The remaining days of the school holidays passed very slowly for Lily. True, she was nervous and scared at the prospect of going to a new school where she hardly new anyone, but she couldn't ever remembering wanting to get away from her sister this much.
She was a nightmare. Whenever they were in the same room she'd insult Lily and shoot her dark and dangerous looks. The only thing that saved Lily from a painful and horrible death was the fact that she did have a wand.
Her mother wasn't a great help either. She seemed to feel sorry for Petunia because Lily had been getting all the attention lately, so Petunia was favored enourmously.
Her father still wasn't letting Lily see what was in the box that he had brought home. He said he'd show her on her last day at home.
* * * * *
Lily invited her friends from primary school over a lot. They kept on insisting that they'd see each other heaps, and if they didn't, they could always call each other, or write. Lily knew it couldn't work though. Telephones didn't work at Hogwarts (something she had found out in Hogwarts; a History) and she didn't think they'd be able to get used to owl post.
One hot afternoon, her friend Cara was over and they were listening to her new CD player.
'You know Lil,' Cara started suddenly. 'It's a shame your not going to Yates High School with the rest of us. It was rumoured that Bill Harlington was going to ask you out next year.'
Lily's jaw dropped. 'You're kidding me!' She cried. Bill was this georgeouss, faultless guy who she had had a crush on for the last two years. 'Where did you hear that?'
'From Nichole Bench. And she'd know it.'
'Yeah, she was in that circle wasn't she.' Lily still couldn't believe it, but Nichole had been known to know this stuff before it did happen. 'Damn, why couldn't he of asked me while we were still at school?'
'Because he loves you, and he was too shy, and because he didn't think you'd say yes.' She said this very airily and dreamily, fluttering her eyebrows at Lily.
'Shut-up!' Lily threw a pillow at her. 'And when are you and Paul going on your first date?'
'Well, since he hasn't talked to me since I said I'd go out with him, I'm guessing it wasn't meant to be.' She sighed loudly and fakely.
Lily rolled her eyes at her friend.
'Are there any guys at your boarding school Lil?' She asked.
'Yeah, actually, I ran into one while I was buying my school stuff.'
'Really? Was he cute?'
Lily thought for a moment. 'Well, he wasn't ugly, but he wasn't my type.'
'You know what your type is?' She asked with raised eyebrows. 'Anyway, what was he like?'
'He kept trying to get my name.'
'And you gave it to him, right?'
'No.'
Now it was Cara's turrn to drop her jaw. 'You mean a cute guy from your new school comes up to you, clearly wanting to talk (or more than talk) to you, and you don't even tell you your name?'
'Like I said –he wasn't my type.'
'Lily my dear, you didn't know him!'
'Exactly my point!'
Cara sighed and flopped backwards on Lily's bed. She might have been one of the smartest girls last year, but she was still totally nieve when it came to guys.
* * * * *
Finally, June the 31st came. Lily woke up at nine and headed sleepily downstairs.
When she entered the kitchen she saw her dad standing behind the table smiling at her.
He motioned to a cardboard box on the table, and she curiously moved forward to see what was in it.
A little white kitten with grey streaks through it's fur was curled up in a corner asleep.
'Oh it's beautiful.' She cooned. 'Thank-you Dad.'
She walked over to him and gave him a big hug.
'Your welcome, she's just 8 weeks old.'
Lily nodded, she was watching the kitten, who had just given a small yawn and looked up.
* * * * *
Lily awoke the next day with a stomach full of lead. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what was going to happen that day. It was something important. She opened her eyes and looked at her alarm clock. It was 8:15. Next to her clock lay a wand.
Hogwarts!
She jumped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed. She had packed her trunk the night before, so she hauled it downstairs.
Her family was eating breakfast around the kitchen table.
'Morning Lily.' Said her dad cheerfully. 'When does your train leave again?'
'11:00, from Kingscross Station.'
'11:00? Sorry dear, but I can't take you then. I've got to get to the airport at 9. You'll have to get a lift with Petunia and your Mum.'
'What?' Petunia dropped her piece of toast. 'She can't come with us! I'll be late for my first day of school. And Kingscross is on the other side of London!'
'Don't worry Petunia, I'll take you to school first.' Lily's Mother looked at Lily. 'Your train doesn't leave untill 11 after all.'
