We walked hurriedly through the platforms. Mum smiled brightly at every muggle we met, and I tried hard not to laugh thinking of what Grandma would have been doing. Definitely not what Mum was. Then I saw a familiar face.

"Uncle Ron!" Sirius started screaming.

"Well hullo my favorite family." He smiled brightly. "I was just seeing my family off. Not that I won't be flying up to stay with my wife, but I wanted to give them a proper farewell." I smiled.

"So I will get to see you this year?"

"Well, of course Lily, that way I can keep an eye on you." I started giggling.

"So, sis, how is Harry and my little niece or nephew inside you."

"They are both fine, in fact Harry just got on another case."

"Another one and he does all of this while I am on vacation? I thought we were partners. The man does more as an Auror when he works alone." Mum smiled.

"I wouldn't be too worried. Now sorry Ron, but as you know I have two children to deliver on platform nine and three-quarters." Uncle Ron said goodbye to all of us and we headed for the platform. Mum had us all run through and I felt a tingle of excitement that I had never felt before as I ran through the barrier. This time, I was the one who was leaving, and this time I was going to learn new things...

/\

I walked through the train trying to find a compartment. Al had already left me for his third year friends and his girlfriend. I was about to just open a compartment and hope for the best when I heard a voice behind that sounded familiar.

"Hey, Lily, are you shunning us or something." I turned around to see Carrie, my cousin looking at me. She smiled as she twirled her coffee hair. "We have space in this compartment. I walked up and looked at the sign one of the kids had written on the window. It said in very neat handwriting 'Weasley Club'. I smiled

"I don't know, I am a true Potter."

"Yeah, but you are half Weasley, your mum counts." I smile and bring my stuff in. I look at the nine Weasley's sitting around the compartment. There were two of Uncle Fred's, one of Uncle George, one from Percy, and the list goes on.

"Wow, and to think we are all first years." I mumbled under my breath. "You guys, I think it's time to face reality, we aren't going to fit in here, I will find another compartment. I turn and Carrie followed me out.

"Thanks, not that I don't love my sister or our cousins, but it is hard to breathe in there." I let out a smile and we both slipped into a compartment. In there I looked at the two boys and a girl just hanging out. The boy closest to me was fiddling with his wand. His brown hair hung in his eyes and he already had his robes on. He looked like an actor I had once seen on what the muggles call a telly. The other boy had sandy blond hair that also was long, but he had an odd curve keeping it out of his eyes. The girl was wearing an unbelievably short skirt and was looking at the split ends of her long blonde hair. I smiled; time to put on the Potter charm.

"Hi, you lot first years, too?"

"Yeah, we are all hiding from that one first year who is trying to use the many spells he learned."

"Oh, I feel bad for him; my dad has been letting me use his wand for years. I am Lily, and this is Carrie, my cousin." I purposely left out my last name, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

"I am Emma." Emma nodded to me.

"Derrick and this is my mate Jeff." The boy with the blonde hair introduced himself with a smile and punched Jeff. I smiled and took a seat next to Emma and Carrie followed my example. They all went back to normal, trying to think of a conversation. "I heard the Transfiguration teacher is brutal." Derrick said. I had only just met him, but he seemed to be comfortable and I decided I liked him best of everyone.

"Yeah, we should know," I smiled at Carrie, "She is our aunt."

"Wait, you are related to Professor Weasley?"

"Yeah, she is nice, but strict. Actually, she and my dad were best friends along with her husband back during their Hogwarts days." The whole compartment goes silent. I realized I said too much, everyone knows Aunt Hermione is best friends with Harry Potter.

Emma is the first to work up the guts. "That means you're... you're Lily Potter. Harry Potter's daughter."

I nervously twirl my red hair. "Only by blood," I tried to joke. Jeff and Carrie are the only ones who laugh. I look at Carrie sending her a pleading look.

"Okay, okay, I know you are wondering, 'what is it like to be the niece of the famous Harry Potter', well, not very good. To tell you the truth his gifts at Christmas are rubbish, and he is always signing autographs when he takes us all out." I start laughing, letting Carrie's diva shine through. Emma tries to take her seriously, but in the end curiosity kills her.

"So, does your dad like, always tell you stories about his life? Does he always come home late from fighting evil? Are your parents happy together, because my mum always says he would be the ultimate sh--?"

"Actually, my dad always says if we want to find out about him we should read the million books out about him." Emma paused, obviously disappointed that I wasn't as into my father's fame as she was. "Oh, and my mom and dad love each other, they are on their fifth child." Carrie laughed. "So, any of you have famous parents?"

"No, we are all boring." Emma leaned back on her seat and pouted. I smiled.

"Trust me, it is boring." We all talked when the compartment door slid open.

"Hello all you fellow first-years." I looked at the boy who walked in, unimpressed. He was scrawny and his greasy hair needed to be washed. He was tall, and would be attractive if he new the definition of personal hygiene.

"Hello, I am Lily, that's Emma, Carrie, Jeff, and Derrick." They all flashed me a grateful look at the fact that they didn't have to introduce themselves.

"Charles Goyle, at your service."

"Wow, I think I have heard of your father...didn't he win a pie eating contest last week?" Carrie elbowed me in the stomach and I let out a breath.

"Learn your place, my father may be stupid, but I am far from it." I looked up at him, unafraid.

"Wow, now I remember that name, he was one of Draco Malfoy's goons back in my father's day."

"And who would your father be?"

"Harry Potter," I smiled. This time I said it with pride.

