PreHogwarts:- Chapter 10

Lily woke slowly turning round to find a green wall, instantly she knew she was in a foreign bed. She couldn't place herself, as this wasn't her room.

She moved round in the bed to look at the opposite side and she knew where she was. She remembered that they had travelled to London the day before; she looked at the cream carpet that lined the floor in Pa Evans' house.

Lily lay in bed trying hard to remember why they had travelled up to Pa Evans', today wasn't the anniversary of Ma Evans' death, that was November, but why was she there.

From downstairs Lily heard a bang, and a word that no one would dare to utter if they had been at home. It was from this unsuited word that Lily remembered why she was there, it was September 1st and she was leaving for her new school.

Lily tried to climb out of bed but found the bed sheets knotted around her feet meant that she landed on the floor face first. She quickly un-knotted them and climbed to her feet.

Lily looked around and quickly placed the sheets back on her bed making it look as if she had never slept in it, making it ready for her next visit (forgetting that her mother would change it once they had seen her off)

Once the bed was as Lily liked it she grabbed her dressing gown and headed into the bathroom where she showered. She stood under the water and let it run down her body, warming her. Her mind wandered to what her school would be like, she wondered if they would have showers there, or if she would have to get used to baths again.

The water-cooled and soon Lily felt a chill, she guessed her mother had also showered that morning using up most of the warm water. Quickly she stepped out of the cubical and wrapped a large cotton white towel around herself, then a small one around her hair.

Quickly she patted herself dry and pulled her dressing gown around herself. Tying it at her middle while then rubbing her hair until it was damp.

She then went downstairs and helped her mother prepare breakfast. Lily placed the bread under the grill watching it brown; her mother cut tomatoes and mushrooms, which Lily placed in a pan to sizzle.

As her mother pulled the sausages and bacon out from the lower grill, Lily took the beans off the rings. As her mother moved out of the way she pulled out the toast and buttered it putting it on separated plates, her mother put the sausages and bacon out while Lily spread the tomatoes and mushrooms on her own and her mothers plates, while her mother put the beans on her fathers and Pa Evans'.

Lily thought about how much she would miss this, making breakfast with her mother, watching T.V with her sister, reading with her father and listening to Pa Evans' stories. For the first time Lily realised things were going to change.

With tears forming in her eyes she carried her plate along with her mothers to the table, while her mother carried the others up to the bedrooms where the two men where still in bed.

Lily felt nervous, extremely nervous she was scared that she wouldn't fit in with anyone. She ate her breakfast in silence while her mother joined her at the table. She cleared her plate rather faster than normal and ran up stairs to dress.

On her way she bumped into Pa Evans' on the top step, she moved aside to let him pass, but he stopped ruffled her hair and mumbled something about kids growing to fast before shuffling off down the stairs.

In her room she chose a blue top with three-quarter length sleeves and a dirty denim skirt. She looked around the room to find her black ankle boots. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided to pull her hair up into a cream clip letting two strands fall on her face.

She then headed back down to the kitchen to join her family. She found Pa Evans' looking through the 'Daily Mail' she could see a picture of the English Cricket team and a caption 'England lose one day match again, more work needed'. Lily never understood her grandpa's fascination with cricket, but then he had played semi profession once.

Sitting opposite the old man was her father; she could tell they were related as they both sat in the same position with their left eyebrow raised quizzically. She could see that he too was reading the sport page, his paper being 'The Sun'. Lily could see a picture of a football (soccer) player with the caption "'United start with brilliant win"

Lily caught her father's eye, signalling the back page, he turned to look at it and smiled at her

"Don't worry sunshine they only beat Chelsea"

This made her smile Lily loved football; she had played it all her life with the other children that lived in the street. Her father had taken her to football games. Lily was an avid Aston Villa supporter and she was hoping that they played football in Hogwarts.

Lily then went to help her mother wash the remainder of the dishes before they left for the station. As 10 O'clock drew near Lily went up to her room and dragged her trunk down the stairs. On her way back to the kitchen she tripped over her foot and landed on her stomach in the doorway.

This got everyone's attention and they turned to look at her.

"Lily are you alright?" Lily could hear the grin in her father's voice as she pulled herself onto her feet.

"Yes dad I'm fine, are we ready to go?"

