Chapter 1

A/N: Hi this is my first ever fanfic so fingers crossed it's not too bad. Jily is one of my favourite ships ever so I hope I can put that into words with a decent story. I've missed out some scenes we know happened in the books including Snape and Lily on the train so sorry! But it will probably work better for my story this way. I'd rather Lily meets James for the first time in class or at the feast.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.

Enjoy

'Lily!' a voice called from the front door of my family's tiny flat. I sighed. There had been a knock on the door a few minutes ago but I didn't know who had come to call. I had just been leaving to go see my best mate Sev but I couldn't because of some visitor.

'Coming.' I called in return as my innards groaned. My bedroom I shared with my older sister Tuney; it was small with a threadbare rug, an ancient (not to mention broken) dresser with a small grimy mirror above it and taking up one entire side of the room was our bunk bed which had been our neighbours' before it fell into our possession. I walked into the dimly lit hallway. Like my room and the rest of the house it contained threadbare rug - this particular one ran the length of the of the hall. The walls were lined with sketches of flowers, Cokesworth (the town we lived in) and the countryside from the days when my parents were young and without children. Shop bought decorations were expensive so my mother and I had tried to decorate the house with sketches that we had drawn ourselves. They were unframed because we couldn't afford to waste money on such things and were simply pined to the wall. At the end of the hall stood my parents and a tall rather severe looking woman. She stepped forward to introduce herself.

'My name is Professor McGonagall and you must be Lily Evans.' she said looking me up and down as though accessing if I was indeed who she though I was. I tugged at my long auburn plait nervously and nodded.

'Yes ma'am.' She looked at me approvingly.

'You are aware of Hogwarts are you not?' I nodded. Sev's mum Eileen was a witch who had attended Hogwarts and his father Tobias had also done so but had failed his qualifications. Sev had got his letter from Hogwarts already and although he had assured me I would also receive mine I had been worried I wouldn't because the rest of my family were non-magic. 'Then you will already know why I am here. I have just explained to your parents what attending Hogwarts would mean and they have given me their consent should you wish to attend.'

'Oh yes!' I said wonderingly. McGonagall smiled. She actually smiled! Who knew she could do that?

'Then we had best head off to get your school supplies,' she turned to my parents 'and we will be returning in the evening around 5pm.' My parents both nodded grinning at me.

'Mum, dad could you tell Sev that I can't meet him for me please?' Again they nodded and all four of us headed through the front door and down the staircase onto the shabby street we lived on. My parents turned into the family bakery and left me with Professor McGonagall.

'We will be taking the Knight Bus.' She said with an air of someone walking into a set of gallows as she flung out her right arm. At once there was loud bang and a violently purple bus appeared out of nowhere. It looked quite out of place on my dingy street that had smashed beer bottles and needles lying in the gutter. A conductor stepped out wearing a slightly ruffled purple uniform.

'Welcome to the Knight Bus-'

'Yes we know!' cut in Professor McGonagall 'We don't need its history thank you!' I smiled. Clearly, Professor McGonagall was not a woman to be trifled with. She paid the fare for us both to a place called the Leaky Cauldron and we got in. It was only then that it occurred to me that I didn't have any money.

'Um...' I cleared my throat nervously. 'Ma'am I don't have any money. I'm really sorry I forgot and we haven't really got any to spare...' I trailed off.

'We have a fund at Hogwarts for pupils who cannot afford their supplies.' and with that she handed me a pouch of coins. They chinked merrily inside it. 'The bronze ones are Knuts and 29 of those equate to the silver ones which are sickles. 17 sickles equal a galleon and a galleon is one of the gold ones.' I thanked her again.

To say that the journey on the Knight Bus had been comfortable would have been a lie. It was an experience I wanted to forget so I focused on the place before me as we left the bus. The Leaky Cauldron turned out to be a pub as we pushed open the door and walked inside. It was crowded and smokey but luckily for me Professor McGonagall simply marched me through and into a small courtyard at the back. She then pulled out a 'wand' and tapped the third brick in the left. Immediately, a huge archway began to form and reveal a long cobbled street lined with a huge variety of shops. There were apothecaries, Quidditch (whatever that was though it did seem to have something to do with broomsticks judging by the window displays) shops, astronomy shops and a giant book shop called Flourish and Blott's which I knew would be my favourite by far. Professor McGonagall seemed to sense my excitement and the corners of her mouth twitched as she said

'Perhaps we'll go there last so that you get a good look at all the books.' I nodded eagerly.

