Platform 9 and 3/4 was always a bustling mess of a place whenever it was the day for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to be home for the summer holidays.

Except this year, for James Sirius Potter, it meant that it was time to transition into an independent adult, having just graduated the day before.

He was going to be an Auror, and not under his own father...though he really was under his father anyways with Harry being the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement who meddles in Auror affairs a little too much for his mother's liking.

But luckily The Daily Prophet couldn't really spew out any shit about the situation anyways as James would've been accepted into the Auror department even without the Potter name attached, having graduated Hogwarts with not only a Quidditch Captain and Head Boy badge, but straight O's for every single subject he took, much to everybody's astonishment, including himself.

Still, when his name was announced as the top student of the year, Ginny bursted out crying, and Harry sported the proudest grin James had ever seen him wear. Albus was truly happy for him too, and so was Lily.

Yet despite trying her best effort to not show her desire to the life she would never have (and succeeding for the most part), she couldn't hide her longing to James (and Albus). In fact, from the moment she stepped into the Great Hall of Hogwarts for the first time in her life, her eyes were moving everywhere, trying to soak in every possible image she would not see until Albus graduated...and then likely never again. Her eyes incredibly wondered, yet desperate and hopeless.

So James and Al pulled Professor McGonagall to the side after the ceremony and practically begged that Lily be allowed to stay the night and ride the Hogwarts Express home instead of flooing back after the party with their parents.

She agreed without much convincing.

Lily was completely shocked out of her mind when her brothers stopped her from going home when she was about to enter the fireplace. "You're sleeping here tonight Lils." Al had said, grinning widely.

Their mum and dad (who were not informed before hand) thought it was a joke for a brief second before realizing their sons and Professor McGonagall were serious, leaving behind an ecstatically sobbing Lily who had her brothers in a death hug, but not forgetting to very sternly tell them to "Take care of her" which was more than understandable considering the special circumstances.

And so James and Al spent the rest of the day and over half the night (James was Head Boy) giving a tour of the castle and its grounds to Lily, glaring at those who looked too long either checking her out (she was very beautiful) or sneering for her "condition", but still revelling in her laughs and laughing with her. They really truly had never seen her so happy since the day that fateful summer three years ago when everyone else got their Hogwarts letters and she still had not shown a trace of magic.

Lily tossed and turned in James's bed in the special Head dormitory as he lightly snored on the corner couch, too exhausted and excited and grateful for her older brothers to fall asleep.

The sun was already rising anyways, so Lily turned to the window and watched her first ever Hogwarts sunset, wishing that it was not going to be the only one.

She was going to miss school to ride the Hogwarts Express home, but despite how much she loved her education before, this was truly a once in a lifetime experience for her, and Lily wasn't going to miss it for anything.

On the train a few hours later, Al all but spoiled her silly with treats from the Trolley Witch, who she had always wanted to meet, and James actually almost got into a fight with some other Gryffindor 7th year who was singing a vile song about squibs when Lily actually stood up and intervened in the situation when wands were already pulled.

It was actually quite satisfying to feel the crunch of his nose underneath her knuckles and see the git (McLaggen was his last name) run away like an absolute dolt (he was one) with blood gushing down his admittedly quite handsome face.

Albus and Scorpius (Al's best mate) cheered as she victoriously plopped down in the compartment once again with a smirk on her face while James angrily trod off to finish off McLaggen even more so than he already was.

"Did you see his face?!" Scorpius said, amazement making his pale cheeks flush with adrenaline from all the excitement.

"That was bloody brilliant Lils!" Al exclaimed. "And definitely just earned you another visit to the Trolley," he said and tossed his money pouch to her. "McLaggen's younger brother is even more insufferable. You should punch that guy in the face too. He's in our year."

Laughing, Lily scooped up the money pouch (that was considerably light from the beginning after her full spew out on treats) and was about to leave the compartment when she bumped into a concerned looking Annalise Longbottom (James's girlfriend much to Neville's annoyance).

"James was causing a huge commotion in the other corridor with McLaggen on my way back from patrol. Your brother was fuming so much he couldn't speak, so I assumed something happened over here. "

Lily cackled cheerily. "I gave McLaggen a broken nose and Al's rewarded me with another trip to the Trolley. Want anything Anna?"

"Oh yes please! Could you bring me back a liquorice wand?"

"Of course!"

"Chocolate frog for me!" Al yelled as she turned to leave, letting Anna into the compartment.

"And a pumpkin pasty for me!" Scorp hollered.

So Lily, who was in a particularly excellent mood, ended up bringing back everything everyone else asked for except for the chocolate frogs, just to spite Albus.

But ended up seeing a glaring James just outside the compartment door. "How stupid are you?" He said angrily. "McLaggen had his wand out! If he hexed you..."

"You would've killed him Jaime, and I'm sure it wouldn't have been anything so serious that you can't reverse."

"Yeah, but..."

The door slid open, and Anna pulled them inside. "Oh Jay, stop being such a killjoy. Lily's fine, and more than capable of defending herself."

So he shut up moodily, as any older brother would (Al's the exception, still laughing about the situation with Scorpius) under the warning gaze of his girlfriend, and resorted to help his sister hand out the treats instead.

"Hey! Where's my chocolate frog?!" Al whined when he realized that all the treats that were asked for were given out. Lily even bought James a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans though he didn't ask for it.

"It hopped away." Teased Scorp.

"But that's my money!"

"And Lily's the one charitable enough to run errands."

"But..."

Cackling, Lily shoved the money purse back into Al's hands. "Get some yourself."

Glaring half-heartily at her he stood up and the door slid open once again.

"Thanks for the food Al!" Everyone said in a sweetly mocking voice before the door closed, giggling uncontrollably when they heard Al grumble something about being too nice.