A/N: Thank you so much for your kind response to the first chapter! I hope the rest of the story lives up to your expectations.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy.

I don't own the Harry Potter universe. Some inspiration and dialogue are borrowed from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pages 668 – 673, American edition.

"Do you think we've given her enough money?"

"She'll write if we haven't." Jack Evans took his wife's hand. "Stop worrying and look around! Have you ever seen anything like this?"

Lily smiled at her parents' enthusiasm for her first trip from Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and looked around at her sister. Petunia's utter misery was etched on her face.

"I wish you were coming with me," Lily said in a small voice.

Petunia sniffed. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because … well, because we're sisters! We always do everything together!" She saw her friend Severus out of the corner of her eye, and wondered if her relationship with her sister would remain the same even if Petunia did come to Hogwarts. She and Severus certainly didn't get along at all.

"So, don't go," Petunia said. "Stay here, and we can go to school together like we planned."

"I can't," Lily said in a moment of utter clarity. Even before she could see the castle, she knew that Hogwarts was where she belonged. "Maybe … maybe you still can come with me!"

Petunia's misery shifted to anger. "I can't! You know that as well as I do! Just go to your school and forget all about me!"

"Don't be like that!" Lily cried. "I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen …" She grabbed Petunia's hand tightly. "Maybe once I'm there –"

"Just don't –"

"No, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I don't want to go!" Petunia snatched her hand out of Lily's tight grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a – a –" She stared around as if searching for a word strong enough to describe her hatred for her sister. She stared at the people carrying owls in cages, wearing long, black robes … "You think I want to be a – a freak?" she nearly shrieked.

Tears filled Lily's eyes. "I'm not a freak," she said. "That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going," Petunia said, clearly pleased by how much she had hurt her sister. "A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy … weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

Lily looked at their parents, who were blissfully unaware of the argument going on less than ten feet from them. "You didn't think it was such a freaks' school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you," she hissed.

"Beg?" Petunia spat, flushing a deep scarlet. "I didn't beg!"

Lily suddenly felt very sorry for her sister. She wasn't going to Hogwarts … she wasn't special, like Lily …

"I saw his reply," Lily said. "It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read – that was my private – How could you?" Petunia was near tears by the time she gasped out the final question.

Lily's eyes flicked to Severus, who was still standing with his parents. Petunia saw where she was looking and gasped.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"

"No – not sneaking!" Lily attempted desperately to defend herself. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe 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 –"

"Apparently, wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" Petunia cut her off, all the color draining form her face. "Freaks!"

Petunia joined their parents, leaving Lily alone and miserable. Not wanting to risk another argument with her sister, she pushed her trolley toward her family.

"I should probably get on the train," she said.

"Oh, Lily!" Her mother caught her in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, but I'm going to miss you so much, little girl."

"That goes for both of us," Mr. Evans said, taking his turn to hug his daughter when his wife released her. "I love you, Lily."

"I love you, too, Daddy."

After both her parents hugged her again, Lily looked hesitantly at her sister. "I'll miss you, Petunia."

Petunia refused to meet her eyes.

"Petunia, what's this?" Mrs. Evans exclaimed. "Say goodbye to your sister!"

"Bye," she said, not meeting Lily's eyes.

Mrs. Evans shook her head and put her arm around Petunia. "I know you girls are going to miss each other, but it'll be all right. You'll see."

Tears filled Lily's eyes as she pushed her trolley toward the train. Her father helped her take her trunk aboard and store it in an empty compartment.

"You'll be fine, Lily," he said, hugging her again. "You're our shining star. I know you'll do well."

Lily nodded miserably, letting him believe that she was just sad about leaving home. She couldn't tell him the truth: that what had begun as the most exciting day of her young life had quickly devolved into the worst.

"Hey, do you need a hand with that?"

"Sure." James looked around to see a boy of around his age picking up the other side of his trunk. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"I'm James Potter," James said.

His new friend grinned. "Sirius Black."

Between the two of them, the two boys got the trunk and James' new owl onto the train. They glanced into the nearest compartment, which only one small girl occupied.

"Do you mind if we sit here?"

She shrugged. "If you like."

She had turned back to staring out the window by the time they had stored both of their trunks. The boys settled themselves at the opposite side of the compartment, closer to the door.

"So, is this your first year?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," James said. "You?"

Sirius nodded. "Excited?"

James laughed. "I've been waiting for this my entire life."

Sirius grinned. "I've heard loads of stories about Hogwarts. Now I'll get to tell my own." He laughed. "Regulus is going to be so jealous!"

"Who's that?"

"My little brother. He'll be here next year."

"Not that little then, is he?"

"Too little for Hogwarts."

"What have you heard about it?" James asked eagerly.

