Almost four years later, Lily and Severus were playing basketball outside at recess. It was her, him and some other little boy playing against Carlos, Mark and Rodger. They were a grade ahead of Lily and Severus and a LOT bigger. And they were mean. For some absurd reason, Lily and Severus had recently become their favorite victims.

"Hey dipshit! Why didn't you catch the ball!" Lily turned around to see Carlos stride toward Severus and shove him.

Sev's face contorted in rage and he shoved him back, and ducked under the follow up punch.

"HEY!" Lily yelled, lunging forward to get between them. Strong hands grabbed her from behind and held her immobile.

"It was a crappy throw!" Severus yelled. The next shove knocked him to the ground. Lily struggled in vain. Carlos kicked him in the side and Sev cried out. Mark laughed, and Lily struggled more.

Red hot fury was building in her. It as unlike anything she'd ever felt before. It was hotter than the sun and colder than snow, and it was eating her up from the inside out. She didn't know what it was, but it scared her. All of her fear disappeared. The last time she had felt anything like this had been when she healed the bird several years ago. She had kept it a secret ever since and hadn't even told Severus. Other strange things had happened too, but she rarely felt a power this large gathering in her. Without her permission, it ripped out of her; lashing out at the two boys who were both kicking Severus. She didn't see exactly what happened next, but one minute the boys were standing there bold as anything, and the next it was as if a giant invisible hand had lifted them up and threw them with terrible force at the side of the school twenty meters away. Carlos and Mark crumpled on the ground and lay there whimpering.

Eyes wide with horror, Lily went over to Severus who was looking at her in awe. Of all the things he could have done then; including crying, swearing, screaming, or maybe cursing her for doing nothing, he got up and punched the air, whooping like Christmas had come early. "Yay! I was sure you were one! I knew it, but they didn't think… well this proves it. They can't disagree now… this changes everything. You'll be coming with me! This is so freaking awesome!"

Lily watched him continue with his strange happy dance for a moment, utterly baffled. It vaguely resembled the pee-pee dance. "Whatever are you babbling about?"

Severus abruptly stopped his happy dance, and studied her for a moment, biting his lip. "Well I guess there's no rule against telling you a couple years early. You're gonna learn it sometime anyways. And after this, well, they can hardly disagree that it would be better for everyone if you could control it better…"

"God Sev, just tell me already! What's going on? What did I do?" Her lip trembled. Looking at the boys laying there twitching, she felt a strange urge to cry. She was some kind of monster. What if they died? Oh God, she'd killed them! Lily started hyperventilating. "Sev –!"

"Calm down Lily. Everything is okay." He smiled at her reassuringly. "Come on, we have to go to my house. My parents can probably explain it all better than I can." He tried to lead her away, tugging gently on her sleeve.

Lily glanced back at the boys who were still just lying there. "What about them?"

Severus glanced over at them and smirked. Then he shrugged. "I'll tell my parents about it and they'll fix their memories. They won't remember anything. And," he added as an afterthought. "I guess they'll heal them too." Lily thought he sounded rather regretful, and she looked up at him with alarm, but he just grinned and said, "Kidding. Don't worry. Really."

And because she trusted him, she almost managed not to, as he led her down the street. "What are your parents going to tell me?" She was starting to get worried.

"All about the wizard world!"

There was stunned silence for a minute, then; "Whatever are you talking about Severus? There isn't such thing as wizards. Everyone knows that." Was he trying to make a fool out of her? It wasn't going to work.

"Sorry Lily, but there are. I'm a wizard, and you're going to be a witch."

"I am not a witch," she said clearly. "I think I'd know."

"But you're a muggleborn. It means you have two human parents with no magical blood," he continued when he saw her confused look. "How else do you think you did magic? You have done it before. I saw."

"That wasn't magic," she answered immediately.

"What was it then?" Severus looked at her expectantly, an eyebrow cocked.

"Well, it was – it – I –."

"It was magic, Lily. I know. I've grown up with it my whole life."

