A week later, it was September First, and Kings cross was jammed with hundreds of Hogwarts students trying to get on platform 9 3/4. Lily was pushing her cart with her trunk and owl, Hannah, while struggling to have her mum stop crying.
"Mum," she sighed, exasperated. "Stop crying. I'll come home for the Christmas and Easter holidays if you want."
Her mother had stopped crying at once, "Would you, dear? Yes... I'll stop crying; you coming home will do me good..." she sniffed.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Well I have to go, I still have fifteen minutes before the train leaves."
Her dad turned to Petunia, who was, as usual sulking at a corner. "Petunia say goodbye to your sister," he said sternly.
"No." replied Petunia defiantly. "Why should I? She said she was coming home for Christmas and Easter holidays"
Before the Evans could say another word, Lily pushed her cart between Platforms 9 and 10, hearing distinct yells and noises behind her. Probably mum and dad yelling at Petunia for being so 'rude' to her sister, she thought, grinning. She ran with all her might through the barrier, until the words 'Platform 9 and three quarters' were hanging above her head.
"Lily there you are!" it was her best friend, Arabella, calling and waving to her frantically. Behind her, Jennifer and Violet, lily's two other friends, were happy to see her again.
"Hey Bella, Jen, Violet!" greeted Lily enthusiastically. "Sorry I couldn't get here earlier; Mum was crying her eyes out again. 'Fraid I have to go home over the Christmas and Easter holidays- promised Mum."
Arabella's face looked downcast, but she brightened up again. "So... will you and James get together again?"
"No." Lily sighed in resentment and impatience. Why were her friends so caught up in matchmaking them?
"Lily Flower!" She turned around to see James Potter's circle of Marauders run towards her in excitement.
"Hello Lily," greeted Remus affectionately. Lily had always liked Remus best of them all; he was always so gentle and understanding.
"Hi Remus," said Lily, smiling at the tired boy. Then she turned to Peter and Sirius. "Hey, Peter, Sirius."
They both greeted her, and Lily purposely ignored the fourth member and ringleader of them all. "Hi, Evans." It was James, and he was sporting his usual lopsided grin.
"Potter," was all Lily said. She disliked- no, hated, James Potter from the moment she met him a year ago at King's Cross. The six other friends sensed a hatred silence between them and stood awkwardly aside. Then James nudged Sirius, and the boys filed into the train and went in search of an empty compartment. The girls found an empty one just at the end of the train and collapsed into the seats tiredly.
"Petunia bore you to death, Lil?" asked Arabella yawning.
"Yep. She wouldn't say goodbye to me at the train station, so I think I heard my mum and dad yell at her when I was out of earshot." All four girls laughed. The compartment door slid open and the four Marauders came barging in.
"We need to sit here," said James shortly. "All the others are full."
"Are you sure you're just saying that, so you can sit with Lily, James?" asked Arabella sweetly. James coloured and glared at her.
"Can we?" asked Sirius hopefully. He looked mighty tired from all the searching.
"Sure, why not?" Lily scooted over a seat, as did the rest of the girls.
"Thanks." The boys all sat down, looking exhausted.
As time passed, the train was speeding up quickly. The countryside surroundings had passed and they were going deeper and deeper into a thick forest. Remus, Violet, Jennifer, and Peter were fast asleep, so Lily, Arabella, James, and Sirius started a discussion about Remus' mysterious disappearances.
The girls looked at each other apprehensively. "We-er-know what's wrong with Remus," said Lily uncomfortably.
James and Sirius stared at them. "Well- go on- tell us! We won't care if it's something terrible."
Finally, Lily said, "Remus- Remus is a..." she kept her voice low so only the four of them could hear, "a werewolf."
James and Sirius went pale. Then James shrugged indifferently and said, "How come he's never told us before?"
Arabella was astonished, "You mean, you don't- you don't care?"
The boys were annoyed. "Why would we care? It's not his fault!"
Lily and Arabella looked at each other delightedly. "he never told any of us because he was afraid that we'd dump him as a friend. Of course, we'd never, ever..."
"How'd you girls figure it out?" asked Sirius curiously.
"Lily," answered Arabella simply. "She's the genius, you know."
Lily shrugged. "I just figured out that Remus leaves at every full moon, and the only thing that does that is a werewolf. Jen and Violet know too. Bit of a nasty shock for Jen at first, but she was only wondering, like yourselves, why Remus never told any of us."
"Remus is a great friend, he doesn't think we're that shallow, does he?"
"Many people are frightened of werewolves, you know."
"But- we're still his friends-"
"All right, end of discussion!" said Arabella loudly, causing both Remus and Peter to stir. Remus sat up, rubbing his eyes, and glancing around at all the serious faces.
"What is this, a funeral?" he asked, trying to make a joke out of it. When he saw that no one laughed or budged, he asked, "why the long faces?"
