Hitchhiking to Hogwarts

Chapter 3

Starting a fresh

James gazed softly at her, looking deeply into her emerald eyes. "Just wondering what I did for you to call me a pathetic prat! Care to explain?" He pulled her through the portrait hole and to the front of the girl's stairs by her lower arm.

"Why do you think? I heard from your friend what you get up to and you went out hexing 'firsties'." Grouchily, Lily pushed his hand away.

"Fine have it your way. I'll give you till tomorrow afternoon to settle in!" He said, brushing past her, leaving Lily to wander to her room, puzzling it.

Breakfast

Grudgingly, Lily had left Binx in the dorm she was sharing with Lotte and another girl. So she was sat at the table, talking to Lotte about the timetable which was to arrive. Lily was unsure of what she was going to take and was grateful when Professor Dumbledore asked her to see him directly.

Smiling slightly at Lotte, and pulling her bag on to her shoulder, Lily made her way to the front of the hall, and followed directions given to her by a giant like man, who seemed friendly enough, if a little hairy.

As she walked through a small stone corridor, the Headmaster could be seen standing at the other end, smiling kindly. Watching her step, Lily approached the man, and followed him to his office.

Once there, he sat down, and offered Lily a seat, which she took. The office was a mixture of moving pictures and books. Taking a quick look around fascinated and awe stricken, Lily waited for the headmaster to start.

"Now, Miss Evans, lets start with talking about your lessons. In total, you can take up to eight OWLS. I know you have a lot of catching up to do, so you will have extra classes twice every week, in Professors Arcane's office, at eight PM. Now, for your OWLS, you can choose from the following." Picking up a piece of paper, he continued, reading off it.

"Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, and Defence against the Dark Arts, are all compulsory. That leaves you to choose four from, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Arithmacy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Herbology, History of Magic and muggle studies." Once finished he looked to Lily interestedly.

Her eyes flickered momentarily. They all sounded brilliant. "I think I'll take Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, and Herbology!" Thinking the answers over in her head, she nodded satisfied.

"I thought you would have chosen History of Magic, since you are so interested in history!"

"Yes well, I've been around historical things all my life; it's time for a change I guess!" Lily smiled politely at Dumbledore, before he magically created her timetable. Still entirely new to this whole magic thing, she sat open mouthed, gawping like an idiot.

Dumbledore chuckled and handed the piece of paper over to her. "I hope you enjoy your lessons..."

Taking the piece of paper carefully in her hands, she left the office, looking confused at the schedule. "So I have; Transfiguration; with McGonagall; on the... second floor. Right... so that would be... up!" Smiling at her own minor achievement, Lily began searching the ground floor for any sign of stairs. She felt almost stupid, as an enormous one, which she had passed before came into sight again.

Running up the stairs, she collided with some unsuspecting person, causing them both to fall to the bottom. Pushing herself off the blonde haired boy, blushing, Lily muttered apologies.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!" As the boy got himself up, he assured her it was ok, and that no serious damage had been done. The boy was older than she was. He had a distinguished, charming, seductive look about him, which only added to Lily's embarrassment.

He held out his hand smiling, "Andrew Geller, sixth year Slytherin!" From what she had heard, Slytherins were supposed to be nasty, mean cunning people, but Andrew seemed quite the opposite.

Taking his hand, Lily replied, "Lily Evans!" Looking at the ground, then back up to him, she said," Err, I know this might sound a little cheeky, but could you show me how to get to the Transfiguration classrooms? It's my first day and I'm more than a little lost!"

Grinning warmly at her, he began walking up the stairs, inclining his head for her to follow him.

"You got McGonagall right? She's nice, if you don't get on the wrong side of her. She's a good teacher though!" Catching up to him, Lily pushed her bag further up her shoulder.

"Without sounding rude, I thought that Slytherins were, well, nasty, and cruel!" Andrew managed a laugh.

"Well most are, but a few of us aren't! We are just treated like the rest because we are Slytherins!"

"Ohh", Lily uttered, not entirely sure of what to say next, "So, where are you headed now? I don't want to make you even later!"

"It's okay", he smiled, "I have to see McGonagall about some Snake tails. Pinder is blowing his lid!"

Confused, Lily asked, "Pinder?"

"He's the potions teacher who also happens to be our head! He's, screaming at the Ravenclaw sixth years right now! Anyway here we are!" He stopped outside an open door and turned to look at her. "You might not want to be seen talking with me!" Distractedly he looked through the opened door into the class.

"Why?" Lily questioned ignorant of the social stigma she would receive if she was seen talking to him.

