Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applied.

A/N: Well, here it is. Voldie's even kinder here. So please bear with me. And please review. Negative ones are welcomed, as long us they're constructive and put in a nice way. Hehe. I also want to thank my first reviewers, Shining Crystal, BastsCleopatra, Snowlily, 'reader', Professional Scatterbrain, and Scuba Diva Sam. You guys helped me big time.

Chapter 2

Lily sat silently in her train compartment, a book on her hand. Once in a while, she would look out of her window to watch the green meadows blur away as the scarlet train whizzed by. But most of the time, she would stare off in space, thinking and never minding the noise of the students outside her compartment. She smiled wryly. She never thought she'd end up in a train heading to Hogwarts.

Once again, in the solidarity of her compartment, she let her mind wander off, thinking of the events the previous night. It was a very hard night for her, for that night, she had to say goodbye to the man she came to think of as her father.

--flashback--

She apparated into the same cozy study, and again, she cleared her throat. She walked near the chair, not waiting for the man to acknowledge her.

"Tom, I am here now."

The man said nothing. He merely nodded.

"I suppose you'd want to know how my assignment went. Well, I can safely say that it was successful," she continued in a clipped tone.

"'Safely?'"

"That is right."  Then to herself, she said No need to tell him that I spared Petunia. With the powerful memory spell on her, I doubt she'ld even remember she's a wizard.

He stared at her face intently, and then he smiled sadly.

"You have been crying, Lily."

"It is only natural."

"Yes it is. And I suppose you are here to claim your prize?"

"Yes…."

"What would it be then, Lily? New broom, new robes, shoes? Come, tell me."

It was her turn to smile sadly. She knew that the old man was stalling.

"Tom, I think we both know what I'm going to ask you for," she said silently.

The man nodded miserably. Then he stood up and came to Lily. It was quite a surprise for her when he gathered her in his arms in a tight hug. Lily put her arms around her and hugged him back.

"Oh, Lily, I will miss you," he murmured

"I will miss you too, Tom."

They stayed that way for a moment, and then they slowly pulled away. There was silence for awhile, and it was Voldemort who broke it.

"Lily, I suggest that you go to Hogwarts."

She stared at him. Hogwarts? But Dumbledore, Voldemort's greatest enemy, is headmaster there. How could he suggest that?

"Yes, Lily, Hogwarts. From the way you look at me, I think I'd better explain."

Lily nodded quietly, and she sat down.

"Lily, you are still a minor, and I doubt they are going to send you to Azkaban. The least they could do is to send you to Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's supervision. Most probably, they would say that you did all those. . .murders under the Imperious Curse."

At this, Lily gasped indignantly.

"Tom, you know I did all those killings on my own free will, and I would deny it when they say I was under the Imperious Curse the whole time. I wouldn't betray you that way!"

Voldemort gazed at her with fatherly pride. That was his Lily. But, he shook his head.

"Lily, I could not let you do that. I could never let you rot away in Azkaban. Please understand. In Hogwarts, you will be safe. Dumbledore is known to be a very forgiving and understanding man, and he will protect you from those who persecute you."

He looked at Lily straight in the eye, and went on quietly.

"And there, he can give you what I have neglected to give you, Lily—your childhood."

Lily said nothing, and then looked away.

"Lily, do you understand?"

"Yes, Tom."

"It is settled then. Tomorrow is the fourth of September, and you will board the Hogwarts Express. Don't worry, Lily, I already have every thing you would need packed and ready."

Lily stared at him again, and this time, her brow arched. She had an amused and accusing look in her eyes. Again, Voldemort noticed.

"Well, I kind of had a haunch that it would come to this, Lily," he explained somewhat guiltily.

"I've also…owled Dumbledore already. He says that you are welcomed there," he went on.

Lily was surprised at this. She knew how hard it was for him to ask his enemy for anything. It was harder still to give up a daughter to that enemy. She was touched.

