Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter related characters, spells, objects, etc. If you would sue me, which I very much hope you wouldn't, since it's my birthday today, you would only get my wonderful new birthday presents.

A/N: w00t! It's my birthday today! 14 years old, 26 minutes from now! I feel special! So, anyway, for a birthday treat for all of you, I decided to update! Becki, sorry, I only wrote about half a page more than what you saw last. I'm working on it, promise! Everyone else, I'm sorry it's so short. 8 pages. Short. Jeez, I must be losing my touch - I have a chapter written for another story that's over 15,000 words.

In this chapter: the introduction of Becki (the conniving Slytherin), Lily's budding friendship with Remus Lupin, and the beginning of why she hates James Potter.

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Lily spent most of the next fifteen days in her room, practicing spells and reading the spellbooks, memorizing definitions and spells just in case she was called on. Petunia laughed at her and called her a bookworm, but Lily ignored her. Petunia had become quite unpleasant since Lily had gotten her Hogwarts letter. Lily was hurt, but tried not to show it.

However, it was now September 1st, and Lily was only thinking of how excited she was, for today was the day she left for Hogwarts.

She was even more excited than the day she went to Diagon Alley, if that was possible.

She managed to make it through a couple hours at home, and now she was at King's Cross Station, staring at platforms 9 and 10, trying to figure out where the heck Platform 9 ¾ was. She was alone, since Petunia was 'sick' and Mrs. Potter had to stay with her. Lily seriously doubted that Petunia was sick; Petunia was probably just pretending to be ill just so she didn't have to go see Lily off.

It was now 10:45 and she still had no clue where the platform was. Just as she was going to give up and ask for help, she saw the Potters. Giving a sigh of relief, she pushed her trolley over to where the Potters were.

They were all talking together, and then Megan pushed away from the group and walked to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. She then confidently pushed her loaded trolley right towards the barrier. Just as Lily was sure she would crash into the barrier, Megan disappeared.

Lily gasped and the Potters turned towards her. Ally's face lit up.

"Lily!"

"Hey, Ally, James, Mrs. Potter."

"Hello, Lily! Confused about where the platform is?"

Lily nodded.

"OK, all you have to do is walk right through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. You won't crash, I promise. Here, James will go first, and then you can go first. It's best to do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous."

"OK," Lily said, definitely feeling nervous.

She watched James wheel his trolley towards the barrier and casually walk through.

"Doesn't he get scared?" Lily whispered to Ally. Ally shook her head.

It was now Lily's turn. She gulped and pushed her trolley towards the barrier, and then pushed it through, closing her eyes tightly.

The crash she expected didn't come. She opened her eyes and gasped.

She was obviously at the platform, as there was a sign that proclaimed proudly 'Platform 9 ¾'. She wheeled her trunk out of the way as Ally came through, also closing her eyes.

Lily took a bigger look around. There were kids and parents everywhere, and she could see a scarlet train engine waiting next to the platform.

Ally wheeled her cart next to Lily. "It's something, isn't it?" Ally whispered.

Lily nodded silently. It was awe-inspiring. She shook out of her reverie and took her trunk and animal cages off of the trolley and wheeled her trunk to the last empty compartment of the train. Ally followed her and they both hefted their trunks into a corner of the compartment. They both got in and sat opposite from each other.

The doors all closed, and with a jolt, the train started moving. Lily nearly squealed with excitement and opened Diablo's cage, letting the black cat out. It leapt into Lily's lap with a contented purr and promptly fell asleep.

About fifteen minutes later, a blonde girl stepped into the compartment. Lily recognized her as the girl with the Slytherins, the one who had been next to Snape. The one who had stuck up for her.

"Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

Ally looked up from gazing out the window and scowled. "Bagley, go away."

"Ally, let her sit here. She's done nothing wrong," Lily said.

Ally rolled her eyes. "Fine, Bagley can sit here, but don't blame me if she hurts you."

"Moi? Hurt someone? Impossible!" 'Bagley' said, looking innocent. Ally snorted and turned away to look out the window once again.

'Bagley' stuck out her hand to Lily. "Becki Bagley. Sorry for Severus and Lucius's actions. They're just… just… just like that sometimes."

Lily took her hand and shook it. "Lily Evans. Just make sure they don't do it again."

Becki smiled. "I'll try. It's not like I've got a lot of influence over them, though…"

Lily shrugged. "Just do your best."

"Will do."

