Harry returned home to his family the morning of Hogwarts Express, before anyone was awake. He conjured up a large breakfast, complete with whipped cream topped pancakes and waffles.

Lily’s eyes popped open in her bed. Bacon! She jumped out of bed and put on her robe and slippers. James had just woken up as well, and was coming out of the room he shared with Albus. The only reason that Albus and James were sharing a room was because Harry had made the spare bedroom (which was supposed to be their third child’s) into a storage for all of the things he would refuse to throw out.

They both ran downstairs into Harry’s arms, and then sat at the counter and scarfed down their breakfasts.

“You’re going to Hogwarts for the first time, huh darling?” Harry said to Lily.

Ginny came downstairs, not even bothering with makeup or combing her hair spell, and went right into Harry’s arms as well before eating.

“I’m glad your back,” Ginny said, and they kissed. The kids shielded their eyes.

Later that morning, after everyone was dressed, Harry, James, and Albus dragged the trunks and things out of the house and into the muggle car that they rarely used. It’s sole purpose was to drive the Potters to Hogwarts without looking suspicious.

“Alright, you go first James. Look for Rose and Hugo inside the station and we’ll be right there,” Harry said.

James disappeared into the wall between platforms 9 and 10, and the rest of the Potter family followed. Inside, Aunt Hermione, who was pregnant again (shocker) Uncle Ron, and their children Rose and Hugo were talking to James. Hugo was James’s age, in third year, and it was Rose’s first year as well.

Ginny nudged Lily, so she went over to say hello to her aunt, uncle and cousins. Many, many cousins. Rose was talking to some other kids nearby, probably also starting Hogwarts, and Hugo was in a group of his friends. Ron was chasing the twins around in the train station. The twins were two years old, beginning to run. Their names were Minerva, like Hermione’s favorite teacher from their schooldays, and Alastor, named after the famous Mad-Eye Moody. Lisbeth was the same age as Albus, who was nine, and then there was six year old Viktor, Hermione’s Yule Ball date from the Triwizard tournament, and four year old Loralai. Hermione was bulging, and if Lily remembered correctly, she was eight months along and due very soon.

Lily took a deep breath and went to talk to her extended family. Lily counted all of her cousins in her head. In total, it was seven, but the eighth was along the way.

Rose pulled away from her conversation with some other kids, and came over to the group. Ron strapped the twins into their stroller.

“So, which house do you want to be put in? Both my parents were in Gryffindor like yours, but I just admire those Ravenclaws. They’re so intelligent and witty,” said Rose, using the cliche descriptions of Ravenclaw house from the brochure.

“My whole family, including James, were in Gryffindor. I expect Gryffindor for myself,” Lily said cooly, “you should be hoping for Gryffindor as well. Both of your parents were in Gryffindor.”

“Yes, but my older brother Hugo is in Hufflepuff, and Mum and Dad were perfectly happy.”

“That’s because Cedric Diggory was a Hufflepuff,” Lily said, “My dad, Harry Potter, was friend-ish with him. If you want Ravenclaw, they won’t be so happy. Have you told them?”

Rose didn’t respond. She was about to say something when the train pulled into the station, and the conductor began checking tickets. Lily said goodbye to Hermione and Ron, and dragged her trunk to be loaded.

“Well, we better get on the train,” Lily said, “nice talking to you Rose.”

“Why are you acting like I won’t see each other again? We’re in the same year, and we might be in the same hou-”

Hermione grabbed Rose’s arm to drag her over somewhere about something, and Lily said goodbye to her parents and followed James onto the train.

“We’re off to Hogwarts,” Lily said to herself.

Thank goodness that Rose had already made some geeky friends, and chose a train car for themselves, leaving Lily alone. Lily ran down the aisle, and found a train car that was empty, and promptly shut herself away with a book.

The train was pulling out of the station when there was a knock on the car door. Lily opened it up to find Leena, Luna’s nonexistent daughter.

“Oh, it’s you,” Leena said, sliding the door shut and taking a seat across from Lily’s.

“Yeah. It’s me,” Lily replied, “I have something to ask you, if it’s not too much of a burden.”

Leena nodded in response.

“Who is really your mother?” Lily asked.

“I told you,” Leena snapped, “my mother was Luna Lovegood.”

“I looked up your family in the Wizard Pages. There’s no one by the name of Leena Lovegood under the family tree.”

Leena’s cheeks turned pink.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” she said all of a sudden.

The lady with the cart of sweets came by, and each of the girls bought some candy and snacks for the long ride.

“We should put on our robes,” Leena said hastily.

“Oh shoot! Mine are all the way in my trunk in the back,” Lily said, starting to feel very nervous about Hogwarts.

“Just use the summoning charm,” Leena said.

“Even my brother doesn’t know the summoning charm, and he’s a Third year. I heard we don’t learn that charm until Fourth year,” Lily said.

“It’s simple. Just focus really hard on your subject and say accio whatever,” Leena said, “here. I’ll show you.”

Leena pulled out her wand.

“I’m going to think about your Chocolate Frog, the one on the seat next to you,” Leena said, “watch. Accio chocolate frog!”

The Chocolate Frog on the seat next to Lily levitated off the seat and floated into Leena’s open hand. Leena unwrapped the frog, placed the Wizard card in her pocket and ate the chocolate frog.

“That’s so simple! Why do they wait until fourth year to teach us? It’s a very useful charm,” Lily commented.

“They think we’ll try and summon something stupid when we’re too young. Like fourteen year olds are so much more mature,” Leena said, and rolled her eyes, “now, to summon your robes you’ll need to have tons of focus and uninterrupted concentration. In order to summon the robes, your trunk will need to be opened, so it is even harder.”

Leena took Lily through the steps, like how to hold and wave her wand. They practiced focusing with chaos around them, in case they were interrupted mid-spell.

“Okay,” Lily finally said, “I’m ready.”

She lifted her wand and said, “Accio robes.”

Light burst from Lily’s wand, and the light wound around the room and out of the door.

“Good,” she heard Leena say, “you’re doing great. Just keep concentrating.”

Lily kept focusing on her robes, and then they floated through the open train car door and into Lily’s arms.

“It worked!” Lily said. She unfolded the neatly folded robes and put them on over her clothes. “I didn’t think it would be so easy.”

Leena just smiled, and took her robes from her tote bag. The train began slow down, and then Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry came into view.

“We’re here,” Leena whispered in Lily’s ear.

After Hagrid, the Groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher who still worked at Hogwarts all these years later, had taken the first years in boats across the lake to the school, they were finally inside. It was gigantic. Professor Gilmore, the Transfiguration professor, lead them into a room off the Dining Hall. The rest of the students, including James, would be sitting at four long tables, one for each house. The houses were still known as Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

“Which house do you want to be in?” Leena whispered in Lily’s ear.