'But it takes 2 hours to get to Kingscross from Pettunia's school, and half an hour to get there from here! We won't have time!' Lily told her anxiously
'We'll make it.' Said her mother calmly.
'No we won't!'
'Well, I'm off.' Lily's father said suddenly. He kissed his wife goodbye and gave Lily a big hug. 'You behave at Hogwarts, you hear?'
'I will Dad,' She looked at her mother. 'As long as I get there.'
'You will.' He gave one last wave, then grabbed his suitcase and hurried out the door.
'Hurry up Petunia!' Lily urged.
Petunia just smiled and calmly took a bite of her toast.
* * * * *
15 minutes later, they were in the car ready to go.
Lily's trunk was in the boot, and the kitten (who she had decided to christen Iris after one of the Egyptian gods) was in a cage on her lap, purring contentedly.
Petunia's first day back started at 9:00. Her mother drove the car as fast as she could down the many London roads.
They reached Petunia's school and she grabbed her bag and ran off, 'I'm 5 minutes late!' She called to them angrily.
Lily stayed in the backseat of the car. Her mother backed up and turned the car around before speeding off to get to Kingscross.
Time ticked by quickly. Lily kept on checking her watch.
9:27.
9:50.
10:14.
10:45.
At 10:50 they pulled into the station.
'Bye Mum!' Lily called, quickly getting out of the car.
She threw open the boot and struggled to get her trunk out. With one hand she supported Iris' cage, and with the other she pulled her trunk behind her.
She found a trolley near the enterence and hauled her stuff into it.
10:54.
She hurriedly ran the trolley into the station and looked around for platform 9¾. There was only platform 9 and platform 10.
She groaned and checked her watch again.
10:56.
She wheeled her trolley up to the barrier between the two, and stared at it, not knowing how to get through.
'Help!' She moaned silently to herself. She looked around for someone who might know how to get through. There was no-one. Everone else in the station looked as though they were muggles.
'Let me through!' She demanded of the barrier. 'I havn't got time for this!'
She started to get really distressed. She looked at her watch again.
10:59.
She banged her fist on the barrier angrily, only it didn't bang. It went through.
Without thinking, she instinctively pushed her trolley through the barrier, just as the clock at the entrance of the station began to chime.
"Dong…Dong…Dong…' She heard a puffing sound. She looked around and saw a scarlet steam train getting ready to move.
'Wait!' She called at it.
'Dong…Dong…Dong…'
She ran her trolley closer to the edge of the platform. 'Stop!' She yelled at it.
'Dong…Dong…Dong…'
The train blew a big puff steam and gave a whistle.
'Dong…Dong…Dong'
The train started to roll away down the tracks.
'No!' She shouted. 'Wait! Stop!'
The train sped up and disappeared behind a corner.
Lily stood, stunned for a moment. Her trip to Hogwarts had just left without her.
She couldn't explain how she was feeling right that moment. It was a combination of hopelessness, anger, fear and despair.
'Um, excuse me Miss?' A voice from behind her made her jump.
She whirled around, her heart beating fast.
A man of about 50 was standing at the back of the platform.
'Are you meant to be on that train?' He asked her kindly.
Lily sighed. 'Yes, I am.'
'Hi, I'm Geffory Brown. The conductor for the Hogwarts Express. And you are?'
'Lily, Lily Evans.'
'If you want I'll write to Hogwarts and tell them to send someone to pick you up.'
'Oh, yes please, that'd be fantastic.' Lily said excitedly.
Geffory smiled. 'Come with me.' He told her.
He led her through a small door to the right of the platform into a small, dusty office.
He sat down at the desk and motioned for Lily to have a seat opisite him. She sat down and watched him pull out a quill and a piece of parchment.
He began to write, and Lily read it upside-down.
Dear ProfessorMcGoanagall,
When the Hogwarts Express left this morning a student called Lily Evans was left behind on the platform. It would be greatly appreciated if you could send someone to pick her up.
Your's truely,
Geffory Brown.
He then rolled up the parchment and gave it to a brown barn--owl who Lily hadn't noticed sitting by the window.
Iris looked up and meowed at it before the owl took of through the window with the note clutched in his talons.
'It might take a little while for them to receive it, Hogwarts is a long way off.' Geffory told her.
Lily nodded. 'Thank-you.'
Iris started pacing her cage and miowing.
'You can let 'er out if you want.' He told Lily.
