"Bye, Sweetie! We love you!"

Ugh! Just like Mum to shout out something like that to the whole train. Didn't she understand that I had to make friends with these people? If I had any chance of being cool, I had to uphold a certain reputation!

I smiled and waved back anyway. I probably would miss them pretty soon.

As the train gathered speed, I turned and headed off down the corridor in my search for a compartment. Just then, my stomach started twisting in knots. My first year at Hogwarts. Oh, I'd wished for this day to come. The day when I would finally hop onto the Hogwarts Express and steam off to an enchanted castle and learn to enchant things myself. Dad's spells were always so cool. He would just point his wand and anything he liked would happen. Then he would turn to me and say, "Now that's how it's done, son. You'll learn to do it too one day."

I couldn't wait to start learning.

I noticed a compartment with other boys inside. They looked like first years, so I slid open the door.

"Can I sit with you?" I asked them.

"Yeah, sure," said a boy with light blue eyes and brown hair. He had the oddest dark circles under his eyes, almost as though he hadn't slept in a fortnight or something.

The other boy, a pallid face with black hair and suspicious eyes, looked me up and down before asking, "What's your name?"

"James Potter," I answered as I sat next to the brown-haired one. "Who are you two?

"Sirius Black," the suspicious one answered, still scrutinizing me. I returned his look as the other answered, "I'm Remus Lupin. It's nice to meet you, James."

Lupin, that was a new name to me, maybe he was muggle-born. But Black I knew. It was another old wizarding family, just like mine.

It seemed Sirius Black had finished x-raying me, because his face split into a smile. "So is this your first year too, James?"

"Yeah, you two firsties as well?" I asked.

"Yep," Sirius said, "And I thought I might start a little tradition." His smile turned mischievous.

"Oh?" Lupin and I asked at the same time.

"Yeah, see I thought it's never too soon to start making a good impression."

Sirius's smile had me wondering what, exactly, he thought of as a good impression.

"Yep," he said, "And I thought to myself, 'what's the best way to make a great impression on the first day of Hogwarts?" His grin got wider, "And then it came to me."

I'm sure he knew that he had Lupin and I listening very closely. I was a little excited, but the other boy looked a little worried.

"I'm listening," I said, wanting him to keep talking. If it was possible, his grin got even wider.

"I brought a whole box of Dr. Filibuster's Fireworks to set off in the hallway."

I grinned back, not completely sure about the idea but incredibly excited anyway.

"Won't that be dangerous?" asked Lupin, a slight worry line forming between his brows.

"Oh, not really," Sirius said, shrugging it off, "they're magical fireworks. They won't actually hurt anyone."

Lupin looked incredibly relieved.

"So what do you say?" Sirius asked, his eyes darting between the two of us. "Do you wanna do it with me?"

My face split into a grin. "Yes, definitely!"

"Ok, as long as no one will get hurt…" Lupin's voice trailed off some, but Sirius assured him that no one would be hurt. Now I knew that Lupin couldn't have grown up in the wizarding world because he should have known that even though no one would be hurt, their clothes and eyebrows could still be singed off. I winced inside at a memory of doing that to my mum once.

We were planning how to set them off so that there would be maximum time for them to ricochet off the walls, although it was mostly me and Sirius—oh, excuse me, Sirius and I, Mum's always correcting my grammar---because I think that Lupin kid was still a little unsure about the whole thing. Seriously, did muggles think that fireworks were dangerous? Hmm, maybe. I suppose we would just be demonstrating how safe they are in the wizard world.

That has to qualify as a public service, right?

Finally, a few hours into the day, we were getting them ready. Lupin thought we should wait for the trolley to come by first, so that we didn't have to deal with fireworks bouncing off the walls when we wanted food. It was a good idea actually, me and Sirius should have thought of that.

