I was so scared yet so excited. It was August the thirty first, and I was starting my first year at
Hogwarts the next day. The next day I would be sorted into my House and at my house table, just finishing pudding and waiting for Professor Longbottom, the new headmaster, to say a few words to start the term.
I stood gazing out my bedroom window when Mum walked in, her red hair swaying down her back. She was so pretty; it wasn’t hard to believe Daddy had fallen in love with her while they were still at school. People sometimes said I looked like her, but I wasn’t nearly as pretty as her. I have her red hair, and brown eyes, but I have Dad’s eyesight. I don’t think the glasses suit me.
–Are you packed Lily darling?†Mum asked, breaking into my reverie. –Have you got everything? We won’t have time to check everything tomorrow; there are a lot of us going. We’re meeting Rose, Hugo and their parents at the station…†She started going through my trunk, checking for everything I needed: robes, books, parchment, quills etc… And then suddenly stopped and looked at me, tears in her eyes. –Oh Lily! My last little baby’s all grown up!†She wiped her eyes and smiled.
–Are you okay, Mum?†I asked her, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Mum never cried in front of us. The only times we ever heard her cry were when she had nightmares about the war.
–Don’t worry darling, I’m being silly. It just seems as if the house is going to be so empty, with you gone to school, and Al and James already growing up.†She stood up and took my hand, her tears already gone. Mum had always been a strong woman.
She smiled and suggested I try on my new robes to show Dad and the boys. We walked downstairs, and narrowly missing tripping over the cat, I stumbled into the sitting room, where Al was reading one of his new textbooks and James and Dad were playing Wizard Chess. Dad glanced up and smiled encouragingly at me: –You look lovely Lilyâ€, then returned his undivided attention to the game. Neither of my brothers paid me any attention. Not quite the reaction I’d been hoping for.
Mum spoke, her voice slightly sharp, –Harry, look at our last baby in her Hogwarts robes! Doesn’t it make you feel old?†Dad looked up, and I think he saw from my face all the nervousness I felt about the next day because he instantly stood up, and at James’ protest, said, –Look, it’s almost bedtime, and I was going to beat you anyway,†(–Were not!â€) –so why don’t you go give your sister a hug and join in the picture your mother is dying to take?â€
In the end, both James and Al got up to join in the picture, and Al even told me I looked lovely (a huge compliment coming from him!). I went to bed much less anxious, comfortable in the knowledge that, annoying as they might be, my brothers would be at Hogwarts too. If I needed help, and I could always send Merlin, the family owl, to Mum and Dad. I dreamed all night of talking hats and moving staircases and tables turning into hippogriffs…
All too soon it was morning. My nerves were back with a vengeance. I’d laughed at Al for all his worries about being in Slytherin last year, but I really regretted it now. James looked at me with uncharacteristic concern, –You ok, Lily? You look a bit green…†I glared at him and he laughed. –Don’t worry Lils, I’ll make sure Peeves knows exactly who you are from your very first day!â€
–James!†Mum frowned at him and then started rubbing his nose with a warm flannel.
–Ow! Mum! Get off!â€
Dad just looked at him, laughed, and said, –You just have a bit of dirt on your nose.†Then for some weird reason he and Mum looked at each other and burst out laughing. James and I looked at each other, confused, but the atmosphere in the kitchen was a lot more relaxed when Albus walked in, pristine in his uniform, his trunk in tow. He looked from James, who was still in his pyjamas with his messy black hair all over the place as usual, to my still full plate, and said disapprovingly: –If you two don’t hurry up, we’ll be late!†Mum smiled approvingly at him.
So soon I was sure someone must have bewitched the clocks to run at twice their normal speed, we were on platform 9 and ¾ with Rose and Hugo. Hugo smiled nervously at me, while Rose ran off quite quickly with her friends. And then we were hustled onto the train by mum and Aunty Hermione, who was busy reminding Hugo of the spell to make objects fly. Uncle Ron smiled ironically, and said, –Hermione, what do you expect him to learn in school, if you’ve already taught him everything?â€
The whistle blew, we waved, and we were gone. As the train started gaining speed, Hugo and I started looking for a compartment. I was worried: James and Al had said they’d look after me, but I couldn’t see them anywhere. Everything seemed full.
Finally we found a carriage with only one boy in it. –Do you mind if we sit here?†Hugo asked him.
–Not at all,†the boy said. –Are you two new then?â€
Hugo glanced at me, and seeming to realise that I was completely unable to say anything, he replied for both of us. –Yeah. Are you?â€
–No, this is my third year,†he said.