"My cousin Andromeda says there are staircases that change position," Sirius said.

"My parents said that, too. And, that there's a lake with a giant squid in it!"

"I heard about that, too! Do you think we'd be allowed to swim with it?"

"That would be so cool! I'll bet we could."

"Especially if no one caught us," Sirius said. He grinned. "What else?"

"What else have I heard, or what else could we try to do?"

"Both."

James grinned. "Well –"

The compartment door slid open, and another boy came in to join them. He walked past James and Sirius without saying hello, and sat down opposite the girl who was sitting by the window.

"That was a bit rude, don't you think?" Sirius said.

"True," James mused. "He didn't even say hello."

"We might have been saving that seat."

James shrugged. "Git."

Sirius grinned. "Yeah. Slimy git."

"Definitely."

Lily pulled her face away from the window to look at Severus. She looked back out quickly, but not before he could see that she had been crying. "I don't want to talk to you," she said.

He was utterly bewildered. "Why not?"

"Tuney h-hates me! Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

She looked at him with such dislike that his heart constricted. "So she's my sister!"

"She's only a –" Severus just managed to stop himself in time. He looked at Lily, relieved to see that she was busy trying to surreptitiously wipe her eyes. She had not heard his blunder.

"But, we're going!" he said jubilantly. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

Lily nodded, still wiping her eyes. She managed a half smile.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," Severus said, pleased to see even that small smile.

"Slytherin?" James turned at the word. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he asked, turning back to Sirius.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," Sirius said, refusing to smile along with James. He thought of all that Andromeda had told him during their trip to Diagon Alley and shivered slightly.

"Blimey," James said. "And, I thought you were all right!"

Sirius finally grinned. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James mimed lifting a sword over his head. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Severus made a disparaging noise. James, who had nearly forgotten that he was there, turned to face him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," Severus said, sneering at him. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy."

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius asked, looking at him with contempt.

James burst into laughter. Lily looked from James to Sirius with mounting dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment," she said, standing up.

"Oooo," James and Sirius said in unison, mocking her superior tone.

They let Lily pass, but James tried to trip Severus as he followed her from the compartment.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius yelled after them as he banged the door shut.

"Snivellus?" James asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Why not?"

James grinned. "I like it."

"You know what, Potter? You're all right, too."

During her brief visit, Professor McGonagall had attempted to describe Hogwarts Castle to Lily and her parents. Severus had spent even more time repeating the descriptions he had heard to her. Neither one of them had managed to prepare her for the sight.

Crossing the lake by boat had seemed quite exciting, until the glittering lights of the castle's towers came into view. Once she could actually see Hogwarts, Lily realized that the boats paled in comparison.

Lily's mouth dropped open and her eyes opened wide. She stared and stared at the castle, trying not to blink for fear of missing some small detail. I can't wait to tell Mum and Dad, she thought. And, Petunia … she'd love …

She gave herself a mental shake as the tears wanted to fill her eyes again. She wouldn't see Petunia again until Christmas, and, by then, their argument would have been long forgotten. Petunia certainly wouldn't stay angry with her forever.

Lily looked around and saw Severus staring up at the castle with an unidentifiable emotion on his face. She noticed another boy who shared her boat staring at the castle with the same awe and reverence she felt. He sensed her looking at him and looked back, smiling at her.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "It's even better than I thought it would be."

Their boat landed at the dock with a small bump. The other boy climbed out, then turned to help Lily. She took his offered hand and pulled herself onto the dock.

"Thanks," she said, releasing his hand. Close up, she could see a scar running across his temple. She wondered what had happened to him.

She followed the other students through the castle to the hall where Professor McGonagall met them. Lily was pleased to see her – a familiar face was quite comforting. Professor McGonagall led them into the Great Hall for the Sorting.

Lily stood silently, staring out at the sea of faces that were trained on her and other first year students. She had never received such attention, and felt rather intimidated by it. She glanced down the row and saw the two boys who had shared her compartment and insulted her friend. They both looked thrilled with the attention.

"This is bloody amazing," Sirius whispered. "Have you ever seen anything like this place?"

"Unbelievable," James replied in an undertone. Neither could stop smiling.

"We're really here," Sirius murmured. "Hogwarts!"

The Sorting Hat began to sing, extolling the virtues of the different Houses. James and Sirius, too busy drinking in the sights of the Great Hall, barely heard it. Lily, farther along the row, listened with rapt attention. She had only ever heard of one House – Slytherin – until the boy on the train mentioned Gryffindor. Brawny rather than brainy – that's what Severus had said. But, as she listened to the song, she didn't think that was quite right. Gryffindor sounded rather nice … besides, Ravenclaw seemed to be home to the brainy ones. She wondered if Severus had all his facts straight about the Houses.