A few hours later we walked along the street (I had found out it was called Diagon Alley) and finally entered the book shop. I had bought most of my things in a second-hand shop (my school uniform, textbooks, cauldron, telescope, glass phials and brass scales) but the rest had had to be brand new (my wand, ink, quills, parchment and potions ingredients). I still had some money left so we walked into Flourish and Blott's. My hands were trembling with trepidation. Professor McGonagall headed to the transfiguration section and I headed to the housework section wondering if there was any spell that would hep me adjust my uniform once it got too small. There was indeed a book on sewing which included a spell that expanded material. I decided to get that book, a book titled Hogwarts: A History (which I had come across on my way to the counter) and a book titled 'A Guide to Being Frugal: Refilling supplies and much more...'. As I brought them up to the counter the lady behind it looked slightly surprised at my choice of books but smiled nonetheless. I counted out how much I needed and gave it to her before I picked up my books again the books and walked back to Professor McGonagall.

'What books did you get?' she asked me curiously as she noticed the three large volumes I was attempting to carry along with my other purchases. I showed her and she read them quickly before looking at me sharply. Unsure of how to react to her gaze I looked at the floor and then followed her out of the shop. We sat in silence on the journey back and she walked me silently to the front of my family's bakery. She seemed in deep thought and only seemed to resurface when I thanked her for taking me to Diagon Alley. She handed me a ticket for the train that would take me to Hogwarts but still seemed distracted. We said goodbye and she literally disappeared with a loud crack. I in turn turned to face the shop front. The windows were slightly grubby and one of them boarded up because some drunk person had thrown themselves at it. I sighed as I looked at the building I called home, my good mood ebbing away, and opened the shop door. A light was on in the back room so I headed silently through the shop and put my stuff down on the table in the back room.

'Hey Lils.' My dad said whilst not taking his eyes off whatever it was baking in the oven in front of him. 'How was it?'

'It was great.' came my answer rather half-heartedly. 'Where's mum?'

'She was tired so she went to bed.' I tugged at my plait. My mum was ill. We didn't know how but she was. Most days she would be able to move around for a few hours but then have to go to bed because she was so drained of energy. Other days she couldn't even sit up in bed for too long because she was so weak. The doctors didn't know what the problem was and neither did we. Dad and I were extremely worried and my sister Tuney vanished round to her mate's house during the day and only returned at night in time for curfew at 10pm. She was avoiding the house because of mum being ill and not wanting to be contaminated and because of me. Ever since I was small I could do strange things like make twigs float through the air or make flowers bloom and that made me a freak to Tuney. She hated me and my magical abilities which is how I became friends with Sev. His parents were both magic and he told me all about the magical world. Well most of it. I thanked my dad and headed up to our flat above the bakery. I flung myself into bed without bothering to get dressed and fell asleep after worrying about my mum, Tuney and the new world I was entering.

The journey to King's Cross station was incredibly awkward. Tuney hated me and thought I was a freak. My mum had been too fatigued to send me off and my dad simply hoped that there would be no insults spraying at me out of my sister's mouth. In order to prevent this everyone is our ancient old car sat in silence. Tuney was probably considering ways to kill me, dad was probably thinking about tasks he had to do and I was thinking about how someone could get onto 3/4 of a platform. I mean was it possible to build platform 9 and 3/4? Couldn't the wizard/witch who had built the platform just have built a platform that wasn't in a busy train station filled with non-magical people?

We reached King's Cross with half an hour to spare and dad lifted my trunk into a trolley and wheeled it into the station for me.

'Listen flower, Petunia and I've got to run. I need to get back to the shop and Petunia's meeting some of her friends at 12. Have a great term and we'll see you at Christmas!' Dad hugged me goodbye and Tuney gave me a sour look before the two of them headed to the exit leaving me in the middle of a station to look for a platform I was pretty sure was made up. Thinking logically I decided to look for platforms 9 and 10 because platform 9 and 3/4 was likely to be around them. Reaching the two platforms I cursed myself for not asking Sev or Professor McGonagall how to find the fabled platform. I stood there for a second utterly overwhelmed by everything wondering if I should ask someone. I immediately crossed that thought out as I remembered everything Sev had ever told me about the relationship between the magical and non-magical world.