So after the trolley came by, we crept out of the compartment and arranged the fireworks along the hall. Then we lit them all and ran back to our compartment, laughing and whooping the whole way as the fireworks bounced off the walls behind us. Sirius was shouting, "I'm Sirius Black, and this was MY idea!" the whole way back to our compartment, but I don't think anyone heard him over the banging of the fireworks.

xxxxxx

I had just gotten a little bit comfortable. Somebody set off fireworks in the hall earlier, and I was scared that we would get hurt, but Alice told me not to worry. I guess fireworks aren't dangerous here like they are in the normal world.

Alice. She's one of the girls I met this morning after running onto the train. I was sitting on one of the benches, crying to mum and dad about not being able to find platform 9 ¾, when a girl with short black waves came up and touched my shoulder.

"My mum saw your trunk," she had said. "Are you looking for platform 9 ¾?"

I nodded as I looked up at her.

"Well, it's this way."

I had to say goodbye to mum and dad right there, because they couldn't get on the platform. Alice's mum says you have to have magic to do it. I was worried that it might not take me, but it did. And now I've spent the whole day with Alice and two other girls, Lacy and Malinda.

It was night outside, and the train had rolled to a stop. I started to gather my things when a tall black-haired boy walked in and told us to leave them. He said that they would be waiting for us in our dorms. I think he must have been one of the prefects that Alice was telling me about because he was wearing a shiny badge on his school robes.

The robes were still funny to me. It was almost like wearing a bathrobe to school. I giggled to myself about it. But then I stopped. A gigantic, hairy man was waving his arms and shouting, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

I was terrified, but Alice poked me along in his direction. "Don't worry," she told me, "My mum told me about him. She says everything will be okay."

I followed along behind Alice, but I'm not sure what her mum told her about the giant man because she looked scared too. It started to rain lightly when they reached the big man.

"Gather roun' gather roun' now, firs' years!" He called. I shivered a little, and then decided that it was not because of being scared. It was only the rain, which was picking up a little.

"Now," the big man started saying, "We're all goin' to climb into these here boats an'" but I didn't hear the rest. I had suddenly caught sight of a black-haired boy in glasses. It suddenly felt like….like, everything would be alright. I knew when I looked at him, whispering to his friends, I just knew that this new world was a better place for me than my old one.

I wasn't afraid anymore.

xxxxxx

I knew we would be crossing the lake in boats. "It's a tradition!" Dad had said. But I didn't think they'd make us do it in the rain.

We were standing just inside the castle doors, wet and shivering. I hadn't even gotten the chance to see Hogwarts properly. I would have to go outside and take a good, long look at it tomorrow.

Everyone was still shivering when a tall, willowy woman walked up to us. She waved her wand and I was, quite suddenly, completely dry. I flushed with gratitude and looked around at the other students, all magically dry, as she began speaking.

"Good Evening, everyone. Welcome to Hogwarts."

She didn't sound very welcoming. She sounded quite stern, really. I wasn't sure what to make of her. The only women I knew were Mum's friends, and they were always laughing and bubbling over like cauldrons. But she was still talking, so I tried to pay attention as my eyes wandered around, learning the faces of the other students.

"I am Professor McGonagall, and I am head of Gryffindor House. I will be instructing you in Transfiguration. You will soon meet your other professors. Now, shortly you will walk into the Great Hall, which is behind me, and be sorted into your houses," she said. I knew I would be in Gryffindor, just like Mum and Dad. I couldn't wait to go sit at the Gryffindor table that Dad described. "Once you join your House,"

Professor McGonagall continued, but I didn't hear her. I suppose that was alright. I knew it all anyway. Besides, my attention was suddenly caught by something much more interesting.

The loveliest pair of green eyes were gazing at me.

The world stopped.

They looked terrified.

I wanted to go to her, hug her, and tell her everything would be okay. I would make it okay, just for her to feel better, but I couldn't. My legs wouldn't quite work.

I settled for staring at her eyes. They were beautiful! They sparkled like gem stones---oh, what are the green ones called? Emeralds! Emeralds. They sparkled like emeralds, even though they were afraid.