"Because those Marauders are looking at us and seem pretty disturbed that we are talking... Plus they have a strong dislike of Slytherins!"

"It's ok, them I don't mind!" Lily looked into the classroom and waved at them with a sarcastic smile on her face. James looked appalled at her, as did Sirius, Remus smiled faintly before continuing to take down notes.

"MISS!" James bellowed, "Lily's stood outside the classroom talking to a Slytherin, instead of being in lesson!" Slightly angered, Lily walked into the class, pushing her bag up her shoulder again. Andrew followed her in, close behind her.

"He was just showing me to class". Lily began, "I was lost!" Lily explained.

"Very well" Professor McGonagall said hurriedly. Pushing her thin rimmed glasses back up her nose, displaying signs of frustration with them, which Lily could relate to her bag, she said,"I know you have just come from Dumbledore's office! Take a seat next to Miss Trelawney. And yes Andrew?"

As Lily took her seat, Andrew collected the snake tails, and left, smiling slightly at Lily before he did.

Lily understood none of the lesson, but tonight she had her extra lessons it seemed with Professor Arcane, maybe that would help. Packing up her things, she and Lotte left the classroom, only to be stopped by the Marauders in the packed hallway. It reminded her of walking through the dusty streets in Egypt, or the vibrantly coloured passages in Italy. The atmosphere here was just as busy and polluted with sounds as it was there.

"What was that?" James asked, pulling Lily to one side, leaving Sirius to stare at Lotte somewhat confused. Lotte pulled her robes tighter around herself as she noticed Sirius' offhand, bemused glare.

Furrowing her brow, Lily pushed his arm away from her, "What are you talking about?"

Putting his hand back on her arm to deliberately annoy her, he replied, "I'm talking about you and that Slytherin. That's betraying your fellow Gryffindors..."

"What?" Lily asked, more than slightly annoyed. She looked at Charlotte, and rolled her eyes, but Charlotte was too busy being knocked about by people pushing past her, as was Sirius. He was resorting to standing on people's feet as they moved around him.

"Why were you talking to him I think James means." Lily looked at Sirius now, grimacing as she heard a young student howl with pain as Sirius trod on his foot. "It's against our rules to talk to Slytherins!" Sirius informed her.

"And?" She asked sarcastically, before grabbing Lotte and pulling her through the crowds. James and Remus watched, while Sirius continued to push people out of his way. He managed to catch a glimpse of Lotte as she disappeared around a corner, shrieking at the other students. It brought a smile to his face, which seemed to frighten the first year, whose robes he had hold of.

James stood utterly bewildered.

"James, forget about her!" Remus said, dismayed at any feelings James may have towards Lily, bad or good. He turned to Sirius and frowned. "Maybe you should put him down Padfoot..."

Lily and Lotte

Lily laughed at the joke Charlotte had just made about James. Plonking her bag down, she sat on the grass, looking out to the lake. That lesson had been a hard one, and Lily had only just followed it.

"So Lily; how is it going so far? And who was that Andrew?" Lotte asked, giggling.

Lily looked over the deep blue water, wishing her father was here to see this. "Transfiguration was tough. I felt like a Turkey on Christmas day. You know-stuffed... Charms was easy though. I quite liked it. Oh, and Herbology was good." Lily stopped to take a breath then looked at Charlotte smiling, "Andrew was helping me to class. I was really lost, and we were both headed in the same direction. So it seemed perfectly normal that he should show me the way..."

"If you say so", Lotte smirked,"What time do you have your extra classes?" She asked, opening a book on divination.

Lily glanced at her watch. "I have to be there at eight! And it's nearly four. Why?"

Charlotte looked up from her book, and pushed her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose. "I was just wondering if you would let me read your palm... I need to get in some practise."

Lily's eyes lit up. She had had her palm read once before. Excited, she held out her hand, allowing Lotte to lean over it like a doctor does a wound.

- - - Egypt- Cairo - - -

Quickly, Akheem scurried across the scorching pavement. His feet were red raw from his long travel across the desert and through Cairo. His sandals had fallen apart along the way, and his now bare feet were bloodied and bruised. He collapsed against a wall, catching his breath, as people walked by him, trying to avoid his eye.

The sun was high in the sky, and the floor burnt his feet. Tourists and locals alike were searching for cover from the unusually hot sun. Sweat trickled down his forehead, forcing him to remember the headache he had, and his sore eyes and dry tongue. Pushing himself off the wall with all the strength he could muster, he proceeded to stumble through the streets.

He had to tell her somehow. He had travelled too far to fail now. First thing's first though, he would have to go back to his apartment and sort a few things out. Then he would have to go to the museum and check everything was alright there...

