A/N: So it's amazing! Two chapters in a day-ish! I've been really inspired to write more of this story, so without further delay, here's the next one!

First Day Blues

Lily woke the next morning to the sound of Megan trying to wake Rachel up.

"Urgh, come on! You always take forever in the shower, and it's the first day, so let's go!"

The grumbles from underneath Rachel's sheets confirmed that she was determined to not do much of anything. Seeing the opportunity, Lily slipped from her four poster and quickly dashed into the bathroom, shutting the door.

Feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over her, she started the shower and melted into the warm water. All of her cares and fears melted away... until she remembered that she left her clothes and her towel in the bedroom by mistake!

"You want these?" Rachel asked from outside the door. Lily chose to ignore her. "Because I wouldn't want our pretty Lily to have to wear a skirt on her first day..."

Lily's eyes went wide and she began to quickly scrub the soap into her body and wash it off, but a loud and somehow comforting THUNK came from behind the door before it opened a crack.

"Lily, your clothes and a towel are sitting right outside the shower. Take as much time as you need. If Rachel can't get up and take a shower, she'll just reek all day, and that'll be her own fault," explained an exasperated Megan.

Comforted by the kindness, Lily showered, brushed her teeth and dressed, but as she was picking up her clothes, a small pink bra fell from the pile.

She walked out of the bathroom and glared at Rachel, the bra hanging off her little finger. "Cute idea, but I'm not wearing it."

Rachel looked at the bra and then burst out laughing. "Oh, so you changed your mind about it already? Hooray!"

Lily thought that Rachel would have shown at least a little bit of remorse, but then heard another soft laugh in the corner of the room. There, Theresa was grabbing her sides and wiping tears from her eyes.

"Ah, so you too, then..."

"I'm... sorry," Theresa said through laughs. "It was just too good to pass up! After Megan put your clothes in, I just had to add something!"

Rather than feel awkward, Lily surprised even herself when a loud laugh escaped her lips.

The girls made their way down the hallway and up the two flights of stairs to get to the Great Hall for breakfast. The rest of the Hufflepuffs were all examining their mail, reminding Lily that she was expecting a letter from Mrs. Weasley.

She sat to breakfast with the other first years in her house. Marcus Ewing was a "pureblood" that didn't really care much for the whole hysteria surrounding it. It seemed to be down to earth enough, but definitely gave Lily a weird look when he found her coming out of the girls' dormitory. The other was Sean Nichols, a redheaded boy that could certainly pass for one of the Weasleys. The two seemed to be talking about Lily.

"So he lives with the girls? How did he get so lucky?"

"I bet he did some sort of magic to get past all of the defences for that kind of thing!"

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, it's because I'm a girl, and I'm living with those that are closest to how I feel."

Nichols blinked in confusion. "But... you're a guy?"

"I only look like a guy on the outside, but I'm a girl."

"Oh," he shrugged. "Weird."

Lily frowned into her breakfast, but the normally kind and quiet Theresa piped up. "Hey! We're Hufflepuffs here! We accept everyone for who they are! Lily isn't weird. She's just Lily!"

Megan nodded in agreement. "That's right. And if you have a problem with her, we could always bring it up with McGonagall. I'm sure she'd be happy to explain things."

Nichols gulped and turned back to his food. Lily looked up to Rachel to see why she hadn't butted in, but it appeared that Theresa was actively holding her back with one hand pulling her by the back of the shirt and the other clasped firmly over her mouth.

Lily laughed and looked to the restrained girl. "It's okay, Rachel. It'll just take people some getting used to. Just eat some breakfast and take it easy."

Just when Lily was finishing breakfast, she was surprised to hear an echo of hooting owls. She looked up and saw at least a hundred soaring down from the ceiling and dropping letters and parcels down to various students.

"Some owls deliver the Daily Prophet, the newspaper," explained an older student. "Much easier than having a delivery person, that's for sure!"

Lily nodded and watched as more and more owls came down. One of the owls soared down and dropped a letter down into Lily's lap. The envelope was sealed with a large red "W". Lily was also greeted by Nike, who landed right on her shoulder and leaned down to steal a left over piece of toast.

Professor Sprout was making her way around the table and reached the first years. She handed a slip of paper to Lily. "Your course schedule for the year. Looks like you girls will be in Herbology with me to start the day today, so be sure to leave early and give yourselves plenty of time to get to the greenhouses!"

Lily was just about to open up her letter from the Weasleys, but was suddenly greeted by a freezing cold sensation. "Oh, hello Tonks."

"Oh no, my dear. I'm the Fat Friar. Terribly sorry to pass through you like that!"

Lily looked over from her letter to see a bald, rotund man wearing a robe. "Oh, no problem! You must be the other house ghost!"

"Indeed I am! If you need any help getting to your classes, I'm the one to ask. I wouldn't want any of my Hufflepuffs to be late, especially on the first day!"

Lily nodded her thanks and reached for the envelope once more, but felt another cold rush. "Really, Tonks?"

