Authors Note: I am so sorry for not updating for so long, I am hoping to start writing a bit more! Anything you recognise belongs to the Queen - Queen JK Rowling, of course!

WAITING FOR HOGWARTS

It had been four months since Lily and her mother had gone to Diagon Alley and summer had started to heat up Cokeworth. Lily's older sister, Petunia still hadn't spoken to her civilly and Lily found out why from her father. They were sitting on the stairs that headed up to the bedrooms, near the living room - Kaye cooking dinner and Petunia upstairs on the phone talking to one of her friends.

"She's jealous, darling." He had told Lily quietly.

Lily looked at her father, doubting his explanation. "Jealous? I don't see why, she keeps calling me a freak."

He shook his head. "The day your mother took you to Diagon Alley, she cried. When I comforted her, she said to me 'why does Lily get to be special? Why can't I be special too?'"

Lily's mouth fell open. "You're taking the mickey."

"No, I'm not - although, I probably wouldn't go through her stuff again." Harold said seriously. He knew Lily and that odd boy, Severus, had been in Petunia's room while she was out with one of her friends. He didn't much like that Severus Snape, but he decided that Lily would need a friend at Hogwarts so he left it be.

Lily smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Dad. Sev told me that muggles can't write to Hogwarts without an owl, so we had to see how she got past that!"

Harold patted his daughter on her head as he stood up to go and help his wife. "Just try and keep out of Petunia's way, we all know what she can be like when she has one of her tempers."

Lily laughed. They all knew how horrid Petunia could be when she has a temper tantrum and even though her parents couldn't really control it, they all tried to avoid it.

Lily had been meeting with Severus every week at the lake down the road where Petunia and Lily had first met him; he had taught her a lot. One day, as they sat opposite one another, cross legged in the thicket of trees around them, Severus had told her about the Ministry of Magic.

"The Ministry can punish you if you do magic outside Hogwarts, but they send you a warning first." Sev had told her.

"But I have done magic outside school!" she exclaimed.

"We're alright because we aren't at Hogwarts yet and they let you off until you get there... After that you have to go careful."

Lily smiled and looked over the lake. "I've been practicing some spells, they seem to be working ok for me. I just figured, you know, not coming from a magical family, I should try..."

There was silence as Sev watched her hungrily. Lily didn't notice him watching her, but turned back to him and asked, "How are things at home?"

He frowned slightly. "Fine..."

"They aren't arguing anymore?" Lily asked.

"Oh yeah, they're still arguing." He replied sullenly. "But it won't be long and I will be gone and I won't have to put up with it."

"Your dad doesn't like magic, does he?"

Sev shook his head. "No. But he doesn't like anything really."

"Severus?"

Sev smiled when she said his name. "Yeah?"

"Can you tell me about the demetors again? If I use magic outside school..." She trailed off.

"Nah, they wouldn't use dementors for that! They're for really bad people and they guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You won't end up there..."

It had been wonderful, she had learnt so much about the wizarding world and her school from both her books and her friend. The only negative for the whole summer was the way Petunia had treated her. Lily had ended up not even trying to talk to Petunia anymore unless she was spoken to first; it made life easier at home.

She only had a little left to wait until September 1st and boy, was she excited...

Note from the Author: Again I am so so sorry for not updating for so long. I hope I can finish this and do it justice! Please R&R :)