First of all, thanks to my reviewers, favouriters, and followers of this story. Really! And to anyone who has fav'ed/followed me. Thank you!

This one is kind of a filler chapter, but I'll hopefully have another one up at the end of the day. For the record, most of my chapters will be about this length because it's easy for me to bang it out and upload faster.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Lily

It's safe to assume I left quite promptly after that. I know that she's my sister, but when someone tells you they want you out of the house, you have to respect that, right?

So that's how I found myself on the swing at ten o'clock at night, with no food all day (except for the breakfast consisting of a pancake and one pumpkin pasty on the train), no shelter, and a full bladder. The bladder problem wasn't too bad, seeing as there was a public toilet on the park premises, but I got the impression that it has been a long, long time since anyone visited it with a Flash spray and scrubbing brush. Still, the feeling of needing to pee left me with two options: the disgusting public toilet, or the equally horrifying bushes. At least no one could see me in a toilet stall. I hope.

I did my business then decided I was going to attempt sleep. With nowhere to go, the best I could do was the bench on the other side of the park. I know what you're thinking. I'm a witch, why didn't I just magic myself up a bed and make it so no one could see me? The answer to that is I'm only 16, and I have to be at least 17 to perform magic outside of school without getting my wand snapped. It's Wizarding Law and apparently has been for centuries. There are other reasons to this of course, such as the chances of being seen by a muggle, but the main one is that I'm underage.

I lay down on that bench and fell into a restless sleep.

'Not Harry! Please!'

'Stand aside, girl'

'James! James help! He wants Harry. HELP.'

I woke up with a jolt. So many questions were running full speed through my mind. Who was Harry? Who was James? There was also a flash of green light; what was that? Who were Harry and James?! In Hogwarts, I knew no Harry's and one James. James the Quidditch Captain, member of the Marauders (a group of four who find pleasure in playing pranks on us unsuspecting students), and Hogwarts' most eligible bachelor, next to his best friend Sirius Black. I suppose their other guy, Remus Lupin, was also rather fetching but in a swottier, nerdier way. Potter and Black were through and through badass. There's another member of the group but I can't remember his name. Paul? Phil? Peter? Peter, that was it. Peter Pettigrew. Neither charming nor swotty in the slightest, slightly (okay, pretty) overweight, and, you guessed it, single.

I'm getting sidetracked. What the hell would Potter be doing in my dream? We've never spoken, in fact, I'm not even sure if he's aware of my existence. I'm not one of the girls who fawns over him, and I'm never the butt of his jokes, which makes me only too pleased to become even more invisible.

That dream, it must have just been from exhaustion then. Yes, that's what it was.

I looked at the clocktower in the centre of the park. Apparently it was 5:50am, so I may as well just get up. The dog walkers will be around soon, and I don't want to risk anyone seeing me. If they did, and by some miracle recognised me from some point in my life, I wouldn't know what to say. I'm not exactly the social type. In actual fact, I would probably suffer through a couple of words, find an excuse to leave, then have a panic attack. I told you I'm not good with people.

I'd not really had a chance to think since Petunia kicked me out. I wasn't exceptionally close to my parents, as they didn't agree with my theory of books making better friends than people. Let's just say, we never really clicked. So while I mourned their loss, it was also (and don't judge me on this) a slight blessing. I no longer had to put up with their constant horrible words when I was home for the holidays, wouldn't be forced into attending dinners with their co-workers when it was fairly obvious I was uncomfortable. I was free.

That makes me sound like the worst person on earth, I'll admit it. But when you have put up with everything I have, the bullying at school followed by it continuing at home by your own parents, it messes you up too. I cried for them, because they still raised me, fed me, clothed me; they just didn't do an exceptional job of it, and I'm not sure if they realised it.

After my little sob-fest, I looked through my bag to see if there was any spare change rolling around. There was only 50p, muggle money, but that would do for the local paper. If I looked through there I could find out if there was any cheap accommodation or jobs going.

First, I would have to go into a shop.

Shops to someone who suffers from anxiety is their worst nightmare. That feeling when you're not quite sure on what to do when they're sorting out your change. Or when you can't get your item into the bag and feel as though the entire shop is judging you. Not even knowing how to ask for the gum on the shelf behind the till, so opening and closing your mouth whilst pointing, praying they get the message.

Welcome to my life.

How hard can it be? You go into the shop, find the paper you want, pay for it, get out. You don't even have to wait for any change today. You can do it, Lils. I kept on repeating those few sentences to myself over and over and over again. Surprisingly, I managed to make it out without making a complete idiot of myself, and even managed to thank the cashier. Now for the easier part: finding a room or job. This part proved to be just as hard.

In the end, I cried. I cried and cried and cried. For my parents, who were brutally murdered by the Death Eaters. By my sister, who hated me because she thought I played a part in it. For myself, for being so Merlin-damned pathetic I couldn't even go into a shop let alone attend an interview for any jobs I might just happen to stumble upon. I was doomed.

If I could manage to get to Diagon Alley, I might be able to see if there was something going in the Wizarding Highstreet. It was worth a try, after all, I have nothing else to lose. How the hell am I meant to get there? I thought. Oh! The Knight Bus! I had only even ridden on the bus once before, when Dumbledore and McGonagall came and told me I was a witch, and decided to take me to get my supplies themselves. Needless to say, I got quite a discount just for being in their presence whilst shopping. I tried to remember how Dumbledore summoned the bus last time, and after thinking for what felt like hours, it suddenly came back.

I stuck my wand arm out and –

Nothing. I was about to settle back onto the grass and cry some more when- wait! I could hear something. With a bang, it had appeared, and a man who looked to be in his thirties popped out.

'Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Thomas Shunpike and I will be your conductor this evening.'

Even though I knew it was coming, I was still amazed to see this huge purple bus in front of me. The way it just appeared, it was just, well, magical.

'Lily Evans, sir,' I said, holding out my hand. Thomas looked at me, either confused as to why I called him sir, or why I had extended my hand for him to shake. Slowly, he took it, shook it quickly, and dropped it like hot coal.

'Please,' he said, 'Call me Tommy. None of this 'ere formality! Now, where you off to Miss Evans?'

'Lily. And Diagon Alley, please. I need a job.'

'Well yer in fer a bitta luck, Lily. We're off to Diagon Alley next to drop off Mr Crouch over there. A job you say? Be sure to give the Leaky Cauldron a check, heard they was hiring not long ago. If I be remembering correct, the job gave ya four galleons per shift and gave ya room an board too, if ya need it. Otherwise ol' Tom pays ya an extra galleon for not wanting the room,' this was news to me, but it was useful. I looked outside and we were on the familiar street, near the entrance to Diagon Alley.

'Oh thank you Tommy! Thanks very much, for everything!' I shook his hand once again, jumped off the bus and let my feet lead me over to the Leaky Cauldron.

Let me know what you think in the reviews, and I'll see you all later! X