"Severus," she said pleadingly. "There isn't magic. You know that. I've never heard of them."

"I'd never heard of you before that day in kindergarten but that doesn't mean you weren't real before then…"

She totally didn't understand his line of thought, but whatever. "Is Tuney a witch too?" She asked eagerly. Lily was starting to believe now. There was something about what he'd said that just clicked into place.

"No," answered Severus quickly. "Petunia is a muggle. Only we're magic."

"You don't like muggles?" It was something in the way he spoke and the tightness of his mouth that tipped her off.

"No, it isn't that," he answered hastily. "I don't mind them. I just pity them. They aren't as good as we are, Lily."

"Tuney is!" Lily stopped and glared at Severus, loyally defending her sister's honor. "And my parents too!"

Severus backtracked immediately. "Well, yeah, what I meant was –" he stammered.

"I know what you mean," Lily interrupted him. "I want to go home now."

"Lily," Severus pleaded, but she was already walking away, determined not to believe in witches and wizards. He called out for her again but she started running. She didn't want to cry in front of anyone. Especially not him.

How dare he call Tuney not as good?

Lily was still fuming when she got home. She slammed the door and stormed inside.

"What's wrong honey?" asked her dad. "Are you okay?"

She wanted to answer, that no she freaking well was not okay. But when she opened her mouth she hesitated. Something was warning her not to tell them. It was crazy. Why shouldn't she tell her parents? She'd always told them things before. But this was different; just like the bird. There were just some things you didn't tell your parents unless you wanted to end up among the loony bunch.

"I'm fine," she muttered before marching down the hall and up the stairs to her bedroom on the second floor.

Was she really a witch? Of course there was no such thing, and if they were all as snobby and conceited and… annoying as Severus, then she didn't want to be one. She would choose not to be.

Two weeks later, though, Severus cornered her after school. "We need to talk. Lily, you have to listen to me. You are a witch. Really. I promise."

"Legit?" It was the word, now that all the "in" people were saying. Several other strange things had happened, but never when she wanted them to; always only when she wasn't expecting it, or was really angry. The whole "witch" thing was getting harder to ignore. Levitating objects, disappearance of homework, objects appearing… well, that wasn't something that went unnoticed. The whole blaming the dog thing only worked for so long before her teacher had called her mum and now she was in trouble, because Lily didn't even have a dog.

He raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Wanna go to the park?"

"Okay. But not for long. Tuney will be expecting me home soon."

At the park, they sat on the swings, but didn't really swing. "If there are witches, why doesn't everyone know about them?" she challenged.

"Because we keep it secret. We hide and we erase the minds of people who find out about us. We have our own workplace, and schools that we go to when we're eleven. We don't mix much with humans."

"Why?"

"Why what?" he asked confused.

"Why keep it secret? If you have all these awesome powers, why don't you help people? Heal us, fight in wars for us?"

Severus didn't look like he had ever thought about it before. "Well, because we can't. It's against wizard law. And besides, everyone would want magical solutions to their problems. It's better this way. And you aren't a muggle, Lily. You're a witch. Muggles aren't as good as us. They are more stupid and they don't have our powers."

"There are wizard schools?" she asked, choosing to ignore the last comment. They clearly weren't going to agree, and she had missed Severus.

"Yeah! You and me, I bet we'll be going to Hogwarts. It's the best in the world. Dumbledore is the Headmaster."

"What do you learn there?" Lily asked intrigued.

"Magic. All sorts. Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Divination, History of Magic… You name it, we'll learn it. I'm really excited about Defense against the Dark Arts!"

"Have you ever seen Hogwarts or anywhere magical?"

"I haven't ever seen Hogwarts, but I know all about it. There are books, you see? There are moving stairs there, and rooms that disappear and secret places all over. Nowhere has as many magical traps and stuff as Hogwarts. I bet I'll be in Slytherin," he said proudly.

"What's Slytherin?"