Sirius was among the first students called. He sat down on the stool, the Sorting Hat on his head, and waited only a moment before being sent to Gryffindor. He bounced off the stool, gave James a grin, and took his place at his new table. He purposely chose a seat that let him put his back to the Slytherin table. Although he knew it was the Sorting Hat's decision, not his, he didn't want to see the disapproval in his cousin Narcissa's eyes.

After a short time that seemed incredibly long, Lily was called to the front. She felt a bit shaky as Professor McGonagall dropped the Sorting Hat onto her head. She barely waited a minute before it declared her Gryffindor's newest member.

She made her way to the table, where another new student moved aside to give her room. She started to smile to thank him, but recognized him as one of the boys who had teased Severus on the train. She stopped mid-smile, frowned at him, and turned to face the front, keeping her back firmly in his direction. She caught Severus' eye, and gave him a sad smile. He smiled back, his eyebrows arching as if to ask, What can you do?

Other students joined them, including the boy who had helped Lily from the boat after crossing the lake. She gave him a smile as he sat down across from her.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Lily."

"Hi, Lily," he said, smiling back. "I'm Remus."

Their conversation was immediately halted by a frown from a prefect, and they turned back to watch the rest of the Sorting.

James hated his last name more with each passing minute. He was tired of waiting. Sirius had already been Sorted into Gryffindor, and he wanted to join him. He recognized the girl from the train sitting next to Sirius, and wanted to grin. She clearly was not pleased to see him again.

After what felt like forever, James was finally called. He sat down on the stool, the Hat slid over his eyes … And, at long last, his wait was over. He was officially a Gryffindor.

He joined the table, reaching over several people to high five Sirius.

"How does it feel to break tradition?" James nearly yelled over the cheers from the table.

"Great!" Sirius yelled back.

Another frown from the same prefect ended their conversation.

The feast was unlike anything any of them had ever experienced. The food was delicious, and they had fun chatting and getting to know one another. By the time the meal ended, Lily had befriended not only Remus, but also Olivia and Dana, two of the girls who would be sharing her dormitory.

"First years!"

They all looked up at the call from down the table. Two prefects – but not the one who had silenced them with a look earlier – were waving them over.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Adam Martin, and this is Minnie Clarke," the boy said. "We're the fifth year prefects, and we're going to show you the way to Gryffindor Tower. We're going to take you on the most direct route tonight, but feel free to explore on your own and find other ways."

"You need to be careful about how you go," Minnie put in. "Sometimes the doors won't open for you unless you ask, sometimes the stairs will change their position, and there are a few trick steps that you can sink straight through. Just stay with us, and you'll be fine."

"Let's go!" Adam called. "Everyone follow me, and keep up!"

Minnie waited for the students to pass, and brought up the rear, making sure everyone stayed together. She smiled at the group of first year girls, who all looked terrified.

"Don't worry," she said soothingly. "Everything's going to be fine. You're going to love Hogwarts."

They wound their way around the castle until the first years were sure they'd never find their way back to the Great Hall. At last, they stopped in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.

"This is the Fat Lady," Adam informed them. "She guards Gryffindor Tower, and will only let you in with the password."

The Fat Lady smiled down at them. "Had a good summer, Adam?"

"It was great," Adam replied. He turned back to the students. "The password is 'valoroso.'"

The Fat Lady smiled again, and swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room. Adam led the students in, and stood in the center of the room, waiting for everyone to enter. Once Minnie had climbed through the portrait hole, closing the doorway behind her, he smiled again.

"This is the common room. This is where you'll spend most of your time in the evenings. For tonight, it would probably be best if you just went up to your dormitories and began unpacking. I'm sure you're all exhausted."

"You'll get your schedules at breakfast tomorrow," Minnie said. "Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher, is our Head of House, and she always hands them out to us." She turned to the girls. "Ladies, if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your dormitory."

"And gentlemen, please follow me," Adam said, indicating a door.

Once the boys were climbing the winding staircase behind him, Adam turned to them again. "Just as a heads up, don't try to go up to the girls' dormitories. The stairs will flatten out, and you'll slide right back down." He grinned. "Learned that one the hard way."

Sirius turned to James with a grin of his own. "Can you believe this place?"

James grinned back.

"Here we are," Adam announced, stopping in front of a door marked "First Years." "Welcome to your home until June. Tomorrow morning, Minnie and I want to meet all of you in the common room to walk to breakfast together. So, meet us at seven thirty, okay? Good night, gentlemen."

The four first year boys looked at each other for a moment as Adam walked farther up into the tower to the fifth years' dormitory.

"Well," Sirius said at last, "let's check out our new home until June."

They stepped inside, each noting that his trunk had been placed at the foot of his bed.

