This chapter is first in a series of seven, called the Reflection series, starring Lily Evans and James Potter. The series shows Lily and James' relationship over the years, the good and the bad, changing views of one another, finishing up in seventh year, and we all know what happens then! Please read and review!
Summary: First in the Reflection series. Lily meets the Potters on her first trip to Kings Cross, and is struck by the peculiarity that is James Christopher Potter.
Disclaimer: Sadly, my attempt to become J. K. Rowling was claimed impossible by my logic and psychiatrist. Perhaps if I had a transmogrifying device…
1. First On The Train
Lily Evans, eleven, walked nervously through Kings Cross Station in London towards platforms nine and ten. Even now, weeks after her whirlwind experience in Diagon Alley, the wizarding equivalent of London, she still expected her family to jump out and call, "Surprise!"
Pulling her ticket out of her pocket, Lily frowned. She had been puzzling over this small hiccup for days and days now. The ticket said 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters'. She knew there was no such thing.
Lily walked on through the station, finally parking her trolley, laden with her enormous trunk, owl cage and carry-on bag in front of the huge pillar separating platforms nine and ten. Somehow, her platform must be somewhere in the middle. Lily looked at her watch. Fifteen minutes left to get onto the platform and board the train. But how?
"Hurry up, you stragglers! The train leaves in a quarter of an hour!" A sharp voice cut through Lily's thoughts. She turned. A middle-aged woman with beautiful auburn hair and hazel eyes was speaking to her husband and son, both of whom had skinny, but tall frames, glasses and a mop of messy black hair.
"Mum! That's loads of time! I want to find some more people!" The boy, about Lily's age, whined to the sharp auburn-haired speaker, who just rolled her eyes.
"Soon you can do what you want. But for now, you'll do what I want," his mother retorted decisively.
"Right, Lizzie – Elizabeth," the man said hastily under the intense scrutiny of his wife.
"Fix your hair up, dear," she said at last.
The man hastily tried to flatten his hair, but to no avail. The minute his wife turned away he lifted his hand and his hair sprung straight back into it's messy position. Lily giggled quietly.
"Honestly, I can't see why they don't just put up a sign for Muggle-borns," the woman continued. "Really, if they just charmed it…imagine how much easier it would be!"
Lily jumped. The woman had said 'Muggle-borns'! She turned her head, and her eyes met three other pairs, two hazel, one blue. Lily blushed. The woman had obviously been talking about her. She lifted her chin and walked over to the family. They all wore closed expressions.
"Excuse me," Lily said. "Um, do – do you think you could, well, you know – tell me how to get onto the platform?"
The woman's face changed suddenly, and she smiled. Lily breathed in relief. Somehow, she felt as though she'd passed the test that the family had given.
"Of course, dear. It is a bit hard, isn't it? They don't write anything on the ticket," she said scowling.
Lily turned her attention to the two males next to the woman. Both younger and elder were speaking quietly to the side, both with identical wicked expressions, both completely ignoring the woman and Lily.
The woman turned to look at her family, sighing. She whipped a hand up and smacked both over the head.
"You two! You could at least show some politeness to –"
"Lily Evans," Lily supplied.
"– Lily. If you've finished discussing your little plans and plots for the year ahead, I'll thank you to help me explain to Lily how to get to Hogwarts, and give me the itching powder."
The boy sighed, and gave his mother the little packet of white powder he'd been tucking into a pocket.
"I'll be looking forward to some lovely letters from Minerva McGonagall this year," the woman said sarcastically. She turned back to Lily and smiled. "This is my son, James Potter, who's also starting his first year at Hogwarts, and is the most difficult child on the planet."
"Thanks, Mum. You know, sometimes I wonder if you're actually my biological mother," James said.
"Trust me, James, anyone but your biological mother would have dumped you at an orphanage by now," Mrs. Potter retorted. "Now, this is my husband, Christopher Potter, who is the most difficult adult on the planet."
Mr. Potter just grinned at his wife, who glared. "Watch it, or I'll run off with someone else," she threatened.
James snorted. Lily raised an eyebrow. Mrs. Potter sighed. "I'm Elizabeth Potter."
"Who has eyes in the back of her head," James said.
"Who knows exactly what you are thinking of at all times," Mr. Potter added.
"And who is the most fabulous cook ever!" James finished, smiling sweetly at his mother.
"Nice to meet you," Lily responded, smiling.
"Now, how to get on to the platform. What you have to do is –"
"Dance the chicken dance three times –"
"In your robes –"
"With pink hair –"
"While shouting 'let me on to the platform!' as loud as possible."
Mrs. Potter glared. "You two, quiet. Lily, ignore them. It's really quite simple –"
"Unless you don't know how," Mr. Potter threw in.
"Watch it. Lily, just walk straight at –"
"That huge guy over there and tell him he looks like a chimpanzee," James said, grinning.
"Quiet! Walk at the barrier between –"
"Norfolk Island and Greenland," Mr. Potter said.
"Silencio!" Mrs. Potter muttered. "Now, just walk at the barrier between these two platforms. Don't stop, don't worry."
Lily was getting nervous again. Mrs. Potter smiled reassuringly at her, while taking off whatever spell she had put on her husband, who was glaring at his wife.
"Best to go –"
"Singing," both Potter males said.
"– at a bit of a run. Chris, you go first," Mrs. Potter said.
