Despite not receiving their own letters from Hogwarts, Lily invited Mary and Petunia to accompany her to buy her school requirements. Mary happily obliged; their older sister, on the other hand, was still bitter about it all and declined.

Being as their little county in East Midlands was a solid two hours from where they needed to go in London, Severus' mother, Eileen, had been kind enough to lead them on their little shopping spree. They took a train and then came upon a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. It was dank and dark, and haggard-looking men were seated around the establishment. Mary's eyes widened upon seeing a man stirring his tea without touching the spoon.

Eileen ushered them out the back and to a red brick wall, tapping a few bricks. The twins' jaws dropped to the floor as the bricks folded away to reveal a large alley full of shops. What Mary only assumed as wizards and witches bustled here and there, dressed in the wildest of clothing. She felt rightly underdressed.

After the initial shock wore off, Lily spoke. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, children. Anything and everything we need is sold here." She held her son's list of requirements, scanning for what they can start with. When Eileen began forward, the three followed.

"Where are we going, Mum?" Severus asked, turning his head to look through the shop windows.

"Robes first. I believe it would save us from pins and needles and bleeding on others later," she said in jest. "You three head off to Madam Malkin's. I must visit Gringotts Bank for wizard currency."

The Evans twins followed Severus along Diagon Alley, stopping every so often at windows to marvel at owls or cats, or gravity-defying broomsticks and sweets shops. Severus waved them into a cozy little shop; the sign outside read Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. A stout lady dressed in all mauve instructed the three of them to take a seat and wait until she finished with another customer.

"Ouch! Watch where you stick that pin, woman!" It was another boy, likely a First-year student like Lily and Severus. He was stood on a platform, wearing school robes and holding his arms out at his sides. He had curly, black hair and the most beautiful stormy-grey eyes. At least, that's what Mary thought. She turned away when his eyes met hers in the mirror. Her face likely flushed as red as her hair.

"All done there, Master Black," the seamstress announced after a few short flicks of the wand.

"Cheers, miss," he muttered, stepping off the platform. He made his way to the counter, facing away from the others.

Lily went up to be fitted next, introducing herself politely. Madam Malkin swished her hand, uttered the words, "Accio, dress robes!" and let them rest around Lily's shoulders. As the magic ruler went to work, she made small talk with Mary. "First year at Hogwarts, aye, dearie?"

"Oh! No, I'm not a student. I'm just with them." Mary smiled, but the light didn't reach her eyes.

Insensitively, she questioned, "Ah, a squib then?"

"A what?" she shot back. Mary's head cocked to the side in confusion. She looked to Severus for clarification, but all she got was a shake of the head. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the boy exit the doors. For some odd reason, she wanted to follow him.

"Her sister's a Muggle-born," Severus inputted. Searching for the words, he said slowly, "Mary is… a late bloomer."

A little irritated, although mostly antsy, Mary offered to go find Eileen. In reality, she wanted to leave the robes shop in hopes of finding the boy. Her eyes searched all around for a head of curly hair. She had just seen his silhouette enter a bookshop when she ran into Eileen Snape. Defeated, Mary walked with her back to Malkin's.

It was nearing mid-afternoon when they finally finished buying things for Lily and Severus. His mum, despite usually being stingy with money, felt it was a cause to celebrate and treated them at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

The four of them occupied a small table outside the shop, savoring the delicacies. "Merlin's beard," Severus hummed, smiling. "This is the best ice cream in the world."

While Lily made conversation with Severus, joyous over the new cauldrons and books they would have for school, Mary's eyes wandered the alley. Magic was abundant, and it was everything she'd ever dreamed and more. In that moment, she shared Petunia's envy over Lily's abilities. A dark thought slithered through her head: maybe she just wasn't good enough.

She faced forward once again, and her gaze passed over the table across from theirs. As fate would have it, the curly haired boy sat there with his own mother and a younger boy she could only assume to be his brother. Their eyes held each other for a moment, and she got lost in his strikingly grey eyes. She smiled sheepishly, and her heart melted when he returned it.

"Mary. Mary." Lily waved her hand in front of her sister's face. "Mary, your ice cream is melting."

It was September 1. Severus and his mother had shown Lily and her family the way to Platform 9 3/4. Parents and children both were in awe after crossing the magical barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, seeing the scarlet red Hogwarts Express for the very first time.

Petunia had been incredibly stubborn the last few days. She claimed that she didn't want to wish Lily off out of spite and jealousy, because she and Mary were being left behind. The latter had stayed by Severus when Lily pulled her older sister off to talk. Yet their conversation was distinct over the voices of others.

"…I'm sorry, Tuney! I'm sorry! Listen—" Lily held Petunia's hand tightly. But she tried to rip it away. "Maybe once we're there—no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once we're there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I—don't—want—to—go!" screeched Petunia as she got her hand loose. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a—" Her eyes roved the scene. As hectic as it was, it was a wonderful sight. Children and parents, weird pets in cages. It was more than magical. "—you think I want to be a-a freak?"

Lily was clearly hurt, and Mary noticed. Severus placed a hand around her wrist to keep her in place, knowing full well that she would fight against her older sister in the middle of the station without any qualms.

"I—we're not freaks." Weakly, Lily said, "Th-that's a horrible thing to say…"

"That's where you're going," said Petunia with relish. "A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy… weirdos, that's what you are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

Lily stole a glance to her parents. They were looking around the platform, in awe at the sight of the magical world that's been invisible to them all these years. She looked back at her sister, her voice low and fierce. "You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia grew red. "Beg? I didn't beg!"

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read—that was my private—how could you—?" Lily's eyes flickered to where Severus and Mary stood. Petunia gasped. "That boy found it! You three have been sneaking in my room!" she accused.

"No—not sneaking—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 at the post to—"

"Apparently wizards poke their noses everywhere!"

Before Mary could bat an eye, Petunia had stalked over to her parents, and Lily had run off crying into the train. She felt utterly hopeless. "Severus. I can't get on that train and fix this. Please tell me you will," Mary pleaded, looking into her friend's eyes for confirmation.

"I promise."

The two of them shared an embrace before going their separate directions. Mary caught up with her family, purposely standing as far away from her older sister as possible.

"Has Lily left already?" asked their mother. She turned toward the train, a slight expression of concern painting her usually calm face. "I wonder why she didn't say goodbye."

"Why don't you ask Petunia?" Mary snapped, giving her sister a pointed look. With that, she stormed out of the barrier with her parents on her heels.