Hogwarts Express
The Evans family’s car arrived at King’s Cross Station a little before eleven o’clock. Lily was quiet the whole time, looking out of the window. They left Petunia at home. They argued and her last words to her sister were horrible. What is more she is not going to see her until Christmas so she won’t be able to apologize to her properly, in person.
She tried to cover the fact that she had been crying but, they were already late, so they had to rush. The family entered the station and got through the wall between the nineth and tenth platform. Her father grabbed the trunk and her cat to put it up on the train, while her mother was gabbing something about Petunia forgiving her and that she will calm down and they will be on good terms again the next time they see each other. Lily didn’t pay attention to her mum. She was looking for a tall, slim, smoking figure with light blond hair.
“Pay attention to your professors, this year is extremely important Lils! Time management is the key for a good exam. Don’t leave everything on the last week before your N.E.W.T.!” she said.
“I know mum!” Lily nodded “Do you see Re… Oh there he is!”
Remus was leaning against the train, smoking a cigarette. As he noticed Lily a wide smile appeared on his face.
“I have to go mum. Tell Tuney that I love her and that I’m sorry. I will write to her as soon as we arrive. I promise” she said while she hugged her mother.
“She loves you too sweetheart. Don’t blame yourself too much. Have a nice year!” Mrs. Evans stroked Lily’s hair.
Lily noticed a little tear appearing in her eyes. It was hard for her to let her daughter go for months into a whole another world especially these days with the war going on.
Lily hugged her parents said goodbye, and then turned to Remus, who was already holding the door for her. He helped her getting on the train and gave a small kiss on her cheek. She could smell the scent of the cigarette he had smoked a few minutes ago.
“Have you been crying?” he asked looking at Lily’s red eyes.
“Petunia…” She answered.
Remus nodded understandingly. He always understood.
“So, you had a nice summer too” he grinned.
“Well, it was nice when I was with you boys, but... Things at home are stressful now. My parents are afraid of letting me go back to the wizarding community which I understand but what am I supposed to do? Sitting at home, waiting for it to be over? Hiding?” she said irritated.
“Don’t get me started” Remus rolled his eyes “My only joy this summer was that week that we all spent together at the beach. You see my parents aren’t really talking to me anymore…” He shrugged his shoulders, but Lily could see that it is bothering him.
“Why? What happened?” she asked.
“I came out to them. It didn’t end well. Their son is a werewolf and now he is gay too. It was too much for them I guess.”
“Oh, you poor thing. I’m so sorry. If I can help in any way, just t…” but she couldn’t finish her sentence because two very familiar boys walked by.
Both had black hair, and they were wearing their Slytherin robes. The one on the right was slightly taller with longs, black, greasy hair with dark, hooked nose and had a very sallow skin. His robe was a little bit too big on him, but he acted as if he didn’t care.
The other one was exceptionally good-looking in an elegant and casual way. He looked much healthier and wealthier next to the other boy. One would think that he was the leader of their group but when they got closer it was visible, that he was indeed very young.
“Oh, poor baby Remus! What happened loony mummy forgot to feed you this morning?” Severus said grinning.
“Why limping Lupin? Why don’t you buy a walking stick if you can’t even walk, huh? Oh sorry, I forgot, that your family is so poor that you can’t even afford a normal robe! Look at you, what are you wearing? My grandmother’s blanket?” Regulus looked up and down on Remus.
Lily’s face became red. She wanted to punch Regulus, but she had to remind herself that she is Head Girl now, she can’t do such things. She knew that Remus was in terrible pain around the full moons which caused him to limp. She wanted to help him, but every time she offered her help Remus just shook his head and said that it wasn’t even that bad.
“Let’s just go, Remus!” She said and hooked on Remus to drag him away. When they walked by the boys, she accidentally bumped into Regulus.
“Ew! I just bought this robe, and now you got mud all over it you filthy mudblood!” he said disgustedly.
Lily didn’t even have enough time to realise what Regulus had said, Remus torn his arms out of Lily’s and jumped onto Regulus. Lily left out a little scream, and tried to pull Remus off the Black boy, before he does something which leads to him getting expelled. Severus just laughed but after Regulus had accidentally hit Lily, he joined in too.
“Alright, mate! That’s enough! Black!” Severus tried to pull the boy away, but he seemed too weak for the task.
Remus’ face was bleeding, but he just kept yelling and hitting.
“Call. Her. That. One. More. Time. And. I. Will. Kill. You. Black.” He said giving a meaning to every single word with a punch.
As Severus somehow grabbed Regulus’ robe, which was torn at this point, and pulled him away Regulus’ arm was seen for a brief moment, and Lily left out a little shriek. She couldn’t believe to her eyes. She looked at the bloody headed Remus and she saw the same look on his face too. Regulus got out of Severus’ clench – who didn’t seem to have noticed anything – and quickly pulled down the robe on his arm.
“What is going on in here?” Lily heard a familiar voice from behind.