Mr. Potter grinned charmingly at her, and walked casually towards the brick wall. Lily stared after him, careful not to miss a thing. But just as Mr. Potter reached the barrier, James, standing next to her, let out a huge sneeze, making her and his mother jump.
"Ah ha! James, give me the other packet. I know you have it," Mrs. Potter said, turning her piercing gaze back to her son.
James sighed, and took the sneezing powder out of his other pocket, and handed it to his mother with a glare, which she fully returned.
"Off you go, James," Mrs. Potter said.
James stood in front of her, directly facing the brick barrier. Lily looked carefully, again. James walked briskly, breaking into a slight jog. Just as he reached the barrier, he disappeared. Lily's mouth dropped open as she stood, shocked. Mrs. Potter nodded happily.
"Now it's your turn, Lily. Just jog at the barrier. Do exactly what James did. Good luck," Mrs. Potter said.
Lily faced the barrier, taking deep breaths. Slowly, she pushed her heavy trolley forwards. Closer and closer. The barrier grew larger as she approached. She broke into a run. The barrier was a metre away, just ahead, an inch! Lily squeezed her eyes tight shut – she was going to crash!
A whooshing sensation, and Lily found herself on another platform. High overhead hung a sign.
PLATFORM 9 ¾ – HOGWARTS EXPRESS
Lily smiled. She walked over to where Mr. Potter was waiting with his son.
"Congratulations," James said.
"You'll be a Gryffindor," Mr. Potter said, nodding.
Mrs. Potter appeared calmly a few seconds later. She eyed her family and Lily.
"You weren't bullying her, were you?"
"No, they weren't," Lily said to her.
Mrs. Potter smiled. "You must have rubbed off on them."
"Good luck," all three said, and with a last cheerful smile, the Potters disappeared into the crowd.
Lily sighed, glancing at her watch. She had five minutes left to put her trunk away and get onto the train, thanks to that family. Lily shook her head. They knew how to waste time, the Potters. But, they did help her. Lily knew that she'd have never made it on to the platform if not for Mrs. Potter, at least.
Heading in the general direction of the train, Lily pushed through the crowds of people, tripping over cats, bumping into other trolleys, and narrowly missed running a small blonde-haired child over. Spying a clear space, Lily rushed over to it, and heaved her trunk off the trolley. She pushed in vain, attempting to put it in the space. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the boy from the station, James Potter, appeared and helped her lift her trunk into the train.
"Thank you," Lily said, slightly puzzled. She had thought him a bit of a pain, although some of his antics were amusing.
He gave her another grin, identical to his father's, Lily noticed, and performed his disappearing act again. Lily shook her head. She climbed on to the train, with only a couple of minutes left, and began to push through another crowd, this one definitely more aggressive and fearsome, judging from all the wands in plain view, and their expressions.
At that moment, the guard blew his whistle, just as Lily was walking down the corridor, and the train began to move. Lily stumbled with the sudden force, and fell against a compartment door, which opened.
"Gentlemen, we have a guest!" a young voice announced.
Lily, sprawled on the floor, looked up. She saw four boys, one familiar. It was James Potter again, with his mother's sharp hazel eyes and his father's black messy hair.
"Well, we know we're cute, but there's no need to go falling at our feet," the boy sitting next to James said, grinning widely.
Lily scowled at him.
James stood up and offered her a hand. Lily took it and he lifted her to her feet.
"Hey, it's you, Lily Evans!" James exclaimed, looking at her.
Lily was surprised. The boy actually did listen to her, and remembered her name.
"Guys, I would like to introduce Miss. Lily Evans. My mother told her how to get on to the platform a couple of minutes ago. Lily, this is Remus Lupin," James said formally, gesturing to a thin boy, sitting across from them with sandy blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, who smiled at Lily kindly.
"Nice to meet you, Lily," he said.
"This is Sirius, who prefers not to disclose his surname," James said.
The boy sitting next to James who had spoken to Lily grinned at her again. He had a sharp nose, almost aquiline, black hair and cloudy grey eyes, filled with mischief.
"And this here is Peter Pettigrew," James said, poking Pettigrew, who was stuffing his mouth full of sandwiches. He had dirty blonde hair bordering on brown, and watery blue eyes. Lily disliked him on sight.
"Well, Miss. Evans. We are honoured to have you in our compartment. Do sit down, if you dare!" Sirius said menacingly.
"What, you think that that thing –" she gestured to Pettigrew "– is going to attack me?"
James grinned, and said, "Well, well. It talks! It snaps!"
Lily turned her fierce scowl to him.
"Ooh, not very friendly."
She sat down, puzzled yet again. The boys were young and immature, she knew that, but it was James Potter, in particular, who was a mystery.
His mother. Lily could see her telling off her husband and son, those hazel eyes knowing. Then she smiled, and her face transformed.
His father. Grinning cheekily, slipping James itching and sneezing powder. Then wishing her luck, and telling her she'd be a Gryffindor. What was that?
James himself. She could easily recognise his parents in his appearance and character. He had ignored her in the station, then wished her good luck. He'd helped her with her trunk, then referred to her as 'it'. What was it?
The many faces of James Potter, Lily decided.
As I said up in the top authors note, this is chapter one of seven. The next one will be up soon, set in James and Lily's second year.
Hope you liked it, and please review!
-L