The two talked for a while. Ally was blatantly ignoring Becki, and Becki was doing the same to Ally.

"So, do you like showtunes?" Lily was asking Becki (A/N Sorry, HUGE Teen Titans fan. Had to put that in.) when James and his crew, which consisted of him, Sirius, and two boys that Lily didn't recognize, walked into the compartment. It was getting quite full.

James saw Becki and narrowed his eyes. "Bagley, I'll give you one chance to get out before we all curse you."

Becki stood up and laughed. "You can try, if you like, but it's very unlikely that you'll succeed. If you remember, I won that duel last year, and I can do it again."

James pulled out his wand from his pocket. "I gave you one chance, Bagley, and you blew it." He pointed his wand at her. She took out her own wand.

"I bet you couldn't hurt a fly, Potter."

"Bet I could hurt one better than you."

"Bet – Never mind. I'm not going to be so childish as to argue about who could hurt a fly more."

"Oh yeah?" James sneered, unable to come up with a better comeback.

"Yeah, but I guess you don't have that kind of maturity, do you, Potter? God never granted you with that gift, and he never will. Now, if you excuse me, I have somewhere to be. Goodbye, Lily," Becki said, waving to Lily and scowling at James and Ally.

"Bye, Becki!" Lily called after Becki. Becki waved and continued until she found a reasonable empty compartment in the Slytherin section of the train.

Lily turned to James. "Why did you do that? She was being nice, unlike you! What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you is the question! Making friends with a Slytherin! Shame on you!" James snapped back.

"Oh, and it's all my fault that she's nice? Get a life, Potter, and a clue. She stuck up for me in Diagon Alley, and she was nice to me on the train, which is more than you have done."

James ignored that little outburst and turned to his twin.

"Hey, Ally, can we sit here? The train is full, except for the Slytherin compartments."

Ally looked around at the two girls and four boys. "I don't think there's enough room."

Lily glared at James. "Don't worry, I was just leaving. Ally, I'll see you later. Maybe."

Ally shrugged. "Have it your way, then. Go sit with Bagley."

Lily stalked out the door and went to the compartment that Becki had gone into. It was just Becki and Snape in the compartment, talking. Lily cleared her throat and Becki looked towards the door.

"Hey, Lily! What's up?"

"Potter's a bloody idiot and I refuse to sit by him. Can I sit with you?"

Becki looked at Snape and he shrugged. Becki nodded.

"Go ahead."

Lily smiled. "Thanks." She sat down across from where Becki and Snape were sitting next to each other.

--------SKIP AHEAD TO AFTER THE TRAIN RIDE----------

"Firs' years! Firs' years! This way!"

Lily's head snapped towards the booming voice. It was coming from a giant man.

"Who's that?" she whispered to Becki.

"Hagrid. He's the gamekeeper."

"Oh. He's a bit large, isn't he?"

"Rumor has it that he's half-giant," Becki whispered back.

Lily's eyes went wide. "Is he safe?"

"I doubt it. He set a monster on the students when he was still in Hogwarts. It's a wonder that Dumbledore kept him on as gamekeeper."

James, who had been listening from behind, pushed past Becki with a muttered, "He's safer than you are, Bagley".

Lily scowled. "Bloody idiot…"

Becki shrugged. "He's not bothering me. It's rather funny, actually, to see him try and make me mad. I'm a better duelist, anyways, and he knows it. I beat him in a fencing tournament last year, and he had been taking years of lessons as opposed to my two months of lessons. He challenged me to a wand duel, and I beat him in that too. We used stolen wands and almost got expelled from Hogwarts before we even got our letters, but it was worth it."

Lily giggled. "I would've loved to see his face when you beat him."

"Yeah, it was great."

By that time, they were in the boats. Suddenly, Hogwarts came into view. Lily gasped, wide-eyed.

"Wow…" Lily breathed.

Becki shrugged and looked blasé. "It's OK, I guess, but you should see Lucius' mansion. It's about as big as the castle. Malfoy Manor, it's called."

"Wow. I can't even imagine living in somewhere this big and grand," Lily said in awe.

"Get used to it, because this is going to be your home for most of the next seven years. Unless you get expelled, of course," Becki pointed out.

All Lily did was nod and get out of the boat, since they were at the other bank of the lake.

Hagrid knocked once, twice, three times on the door to the castle before a stern-looking witch in a green wizard's hat opened it.

The children were herded inside to a room with no windows. As soon as the witch, Professor McGonagall, as she had introduced herself as, had left, the room erupted in conversation.

