Lily sat out on the dock at her Grandma's house; she had a small pond in her back yard, with a small dock, and an old wooden row boat. She was sitting and reading a book, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. Her father had become distant, always coming home late, very rarely calling to tell them anymore, it was now expected, and now he had this random business trip. Lily knew that Petunia didn't believe everything her father was saying about working towards a promotion, and Lily was beginning to think that maybe Petunia was right. He had never had to work this much in the past. But Lily couldn't figure out why he would lie to them.

So now, instead of sitting comfortably at home, she was spending the week in Surrey, probably the most boring county in all of England. Everyone was extremely nosey, much like her sister, who loved spending time here. Sure, she loved her Grandma, and enjoyed visiting her, but she hated feeling like she was always being watched by the prying neighbors. All of which were too nosy for their own good. Gossip spread like wildfire here, and Lily didn't like it.

Sighing, she closed her book, finishing it. It had been a good book, but it had also been the last she brought with her. She stood up, cringing as she felt her shoulders burning from all the hours in the sun. She walked slowly into the house, and called to her Grandmother.

"I'm going out to the bookstore, and maybe to get some ice cream!" she said.

"Already finished all of your books Lily dear?" her Grandmother asked, smiling.

"Sadly," Lily said, chuckling slightly.

"Alright, be careful, and be back by dinner!" her Grandmother said, and Lily nodded, before going upstairs to grab some money.

She walked a couple of blocks before she reached the small bookstore that she absolutely adored. Her father used to take her all of the time when she was younger, because he too loved reading, and soon she was going at least once every time they visited their Grandma. She opened the door, smiling as the smell of the new and old books embraced her, and she moved happily through the shelves, looking for a book or two to buy.

"Lily?" she heard from behind her, and she grinned, hardly believing her luck.

"Remus!" she said, running and throwing her arms around him.

Remus chuckled and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"My father is on a business trip for a week so my sister and I our staying at our Grandmothers' house for the week. What are you doing around here?"

"My mother comes to Surrey about once a week to check in on one of her patients, and I normally come with her because I love this book store."

Lily smiled, happy that Remus was here. She hadn't seen any of her friends in the longest time. They continued to catch up as they searched the book shelves for anything to read. Just enjoying each other company. After about an hour they were ready to leave, both with a few books in their hands. After the bookstore they went out to the little ice parlor nearby the little shop. They entered the parlor and ordered their ice cream, strawberry for Lily and chocolate for Remus, and they went and sat outside.

"Are you excited for school to start?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, mum told me that we should be getting our supply lists soon!"

"We probably will, school starts in two weeks! I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts!"

"Me neither, we should owl Sirius and see when he and the girls will be in Diagon Alley, that way we can see them briefly. At least before school starts."

"That's a great idea!"

"I'll owl him tonight when I get home!" Remus said, excited.

"Sounds great! Owl me the date!" Lily said, excited by the thought that she might get to see her friends.

"I will! I'll tell everyone else the date as well!" Remus said, "Anyway, I should probably go, my mum is going to be wondering where I am. Bye! I'll see you when we meet up at Diagon Alley!"

"Bye!" Lily said.

Alice raced through Diagon Alley to run and stand in front of Gringotts, where everyone had decided to meet. She was excited to see everyone, the only people that she had seen since they got back last week was James and Gemma, and she wanted to see everyone else. She felt a pair of hands cover her eyes from behind.

"Guess who!" She heard.

"LILS!" She screeched and turned around and hugged her friend, "How was your summer?"

"Boring, my father was never home so I couldn't really do anything…" she said, "But how was Egypt?"

"Absolutely amazing! Neville finally purposed to Susanna!" Alice gushed, and Lily squealed, "And I got to see all of the pyramids!"

"Oh my gosh that sounds like so much fun!" Lily said, as Alice launched into stories about her trip.

Remus, Peter and Gemma showed up shortly after and right on time seeing as the other girls were early, and James showed up late. Then the small group made their way to Flourish and Blotts to get their books, and once they finished buying their books they made their way to the back right corner waited because that's where they planned on meeting with the others. Sure enough Sirius, Adrian, and Adaline showed up in the back corner, grinning, and giving everyone hugs.

"Summer has been far too long…" Adrian groaned.

"Tell me about it…" Sirius muttered darkly.

"Did you guys get to see each other often?" Gemma asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, but that was the only good part. We had all sorts of lessons and stuff that is completely boring. What did everyone do over the summer?" said Adaline.

"Went to Egypt," Alice said, grinning.

"Lucky!" squealed Adaline, "I would love to travel the world!"

Alice grinned and started talking quickly about Egypt, and everyone listened, enjoying all of her stories.

"There you three are!" said an angry Lucius Malfoy as we found the group.

They all froze, and he stared in shock, until, "WAIT TIL I TELL YOUR PARENTS!"

They all exchanged nervous looks and then Sirius, Adaline and Adrian all ran after him, leaving the rest of their friends standing, and hoping that they would not get into too much trouble. No matter how doubtful that was.

