Chapter Two
Blood ties
She was stood with her parents on the platform, her nose upturned away from her older sister. Father was thoroughly excited, tapping Mother on the shoulder and pointing out something that was even more fascinating than the last. "Look Rose, look at his robes!"
Mother gave Father a withering look, "Such a fine example you're setting your daughters, Harold."
A whistle sounded and Mother looked around for her youngest daughter. "Now Lily, remember to write when you get there and let us know you're ok."
"Of course I will," she said, flashing her mother a wide smile.
"And tell us what it's like," Father added. Lily giggled and then nodded her reply. "Come here sweetheart," he said and he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I love you Lil's, now go off to your adventure and make sure you learn lots."
"I will do Pa," and she got on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
"Bye bye now baby girl, be nice, make lots of friends and don't get into trouble," Mother said, her voice thick. She kissed her daughters head as they embraced. "Be careful," she said as a tear trickled down her face.
Lily turned to her sister, obviously unsure whether or not the tension would break between the two, long enough to say goodbye. "Tuney?" Her sister inclined her head slightly in Lily's direction but gave no other indications that she had heard. Another whistle sounded. "Tuney, please say goodbye to me."
Petunia turned to Lily with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "Good bye Lily." The red-head's bottom lip trembled as Mother ushered her onto the coach away from her sister's cold stare. The door was shut and the train began to move slowly away. "Enjoy yourself and stay out of trouble!" Mother called.
Lily began walking through the corridors of the train, trying to find an empty compartment. There was none. She could feel tears prick at her eyes as she reached one of the last compartments with only a dark haired boy was kneeling on a chair by the window, waving out to a witch and a wizard who could only be his parents. She slid the door open, "C-can I, sit in here?" she stammered. The boy who was, she noticed, barely older than herself.
He smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging sort of way and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Of course you can," he said brightly, jumping off the seat. "Are you saying goodbye to your family?" She gave a small nod. "You can sit here if you like? You can wave goodbye," he smiled widely again.
"Th-thanks," she said and she took the seat.
"I'm James by the way. James Potter."
"L-Lily Evans," she said and she gave a little wave out the window to her parents as the train began to move.
"Evans," he said slowly, tapping his chin. "Evans. You half-blood?" he asked.
"N-no. My parents are Muggles," she told him. "I-I'm the o-only one in my family who's got magic." And she burst into tears.
James bit his lip, wondering what to do about the sobbing girl sitting on his right when the door slid open again. "Ah fantastic! You're first year's too, right?" said the new arrival. He had a mess of raven hair and cool grey eyes. "Everyone else I've met so far seem disastrously boring," he said sitting opposite James. "My name's Sirius."
"I'm James."
And then they sat in awkward silence.
Sirius allowed his eyes to wander around the room until they landed on Lily, he began to open his mouth to say something when he let out a loud sob and began to cry a little more loudly than before. Looking perplexed, he turned to James and whispered, "What's up with her?"
James craned his neck slightly to see out the window and then turned back to the other boy, "We've just left nine and three quarters."
Sirius nodded and then stopped, "Wait, what does that have to do with anything?"
"Saying goodbye to her parents," he muttered, casting a look at Lily to make sure she couldn't hear him. Her sobs were still too loud to take any notice. Then he mouthed the word, "Muggle-born."
Sirius' eyes widened knowingly then, "Oh."
Sirius sighed heavily as the door slid open again. Yet another dark haired boy entered the compartment but rather than introduce himself to the two boys sat nearest him, he headed straight for the seat opposite the red haired girl who had not stopped crying.
James and Sirius exchanged glances. "Rude git," James whispered under his breath as the boy and girl began talking without glancing at them.
Sirius leaned forward, eyeing the new comer with curiosity, "Look at his hair."
James followed his glance and stifled a laugh behind his hand. He took a deep calming breath and pushed his glasses back up his nose again. As they lapsed into silence they managed to hear a snippet of the other two's conversation, "You'd better be in Slytherin," the new boy said brightly.
Unable to contain himself, James spat out, "Slytherin?" Sirius froze, looking at his new companion his eyebrows raised. "Who wants to be in Slytherin?" James asked, staring at the new boy with his eyes wide. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James turned this question upon Sirius who looked startled at the question.
"My whole family have been in Slytherin."
"Blimey and I thought you seemed all right!"
Sirius grinned at this widely, "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
James smiled, acting as though he suddenly had a sword in his hand, "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Just like my dad."
They seemed to have forgotten about the other two in the compartment until the other boy made a disgusted noise.
James turned to face him, an ugly look on his face, "Got a problem with that?"
"No," said the other boy, a sneer on his face, "if you'd rather be bawny than brainy -"
Sirius suddenly interjected, "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?"
James allowed a roar of laughter to engulf him. Sirius allowed himself to bark a laugh too.
Lily got to her feet, scowling at the two boys with contempt. "Come on, Severus," she said over her shoulder. "Let's find another compartment."
Simultaneously, Sirius and James let out a mocking, "Oooooo."
A flush rising on his cheeks, Severus began to follow Lily out the door.
"See ya, Snivellus!" James said, trying to trip Snape as he left. He shut the door behind them. The compartment seemed oddly quiet after their departure.
"Weird pair," Sirius said. "How'd you reckon they know each other? Family perhaps?"
James shook his head, "Nah, didn't look a thing alike. Besides, she told me she was the only magic one in her family."
"Ah," said Sirius, "My parent's would love her."
James shot him a quizical look.
He donned a simpering voice, "'Remember Sirius, you are a Black and that you are Pure.' It doesn't matter which family member it is, they all say the same thing. Except my Uncle Alfard and my cousin Andromeda, they're the only sane ones."
"Oh, so you're a Black?"
Sirius tensed, "Yeah."
James pointed to himself, "I'm a Potter. We're probably like fifth cousins four times removed or something stupid." And they both laughed. "Parent's eh?"
"Completely mental," said Sirius.
"But you wouldn't be here without em," added James.
"Oh, I wouldn't entirely agree with that," replied Sirius, causing James to shoot him a curious look. "My mother," he sighed, "well, let's just say she probably would've impregnated herself by magic if there was a way a wizard could do it."
