1.

"Lily! Come downstairs for lunch!"

I put down Hogwarts: A History and run downstairs. A few days ago, I officially found out I was a witch. A half-giant half-man named Rubeus Hagrid came to out house and explained to my family and I about the Wizard World. I already knew about most of it, though.

"Lily, don't do it!" my older sister, Petunia, yelled.

I swung all the way into the air and jumped off the swing set. I soared into the sky and hit the ground lightly.

Petunia skidded to a stop on her swing by pushing her toes into the mulch.

"Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

"But I'm fine!" I giggled. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

I took a fallen daisy from the bushes and pressed it into the center of my palm. I bored my eyes on the flower and the petals started dancing.

"Stop it!" shrieked Petunia.

"It's not hurting you," I whispered, dropping the flower.

"How do you do it?" Petunia mumbled.

"It's obvious, isn't it?"

A young boy crept out from behind the bushes and stood with a skinny body. His badly cut, dark, greasy hair covered almost half of his pale face.

"What's obvious?" I asked.

"I know what you are," he muttered.

"And what's that?"

"You're-you're a witch."

After that, Severus Snape and I became best friends. He told me all about the Wizard World and about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was fascinated.

I enter the kitchen and a familiar face is sitting at the counter.

"Severus," I breathe.

"I invited him over for lunch. Is that alright, Lily?" my mother asks.

"Of course," I say, smiling. "What about Petunia?"

I really hope she's not here, I think.

"She went over to the Dursley's for the afternoon."

Perfect.

I sit next to Severus and we dig into our turkey sandwiches and chips.

"Did you get your supplies yet?" I ask him.

"Yes," he says. "Do you like your new wand?"

"Extremely. I gave it one flick and Mr. Olivander didn't need me to try anymore. He said I was a born artist. He said the wand chooses the witch. Fascinating really. I'm not sure how that works but I believe it."

Severus just smiles. My mum leaves the kitchen and heads toward the door. She grabs her coat and umbrella and says, "I'm heading out to the market. You lot be alright here by yourselves?"

"Yes, mum!" I reply.

As soon as I hear the car leave the driveway, Severus stands abruptly, and heads to the stairs.

"What are you do-"

C'mon!" he urges.

We climb the steps as if there's some sort of evil behind us. He stops in front of a door with flower stickers plastered all over it. Severus turns the knob but I grab his shirt and pull him back.

"What are you doing?" I exclaim. "That's Tuney's room! If she finds out-"

"She won't! Haven't you ever wondered what lies behind this very door?" Severus answers, gesturing to the door.

"I guess," I mumble.

"Exactly."

Inside the room, Severus goes through Petunia's desk and pulls out an envelope. On the backside, the Hogwarts logo is stamped on it. On the front, it's addressed to Petunia.

"How is this possible?" Severus questions. "We have to read it."

"No! That's her letter," I say.

"Yes, but it's from Hogwarts! Why would the school contact a muggle?"

"Fine, read it."

Severus smiles and pulls out a thick piece of parchment. He reads it aloud.

Ms. Petunia Evans,

Regarding the letter you sent me, I'm very sorry to say that what you're requesting is not possible. Muggles cannot preform magic. This means you cannot be accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I know you have envy for your sister. Calling her a "freak" is not going to change my mind. You may visit wizard alleys such as Diagon Alley if you wish. You must be accompanied by a witch or wizard though if you do.

Again, I'm very sorry Ms. Evans.

Sincerely,

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

"No way," I mutter. "She's jealous and sent a letter to Hogwarts asking if she could go there! Ugh! The nerve Tuney has to call me a freak."

"I'm not sure how she sent them a letter. It obviously wasn't by owl because muggles cannot do that," Severus explains. "There must be muggles who know about us working in the post offices to deliver letters to the wizard world. Maybe their squibs."

"What's a squib?"

"People whose parents were witches or wizards but they became a muggle and didn't get the magic gene."