"Why didn't you tell us, Remus?" asked James quietly.
"Tell you what?" asked Remus, confused.
"Tell us that you're a werewolf," finished Arabella quietly.
Remus nearly fell out of his seat. "How did you... how did you..." he spluttered.
"Mostly thanks to Lily," informed James coolly.
Remus was shaking harder than ever. Lily's face softened and she frowned at the angry James and Sirius and nudged them hard in the ribs. "Remus," she began gently, "we don't care if you're a werewolf. you're still the same sweet Remus we've all known, and it doesn't make much difference what you are."
"But..." Remus looked at James, Sirius, and Peter and they were all grinning. Then he looked over at the girls and they were smiling as well. "I thought I'd lose you guys as friends," he said slowly. "I mean, I've never really had friends before because my whole neighbourhood knew that I was a werewolf, so they forbid the children to go near me. Not that any of the kids wanted to; they were afraid of me too. So when I came to Hogwarts, I found you guys and you all are the best friends I've ever had. So if you found out... what I was, you'd dump me."
"We'd never." the seven chorused together seriously. Even Sirius was looking solemn for a moment.
Remus grinned. "You guys are the best."
"You mean the girls are the best," corrected Lily, grinning in feigned mock shock.
"The girls are the best then," he said, smiling widely at his friends' shocked faces.
"Boys are better than girls and you know it," retorted Sirius, pretending to be angry with Lily.
"Aww... you know Bella can change your perspective on anything," mocked Violet. They all looked at her in surprise. Violet was usually the quiet and sensible one of the lot.
"Good job, Violet," lauded Jennifer. "Soon you can properly mock the dog-boy." The four girls burst out laughing, and even the boys sniggered. Sirius flushed.
"Hey, at least half my gang aren't flowers," he said quickly. Lily and Violet looked at each other. It was true, but they had never noticed it before.
Then Arabella spoke up, smiling flirtatiously at Sirius. "Sirius, dear, you really must calm yourself down. These are my friends your mocking!"
Sirius gave a low bow. "But of course, m'dear Figg." Everyone laughed. Then their compartment door slid open and Severus Snape came in with Rosier, Avery, Lestrange, Wilkes and one other boy with slick blonde hair that they didn't know. Snape was looking very authoritative and oily as he entered.
"My dear Lily," He began, smirking. "Wouldn't you like to join us?"
Lily stared at Snape wearily. "No thank you, Severus. I'd rather hang with my friends if you'd be so kind..."
"Told you this wouldn't work, Severus," muttered the blonde boy. "What were you thinking anyway?
"L-lily's nice," stuttered Snape. "Better than most Gryffindor's, anyway."
Lily stood up angrily. "Is that what you think of me as, Snape? Just 'better than most Gryffindors'? Well, let me tell you something! If you're not sticking around here to be friendly, then leave." The rest of the friends stared at the redhead. They had never seen her temper rise like that- not even with James.
Avery stiffened. "Come, Snape, Lucius, we're not sticking here to associate with Mudbloods."
James jumped and whipped out his wand. "What did you call her?"
Avery sneered. "A Mudblood. Got a problem with that, Potter?"
"It's not a problem I only have. It's a problem that nearly the whole school would have, if they heard you- except with your dirty house, of course."
Lestrange stood right in front of Avery and narrowed his eyes at the black haired boy. "Slytherin is not a dirty house, Potter. For your information, I think that your stupid house, Gryffindor, should really be eliminated from Hogwarts. There's really no need to have Mudbloods in the school. Oh, and your headmaster should be rid of too- the nasty Mudblood and Muggle-lover, Dumbledore."
Sirius suddenly stood up and shook with anger. "Don't you dare insult Dumbledore! He's the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts has ever had! So who do you idiots want as headmaster? Barty Crouch?"
Wilkes, who was watching the conversation, spat, "Of course not, he's outspoken against the Dark side, that's not we want-" he was cut off by a distinct 'shh' from his friends.
"Trying to get Lily to join your precious Dark side, are you?" shouted Arabella. "Well, I won't have any of that!" she furiously drew out her wand and pointed it at the Slytherins. A few red and gold sparks shot out of them and the sulking Slytherins left the compartment.
"That was brilliant, Bella dear!" cried Sirius. "Those good for nothing ba-" James coughed, knowing that Sirius was going to let his language get the better of him. Sirius blushed and said quickly, "Er- sorry about that."
"I'm glad that we won't be seeing much of them at Hogwarts," said Jennifer defensively.
"There's still double Potions," said Lily moodily. Everyone groaned.
"And we have to eat meals in the same place as them," added Peter.
"Peter!" they all shouted.
"Oops sorry." The eight of them all laughed again, waiting for a fresh new year to start at Hogwarts.