A/n: I know I shouldn't start a new fic but I got a really good idea! As always R&R!

A young girl with long red hair and a pale complexion sat curled up on a seat on a burgundy steam engine. Her thin arms were wrapped around her equally thin frame that was mottled with half-hidden bruises. The girls' lifeless red hair was covering her face but if you could have seen it her right cheek was the rich purple color of a bruise.

FLASHBACK

"You witch!" a drunken man slurred as he staggered towards his eleven year old daughter, "You're never gonna make it to that school of yours, not after I'm through with you!" The man stepped forwards and backhanded the girl which caused her head to whip back where it crashed into the wall. She whimpered with pain and her father kicked her in the stomach which caused her to double over with agony. She whimpered with each blow until she could bear the pain no longer and she passed out.

END FLASHBACK

The girl glanced out the window with hooded eyes and she saw a group of four boys making their way across the station. They were all laughing at some joke as they disappeared onto the train and out of the young girls mind. The girl shivered and hugged her legs closer to herself as she surveyed the station. Everywhere she looked she saw happy children hugging their parents goodbye. The girl thought about how her mother had sent her out to catch the underground to the train station once her cuts had been tended. It would have been too dangerous to ask her father to drive her to the station in his drunken state.

Suddenly she was broken out of her thoughts by the four laughing boys that she had seen out in the station. They didn't notice her until one of them almost sat on her.

"Oy Sirius! There's someone already sitting there" A boy with unruly jet black hair exclaimed as the girl almost frantically looked around. She was still curled up in a fetal position but now her emerald green eyes were unveiled. In them it seemed that you could see all of the sadness of the world. The boy who had noticed her had discerned the sadness held within them and now had a downcast look.

Upon seeing her, the boy who had almost sat upon her said "Oh sorry there, didn't mean to" But stopped when he noticed the bruise peeping out behind a curtain of red hair, "What happened there?"

The girl blushed and looked down murmuring "Nothing".

"What's your name?" a boy with light brown hair and burning amber eyes inquired.

"Lily Evans" the girl whispered as everyone leaned closer to hear her.

"Well I'm Remus Lupin," the boy with the amber eyes said "this is Sirius Black," he pointed to the boy with dark brown hair who had almost sat on her, "James Potter" he gestured to the boy with unruly jet black hair and warm chocolate eyes, "and last but not least Peter Pettigrew" he pointed to the last boy who had blonde hair and watery blue eyes.

"Do you mind if we sit here" Peter asked tentatively.

"I don't mind" Lily said as she moved even closed to the window. The boys sat down and started to quietly talk amongst themselves.

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Lily limped slowly off the train. She slipped away from the boys who she had shared a compartment with and blended into the crowds. It was a talent she had acquired some years ago when she didn't want to be noticed by anyone. However this still didn't work with her father. Shying away from that road of thought Lily noticed a huge man shouting for the first years. She made here way through the crowd towards him. She kept her head down and followed everyone else as they made their way toward a small fleet of boats. Lily slowly walked up to the giant and tugged on his sleeve when she noticed that everyone else had clambered into boats and there was nowhere left to sit.

"Can I share a boat with you" she asked tentatively.

"O' course you can lassie! What's yer name?" the giant asked as he climbed into the boat.

"Lily Evans." Lily replied quietly, still keeping her face down so as to shield the bruise marking it.

She climbed into the boat as the giant replied "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, but jus' call me Hagrid. Ye know nobody else 'as ever 'ad the courage to come and sit with me on the way to 'ogwarts. They all seemed rather scared o' me for some reason." Hagrid pondered this question for the rest of the ride while Lily silently took in their surroundings. They had boarded the boats in a small harbour about a hundred meters away from the train station. The area around the boats was surrounded by trees which towered high above the eleven year olds. It almost felt like something was watching you, however whenever you glanced around there would be nothing watching you. The feeling sent shivers cascading down Lily's back.

The inky black water that the small fleet of boats was gliding through had a thin cover of mist which added to the shivers running along Lily's back. Suddenly the castle came into view as the boats rounded a corner and left the trees behind. The parapets stood tall stabbing into the sky and the windows gleamed into the darkness like a candle lit at midnight. When the boat landed at the edge of the lake it took Lily a moment to realize where she was. She waved good bye to Hagrid and slowly joined the back of the throng of students making their way to the front door of the castle. Lily kept her eyes on the ground and barely registered what the teacher that opened the door for them had said before the professor swept away. Lily quickly glanced around her surroundings before the teacher came back to take them to the Sorting Ceremony.

She led them into a room which housed 4 tables full of students and one table at the head of them all that had teachers sitting at it. As Lily gazed about with wide eyed wonderment she spotted the boys who had sat in her compartment during the train ride at one of the tables already. So they must be second years. Lily suddenly glanced upwards as she saw many of her peers do.  She gasped in awe of the sight which met her eyes. The ceiling was covered in what looked like the real night sky. As Lily stared at the vast picture of the sky which was spread above her she vaguely registered that someone or something was singing.

Suddenly Lily started as she heard her name being called. The teacher gestured at her to put the odd looking hat on a rickety old stool onto her head.

Ah yes. Hello Miss Evans

What?

Miss Evans, if you had been listening to my song you would know that I can read your thoughts.

Oh! I'm so sorry I didn't listen to your song! I'm sure it was wonderful!

Why thank you! If I could I would be blushing! However I must decide which house you must go in.

Which house do you think is best for me?

Well you would do well in almost any house. You are very smart , loyal, cunning and brave. Which are all attributes of each of the different houses.

Well isn't there one attribute that I have more of?

No, not really. I believe I will give you a choice. Which house would you like to go in?

Um… I think Ravenclaw sounds nice.

Very well, RAVENCLAW

Lily slowly made her way to the end of the Ravenclaw where she sat down amid whispers. She could hear people talking about how long she had been up there, her temporary limp and of course the bruises adorning her body. Lily barely listened as Professor Dumbledore; the headmaster gave the start of term announcements. Lily put a small amount of food on her plate which she slowly ate. Everywhere around her students were talking and laughing oblivious to the tiny girl sitting at the end of the table.

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Do you like it? I know that it's sorta angst but hey. I'm gonna be skipping ahead to fifth year. Please review! I beg of you!