“Anything but Slytherin, really. It would be nice to be in Gryffindor like my parents and brother, but Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff would be acceptable,” Lily said. It was exactly she’d been thinking about in her head.

“My mother was a Ravenclaw, and my father was a Hufflepuff,” Leena said. There it was again. The mention of Luna.

Lily kept her mouth shut, and Professor Gilmore lead them into the Dining Hall. The older groups were already seated, looking hungry.

“First years, these are the First Year Class professors. Professor Gilmore, Transfigurations. Professor Longbottom, Herbology. Professor Flitwick, Charms. Professor Binn, History of Magic. Professor Patil, Potions. Professor Sprout, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Sinistra, Astrology, and Madame Hooch, who gives flying lessons.

“When I call your name, take a seat on this stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head.”

The whole room went silent as they waited for the first student. The hat would sing its original song on the head of the first student, like it had for years. Lily’s father said that when he and their mother were in school, it would sing before being placed. But the first sorted child was considered an honor; therefore the song was sung on his or her head. It made much more sense now than it did when Harry and Ginny had been at school.

“Potter, Lily.”

Lily’s eyes widened. She was the first student. The honored one, they always said. The first student to be sorted in each year had all become prefects and Head Girl/Boy of their year. Lily was excited and nervous at the same time. Lily sat on the stool, and Professor Gilmore set the battered old hat on top of her head. The whole school waited in silence for the sorting hat to sing its song. But no song came.

“Another Potter,” the hat said, just loudly enough for Lily to hear, “I wonder where I should put you.”

Lily focused hard on Gryffindor, and her mother, father and James.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Normally, the house tables would cheer when a first year was sorted into their house. But all of the students and teachers were in shock. There had been no song. That could only mean something bad.

Professor Gilmore took the hat off of Lily’s head, trying to hide her surprised expression.  “Go sit with the Gryffindors, Miss Potter,” she said.

Lily should’ve been happy, and she knew that. She was in the same house as her parents and brother. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the absent song. The rest of the First Years were sorted, Rose put in Hufflepuff with Hugo, (thank goodness not with Lily in Gryffindor)  Leena in Ravenclaw, and the feast began. Lily was sitting by James, without any friends of her own yet. She was about to dig in to her meal when Professor Gilmore invited her into the hall.

“What did you say to the hat?” Professor Gilmore asked.

“Excuse me?”

“The hat has sung a song for years. Since the beginning of this school. It used to sing before the first child, and now it sings on the first child. This is the first time it’s never sang, you must’ve done something. Something to do with magic of some sort.”

“Professor Gilmore, even though I’m a pureblood wizard, I’ve never used magic before. I don’t know why the hat didn’t sing.”

Professor Gilmore asked one more time, but Lily still didn’t have an answer. Once Professor Gilmore accepted that Lily hadn’t done something on purpose, she let Lily return to dinner.

“What was that all about?” James asked.

“Professor Gilmore thinks I asked the hat not to sing, or bewitched it or something” Lily said, digging into her full plate of food.

“Ooh, you better have some great excuse.”

“Why?”

“Professor Gilmore is one tough cookie,” James said, still eating, “your first impression at the Sorting Ceremony is what she thinks of you for almost your entire school life. Unless you do something really amazing to change her mind.”

Lily’s appetite disappeared. She pushed away her plate, and the food disappeared off the gold plate. After everyone finished eating and the plates had been cleared, the Prefects from each house took the First Years on a tour of the building. The other students had already retired to the common room.

The Gryffindor prefect, Xander, finally brought them to the Gryffindor dormitories nearly two hours after dinner had ended. Most of the First Years were ridiculously tired.

“This is our painting guard,” Xander said, “the Fat Lady. She’s been our guard for over a hundred years. The password for this year is Gossypol.”

The painting swung open to reveal the Gryffindor Common Room. There were three fireplaces, a bunch of comfy chairs and bean bag chairs, and two large doorways labeled “boys” and “girls.”

“Now remember, you are not allowed in the opposite gender’s dormitory. There are spells to prevent it, and I suggest you don’t try and break them,” Xander said, “now, it’s nearly...11 o’clock. You have classes starting tomorrow, so I would suggest that you head up to bed pretty soon.”

Xander himself then disappeared up the stairs into the boy’s dormitories. Lily walked up the stairs to the girl’s dormitories. She entered a circular room with 7 doors, one for each year. Lily entered the one labeled First Years, where there were twelve beds, one for each of the new First Years. Lily’s was in the center, her trunk already at the foot of the bed. Some of the other girls began trickling in, getting in their nightgowns and brushing each others hair.

Most of the girls sat together in the center of the bedroom, except for Lily and two other girls. The others were reading books. Lily was busy unpacking her trunk, and getting ready for bed. Lily noticed that the nine girls in a group kept whispering and looking at her. Finally, the one in the center got up and approached Lily as she was loading some of her schoolbooks into a messenger bag for tomorrow.

“Hi. I’m Genevieve Malfoy.”

Lily nearly choked. Her father had been arch enemies with Draco Malfoy during his time at school, and Genevieve was probably his daughter. Lily couldn’t believe that a Malfoy would ever end up in Gryffindor. All of the Malfoys, until Genevieve, had been in Slytherin. Lucius, Genevieve’s grandfather, and Draco, her father, were both very cruel wizards, known for working for You-Know-Who when he was on the rise during her father’s years at Hogwarts. They were probably disappointed that Genevieve was in Gryffindor.

“I’m Lily.”

“What’s your last name?”

“Potter. I’m Lily Potter.”

Genevieve turned around toward the eight other First Year Gryffindors, and gave a slight nod.

“Nice to meet you. I hope we can be friends.”

Genevieve gave a smile, revealing perfectly white and straight teeth, and then sat in the circle. Lily immediately wrote a letter home to Ginny and Harry, telling them all about the Sorting Hat and Genevieve Malfoy. When Xander yelled up the stairs after midnight, all of the girls went to bed.

That morning, Lily awoke to screaming. Genevieve Malfoy was covered in a sticky brown substance from head to toe. Genevieve, who had apparently just woken, had screamed and woken up every girl in Gryffindor, not just the First Years. One of the Seventh Year girls came running in, and immediately spotted the problem. In their nightgowns, the two girls set off to the Hospital Wing.

Right after Malfoy left, all of the girls began to talk about Genevieve and the brown substance. Lily wondered if it was her father’s doing. Had the owl reached them already, and Harry saw it as a good time to retaliate? While the rest of the girls sat together on one of the girl’s bed, Lily and the two girls who weren’t in the group silently got ready for breakfast. If they weren’t in the dining hall by eight, they’d be locked in the Common Rooms until nine, when the first lesson started.