"Nice service," Sirius grinned. He looked around at the other boys. "I don't think I met you at the feast," he said, looking at one of them. "I'm Sirius Black."

"Peter Pettigrew," the smaller boy said a bit nervously. "Nice to meet you."

"Charmed," Sirius said. "James I met on the train, and you are Remus, right?"

"Yes."

"Well," Sirius said, "as it would appear we're going to have plenty of time to get to know each other, I'll tell you all right now that my brother swears that I snore. I, however, do not believe it. I'm sure that you'll have perfectly lovely, undisturbed sleep every night for the next seven years."

James snorted with laughter. The other boys looked between them, then began to laugh along with James.

"So, what are you most looking forward to about Hogwarts?" James asked as they calmed down.

"Learning to use a wand," Remus said without hesitation. "I've always wanted to have one of my own."

"Me, too," Peter said. "Just doing magic is going to be awesome."

"I'm excited to live in a castle," Sirius said. "We could learn magic no matter what, but the castle … now, that's cool."

James shook his head. "I see your education is very important to you, Sirius."

"Well, what are you most excited about, then, Professor?"

"Quidditch," James said. "I can't wait until next year, when we can try out for the House team."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yes, that's very educational."

"Well, we do have to take flying lessons," James said.

"Do those come up on the exams?" Remus asked, grinning at Sirius.

Sirius grinned back. "If they do, I'm sure Potter will ace that one."

"I've never flown," Peter admitted.

"Never?" James asked. "My dad and I fly all the time."

"My mother is afraid I'll hurt myself."

"That's silly," Sirius said. "There are plenty of ways to hurt yourself even if you stay on the ground."

"True," James said.

Remus shook his head as he crossed the room with an armful of robes. Not paying attention to where he was going, he rammed his foot into Peter's trunk.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, dropping his robes as he began hopping on his uninjured foot.

"See?" Sirius said. "He never even left the ground."

"Well, he is hopping around now," James said, helpfully gathering Remus' robes up for him again.

"I don't think that counts," Remus said, finally putting his foot on the ground again.

"Is it broken?" Sirius asked.

"No." Remus took his robes back from James. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. And, don't hurt yourself again."

Remus smiled faintly. "I'll try."

Left alone by Minnie in their dormitory, the four girls looked at each other.

"Hi," Olivia said to the one girl she had not met at the feast. "I'm Olivia Alexander."

"Kathleen O'Connor."

"Nice to meet you," Olivia said. "This is Dana Morgan and this is Lily Evans."

"Hi," Kathleen said. She exhaled. "This is kind of scary, isn't it?"

For some reason, Kathleen's comment broke the tension, and all four girls smiled at one another.

"What are you most scared of?" Olivia asked.

"Getting lost!" Kathleen and Dana said at once. They looked at each other and laughed.

"This place is huge!" Dana said. "I'm so scared I won't be able to find anything."

Lily had not thought of that; it was one more thing to worry about, as far as she was concerned.

"I'm scared of not being as good as my brother," Olivia said. "He just finished at Hogwarts last year, and now he's training to be an Auror. He was Head Boy and Quidditch Captain. And, all the teachers loved him." She shook her head. "It's too much pressure."

"Well, you won't be able to live up to that," Dana said. "There's absolutely no way you will ever be Head Boy."

They all laughed together.

"What about you, Lily?" Olivia asked. "What are you most scared about?"

Lily took a deep breath and decided to be honest. "That I won't be able to keep up." She looked down. "I didn't even know what I could do was magic until …"

"You got the letter?" Dana asked. "My dad's Muggle-born. He didn't know until he got the letter, either."

"No, I knew before that," Lily said. "I met this boy … he told me that I'm a witch."

"Does he go to Hogwarts?" Olivia asked.

Lily nodded. "He just started, too. Severus Snape."

"He's not in Gryffindor, is he?" Dana asked. "I don't remember meeting him."

Lily shook her head. "He's in Slytherin."

The other girls exchanged a look.

"What?" Lily asked.

Olivia took a deep breath. "Slytherin House … has a bad reputation. They don't usually like anyone who isn't a pure blood."

"Pure blood?" Lily asked.

"Like me," Olivia said. "All of my family are wizards."

"Oh," Lily said, looking downcast. "So, you already know what you're doing."

"No," Olivia said simply. "We aren't allowed to learn magic until we come to Hogwarts. I don't think it'll give me much of an advantage."

Lily looked at the other girls. "Are you pure blood, too?"

"Nope," Dana said. "Like I said, my dad's Muggle born."

"My dad is a Muggle," Kathleen said. "My mum's a witch, though."

"You'll be fine, Lily," Dana said. "You'll see."

Olivia smiled. "We'll all do great."