With a yes from her parents, Lily turned to Pa Evan's and engulfed him into a huge hug.

"I'll see you at Christmas Pa,"

Lily kissed her Pa on the check as she followed her parents out of the front door. The three got into their car and headed to the train station. As Pa Evans' lived in Chelsea they didn't have to leave too early.

There was traffic on the road which slowed them down by only minutes and they were parking in the street opposite the station at 10.20. Lily held tightly onto her mother's hand as her father carried her trunk into the station.

They headed to platform 9 where Lily had arranged to meet Branwen. The three Evans' looked around wondering when she would arrive. The time started to pass and Lily began to worry, she didn't know how to get on the platform and if Branwen didn't turn up…

"Lily, Lily there you are, I've been looking everywhere for you"

For the second time that day Lily was engulfed into a hug, this time by her friend. Branwen's silky brown hair was tickling Lily's nose and Lily quickly pulled away as she sneezed.

"Lily sorry I'm late; tad (A/N: welsh for grandpa) got lost on his way here."

Lily turned her attention to a man who was standing just behind Branwen. He had long greying hair that came to his shoulders and silver eyes that sparkled with some ancient knowledge.

"Miss Evans it's a pleasure to meet you, my caried (A/N: means child in welsh) hasn't stopped talking about already making a friend at Hogwarts."

Lily smiled up at the old man. There was something about him, warmth that told Lily that he was a caring man, who wouldn't hurt a fly. She stared into his eyes and felt like he was reading her as easily as some read a book. As she blinked away she remembered that they had to get to Platform 9¾ to get on the train.

"Umm… I don't want to be rude but where is platform 9¾, and how do we get there?"

Tad smiled down at Lily and then she saw a sad glint in his eyes.

"You have to run through that wall over there and it will take you to the platform. But caried your parents won't be able to come with us onto the Platform, they don't allow Muggles on."

Lily frowned as she looked at her family. She didn't want them to stay here she wanted them to wave goodbye to her on the train.

Lily ran over to her mother and was engulfed into another hug. She felt her mother's lips touch the tip of her head.

"I love you Lily, keep safe and we'll meet you right here for Christmas."

Lily could feel the tears in her eyes. She turned to her father and ran into his outstretched arms. She felt them tighten around her as she hugged him close.

"We'll see you soon baby girl, enjoy the term and don't forget to write to us."

Lily kissed her father, and then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at tad.

"We better go if you want to get on that train. Don't worry Mr, Mrs Evans I'll watch that Lily gets on the train."

Tad shock hands with Lily's parents and then she waved at them.

"Excuse me, umm Mr Tad, but is it safe getting on the platform."

Tad smiled up at Mr Evans and nodded, as if he was showing Mr Evans he turned and walked into the wall.

Lily gasped at the same time as her parents, none of them had seen something like this before it was unreal.

Branwen grabbed Lily's hand and squeezed it tight. Their eyes meet and Lily couldn't help but smile.

The two pushed they're trolleys forward and ran. Lily closed her eyes as the world came closer. She could feel herself shaking and was sure she'd hit the wall.

"Wow!"

Lily heard Branwen speak and felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and lost all ability to speak. In front of her was a steam train, it looked very old and reminded her of James from Thomas the Tank (A/N: I couldn't resist it)

"It's beautiful, it's just…"

"Breathtaking" Branwen finished for her.

The two girls lifted their things onto the train with the help of tad, then got off and looked around them.

Lily couldn't believe how much like Kings Cross' other platforms this looked like. The only difference was that many people were wearing robes. Lily looked at Branwen who was hugging tad, and saying something in Welsh to him.

She looked away from her friend wanting to give her some time alone with her granddad, she knew she would want the same, she let her eyes wander and they landed on a cage, inside sat a purple cat, Lily had never seen something like this before.

"I made it that colour, I was sick of his boring brown coat, I wanted something different"

Lily laughed at the girls comment; well this cat certainly was different. She turned to sneak a peak at Branwen in time to watch them pull apart.

Tad then turned to Lily and drew her into another hug. Although she had never met the man before this very day she felt at ease with him as if she had known him all her life.

"Take care caried and be careful. Stay with Branwen and if you have any trouble you see that son of mine. Don't forget to enjoy yourself and if you have any questions just ask, somebody will tell you."