Lily and the two other girls packed their book bags and silently slipped out of the First Year’s dorm. Most of the other girls in Gryffindor were ready as well. However, the eight other First Years didn’t seem to notice the time slipping by, and when Lily had left, they were still in their nightgowns.

Lily learned that the two other girls were named Claire and Tierney, both muggle-borns, which was why they were separated from the others. When they heard Lily was Harry Potter’s daughter, even they knew that was directly related to fame. They began to ask all of the usual questions, but Lily cut them off when they got to the dining hall. Claire, Tierney and Lily sat together by James and his friends.

It was nearing eight o’clock, and there was still no sign of the First Year Gryffindors. The rest of the First Years from the other houses were behind, but not as late as the Gryffindors. Lily spotted Leena come in with the Ravenclaws. Just like her mum, Lily thought, if she is telling the truth.

Once the plates were clear, the schedules were passed out to all of the students. Lily, Tierney and Claire’s first class was Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws with Professor Gilmore. So at nine o’clock, Claire, Tierney and Lily set off to the Transfiguration room. As they passed the common room and dormitories, the eight First Years spilled out of the Fat Lady, complaining about their hunger.

“This is child abuse,” one of them muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes, and walked faster to Transfiguration.

Professor Gilmore started class on time, but it was disrupted several times by the starving girls. The whined and complained and made loud grumbling noises. Professor Gilmore ignored them, and gave the seating charts. Because Lily and Leena’s names both started with L, they were placed in a group together with two boys named Lucas and Lawrence.

“The first thing that we will be doing is turning pens into pencils. It sounds very simple, but Transfiguration is very hard.”

Professor Gilmore proceeded to show the class how to turn black pens into #3 pencils. By the end of the class, the only successful students were Leena and Lily, unable to explain to others how they did it.

“Looks like my next class is potions. How about you?” Lily asked asked right after class ended.

“I’ve got Defense Against The Dark Arts,” Leena groaned, turning around the corner while the rest walked to Potions.

“What was the brown stuff on Genevieve this morning?” Lily asked.

“Oh, I heard from one of the Slytherin girls in the hospital wing for an asthma attack that Genevieve was covered in chocolate!” Tierney said, and the girls tried to stifle their laughter.

“Who would put chocolate all over Genevieve?” Claire asked.

“I don’t know,” Lily said, still unsure if it was Harry and Ginny Potter that had done it.

“I’ll meet you guys at Defense Against the Dark Arts, we still have twenty minutes,” Lily said, “I need to drop off some of these heavy books.”

Tierney and Claire continued walking, and Lily entered through the Fat Lady into the Gryffindor common room. She went upstairs and immediately wrote a letter to her parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,

This morning Genevieve Malfoy woke up covered in chocolate. She missed our first class, Transfigurations with the Ravenclaws, because apparently the nurse couldn’t figure it out. Haha. Please tell me that you didn’t send that spell all the way from home. If you did, I’m never telling you anything ever again!

Hope Albus is doing okay at home.

With Love,

Lily Luna

Lily sent the letter off with a school owl and ran to Defense Against the Dark Arts. She just made it, too.

They worked on a paper from a workbook and handed it in. Professor Sprout graded it while they read a passage from the textbook. Lily was ashamed of herself to see a bright red F. She quickly stuffed the page into her book bag, planning to put it in the fire later that night.

At lunch, the Gryffindor first years stuffed their faces with food. Lily was sure that they’d never miss breakfast again.

After the afternoon classes, Lily was doing homework in the dorm room by herself. Claire and Tierney had gone to the library, and the rest of the girls were in the common room. She had opened her Transfiguration textbook when an owl came in and dropped a letter right on top of the book. It was from Hagrid, the groundskeeper. He was one of her father’s favorite adults when he was in Hogwarts so many years ago.

Dear Lily,

I’d really like to officially meet you, and discuss some things. Come to my house tonight before dinner. We can take a walk and then go up to dinner together.

Hagrid

Lily responded yes, finished some of her homework and then headed down to Hagrid’s hut.

Lily knocked on the door.

“Hello, Lily,” Hagrid said, “come in, come in. It’s cold outside.”

The odd accent that her father had constantly described along with Hagrid seemed to have vanished. To her, Lily thought he was completely normal. Hagrid and Lily didn’t end up going for the walk around the lake like he’s wanted because it was colder than expected. They talked about her father’s school years, and then how Hagrid was there if Lily ever needed anything. Then they walked up to the school for dinner.

Lily sat down next to Claire and Tierney, and they loaded up their plates. Dinner was just as it had been the day before, just with less tension.

Until the announcement.

“We’re still examining the Sorting Hat to see what’s wrong,” McGonagall announced, “if we can use a truth serum, the First Years might need to be resorted. Whatever spell is on the hat could’ve altered his decisions. Enjoy your meals.”

Lily nearly fell out of her seat. If the truth serum worked, and they realized his thoughts had been altered...Lily could end up in a different house. There was no way she’d be put in Gryffindor twice in a row. For the second day, Lily pushed away her plate, appetite forgotten.

Classes proceeded as usual, except today there was more homework. That night, Claire, Lily and Tierney sat in the Gryffindor common room after dinner. Everyone was buzzing about the Sorting Hat.

“I heard that McGonagall is making a truth serum,” Tierney said. She was nearly done with the Transfiguration homework, they’re last assignment for tonight.

“I’d really not like to talk about that right now,” Lily snapped.

“Jeez, lighten up. We’re just trying to gossip,” Claire said.

“Oh, I get it. You’re afraid that you won’t get into Gryffindor again,” Tierney said sympathetically.

“What are you worrying about? You’ll definitely be in Gryffindor again,” Claire said.

Lily tried to reassure herself. Claire, Tierney, and her parents had been telling her that everything was alright.

“But McGonagall said that the truth serum could alter the Sorting Hat’s thoughts. That can’t be good.”

“You need to stop worrying, Lily. Everything will be fine, I promise. You just need to chill,” Tierney said.

But Lily couldn’t ‘chill.’ That night, she lay awake late into the night. She was almost asleep when something banged into the window. None of the other girls woke at the noise, so Lily slipped from bed and opened the window. In flew an owl. Lily untied the scroll and package from it’s leg, dug through her pockets to find change, and paid the owl. She sat back down in bed.

The letter was from her parents.

Dear Lily,

We heard all about the Sorting Hat in the Daily Prophet. I know you must be very nervous, dear. I know the last thing you want to hear is to relax, but that’s the only advice I can give you.

