DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters! I'm just the plot! J.K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter! I merely elaborate on her genius!

Ch.1- Underclassed

Lily couldn't understand why she was letting Petunia get to her. Her sister always found new ways to make her look stupid, and the fact that this time it was in front of Petunia's stuck-up friends shouldn't have bothered her. But Lily couldn't stand it any longer. It was like a fire was building inside her head and she had to let it out somehow. So her sister had turned purple. So what? People turned purple all the time, like Petunia's boyfriend, Vernon Dursley. He turned purple all the time without the slightest provocation! So why was this her fault?

Mr. and Mrs. Evans' suspicions had been roused when Petunia's condition failed to fade after a quarter hour. When Petunia fell asleep after crying so hard at her embarrassment, the Evanses looked at Lily for an explanation. Lily had tried to explain how Petunia had been talking about her and how Lily's hair sparked when she was angry. Of course, all of Petunia's stupid friends wanted to see it too. So they brought her downstairs, presumably to look at her black cat. When they were cruel to Merlin and stopped hiding the fact that they were laughing at her, she just ignited. Her red hair seemed to crackle around her face, and her green eyes just bored into Petunia. She couldn't see anything for a minute, then Petunia was purple with fury. Or so it seemed.

Naturally, Lily had been mortified and ran up into her room, waiting frightfully for the arrival of the Ministry of Magic to take her to wizard prison. She was protesting valiantly to her parents that she didn't know what had happened, when a tawny owl swooped into the window.

This was nothing new; owls had been swooping into Lily's window regularly for six years now. But this time, Lily was sure would be the last. She would be expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and her life would end as she knew it. She went to the owl and untied the letter tied to its leg. She opened it as her parents watched anxiously. She read aloud:

Miss Lillian Evans- We are aware that a coloring charm was used at your place of residence at approximately 5:45 this evening. Normally this would fall under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery as a serious offense, but since no wand was used we must assume that it was merely an error. The charm should wear off within a few hours, as most charms are completely ineffectual without wands. In the meantime, try to avoid any violent emotional encounters with Muggles, for their safety as well as the security of our world. We will be in touch.

Lily's parents looked relieved, Oh, sweetie! We were so concerned that you would be expelled! But how could you? Your poor sister- at least it will be fixed in time for school tomorrow! You know how sensitive she is about her looks! Lily's mother always babbled when she was relieved.

Lily herself, flopped down on her bed with relief. At least she wouldn't have to worry about going to Muggle school! She would be dreadfully behind, after six years of absence! she whistled to her father. I thought I was done for! She brightly smiled.

He laughed, Me too, honey, me too. Just be careful, okay? You've got a temper to match that hair of yours! Just try not to take it out on Petunia. She's been rather jealous of you, and lonely too. Sleep well, my fair witch! And he
bowed out of the room.

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Lily Evans heaved a sigh, straightened her skirt, and started pushing her trolley toward the Hogwarts platform. Nobody was looking; she always knew when people were looking at her. She ran straight through the wall to see the merrily chuffing red locomotive pulled into Platform 9 3/4. Normally Lily would have been excited to be on the way to Hogwarts, but all of her friends had graduated a year ago, so she had nothing to look forward to on the hours-long train ride.

She did, however, smile when she saw Sirius Black's mother chewing him out for whatever prank he had most recently played. She guessed it had something to do with the little girl hiding behind Mrs. Black's skirt. Grinning to herself, she pushed her trolley as close to the luggage car as she could get, then loaded her stuff inside. She kept a small bag with her, which held a couple books on English Muggle History, Magical Creatures, and her wand. Climbing into one of the coach cars, she bumped into another student; a boy to be more precise. James Potter, to be exact, exclaimed, Oh, I'm sorry! My name is James Potter, by the way, and I'm a prefect at Hogwarts. Are you a first year?

Lily's face crimsoned, L-Lily Evans. I'm..er... and she kinda stuttered out. James did not seem deterred.

Well, you better hope you're in Gryffindor! It's the best house.

I AM in Gryffindor! She claimed a bit louder than before.

Really? You looked like a first year- no offense- maybe it was that dazed look you have. That's what I looked like my first day, he went on, completely unruffled. Lily was heartily embarrassed and insulted, but it wouldn't do to say that, so she said it was nice to meet him and found a quiet compartment to read in.

Inwardly she was in a huff. How could James Potter not know who she was? She'd only gone to school with him for five years! You'd think he'd be able to notice somebody out of the say, thirty or so in his house! Well, she had better ways to spend her time! So, naturally, she got up and looked at herself critically in the mirror. She saw a small, 5 foot, red-haired, green-eyed grumpy girl who looked like she was about ready to begin middle school, complete with hair braided down her back to her waist. She wasn't fat, nor was she skinny. And while she could see that her body was that of a sixteen-year-old, she doubted anybody else would without intense scrutiny. She blushed; after all, she did not like being looked at, even in her imagination.