"Oh, nice, the Potty himself reproduced."

"Yeah, a whole lot better than your father did, I see." Charles glared at me and struck out his wand, but before he could even think about it, my wand was out and pointed perfectly. "Experillamus!" He flew against the door (which he had shut, smart one) and fell limp to the floor. Carrie and Emma rushed over to congratulate me and I smiled proudly, until the door opened.

"What is going on in here?" I gulped a women in ginger hair was looking at me. She expected an answer. There wasn't a speck of dust on her black robes and her hair was pulled tight hiding the messy waves I knew was there. "Answer me, Lily, Carrie?"

"Well, you see, Aunt Hermione, he was the one who was threatening me, I was just protecting myself." I looked at her innocently.

"Lily Potter, you should be ashamed of yourself. I don't want to give you a detention as a first year. That goes for you to," She kicked at Charles on the floor. "Consider this your one and only warning." I looked down at the floor; Aunt Hermione could make me ashamed of myself without thinking. I looked up at her glaring eyes.

"I promise I will try to do better."

"Good. Now, all of you better put your robes on, we have almost arrived." She left and we all pulled robes over our clothes. Charles snuck out with about as much dignity as a turtle has. I smiled as the train came to a lurching halt.

"So, I heard Uncle Fred and Uncle George are doing well with their business still."

"Yeah, Dad and Uncle George are great, and with both Kiera and I at Hogwarts, Dad only has three more children to put through." I thought of the whole Weasley clan. They had all become successful in one way or another. Even Grandpa. I walked out whispering a hello to Kiera. She smiled. It amazed me how different she was from her twin, with her Weasley red hair and her pale blue eyes. I looked at Carrie and her dark green eyes. It was so weird. I looked over and smiled, because there stood a big man with a huge smile on his face, stroking the gray on his beard.

"Firs years over 'ere. Quick now, quick now." I came up and gave Hagrid a huge smile. "Well, 'ello Lily. 'ow are you?"

"Fine Hagrid, how are you?"

"Jus' fine, jus' fine." He stood up strait so the first years could gather around his looming form. "Alrigh' we will be boatin' over to 'ogwarts." All the kids without brothers and sisters looked around excitedly. I just stood whispering to Emma asking her how she knew Jeff and Derrick.

"Oh, they are old chaps, we live close to each other," she whispered back. "So you are related to all the Weasleys?"

"Yeah, unfortunately." We both giggled. I looked over at Derrick and saw that he was looking at me. We both quickly looked away and my cheeks got very warm.

"Why are you blushing?"

"Oh, I am not, I am just cold out here." I quickly rubbed my cheeks trying to force it away. We all split into groups of six and I found myself with the compartment I was with and another girl who introduced herself as Cara Creavey. We all boated over and reached the castle just as it started raining. I quickly said a charm that formed a bubble over me so I wouldn't get wet, but obviously no one else had taken a minute to learn any charms because they all tried to cover themselves with their cloaks. We all walked in and were greeted by my aunt.

"Hello, children. Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor Weasley."

"Oh, god, not another one." Everyone snickered and I couldn't help but smile.

"Excuse me, is there something you would like to say about my family." Aunt Hermione's eyes bored into the boy who had said it and he looked at the floor, dumbfounded and afraid. "As I was saying, soon you will go into the hall and be sorted into your houses. There are four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The hat will sort you, so wait for your name to be called." She opened the doors and slipped through.

"Brutal, I know, but she is my aunt." I whispered to Derrick, who happened to be right next to me." He lowered his eyes and didn't say a word. I just looked at him for a second but didn't have a chance to say anything because my aunt had opened the door and beckoned us to come in.

We all slowly walked in, looking at the tables and their gear. They were all decorated with the names flowing in banners so that we could see them. I smiled at my brother over at the Gryffindor table, silently praying to get in there. I walked up and stood with Emma, Carrie, and Kiera. Aunt Hermione walked up and looked at the hat, who suddenly made a face and started singing.

i In a time of celebration

We sit in this place

Looking at students

Old and brand new

And I sit to sort

Sort to have them sit

Hufflepuff Ravenclaw

Slytherin Gryffindor

Which is yours

For evermore

I hope what you seek

Is what you receive

For you are sorted

According to mind

Not fate

Let us hope your house

Is one you don't hate /i

I looked at the hat, confused. I had always heard of long songs, but this one was short. I wondered, but soon nerves got to me and I had to watch the sorting.

"Aarkan, Aidan, my aunt's voice broke the silence of voices. A small, nervous boy walked up and sat on the stool. The hat barely touched the brim of his head

"Slytherin." My skin crawled. Horrible people got into Slytherin. I looked at Carrie and she nodded in silent agreement. The list went on and I semi-zoned out.

"Gary, Emma" This caught my attention as Emma climbed the steps with beauty and grace. I understood when I saw a flash of eyeliner and lip-gloss that Emma liked to be looked at. The hat sat on her head and pondered.

"Well, you are a hard one. Well, I guess if I had to put you anywhere it would be...Gryffindor!" I smiled. Hopefully I had the same fate.

"Goyle, Charles." I glared as he climbed the steps. The hat obviously new who I knew, because he pondered this, too.

"Well, obviously Slytherin." I rolled my eyes. The list went on, and I got bored again. Jeff got into Gryffindor, also, much to my satisfaction. I was picking at my fingernails when I had to jump at a name.

"Malfoy, oh, this name is smudged." Aunt Hermione touched it with her wand and I looked at her, wanting her to say the name. "Oh, here it is, Malfoy,