Chapter 8
Hermione moved with purpose the next morning on her way back to the attic. She knew that this was the day. The day in which she discovered once and for all who was following her. The conversation, or fight really, with the Order members played through her mind as she made her way to the attic.
"Hermione, we won't allow you to do this," Remus announced in a frustrated voice while staring at the determined young woman before him. "It's too dangerous."
"I'm not asking for permission. I'm telling you of my plans so that you will know what will happen in case something goes horribly wrong. And I'm well aware of the dangers. But you're all forgetting that I do know how to protect myself! I'm not the smartest witch Hogwarts has seen in centuries for any reason. Besides you know that I was the one responsible for most of the protective spells that Harry, Ron, and I used during the hunt for the horcruxes."
"Hermione, please think about what it'll do to Harry if something happens to you! Let alone what it'll do to me and the rest of the family," Ron burst out. "If something happens to you, Harry'll never forgive himself and it'll diminish the little progress he's made since the Battle."
"Ron, can't you see she's determined? She's going to do it. The least that you, as her boyfriend, could do is show her some support," Ginny snapped.
"Listen everyone. I'm doing this. I will be able to finish Lily's story in peace once I know who is following me. I won't have to constantly look over my shoulder and worry about the wards going off and such."
There was a brief silence as the room considered Hermione's words. Then all of a sudden a flurry of voices began at once.
"Lily's story!"
"Are you saying that Lily is talking to you?"
"Hermione, why didn't you tell me?"
"And this story will help Harry?"
"The Order should have been notified immediately upon the finding of such a treasure!"
Hermione sighed as she realized her slip. This was the precise reason she'd not shared her findings with anyone other than Remus.
"Alright, you can set your plan off tomorrow," Remus agreed reluctantly. "But understand that we will be nearby for the first hint of trouble."
As she approached the attic, Hermione carefully went about her normal routine of checking to be sure that no one was in sight as she vanished inside the house and pretended to set the wards. Taking the soft leather book in her hands, she realized that now all she could do was wait. Wait and hope that the intruder would walk into the trap and that Lily's story would not distract her terribly from the task at hand. She settled back against the pillows, opened the book, and was transported once again to the early 1970's and a young eleven year-old's words.
September 1, 1971
What a day! Today I began my journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I like using the school's official name. It sounds so more realistic.
It started with a mad dash of trunks being loaded into the car. And then all of us piling in and driving to London. Petunia goes back to her school today as well and also leaves from Kings' Cross. Her train leaves at 10 am from platform 13 and mine leaves at 11 am from platform 9 ¾. So Mum and Daddy lucked out today. We both leave for school on the same day and close to the same time. We got there and got Petunia off on her train with tears on Mum's part. Then we set off to find my platform. Finding my platform was an adventure itself. There was 9 and there was 10. But no 9 ¾. We kept searching but couldn't find it. So Daddy and Mum start talking with one of the attendants who was standing around looking helpful. I'm not sure how much information that they got from him, because I started to watch the crowd of passengers. There were lots of kids with trolleys and trunks and things. I could tell that these were all students heading back to their schools. I did manage to hear a couple of kids talking about "Hogwarts" and "Quidditch" and stuff that is obviously magical. So I watched these kids. They ran straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and disappeared into the wall!
"Daddy! Mum! I know how to get there!"
They turned at the sound of my voice and left the flustered attendant growing more flustered and came to me.
"Well Lily-girl, what'd you discover," Daddy asked while Mum grumbled about the ignorance and nerve of the attendants.
"We have to run at the wall between platforms 9 and 10."
"Well let's give it a go then shall we? Ready Heather?"
And with that, the three of us ran at the wall and vanished through to the other side. There was a cute train with black steam puffing with the words "Hogwarts Express" engraved in gold along the side of the train. And children everywhere. And some of the strangest people I've ever seen. It was all so exciting.
"Let's find you a compartment, Lily-girl," Daddy said.
As we found me a compartment and got settled in, I recognized the neighbor boy from Spinner's End, Severus Snape. He used to bother me and Petunia and Julie out at the park where we'd play. Julie never liked him either. But still, it was rather nice to see a familiar face. He nodded at me as he passed by.