The old man smiled as a whistle sounded.

"Quick both of you get on that train."

They smiled as they ran and jumped into the door. Lily missed the step and started to fall, but luckily Branwen grabbed her arm. She was pulled onto the train and they closed the door. They opened the window and waved at Tad, as they got further away.

"Lily maybe we should find somewhere to sit,"

Lily smiled as they made their way passed full carriages. All of a sudden the train gave a lurch and Lily fell sideways through an open compartment door landing with a bump on the floor.

Lily could feel the blush running into her checks as she looked up. In front of her sat a boy with sandy brown hair, with a handsome face. Sitting on his lap was a girl with long auburn hair who Lily noticed was also blushing.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt something. I fell when the train lurched. I'm so sorry."

The girl jumped off the boys lap and laughed as she pulled Lily to her feet.

"Don't worry I fell forward onto Remus' lap. It was a sudden lurch."

Lily looked up into the smiling face of the girl and saw that the boy, Remus was laughing. Behind her she could hear laughter as she turned she noticed Branwen leaning in the doorway.

"Lily, that was priceless, it was so funny." Branwen laughed even harder, "Your face you were so red, you looked like a tomato."

Lily looked at her friend with mock hurt and then laughed at Branwen's sudden change of attitude as she ran into the compartment and slammed the door shut.

She pulled Lily and sat next to Remus keeping very still and quiet. Lily heard voices outside and then it went quiet.

They sat there looking at Branwen as if she were mad; Lily made to speak when she heard another voice outside. It held a welsh accent before the words, and Lily wondered if Branwen knew the person.

"Bryan, did you see that thing on the platform."

"Do you mean Branwen, Gavin?"

Lily's eyes widened with surprise, that boy had called Branwen a 'thing' that wasn't right, she was so nice. Lily turned and grabbed Branwen's hand, their eyes met and Lily was surprised that there was no hurt in her eyes.

"You know I'm talking about Branwen, you loser, she's weird, not a real witch only half witch on her fathers side, you never met her mother she was a real…"

Branwen was on her feet before Lily could do anything, she had pulled the compartment door open and her fist was already against the boy's nose as he flew backwards against the opposite wall.

"If you ever finish that sentence I'll do more than pummel your face, do you hear me."

Branwen then turned, closed the compartment door and retook her seat next to Lily as if nothing had happened. Then taking a breath she turned to the boy and girl.

"Hi I'm Branwen Ddraig, and this is Lily Evans, we're first years, do you mind if we sit with you?"

The girl looked awe struck but gained herself quickly

"I'm Ginny Dunn, and this is Remus Lupin. Sure you can sit with us."

The four sat together and talked. They found out that Remus and Branwen were only children and that Lily was the youngest of a muggle family, while Ginny was the youngest of a wizarding family.

"I have two nephews Bill and Charlie. Bill is 4 and Charlie will be 1 soon."

"You have two nephews wow you must have a sister who is much older." Branwen said, then she seemed to realise that she was a bit rude and tried to change it.

"I mean umm…"

Ginny laughed and shock her head.

"Molly is 25, she married Arthur when she was 19, her first year out of Hogwarts. Then she had Bill when she was 21 and Charlie last year. It is weird that there is 14 years between us. She's more like a mother to me than a sister, but you know."

Lily smiled at Ginny.

"I know what you mean, my sister treats me like I'm a bad puppy not her younger sister."

The other three laughed as a voice announced that they would be arriving in 10 minutes and anyone not changed into they're school robes should do.

Remus nodded at the three girls, and picking up his robes exited in the compartment. Lily pulled her top off and grabbed her shirt.

"It's so weird now, I can't wait to get into the school, I hope we have food I'm starved."

"Your starved Lily, I think I could eat a whole dragon."

As Lily pulled her robes over her clothes there was a knock on the compartment door.

"Are you three dressed yet?"

Lily smiled at Remus' voice, she looked at the other two and noticed Ginny only had her shirt on and was struggling to do her tie.

"Not yet Remus, Ginny's still getting dressed"

As Branwen called out to the boy Lily went and did Ginny's tie, she quickly pulled her skirt on and opened the door to Remus.

Within minutes they were at the station and slowly exiting the train.