Severus looked down at her in surprise but he seemed to enjoy being the one who knew everything. "I keep forgetting how much you don't know." Lily glared at him, and he offered an apologetic smile. "There are four groups in Hogwarts; Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. I'll be in Slytherin. I know it, because my whole family has been. Everyone says that the people in Hufflepuff are stupid."

"I bet I'll be in Hufflepuff then," she said gloomily. "I don't know any magic. I bet I'll be the worst in my year!"

"No," Severus said comfortingly. "I know that you won't be. You're really powerful and when you get your wand, well, it won't matter that you're muggleborn."

"Really?" She smiled hopefully up at him and he grinned.

"Lily!" A voice shouted from down the street and Lily looked up to see Petunia waving and gesturing wildly.

"I have to go, Sev."

"Bye, Lily."

She started to walk away, but then turned back and asked quickly, "Sev can I read one of those books? The ones about magic?"

"Sure. I'll bring it to school."

"Lily!" Lily smiled at him, then waved and ran off towards her sister.

A month later Lily had read the entire book Severus had given her and a couple others. She didn't understand a lot of it and the fact that the author had apparently struggled to use every huge word she knew didn't help. But there were pictures and she now knew a lot more than she had before.

Lily knew that Unicorns, Giants and stuff were real. She knew that wizards were governed by the Ministry of Magic and the Minister. She knew a bit about Hogwarts and Dumbledore. Some of the things she hadn't understood Sev had explained.

Lily was careful to keep the book under her bed where no one would accidentally find it, and also not to take it out of the house. Some nights after school Severus came and they would talk and he told her all sorts of magic stories.

She learned about Quidditch and dragons and pixies.

Lily was happy. Happy in a way she never had been. She felt like a piece of her that had always been missing had just been found.

Tuney didn't seem very happy. It wasn't like Lily didn't hang out with her too. The played together all the time, but she did spend a lot of time with Severus.

As she and Severus sat on her cool floor with several magic magazines laid out in front of them, she decided that she would spend to whole day tomorrow with Tuney to make up for it. They would go play in the sandbox and the gardens and they would climb trees and play with water balloons. It would be so much fun!

But the moving pictures in the books brought her back from those thoughts almost immediately. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact that in wizard pictures people moved and talked. You could have whole conversations with them. It was like a television on paper!

Everything about the magic world astounded Lily. It was all amazingly beautiful for her. Too bad she couldn't tell anyone, she thought, her cheerful mood darkening a bit.

There was a thought that had been bugging her for a while lately. "Severus, I don't think my parents will believe me when I tell them. I mean, I obviously have to tell them sometime or they won't let me go to Hogwarts. What can I say to make them understand any of this? They'll think I'm crazy!"

"Since you're muggleborn someone from Hogwarts will have to come and explain it to your family. Normally the letter comes by owl, but I don't think that will happen with you."

"Does it make a lot of a difference being muggle born?"

"No," answered Severus hastily. "I mean, not much. A lot of great witches and wizards were muggle born."

Lily nodded but she didn't really believe him. She could always tell when he was lying and obviously he thought it made a huge difference.

"What kind of stuff do we need to take with us to Hogwarts?"

"Well, a list will come with your letter. You bring a wand, cauldron, a pet, study books, that sort of thing."

"Where can you get all that?"

"There's a place in London called Diagon Alley. It's, like, a bunch of magical stores. You get everything you need there. Your parents won't know how to get there, so you can come with me when I get my stuff."

Lily grinned. "It will be awesome. We can eat Every Flavored Beans."

Severus laughed. "You have to be careful with those. I can bring you some to school if you want, but they have literally EVERY flavor. I mean, there are chocolate ones, and coconut and stuff, but there's also carrots, wood and everything else gross you can think of." Lily wrinkled her nose at that.

"What about Chocolate Frogs?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Well, they're just chocolate frogs. But each of them has a card of a famous witch or wizard. I have most of them. I collect them."

