Again a huge thanks to my beta commingsummers… 0o0o "What just happened?" I say blinking slowly, and turning to face my Father,while trying to ignore the lurching feeling settling in my stomach. "Side- along apparition, not the most pleasant thing in the world, but you get used to it eventually." He replys smirking, before bending down to grab my bag and marching off into the station. I roll my eyes at my Dads vagueness, and follow him deeper into the station. Kings Cross is packed full of people from every caliber of life. There are suited up business men dressed in tight suits, sulky teenagers plugged in to headphones and mothers pushing pushchairs and trying to control wild toddlers. All very much muggle. "What platform is the train leaving from?" I ask. I can't imagine wizards standing on the same platform and boarding the same train as anybody currently standing here. "9 ¾," My Father replies, casually handing me my ticket as if it was the most normal thing in the world. I frown and look around wildly. "I know I'm from District 12 Dad, but I'm not a complete idiot. They only have platforms which are whole numbers." I say stubbornly nodding my head as if that made it final. My Father tips his head back laughing, but neglects to reply as we approach platform 9. I look towards the next platform label to see if it is indeed 9 ¾, and just as I expected the small label stuck on the red brick pole read; Platform 10. "So where is this so called platform 9 ¾/" I question him in a disbelieving, almost mocking way. My Father raises his eyebrows and points towards the very solid looking red brick barrier that separates platform's 9 and 10. "Through that, smartass" He teases me. My eyes widen, "T-through t-that? It's a solid barrier are you crazy?" I gasp incredulously. "Absolutely not, in fact I'm perfectly sane. Would you like me to go first?" He smiles, but without giving me an answer he begins to walk towards the barrier in a casual manner. "Best to approach it at a jog on your first go!" He calls back, before the barrier swallows him whole. I am stock still for several seconds, out of pure shock. When I regain my mental footing, I have to blink several times to ensure this wasn't one big dream. After my mental confirmation that this is in fact real, I exhale once, and shake myself out. 'There's no option Elizabeth, and it's now or never.' I nod once as if I was addressing another person. Rather than standing alone in the middle of King's Cross talking to myself like a loony. I take a deep breath, and run quickly towards the separating pillar. The next thing I know I am standing in what seems to me like the most magical place in the entire world. Platform 9 ¾ is busy, bustling and beautiful. The kids there seem happy and free, they are pushing large luggage trolleys that hold big brown suitcases and owls in cages. Wierd. Then my Dad has to ruin it by popping up in front of my face wearing that smug smirk he likes so much. "You've finally made it! I was beginning to think I would have to defer your acceptance for a year," He says laughing. "Ha," I deadpan glaring back at my Father. The next thing I know both me and Dad are wetting ourselves with laughter, tears rolling down our faces and each time I think it's over we make eye contact, and off we go again. When we've recovered from our mini laughing fit in one of the weirdest places on Earth my Dad speaks, "Go on then, you better get on or it will leave without you," He hands me the canvas bag that's come thousands of miles all the way from our home in District 12. It seems so long since I was there, since I last spoke to Sophia. I nod, and try to stop the tears filling my eyes from spilling over. I sniff once, "Right I'll see you at Christmas then?" I say hopefully, my voice only wavering slightly. Sadness floods my fathers rugged features. "Of course you will, I'll pick you up myself." He smiles thinly through his tears and nudges me towards the large red steam train sitting at the station. "Go on you haven't got long until it leaves." I wrap my arms tightly around his waist and pull him close to me for a few moments, before pulling away, and wiping the tears from my cheeks. "See you." I whisper, and grab my bag before walking to the nearest door on the train. Just before I am fully onto the train however I turn and give my Father one last wave. Then without looking back I climb onto the train and into my new life. o0o0 The problem with emotional, and prolonged goodbyes is by the time you eventually do board the train all the carriages are chock full of Hogwarts students. I have been peering into train carriages for nearly 5 minutes when I finally see the only familiar face in the entire school. "Hey Lily! I was looking for you. Come on my friends are down here," it's Ali the brunette from Madame Malkins, a few weeks ago. I breathe out in relief, I was considering just riding to Hogwarts in the toilets. "Hey Ali, thanks for letting me sit with you," I smile at her warmly. She laughs revealing a set of pearly white teeth. "Us Purebloods have got to stick together right." She smiles again and starts walking off down the aisle so quickly I nearly have to jog to catch up with her. A few moments later she stops abruptly outside a compartment that contains four other first year students. "Guys, this is Lily Black," She smiles again and plops herself down next to a slightly cruel looking skinny black haired boy. At my surname all of the other members of the carriage looked up with impressed looks on their faces before smiling at me, with those half hearted smiles. "I'm Adrian," The black haired boy is first to introduce himself. "Molly," A big brutish girl with brown hair tied back into a tight ponytail chips in. "I'm Jack, and this is Chrisie," An attractive boy with warm brown eyes and matching hair sweeping across his eyes introduces himself, and points to the petite blonde sitting next to him. "Hey," She chips in. "So tell me Lily, how does a girl from such an influential wizarding family end up not knowing a single soul, apart from someone she met at a robe store?" She questions in a rather forward manner. "I- uh me and my Dad moved away from the wizarding world when I was just a kid, so I didn't even know I was one until a few weeks ago," I laugh nervously trying to divert my eyes from their invasive stares. They all nod and turn back to face each other seemingly satisfied with my answer. I lean back ignoring the conversation going on around me to watch the countryside whizzing past me, and the first time in a while I truly have no troubles. 0o0o Ekkk.. I'm so sorry, I haven't updated in weeks and weeks… Thank you to everybody who is still reading this, and still wants to review (please :p) I will try and update sooner in future, I have just been super busy these last few weeks, but I think it's slowing down now (fingers crossed.)