AN-Hi, this is my first Harry Potter Fanfic, so i'm not sure how it'll turn out as i'm still learning on how to write fanfiction, since I usually read them more than write.

Disclaimer- I own nothing Apart From Lily Potter :)


'...yes, the thing is-the thing is, we don't know how to-'

'How to get on to the platform?' The red-haired lady kindly asked. 'Not to worry,' She said 'All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Best do it at a bit of a run if your nervous.' Lily and Harry shared a look; it made sense that they had to go through a barrier, after their trip to Diagon Alley, they wouldn't be too surprised at anything. 'Go on Harry.' Lily flashed her brother a grin, before pushing her brother forwards. Harry turned to glare at his sister, before thanking the lady that had kindly helped them.

'Nice to meet you, I'm Lily.' Lily grinned at the young boy, Ron, his name was, and held out her hand. Hesitantly, Ron held out his hand and shook it. She turned to watch Harry, who was sprinting towards the brick wall. Lily flinched when Harry reached the wall. She knew he wouldn't crash, but still, it worried her.

Lily began to walk towards the wall-then walking faster and faster, until she was running, her vivid ginger hair flying out behind her, emerald eyes twinkling in anticipation. She felt a cool sensation, almost like a slight breeze, and when she opened her eyes again, she nearly tripped over.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. 'Harry! We're on the platform! we're finally going to Hogwarts!' Lily's grin was the brightest Harry had ever seen, and he knew his was to match with hers.

'c'mon, We better find a compartment.' Lily Pushed her trolled along, peeking for an empty compartment. The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Lily pushed her cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

'Oh, Neville,' Lily heard the old woman sigh.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

'Give us a look, Lee, go on.'

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Lily pressed on through the crowd until She finally found an empty compartment near the end of the train

'Here Harry! This ones free, so hurry up!' Lily yelled out over the talking and rushing going around and about on the platform.

Harry and Lily lifted both of their owls, Hedwig and Pickles, cages into the compartment, then to try and heave their trunks into the compartment also.'Here, give me a had with my trunk.' Lily Grabbed one side of Harry's trunk. 'My God, What's in here? Feels like a heap of bricks!' Lily exclaimed, dropping the trunk. 'Ow!' Harry hissed in pain as the trunk fell onto his toe. 'Sorry.' Lily smiled sheepishly.

'Want a Hand?' it was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier. 'Yes please.' Harry Panted, whilst Lily, ever the charmer, flashed the twin a grin. 'Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!' With the twins help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

'And what about you, Want a hand?' 'Of course! You shouldn't even have to ask, not much of a gentleman, are you's?' Lily grinned. The twins and Harry let out a snort;The twins out of amusement, Harry's out of exasperation. 'Ah, much lighter!' One of the twins exclaimed. 'Thanks' Lily said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. 'Whats that?' Said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Lily's lightning scar. 'Blimey,' said the other twin. 'Are you -?'

'She is,' said the first twin. 'Aren't you?' He added to Lily. Harry looked on in confusion. 'What?' Asked Lily and Harry. 'Harry and Lily Potter,' chorused the twins. 'Oh them,' Harry and Lily said in unison. 'I mean, yes, we are.'

Lily met Harry's eyes. Hagrid had warned them about this, but still, it was hard to believe they were famous.

The two boys gawped at them and Lily felt herself going red. Then,to her and Harry's relief, a voice came floating through the train's open door,

'Fred? George? Are you there?

'Coming, Mum.'

With a last look at the Potter twins, The ginger twins hopped off the train. 'I'm never going to get used to people doing that.' Lily sighed. 'yeah, well, may aswell get used to it.' Harry added in a not-so-happy tone.

They sat down next to the windown, half-hidden, so they could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. 'I'd fit right in amongst them, wouldn't I?' Lily asked herself aloud.

Their mother had just taken out a handkerchief. 'Ron, you've got something on your nose.'

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

'Mum- geroff" He wriggled free.

'Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?' said one of the twins.

'Shut up,'said Ron. Lily let out a snort, while Harry shook his head and grinned.

'Where's Percy?' asked their mother.

'He's coming now.'

'The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

'Can't stay long, Mother,' he said. 'I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -'

'Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?' said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. 'You should have said something, we had no idea.'

'Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it,' said the other twin. 'Once -'

'Or twice -'

'A minute -'

'All summer -'

'Oh, shut up,' said Percy the Prefect. Lily let out another giggle. 'Funny lot aren't they? the twins I mean?' Lily asked Harry. 'Not bad looking either...' Lily muttered, eyeing off the twins and the prefect, Percy.

'How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?' said one of the twins.

'Because he's a prefect,' said their mother fondly. 'All right, dear, well, have a good term- send me an owl when you get there.' She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

'Now, you two- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've- you've blown up a toilet or -'

'Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet.'

'Great idea though, thanks, Mum,'

'It's not funny. And look after Ron.'

'Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us.'

'Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

'Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Harry and Lily leaned back quickly so they couldn't see the Potter twins looking.

'You know that black-haired boy and the red-haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who they are?'

'Who?'

'Harry Potter!'

Harry and lily heard the little girl's voice.

'Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see them,Mum, please...' 'You've already seen them, Ginny, and the poor children aren't something you goggle at in a zoo. Are they really, Fred? How do you know?'

'Asked them. Saw his sister's scar. It's really there - like lightning.'

'Poor dears- no wonder he and his sister were alone, I wondered. they were both ever so polite when they asked how to get onto the platform.' Harry smiled at his sister. They never got actual compliments, even if it was on their politeness.

'Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?' Their mother suddenly became very stern. 'I forbid you to ask them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though those poor dears need reminding of that on their first day at school.'

'All right, keep your hair on.'

A whistle sounded.

'Hurry up!' their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

'Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls.'

'We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.'

'George!'

'Only joking, Mum.'

The train began to move. Harry and Lily saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. Lily watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window, and Lily felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to but it had to be better than what Harry and her were leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

'Anyone sitting there?'he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. 'Everywhere else is full.'

'Take a seat.' Lily grinned, and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry and Lily noticed he still had a black mark on his nose.

'Hey, Ron.'

The twins were back.

'Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there.'

'Right,' mumbled Ron.

'Harry, Lily,' said the other twin, 'Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.'

'See ya! Called Lily as Harry and Ron said 'bye'. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

'Are you really Harry And Lily Potter?' Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded. 'Of course we are! who else are we gonna be?' Lily laughed

'Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes,' mumbled Ron. Lily nodded in slight understanding.

'And have you really got - you know...-'

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. 'what about you?' He turned to Lily. She rolled her eyes and shifted her hair.

'So that's where You-Know-Who-' 'Yes, 'said Harry, "but we can't remember it.'

'Nothing?' said Ron eagerly. 'Well - we remember a lot of green light, but nothing else, really...' Lily added

'Wow,' muttered Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again. Lily let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, and her eyes flicked to Harry.

'Are all your family wizards?' asked Lily , who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found her and Harry.

'Er - Yes, I think so,' said Ron. 'I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him.'

'So you must know loads of magic already.' Harry commented. The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

' I heard you went to live with Muggles,' said Ron. 'What are they like?'

'Horrible -well, not all of them. our aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers." Lily smiled dreamily. 'I mean I've got Harry, but it'd be nice to talk to someone intelligent...' Lily grinned. 'Hey!' 'Just kidding!' lily defended herself.

'Five,' corrected Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. 'I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat.' Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

'His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead.' Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Lily didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, Harry and herself never had any money in theirlife until a month ago, and Lily told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes even though she was a girl and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

'...and until Hagrid told us, we didn't know anything about being a witch and wizard or about our parents or Voldemort'

Ron gasped. 'What?' asked Harry and Lily.

'You said You-Know-Who's name!' said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. 'I'd have thought you, of all people -'

'I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Lily, 'I-we just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? we've got loads to learn... I bet," she added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her, and Harry, a lot lately, 'I bet I'm the worst in the class.' Lily said sadly. Before Harry could reply, Ron cut in again.

'You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough.'

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. The three were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their doo. 'Anything off the trolley, dears?'

'Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast because he had given his small portion to Lily leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

He and Lily had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that they both had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry - but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry or Lily had never seen in there life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

'Hungry, are you?'

'Starving," said Harry and Lily, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty each.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart. 'She always forgets I don't like corned beef.'

'Swap you for one of these," Lily smiled, holding up a pasty. 'Go on -'

'You don't want this, it's all dry,' Ron mumbled. 'She hasn't got much time,' he added quickly, 'you know, with five of us.'

'Go on, have a pasty,'encouraged Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all of Harry and Lily's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

'What are these?" Lily asked Ron frowing, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. 'They're not really frogs, are they?' She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise at all would surprise her. Nothing at all.

'Nah,' said Ron. 'But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa.'

'What?' 'Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy.'

Lily nodded her head and unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card.

It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore. 'Ah, so this is Dumbledore!' Exclaimed Lily.'

'Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!' said Ron. 'Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks.'

Lilyturned over her card and read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Lily turned the card back over and saw, to her and Harry's astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

'He's gone!'

'Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day,can you?' Asked Ron, who was rolling his eyes. 'He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting.' Lily nodded her thanks and took the Morgana card from Ron.

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

'Help yourself,' said Harry, who saw Ron eyeing them off. 'But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos.'

'Do they? What, they don't move at all?' Ron sounded amazed. 'weird!'. Lily let out a small giggle, and grinned sheepishly as Ron and Harry turned to look at her.

Lily stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave her a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Lily couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. Lily finally tore her eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

'You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry reached for a bean. 'When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a boogey flavored one once.'