With a final hug and kiss, Mum and Daddy left me on the train. For the first time, I realized that I was leaving home and wouldn't have my parents around often anymore. I reached into the basket beside me and gathered my new kitten into my arms. Stroking Sasha's soft grey fur, a wave of homesickness washed over me and the tears began to fall. Engrossed in my private misery, I didn't hear the compartment door open and a voice speak from the doorway.
"Excuse me, but do you mind if we join you? The other compartments are all full."
With a quick swipe of my hand across the my eyes, I turned to the doorway to see a boy and two girls standing there. The speaker, the boy, was about my age with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. The two girls were obviously sisters in that they had the same shape of face and were about the same size. But that's where their looks ended. One wore her brown hair up in a messy ponytail and glasses covered her face. The other let her ebony locks fall over her shoulders and her emerald eyes sparkled with merriment. I nodded and my new companions stepped inside.
"My name's Remus Lupin, and these are the MacAllister sisters."
"I'm Savannah and this is Vanessa," the dark haired girl said. "Are you a first year too?"
"Yes, I am. My name is Lily Evans and this is Sasha," I said holding up my kitten.
The train ride passed quickly as the four of us spent the time chatting and playing this really cool card game called "Exploding Snap." I've never been around wizard games before, so it was such fun to watch the cards suddenly burst into flames and the rest of us try and not burn our fingers when grabbing them.
After several hours on the train, it pulled into a little village and stopped at the edge of it. We scrambled into robes and got off of the train. Outside on the platform, a gruff voice called out "Fi'st years over 'ere." We moved in the direction of the voice and saw a giant of a man holding a lantern and waving. He was the largest man I'd ever seen and he frightened me a little. I found myself moving closer to the twins. As he led us to the boats that would carry us across the lake to the school, the girls and I got separated from Remus. I shuddered at the thought of climbing into the boat on a black lake after hearing one of the boys next to us talking excitedly about the Giant Squid living in the lake.
Happily, we made it to the other side with no one falling into the lake and being eaten by the Giant Squid. Stepping out of the boat, I got my first glimpse of Hogwarts.
There on the shoreline stood a towering castle with candles lighting up the windows. It was like a fairy tale. Cinderella getting to go to ball at the castle. Yet standing there in awe, I felt a sense of having seen it before somewhere. But where? Was this the castle I'd been dreaming of for months on end? And was this the one that I'd unwittingly tried to replicate with my research project? It very probably was.
As the man lead us to the steps of the castle, a woman greeted us at the door. "Thank you Hagrid," she said briskly. "Now, children, I am Professor McGonagall and welcome to Hogwarts." She proceeded to lead us into the entrance way where she told us that we'd soon be sorted into ours houses --- Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor.
Professor McGonagall ushered us into the Great Hall where there were students sitting at four long tables. Placing a stool in front of us, she held up an old hat. The hat burst into song about the school's founders and its beginnings. As it fell silent, the older students burst into applause and then Professor McGonagall unrolled the parchment she carried and called out the first name. The girl nervously took her place upon the stool, sat there a moment before the hat called out "Hufflepuff!
"Black, Sirius."
"Gryffindor!"
"Evan, Lillian."
I nervously took my place upon the stool and felt the hat settle on my head. I sat there waiting for something.
"Hmmm. Difficult. Very difficult. I've never had one quite like you before."
"Wait a second, you're in my head," I thought.
"Well of course I'm in your head. Where else would you expect me? You've got a fine mind. Lots of curiosity there. You could do well in Ravenclaw. But there's loyalty and courage too. And a sense of wanting to succeed. Very difficult. But it'd better be --- Gryffindor!"
The last word was spoken with a shout and then there was applause from the table in the center of the room. I moved that way to watch the rest of the sorting.
"You were up there longer than anyone else so far," said the boy next to me with black hair and grey eyes. "I'm Sirius Black. I'm a rebel evidently. My family's been in Slytherin for generations and here I am in Gryffindor."
I just nodded and kept watching.
"Lupin, Remus."
"Gryffindor!"
"MacAllister, Savannah"
"Gryffindor!"
I scooted over on the bench to make room for my new friend. And then her sister joined us a second later.
"Potter, James,"
"Gryffindor!"