If you’re feeling like you need to get out, I’ve enclosed my old Invisibility cloak. It was once your grandfather’s. I hope you use it wisely. Don’t be too foolish, okay?

Love you,

Dad

Hi hon,

I know that all of this Sorting Hat business is probably making you crazy. Everyone’s telling you to relax, but I honestly think that won’t do anything for you. I know you, Lily Luna Potter, and worrying will do you some good. I know your father is sending the invisibility cloak, but please promise me you won’t use it irresponsibly.

I love you so much,

Mum

The next morning, during breakfast, there was an announcement that all morning classes for the First Years were cancelled. Lily, Tierney and Claire immediately knew what was happening. It was the Sorting Ceremony. The rest of the school grumbled about in fairness as they trooped off to their morning classes.

“We’re going to try this all again,” said Professor Gilmore, no smile on her face, “hopefully with better results.”

Silence.

“Potter, Lily.”

Professor Gilmore gave Lily a withering stare, and set the hat back on her head. Lily prayed for a song.

“Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

All of the First Years and advisory teachers clapped, Lily smiling a mile wide. Then she waited. Professor Gilmore looked pleased.

“Another Potter,” The Sorting Hat said, “what’s your name?”

“Lily Luna Potter.”

“Lily..what is your favorite color?”

“Yellow.” Lily thought of her room back at home.

“Aha! GRYFFINDOR!”

If it was possible to smile even wider, Lily did.

Claire and Tierney were all sorted back into Gryffindor. In fact, nearly all of the girls in First Year were sorted into their previous houses--except Genevieve Malfoy and Cassia Reyes. Genevieve wasn’t sorted back into Gryffindor. She was instead placed in Slytherin. A Slytherin girl, Cassia Reyes, was placed in Gryffindor instead. She immediately fit in, and there had obviously been a switch somewhere before the first ceremony.

Since the First Years were excused from morning classes, they all took the time to go back to their dorms and write letters home to their parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,

The second Sorting Ceremony happened this morning after breakfast. The First Years were excused from morning classes (hooray). I was again the first honored student. The Hat sang! It really sang this time! I got sorted back into Gryffindor, too! I think that Genevieve Malfoy had something to do with the Sorting Hat, because she was placed in Slytherin and a girl named Cassia Reyes was put in Gryffindor to replace her. Cassia fits in here more than Genevieve ever will. I’ve got to go, the girls are having a mini-celebration before lunch and afternoon classes.

I’m going to like Hogwarts.

Love,

Lily Luna

Lily sent off the owls and went to the little celebration in the Gryffindor Common Room. Two First Year Gryffindors, Xandra and Payton, had snuck into the kitchens to get some food and balloons. Xandra was Xander’s (the 5th year prefect) little sister, so Xandra knew everything about Hogwarts before she even got here. They’d also tacked up a list of the official First Year Gryffindors.

Xandra
Payton
Lily
Claire
Tierney
Rebecca
Raven
Ingrid Mae
Maelyn
Abigail
Cassia
Vivienne
NOT GENEVIEVE MALFOY

Lily made a mental note of the list, to write it down again, somewhere so she’d remember.

Lily and the rest of the girls had a nice time eating and laughing and dancing while getting to know each other until lunchtime. The rest of the older kids returned right before lunch to drop off their huge bookbags, so the First Years followed them down. Just like when she was a temporary Gryffindor, Malfoy was surrounded by a small posse off First Year Slytherins instead.

Cassia sat with Claire, Lily and Tierney by James and his friends during lunch and then walked to their Herbology class. Professor Reese had managed to catch a unicorn, and all of the students got a chance to pet it. They then had to do a rough sketch of the unicorn, due at their next class in three days. The kids then stomped off to Transfiguration with Professor Gilmore.

They were surprised to find that the rest of the First Years from other houses were already seated and standing in Professor Gilmore’s classroom. Behind Professor Gilmore’s desk was a long list of the official 2019 classes.

Gryffindor   

Xandra Holmes
Payton Sanders
Lily Potter
Claire Anderson
Tierney Johnson
Rebecca Lestrange
Raven Black
Ingrid Mae Samson
Maelyn Longbottom
Abigail Craven
Cassia Reyes
Vivienne Matthews
Jordan Green
Aero Vano
Frederick Starin
Mac Nardini
Cosmo Grindelwald
Cedar Hagrid
Kahlo Tonks
Mick Umbridge
Hershel Delacour
Trigger Filch
Woodrow Chang
Yanni McLaggen

Slytherin

Genevieve Malfoy
Bethany Dunkin
Gwendolyn Slughorn
Sugar Krum
Ursula Bones
Petunia Trelawney
Rosetta Burbage
Venice Moody
Rowena Brown
Misty Parkinson
Zenith Ollivander
Joplin Thomas
Quill Crabbe
Red Thomas
Sinclair Hooch
Rocket Skeeter
Oak Goyle
Lion Reano
Ludwig Newburg
Hawthorne Plouff
Nestor Prescott
Grover Lucado
Hardy Knibbs
Ferdinand Jolly

Hufflepuff

Spring Hollick
Toto Kathan
Margaery Jicha
Nicolina Gnau
Fable Floresca
Gem Dresden
Rose Granger- Weasley
Dottie Bluett
Aquila Zuch
Breeze Wieand
Babs Werber
Daisy Stocke
Gaston Uttech
Falcon Roupp
Escher Podoll
Fender Prenatt
Duran Merta
Coyote Leabo
Bran Kuri
Ames Hurtig
Drexel Handyside
Wickley Emilio
Wilford Clyatt
Oswald Yarn

Ravenclaw

Tamari Biasi
Trixie Boody
Rowena Davia
Vidalia Hayen
Tulsi Larmer
Duchess Markie
Arbor Ose
Fallon Regala
Isolde Sky
Cayenne Yehle
Leena Lovegood
Delphine Bowns
Banner Emmi
Cortez Domek
Hopper Eze
Enoch Hoogland
Radley Kilgallon
Slate Laut
Ryker Nile
Zaire Sweezey
Webster Swenor
Thaddeus Anglen
Wolfe Balin
Viggo Yaros

Lily, Cassia, Claire and Tierney stood and read the 96 names in their heads.

“Man, I’m kind of glad to be a muggleborn,” Claire said, “all of these wizard names are really wacky. Look, Viggo Yaros of Ravenclaw! That’s ridiculous.”

“They’ve gotten worse over the years,” Cassia said, “they used to be pretty similar to Muggle names, until someone decided they wanted to further differentiate wizards from muggles. They made a club and all changed their family names. Since then, names are being changed daily.”

“That’s kind of stupid,” Tierney said.

