The Truth, As It Happened.

Friendships Forged

The truth is so often forgotten. Those we need to see as our heroes, are raised up upon our shoulders, and their faults covered up. Those we need to see as enemies are spit upon, and their contributions denied. If you look carefully you will find, as always, the past is not a story with a hero and a villain. More likely, you will find that it is a story with love, hate, jealousy, betrayal, and if we're all lucky, in the end, redemption.

The young girl had waved good bye to her parents, and passed through the stone archway that led to Platform 9 ¾. She was afraid, she had never left home for so long before. Now she was going to leave her home, her parents, and her little sister for nearly a year, all because she was a witch. You see the little girl with red hair and bright emerald green eyes was a muggle-born witch. Her name was Lily Evans.

Three weeks ago a tall prim looking woman had arrived on her doorstep with a letter in hand. The woman had called herself Prof. McGonagall. She said that Lily was a witch. She had said that Lily was to attend Hogwarts and be trained to use her magic. Lily had been shocked. Her parents had been thrilled. Lily thought her sister was a bit upset, because she didn't speak to Lily for the rest of the summer.

Not that Lily had a chance to miss it. Prof. Granger arranged a day for her to take the family shopping, but Petunia refused to come. She had always been a bit of a stubborn mule when she wanted. So she stayed with her best friend's family that day, the Dursley's

Lily wondered at no small amount of things on that trip. Prof. McGonagall took the family to a place called Diagon Alley. There she met her first class mates. It was at the last stop of the day; Ollivander's Wands. As Mr. Ollivander's had Lily wave about all sorts of wands, she saw two boys her age come tearing around the corner laughing like mad.

"You got 'em good there Siri," sad one boy with black hair that look insanely messy.

A man's voice followed the boys down the hallway, "JAMES! BLACK! GET BACK HERE!"

The boys were running a gain but the man who had yelled came around the corner and pointed his wand. A bright light shot out of the tip and the two boys skidded into the nearest rack of wands. The two boys didn't stop laughing the whole time, even as they were picking themselves off the ground. Lily just stared in amazement.

"James Potter," said the man taking the messy haired boy, that Lily now noticed had glasses, and hoisting him off the floor by the back of his robes. "That was not nice," growled the man that picked up the messy haired boy. "Extremely funny, but not nice." He dropped the boy, and turned around to see Lily clutching the last wand she had tried out tightly and had been watching with wide eyes. He turned, and began to explain to the old man who apparently owned the store, but the old man waved him off. "Boys will be boys," the old man said.

The other adult stepped behind the counter, "So, has this young lady found her wand yet?" he asked.

"Not quite David," said Mr. Ollivander. "But would you please ring up the standard first-year's fee."

"No prob... wait, did you say first year?" asked David.

"Yes," said Prof. McGonagall, stepping forward. "isn't your boy James starting this year?"

"Yup, but there's bad news," said David jokingly. "His best friend Sirius Black is starting this year too. They will be a force to be reckoned with."

"Watch yourselves boys," Prof. McGonagall said to the two who were now standing around, quite happy that everyone was talking about them. "You may wind up in Gryffindor, MY house." Both boys swallowed hard.

Lily's mother stepped forward. "This is my daughter Lily. She just found out she's a witch."

Lily blushed to match her hair. "hi," she said quietly.

"James stepped forward and jutted his hand out, "James potters the name, Mischief and Mayhem's the game."

"And I'm his partner-in-crime," said the other almost knocking his friend aside, "Sirius Black."

"AH," called Mr. Ollivander, bringing forth a wand. "I think this one will do."

Lily gave it a feeble wave, and Mr. Ollivander pronounced it a success. Her parents paid and Prof. McGonagall ushered them all out in an extremely hurried way.

Prof. McGonagall had told her how to get through the barrier on Sept. 1st to get to the train. She had now boarded the train and was looking through numerous compartments. She couldn't find a single empty one. She went for the next best thing; a compartment with only one quiet inhabitant. She loaded her things on a rack while a young boy with a sallow face and very greasy hair sat looking out the window. When she sat down opposite him, she looked at him hard. She thought he looked a little sad. She was scared but, she wanted to make friends so she spoke. "Hi, How are you?"

The jerked, as if he had not known she was there. "Hello, I'm fine," he said looking around to see if there was anyone else he had missed. "I'm Severus, Severus Snape. And you?"

"Lily, Lily Evans," she stuck her hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you Severus."

"Nice to meet you," he said with a smile.

"What were you thinking about?" asked Lily.

"What? Oh, Just wondering which house I was going to be in," her responded looking out the window.

"What are 'Houses'? I've heard it used like that before." Lily tried to keep the conversation going to take her mind off of how scared she was.

"Are you kidding?" asked Severus snidely.

"No, I was raised by..." she paused trying to remember the word. "Muggles."

"Oh," Severus said with a sound of understanding. "Well at Hogwarts', all students are sorted into four houses; Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor, based on different traits. The Ravenclaws are smart, making it a good house to be in all around, the Slytherins are ambitious, and they're the house every member of my family has been in, Hufflepuffs are supposedly loyal and hardworking, but the truth is they're just the left-overs, and the Gryffindors are supposedly brave, but my Mum says that she would kill me if I went into Gryffindor. She says they turn out fools and blood-traitors."

"Oh," Lily said, digesting this information. "Bet I get put in Hufflepuff," she muttered.

"Well only the Sorting Hat knows," said Severus.

She looked confusedly at him again. He smiled and explained some of Hogwarts' more bizarre customs, including Quidditch. She actually liked Severus.

About three minutes into the discussion, their door opened and a tall, thin, timid boy looked in. "Um... Pardon, but is there a seat open here?"

"Yes," said Lily, equally as timid. She moved over in her seat as the boy hefted his trunk into the rack.

"I'm Remus," he said extending his hand to Lily. "Lupin."

"I'm Lily Evans," she said, shaking his hand, "And this is Severus Snape."

"Snape?" Lupin asked. "Yours' is a pureblood family isn't it?" he asked.

Snape said upright, trying to act arrogant, "Yes, pure as the winter's snow."

"I think I ran into them once," said Lupin, while he rubbed his neck.

Another boy chose that moment to come into the car, dragging his trunk behind him labouredly. Lupin took pity and helped the boy hoist it to the rack. "And you are?" asked Remus.

"P-p-p-Peter Pettigrew," the boy answered quietly.

"Peter, welcome," said Remus genially. "I am Remus, this is Lily, and Severus."

Peter was about to say hello again, as was Lily, but at that moment two boys tussled threw the door.

"James?" asked Lily as she recognized one of the boys. And then the other, "Sirius?"

"You know these two?" asked Lupin surprised.

"I-I met them while shopping in Diagon Alley," Lily explained.

"Lils?" said James looking up from where he and Sirius lay on the floor.

"Hey James," Sirius said. "It's the muggle-born, Lily... something or other!"

They got up and dusted themselves off. "Good to see you again," James said offering his hand.

"nice to see you two again," she said nervously.

From that point on Sirius and James dominated the conversation, and little Peter's eyes just grew bigger and bigger. He was so awestruck by the pair, especially James. Lupin would chuckle, and shake his head occasionally. Severus however sneered disapprovingly at them both, and at Pettigrew. Every so often Severus would steal glances at Lily. A few times their eyes met, and they would obviously be sharing the same thought, "These two are such blowhards."