Alright, I am trying to get all of this out as soon as possible, but it's kinda hard to think up all this and get all the work I'm supposed ta be doing done (can I use the blonde excuse, no offense to blondes, cuz I AM one too)

I'd also just like to say that more reviews more chapters.

And anything like this is taken from the first Harry Potter book.

All right, so on to the story.

Disclaimer: You know the drill, having seen it in many other fanfics... nothing belongs to me, except for a few characters and the plot; the rest belongs to JKR, one of the people who reviewed, or a singer/band that I decided to 'borrow' the music from. (Though the music factor will be decided on how brain dead I manage to get while writing this chapter.)

Thorns by Faerielights

Chapter 7: Journey to Hogwarts

Last Chapter:

What if no one liked her other than her cousin and his friends? What if the only reason that Remus and all them pretended as though they liked her because Remus and Lily were related?

'No sense in worrying about things like that,' Lily thought to herself. ' We'll just worry about that sort of thing when the time comes.'

After a few more minutes, Lily had dropped off into a restless sleep.

This Chapter:

Everyone woke up bright and early (Did I ever mention who everyone is? No? Well then, everyone is: James, Remus, Sirius, Jay, Destiny Lupin, Sal, Ann, and Lana.) So that they could all take showers and make sure that they had everything that they were going to need.

Lily was still worried, but trying to push it to the back of her mind, as she got ready along with Destiny, or Destie, as she was called by most everyone there.

"Everyone ready?" Jeff Lupin called up the stairs. Getting nine positive answers in response, he then replied, "well then, come down the stairs with your trunks so we can get in the cars (They had a van and a regular car since the kids obviously couldn't apparate. Can you apparate onto platform 9 and ¾?) and go to King's Cross!"

At 10:30, they had pulled into the parking lot for Kings Cross station, and were walking to the platform between 9 and 10.

"Aunt Jo? Umm... I don't see platform 9 and ¾. Is it some sort of joke or something?" Lily asked. Everyone else looked confused too, as they were all first years.

"No, silly. It's a magical barrier, so that muggles can't see it, and so that they won't be able to get onto the platform for the Hogwarts Express. See the barrier right there? All you have to do is walk through it, and you'll come out onto platform 9 and ¾. Or you should take it as a run if you are nervous."

"Aunt Jo?" This time it was Destie. "Are you sure about this? Like, we won't run into the wall and knock ourselves out or anything like that, will we?"

As if answering their questions, they saw several older students run at the barrier, and disappear into the wall, when through muggle standards, they should have been sitting on the floor because they had ran into a wall. (A/N: running into walls does hurt, I've managed to do it several times by accident, cuz I'm just sooo coordinated.)

"Does that answer your questions?"

Lily and Destie nodded their heads.

"Alright then, let's do this in pairs or something, so that the muggles aren't alerted to anything strange happening, let's see, Jo, why don't you go first, so you can keep an eye on them after they get through the barrier? Then we'll have Remus and Destiny, Sirius and Sally, Lily and James, Jay and Ann and Lana, and then I'll go through. Now everyone, remember to bring your trunks and owls with you." Mr. Lupin instructed, then everyone disappeared through the wall in the order they were told to go.

Once on the other side, all the children said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, then loaded their trunks into the storage area (A/N: I don't remember if there is a storage area or not, but we're gunna pretend that there is one, kay?). They then went off to find compartments, as they soon realized that the nine of them would not fit in one. It took a while, but they were soon able to find two compartments that were across from each other so that they could correspond throughout the trip, and pull pranks together. (A/N: my my, I am using big words. Mommy wow! I'm a big kid now!! Sorry, that sorta slipped out. Hehe this story may start getting bizarre as I'm listening to lotsa different music)

After seeing Lily's tense and somewhat frightened face (the train had just left the station.) everyone tried to reassure her that everything would work out at Hogwarts. She was trying to believe them, but found it to be difficult

And I wanna believe you,

When you tell me that it'll be ok,

Ya I try to believe you,

But I don't

She had thought back to where James had told her that wizards didn't normally care if you were of muggle or magical decent, but that had been before they had run into Malfoy and Snape in Diagon Alley, where she had been harassed because her parents were muggles.

When you say that it's gonna be,

It always turns out to be a different way,

I try to believe you,

Not today, today, today, today, today...

She wasn't sure if she could believe them or not.

I don't know how to feel,

tomorrow, tomorrow,

I don't know what to say,

tomorrow, tomorrow

Is a different day

She thought of how her parents had always been able to reassure her if she was feeling insecure about something, but they weren't here now.