Lily was only half listening. She’d noticed that Raven’s last name was Black. She’d known Raven was in Gryffindor, but didn’t know that her last name was Black. Could it be-?

Harry Potter’s godfather was Sirius Black, who escaped Azkaban. He was seen by the public as a horrible murderer, but it wasn’t really his fault. He died saving Harry from You-Know-Who when he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts, only fifteen years old.

Harry had told his three children that Sirius was the last living Black, and since he’d died the name would slowly be forgotten. He’d predicted that the name would be gone by now. But here was Raven Black, who might be living proof that there was a living Black still among us.

“Lily?”

A hand flashed in front of her face. It looked like Cassia’s.

“Are you okay?” Tierney asked, “you’re looking kind of pale.”

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Just feeling kind of sick from the party food.”

“Let’s see if we can find some seats,” Claire said.

Four Hufflepuffs eventually stood up to sit by some other friends, so Lily and the other girls swooped in and stole their empty chairs. Then they patiently waited for Professor Gilmore’s announcement.

“I heard that no Professor has ever had all the First Year students in one classroom at the same time ever for a lesson,” Cassia whispered, “my older brother said so.”

“How old is he?”

“Well, he’s my stepbrother. My dad remarried this divorced woman who had him with her other husband, so he’s a lot older. His name is Bennett, he’s working in St. Mungo’s.”

“He’s probably taken care of Potter’s parents then,” Genevieve sneered from behind.

Lily rolled her eyes and refused to turn around and meet Genevieve’s eyes. Lucky for her, Professor Gilmore was starting.

“We’ve gathered you all here today because Hogwarts is starting a new team-building curriculum for the First Year students. You will be the test subjects,” Professor Gilmore explained, “this will help you not only become closer to your fellow peers in your house, but your whole year all together.”

There were some whispers among the students, and some movement from the students who were tightly packed in the room.

“Once a week, on Saturday mornings, you will report to the Dining Hall for team building exercises. Ideally we would’ve liked to make this announcement in the Dining Hall, but there are other things happening there today. I hope you will all find this time valuable, and be able to speak highly of it to the students after you.”

The first exercise was partnering up with someone outside of your house and doing trust falls.

“We’re starting very simple,” Professor Gilmore said, “we’ll slowly increase the activities as you get more familiar with everything.”

Trust falls were very frustrating in the small classroom. 96 First Years each needed space to spread out, space they didn’t have. Lily was paired up with none other than Genevieve Malfoy, who let her fall every time. She blamed it on her bad reaction time, but Lily knew better. Luckily, she was never seriously injured, like Tulsi Larmer of Ravenclaw. She broke a bone in her hand had to go to the Hospital Wing about half way through. Spring Hollick had a concussion and left right in the beginning.

When the bell finally rang for lunch, 96 First Year students gushed out of the Transfiguration room, hurrying back to the common rooms and then down to the Dining Hall for lunch. They were all talking about the trust activities.

“I was with Babs Werber, from Hufflepuff, she wasn’t bad,” Claire said, “I’m sorry you were paired with Malfoy, Lily. I saw she purposely dropped you every time. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Lily said, rubbing her bruised elbow.

“My partner was Misty Parkinson. She’s in Slytherin. She obviously belonged in Slytherin, but she wasn’t horrible,” Tierney said.

“Duchess Markie was great,” Cassia said enthusiastically, “I had a great time.”

The girls had lunch and then went back to the common rooms. Most kids took this time to write to their parents about the trust activity, but Lily already had mail. Probably in response to her Sorting Ceremony (the real one) letter.

Hi Baby,

We’re so glad you got sorted back into Gryffindor! That Genevieve Malfoy is definitely someone to keep a close eye on. As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer! But don’t go around picking fights with her. Their family doesn’t have the best reputation. She definitely had something to do with the Sorting Hat. But it still placed you in Gryffindor. Only true Gryffindors can be placed there twice. Cassia Reyes sounds lovely, I’m so glad she was put into her correct house the second time. Write us soon, hon, we want to know everything!

Mum

Dear Lily,

Congratulations on Gryffindor second time in a row! We’re so proud of you. Have you used the invisibility cloak yet? Probably not, I know you. I hope you’ll eventually get good use out of it. I haven’t used it in years. I hope you’re making some good friends at Hogwarts. Just look at Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione! They started off friends and now they have eight children! By the way, Hermione had her baby. It’s another girl, they named her Nymphadora, and will probably call her Tonks as well. She is precious. Your mother has been spending lots of time at their house, helping out. Write more often!

Love,

Dad

Lily tucked away the letter into her trunk, and found herself with some spare time that evening before dinner. She decided to go to the Harry Potter museum. Even though she was Harry Potter’s daughter, she didn’t actually know much about him.

The first things in the museum was Voldemort’s Horcruxes. The dead snake, Nagini, Hufflepuff’s cup, Marvolo Gaunt’s ring, Tom Riddle’s Diary, Salazar Slytherin’s Locket, and Godric Gryffindor’s sword were in heavily guarded glass trophy cases protected by magic barriers. They could still be magical and dangerous, even now. The final horcrux was Voldemort himself, so it was only represented with a picture of his burial.

Right after the horcruxes was a picture of Harry, Ron and Hermione. They all looked serious but happy. They hadn’t taken pictures of themselves until Voldemort was gone once and for good.

Then began the story of the famous Harry Potter. It started out with a picture of the Dursleys, Lily’s great aunt and uncle. Harry had been forced to live with them until he was eleven because Voldemort had killed his parents. The Dursleys hated magic. There were quotes from Harry’s childhood. He talked about how wonderful Hogwarts was, despite the fact that Voldemort came after him nearly every year. It explained his excellent abilities to play Quidditch, making the team as a First Year. Lily’s mind wandered. Was there Quidditch here? She hadn’t even thought about it.

There was, in detail, the stories of Harry’s battles against Voldemort. The Sorcerer’s Stone in his First Year, The Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk in his Second Year, Sirius Black in his Third Year (who turned out to be a pretty nice guy), the Triwizard Tournament and the secret winner’s cup Portkey in his Fourth Year, fighting Voldemort and the Order of the Phoenix in his Fifth Year, discovering Malfoy and watching Snape kill Dumbledore in his Sixth Year. But there was very little about the year when Harry turned seventeen.

All it said was that Harry chose not to come back to Hogwarts, but instead went off searching for Horcruxes. It gave no detail like the six years at Hogwarts.

Lily was so busy looking at the things her father never told her that she nearly lost track of time. She had to run back upstairs for her books and just barely made it to dinner. The doors had shut right behind her. Lily didn’t bother telling Claire and Tierney about the museum; that would lead to them asking about Harry, and then Lily would have to tell them that she hardly knew anything about her own father. Then they’d give her some pity smiles and encourage her to eat an extra dessert at dinner, which she most definitely didn’t want at the moment.  