She turned around to see James Potter standing there. He got taller since she last seen him. Lily could smell his mother’s famous chocolate chip cookies, and the woody smell of his broomstick even from this distance. Her stomach dropped as is she had fallen down on the stairs. A little winker appeared on James’ forehead as always when he was concentrating hard or didn’t understand something.
“Merlin’s beard!” He said when he looked at Lily.
Lily’s eyes widened. She really looked that bad? She had curled her hair this morning with magic as Mary taught her so it would be more natural. And she even put on a little but of makeup. She can’t look that bad! The last time she looked into the mirror she was satisfied with her look. She touched her face but immediately hissed as she felt pain under her eyes. She looked at her fingers: she was bleeding. Regulus must have cut her with his ring when he accidentally hit her.
“Who did this to her?” James asked in a deep and quite terrifying voice.
“It’s okay Potter, no need to play the hero.” Lily said acting as if she was annoyed. She ignored the feeling of the butterflies in her stomach. “Let’s go Remus!”
Lily grabbed the two boys’ hand – the butterflies number doubled in her stomach as she touched James’ hand – and dragged them away from the two Slytherin boys. She looked at Remus who was still under the shock of what they have just witnessed. When they arrived to the companion Lily pushed James in, but quickly turned to Remus.
“Should we tell him?” She whispered.
Remus swallowed a big and nodded. They both stepped into the companion. Sirius, Peter, Marlene, Dorcas, Mary and the confused James were all there. They were laughing loudly, eating chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, talking about their summer. Marlene noticed them first. Her mouth opened, and her chocolate frogs fell out of her hand. She looked at Lily for a few seconds but then noticed Remus and she gasped.
“What the hell happened with you two!?” she said.
Soon, everyone in the companion was looking at them waiting for their answer. But they just sat down – and with that the companion became very uncomfortable and crowded. None of them knew how to say it especially before Sirius.
“Dunno!” James said after everyone realised, they won’t get a word out of Lily and Remus so they turned to the only person who could have known what happened “I found them like that with Snivellus and…” He looked at Sirius but then looked away quickly when their eyes met for a moment.
“And?” Sirius asked.
“And Black” James mumbled.
“That little git did that to you?” Sirius stood up angrily looking at Remus’ face which Lily was trying to clean up with a tissue that she had found in her pocket.
“Oo-kay” Mary stood up sensing the tension “We’re getting another companion it’s getting very crowded in here. Lils, find us if you want to when you’re done.”
Mary, Marlene, and Dorcas walked out of the companion leaving enough space for the five of them to comfortably sit down.
“Alright, mate, calm down!” Remus said grabbing Sirius’ hand and pulled him down. “We have to tell you something but promise you won’t go and beat that kid up!”
Sirius looked at Remus’ eyes for a few seconds and then slowly sat down. Remus opened and closed his mouth quite a few times. He obviously struggled with how to tell him.
“He has the Mark, Sirius.” Lily said suddenly.
Even she was surprised at the coldness in her voice. She had been suspecting this as the Black family is known for their obsession with blood purity and Dark Arts. It was only a matter of time that their son and now – with Sirius off the family tree – their only heir will join the Death Eaters.
“What?” Sirius whispered.
“Your brother.” Remus said very quietly “We saw it, after he called Lily…” He stopped in the middle of the sentence looking for any kind of emotion on Sirius’ face. “Anyway. We sort of had a fight. And when Snape pulled him away, we could see his arm for a second. I’m sorry, mate.”
“Padfoot…” Lily said very quietly pulling closer to Sirius.
She slowly touched his back, pulling him into a small hug. First, she could feel him sitting very still, he barely moved a muscle. She gently stroked down on her spine which after a few minutes caused him to blow out all the air in his lungs and his shoulders relaxed. Lily started to regret her choice of hugging Sirius. He might not like it. He might hate being touched like this at all. But then he wrapped his arms around her too and pulled her into a very strong hug.
“We are not responsible for other people’s choices.” she whispered into his ear.
“Thank you” he responded.
Sirius didn’t say another word for the rest of the journey. The boys tried to talk about simple things like the pranks they will pull off this year or the parties they will have but none of this seemed to interest Sirius anymore. Lily soon left the companion and let the boys have their time together talking about stuffs boys like to talk about when they are alone. She joined Marlene, Mary and Dorcas who were obviously very curious about what happened. Lily didn’t tell them. She let Sirius decide who he wants to know and who isn’t. It’s not like she didn’t trust the girls. She would have trust them with her life. It just wasn’t hers to decide.
It was dark when they arrived at Hogwarts. She could see the dark silhouette of the mountains she loved so much. As they stepped of the train, she took a deep breath. It was chilly, the cold air bitten her nostrils. The moon enlightened the windows of Hogwarts. She could already feel the warm chocolate smell and the cracking of the fireplace. The soft bedsheets, the smell of the book from the library. Her magic tingled through her body as if it sensed that she arrived.
She arrived home.