Chapter 3

After Lily had checked her list several times to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, she suddenly remembered she would be going to a strange new place for most of the year and she did not know if she could communicate with her parents.

She voiced her new fears aloud, "Mum, do you think I will be able to talk to you while I'm at Hogwarts."

Her mother clearly had not thought about this either as her eyes widened. "Oh, Oh yes, we might have a problem here"

Her father jumped in with a brilliant solution. "We shall just have to buy you an owl, then. I heard from Arthur that they are the whole of the magical postal system."

Without stopping to question her husbands new found friend, Mrs. Evans face split into a grin and began peering eagerly around for a place to purchase an owl. It didn't take long before the family spotted the Owl Emporium and began to walk over there.

Lily saw right away the one she wanted. Judging from the sign above she concluded the owl was a tawny. It was beautiful. It was very small and full of life. Darting around the medium sized cage it slightly annoyed the older one next to it. For this reason, when Lily picked up the cage after paying a dumpy woman with long black curls and left the shop, the neighboring owl gave an appreciative hoot and dozed off.

However, as Lily exited, nearly skipping with joy she rammed into a boy and the cage slipped from her hand. The bird flew out and soared high above the pointed hats, disappearing in seconds. Lily looked in front at the boy in front of her, who had just cost her her precious owl and felt quite annoyed, but before she could say anything the boy remarked coldly,

"I hope you won't be attending Hogwarts because someone who can't even leave a store properly has no chance with anything more difficult than brewing tea."

And with that he, had stood up and was gone.

Lily blinked and wondered if that had just really happened. Part of her wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his comment and the other part of her was torn apart that the first person she met from Hogwarts had been totally rude to her. That same part of her felt extremely worried. She had seen so many people completely sure of themselves, talking about things that she had never heard of and appearing absolutely fascinated in things that Lily had never taken the slightest interest in: brooms for example.

Then slowly rose and picked up the cage, quite crestfallen, the owl came back. It swooped down, landed on her hand and gave her a playful nip on the finger. In an instant her fears dissolved. That night, when the family arrived home to find Petunia still sulking in her room, they all ate in the living room with books out, sharing interesting facts they found in the books. For the next few weeks until Lily had to leave for Hogwarts she spent all her free time devouring her books.

She even had to make another trip to Diagon Alley to buy more books. She was especially delighted when she found Hogwarts a History. That book provided her with the most practical knowledge of what she would have to face quite soon.

Lily's father was absolutely delighted to take Lily there whenever she wanted to go because he spent a great deal of time swapping stories with wizards and collecting old batteries to impress his friend Arthur. All too soon the summer was up and Lily was loading her trunk in the car and filling her pockets with the last of the Galleons. The whole family, including Petunia who had been bribed with the chance of getting a new dress piled into the car. The drive was pretty much silent. Petunia made a few nasty remarks until her mother threatened her soon-to-be new dress. Lily's dad attempted to lighten the mood with a few jokes, but Lily could only grunt in Laughter and her mom's expression did not twitch. So, Lily's father soon gave up, also. Finally they arrived. Lily's father led the way while her mother walked beside Lily handing out last minute warnings.

"Listen to your teachers" "stay away from the wrong crowd" "eat your peas". Lily was not at all sorry when they reached Platforms 9 and 10 until she realized with a shock that her ticket said 9 ¾.

Her father's first instinct was to ask the ticket man, but Lily knew this would seem quite peculiar so she glanced around the platform and quickly saw what she was looking for. A tense woman in blue robes clutched a short pale girl with straw like brown hair that didn't even reach her shoulders, but poked out in odd directions 'round her ears. Her nose was quite pointy and stuck out like a ski slope. She looked calm, but a little exasperated at her mother who was carting her around like Lily was her trunk. Lily scurried over as quick as she could and addressed the woman politely, "Excuse me madam," The woman looked quite taken aback at this sudden advance, but then after examining Lily thoroughly seemed to decide she was harmless enough and inquired,

"Yes dear, with what can I help you?" Lily said, "Could you perhaps point me to platform 9 ¾." The woman smiled at her and said, "First year? O well so is Dorcas. You can go right with her. All you have to do is walk right through 9 and 10." Perhaps Lily looked skeptical because the woman told her daughter to go first and Lily said a last goodbye to her parents. Then she turned to watch as the brown haired girl strode through the barrier at a fairly quick pace, disappearing into thin air.