Lily, Cassia, Claire and Tierney spent that evening in the Gryffindor Common Room hunched over their books. Since they were no longer completely brand new to Hogwarts, the teachers had begun to load up on the homework. Curfew passed, so many of the students began to linger up to bed. Cassia followed the other Gryffindor First Years upstairs, saying she was tired from all the work.

“I wonder if we’re allowed to see Albus Dumbledore’s grave,” Claire asked, looking up from her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay.

Dumbledore’s grave was down by Hagrid’s new hut. The gravestone was in front of a willow tree planted in his honor.

“Why?” Lily asked.

“My mother may be a muggle, but when I got my letter she learned everything about magic that she could so she could understand my studies,” Claire explained, “even she knows that Dumbledore was a truly amazing wizard.”

“You must hear all about him, Lily,” Tierney commented, “Harry Potter and Dumbledore were really close.”

“Uh, actually, I don’t know much about my dad,” Lily said awkwardly.

The dreaded conversation had arrived. Lily really wanted to change the conversation, but couldn’t think fast enough.

“How come?” Tierney asked.

“He’s always with Hermione and Ron,” Lily said, “when he’s home he never talks about himself.”

“Ah, a modest infamous wizard. Interesting,” Claire said.

“He’s had to have told you something,” Tierney pressed, “think.”

Lily tried to think about things that her father had told her. But her mind came up blank. Absolutely nothing.

“I..before dinner, I was...actually at the Harry Potter museum. I was reading about my dad,” Lily confessed.

Neither Claire nor Tierney said anything. Both went back to their DADA essays, and didn’t say anything when Lily went to bed.

The next day didn’t bring any more good news when Professor Sprout gave Lily a paper with an F on the front page.

The next morning, Lily woke up with a pounding headache. It was so bad that she could barely get out of bed, and when the other girls threw open the curtains, she screamed out in pain. Claire stayed to make sure that Lily was okay while Tierney went to get Madame Pomfrey. She’d been working here since Harry Potter’s times, and was easily the most wise of all the teachers.

Madame Pomfrey came back with Tierney and told her and Claire that she could handle Lily, and that they should get to breakfast while it was still open. Reluctantly, the two girls left Lily alone in the dorm with Madame Pomfrey.

Lily’s head was still throbbing, so the rest of the morning was fuzzy. Madame Pomfrey worked quickly and silently, and then once Lily was okay to walk, took her down to the Hospital Wing where she spent the afternoon napping.

That evening, Lily returned to Gryffindor Common Room before dinner. Claire and Tierney were still working on their Potions essays. Next to them was a large pile of papers and books, probably Lily’s work from the classes she’d missed.

“Hey,” Lily said.

“Hi,” Claire responded, not even looking up from her parchment.

“Are you feeling okay?” Tierney asked, “do you know what caused that horrible migraine?”

“I’m feeling fine now. I’m on painkillers,” Lily said, “I don’t know what could’ve caused it, and neither does Madame Pomfrey.”

“It’s almost like a curse or something,” Claire said.

Lily and Tierney froze.

“I hadn’t even thought of that!” Lily said, “now it seems so obvious. Anybody could’ve hexed me while I was asleep, I wasn’t aware because I was sleeping!”

“I don’t think anybody from Gryffindor would curse you Lily,” Tierney said, “Harry Potter is your father.”

“Maybe they’re not in Gryffindor,” Claire suggested, “it could be Genevieve Malfoy getting revenge for the whole chocolate thing.”

“But that wasn’t me!”

“Yeah, but there’s no evidence that it wasn’t. It doesn’t help that your father was her father’s arch enemy for years.”

“Genevieve definitely has a motive,” Lily said, “but are any of the First Years strong enough to cast a spell from that far away? Especially Genevieve, she’s down in the dungeons and we’re all the way up here!”

Lily, Claire and Tierney continued talking late into the night, until one of the Sixth Years told them to scram.

The next morning, the First Year Gryffindors had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Lily had worked hard on her other assignments, still getting D’s and F’s in all of her essays. Lily had spent hours on this important paper, hoping that her efforts would finally pay off. The big essay had been graded, and was being handed back today.

Lily’s was the last paper to be handed out. On her paper was a giant D+ in red ink. Professor Sprout quietly suggested a tutor after class, and Lily left with embarrassed pink cheeks.

Winter holiday approached quickly. Claire and Tierney signed up to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas. They’d wanted Lily to stay, but she had already promised her parents that she’d come home. James, however, had decided to stay because of the Winter Holiday Hogsmeade trip for Third Years.

When Lily arrived home, Ginny was packing Albus’s and her things. They’d be spending the winter at Ron and Hermione’s.

“And there will be no sass from you, Lily. You will be nice to Rose, and help out with your cousins,” Ginny snapped.

“But-”

“Helpful and nice!”

“Fine…”

All of the bags were gathered into the living room the night before they went to Ron and Hermione’s, including Harry’s bag. But Harry was nowhere to be seen. According to Ginny, he was visiting Luna Lovegood and would be joined them at Ron and Hermione’s tomorrow.

Lily’s curiosity about Leena returned.

“Hey mum?”

“Yeah?”

“Does Luna have a daughter?”

“No, she has twin sons. But never a daughter.”

“But I met her daughter at Hogwarts,” Lily said, “she said that Luna Lovegood was her mother. She’s in Ravenclaw like Luna.”

“That’s intriguing,” Ginny said, “I’ll have to look into it for you.”

The next morning, Lily, Albus and Ginny used floo powder to travel to Ron and Hermione’s home. The house was built on the ground where the Burrow (Ron’s childhood home) once stood before it burned down. When Lily arrived in their living room fireplace, the home was already lively and busy.

Children were running around everywhere, playing with training brooms and other magic toys. Hogwarts-aged students were talking to all of the adult witches and wizards, hoping to learn more. The adults were busy making dinner and getting presents, constantly going in and out. Ginny was a Weasley, so she had tons of family and extended family. The house was packed to its full capacity. Lily thought she saw Hermione holding the new baby, but she disappeared into the kitchen.

“Lily, why don’t you take the children outside? Give the parents a break for the time being?” Ginny asked with a nudge.

Hermione came out of the kitchen.

“Hi Lily! Could you take Nymphadora for me please? Maybe take her upstairs?” Hermione asked.

Glad for a distraction from the other toddlers, Lily took the little baby from Hermione and carefully made her way up the stairs. The baby began to cry as she peeked into rooms, looking for one that looked like a nursery.