"Snape, Severus"
"Slytherin!"
My eyes followed the neighbor boy as he took his place at a table where though they were happy to see him join them, were more rigid than other houses.
After the last student was sorted into Ravenclaw, an elderly looking man stood up and quieted everyone down. Then with just a few words, he sat down and we started to feast.
The feast that appeared was everything we could imagine and more! There were meat pies, soft buttery rolls, creamed corn, and then the desserts. Oh my. Treacl tarts, chocolate, puddings. I can't wait to write Mum and tell her all about this.
I looked around at my fellow classmates and saw that they were getting as sleepy as I when the elderly man stood up. He's one of the people from my dreams! Anyway, he gave us a speech about being welcome to Hogwarts and rules we needed to be aware of. Then he sent us off to bed because classes started the next day.
I joined Savannah, Vanessa, and the girl I'd met the day we went shopping for all my things - Kathleen, and started up through the corridors and staircases. The paintings on the walls watched us and spoke greetings to us. We came to a stop in front of a very large portrait. The stern looking fat lady crossed her arms and asked for the password. When the older student spoke it, the portrait swung away from the wall revealing a doorway leading into a room. So the portraits are sometimes doorways. How fun!
The room was decorated in red and gold. There were sofas and chairs scattered around. The prefect pointed us to our dormitories and we moved up the stairs. All four of us gasped when we saw our room. Four large canopied beds greeted us draped in reds and golds like the common room. Our trunks were at the bases of the beds. We changed into our nightclothes and climbed into our beds. And yes, I am sleepy, but I wanted to chronicle my impressions of Hogwarts. I wonder if there's a way to turn this diary into like a tape recorder? I'll think about that tomorrow.
Always,
Lily
Hermione thought back to her own first day. Meeting Ron and Harry and being awed by all that she saw. So Lily met Remus on the train and Sirius during the Sorting. Turning back to the diary, Hermione was eager to read Lily's first impressions of the infamous James Potter.
September 20, 1971
I got a letter from Julie today.
Dear Lily,
I am so happy for you! Your school sounds like so much fun! I wish I were magical and that I could go with you. At least then I'd know Cassie and Samuel would be taken care of. Things are really hard for us. We're still hiding from the Social Services people. Yesterday, the police wanted to question me more about the way Mum died. I don't want to relive that day. It was awful.
The protests against the war are getting more and more common. Everyday, it seems that more and more people are angry with the president. But it's also sorta funny that the same people protesting the war are also spouting things about love being all that is necessary.
Lily, I honestly don't see the point in me staying in school. I could get a job at the factory and make enough to support the kids. But it was always Daddy's dream that I go to the university. So for now, I'll stay in school.
What are your classes like? And your classmates? Are these classes helping you make sense of those dreams you've had?
I miss you my friend. Write me soon.
Julie
"Evans, what are you reading that's so interesting," Sirius loudly asked over breakfast.
"Nothing that concerns you Black." I gathered my books and headed off to Charms with Kathleen. She kept going on and on about how cute the Gryffindor boys are, especially James Potter and Sirius Black, and that if she wasn't already betrothed to a pure-blood boy she'd yet to meet, that she'd gladly go out with either of them. Truthfully, her chatter annoys me so I tend to tune her out.
In Charms Professor Flitwick had us practicing the levitation charm. I was thrilled when I was able to get it on the first try. No one else even managed to get their feathers to float at all.
After Charms, we had Transfiguration. That class is very difficult. Most of us had no idea what it takes to transform something from one thing to another. Although one of the boys, Remus's friend James, answered every question put to us by Professor McGonagall. Even I was impressed. I sat and watched him run his fingers through his black hair, messing it up even more.
Over lunch, Vanessa and Sirius started talking about the upcoming Quidditch try outs. And some of the other boys joined in complaining that 1st years weren't allowed on the team.
"Remus," I leaned over to the boy next to me. "What's Quidditch?"
"It's the sport of the wizarding world. I'm not sure what would be similar in the Muggle world. But this game is played with 7 players on brooms. They're flying around trying to either score points or keep the other team from scoring."
"Oh ok."
The rest of the day flew by. After lunch, the Gryffindor 1st years had History of Magic - which is the only class taught by a real ghost!- and then Herbology with the Slytherins.