They finished their school shopping and kept a look out for their friends, hoping to get a clue as to how much trouble they were actually in. They had no such luck. At the end of the day they all hugged each other goodbye, with excitement that they would see each other in a few days at Kings Cross, all were ready for the summer to be over.

The night before school started Peter laid in bed, trying to tune out the screaming match going on downstairs. He didn't know what they were fighting about now, but he honestly didn't care. The only thing that really matter was that his mother didn't run off on him again. That if she even felt like leaving he just hoped that she would take him with her. He almost wished that she would leave and take him. His father was slowly changing into a cold and distant man, as he started talking more with this 'Tom Riddle' fellow. Peter didn't know who he was; he just knew that nothing good was going to come from him. In fact he was sure quite the opposite was going to come from him. He knew that his mother hated the man, and she liked most people.

He rolled over in bed, pulled his pillow over his ears, and fell asleep. Thankful that tomorrow night he would not fall asleep to arguing.

The next morning was crazy at the Potter Manor, the Ryans and the Prewetts had stayed the night, and everyone was currently making sure everything was in their trunks so they could get into the Ministry cars and head off towards the station.

"Hurry up!" Melissa Prewett yelled at the four students.

Soon after that they were scrambling down the stairs, trunks in tow, and piling into the cars. Excited to be on their way to Kings Cross.

The train ride to Kings Cross was an awkward one for the Evans. The tension could have been cut with a knife. Petunia was sitting in the passenger seat sulking, she had been forced by their father to come along. Lily was sitting in her seat quietly, trying to get Petunia's cruel words out of her head.

"Why do I need to go dad? I don't want to be that close to them…" Petunia complained.

"She's you're sister! And as often as you don't get along you used to be best friends, and as a family we support each other no matter what!" her father said.

"She stopped being family to me when she went to that stupid school!" Petunia spat.

"Tuney, I know that you don't mean that. You're just angry. I know that it's hard, but you don't have a choice. You are coming to the station and saying goodbye to your sister. It is what your mother would have wanted."

Lily could hear Petunia groan from her place in the room next door. She took deep breaths, trying to blink back the tears in her eyes.

And as she sat in the car and again started to blink back her tears. It stung to know that her sister hated her that much. She had known that her sister wasn't her biggest fan since she had gotten her letter; she knew that Petunia was jealous of her, and Lily knew that if Petunia was a witch and she wasn't that she would be jealous too. But she would have gotten over it by now. Petunia clearly had not.

Lily was shaken from her musing when they arrived at Kings Cross, and any sad feelings that she had immediately disappeared. She was going back to Hogwarts. And she couldn't wait. Her father got her a trolley, and she placed her trunk on it, and her and her family made their way towards platforms nine and ten. Once they got there she turned to her father, who was smiling at her proudly.

"Bye daddy! I'll miss you! I promise to write!" Lily said, hugging her father.

"Behave Lils, I'll miss you. Have a fun year!" Her father said, smiling at his daughter.

Then Lily turned to her sister, "By Tuney…"

Her sister ignored her and Lily sighed, before running through to Platform 9 ¾, where she made her way onto the train and into an empty compartment, where she waited for her friends.

Peter was the first to arrive, soon followed by Sirius, Adrian and Adaline. The train had started moving before Alice, Gemma and James joined them.

"Hey guys!" Alice said, excitedly, "How is everyone?"

"Fantastic," said Adrian.

"Never better," said Sirius.

"Fabulous," said Adaline, "We're finally free!"

"Good," Lily said, laughing at her friends.

"Fine," said Peter.

"Great," said Remus, smirking.

"Dandy," Gemma said chuckling.

"PEACHY!" said James, loudly; clearly he had been waiting to say that.

This caused the group to burst into laughter, and once they started they started, they couldn't stop. Everyone was just happy to be together again. Two months had been an awfully long time. They hadn't been able to see each other the entire summer (well except at Flourish and Blotts, but that had not ended well).

They all launched into stories about their summers. Alice's were bright and cheery, Sirius, Adrian, and Adaline's were mischievous and full of annoyance, James and Gemma's were full of Quidditch, while Peter, Remus and Lily told stories of their boredom. This seemed to pass the time quickly, and soon enough they were changing into their robes (girls first and boys second) and piling into the carriages.

"What do you think is pulling the carriages?" asked Peter.

"Probably magic, some simple enchantments," said Remus logically.

"I think its unicorns."

Everyone turned and gave Sirius a blank look, and he just shrugged.

"You have to admit it's plausible…"

Lily just shook her head, and bit her lip to refrain from making a comment.

Adaline, did not, "You're an idiot Sirius," she told him laughing.

"Hey!"

"Don't deny it!" said Adrian.

He just glared at the sisters, and everyone burst into laughter. All thinking the same thing, this was going to be a good year.

Hey! I hope that you like this chapter. Sorry, I wanted to get it up so I didn't send it to Rachel. I hope it isn't too bad though. Sorry it has taken so long to update! I have been super busy and haven't had time. But this story is almost done! :) I'm not putting too much in 2nd year, cause not much important happens :P Anyways, please read and review!