'Lily, what's going on?' Sharon asked.

'I think it's time we all knew the truth,' Remus said when lily and James broke apart. James stayed sitting beside her and she leant her head on his shoulder as she thought how to put her story into words.

'Well, it started before I got my letter…'

'I never liked home. Well, I liked my sister; she was my only friend before I got my letter. Together we spent day in and day out hiding from my father who was abusive. My mother is…ill, so it was just dad and us. At school I didn't have any friends because I was different, so my sister became protective of me and let me hang around with her and her friends, and stood up for me when people teased me. At home when he and his drinking mates caught us they would…well do stuff like burn cigarettes onto our cheeks and…well, anyway, we always planned to run away. We were going to run away when I was older enough, and the night before I got my letter Petunia said it was time; we would run the next morning while dad got over his hang-over. But then as I packed my bag early in the morning, an owl flew in, carrying my letter. I was over-joyed; I would be free of dad, and I would have a chance to make new friends. Thinking petunia would be happy, I ran into her room with the news. But she said it was wrong, I shouldn't go. She asked me if I didn't trust her to look after me. She thought I was abandoning her to live with dad alone. I said I wasn't; that she could come to, but that didn't work either. She said magic was all made up, and I was stupid to believe the letter. So I got angry with her and told her I would go alone; I thought she would want me to stay. She did at first, said she would be my protector if I stayed, that if I stayed with her I wouldn't be different any more, and I would have friends. But I knew in my head I was different, and now I knew why; I was a witch. So I took the bus to London, and found how to get into Diagon Ally, and got my stuff. Somehow I managed to keep it all a secret through the rest of the summer, and Petunia turned cold on me. The night before I left she came into my room and begged me not to leave, but to stay with her, be her little sister forever, stay where she could protect me. I told her I was going, because I wanted friends. I had never known the true meaning of the word, and I wanted to find out. So Petunia screamed at me then left the room. I prayed and prayed, but dad still heard the words she said. She called me a freak and said I'd be no different at Hogwarts being a witch. Dad saw it as an opportunity to get rid of me. He said witches should be burnt then he-he set alight my room. He left and locked the door, then let my room and me burn. I don't know how, but I survived. The next morning I left my burnt out room with my books, which also seemed undamaged, and set off to the station. Everything was fine; I had new 'friends' and I was settling into my house. But I was always teased; Petunia was right, I was still different. Many times I considered leaving Hogwarts, running away. But then my friends turned on me, slowly, but surely. It got worse. I thought after the summer they would be okay. But of course, I returned home. Petunia never spoke to me, and dad left her alone. He did everything to me. I returned to school with bruises, cuts and burns. Yet they never noticed. I began to keep a diary. My 'friends' we forgetting me. At last, in my third year, I had had enough. Sirius was teasing me constantly, as were the Slytherins'. Without realising, every one of my friends' was teasing me, laughing at Sirius when he pulled a 'joke' on me. It was killing me; for thirteen years I had had no friends, and now I needed them. So I ran away. I was a great quidditch player, though no one ever noticed. I flew until I saw another town, far away from London. For three weeks I lived off the street, begging with muggles. But a kind witch-Lucinda- found me and took me on. I told her my name was Izzy. She sent me to another school, and I had friends. I never fitted in, but I had friends. They didn't tease me at least. I never returned home, thank god, but Lucinda took care of me. At school I was…painful. My friends never even want to know the truth, and when I told them about living of the street, not a single bit of sympathy was given. I still had scars, yet no one noticed; I was just there. It was different though; they didn't pick on me, they just ignored me. But they were better 'friends' then what I was used to. At times they did care, and when I lost a quidditch match they were supportive; told me it wasn't my fault. At Hogwarts I hadn't even been allowed on the team; It was James, Sirius, Jack, Lucy and Raven, Amber and Hannah. I reckon Jack and Lucy have left now and that James is captain. James is captain; I always knew that would happen. Then, I was found by the officials. You know my story from there,'

'So you lied to us; all that stuff about being a 'poor abandoned girl' was a lie. We were your friends, and all along you lied to make us like you!' Dennis cried.

'Leave her alone!' Raven cried loudly, receiving looks from people around the room.

'And you were in it as well! If it wasn't for you Iz-Lily wouldn't have had to run away!'

'Yeah? Well perhaps-…' But Sirius didn't get to finish his sentence.

'We did nothing wrong!' Katie cried.

'Neither did we!' Amber growled.

'Yeah? What about all your teasing?' Sharon said sternly.

'You were no better than we were!" Peter cried.

'We comforted her at least!' Sandra said above his voice.

'We all were wrong…' Remus stated.

'Speak for yourself!' Katie cried.

All the while James sat in silence, stroking Lily's head as she cried onto his shoulder.

'Shut up,' he said quietly.

No one listened. Instead, they continued to argue.

'Will you just SHUT UP?'

Dun dun dun! Whatever will happen? I'm in the writing mood, so the next chap will be up later or tomorrow.

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