It's always been up to you,

It's turning around,

It's up to me,

I'm gonna do what I have to do,

just do

"Guys, I'll be okay, I just have to think about this on my own for a little while," Lily said, trying to get them to leave her alone so that she could mull over this on her own.

Gimme a lil time,

Leave me alone a little while,

Maybe it's not too late,

not today, today, today, today, today...

For today Lily wasn't too sure how to feel. She supposed that after today was over, she'd be feeling better about this whole ordeal. So Lily made up her mind not to think about it anymore today, and that tomorrow she would make up her mind as to whether or not she liked being separated form her family and made into a witch.

I don't know how to feel,

tomorrow, tomorrow,

I don't know what to say,

tomorrow, tomorrow

Is a different day

And I know I'm not ready,

Maybe tomorrow

And I wanna believe you,

When you tell me that it'll be ok,

Ya I try to believe you,

Not today, today, today, today, today...

Tomorrow it may change

(A/N: I love Avril Lavigne's music, like seriously, she is an awesome singer, and I'll prolly have most of the songs from her cd in my fic, mainly cuz I can, lol. This song is called Tomorrow, just so you know.)

After noticing that Lily's expression was no longer tense, Sal, Ann, Destie, and Lana all decided to engage her in a little conversation.

Destie decided to start the conversation, as she knew the least about Lily. Even though Lily and Destie were cousins (cuz Lily's aunt married Destie's uncle) they basically only knew each other's first and last names. "So, Lily, what're your favorite things to do?"

"Oh I like to read and write. I've done a lot of sports and dance some too. What about you guys?"

"Dancing, acting, singing, guitar," Cai said, appearing in the door. "Hey guys." She got enthusiastic hi's from everyone, and then entered the compartment and sat down in between Lily and Destie.

"Oh, you know, the usual; pulling pranks, hanging out with the marauders, and now with you guys. You do like pranks right?" (Destie)

(A/N: wow, ok I just realized something, and I also figured that if I don't put this in here, I'll totally forget, so umm remember how I mentioned that the Evans and Potters had been good friends, and Lily and James had been really close, but the Potters had moved when Lily and James were 3? Well, let's just say that they still keep in contact, through the regular post, only they've always used code names that they had for each other, you know how when we're three we use baby words cuz we don't have any other form? That's what they do. So the code names they have for each other are Lily - piglet and James - Pooh bear, cuz they loved Winnie the pooh when they were younger.)

"Course I love pranks, after all is there anyone who doesn't?" said Lily, and all the other girls agreed.

"Ok, go on. Who does what and what not?" (Destie)

"Singing, playing violin" (Sally)

"Reading and writing" (Ann)

"Drawing, playing guitar and singing" (Lana)

The boys heard them and decided to add their own comments.

"I like pranks, getting into trouble, trying to beat the detention record, Quidditch and stuff like that" (James)

"Ditto" (Sirius)

"Pranks, reading, commenting for Quidditch, keeping the peace between Sirius and James, when they get in fights that is" (Remus)

"Pranks, Quidditch, drums, among other things" (Jay)

"Pranks, torturing Snape and Malfoy, Quidditch and a few other things" said a new voice belong to.

"Shawn, I thought you'd missed the train!" Jay exclaimed. Shawn was the fifth member of the group (A/N: did I ever mention that Peter wasn't gunna be mentioned in this story till later? Cuz I'm gunna have him change schools in about their third or fourth year I think. Maybe fifth...)

"Nah, I just couldn't find you guys at the station, so I was forced to stick with Susan (his sister) and her friend Minnie (yup, McGonagall, she's about 4 years older than them in this story. and a prefect, that might change a little later, depending on if I want her as a prefect or as the Head Girl...)

For the remainder of the train ride the group of (How many is it now? Ten, eleven people?) all talked. I would say they talked quietly, but where there are the marauders, there's bound to be loads of noise. They scared the witch that pushed the snack cart half out of her mind, and after she had left, they all joked around, played Monster Exploding Snap (when u have 4 decks together), planned pranks for Snape and Malfoy and anyone else that would bug them at school.

