Mrs. Evans waited anxiously for the scarlet steam engine to come to a full stop before she started scanning the carriages to see if she could catch a glimpse of her youngest daughter. She always loved coming to Platform 9 ¾, the very atmosphere seemed to radiate with magic. As the students began filing off the train she heard peals of laughter and the thumps of trunks being dragged down steps. She knew many of the students would not see each other until September.

Craning her neck she finally spotted Lily. She watched as she descended the steps, laughing with her good friends Marlene McKinnon and Mary Macdonald. They weren't alone though, following closely behind the three girls were four boys. The first boy was tall and lanky with sandy blond hair. He looked tired but had a huge smile plastered on his face. From what Lily had told her, this must be her friend Remus Lupin. The next boy had shaggy black hair and striking grey eyes. He was chatting with a third boy who was shorter and plumper than him with blond hair and red cheeks. She watched them as they waited on the platform for the final member of their group, a tall boy with messy black hair and glasses who was struggling to pull two trunks off of the train. Mrs. Evans saw Lily dart forward and try to help, only to be waved off by the boy with messy black hair. This boy was trying to carry Lily's trunk. Who was he though, she didn't think Lily had ever mentioned him in her letters, nor during her summer holidays.

She approached the group eager to see her daughter but realizing that Lily had not seen her yet she stopped and waited. The group of teens had now moved away from the train and were standing in the circle saying their goodbyes.

"You will write won't you?" Marlene said as she embraced the boy with shaggy black hair.

"Obviously, or I think you'd have my head," he laughed as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Urg, well if you need to find Padfoot you know where he'll be,"

"Wanker," the boy called Padfoot said to Remus and pushed him into the boy with glasses.

laughed as the teens kept joking. They were all so young and full of life, she was glad Lily was friends with these people. Ever since she had fallen out with Petunia, Lily seemed to have lost her spark. knew that Lily had also fallen out with her friend Severus last year. Not that she was sad about that. The boy always made her feel uncomfortable. Lily had invited him round to the house a few times and he was always muttering and staring at them. At least he was polite.

noticed the group start to break up and say their final farewells. Mary was the first to leave, giving the girls tight hugs and promises to write. Soon after heard Marlene say she had to go. The boy with shaggy hair followed her after she had given the group hugs.

The four left smiled at each other and laughed at the figures of their departing friends.

"Come on Pete," Remus said pulling the shorter boy along shooting him a pointed look, "come say hi to my parents."

Remus and Pete left Lily after hugging Lily and clapping the boy on the back.

Mrs. Evans strained to hear what the Lily was saying.

"You'll write won't you?"

"Of course I will Lils, you're not getting rid of me that easy," he chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Well, see you later then, James," she said sadly.

"Bye, Lily,"

Lily turned and saw her mum and a smile lit up her face as she walked towards her. She dropped her bag and trunk and gave her mum a big hug. Mrs Evans was so happy to see her, she took her in her arms and began to ask her all about her year.

"How were your exams, Lily? Did you end up getting that potion right?" she asked excitedly. Potions was the only subject that Mrs. Evans could really understand, and she loved when Lily explained them to her.

"They were good mum, I was finally able to perfect the Draught of the Living Death."

As she listened to Lily tell her about the potion, Mrs. Evans noticed the shaggy-haired boy they called Padfoot join James the boy with messy hair. They began to walk away and she noticed that Lily had stopped talking.

"Mum, I'll be right back," Lily said quickly turning around. "James," she called running at the messy-haired boy.

He turned around with a big smile on his face and Lily jumped into his arms and he lifted her off her feet and twirled her around. Mrs. Evans was now positively bursting with questions. Who was this boy? The drive home was going to be an interesting one.