Nymphadora’s nursery was a cheery yellow, with lots of natural light. Lily put her on the floor with a toy, but she kept crying. Lily ignored her and looked around. There were pictures of Hermione and Ron, all of their children, and some of Nymphadora.

Lily heard a rattling noise coming from a drawer in one of the dressers. Curiosity got the better of her, so Lily opened it. A hazy fog drifted out, then appeared an exact duplicate of her! The other Lily had red eyes and scars all over her body. Whatever it was, it stared down into Nymphadora’s eyes, who cried harder still.

Ginny burst into the room, wand drawn ahead of her. She spotted Lily nearly in tears as the duplicate crouched on her knees over the little helpless baby.

“Riddikulus!” Ginny screamed.

The duplicate Lily screamed as the spell hit her straight in the chest, and disappeared into a cloud of fog. The fog then drifted over to the dresser, and the drawer automatically shut.

Lily was still panting, her heart racing with fear. Ginny put away her wand, and rushed to pick up Nymphadora.

“What was that?” Lily asked softly.

“It was a boggart. It turns into your biggest fear,” Ginny said, cradling the baby, “while it was not smart of you to let it out, I’m not mad. You had no way of knowing that a boggart was in that dresser drawer.”

“You knew?”

“Oh yes, it’s been there for weeks. Your father promised to get rid of it, but…”

“Why did an evil me appear? Is Nymphadora scared of me?”

“That’s what it seems like. But it doesn’t add up. You don’t have beady red eyes and scars like that boggart did.”

“If you knew about it, why can’t you get rid of it?”

“Your father promised to get rid of it. But he has been at Luna Lovegood’s for the past week.”

“Why has he been spending so much time there?”

“Nevermind,” Ginny said, “let’s take Nymphadora to Ron and Hermione’s room. There won’t be boggarts in there.”

On Christmas morning, Hermione had prepared a large Christmas feast for every meal of the day, and the children opened up all of their presents. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Now that Lily was at Hogwarts, most of the gifts were school related. Extra quills and ink, special parchment holders, bookbags and more. Lily went to bed that night very upset, for Harry hadn’t shown.

Only two days after Christmas did Harry appear. This made Ginny very upset. Ron and Hermione weren’t exactly happy, either. He’d missed Christmas! Ginny didn’t speak to him the entire day, so Lily and Albus did the same.

When they got home, Lily had to go right back to Hogwarts for the start of the next term. Ginny said she’d be there to see Lily get on Hogwarts express, but forced Harry to do it just because she didn’t want to see him anymore.

When Lily got back to school, nearly all of the Gryffindors were back from their holiday, too. Claire was still visiting her family, but Cassia and Tierney were already back. They were sitting in the common room discussing their Christmas presents when Lily came in.

“Lily!” Cassia jumped to give her a hug.

“I was just showing Cassia my poster I got for Christmas. It has Ed Sheeran on it!” Tierney said.

“I don’t understand why pictures don’t move,” Cassia said with a shrug.

Lily, although from a wizarding family, knew a lot about muggles. Harry was brought up by the Dursleys, who were muggles, and her grandfather Arthur was fascinated by them. She’d heard most of her muggle knowledge from Arthur.

“Muggles are boring,” Lily said, “no offense, Tierney.”

“None taken! Magic is so much cooler.”

“So where’s Claire?” Lily asked.

“She didn’t send you an owl?” Tierney said with large eyes, “she sent me a letter, because we’re muggles, but I thought she’d for sure tell you!”

“Tell me what?”

“After she got home, there was an accident. A car accident. Claire is fine, she just broke her wrist,” Tierney said.

“So why doesn’t she come here?” Lily wondered, “Madame Pomfrey could have her good as new in ten minutes tops.”

“Lily,” Tierney said, “her mother died in the crash.”

Lily gasped. She felt so bad for Claire. No wonder she’d only told Tierney; she couldn’t stand to write it all out again.

“That’s horrible!” Cassia exclaimed.

“She is staying home to be with her family for a little while. She should be back in a few weeks,” Tierney said.

Lily wanted to keep talking, but they were interrupted by Xander. He was encouraging bedtime early, to get ready for the first day back from classes. Everyone headed up to the dorms, where Lily wrote a letter to her parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I got back to Hogwarts safely.

Unfortunately, Claire (one of the muggle-borns who I’m friends with) won’t be back for a couple of weeks. She was in a car accident, and her mother died. She’s spending time with her family.

Cassia and Tierney are okay too. Not much else. Just thought I’d tell you.

Lily Luna

The next morning, Lily had another headache episode. Tierney sat with her while Cassia went for Madame Pomfrey. This time, Madame Pomfrey said things while she took care of Lily.

“What is causing these headaches?” Madame Pomfrey said.

“I don’t know,” Lily said, groaning at the sight of Madam Pomfrey’s gross headache medicine.

“Maybe...no, it couldn’t be…” Madame Pomfrey muttered under her breath.

“What?”

“Lily, after you’re feeling better, I’d like you to go see Headmistress McGonagall. I’ll let her know about everything.”

“No, please don’t bother the Headmistress!” Lily exclaimed.

“Nonsense, Potter. I have some theories, and I’d like to share them with the Headmistress. If she sees fit, she’ll talk with you.”

Lily choked down her headache medicine, and Madame Pomfrey sat and read a book while Lily slept.

When Lily woke after her nap, Madame Pomfrey was gone. Another student must of needed her. Lily could hear some other kids downstairs. Cassia and Tierney were probably downstairs, laughing and complaining about their Charms class. Flitwick, who has been teaching the class for years, always assigned homework everyday of the week.

Even though there was a dull pounding in the back of Lily’s head, she got up and headed slowly downstairs. She managed through the common room, and then headed to Headmistress McGonagall’s office.

McGonagall was waiting outside the Griffin statue for Lily, talking to Professor Sinistra, the astronomy teacher.

“Well thank you, Aurora, but I have a meeting with a student. We’ll finish this later?” McGonagall said.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Sinistra said, and then hurried off.

“Ah, Lily Potter. Come on up.”

McGonagall clapped a special rhythm and the griffin spun to show a hallway to her office. Lily followed McGonagall up into her office. McGonagall’s office was exactly as Harry had described Dumbledore’s. Lily wondered if Professor McGonagall had changed the office at all since Dumbledore.

“Take a seat, Potter.”

Lily sat down across from the desk. Professor McGonagall remained standing opposite from her.

“Madame Pomfrey has told me that you’ve had repetitive headaches.”

“Only twice,” Lily said quietly. She suddenly felt very small in the wide open circular office. There were tens of hundreds of little office trinkets clinking, swinging and dipping.

“But they are crippling, are they not?”

“Yes.”