A giggle escaped the ghost's lips as Lupin appeared right behind her. "Wotcher!"

"Now now, Dora. Stop scaring the first years," he condemned his wife. "After all, you're supposed to be helping them, not wanting them to run away. I'm sorry about that. I don't think we've met properly. I'm Remus Lupin, and I'll be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. You may call me Professor Lupin."

"Thanks, Professor. I'm looking forward to class," she said. However, her show of respect was quickly interrupted by Rachel, who had a question to ask Lupin.

"So, what's with the scars? Battle wounds?"

Lupin chuckled and sat down next to the inquisitive girl while Tonks sat beside Lily.

"So, are you going to grow your hair out? We could do such lovely things with it. Believe me, I know a girl that works absolute wonders for any hair. Of course, I never really needed her."

Lily watched as Tonks changed her hair from short and spiky to long and flowing down her back. She figured that now would be as good a time as any to ask.

"Hey Tonks?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm not sure if I want to grow my hair out yet, but I was... I was wondering if you could help me out. I was wondering if you could help by modeling my face and helping me choose a style to see what I'd look like as a girl?"

"What?" Tonks gave a confused look.

"I... know you can morph your appearance, and I just wanted to know if you could help me out by taking on the form of my face and helping me choose different hairstyles."

Tonks nodded eagerly. "Oh that's what I thought you were asking. Hell yeah, girl! You have no idea how boring it is to just float around all day trying to keep entertained. But hell yes, consider me your personal style consultant!"

"Thanks, Tonks! Well, I suppose I should get to Herbology now." She tried to give the ghost a hug, but realized that there was no possible way, so she just gave Tonks a thumbs up and stood up. It seemed that Mrs. Weasley's letter would have to wait until after class.

Rachel and Megan were already making their way out of the Great Hall and down toward the entrance. Theresa grinned and grabbed Lily's hand, and the two dashed off to catch up.

"Hey! Wait up!"

"Yeah, wait for us! What's the hurry?"

Megan smiled back to them.

"It seems that Little Miss Troublemaker here is already trying to get things started on the wrong foot by letting loose some Blast-Ended Skrewts. I swear to God, Rachel, if you get detention, I'm not going to go bailing you out!"

The four girls walked down to Herbology, wondering what classes would bring, and more importantly, if she would be any good at them.

After an Herbology lesson where they learned about Mandrake Roots and where the Ravenclaws Lily paired up with questioned the logic of a man feeling like a woman, Lily was depressed as is. Megan nearly got a detention for protesting their way of talking to the transgender girl, and the only thing keeping Rachel from detention was a bear hug from Theresa to hold her back. Lily felt so embarrassed that she had to have her friends fighting her battles.

It was one thing for her friends to get mad, but in Lily's opinion, she just didn't know if it was worth the fight. If someone couldn't accept her, what could she do? She just didn't know how to be mad about the questioning, even though her friends seemed to know that she had every right to get mad.

After the Herbology debacle, the group made their way back inside the castle for History of Magic with the Slytherins. It seemed that Lily's luck continued to go down the drain, as the Slytherins didn't seem as willing or accepting as the other students. The Slytherin girls jabbed Lily in the back with the rough ends of their quills while the boys just laughed and pointed in her general direction.

Lily was on the verge of tears, but it seemed that Professor Binns didn't even notice the disruption. No matter how hard she tried, the tears refused to go away and she at last felt them drip down her cheeks. Rather than endure any more of the verbal assault, she excused herself from class.

Professor Binns hardly acknowledged her exit as she muttered something about the nurse, but instead ran out of the room and down the hallway. Her luck continued to sour as she ran into Peeves the poltergeist.

"Uh oh! Ickle firstie is out of class! Ooooh and it's the he-she, too! Can't make up your mind if you're a boy or a girl?"

"Peeves, please. I can't do this right now," she sniffled through tears.

"Oh, and why should Peevesie stop? I'll stop when you make up your mind. Tick tock!"

Lily grew aggravated. "I'm a girl, okay? Is that what you want, Peeves? I'm a girl! And tell all the Ravenclaws and Slytherins that too, because they don't understand that either!"

Peeves just cackled and shrugged his shoulders. "And why should I do that? All you do is stay quiet when people don't get it? Why do your friends fight for you? Oh yes, Peevesie saw all of that. I have my sources! So why should I be nice to you?"

"Because I have A VOICE, dammit!"

The ruckus seemed to catch the attention of Professor Lupin, who was teaching his Defence class with the door open. The ghost excused himself from his class briefly and glided out to assess the situation.

"Peeves, this is completely uncalled for. Apologize to this young lady right now."

"But he doesn't look like a girl, Loony Lupin!"

"That doesn't matter, Peeves. Now shall I call the Bloody Baron? Or perhaps I should just finally get Tonks to get those papers over to the Ministry that ban you from Hogwarts Castle. The possibilities are endless, Peeves. Unless you say you're sorry."