After a while an announcement came on over the intercom. " We will be reaching Hogwarts in fifteen minutes time, please be in your Hogwarts robes by the time we arrive. Also, leave your luggage on the train, as it will be taken to the school separately"

The group of first years looked at each other and went into their respective compartments to get changed into their robes. Just after both groups had changed, the train came to a stop. People pushed their way toward the door and came out onto a tiny, dark platform. A light form a lantern came over to them and a voice said " Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" (A/N: Hagrid when he was about nineteen or so. I'd imagine he's really not all that old in Harry's time, so I think It would make sense to have him be nineteen, as he'd meet Lily and James approximately twenty or so years prior to meeting eleven-year-old Harry)

Hagrid lead the group of first years down a narrow path, which was steep in addition to being narrow.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily got into one boat, while Cai, Sally, Shawn, and Jay filled another, with yet another occupying Destie, Ann, Lana, and a pretty girl with dark curly hair and blue eyes (they later found out that the girl's name was Alaina Stork, which Sirius was delighted to nickname her "Stork")

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle over head. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

All of a sudden the giant squid (It is a squid, right?) shot a tentacle up in the air and brought it back down on the boat the Snape, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were occupying, making the boat capsize, and the four snooty boys fall into the water. As none of them could swim since they were all pompous $$e$, they began drowning as everyone else pointed and laughed.

(A/N: Okay, so maybe it didn't happen that way, but it would have been interesting and different, sue me for wanting to liven up my story. No! WAIT! Don't sue me! I only have a dollar and some change to my name, and I was kidding about the whole suing thing. Alright, back to the actual story now, I guess. ::hangs head ashamed::.)

So, seriously, Snape, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were near James and co.'s boat, and them being the pompous $$e$ they are, decided to flip it, hoping to drown the mudblood and mudblood lovers, as the group had been dubbed.

The four "innocent" beings in the boat to be flipped had been looking at the castle in awe like MOST of their future classmates, and hadn't realized what the devious ones were up to, until it was too late.

James, Sirius, and Remus all came up, sputtering, and bewildered as to what had happened. They saw Snape and Malfoy looking victorious with their goons, and figured out what happened, each trying to think of a way for revenge, when.

"Where's Lily?" (Remus)

"Uh-oh, I dunno, she was in the boat with us, we flipped over, we came to the top of the lake, and umm she didn't?" questioned Sirius (A/N: quite the rocket scientist isn't he? Lol)

"Thank you Captain Obvious, also known as Sirius Black! The real question though, is where is she? Other than in the lake I mean" James quickly added.

Sirius wasn't able to answer James's question though, as Snape, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle toppled into the lake next to them. The reason why their arch-nemesises had fallen in too was because of an extremely pissed off Lily. (A/N: sorry about the language.) This no doubt made them extremely happy but the other boat's occupants mad, but before they were able to argue, several large tentacles grabbed Snape, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, and squeezed them until they passed out, then dragged them into the watery depths of the lake (well duh, what else could a lake be, dry?)

(A/N: OK, once again I am sorry for that, but mainly cuz I can't just kill them off, but I can make them get pneumonia! ::perks up at this thought:: )

All right, so seriously (A/N: once again.) this'll be the do-over:

Sirius wasn't able to answer James's question though, as Snape, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle toppled into the lake next to them. The reason why their arch-nemesises had fallen in too was because of an extremely pissed off Lily. This no doubt made them extremely happy but the other boat's occupants mad, but before they were able to argue, several large tentacles grabbed everyone out of the water, and put them back in the boats.

Once Hagrid had made sure that they all were in their respective boats, since otherwise would cause more capsizes, they all set off again towards the castle, trying to act as though not much had happened, but there was eight wet people, all in varying degrees of pissed-off-id-ness (A/N: I realize it most likely isn't a real word.) they came towards the cliff and

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. (A/N; sorry about putting in yet another note, but has anyone ever thought that that entrance might play into one of the next 3 books? I mean, anyone that has every gone to Hogwarts as a student knows about that entrance, so like if Voldemort were to ever try and take over the castle, well, that could be how he entered it ::shrugs shoulders:: oh well, I was just going over the Sorcerer's Stone, and saw it that way for the first time, so I wondered if anyone else had seen that, ok, back to the story again.) They were carried along a tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto the rocks and pebbles. (A/N: SEE!!! It could be used as a way to attack Hogwarts!! I'm not insane!! Uh oh, ok who did it? Who called the insane asylum, I just escaped. I mean, umm I got a day pass out, ad conveniently forgot to go back, yea that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

A/n: OK, I'm all done, with this chapter anyway. I'm almost done with the sorting ceremony too, and I'm wondering if I should wait till I reach 40 reviews, or if I should just post it anyway. I'll probably just post it anyway.

Sorry about all the author notes, but I kept thinking of stuff, stuff that had nothing to do with the parts of the story they were in (in most cases), but for the most part, important stuff.

And on another note, I'll be able to post my next chapter when I get more reviews... Uh, I mean when they let me out of the white room that's totally padded, also when I no longer have a jacket that makes me hug myself on.

Ok, shutting up and REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! PLEASE!!