"Go on dear, it's best if you gather up speed and don't hesitate."

Lily started up, pushing her cart with more and more force. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she stopped her cart abruptly. She had done it.

Thankfully she had not crashed into the family before her. They were an unpleasant sort. The woman had very dark hair tightly stretched skin.

Her eyes darted at all the students as if she was looking for someone as she clasped a young boy in her claw like hands. He looked too young to go to the school and Lily wondered what they were doing there. Her questions were answered as the man reached out and grabbed a taller boy with nice hair. She assumed he would be going to Hogwarts and the scowling boy in their mother's grasp was his brother.

The father said, "Sirius, don't fool around."

The boy turned to look at his father with an unreadable expression.

His mother gave him a severe look and said, "Write when you're in Slytherin, remember, Toujor Pur."

The boy gave his parents one last look, muttered bye and hurried onto the train carrying his trunk as fast as the weight would allow. He got it in with the help of another boy with black hair. This boy however had messy jet-black hair and waved enthusiastically out the window to his parents, his round wire glasses sliding to the end of his nose.

Suddenly the young girl with brown hair was next to her, smiling, and said, "Come on, we should get a good seat."

Lily was grateful to her for this and followed her into the train. The girls found an empty compartment and after two trips managed to get all their stuff inside. They both sat down, quite pleased with themselves. The girl introduced herself as Dorcas Meadows and said,

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name before."

Lily laughed and said, "that's alright I didn't give it. I'm Lily. Lily Evans." She continued with interest,

"Are you from a full Wizarding family" Dorcas thought for a moment before responding, "I think so, but one of my grandparents was a Muggle. I guess technically this would make me like a ¾ blood witch."

She laughed,

"Not that it really matters though. Have you taken a look into our course books yet?" "Yes" Lily said eagerly "I just couldn't wait."

"Yes me too. I read about the houses, from what I gathered I think I want to be in Gryffindor" said Dorcas. Lily said, "That would be a nice one, I heard the Headmaster was in there, he's supposed to be the best wizard of modern times."

"I really can't wait to see him in person" gushed Dorcas. "He's the only reason me mum let me leave. She's bin afraid to let me out of her sight."

Lily asked, "what do you mean?"

Dorcas explained, "Well since the attack on my dad"—Lily interrupted her here, "Attack what attack?"

"O yes, I forgot, you wouldn't know. My dad was attacked by death eater and lost most of his memory."

Catching the look on Lily's face she continued, "Death eaters are the followers of Voldemort, an increasingly feared dark wizard. Perhaps you have heard of the attack on Emmeline Vance's mother."

Vance sparked something in Lily's memory and she remembered the conversation at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Oh yes" she said "I did here about that one, but she was non magic." Dorcas laughed, but it was not a happy one, more of a hollow one she used to address Lily's Naïve comment.

"Wizards aren't safe from other wizards just like muggles aren't safe from other muggles. Voldemort and his followers are very powerful and deeply trained in the dark arts. The only one who has a chance against Voldemort is Dumbledore, our new headmaster." Closing the subject she added,

"Like I said, he's the only reason I was able to come to Hogwarts." The door slid open and an old lady appeared displaying a very full food cart. Lily realized how hungry she was and seeing all the new things on the cart, promptly bought as much as she could carry. Dorcas mumbled something about St. Mungo bills and asked the lady for one chocolate frog..

"Don't be silly, I think I went a little wild, we won't fit anything else in here, You will just have to help me bring it away." For the rest of the ride they swapped stories of their respective childhoods while doing away with the tons of sweets. Lily, who had always had spoiled friends, who already had everything and could only talk about their vast fortunes was quite pleased at being able to share her food and talk about all the classes the would have. Dorcas explained to her the ways of Quidditch so finally Lily understood about quaffels and the new shooting star broom she had see boys gawk at in Diagon Alley. As it was growing dark, a slightly chubby girl with blond hair poked her head in and said they should get in their robes. Lily saw she had a shiny badge with a P on it and turned curiously to her.

"What's that?"

"Oh" replied the girl, this is my Prefects badge. I am the Gryffindor Prefect."

The girls bombarded her with questions that she kindly answered until reminding them they still needed to change. Her name, she had said, was Alice Summerbee. She hurried off at a large bang, leaving the two to change.