Peeves blew a raspberry to Lupin and then looked at Lily.

"I'm sorry, girl... boy... girl. I promise it won't happen again, unless it happens again."

Lily glared up at the bouncing poltergeist. She was feeling hurt and angry. Her teeth gritted. Her hands balled into fists. "Peeves, I swear to God, if you ever call me out for being trans* ever again, I will make sure that the Bloody Baron, Tonks, McGonagall, and whoever else know exactly what you did. I may not be able to slap you across the face, but this is something that deserves it. This isn't fun and games. That was incredibly hurtful, and I'm crushed right now. That wasn't funny."

The poltergeist's expression switched from one of a playful smile to a frown. It was quite unbecoming of the mischief maker. "Peeves is sorry. Just trying to have a laugh, you know! But don't be too glum. Peevesie will keep this in mind and will do better. But whether you be boy or girl, you'll be getting water ballooned after lunch with everyone else!"

As Peeves zoomed off with an incredibly rude noise, Lupin just shook his head. "Well, looks like we'll have to put an end to that before it starts. But I'm really sorry you had to put up with that, Lily. Everyone is welcome here at Hogwarts, and I know what it's like to be different."

"Really? How?"

"It's a long story, and I have to get back to class. Perhaps you'd like to visit with me and Dora after dinner and we can explain a little more?"

"Can I bring my friends?"

"Of course," smiled Lupin. "The more the merrier!"

As Lupin floated back into his classroom, Lily took a deep breath and walked down the hall. Rather than looking for the nurse's office, she walked back into History of Magic, returning to her seat. The Slytherins seemed shocked that she returned. It was as if they believed they had run her off for good.

Once she sat down, the poking on her back resumed, but rather than endure it, Lily reached behind her and grabbed the Slytherin girl's quill. With a quick yank, the quill was ripped from the girl's hand. Lily crumpled it and tied it in a knot before tossing it behind her back at the girl.

At lunchtime, the girls gathered around Lily and shared a laugh at the trans* girl's actions after her return to History of Magic. After her quill destruction display, nobody else bothered her for the rest of the class.

"And you should have seen the look on the girl's face! She didn't take notes for the rest of the class," mused Rachel to a fourth-year.

"Yeah, I just had a good talk with Professor Lupin and Peeves, of all people," Lily explained. "I guess I just needed to realise that I have a voice and can use it sometimes. But I do appreciate all my friends fighting for me."

She smirked and patted the hand of Theresa, who was sitting across from her. At last, she was sitting down to lunch, and was able to read Mrs. Weasley's letter.

Dear Lily,

I hope your first day of classes go well, dear! I do hope you decide to send Nike out with a reply letter! It's always good to give her something to deliver every so often, just so she stays fit!

Now, I want you to be yourself, no matter what. Even if your schoolmates give you a hard time, it's always best to be honest than to hide yourself in lies.

We all believe in you, and we know you can do it. Mr. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny send their love as well.

Love,

Molly

P.S.: Arthur was able to get in touch with your parents through the felly-tone and they plan to visit over here in England for the Christmas holidays rather than spend Christmas in the United States. They seem to think the weather will be better here than it is there.

But that's something to look forward to! Have a great day!

Lily's heart leapt. What was shaping up to be an awful day had suddenly morphed into something fantastic! She showed the letter to all her friends.

"Hey, Yankee," giggled Megan. "Why don't you show us the skills that make you a legendary sandwich maker?"

The tools and ingredients appeared on the tables, confusing Lily a little bit.

"I talked to a seventh-year and he got the house elves to provide you everything you need," the raven haired girl explained.

Lily looked over the variety of breads, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments with a smile.

"Okay, who's first?"

The rest of the day's classes went by splendidly and without any issue. Her first Charms class showed that she had at least some potential and that her wand did indeed behave itself when she wanted it to, but she could tell that the wand was holding something back. Lily recalled Mr. Ollivander's words. The wand will grow more powerful the more I come to accept myself and be what I'm meant to be.

She was still a little confused by the layout of the castle and the classes weren't necessarily a walk in the park, but after the first day of classes, Lily felt like Hogwarts was home.

Postscript: And the next chapter is up. See? Even the worst days can turn around in an instant!

Special thanks to my lone reviewer last chapter, Vyren Rolar whose words of joy really reminded me of why I write this. It's not only about living and learning in the Harry Potter universe, but also learning about yourself.

Sometimes it's tough to be a non-binary person (basically someone that doesn't conform to the idea that boys have to be boys and girls have to be girls. There's a whole lot of wonderful area in between, and that's what non-binary friends work with when establishing their gender identity. It's an awesome, beautiful thing, but there's not nearly enough representation out there for non-binary people. So hopefully this is a small step in the right direction.

And hey, if you want to get a shout out from me, too? Just leave a review and I'll either acknowledge you or say something nice about you in next chapter's postscript. So go ahead and review. It's totally worth it!