'Ok then.' She undid the latch on the cage and lifted Iris out. She was only 20cms long.
Lily sighed and looked out the window at the busy streets. 'Can't the people out there see in?' She asked him curiously.
'Nah, it's got a charm on it, from the outside, the window just looks like a brick wall.' He opened his desk drawer again and pulled out a pack of cards. 'Do you play snap at all?'
* * * * *
At around 5:00, Lily saw Geffory's owl flying outside.
She pointed that out to him, and he opened the window and it flew inside, dropping a note on the desktop before settling ddown in his cage again for another nap.
Geffory unrolled the note and read it out loud to Lily.
'Dear Geffory, and Lily.
I'm sorry that Lily missed the train, I'll send Hagrid to came and pick her up as soon as he gets in. He'll probably get there at six, so be ready to leave immediatly.
~Professor McGonagall.'
Lily gave a little sigh of relief. She hadn't liked being a burden on Geffory at all, not that he was horrible or anything, but he probably would have had somewhere to go if she hadn't been late. Bloody Petunia.
* * * * *
True enough, at around 6:00 someone knocked on the office door.
'Come-in.' Geffory called.
The door opened and Lily gasped softly. Standing in the doorway was a huge man, nearly 3 times as large as Geffory. His hair was wild and untamed, and his eyes were black.
' 'Ello. I'm Hagrid, you must be Lily.'
Lily nodded timedly. 'Hi.' She said weakly.
'Well, thank-you Geffory, we'd better be getting back to 'ogwarts now, don' want t' miss too much of the sorting.'
'The what?' Lily asked.
'You'll see when you get there.' Hagrid told her smiling. 'Anyway, bye Geffory, I'll be seein' ya round.'
'Yeah, bye Geffory.' Lily said. 'Thanks for everything, sorry about all this.'
'That's ok Lily, it was a pleasure.'
Lily locked a Iris in her cage and followed Hagrid outside.
When Lily stepped outside, her jaw dropped.
Squeezed onto the tiny platform was a private jet.
'Yeh like it?' Hagrid asked her, pleased with her reaction. 'On'y borowin' it from a friend for today, no other way we coulda got you, see.'
Lily nodded and peered through the jet's tiny window. It looked very comfy inside.
'Luggage in here.' Hagrid told her, opening a hatch on the side of it.
She dumped her trunk inside and carried Iris into the jet and sat down.
It was really roomy inside, you couldn't of guessed from the out side though. Hagrid got in after her and started the engine.
10 minutes later they were flying over London. Hagrid had pushed a button to make it invisible so no one would see them fly out of the station.
Lily was silent for most of the trip, she just looked out the windows at the world below them.
'Hagrid,' she started. 'What's it like at Hogwarts?'
He looked at her and smiled. 'Ah, it's the best place in the world.'
Lily smiled aswell and nodded.
* * * * *
2 hours later, at Hogwarts, the first years who had gotten on the Hogwarts Express waited nervously for the signal from Professor McGonagall to file into the great hall to be sorted.
Jasmine looked around her. Everyone looked terrified. One fat little boy had started wimpering.
Why? She asked herself. They were only going to try on a hat. Her brother had told her so. He had also said alot of good things about Slytherin, but she had heard more bad things. What would her family do if she wasn't put in Slytherin? They'd probably move her to a different school. She really hoped she wasn't chosen as a Slytherin. She didn't fancy having the rest of the school hhate her for the rest of her schooling life.
And where is Lily?
She looked around the crowd again. One boy with long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail saw her looking and smiled at her.
He moved over to her.
'Hello.' He said.
'Hi.' She smiled back at him.
'I'm Sirius Black, and who might you be?' He asked her.
'I might be Jasmine Avery.' She answered.
'Avery. That name sounds familier somehow.' He shrugged. 'Oh well, do you have any idea what house you're going to be in?'
Jasmine didn't answer for a moment. 'No, not a clue.' She said finally. 'Do you?'
He was about to answer when the door opened and Professor McGonagall stepped into the room, all talk ceased imidiatly.
'They are waiting for you in the great hall.' She told them. 'Please form a line and follow me.'
They did so and were led into an enormus room, filled with kids all staring at them curiously.
Jasmine gulped. A wave of nervousness passed over her. She hated people looking at her, it made her really self-concious.