So she had no qualms about her compartment being broken into and inhabited by none other than Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter, who did not seem to see her. She sat down with her Magical Creatures book and read, while listening interestedly to Potter & Co.

Padfoot, my dear, you are the most heartless older sibling I have even met!

Oh shut up, Prongs! You would be a horror if you had any brothers or sisters to terrorize!

But seriously, guys! Did you see the look on her face?

Wormtail here has a point. It was priceless! She kinda squealed and poof! she was gone!

You think she'd be used to it, having Sirius as a big brother all these years!

Lily felt eyes on her, but it was too late.

Hey! Who's that? Remus Lupin was looking closely at Lily, seated in her corner.

What are you talking about, Moony? There's nobody here- James looked where Remus was staring and Lily knew that she might as well give up. Where did you come from? Everybody else had been looking at Remus strangely, then they saw that Lily was hiding behind her book and did a double take.

What the-

She wasn't there a second ago!

James was warring between yelling in shock, or gently questioning the Gryffindor when Remus stepped forward. You- how did you do that? We were all quite sure this compartment was empty. Did you apparate? Or maybe you have an invisibility cloak? As he looked more closely at her, he laughed. I apologize. I haven't even met you! My name's Remus Lupin, and these clowns are James Potter, with his eyes popping out, Sirius Black, with his jaw dropped, and Peter Pettigrew, with the strange noises coming out of his mouth. He gave a melodramatic bow and waited expectantly.

I-I am Lily Evans. I d-don't know what you're talking about. I'm just t-trying to read my book. And she slumped down, hoping that they would ignore her or something.

See- you're doing it again! You're disappearing! James lunged forward and grabbed hold of her arm. How do you do that? Could you teach me-us?

All of a sudden Lily noticed that James Potter had brown eyes. They weren't chocolatey, just a couple different browns swirling together which could mesmerize you, if you weren't careful. The mere thought that these eyes were looking at her with admiration caused her to lose her head for a minute. Then she realized that she was staring, so she softly said, I'm not a first year.

He looked confused, and the others looked a bit surprised and amused. Oh- sorry about that! What year are you, anyway? Second? Third?

Sirius whispered, No way, she's got to be lying! She's tiny!

Her wild eyes flashed as she looked up, and her hair felt warm, I am starting my sixth year, same as you! And I'm in Gryffindor!

The guys shrunk back from her before realizing that they all had at least a foot on her, yet she seemed so intimidating. Her green eyes sparkled with passion, and her fiery mane framed her face, creating a vivid contrast with her eyes. Remus was the first to pull his eyes away from the feisty slip of a girl.

I think you owe her an apology, Padfoot! He claimed a bit gleefully. Tease one little girl, only to get thoroughly chastised by another!

Sirius looked down at his feet, before his eyes were drawn back to Lily, Uh, sorry. You just look so...

Small? Insignificant? Not worth your attention? Lily snapped with rising hurt, glaring at him so hard it seemed light was shooting out of her eyes at him.

Sirius cleared his throat, Ahem! I was going to say young, but perhaps I should revise that to enchanting and captivating? He asked with a charming smile, which was for show, covering up the fact that he was really uncomfortable.

The radiance around Lily dissipated somewhat, as she sighed, I guess I overreacted. Sorry. I'm just tired of people not caring about the stupid things issuing from their mouths. She smiled apologetically, and sat down to immerse herself once again in the textbook, when she felt James' hand on hers.

Why don't you join us? Or rather, let us join you? I'm sorry we've never spoken before, because I have never seen Sirius put in his place so effectively. He grinned at her as if they were sharing some secret, and she actually felt drawn into their conversation. But she didn't want them to know that she had no friends; that's a good way to lose friends and gain sympathy.

I-I'd like to. Damn that stutter! I'd like to listen, please. She decided politeness was overdue, after her verbal assault.

Remus Lupin raised an eyebrow, But won't you explain how you become invisible? Please? I know I could use that trick!

Lily winced, I guess that just comes when people don't want you to be there. Nobody ever notices me, because they don't want to think of me being there. I don't think it's anything magic- just psychological. The boys frowned and shook their heads.

Peter Pettigrew whined, But if Remus hadn't stared at you that long, we never would have known you were there! And he has the eyes of a w- His mouth was suddenly filled by a convenient Kleenex from Sirius' bag.

He means that Remus is always very aware of what's going on. He doesn't ignore people. He's very observant. James finished lamely.

Lily frowned, then decided to ignore it. If they thought she knew their secrets, they'd never leave her alone. Not that she wanted them to, just she was used to being alone at Hogwarts. So she changed the topic of conversation as the Hogwarts Express steamed away from London.