What could I do to make her feel better? Smile?

I tried it, and she blushed, looking down. Oh, her blush was pretty! It was so pink on her creamy cheeks, and it made me notice her fiery red hair and how it hid her face a little when she ducked her head. I wanted to touch her, lift her face so that I could look at her eyes again, but she kept her head down and her blush got darker, almost the color of her hair. I smiled at that.

Someone poked me in the back. Oh, Sirius.

"What?" I whispered, tearing my eyes away.

"Get going, mate," he whispered back.

"Er—right, sorry," I flushed as I hurried forward. Then I saw her red hair in front of me. She was still glancing around as she walked, and when she looked at me again I took her hand without thinking.

And as soon as I touched her, I had a funny feeling in my stomach. All of a sudden, I knew I would marry her someday. I had to. If I didn't, I would die.

She started to pull her hand away, but I held on tight because she still looked so scared.

"It's okay," I whispered to her as we walked. "I'm going to be in Gryffindor. I can protect you." Her eyes widened a bit at that, but her scared eyes still didn't answer me so I whispered, "I'm James Potter. What's your name?"

"Lily," she whispered back, "Lily Evans."

"Lily," I mused, then smiled. "It's perfect. Like a flower." But then I frowned, looking at her red hair. "I thought lilies were supposed to be pink?"

She giggled.

Good.

Then I smiled again. "You're the world's first red lily. You should be proud," she smiled. Her smile made me happy. I leaned over so I could whisper quieter, "And you should be in Gryffindor with me."

"Oh, no," she said, "My best friend, Sev, says that I should be in Slytherin. He says Gryffindor is worst!" She whispered conspiratorially.

He? Hmmm, I didn't like that. She was mine. I knew she was.

"Who's Sev?" I asked.

She frowned at my tone, but pointed out a boy further down the line. He had stringy black hair and a big, ugly nose. I tried not to make a face when I turned back to her.

"You're too pretty to be in Slytherin," I told her. "And Gryffindor is best, because they're bravest."

"Really?" Lily asked as Professor McGonagall started calling names. "The bravest?"

"Yep," I said proudly. "That's the house I'm going to be in. Just like my Mum and Dad."

"Lily Evans!" Professor McGonagall called. I heard her breathing hitch a little, and then she pulled her hand from mine. I had been so comfortable, I had actually forgotten that I held it.

Now my hand felt empty without it.

I waited for the Sorting Hat to call her house.

Please be in Gryffindor, please be in Gryffindor, please be in---

"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted for the hall.

I grinned in delight. She went and sat down by Sirius, Lupin, and the other first years. I couldn't wait to get to know them!

When it was my turn to be sorted, I walked over as calmly as I could. What if I wasn't in Gryffindor? I had to be! I didn't want to be anywhere else!

"Well good evening, Mr. Potter," said a surprisingly dry voice. The Sorting Hat?

"Er—good evening, sir," I answered, not sure how best to be polite to a hat.

After a moment the hat said, "This is when you ask me if I am well."

I felt a wicked grin spread across my face. Dad never told me that the Sorting Hat had a dry sense of humor.

"What? Did you not just wonder how to be polite to a hat?" The voice asked innocently. Too innocently. I would have to take that lesson and store it for future use.

"Indeed I did," I answered with as much debonair class as I could muster. "But I did not want people to think I was crazy."

"And why would they think you are crazy?"

I couldn't keep the grin off my face.

"Because I am having a conversation with a hat."

I heard a low, dry cackle.

"Indeed you are. Indeed, you are."

"So," I asked, "Don't you need to think about where you want to put me?"

"Oh no, I decided already."

"Oh?"

"Of course. I was just making small talk. A hat can get bored talking to itself for a whole year."

I grinned. "Completely understandable."

"Well, I suppose I've had you for long enough Mr. Potter. You may go to the house of---GRYFFINDOR!"

I grinned in delight, and continued to do so for the rest of the evening, until I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep.