Disclaimer:  They're mine!  Alllllllll mine!  *evil cackle*  Orrrrrrrrr… not.  They're JK Rowling's.  ('Cause, you know, nobody knows that.)  And the chapter titles belong to Disney.

Author's Note: Each chapter title is based on a line from Disney's version of Beauty and the Beast, because it just seemed to fit.  So you get a quote at the beginning of each chapter, too.  Enjoy, and I appreciate reviews, even just little notes saying you read it and liked it (or hated it, but I'm hoping for the former).  If there are any factual errors, please point them out, and feel free to mention any characters you'd like to see.  I can't think of them all.  ANYWAY…here.

Right From the Moment

'Right from the moment when I met her, saw her, I said she's gorgeous and I fell'

Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters was bustling with the assorted yells of students, their pets, and the occasional irritated parent.  One of the irritated parents, incidentally, was currently yelling at her black-haired son.

"I don't care if he set off Filibuster's Fireworks under the train, you may not go meet him now, you are to stay here and say goodbye to your father and me!  No, don't you give me that look, James Potter, this is the first time you are going to be away from home, and – "  At this, the woman seemed lost for words, and recognizing the danger signs, James quickly gave his mother a hug, trying to stop the inevitable flood of tears.

"Mom – get off me – honestly, I'll be fine – just think, I won't be around to get into trouble anymore – "

"True," said the woman, suddenly becoming stern.  "Oh, very true indeed, you'll just blow things up and create havoc at Hogwarts instead – oh, I do pity your teachers!"

Mr. and Mrs. Evans nervously edged their way through the masses of people. 

"I don't understand why the station is so crowded, honey," said Mr. Evans.  "Where was your station again?"

"Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters," recited Lily.  A loud snort came from behind her mother, where a tall, pale girl was standing.

"Nine and Three Quarters?  Bloody idiots, the lot of them."

"Petunia," sighed Mrs. Evans in exasperation, "please, hold back the comments for one day?  Now then, how are you to get to this station?  I, er, don't see it anywhere."

"Of course you don't, Mom," said Lily impatiently, "it's magical.  Muggles can't see it."

"Then can you see it, dear?"

"Well, no," muttered Lily, a little nervously.  Just then, a girl with waves of shining brown hair brushed past them.

"Bloody muggles," she said under her breath.

"Excuse me," said Lily, "but did you say Muggles?"

"Yeah?"  The girl brushed her bangs out of her eyes.  "What's it to you?"

"I'm, er, a witch, but I don't know, exactly, how to get to the station – "

"Like this," snapped the witch, and proceeded to disappear into a solid wall.

The Evans family gaped.

"Well, I guess that's it then," ventured Lily.  "I just…walk into the wall."

"This ought to be good," scowled Petunia.  Lily exchanged hugs and kisses with her parents, who only let her go after she promised to write every week.  She gave a stiff-backed Petunia a quick, obligatory hug, and turned to face the wall.  She walked towards it, having no idea what to expect. 

"Now, Remus," said Mrs. Lupin, pulling her son aside, "I know you're nervous, but remember what the Professor said – "

"Every precaution will be taken," supplied Remus dully.  "I know."

"And dear – please try to include Peter.  He doesn't make friends so easily, and his mother is so concerned about him fitting in.  He may not be the most exciting boy, I do realize that, but his mother and I have always been friends, and it would just be nice –"  She was interrupted by a shriek, and then a clatter.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry," cried Lily, her cheeks matching her hair.  Remus smiled.

"That's all right.  First time through?"

"Yeah," said Lily distractedly, collecting the bags that had gone everywhere when she had fallen.  Suddenly seeming to remember her manners, she straightened up.  "I'm Lily Evans, by the way."

"Remus Lupin."

"Do you, ah, know what we do next?"

"Well…no, not exactly, but I think we can follow the crowd."

"I say," said James, "were those your fireworks?"  The boy whirled around.

"Yes, but don't say it so loudly!"  In a lower voice, James continued.

"It was brilliant.  If you'll hang on a second, you'll see my own handiwork."
"Oh?" said the boy, interested.  In answer, the robes adorning a mousy-haired boy near them began to flash pink. 

"Nice," muttered the boy, "very nice.  I'm Sirius Black, by the way.  You?"

"James Potter," replied James, grinning at the compliment.

"Hey!" cried the now pink-clothed boy.  "Did you do this?"

"Do what?" asked James innocently.

"Do…this!" sputtered the boy, holding up a fistful of his florescent robes.

"Why, I thought you wanted them that way!" said James.  "But can't you change them back?"  The boy turned slightly pink, though not nearly equaling the brilliant hue of his robes.

"I'll change them for you, Peter," said a new voice.  "Who did it?"

"Them," said Peter, pointing.  Remus raised his eyebrows.