"I heard to get Sorted, we have to fight a troll!" one chubby-faced boy exclaimed a bit frightfully.

"Why would you have to fight a troll?" a girl with blond hair scoffed. "We're not supposed to die during the Sorting, stupid, we're supposed to be sorted."

"All you have to do is try on a hat," Becki whispered to Lily.

"Really? How did people get the idea that they would have to fight a troll?" Lily asked.

Becki tried to look mock-innocent. "No idea, Lils, no idea at all…"

Lily giggled. "Becki, you didn't!"

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

Becki stuck her tongue out at Lily and Lily stuck her tongue out at Becki. Both doubled up with laughter, but stopped abruptly and straightened up as Professor McGonagall stepped back into the room and explained what they had to do to get sorted. Becki was right; all they had to do was try on the Sorting Hat.

"This way," the professor said, leading the eleven-year-olds into the Great Hall. Lily looked up at the ceiling and gasped.

"Becki, look! It looks like there's no ceiling!"

Becki looked up and shrugged. "So?"

"Well, we don't have anything like that in the Muggle world," Lily said. Becki stopped and turned to her.

"You're Muggle-born?"

Lily shrugged. "So?"

Becki got a conniving look on her face. "Nothing, nothing… Oi, Lucius!"

She ran to catch up with the blond boy, leaving Lily to run after her. The two Slytherin-to-be's stopped talking when Lily stepped up. Becki gave the slightest nod to Lucius and turned back to Lily.

"So, Lils, what house do you think you'll get into?"

Lily shrugged. "Dunno. I want to be in your house, whatever that is."

Becki nodded wisely. "Good choice. You'll hopefully be in Slytherin, then. It's the best house. I wouldn't want to be in Gryffindor, though. Anything's better than there, even Hufflepuff."

"Bagley, stop trying to corrupt Evans," James' voice came from behind.

Becki said some words not allowed in school to him and James scowled. He said the same words back to Becki and she took out her wand.

"Say that again, Potter, and you'll regret it," she hissed. A firm hand on her shoulder made her turn and James to jump. Professor McGonagall was there with a stern look on her face.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

Becki smiled innocently, pocketing her wand. "No, ma'am, I was just showing James here how to properly handle a wand. I'm sorry, ma'am, and it won't happen again."

There were giggles from the house table closest, especially those who had heard the exchange between Becki and James. McGonagall shot them a death glare and most stopped laughing, with the exception of a few giggles here and there.

Professor McGonagall took her place at the front of the room and took out a long list of names. Lily strained to see what was on the stool in front of her and was rewarded with a view of a very old wizards' hat. She jumped as it opened a seam and started to sing. (insert Sorting Hat song here)

When the song was done, the professor began reading off names. Becki's name was the second one called, after Chris Andersson. She calmly walked up to the stool and put the hat on her head. As soon as the hat reached her head, it shouted "Slytherin!". Becki took off the hat and walked over to the Slytherin table, smirking. She winked at Lily, who was crossing her fingers and hoping she would get into Slytherin also.

"Evans, Lily!"

Lily jumped and automatically started walking towards the hat and the stool. She squirmed uncomfortably at the sight of so many eyes upon her, and put on the hat.

Hmm…

Who's there?

'Tis the Sorting Hat, my dear. Hmm… where to put you… I think I'd like to get Slytherin, if you don't mind… You would, would you? And why is that?

I'd like to be with Becki, if you must know. As long as I'm not with James Potter, I'll be fine, I guess.

Slytherin… hmm… that's interesting. You do have certain important Slytherin qualities… a thirst to prove yourself, I see, and ambition… great ambition… but no. I don't think you belong in Slytherin.

Stupid hat… what do you know, anyway?

A great deal… it's all here in your head, you know, where you belong, what you're feeling, and what you're thinking… Now, to sort you… You belong in GRYFFINDOR!

The hat shouted the last word out for everybody to hear. Lily disgustedly took the hat off and trudged over to the Gryffindor table, unwillingly sitting down at an empty seat at the end of the table. Empty chairs surrounded it, and she could only hope that nobody would sit there. She wanted to be by her friend, not here with the Gryffindors. She looked over at Becki, who looked at her sympathetically and shrugged.

Lily turned back towards the Sorting in time to see Lupin, Remus get sorted into Gryffindor. A cheer to Lily's right startled her and made her turn to see the offender. It was Sirius Black. He grinned at her with the same cheeky smile that James used so often. She groaned.