"Oh, interesting. Anyway, Tuney has a lot to explaining to do."

Severus just keeps gazing at the letter.

"I can't believe we had to run strait through the wall to get the platform!" my dad says with excitement.

"I know!" I answer with a bright smile. Petunia just has a disgusting look on her face.

I let the workers on the express take my trunks and hauls them into the bag car. Petunia's eyes start watering so I go over to her and realize why.

"I'm sorry Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen," I try to take her hand but she pulls away. "Maybe once I get there I can persuade the headmaster to change his mind."

"Change his mind? What do you mean?" her face suddenly becomes a dark shade of scarlet as recognition swims over her. "You read my letter! That was private! How could you?"

I glance at Severus a few feet away who is standing with his parents.

"You and that Snape boy were sneaking into my room. Looking at my things!"

"Not sneaking," I say defensively. "Severus just found the envelope and couldn't believe that a muggle could have contacted Hogwarts-"

"You know, I'm glad I can't go. That means I won't have to spend all school year with you!" Petunia cries out, pointing her long finger in my face. "It's a school for a bunch of freaks like yourself!"

My eyes fill with tears even though she has called me the name about 100 times. "I'm not a freak. That's a terrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going, a place for weirdoes. Good thing you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

"You didn't think it was like that when you sent a letter begging-"

"I did not beg! You're a freak and I'm glad you're leaving." Petunia ran and hid behind our parents.

I say my goodbyes and hurry onto the train before Severus can find me. I slide into an empty compartment and sit by the window. I place my face against the cool glass and stare out the window as we start to move.

A couple minutes later, a boy enters. He runs a hand through his black, messy hair and sits down near the door.

"Is it okay? Everywhere else has already filled up and I don't want to sit with stinky Slytherins," he asks.

"Yeah, it's fine," I snuffle.

He looks at me with hazel eyes and seems like he wants to know what's wrong but he doesn't ask. He just says, "I'm James. James Potter."

"Lily Evans."

"You're not going to be a Slytherin right?"

"How am I to know?" I snap. What's so wrong with them?"

"Let me guess, muggle-born. Well, you'll know soon enough."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Before he can answer, another boy slides open the compartment door and asks whether he can sit in here or not. James and I both answer at the same time, saying yes, and I find out the boys name is Sirius Black.

"James Potter?" Sirius exclaims after James introduces himself. "You're the son of the famous Aurors. Wow, I can't believe I met you."

James has a disgusted look on his face. "You're a Black."

"Oh no!" Sirius says. "I'm not like the rest of my bloody family. The only sane ones are my cousin Andromeda and myself. My other cousin Bellatrix is deranged and psycho. Trust me, I pray I get into Gryffindor.

"Good that," James answers with a smile. They keep talking about Aurors and such and soon Severus enters and sits opposite of me. I wipe a tear off my cheek from thinking about Petunia.

"I don't want to talk to you," I say in a constricted voice.

"Why not?"

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

I throw him a look of deep dislike. "So she's my sister!"

"But we're going!" he answers, not holding back the excitement. "This is it, we're off the Hogwarts!"

I nod, wiping my eyes and give him a half-smile.

"You better be in Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" James gags. "Who'd want to be in Sytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James looks at Sirius who doesn't do anything but blinks.

"My whole family had been in Slytherin," Severus says, getting angry.

"Blimey," James mutters. "And I thought you seemed all right!"

Sirius grins.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading if you've got the choice?"

James lifts and invisible sword. "'Gryffindor, where the dwell brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Severus makes a small disparaging noise. James turns on him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," but his slight sneer says otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither," Sirius interjects.

James roars with laughter. I sit up, rather flushed, and look at James and Sirius in dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Ooooo," James and Sirius joke, trying to mimic my soft voice. James tries to trip Severus as we leave.

"See ya, Snivellus!" James calls, as the compartment door slams shut behind us.