"Well, now, I have to say it's nice work – and was that you that set off those fireworks?"  Sirius nodded.

"Not a bad start to the year," James added.  For a second, Remus seemed ready to smile.

"Could you give us a hand with these bags?  Oh, and Lily's too?"

"Who's Lily?" asked Sirius and James in tandem.

"That would be me," said the redhead, stepping out from a crowd, "and I can carry my own bags."

"Well, then," said Sirius, stepping back with his hands in the air in a surrendering gesture, "go to it."  Giving him a dirty look, Lily grabbed two bags in each hand and dragged them up the steps.

"I, uh, don't think she's one you want upset at you," warned Remus.

"No kidding," said James, watching her march up the stairs.

"Can I sit here?" asked Lily, opening a compartment door.  The girl she had seen in the train station was leaning back in her chair.

"Oh, it's you," said the girl, with obvious distaste.  "What do you want?"  Feeling she had made herself perfectly clear, Lily stared back at her.

"A seat, as I believe I said."

"I don't know if I can help you with that.  I don't do well with other people around."

Well, I can see that, thought Lily.

"I'm afraid you might have to learn," said a girl, coming up behind Lily.  She nodded to Lily, and rolled her eyes at the girl sitting haughtily in her chair.  "I don't suppose you could lower yourself to tell us your name?"

"Morena Aviance," sniffed the girl.

"Great," said Lily, "but as the train is now moving, we are going to be forced to invade your needed acres of personal space."  Lily and the other girl stomped to a seat facing Morena.  Nose in the air, Morena stood up to find another compartment. 

"Bye!" said the girl cheerily.  Morena didn't reply.  Lily and the girl shook their heads at each other.

"She could be interesting," said the girl, running a hand through her short, spiky blond hair.  "What's your name?"

"Lily Evans."

"Nice to meet you, Lily Evans.  I'm Asper Willow."

"Asper Willow?  That's your real name?"

"Yeah," groaned Asper, "my parents seem to think they have a sense of humor."

"So do mine!" cried Lily.  "They named me Lily and my sister Petunia.  Good thing they never had any boys, I can't imagine what names they'd get."  Asper grinned as a face appeared at the window in the compartment door. 

"Come on in," called Asper.  A tall girl with long, straight light brown hair made her way into the room.

"Is that girl gone?"  She was surprised by Lily and Asper bursting into laughter.

"You – you mean Morena?" gasped Lily.  "Yeah…we kicked her out…"  The girl broke into a grin.

"Excellent."

"Very," said Asper, and introduced herself and Lily.

"I'm Esedora Briant," said the tall girl.  "Nice to meet ya'll."

"There is," puffed Sirius Black as he yanked his trunk along, "nowhere – to sit – on this – bloody train."

"This compartment looks empty," called Remus, who was up farther ahead. 

"Excellent," said James.

"No – wait – there's three girls in it."

"Even more excellent," smirked Sirius.

"One of them's Lily."  James suddenly looked nervous.

"Uh, guys, maybe we should keep looking-"

"Nah," said Sirius as he threw the door open.  "Hello," he called.  The girls barely looked up from their conversation.

"Hi."  Undaunted, Sirius pushed his way in.  "I'm Sirius Black, and that's Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and I think that's James Potter, but he's trying to hide."

"Shut up, Sirius."  The boys sat down in seats across from the girls, who were still pretty much ignoring them. 

"So," continued Sirius, "what are your names?"

"Lily."

"Asper."

"Esedora."

"You girls nervous about the first day?" asked James.

"Why would we be?" asked Lily, shrugging a lock of hair over her shoulder.

"Cause it's brand new to you all?"  Lily turned and stared James straight in the eye.

"Am I supposed to be scared of new things?"

"Most people are."

"And has it taken you this long to notice that I'm not most people?"  James blinked.

"I thought so," said Lily, and returned to her conversation.  The two parties ignored each other for the rest of the trip.

James is unbearable, thought Lily as all the first years waited in the great hall.

"So," he was saying, "I do expect I'll get a position on the House Quidditch team."

"First years can't be on the team, smart one," retorted Sirius.

"They can make exceptions," shrugged James.  "And I'm sure they will.  I just have to make sure they see me fly."

"Yeah, yeah," said Sirius. 

"What do we do for the Sorting?" asked Peter nervously; McGonagall clearly scared him.

"Dunno," said James, "but I'm sure it's easy.  What house d'ya think you'll be in, Sirius?"

"Oh, Ravenclaw, definitely," he deadpanned, "what with my keen wit and sirius nature."

"I'll probably be in Gryffindor," said James in a rather loud tone of voice.  "It sounds by far the best."

"And James is, of course, the best," Esedora muttered in Lily's ear.  "Oh, I hope I'm not in his house."