"How is it that you came to be sorted into Gryffindor?" she moaned. "Now Potter's going to be sorted into Gryffindor too!"

Sirius shrugged. "We always knew we'd get into Gryffindor. You didn't exactly look happy to be sorted into Gryffindor. What was that all about?"

"I wanted to be with Becki in Slytherin, if you must know. Now I'll never get to see her."

Sirius stared, along with Remus who had by then joined them at the end of the table.

"You wanted to be in Slytherin? What are you, some sort of dark witch or something? A Death Eater, perhaps?"

Lily looked confused. "What's a Death Eater?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Never mind. You're not one, I guess, if you don't know what it is. Unless you're just saying that to throw us off…"

"Sirius, if she was a Death Eater, she wouldn't be in Gryffindor," Remus pointed out.

"…Good point…"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Now that that's cleared up, can we please shut up and watch the Sorting?"

"Why would we watch the Sorting? It's no fun."

"Maybe because McGonagall's glaring at us?" Lily shrugged.

"So?" Sirius asked.

"Lily's right. We should watch the Sorting; Peter, Ally, and James are next," Remus said.

The three quieted as Pettigrew, Peter tried on the hat. The hat was on his head for a full minute before it shouted out "Gryffindor!"

Remus and Sirius clapped and hooted wildly as Peter made his way towards them, tripping once. He sat next to Remus and looked at the front of the room as Potter, Ally was sorted. The hat screamed out "Gryffindor!" as soon as it touched her head, just as it had called out "Slytherin!" for Becki as soon as it hit her head.

James took a little longer for the Hat to decide, but he, too, was sorted into Gryffindor. The two Potters arrived at the table together. James sat next to Sirius and Ally took the last available seat in that area, next to Lily.

Soon the Sorting was over. The first years gasped as the food magically appeared, and they all dug in. Lily ate delicately; she wasn't very hungry after getting stuck with the Gryffindors.

She was quiet through dinner, and nobody cared except for Remus. The others, she noticed, were too busy talking about Quidditch, whatever it was, and classes and pranks to notice the freak that wanted to be in Slytherin and instead got into Gryffindor.

Remus, however, was the exception. He was sitting across from her, both on the end of the table. He was the only one who noticed how quiet Lily was being.

"Lily, right?" he said to her. She looked up from where she was staring at her plate absently.

"Yeah. Remus, right?"

He nodded. "So, why are you so quiet?"

Lily shrugged. "Nobody wants to talk to someone who wanted to be in Slytherin but ended up in Gryffindor."

"I do. So what if you have a friend in Slytherin? It doesn't matter."

"It does to them," Lily said darkly. Remus shrugged.

"Don't listen to them. They're just… strongly Gryffindor-ish. They can't stand Slytherins, and I guess they consider you half-Slytherin, since you wanted to be in it," Remus said comfortingly.

Lily scowled. "Well, they can just keep thinking that, because Becki's going to be my friend no matter what anyone says. She's the only one who's nice to me, besides you."

"Oookay then… why aren't you eating anything?"

"Not hungry," Lily answered. She wasn't just saying that to get Remus off her back; she truly wasn't hungry.

Remus shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Thanks, I will. So how do you know Potter and Black and Pettigrew from before Hogwarts?" Lily asked.

Remus explained how they had met (their parents were friends, so they saw each other at least once a month since they were toddlers), and the feast was soon over. Before they could go, Dumbledore gave one final speech.

"If you will all kindly make note, the sixth floor corridor on the left side is off limits due to," he paused, "disrepair. All of those who do not wish to fall through the floor and land most painfully on the stone floor in the fifth story, please make sure you avoid it. In addition, there will be a Dueling Club set up by our very own Professor Fasihi. It will meet every Monday and Thursday, and there will be an informational meeting tomorrow evening in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom at 7:30 P.M."

Despite the yawns of students everywhere, an excited chatter filled the Great Hall as Dumbledore dismissed them. Lily could hear whispers of "Dueling Club?" everywhere.

She got up from the table along with everyone else and followed the prefect to the Gryffindor common room, trying to make out what Remus, Potter, Black, and Peter were talking about. She could only make out tiny bits of their conversation.

"…d'you suppose he's telling the truth?…"

"…not sure…"

"…go and check it out…"

Her curiosity was aroused, but her need for sleep overtook it as she followed the rest of the girls in her dorm (including Ally) up the stairs and immediately fell asleep on her bed.