strand of red hair falls into my eyes. "Hello," I say uncertainly. I look at Alice, who looks uncomfortable.

"Why don't you come hang out with us? You'd fit in well with our group." He walks over and puts his arm around my shoulders.

I stutter, frightened, not knowing what to do. "I-"

"Hey," another voice says from behind me. "Leave her alone, Mulciber."

I turn around. I have absolutely no idea who this boy is.

Mulciber looks the boy up and down and laughs. "Go back to where you came from."

One of Mulciber's friends steps up behind him and whispers something in his ear. Mulciber's eyes widen, and he lets go of me, spits at the boy, and walks away.

"Thank you," I say to the boy.

He smiles at us. "I'm Remus Lupin. Who're you?"

"I'm Lily Evans, and this is Alice Fortescue."

It wasn't like anything that I thought it would be. No one questioned the fact that I was Muggle-born. In fact, the most that anyone talked about was what House they hoped to be Sorted into, but I wasn't even worried about that anymore. It wasn't so hard to make friends.

"Hey, Remus!" someone says.

James Potter, the boy from the train earlier, comes running over to Remus. "They're about to take us inside!" He looks at me. "Hey, Lily, right?"

I nod.

"Do you wanna come sit with us?"

I remember the incident on the train, but I'm willing to forgive and forget. It's never good to hold a grudge, as I'd learned from Tuney.

"Yes, thank you."

And then Severus finally shows up.

James' hazel eyes narrow and he throws a sly look at Sirius, who had just arrived behind him. "Of course, you'll have to ditch Snivellus. We don't want greasy-haired Slytherins at our table."

I see the hurt in Severus' eyes and grab his hand, shaking my head.

Then Professor McGonagall begins to lead us out into the Great Hall. Alice, Severus, and I walk out together, leaving James, Sirius, and Remus behind.

"Evans, Lily!"

This is the moment I have been fearing. My hands begin to sweat as I step up towards the stool. The Sorting Hat is placed on my head, and I close my eyes.

"A strong head... Smart, too... You'd do well in Ravenclaw..."

I swallow, not sure what to do.

"A large heart... Bravery will overcome fear..."

I try to calm my breathing.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I open my eyes and the Sorting Hat is taken from my head. I realize that I'm smiling, and I walk down to the Gryffindor table.

Alice is sorted into Gryffindor, too, as well as James, Remus, Sirius, and other people who I have yet to meet. Severus is sorted into Slytherin, and our eyes meet for one last time that day as he sits down next to an older boy with blonde hair.

The food is amazing, and I decide with great regret that the treacle tart is even better than Mummy's.

After the feast, a prefect takes us to our common room and shows us where we'll be sleeping. Alice and I meet the other girls in our dorm: Mary MacDonald, Ceire Deskunt, and Marlene McKinnon. After we get into our nightgowns, Alice and I go to get a glass of water before going to sleep. On our way back to the dorm, we run into Remus and another boy, both of whom are clearly on the same errand that we were.

"Lily! Alice!" Remus calls. We stop, and he and his friend walk over to us. "Alice, this is Frank," he says quickly. "Could I talk to Lily for a second?"

Alice and Frank strike up a conversation like they've been friends all their lives.

"Lily," Remus begins, "I'd like to apologize for what James said about your friend."

I soften. "Thank you," I tell him, "but you don't need to apologize. It's not like you said it."

"I know, but I just want you to know that I'd still like to be friends with you, regardless of my friends' actions."

I feel myself smile. "Thank you," I say again. "I want to be friends, too."

We say good night and Alice and I walk up to the dorm room.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 1!

If you don't mind, please leave me a comment telling me what you think.

Chapter 2 should be up soon!

~cphfairies