For some reason, I don't understand these two houses hate each other. It just doesn't make sense. And the way that the Slytherins treat Sirius. They constantly bother him about being a "blood traitor". Each time that happens, James jumps to his defense. And then there's the way that Severus Snape stares at me. He's always watching me in class and in the Great Hall. I'm having a hard time combining the rather annoying boy from the neighborhood with this brooding classmate. He never says anything to me. Just watches me. It's rather creepy.
Always,
Lily
September 25, 1971
Today I had my first ever broom ride. Or at least I attempted to ride a broom. Witches ride brooms. That's how they're always shown in the fairy tales and movies. So it shouldn't be too hard to get on a broom and take off into the air, right? I couldn't have been more wrong! But still I was excited when I saw that our last class of the day was going to be flying lessons.
All of the first years met out on the lawn to have lessons in flying/riding a broom. Madam Hooch had us stand next to the brooms, extend our left hands and say "Up!" Over these past few weeks, I've gotten really used to being great at everything I attempt especially Charms and Potions. So I was shocked and disappointed when my broom didn't even wiggle. Next to me, Vanessa's broom immediately jumped to her hand. And she wasn't the only one. James, Sirius, a few of the Hufflepuffs, and a couple of the others managed to get it on the first try too. After several tries, I finally managed to get my broom to come to me. Thank goodness I wasn't the last one. That particular honor belonged to a Syltherin girl named Gertrude.
Once we all had managed to call our brooms, we finally got to take to the air. Madam Hooch didn't want us to fly very high off the ground, so we only flew a few meters. But I was actually in the air! It was amazing! But I think I prefer solid ground beneath me.
After class, Savannah and I were walking back to the castle. She's so different than Vanessa. Both the girls remind me of Julie. Where Van has brown hair and violet eyes and is every inch a tomboy, Savannah knows she's beautiful. She has so far managed to talk her way out of most assignments. Where Van is super smart and carefree, like Julie before she moved away, Savannah is clueless. She's a bit of a ditz. But the aspect of her personality that reminds me the most of Julie is that she's got a love of life. Sure, she's gorgeous. With those big emerald eyes and that long black hair, all the boys can't keep their eyes off of her. There is some tension between the sisters. I think that Van feels that she's got to compete with Savannah. But I've wandered off my topic again. Where was I? Oh yes! Our walk back to the castle.
Savannah and I were talking about flying and if we'd have to fly very often when James and Sirius ran up and managed to snatch both of our bookbags and took off across the lawn. Savannah promptly stopped walking and screamed for Vanessa. When Van caught up to her, Savannah let Vanessa go after Sirius. I, on the other hand, took off after James immediately. I caught up with him not far from Hagrid's hut.
"James! Give me back my bag!"
"Can't do that Evans," he replied with a grin. "These bags contain some information that I and some of the others will find very helpful."
"And just what information might that be, Potter?"
"Your Potions essay."
"Oh no you don't! You're not copying my essay! Now give me back my bag, you insufferable git!"
And with that, he and I took off across the lawn. He staying a few feet in front of me and letting me almost catch him before darting off in a different direction. We kept up the chase for several minutes before we were both a bit tired. Collapsing onto the lawn to catch our breath, his hazel eyes met my green ones. It was weird. That second or two. There seemed to be something that passed between us.
"You, Miss Evans, are a worthy opponent," he said as he tossed my bag over to me. "Where did you ever learn to run like that? I mean, I'm fast, but you can match me for speed in any footrace. Now on brooms on the other hand …"
I couldn't help it. I had to laugh at the seriousness of his voice. My laughter caused his face to split into a cocky grin while he absentmindedly ran his fingers through his already messed up hair. The rest of our housemates joined us then, and amidst laughter, we wandered up to the castle and the evening meal.
Always,
Lily
A sudden noise caused Hermione to jerk her attention away from the captivating story of Lily to the present. She'd purposely only set the most basic of wards. Readying her wand, she moved through the attic to the lower levels of the house. Casting a nonverbal silencing spell on herself, she moved towards the room in which she heard noises.
Pausing at the doorway to the library, she quickly cast a stunning spell on the intruder before giving the woman a chance to notice her presence.