'I don't see why they choose this platform every year. It's packed with muggles and they decide it's the perfect place for the students of a wizarding school to wonder through' An annoyed voice sounded next to me. I turned to see a lady with dark brown hair and blue eyes talking to an almost identical girl (she looked around my age) who was pushing a trolley with a trunk. My heart seemed to leap in relief. 'Alice stop chewing your plait, for merlin's sake!' The lady who I took to be the girl's mother looked impatient as her daughter scowled. This was my chance I thought and decided to ask for help.

'Excuse me.' I said a little nervously.

'Yes dear?' The lady asked me. Her gaze was friendly if a little imperious.

'I've never been to platform 9 and 3/4 before and I couldn't help overhearing that you're magical.'

The lady laughed and said 'Do you need a little help dear?' I nodded. 'Not to worry dear. You can go through with Alice. She's starting Hogwarts this year too. It's really quite simple. Simply walk at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and just keep walking. If you're really nervous do it at a bit of a run.' I moved my trolley to face the barrier. Alice did the same and grinned at me.

'Together?' I nodded again. '3...2...1...' We both ran at the barrier and I shut my eyes for good measure. My eyes were screwed up waiting for the crash. It never came. I began to slow down and opened my eyes. The sight that greeted me was incredible. Smoke from a scarlet steam engine named the Hogwarts Express hung densely in the air. Cats of every colour prowled the platform, owls hooted and toads croaked. This only added to the noise of the wizards and witches who stood on the platform. 'What's your name by the way? I never asked.' Alice said from next to me. She seemed unaffected by the amazing sight before us.

'Lily. Lily Evans'

'Alice. Alice Prewitt' We smiled at one another. 'We'd better find a compartment to dump our stuff in'

'Good idea' I agreed and we heaved our luggage onto the train in order to begin our search.

'Alice!' screeched the sound of her mother's voice. 'You haven't said goodbye!' Alice rolled her eyes at me and leaned out of the window to kiss her mum goodbye. She waved and turned back to me. We found a compartment and staggered under the weight of our trunks as we put them in the luggage racks. I plonked myself on a seat and took of my shoes.

'Much better!' I said smiling. Alice giggled as the compartment door slid open. Two girls stood in the threshold. One with honey coloured eyes and skin with black hair that tumbled down her back and the other with thick blond hair and blue eyes.

'Hi' Alice said at the newcomers.

'Are you first years?' the girl with the black hair asked anxiously. Alice and I nodded. 'Thank goodness,' she exclaimed 'Mary and I have been looking for someone decent our age for ages!'

'What do you mean decent? By the way I'm Alice and this is Lily.' Alice asked curiously and I grinned.

'Marlene,' said the girl. She indicated to the blond haired girl 'and this is Mary' who waved. 'What I mean by decent,' she said ' is that Mary and I met the most egotistical pricks ever in the last compartment.' Marlene groaned and I laughed.

'I'm sure they're nice when you get to know them.' I said reasonably. If Sev's anything to go by you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Sev has the greasiest hair known to man, always looks slightly disgusted and wears clothes that are stained and three sizes too big so he can grow into them to save money but I couldn't ask for a better best friend. He's always there for me and vis versa and I wouldn't change him for the world.

Mary snorted as she sat down opposite me. 'They wouldn't know what modest was even if it danced naked in front of them!' At that we all burst out laughing.

'The firs' years Professor McGonagall,' said the huge man who had taken us from the train to the boats and then to the castle. I thought his name was Hagrid. The stern women he was addressing I knew already because she was the one who had taken me to get all my school things.

'Thank you Hagrid' - get in! I got his name right first try. Sorry. That was a bit weird. 'I will take them from here.'

She led us into a chamber off the entrance hall and waited before the buzz of chatter had died down. Marlene winked at me and I grinned back.

'You are about to participate in a very ancient Hogwarts tradition. This is of course the Sorting Ceremony. There are 4 houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. Each house has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you pass through wizarding education your house will be something like your family. You will share dormitories, have classes with, earn points for and compete in the house cup for whichever house you are sorted into. While the final preparations are made I suggest you smarten yourselves up.' And then she left the room.

'So what do you think?' Alice whispered as she brushed her hair with a little comb she had obviously had in her robes. Marlene, Mary and I stared at her blankly. 'Of McGonagall' she finished as if it had been obvious.

'I like her,' I said straight away. 'She took me to Diagon Alley.' The others nodded in agreement.

'She's nice - if a tad strict.' said Mary. Again we all agreed and laughed nervously.

'What - is - that?' a smirking voice sounded. Marlene and Mary collectively groaned.

'Here comes egotistical prick number 1,' Marlene whispered as we turned to face a boy with tanned skin, jet black hair which looked as though it was untameable and glasses that sat on is nose in front of hazel coloured eyes.

