"Is this it?"

"Lily, that's just a plain brick wall."

"But the ticket says--"

"I know, but that's not it. Its going to be between platforms nine and ten."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"I think its this way."

"And you say you can do math?"

Lily stuck out her tongue as Severus led the way over to Platform's nine and ten. Mr. And Mrs. Evans followed silent looking around at the normal Muggle train station. Mrs. Snape was right behind the two children and Petunia was eyeing the witch coldly from behind her parents.

"Elinor! I heard you got married!" someone called out.

Mrs. Snape turned to glare at one of the passing Muggles.

"And what is it to you if I did?" she demanded loftily.

Mr. Evans stared at her, shocked. Mrs. Evans turned to the man and said,

"I'm sorry, sir, but do you think you could help us find--?"

"It's right here, Mrs. Evans." Severus said quickly.

Everyone stared at it in silence as the Muggle man walked on. Lily was eyeing the barrier doubtfully as if she knew it were solid.

"Its magical," Severus reassured her.

"It looks solid to me." Petunia said coldly.

Severus turned to glare at her,

"Of course it looks solid to YOU, Muggle."

Petunia looked hard at him as Severus wheeled his cart to face the barrier.

"I'm taking it a run." he informed his mother.

"No you most certainly are not! It'll tire you out and you need to hurry and get on that train. You're walking straight up there with me." she snapped.

She took hold of Severus' upper arm and marched up over to the barrier. The Evans watched, astounded, as they walked straight through it, but they didn't appear on the other side. They stood in silence for a moment, glancing at the people around them. How could they go through without attracting attention to themselves? It didn't seem possible at all for the time being.

"Excuse me, but are you going to go through?" a girl with shocking red hair asked.

Lily was surprised. And she thought HER hair was red, but it was nothing compared to what color this girls hair was. At least Lily's was a dark red and not violent colored like this girls was.

"Erm--well, actually, I'm not sure how to go through." she admitted.

"Oh?" the girl asked, "Are you Muggle-born?"

"Yes."

"Ah. Well I'm Molly. I'm in my fifth year at Hogwarts. Why don't you come on with me?" she asked.

"Thank you. I'm Lily Evans." Lily replied as her family followed behind her.

"Nice to meet you." Molly smiled as she led the new first year Muggle-born to the barrier.

Lily copied her new friend and leaned casually against the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Much to her shock she fell through and found herself on a crowded platform with a sign that read "Platform 9 ¾" above her. Shocked, she gazed around at all the people. Some were already in their black robes and waving goodbye. Some were walking around, calling names of their friends. Some were saying hurried goodbyes to their families, promising to contact as soon as possible. Lily's parents and Petunia appeared behind her.

"Well isn't this something?" Mr. Evans breathed as he took in all the wizards and witches.

Mrs. Evans was looking around in shock and Petunia just glared at any witch that dared to pass her. Some of them shot her surprised looks while others looked merely insulted for just walking across the same ground and getting such a dirty look. Lily knew why this was, but she wasn't going to tell Petunia that she did know. It would make her very upset with her, and she only wished to be on good terms with her sister.

Severus was standing a few feet away from them with his sour looking mother. He was watching Petunia fighting with Lily and he wished they would stop. Lily hated fighting with her, and she always cried after wards, though he never understood why. Petunia was just being ungrateful.

"…I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen--" Lily caught Petunia's arm and held on to it even though her sister desperately tried to pull away, "Maybe when I get there--no listen, Tuney! Maybe when I'm there I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

Petunia dragged her arm out of her little sisters grasp,

"I don't--want--to--go! You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a--a--"

Her eyes moved over the platform. She glared at the mewling cats and hooting owls. She stared openly at the students in their robes saying goodbyes to everyone and greeting friends after a long summer apart. She lastly looked at the gleaming scarlet engine that was puffing smoke out onto everyone on the platform. She looked back at her sister and went on in a trembling voice,

"--you think I want to be a----a freak?"

Lily's eyes quickly filled with tears and Petunia tugged her arm away furiously.

"I'm not a freak," Lily whispered, "That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going. A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy…weirdo's, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. Its for our safety." Petunia cried with relish.

Lily looked over at her parents who were still looking around with enjoyment. She looked back at Petunia her voice low and fierce,

"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia's face went scarlet.

"Beg? I didn't beg!" she snapped.

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read--that was my private--how could you---?" Petunia whispered in shock.

Lily half glanced at Severus and Petunia gasped.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have sneaking in my room!" she raged.

"No--not sneaking. Severus saw the envelope and he couldn't believe that a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of--" Lily defended trying to explain.

"Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" Petunia was still flushed.

"Freak!" she spat at Lily before running back to where her parents stood.

Lily gazed after her for a moment before Severus walked up. A whistle sounded somewhere from the train and he said,

"Come on, Lily, we've got to get on. Go say goodbye, and hurry or we won't get a good compartment."

Lily nodded, and hurried over to her parents. Petunia looked coldly away from her, staring at the barrier they had come through. Lily hugged each of her parents in turn, kissing them and hugging them, promising to use a school owl and write. Mrs. Evans promised to get an owl next year, and Mr. Evans made her promise not to leave a single thing out. Good or bad. Mrs. Evans handed her daughter a journal and told her to keep record of everything that she didn't want to put in her letters so she could show them when they got home. Lily took it gratefully and kissed both of them again with another round of hugs. Petunia said nothing and wouldn't turn around until Lily said,

"Good bye, Tuney. I'll write to you."

"Don't." Petunia spat.

Lily gave her a hurt look, but her parents didn't seem to hear what Petunia said. They didn't see Lily's tear filled eyes as they hurried her onto the train. Lily clambered on and waved goodbye to her parents with tears spilling out of her eyes as she remembered what Petunia had said.