"Can I come over to your house someday and see all your magical stuff?"

"Lily that wouldn't be a good idea. Remember it was against the law for me to tell you anything. And besides my house isn't the greatest place." When her face fell, he added on doubtfully, "Maybe someday."

They'd never gone to his house before. She didn't even know where he lived. Why won't he let me come over? Lily wondered sadly. Didn't he want her there? She had thought they were friends.

Trying to cheer her up because he saw that she looked sad, Severus said hastily, "But you can come shopping with us. Your parents won't know where to find Diagon Alley so we can go together!"

Lily grinned brightly. "Yeah, just you me, mum, dad and Tuney. And your parents," she added as an afterthought.

"Tuney?" Severus' face fell slightly.

"Of course. She has to come with us. She'll love it. I can't wait until I can tell them all."

Severus seemed upset or irritated about something but Lily had no idea what, and he didn't look like he wanted to talk about it, so she just turned her attention back to the shimmering, moving magical pictures in the magazines.

The school year ended and Lily was happier than she'd ever been. Nothing could wreck her mood lately. Everyone had noticed the change, and her parents were pleased by it. Apparently she had been distracted and out of sorts lately but now she was more cheerful than ever.

Severus was no longer distant. They spent most of their time together, when she wasn't with Petunia, and he wasn't off doing whatever among their own kind. He'd never tell her what he and his family were going off to do, and she didn't pressure him. She knew he had a couple issues he didn't like to talk about. It was obvious his parents hit him, and they didn't get along. At all.

She knew that he was keeping something from her, but she also knew he wouldn't tell her until he was ready, so she didn't really mind. He wouldn't keep anything harmful from her.

It was the summer and Lily was about to turn eleven. The fact that she was a witch had been part of her for the past year and a bit, and she was well accustomed to it by now. The fact still kind of amazed her sometimes. It caught her by surprise and at random inconvenient times she would realize some hard, remarkable truth and for a crystal clear, beautiful moment, the reality would smack into her so hard and it would be just like the first time she had let herself believe she was a witch all over again. It was the best thing in the world.

Lily was special; she had an awesome gift and in about a month she would be going to Hogwarts. It was the best wizard school ever and she was going there!

Severus had told her that someone would be coming from the school to explain to her parents really soon. He had gotten his owl three days ago and Lily was starting to panic. What if she wasn't really a witch? What if this had all been some sick joke? What if they didn't want her because she wasn't magic enough?

Severus assured her that they would send someone. She would be going to Hogwarts.

None of his reassurances stopped her from worrying, though. And her parents had noticed. They were all really mad and concerned that she wouldn't tell them what was wrong, but she didn't know what to say. How on earth could she explain any of this so that they'd understand? Her wonderful mood plummeted, and she spent more of her time with Severus, fussing about the fact that her letter wasn't arriving.

Severus explained that it happened on one's birthday and hers wasn't for a while still.

But as days passed, her anxiety grew. There was still a month and a half left of summer, plenty of time for the Hogwarts person to come and for her to get her stuff and go, but Lily was starting to believe it had all been a dream. A beautiful, terrific, magical dream.

Remus POV

Remus Lupin woke up on the morning of his birthday and the hallow pit in his heart ached. There'd be no Hogwarts letter for him today. All over the world, witches and wizards would have gotten or would get their acceptance letters before the summer ended. Not him, though. Like his father constantly told him, a werewolf who killed his own mother couldn't go to Hogwarts.

He rolled over onto his back, opened his eyes, and stared at the ceiling. What could he possibly do with his life? Even in the wizard world with ghosts and dragons and UNICORNS, he was a freak. The muggle world wouldn't tolerate him, that was for sure. He didn't know much about them, no way would he survive there. But everyone in his own world would hate him if they knew what he was.

Suddenly a loud, insistent rapping on his door startled him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" He inquired. What could his father want? The man never talked to Remus if he could help it…

"Come out here boy," said a strict female voice. He sat up abruptly, brow furrowing in confusion. What the – ?