'What's what?' Mary asked coldly.

'That.' he drawled, pointing at me! I became extremely self-conscious all of a sudden and tugged at my plait as I looked at him.

'That is a girl,' Alice said calmly but there was a definite edge to her voice ' and her name is Lily. Got a problem with that?'

His smirk definitely dropped a little because it was him against three livid looking females and then me as an after thought. Just when I thought he was going to lay off another boy joined him. This it seemed that this was egotistical prick number 2 judging by Marlene's change in stance and by the fact that Mary's hands had curled into fists.

'Oi James. I have to say I agree with your confusion because I though she was just a fire on legs until about two seconds ago...' No.1 and No.2 both smirked and a few people tittered. No. 2 winked at me however and there was something about his smile that made me think he wasn't insulting me and gave me hope that he wasn't as much of a prick as Marlene and Mary said he was.

'We are ready for you now.' I breathed a sigh of relief as Professor McGonagall came back into the room. It was lucky because I doubted there was a witty comeback available to retort and also I reckoned that if she had come one second later Mary and Marlene would have started beating the two boys up. Now that would have been an interesting first day.

We, that is everyone on the chamber, followed McGonagall into the Great Hall. I immediately looked up to see the ceiling which was bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about that in Hogwarts: A History which was a fascinating read. The older students watched us in hushed silence. We gathered around the front where McGonagall stood with a scroll of parchment in front of a stool with a rather tattered old hat. It reminded me of my own clothes and home as well. I was determined not to cry as I remembered home and blinked back tears. Everyone was now watching the hat expectantly so I did the same. What happened next I was not what I had expected. A rip near the brim of the hat opened like a mouth AND STARTED TO SING. Yes I know, mental right? It took me about the entirety of its speech/song to come to terms with the fact that there was a talking hat in front me and that I was not on drugs. I missed what the hat had said completely and only came out of my reverie when everyone started clapping.

'When I call out your name, you will sit on the stool and try on the hat.' Professor McGonagall instructed. 'Abbott, George'

'HUFFLEPUFF' bellowed the hat.

'Avery, Marcus'

SLYTHERIN'

'Boot, Michael'

'RAVENCLAW'

'Black, Sirius' No.2, sorry, Sirius swaggered up to the stool and placed the hat on his head. The hat seemed to take a few moments to decide.

'GRYFFINDOR' Relief seemed to flicker across his face for a second but it was so fast I almost didn't see it. He swaggered over to the Gryffindor table and although they were all cheering many people seemed confused. Evidently Sirius Black was from a pureblood family as Alice and the others had described. She had said that most pureblood families all went to the same house. For example, all of Alice's family had all basically been in Gryffindor.

'Bulstrode, Aldric'

'SLYTHERIN'

'Clarke, Tom'

'HUFFLEPUFF'

'Evans, Lily' And that was the last thing I heard as the hat fell over my eyes and plunged the world into darkness.

'Curious,' said a voice in my ear. Evidently, this was the hat speaking. 'you possess lots of intelligence. Barrels of it I see... Your loyal too and hmm... always seeking the best in others. Interesting. But there is something that overwhelms even your ready mind. Better be... GRYFFINDOR!' The hat screamed the last word for the whole hall to hear and my house table erupted in cheering. I smiled contentedly and sat down turning to watch the rest of my year group get sorted.

A while later when all the students were fed and watered the Gryffindor prefects signalled for us first years to follow them. Marlene, Mary and Alice were also my fellow Gryffindor girls which was great. No.1 and 2 (James Potter and Sirius Black) were also sadly in Gryffindor but as Alice said you couldn't have everything in life. We followed the prefects too tired to talk or in my case remembering the way so that I wouldn't get lost in the morning. We went up to our respective dormitories boys up one staircase and girls up the other. The girls and I got ready for bed and collapsed into our beds, said goodnight and closed the hangings around our four poster beds. the other fell asleep quickly but I lay awake thinking. Today had had its merits but I wished that Sev had been put in Gryffindor with me. We had always planned to travel on the train together, sit in the boats together, be put in the same house together and spend our time at Hogwarts together. My last comforting thought before I drifted into my uneasy sleep was that Sev and I were best friends and we had promised each other that we always would be. Being in different houses I was determined would not effect our friendship.

Thanks for reading!

This is just the first chapter so I hope you liked it. Should I go into depth about all of Lily's school years or skim over them until about 5th year?

Please review!