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

'Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts.' They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked beans, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardines, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. Lily on the otherhand got Chocolate pudding, apple, rotton eggs, onion, salt, chilli, caramel, popcorn and parsnip.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. Lily loved this part of the scenery. She had always had an obsession with woods and forests and places like that.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Lily had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He looked tearful.

'Sorry,' he said, 'but have you seen a toad at all?'

When they shook their heads, he wailed, 'I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!'

'He'll turn up,' Lily tried to say positively. 'Yes,' said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him...'

The boy left the compartment.

'Don't know why he's so bothered,' said Ron. 'If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk.'

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. 'He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. 'I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look...' Lily perked up instantly. Ron rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

'Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-'

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

'Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

'We've already told him we haven't seen it,' Ron told her, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. 'Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then.' She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.'

'Er - all right.'

He cleared his throat.

'Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.'

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

'Are you sure that's a real spell?' said the girl. 'Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?'

She said all this very fast.

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either. Lily on the other hand... 'Oh no, I knew I should have read them more.' She muttered lowly to herself.

'I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

'Lily Potter,' Lily said holding her hand out. 'And this is my brother, Harry.' Hermione shook her hand firmly.

'Are you really?' asked Hermione. Lily rolled her eyes. "no duh..." She thought to herself. 'I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books,for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.'

'Are We?' said Harry, feeling dazed. 'Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me,' said Hermione. 'Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon.'

And she left, taking the toadless boy, Neville, with her.

'Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," grumbled Ron. Lily snorted and rolled her eyes. He threw his wand back into his trunk. 'Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.' 'Ah, that explains a lot.' Lily nodded to herself.

'What house are your brothers in?' asked Harry, steering the conversation away from dud spells and bossy girls.

'Gryffindor,' said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. 'Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.'

'That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?' Harry asked. 'Yeah,' said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed. 'You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," Lily smiled hopefully, trying to take Ron's mind off of the houses. 'So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?'

Lily just had to ask, she was wondering what a wizard did once they'd finished school. 'Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Egypt doing something for Gringotts,' said Ron. ;Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles - someone tried to rob a high security vault.'

Harry and Lily stared.

'Really? What happened to them?'

'Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it.'

Lily turned this news over in her mind. Harry and Herself were starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

'What's your Quidditch team?' Ron asked.

'Er - I don't know any,' Harry confessed. Lily looked blankly at Ron.

'What!' Ron looked dumbfounded. 'Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -'

And he was off, explaining all about

the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry and Lily through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, and Lily recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Lily with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

'Is it true?' he said in a arrogant voice. 'They're saying all down the train that Harry and Lily Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

'Well, I'm the only girl here,'nLily said sarcastically. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean and were very ugly. Lily scrunched up her nose in distaste. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

'Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,' said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Lily was looking. 'And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.' Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger.

Draco Malfoy looked at him.

'Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.' Lily frowned and stood up.

He turned back to Harry. 'You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potters. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.'

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. Thank God, Thought Lily. of course, she knew her brother wasn't that stupid, but still...

'I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,' he said coolly. Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. Lily bit her cheek to keep from laughing at the stunned expression on his pale face.

'I'd be careful if I were you, Potters,' he said slowly. 'Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you.'

Both Harry and Ron stood up, and Lily advanced on Draco.'Say that again,' Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

'Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

'Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.

'But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some.'

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once, but not before Lily socked Malfoy in the eyes. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

'What has been going on?' she demanded, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

'I think he's been knocked out,'Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. 'No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-' And so he had. Lily burst out in a fit of laughter, followed shortly by Harry.

'You've met Malfoy before?'. Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

'I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. 'They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side.' He turned to Hermione. 'Can we help you with something?'

'You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!' Lily rolled her eyes. Honestly, this girl...

'Scabbers has been fighting, not us,' said Ron, scowling at her. 'Would you mind leaving while we change?'

'All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,' said Hermione in a sniffy voice. 'And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?'

Ron glared at her as she left. Lily peered out of the window. It was beginning to start getting dark now, and she could see mountains and forests under a breathtaking deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Harry, Ron and Lily took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.'

Lily's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles, as did her brother. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Lily shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Lily heard an oddly comforting familiar voice: 'Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry,Lily?'

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

'C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!'

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Lily thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. 'I still can't believe i'm here...' Lily smiled to herself.

'Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec,' Hagrid called over his shoulder, 'jus' round this bend here.'

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

'No more'n four to a boat!' Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Lily and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville. 'Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. 'Right then - FORWARD!'

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Lily peered slightly over the edge of the boat, her reflection in the clear, dark water, which the stars and moon of the night sky shined off.

Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

'Heads down!' yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

'Oy, you there! Is this your toad?' said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

'Trevor!' cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Lily smiled, happy that Neville had found his toad. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

Everyone walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

'Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?'

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


AN- next chapter I'm hoping to get more of Lily's actual thoughts in, as it's probably a little confusing to read right now, sorry.

j