When they were all lined up facing the ocean of students, everyone turned to watch as Professor McGonagall placed a stool infront of a table with who Jasmine guessed were the teachers sitting at it.
She then placed an old hat that had been torn and repaired alot over it's years on the stool. Everyone stared at the hat, as though waiting for something. Jasmine looked at it too. After a moment, a rip formed just above the brim of it, and it began to sing;
"Oh tell me a tale,
as big as a whale,
of four wizards known far and wide.
These four were greater than great,
So they formed Hogwarts on their side..."
It went on about the different houses and their basic characteristics, all of which Jasmine knew already.
When it was done, the rip closed, and Professor McGonagall took out a roll of parchment.
'When I call out your name, please step out of line and place the Sorting Hat over your head. When it calls out your house, please make your way over to that table.' She looked down at the roll and called out the first name on the list. 'Avery, Jasmine.'
Jasmine's knee's shaked as she walked up to the stool and sat down on it. She avoided looking at all the staring faces, and placed the hat on her head, where it came down past her eyes.
'Hello.' A voice in her head said to her.
'Hi.' She thought back.
'Where to put you?' The voice wondered aloud. 'This is very difficult. I can't remember a case quite like this.'
'Why am I so strange?' She thought.
'No no, not that your strange, just that, well, I'm not sure where you belong. Although you're very brave, and smart, you love to get your own way, and I'm almost certain you belong in Slytherin.'
'Slytherin?' She thought sadly. 'I don't want to be in Slytherin.'
'Yes, I can see that. That's very clear. Well, you're sure that you'd rather be anywhere but Slytherin, and I don't believe your fit to be a Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff is out of the question completley, you're now officially a Gryffindor!'
Jasmine gave a heavy sigh of relief as she heard the hat shout out her house. She got off the stool and placed the hat on it instead. She walked over to the table that was cheering and cat-calling for her and sat down at it, her face hidden by her hands. Although relieved, she felt a bit nausious. She had almost been put in the worst house their is.
She heard McGonagall call out the Sirius' name and she looked up. He didn't look nervous at all. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
He walked up to the hat with a big grin on his face and eagerly stuffed it on his head, but not before winking encouragingly at Jasmine.
In no time at all, the hat shouted out "Gryfindor!" to the rest of the hall. Jasmine clapped and cheered loudly with the rest of her table as Sirius took off the hat and started bowing to everyone in the hall.
He didn't stop untill Professor McGonagall walked stiffly up to him and muttered something to him that Jasmine couldn't hear. He then walked over to the Gryfindor table and sat down next to her.
'Hello again.' He said happily. 'You took a long time to be chosen.' He commented.
Jasmine looked puzzled. 'I did?' She asked.
'Yeah, about 5 minutes. What houses' was he debating with?'
'All of them.' She said stiffly, not really wanting to continue the subject.
Sirius got the message and fell silent.
They watched as Naomy Blake became a Ravenclaw, and Justin Botch became a Hufflepuff.
Narcissa Carle became a Slytherin.
Lucy Drape became a Ravenclaw, after a minute of waiting.
Then McGonagall read out; "Evans, Lily." No-one came forward.
Jasmine looked around. Whisper's filled the hall.
McGonagall went up to the teachers' table and spoke briefly to an old man with a long silvery beard.
Then she adressed the school. 'There has been a slight delyay with this student.' She told them. 'I'm informed that she will be here shortly. In the meantime, let's continue.' She looked back down at the list. 'Fu, David.'
More and more students were sorted into their houses.
Immeadiatly after James Potter was called, the doors to the great hall burst open and Hagrid came through, followed by Lily.
James looked at Lily and waved. She didn't return the wave, she just stared in awe at the magnificant room she was standing in.
James continued looking at her, only faintly aware that McGonagall was calling him up to be sorted for the fourth time.
'James Potter!' She almost shouted.
He looked up and realisation dawned on his face. He grinned and made his way up to the hat.
A minute later he was made a Gryfindor.
McGonagall cleared her throat. 'Lily, you can be sorted now.' She told her.
Lily nervously made her way up to the hat. So much had already happened today. She sat down on the stool feeling very stupid and put the hat on, wondering how it could decide what house she'd be in.
'Well, let's see now. Where shall I put you?' The Sorting Hat asked himself aaloud in her head. 'Your very quick-witted and smart I can see, but there is also alot of boldness and bravery. Yes, alot of bravery. Hmm, I think Gryfindor may be the way to go.' And before Lily could react in anyway, the hat had already shouted out "Gryfindor!"
