Chapter 1
Rose arrived at the London train station well before 11am, so she was able to roam about the train without interruption. She picked a compartment about half way along the train, and began to read.
After an hour of reading, she heard chattering that told her she wasn't alone on the train anymore. Switching books, she returned to reading. She chose a book by an author that she new personally, 'Poisonous Potions and their Antidotes' by P. Polanski. Ivan had got him to personally tutor her in potions and she'd learnt a great deal form him. She also found out he was a great conversationalist, but a poor dancer. Everyone had always called him Mister Polanski, never by his first name, as no one knew it.
"Lily Evans, I love your hair black, you look so mysterious."
Upon hearing her sister's name she looked up from her book and studied the boy who had spoken. He had hazel eyes and very untidy black hair. He closed the compartment door and sat down uninvited. She could tell he liked Lily, by the way he was blushing and by the small gathering of his friends outside the compartment door.
Rose found all this very amusing and decided she'd have some fun before she reached Hogwarts.
"Yes, I got bored with the red," She probed his mind for his name, "James." She was astounded at the fact that her Russia accent that had been part of her for eight years had vanished the instant she'd open her mouth to reply to this love struck boy.
"Why aren't your eyes green anymore, got bored with them as well I suppose," he said with humour in his voice.
She nodded her head in reply; Rose had forgotten that when she went to Russia she'd charmed her eyes midnight blue so she'd look more mysterious. "Uh-huh, I charmed them blue, I think they look better." James nodded his approval.
"Why don't you invite Sirius and Peter in, they must be awfully cramped outside." Yes, that's exactly what Lily would say, she would remind him to be nicer to his friends and also catching him off guard by telling him something he didn't know she knew. It was fun to pretend to be Lily. She'd got the spies names form James's head, there should have been another with them Remus, but he was a prefect and had to be in the front compartment for a while. When Rose and Lily had been growing up they had regularly confused relatives because they would switch clothes and seats halfway through dinner and then they would pretend to be each other for a while – until Uncle Matthew told everyone who was who, he seemed to be the only person able to tell them apart whatever they were doing, wearing or how they were acting. The two main things Rose had missed when she ran away to Russia, were Lily and Uncle Matthew.
***
Soon the compartment was full of chatter of old times at Hogwarts and pranks the three boys had pulled. With Rose probing the three boys minds every now and then for names and events, she played Lily quite well the boys even the one who liked her sister didn't suspect anything.
Well not until the compartment door had opened anyway. The three boys mouth's dropped and a wide grin spread over Rose's face as she looked at her sister in the doorway.
"Rose?" Lily asked uncertain, "Is that…oh my gosh, Rose," Lily flung herself at Rose, "Oh Rose, I've missed you so much, where have you been, what have you been doing, what are these doing here?" she exclaimed pointing at the three boys.
Rose began to laugh, "I was just having a bit of fun, your fan club here thought I was you Lil and they just couldn't stop complementing me."
"And you encouraged them," she said with an eyebrow raised, then she to began to laugh along with Rose. As the twins laughed together, James said to Rose, "your not Lily?"
"Nah sorry mate, better luck next time, eh." Laughed Rose.
The three boys then looking slightly scared fled the compartment.
As the train continued it's journey Lily and Rose chatted away, reminiscing and answering each other's questions of what they'd been doing the past eight years.
It turned out that Lily had attended Hogwarts since the 1st year, and had been made a prefect in her 5th and 6th years. Lily told Rose all about Hogwarts and the different houses, Lily was a Gryffindor, and Rose told Lily all about Russia.
They changed into their school robes and when the train slowed Lily had to leave because she was a Prefect and had to help all the first years to the lake. Rose had been told via another owl that she would go in the carriages but wait for the sorting before entering the great hall; she did not have to cross the lake which was good because it Rose felt it was going to rain heavily, and soon.