The first years nervously followed McGonagall, treading on one another's robes.  They could see an old, patched hat sitting on a stool.  Half of the new students were staring at the ragged black hat, and the other half were gazing up at the starry ceiling.  But everybody snapped to attention as the hat opened up a rip in its side and began to sing.

"You come before me now,

so nervous and afraid.

But step right up and I can tell

of what it is you're made.

It's a gift I have

to peer inside your head.

I'll open up your mind -

those outer layers shed.

For Gryffindor is always

so noble, brave, and true.

If these things you do possess

then Gryffindor's for you.

In Slytherin, those with a will

to always be the best

will fit right in so easily -

for Slytherin's their nest.

Ravenclaw will take

those with the brightest minds.

All those extra-clever ones

find Ravenclaw's their kind.

A Hufflepuff will always be

around to lend a hand.

If you are kind and loyal too,

then Hufflepuff's your land.

So come along, and lift me up,

and put me 'round your ears.

I'll tell you where you are to spend

all of your Hogwarts' years."

The new pupils gaped, while the older students applauded.  Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and began to call the names of the pupils. 

"Aviance, Morena!"  Morena strode forward and placed the ratty hat gingerly on her shining hair.  Lily could hear it mumbling, but couldn't make out any words until it opened its rip wide and yelled.

"Gryffindor!"  Asper moaned.

"Gryffindor?" she said.  "I thought that one would be a Slytherin for sure."

"Bones, Amelia!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Briant, Esedora!"

"Gryffindor!" 

"Good for her," Lily muttered to Asper, "although now she'll have to share a dorm with Morena." They could see Esedora take a seat next to Sirius Black, who had already been made a Gryffindor.  There were a lot of first years.  Lily found herself zoning out until she heard her name.

"Diggory, Amos!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Evans, Lily!" 

"Go!" hissed Asper.  Lily stumbled up the stool and put on the hat.

"Ah yes, Miss Lily Evans," said the hat; it was altogether a disconcerting experience for Lily to have her headwear talking to her.  "You are destined for great things - but terrible.  Great, yes indeed, you would do well in Slytherin – still, something holds you back.  And what a mind!  But yet, Ravenclaw isn't right, either.  Gryffindor!"  Slightly shaken, Lily walked to a seat next to Esedora.

"Excellent!" cried Esedora.

"Yeah," said Lily, forcing a smile.  "Excellent."

Terrible? she wondered.  What terrible things am I destined for?

"Jorkins, Bertha!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Longbottom, Frank!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Lestrange, Bellatrix!"

"Slytherin!"

"Lockhart, Gilderoy!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Lupin, Remus!"

"Gryffindor!"  Lily found herself massaging her stomach and wondering longingly when they were going to eat.

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Potter, James!"  The hat took longer with James; it seemed to be telling him something, and James began to look slightly sick.  But it finally declared him a Gryffindor, and he practically ran to the table.  The only available seat anywhere near Sirius was next to Lily.

"Mind if I sit here?"  Lily looked up without a trace of recognition.

"Should I?"

"It's me!  James Potter!"

"I'm supposed to be impressed?"  James shut his mouth and pulled out his chair rather harder than was necessary.  He didn't say a word through the rest of the sorting.

"Zabini, George!"

"Slytherin!"

At long last, food appeared on the table.  Lily watched James pile his plate with distaste.

"Pig."

"I'd rather be a pig than be you."

"I'd rather you were a pig, too.  Wouldn't have to deal with you; we could just throw a few scraps under the table."  Sirius leaned over and muttered into Remus' ear.

"I think James has met his match."

"Uhhhhhhh," said Sirius, looking ill.  "I don't feel so good."

"I'm hardly surprised," said Asper.  "Poor house-elves had to work overtime on your plate alone."

"Funny," said Sirius as they plodded along, following the prefect.

"I thought so."  They finally arrived at a portrait of a portly woman dressed in pink.

"Bubotubers," said the prefect, and the painting swung open.  They stumbled into the large common room, greeted by a blast of heat from the fire.

"Boys up that staircase, girls up that one.  There are to be no girls in the boys' rooms, and vice versa."

"Like we'd want to go in there," said James in a very audible whisper.  "Bunch of giggling girls."

"Do you have a problem with girls, Potter?" asked Lily.

"Only some, Evans," he replied, looking her straight in the eye. 

"I'd watch my step if I were you, Potter," said Lily, narrowing her eyes.  "You never know what might – accidentally happen."

"Oh, I'm so scared," scoffed James.  "Like you could do anything to me."

"Would you like to see me try?" demanded Lily, whipping out her wand.  James eyed it nervously.

"Like you know how to use that thing already."  Lily looked her wand over.

"I know it's sharp."

"All right then, lights out, let's move along here," said the prefect.  Still shooting death glares at each other, Lily and James stomped up to their respective dormitories.