She took off the hat and replaced on the seat before walking down to the cheering table.
James had stopped talking to Sirius and stooden up to cheer Lily.
She glanced at him, before taking the seat next to him, oppisite Jasmine and Sirius.
'Hello Lily Evans.' James said pointedly while taking his seat next to her.
She looked at him as though daring him to say more, but remained silent.
'Oooo, do you two have a history?' Sirius asked eagerly.
'No, I don't even know him.' Lily told him.
'I am hurt Lily Evans. I really thought our time together meant more to you than that.' James said putting on a hurt face.
'Stop living in fantasy's James.' Lily told him.
'Lily, where were you?' Jasmine asked. 'Why didn't you take the train?'
'What?!' James said, as though that was the craziest thing he ever heard. 'Lily is much too stylish, and fanciful, and graceful to take the train to school. It would soil her feat.'
Lily hid a smile and ignored him. 'My sister demanded to be dropped at school first, so I was late. I had to take a private jet with Hagrid.'
'Cool. I'm Sirius by the way.'
'Nice to meet you Sirius, I'm Lily.'
'What so you give him your name?' James asked sourly.
Lily sighed and turned around to watch the rest of the student's get sorted.
The sorting finally ended with "Yang Jenny" becoming the last Hufflepuff.
The man with the silvery beared stood up to speak, and Lily could practically feel the respect he got from the older students.
'That's Professor Dumbledor.' James whispered to her. 'He's the headmaster.'
Lily nodded.
'Welcome students.' Dumbledore began. 'Back again in our humble halls. Before the feast begins, I'd just like you all to becareful this year. The world is not as peaceful as it was a couple of years ago, one very dark wizard has been roaming around. But anyway, I don't wish to spoil your appetites, you're all perfectly safe inside the walls of the castle. Eat up.'
And at his last words, golden platters on their table suddenly filled themselves with delicious food.
Lily was amazed. She'd never seen anything like it.
She looked at Jasmine to ask if this happened all the time in the wizarding world, but stopped at the sight of her.
'Jasmine, what's wrong? You're all pale.' She asked concerened.
Jasmine looked almost terrified.
Sirius took her hand and felt it. 'You're all clamy. Look, don't worry about Dumbledore's speech, you heard him, nothing can get to us while we're in here. We're safe.'
'No, it's not that...' She started weakly, but then she must of realised what she was about to say, and quickly stopped. She smiled weakly. 'James, can you pass those chicken wings? I'm starving.'
Lily's stomach gave a rumble too and she realised that she hadn't eaten anything since Geffory gave her half his sandwich. She quickly loaded up her plate and began to eat at full speed.
'Hungry are you?' James asked her amazed.
She nodded greedily.
He looked as though he was about to say something, but suddenly thought better of it and started on a potato.
When all the food had been devoured, Dumbldore stood up to speak again.
'One last word before you make your way up to bed, as I seem to remind you every year, the forbiddon forest is out of bounds at all times. Well now I guess after your trip here your all pretty tired now, so I'll end my crazy ramblings. Goodnight everyone.'
He sat down again and watched the older students leaving the hall, as they knew where to go.
Lily stuck close to Jasmine, Sirius, and James who were following the Gryfindor prefects.
They were led up a million staircases, through a thousand hidden passages, and down a hundred corridors.
Finally, they stopped in front of a large portrait of a fat laady in a pink dress.
'Beaches.' One of the prefects told the fat lady, who swung the portrait open allwoing them to climb through.
Lily looked around her. The room was filled with scarlet armchairs and couches.
'Come-on Lily.' Jasmine pulled her towards the girls' staircase.
'Night Lily Evans. Night Jasmine.' James called to them.
The girls waved at them before disapearing upstairs.
They both fell asleep as soon as they lay down on their beds, exhausted from their busy days.
***************************************
And that is the end.
I hope you like it, I know some bits might have seemed a little bit unrealistic, like Lily's dad leaving her like that, and her mother favoring Lily (I know in the book it says that both parents talked about Lily constantly but who cares). Anyway, someone (can't remember who) made a good point about part 1 being in the wrong catagory, well, I fixed that now, so thanks.
Anyway, please reveiw, thanks.