"Thank you, Tom." Then she rose up and walked towards him. She kissed him in the cheek.

After a somewhat embarrassed silence, Voldemort cleared his throat.

"It is late, Lily. And you have a train to catch." He reached for the inside of his cloak and withdrew what seemed to be a golden locket. "But before you leave, let me give you this."

He came over to Lily, and stood behind her. Lily lifted her tresses as Voldemort placed the chain around her neck and clasped the lock at the back. Lily touched the locket and opened it. On one half, there was a picture of her smiling brightly. On the other half was a picture of Voldemort smiling and waving his hand.

Lily turned around to face him, and with out warning she threw her hands around him and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back, and Lily sobbed in his arms.

They broke apart, and Voldemort turned around to hide his tears. When he turned back again, Lily was gone.

"Goodbye, Lily." He whispered in the silence.

--end flashback--

Her thoughts were cut off when the compartment door slid open. At the doorway, there stood four boys her age. The first one was tall and well-built, with dark brown eyes behind glasses and messy jet black hair. The next one was just as tall, with dark longish hair and dark eyes which held a mischievous glint. The third one was a little bit shorter, with sandy blond hair and tired eyes. The last one was the shortest, with beady eyes and portly stature. They all stared at Lily.

It was the guy with the glasses who broke the silence first. He cleared his throat.

"Er, hullo. I'm James Potter, and this is Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew." He pointed at his friends respectively.

He smiled at her and went on, "And you are?"

"I'm Lily Evans," she answered silently. She held defenses up. After all, she seldom met boys her age, and those she did meet in her assignments, she had to kill afterwards.

"Listen, can we stay here in your compartment? Anywhere else is full."

Lily hesitated at first, then seeing that she couldn't just not let them in, she complied. "Okay…."

The boys entered, and the five of them sat in silence. It didn't last long though as the compartment door slid open once again to reveal two girls her age. One was a blue-eyed blond with busty chest, and the other one had dark skin and exotic eyes. They both stared at Lily. Then they turned to the boys.

"Jamsie, who's she?" the blond one asked somewhat irritably. After seeing Lily's pale face and the dark circles under her eyes, she didn't seem too impressed.

"She's Lily Evans. We just met."

"Oh," she replied. She didn't give James the chance to introduce them properly

With a suggestive smile and a twinkle in her eyes, she came in and sat on James's lap. "Hey, Jamsie, I'm going to the loo. Wanna join me?"

James looked at her, then at Lily. She was staring at them so weirdly and almost amusedly that James flushed in embarrassment. He turned back to the blond, and with his most disarming smile, he grabbed her hand and stood up.

"Sure, Courtney, I would love to." Then they both quit the compartment.

Sirius also stood up then he went over to the exotic girl. "Hey, Olivia, I know this place in this train where we can have some privacy. Wanna see it?"

The girl giggled breathily and batted her lashes. "Of course, Sirius. Whatever you say."

Lily stared after them, quite puzzled. But she was entertained. Very. So this is how flirting goes. It's a bit disgusting, though.

Peter cleared his throat then stood up. "I'm just gonna check out the food cart. You want anything, Remus, Lily?"

They both shook their heads, and Peter went out. The two of them were left in awkward silence. Remus looked at Lily, and he saw her looking out of the window. She looked kind of uncomfortable, so he had no choice but to make the first move.

"Hey, Lily. I've never seen you around before. You just transferred?"

"Um, yeah, I guess you could say that." She said nothing more. And again, silence reigned. By now, both felt that there was something out of the normal about the other.

"You're different, Lily."

Lily stared at him then she smiled wryly.

"So are you, Remus." Remus smiled back.

They spent the rest of the trip in a now comfortable silence, seeing that the others never really bothered to return. And both new that some connection was forged between them.

***

So how was it? Good? Bad? Really bad? Tell me, pleeeeaasse. And while you're at it, you could also give me some ideas for the next chapters :-).

Thanks also to Lady Prongs, Badger, and Sirius' lover!