- - - Hogwarts - - -

It was just chiming eight, when Lily barged through the door to Professor Arcane's office. He seemed a little stunned as Lily Evans came in, panting and gasping for breath, bent over clutching her chest.

Lily looked up momentarily before holding out her hand, asking silently for a moment.

Arcane opened his mouth but closed it again. He was a young looking man, with sandy brown, wavy hair. He looked to Lily, no older than forty. His eyes were a soft hazel colour, and his face was tanned slightly and wise. There was no denying, he was good looking, which caused Lily to blush a little, although it wasn't noticeable due to her already flushed cheeks. He was quite tall, and was well built. Through his thin shirt you could see the contours of his chest, and it looked good.

Smiling shyly, Lily rested against his desk, getting her breath back. James had chased her all the way up here for pinching his homework, before she had dived through the door.

Professor Arcane put a book down on the desk and smiled familiarly at her, waiting for her to regain her posture. "You must be Miss Evans", He said, in a warm friendly voice.

Lily smiled at the teacher innocently, as she lengthened her skirt, and straightened her tie and blouse. "Yup", she declared brightly, "I'm Lily!"

Smiling at her briefly, Arcane he held out his hand, "Professor Arcane, or Cole! Whatever, I never really liked formalities." Lily took his hand cautiously, as if he had a contagious bug.

Pushing a piece of fringe behind her ear, she smiled slightly, "I'll call you Cole then, if you're sure."

Pulling his hand away from her, he replied, "I am. Now then, let's get started."

Looking about, Lily asked, "So what am I doing?"

Sitting down in his chair, he indicated for her to sit down in the chair at the other side of the desk. Sitting down, Lily waited for him to give her some sort of instruction. Something about the way he composed himself was oddly familiar.

"Well, we're going to start with the basics." Something about him commanded obedience and Lily found herself a few minutes later stood with a glass on her head, one arm behind her back, and her wand in the other.

He cast another jinx her way, and under his instruction, Lily had to block it.

- - - Eleven PM - - -

Lily fell out of Arcane's office, battered and bruised. He was supposed to be a teacher, but his casual attitude to teaching led her to believe he wasn't as bothered about the rules as most were. Even though she was in agony, she had learnt so many spells it was unbelievable. He was a nice guy though. She had already found a deep rooted respect for him. He appeared in the doorway and cast another spell at her. Groaning, Lily fell against a wall.

Raising his brow, he said, "Remember- always be on your guard. Now run along."

Grumbling, Lily pushed herself off the wall. "Run along my bottom!"

She managed to climb up the steps and make her way to the Fat Lady. Muttering the password to the half asleep lady, Lily waited for her to accept it. Shattered, she made her way into the common room.

James was sat with a book, looking bored out of his head. As soon as the portrait opened, he looked up. He was surprised to see Lily basically collapse through it.

James had been waiting for her all night to bring his unfinished homework back. It half worried him to see her fall into the common room all bruised, but on the other hand, it was her own fault for pinching his homework. Grumbling, he pondered over whether to help her or not. Putting his book aside, he rolled his eyes and walked over to her.

Wrapping his arms around her, he helped her to stand up, "You know, I should just let you lay on a huge pile on the floor, but I'm too gentleman like to do that."

Lily groaned as she stood up. "Too tired to care", she whispered feebly.

James raised his eyebrows somewhat amused. "If you say so", sighing, he sat her down on the couch. "Perhaps you should go to bed now".

Too exhausted to bother, Lily let her head fall onto James' shoulder, and let her heavy aching eyelids close and rest.

James sat looking about hoping no one was watching. He wasn't known as a soft touch. Unsure of what to do with her, he tapped her head, trying to be as comforting as possible.

He looked up at the girl's stair case and back at Lily. He couldn't risk it. There were allsorts of tales of boys who'd tried to get up there and had been turned into all sorts of creatures. Sighing, he slowly pushed her away from him and got off the couch, then slowly lowered her so she was laid down there.

Dashing off quickly, he returned with two blankets. One he tucked Lily in with, and the other he handed Nearly Headless Nick who he had been talking to for quite some time now. Nick looked at the cover wistfully. "If only I could use a cover again..."

Rolling his eyes, James turned to him. "Watch her for me will you?"

Before Nick could reply, James was off again, back up his staircase. Nick turned to look at Lily who was snuggled up cosily. "Must have had a lesson with that new teacher", he muttered to a nearby painting.

Hope you all enjoyed this and thanks for reading.

I'll try and reply to the reviews I haven't replied to soon. Lots of college work to do 

Love Miri