Title: Goodnight, Stars
Chapter: Welcome to Hogwarts
Author: Cinnamon Sunrise
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all related to Harry Potter. I own nothing. This little story was created in my head but everything in it is owned by Joanne.
Author's Note: The chapters increase in length as you read on. This one is pretty short, but hopefully it's ok. Please r/r/r and let me know what you think!
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I never dreamed that my life would turn out the way it did. I remember the day the letter came, the day that changed my life. Mum and dad were ecstatic, my sister was nothing short of furious. She told us we were all out of our minds, mental she said, for letting me be enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I think that she was downright jealous. The best place to buy school supplies has always been Diagon Alley. Mum took me there, shortly before term started. Petunia, of course, pretended she didn't want to go. Put up a fight with mum, but knowing her, she was dying to see it. She had always been noisy, and in to everyone's business and I suppose she was interested in, as she called it, "her little sister's freak world." I love Petunia dearly; she is my sister after all. However, she is not the most pleasant person to live with. I was absolutely amazed at the sight of Diagon Alley. Witches, wizards. Everything that letter promised was true. We spent the day buying supplies, looking around, Petunia scowling the entire time. Soon it was time to leave for Hogwarts, and to do that you have to board a train. Problem is, I didn't know how to get to the platform. Magically hidden, you see. And since I was from a muggle family, I had no idea as to where 9 ¾ was. Silly me, I know. But I was alone, and nervous. Dad had to work; Mum had dropped me off, and then taken Petunia to her school orientation. Miss Petunia, always insisting mum do everything for her. So there I was, all by myself. Thank goodness James Potter was there!
*~*~*
Lily Evans fumbled around in her bag. She had a few pounds, nothing more. Nothing in Muggle money, at least. "Oh, goodness." Lily thought to herself, receiving strange looks from the station guards. She was 11 years old and alone in the train station. She was smart enough to know that if 9 ¾ wasn't marked, there was no 9 ¾. She had been sitting on her large school trunk for the last 12 minutes, in between platforms 9 and 10. She didn't know what to do, and was on the verge of tears.
"Need help carrying that?" Asked a boy not much taller than Lily, his hands running through his messy black hair.
"Um," She glanced nervously around before asking the boy, "Are you from Hogwarts?" The boy began to laugh.
"`Course I am! Muggle-born, eh? Well, the platforms this way then, my mum said you just have to lean and you're through." The boy said, leading her over to a large barrier between platforms. "What did you say your name was again?" He asked while setting her trunk down next to the barrier.
"Lily. Lily Evans." She said, smiling. He was exceptionally cute, she decided. His hair was a bit messy, but cute.
"Oh, ok, well I'm James Potter." He said, looking around at the people passing by. "Train leaves soon, better go in and get good seats." James leaned against the barrier and disappeared.
*~*~*
James showed me how to get across. It was another world on the other side of the barrier, full of young witches and wizards like me. Most of them seemed to be chatting with family and friends, gathered around in little groups, or boarding the large train. I noticed a group of older girls, plastering makeup on and smiling at passing boys. Petunia would have fit right in with them. Gossipy and noisy, at the age of 13 she already preferred makeup and boys to achieving good grades. I, on the other hand, had always preferred staying to myself. I was one of those oddballs who liked school. James liked school too, and if he would have focused more, he probably could have even exceeded me in terms of grades. Oh, but back to the Hogwart's Express. I walked in, nearly every chamber was filled. Girls and boys impressing each other with wand tricks, some catching up on summer holidays. It was an interesting ride, to say the least.
*~*~*
Lily Evans stumbled around the platform. Potter had disappeared and she quickly became lost in the hustle of the crowd. She dragged her trunk onto the train, sitting in an empty compartment. She watched the people walk through, talking loudly, some other first years trying to hide tears. "Lily, right?" A voice coming from the doorway asked.
"Huh?" Lily said, turning to see who was there.
"Hey, Sirius Black," the handsome boy said, stepping forward to shake her hand. "Listen, do mind if James and I sit in here? Everywhere else is full…"
"Oh, sure." She said, moving her belongings off of the seats. She stared absentmindedly out the window, knowing that she would be sharing a compartment with two of the best looking boys of her year.
"POTTER!" Sirius called, sitting down across from Lily, and James came strutting in.
"Sirius, Lily." He nodded at both of them, taking a seat next to Sirius. They talked in hushed voices, with an occasional snicker, for about 5 minutes. Lily figured they didn't want her to hear the conversation, so she pulled out her copy of Hogwarts: A History, 1971 version. She was paging through it when another figure stumbled through the doorway.
"Uh, hullo…alheohercoparmetsulsitere?" He said, clearly embarrassed that he didn't have any friends to sit with. James and Sirius sniggered.
"You want to sit here? Of course!" Lily said, smiling back at the boy. He wasn't nearly as attractive as the other two, but he was cute in his own way. His hair was sandy tan and he had dark brown eyes. He took the empty seat next to Lily, blushing slightly.
"Names Remus Lupin." He said quietly, glancing between the three sets of eyes looking at him.
"Potter, and that's Black and Ev-Lily." James stated, as if it were his duty to introduce them all. James pulled out a Chocolate Frog, and began to watch it hop around on his arm.
"Wow, is that a real frog?" Lily said in awe.
"Chocolate Frogs? Nah, just chocolate with a spell on it. Do you collect the cards? You know, they just started the new series last year, but I believe I nearly have the entire collection…" Remus said, catching the boys' interests. It turned into a long discussion, and from that moment on, James, Sirius and Remus were virtually inseparable.
*~*~*
I decided to read up on Hogwarts during the ride. I was determined to succeed at this new school, even if I wasn't from a wizarding family. The boys in my compartment were insufferable, laughing and throwing chocolates around. It was the beginning of an era, I'm afraid. All the same, the ride isn't too long, and when the castle is finally came into view, it was amazing. Wait `til you see it, it's truly grand. Especially that first sight. From that moment, that first sight from the train, dressed in my school robes, I knew that I was as much a part of Hogwarts as any other witch or wizard on that train.
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cinnamonsunrise@hotmail.com