The boy was gorgeous. There was no other way to describe him. He had beautiful very pale blonde hair, and deep stormy grey eyes that seemed as if they were bottomless. Through lips that were perfectly rounded, but not too full, you could just see straight white teeth. He smiled at us and I felt myself blushing.
–You must be related to the Weasleys,†he said, looking at me, curiosity in his eyes. Hugo looked at me again and, when I opened my mouth and no sound came out, he came to my rescue for the second time. –I’m Hugo Weasley, and this is my cousin Lily Potter.â€
–Scorpius Malfoy.â€
My heart stopped for a moment, and for the first time I noticed his Slytherin uniform. Draco Malfoy’s son. I thought about all the stories that Uncle Ron had told about Draco Malfoy and his parents, during You-Know-Who’s time. I thought about some of the things Daddy had said about the Malfoys and their involvement with the Dark side in the War. But then I thought about what Rose had said about him to me, how he was one of the nicest boys in her year, that he was much nicer than many of the Gryffindor boys, who she thought were too show-offy, and how he was just as smart as many of the Ravenclaws. I also remembered that Dad had told Mum, sounding impressed, that Draco Malfoy had left his father’s home immediately after the War, and had refused any contact with him since. Surely Scorpius couldn’t be that bad…
After a bit more small talk with Hugo, and a couple of curious glances at me, probably wondering why I seemed incapable of speech, Scorpius picked up his book again ( Quidditch Through The Ages ), and Hugo, after an exasperated glare at me, pulled out some parchment and began to write. I discovered later he was making notes on what he had remembered his mum telling him about first year work.
I sat and thought about what I would miss from home. Dad’s breakfast pancakes were my first thoughts, but quite quickly I was thinking about the happy family evenings in the living room. Dad, James, and sometimes Al (if he wasn’t reading) would play games. Mum would write her Quidditch articles for the Prophet and I would sit in a corner with the cat and a book, listening to the banter between the boys. During the year, when James and Al had been away at school I would listen to Mum and Dad talk. Sometimes I would join in. My pleasant daydreams were interrupted by the compartment door opening and a furious Al barging in.
–Lily Potter! Where on earth have you been all this time? I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why didn’t you follow me onto the train? And Hugo, how irresponsible are you? You could have looked after your cousin better, and made sure she found her family!†He drew a long breath in, clearly preparing to continue his rant when Scorpius politely interrupted him.
–What’s the big deal?†he asked calmly.
–What’s the…†spluttered Al –She could’ve…†Scorpius put up one appeasing hand. –I know this is none of my business Albus, but I think Lily and Hugo managed alright for a couple of lost first years†He flashed a small smile in my direction and my insides melted. –They found a compartment with seats, settled down and seemed fine. He,†gesturing at Hugo, –was working, and your sister was, um, resting, I guess. Go easy on them.â€
To my great surprise, Al calmed down and smiled at Scorpius. –Sorry, you’re right. I was just a bit worried about her.†He then turned to me and told me, in a surprisingly nice voice, that I should probably change into my robes soon, as we’d be arriving in less than an hour.
My stomach, which so far during the journey, had been filled with butterflies, suddenly seemed to be filled with lead. All my worries about Hogwarts, which I’d forgotten, suddenly came back. I must have shown my nervousness because Scorpius smiled at me again and said, gently, –Don’t worry Lily, Hogwarts is a wonderful place, and I’m sure you’ll fit right in. If ever you need anything, don’t hesitate to…†his face suddenly twisted slightly, as if a sudden slightly annoying ironic thought had hit him. –Well, I guess you have your brothers or cousins as well…â€
Come on Lily! Talk to him! Answer him for goodness’ sake- you must look ridiculous!
–Um, thanks†I muttered, blushing scarlet. He smiled again and turned back to his book, his –ironic†expression back. I took the opportunity of having to go change to hide my mortifying blush. I practically ran down the train to the girls’ loos.
Despite Everything by ginevra_molly_always
Story Notes:
It will come as no surprise to read that I am not JK Rowling. If I was, Tonks and Lupin would not have died. So, everything in the Potterverse belongs to her. I'm just having a play.
Chapter Notes: Meeting, the Hogwarts Express and an angry Albus... Not that much happens, but be sure it will eventually and bear with me. My eternal gratefullness goes to my beta Alyssa, without whom this story would have remained an incomprehensible mess of sentences in my head.
Chapter Endnotes: There's a lovely empty box just below which is desperate to be filled... Please leave a review: good or bad, feedback is always gratefully recieved!