It was September 1st. The Potter family was walking through Kings Cross station on their way to meet the Weasleys at platform 9 3/4. Lily was ecstatic. Finally, she got to go to Hogwarts! She absolutely could not wait. But one thing kept nagging at her mind: her house. She knew it was only natural to worry about this, and it would be fine no matter what house she landed in, but she worried all the same. James was in Gryffindor. Albus was in Slytherin. Which would she be in? And what if, a little voice in her head said, what if she was in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? Then she wouldn't have either of her brothers with her. And all of her older cousins were in Gryffindor. If she was put in one of the other houses, all she could do would be to hope Hugo landed there also.

"Knut for your thoughts, kiddo." Her Uncle Ron said. Lily hadn't even realized they had reached them yet.

"Oh, I was just... well, I was..." She trailed off. She was certain Ron would think her ridiculous for worrying about her house, so she was hesitant to tell him that that was what had been on her mind for several days. But to her surprise, Uncle Ron just smiled.

"Let me guess, you're worried about what house you'll be in." Seeing her shock, Ron smiled. These kids just didn't seem to understand that he and his friends had been their age once.

"Don't worry, Lily, it's normal for first years to worry about that some. It's only natural. But I can assure you, it doesn't matter what house you are, in, we won't disown you or anything." He chuckled, but his wife, Hermione walked up, and, having heard most of this conversation, silenced him with a look. She could see her neice's discomfort.

"Listen, Flower," she said, using the nickname m most of their family used for Lily, " everything is going to be perfectly fine I promise. The odds are that you will get Gryffindor or Slytherin, but we couldn't be happier for you either way. I will tell you what I told Hugo: I had friends from all of the houses - well, not really from Slytherin, but that's where your brother is, so he counts - and they were all lovely people. I'm sure you will bloom like a lily in whichever house you are in."

Just then, the train's whistle blew, and Lily realized that she had to go say goodbye to her parents. She gave her aunt and uncle quick hugs and ran off to find them.

When she spotted her dad, he opened his arms out to her. She ran into them.

"I'm going to miss you." She whispered.

"I'm going to miss you, too," Harry said to his daughter. "I know you are going to love Hogwarts. There is nothing to worry about. As I have been telling you, it doesn't matter what house you are in, it will be where you belong best. I love you."

Lily responded to her father that she loved him, too. Then she asked him where Ginny was. Harry pointed to her, watching as Albus stepped onto the train. Lily walked up to her mother. She gave her a big hug.

"I love you so much, Mum! I will miss you." Lily said to her mother. She felt her eyes trickle with tears. Ginny stroked her hair.

"Oh, Flower, I love you too. I will miss you so much. We will write every week." Ginny said. She seemed like she wanted to say more, but then the train's whistle blew, and Lily had to get on the train. She walked off down the isles to find her brothers and cousins, who she knew would be sitting together.

As the train left the station, the Potter's waved to their children. When the train got out of sight, Harry put his arm around his wife, who wasn't bothering to stop the tears that had been pooling in her eyes from spilling over. Ginny both loved and hated watching her kids go to school. She loved watching the eagerness in their eyes as they headed off to the school they'd only heard about, or the happiness to be going back to the place that was almost their second home. At the same time, she hated watching them leave. It was always painful to see them walk on that train and know that she wouldn't be seeing them again for months. And Harry could relate to that, because he felt pretty much the same way. But it always softened his heart to see his wife cry. This was pretty much the only time he saw her cry during the year. He knew it would be a long wait until Christmas. But he knew it would be worth the wait.

The kids arrived at Hogwarts just as it was getting dark. Lily and Hugo had to separate themselves from their older siblings, who were going to be taken to the castle in carriages that didn't seem to have any horses in front. The first year, however, were taken to a bunch of boats on the lake. Hugo looked at them doubtfully.

"Theyre taking us across in those? Tell my parents I love them, Lils." Lily laughed. She and Hugo got into a boat along with a blonde haired kid who Lily recognized to be the son of Luna Scamander, one of her parent's old friends, and the woman who her middle name was after. She also noticed Neville Longbottom's daughter. Professor Longbottom was the Herbology teacher here, and he was James's favorite. There were a few other kids in the boat, but Lily didn't recognize them.

Lily and Hugo would have talked to the kids in their boat if they hadn't been so seasick, but unfortunately they were occupied trying to keep their last meals down.

When they finally reached the castle, they were paraded through some tall doors. Lily looked around in wonder. James and Albus had described the castle to her, but it was indescribably more amazing in person.

The first years walked through some more doors, and suddenly they were in the great hall. It was magnificent. Amazing beyond words. Lily had never seen anything like it. They walked towards the front of the room. There was a stool with an old hat on it. Unlike her father on his first day here, Lily knew what to expect. The hat would be placed on your head, essentially read your mind and personality, and declare which house you belonged in. Lily was nervous. She was still worried about her house.

Professor McGonagall said a few words, and then the sorting began. As it went on, Lily recognized some of the children of her parent's old friends:

Finnagan, Jessibell was put in Gryffindor.

Longbottom, Zoey was put in Hufflepuff.

A few more kids were sorted, and then it was her turn. "Potter, Lily" She stepped up to the stool. McGonagall took the sorting hat and placed it on her head. She heard a moment of silence,and then the hat started talking to her...

TO BE CONTINUED...