"Oh – ok – one second – not dressed –," he stuttered, flying out of bed and frantically pulling on the first cloths he found.

A door opened at the end of the hall and he heard his father's heavy footsteps almost running toward his room. "Who the bloody hell are you?" his father roared just as Remus opened the door. His fathers usual menacing glare met him; he tried to ignore it, instead turning to the woman that stood there. She was really tall, with dark brown hair tied back in a tight bun. She was wearing wizard robes and had spectacles perched on her nose. She smiled down at him warmly.

"Remus Lupin?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I am Professor McGonagall, teacher of Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. I have come to give you your letter and discuss with you and your father any concerns you both might have regarding your… unusual circumstances."

For a moment Remus was frozen. It didn't register right away. Hogwarts? Acceptance letter? Was this a cruel joke his father had played on him?

But no, one look at his furious eyes and her kindly crinkled ones had him convinced this was no joke. "Really? But, I didn't think – are you sure?" He finished lamely.

McGonagall nodded. "Quite sure, Mr. Lupin. Here is your letter. Now, let us go down stair and talk. I'm sure you both have many concerns and I would like to put your troubles to rest."

Remus accepted his letter with wide eyes but his father snatched it out of his hand. McGonagall looked at him coldly.

"How can he be going to Hogwarts? He killed his own mother, who knows what he'll do to some poor kid he decides he doesn't like!"

Remus' eyes prickled but he refused to cry. It had been years since the attack but he'd never gotten over it. "It isn't my fault!" he stormed, furious. "I couldn't control it," he looked at Professor McGonagall pleadingly.

"I understand totally, dear. I have a cousin who suffers the same affliction." She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and he felt more at ease than he had in years. "You cannot help what you have been made into, and it is a big part of who you are, but not all. Blood isn't everything. There's also courage, love, honor. Do not let this problem define you or sway you from the great path I know you could fallow. Still, despite that, you are not in control during full moons and that could create a great danger for everyone at the school. Thus, we have decided on several safety measures that must be carried out each month at the full moon. We have a place where you can safely transform and a nurse who will escort you there, and heal you afterwards should you need healing. All the teachers are aware of your problem and if you ever have need to speak to someone, all of them will be more than willing to help. Just come to my room and I will help you with whatever you need."

"Thank you," he breathed. This was a dream come true. He couldn't believe it, but this was actually happening.

"Read your letter, Remus." She smiled at his excitement. Yes, he really liked this Professor.

"Wait a minute! That is not all! He isn't going to Hogwarts woman! A monster can't go to a school full of children. He doesn't deserve it anyways. He's no wizard. He's a werewolf. With magic, he'd be even more dangerous."

Remus found it strange how, even in the middle of the summer when her eyes went frosty, there was nothing that could keep him warm.

"Remus Lupin is going to Hogwarts on September first. He will be taken to the train station. He will board the train. You will not try to stop him. Then you will pick him up at the beginning of summer and you will be kind to him over the holidays. And then next year, you will do the same thing again. Unless of course," she looked at Remus. "You don't want to go…?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"I want to go," he said quietly.

"Good, well now that that's settled –,"

"I said he isn't going. The little monster will be stuck in Slytherin and be an embarrassment to the family."

McGonagall stepped toward his dad so that she towered over him. "Remus will be going to Hogwarts. His mother was a great witch, and we've fought with two other wizarding schools for the chance to have him. You're a muggle; you cannot stop him." He tried to interrupt but she silenced him with a stern look. "If you have any further objections you can take it up with Dumbledore.

Remus, the letter contains a list of all the stuff you will need for your first year at Hogwarts. Would you like me to take you to Diagon Alley so you can pick it all up?"

She didn't know if the dad would actually take him or not and she wasn't willing to risk it.

"Oh, yes please! If it wouldn't trouble you, Professor."

"Not at all, child." Then she started walking away, and Remus fallowed her, leaving his father sputtering in rage behind him.