Chapter the Third

-----

It did not take long for the rumours to begin. By the time the End of Year Feast concluded that evening, the entire school was buzzing with the news that Sirius Black would be coming to Hogwarts. For some, the gossiping lasted into the early hours of the morning and silence only fell just in time for a minimal amount of sleep before everyone needed to rise again.

"I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about," Lily complained sleepily on the Hogwarts Express as it barrelled toward London. "You ask any of these people and they couldn't tell you what is so special about Sirius Black other than him coming from Netherfield School." She said this last bit in perfect imitation of Professor Trelawney.

"Really, Lily," Charlotte said, shaking her head in admonition but giggling all the same at Lily's antics. She, Lily, and Jane were alone in the compartment. "I know you come from a non-Wizarding background, but surely you must know that Netherfield School is a place of high distinction."

"Was," corrected Jane. "Don't forget that he's only transferring here because it has closed."

"True," Charlotte agreed. "Only children from the wealthiest families ever went there and it had a very prestigious reputation. The number of students was very small, it was so exclusive. Being of the set that were able to go to Netherfield pretty much guaranteed a good career upon graduation."

Lily made a face. "Yes, I know that -- and I think it to be most unfair, and speaks less about the quality of education received at the place and more about the power of connections. Still, I don't see what that has to do with any of us."

"I suppose it is merely the fascination with a new face who isn't going to be a First Year," Jane said peacefully. "After all, how often does that happen? The fact that he will be coming from Netherfield only adds to the interest. It is no wonder most of the students cannot prevent themselves from speculating over it."

"Most of the students and some of the staff as well," Lily reminded her pointedly. This set them off in giggles again. "Well, I only hope that this Sirius Black isn't one of those snobbish and haughty types who thinks he is superior to everyone else simply because he comes from a supposedly better social background than the rest of us. I don't think I could bear it." She paused, the innocent contemplation on her face making the other two wonder what was to come next. "Do you suppose he'll want us to follow the example of our teachers and address him as 'Mr Black'?"

"Oh, Lily!" Charlotte and Jane exclaimed, laughing once again. Lily shrugged unapologetically and changed the subject. For the rest of the trip, they never once returned to the subject of Mr Sirius Black.

-----

Lily's parents found it to be more convenient to allow her to get a ride home with Jane at the end of each school year. Early on, the girls discovered that the Bennet and the Evans family homes were located a short distance away from each other. So short a distance that, instead of walking the long way around, they could instead hop fences and cross through the gardens of friendly neighbours to reach each others' back doors within ten minutes. This is what had enabled them to be constant companions in the summer months. However, this was not the reason for Lily's parents agreeing so readily to her getting a ride.

Lily's elder sister, Petunia, was of the bookish variety, much like Charlotte to some extent. However, Petunia was much less open minded and much less tolerant. She liked only things that could be explained with solid logic, and Lily being a Witch did not fall under this qualification. The result was a rift between the sisters, first coming to light at the train station the first time Lily came home for Christmas.

Petunia had refused to leave the car. She then spent the first hour of the trip, during which Mr and Mrs Evans were asking questions about Lily's school year so far, staunchly refusing to acknowledge Lily's presence. When there was a lapse in the conversation, Petunia launched into a great sermonizing lecture about the various follies and evils of such a freakish way of life. She continued on that particular bent until they reached the house, never once pausing long enough to let anyone else get a word in edgewise. Lily, in her usual manner, found the entire thing rather amusing and could not wait to inform her friends.

Mr and Mrs Evans, however, were highly unimpressed and when Petunia stopped for a breather as she got out of the car they took advantage of the opportunity to inform her of their displeasure. Her response was to announce, "Well, fine then. If you wish to accept Lily's new alternative lifestyle then by all means do so. I, however, will always see her for what she is: a freak." With that she stormed into the house.

Lily could forgive this attitude; she knew Petunia did not understand things because they were simply beyond her grasp. She also suspected there was a small amount of jealousy involved. However, it caused an irreparable rift that only seemed to grow as the years passed. In an attempt at keeping a possibly explosive situation at bay, Mr and Mrs Evans conceded to the suggestion by Mr and Mrs Bennet for the offer of a ride to and from London.

So it was that Lily stood on her doorstep after her fourth year drew to a close, waving to Jane as she and her family drove away. With a half-content, half-melancholic sigh, she tucked her owl's cage under one arm, grabbed one handle of her trunk and opened the door. "Hello!" she called. "I'm home!"

"We're in the sitting room, honey!" her mother responded.

Lily shoved her trunk out of the way near the foot of the staircase, setting her owl atop it. She hung her coat on the stand then kicked her shoes off, projecting them into the corner in the manner that had become habitual as soon as she had discovered such a feat was possible at the age of six.

In the sitting room, Petunia sat at a writing desk, reading a book. Their parents were sitting on the sofa watching the evening news. They looked up as their younger daughter entered and smiled. "Hello Dad, Mum," she said, giving each a kiss on the cheek. "Hi Petunia; how are things."

"Fine," was the brief response, Petunia's eyes never rising from the page.

Mr Evans' eyes narrowed, but he made no comment on his eldest daughter's behaviour. Instead, he turned to Lily. "So, did anything exciting happen since your last letter?"

"Well, nothing terribly exciting. We are getting a new student at the beginning of next year."

Mr Evans looked surprised. "Only one? And I thought they did not send out those letters until later in the summer."

Lily giggled, eliciting a quiet snort from Petunia. "No, Dad, he isn't a First Year. He's a transfer student. Apparently one of the other schools has closed and he'll be enrolling at Hogwarts to begin attending this fall."

"Well, that sounds nice." At his daughter's expression, Mr Evans' eyebrows furrowed gently. "No?"

"I suppose it is nice. I'm just concerned because the school he comes from, Netherfield, was actually rather exclusive. Only rich kids could go there. I wager he'll be something of a snob."

Petunia rose, shutting her book with a snap. "You should not be so ready to judge one of your fellow men, Lily, for all that he follows such an irrational way of thinking. After all, we must first look to ourselves." She then swept out of the room, never once looking directly at her sister.

"I'm sorry, honey," Mrs Evans began before Lily forestalled her with a hand to the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Mum, it doesn't bother me so much. Besides, I suppose she's right, in a way." She gave a good-natured shrug. "I'm going to get unpacked, so I'll see you at dinner." She skipped from the room and trudged up and down the stairs twice to get all of her things up to her bedroom. After unpacking her things onto her bed, sorting them into various piles, she then sat at her own small desk and composed a quick owl to Charlotte to let her know she had arrived safely.