“Madame Pomfrey has some concerns,” McGonagall went on, “your father, as you know, was one of Voldemort’s horcruxes.”

“Yes.”

“Madame Pomfrey thinks that some of Voldemort’s broken soul was transferred to you. Someone must be trying to keep Voldemort alive and that’s what’s causing the headaches,” McGonagall said.

Lily’s mind was spinning. A part of Voldemort, the worst wizard to ever live, was inside her? Why had her father passed on this horrible thing, and not his green eyes or something?

“Why didn’t it go to James? He’s the eldest,” Lily wondered aloud.

“I have no idea yet,” McGonagall said, “I’m going to look into it.”

“Thank you for informing me of your thoughts,” Lily said, “but I have a lot of missed work to catch up on.”

“I’ll see you later, Potter.”

Lily went back to the Common Room. It was empty because everyone had gone to lunch. The doors were already locked, so Lily returned to Gryffindor tower. She grabbed her bookbag and went to see Professor Flitwick and History of Magic taught by Professor Binns. Lily barely made her double Herbology class.

“Hi Professor Longbottom,” Lily said.

At home, Lily and their whole family called him Neville. Neville Longbottom was a long time family friend, like Ron and Hermione. He often visited during summer.

“Hello Lily,” Professor Longbottom said, “how was your holiday? Did you visit Ron and Hermione?”

“Yes,” Lily said, “Hermione had the baby. Her name is Nymphadora.”

“Ah, yes,” Professor Longbottom said, “Tonks.”

There was an awkward silence between them.

“Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin are some of the most talented aurors I’ve ever known,” Professor Longbottom said, “when Andromeda passed away so many years ago, it was tough on him to live with you. Sad, very sad. She was a wonderful witch. Of course, Teddy 21, but I still worry about him.”

“I still remember Teddy, although he wasn’t home much because he was off at Hogwarts. I remember nearly five years ago, when he received his 7th year letter. When dad heard he was Head Boy, he was overjoyed,” Lily said.

Nearly all of the students had arrived for herbology, so Neville snapped out of his throwback Thursday mument to start their lesson on Mandrakes.

That evening, Professor McGonagall tapped her glass for silence to make an announcement.

“Thank you for your attention,” McGonagall said, “Professor Sprout has announced her resignation.”

There were some sighs. Professor Sprout was an okay Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, not great not bad. McGonagall started an applause for her, followed by the staff and students, and she did the ceremonial flying out of the Great Hall.

“Who do you think the replacement will be?” Tierney whispered in Lily’s ear.

“I don’t know,” Lily said, “Professor Sprout has been teaching DADA since my dad defeated Lord Voldemort.”

Lily took a drink of water.

“Taking Professor Sprout’s place will be… Professor Harry Potter.”

Lily spit out her sip of water all over the table. Her father came flying into the Great Hall to thunderous applause. All Lily could do was sit paralyzed in her seat, her jaw by her feet as the rest of the students rose out of their chairs. James seemed unfazed..he’d obviously known. So why hadn’t Lily been notified?

After dinner, most of the students returned to the dorms and staff had returned to the office. The only people remaining in the great hall were Professor McGonagall, Lily, and her Dad. Some house-elves were working on cleaning up the tables.

“Hi honey!” Harry said to his only daughter.

“Oh, um, hey dad,” Lily said hesitantly.

“Isn’t this great? I’ll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! Thank goodness the position isn’t cursed anymore.”

“I’m so sorry to leave so suddenly, but I have some paperwork to finish. Excuse me,” said Professor McGonagall.

“Dad, what are you doing here?” Lily hissed.

“When I heard Professor Sprout was retiring, I applied for the job. I had a meeting with McGonagall, and she gave me the position,” Harry said, “just like any other job application.”

“When did you hear Professor Sprout was retiring?”

“A couple of months ago, when I spent in my application.”

“You applied for the DADA job MONTHS ago, and you didn’t tell me? Why? You told James! You completely embarrassed me!” Lily said.

“James figured it out by himself.. I wanted to surprise you, though. I thought you’d be happy. I just spent months practicing with Hermione and Ron’s boggart…”

“That’s what you’ve been doing?!” Lily exclaimed, “mum’s been making excuses for your absences! Ugh, and James didn’t tell me either!”

“Lily-”

“No, I can’t talk to you anymore.”

Lily stomped out of the Dining Hall, leaving Harry by himself with the house-elves. Lily returned back to the Gryffindor Common Room, and spotted James with a group of his friends by the fire.

“James!” Lily yelled, “I need to talk to you!”

James followed Lily out into the hallway.

“You knew about Dad taking the DADA position.”

“Yeah, so?” James said with a shrug.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me!”

“Because Dad told me not to,” James said, “after I figured it out I confronted him. He said he wanted to surprise you.”

“Oh my god! Why did he think to surprise me? I was humiliated! Everyone’s going to think I begged him to take the job!”

“Why would they think that?” James said in a quieter voice.

“Because I suck at Defense Against the Dark Arts, that’s why! Professor Sprout has been telling me to get a tutor for months! And everyone knows it,” Lily said, near tears, “they’re going to think I told him to apply because he’d give me better grades because he’s my dad.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you’re struggling in DADA?”

“Because it’s demeaning. Dad was Voldemort’s horcrux. He fought Voldemort, like seven times! And Mum fought alongside him in Dumbledore’s Army in the Battle of Hogwarts...they’d be ashamed of me,” Lily said, tears sliding down her cheeks.

James pulled her into a hug, and Lily cried into his shoulder.

“Mum and Dad love us,” he said quietly, “they’d never be ashamed of you.”

“Yes-”

“No, stop. You really need to stop all of this negative talk. They’re our parents, Lily. They’re Ginny and Harry Potter!”

“But they won’t understand.”

“Yes, they will Lily. Mum was so vulnerable in her First Year that she was possessed by Voldemort! I’m sure she struggled in DADA during that year.”

“I guess…”

“And I’m sure that Dad struggled, too. Just because he got an O in his DADA O.W.L.s doesn’t mean he started out a master of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He was raised by the Dursleys! Muggles, pure muggles,” James continued, “he came to Hogwarts knowing hardly anything.”

“Thanks James. I feel better now.”

“You should write to Mum before parents weekend, and talk to Dad sometime soon. I’m sure he feels bad.”

“Okay.”

Parents weekend was when all of the students’ parents came for an overnight at the castle. They came in the morning, spent all day with their children, following them along to all of their classes. They then spent the night with their children, and took the Hogwarts Express back home after breakfast. It was a highlight of second semester for all of the students.

Lily wiped her eyes on her cloak sleeves, and went to the girl’s bathroom to wash her face. She then returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, hoping her face wasn’t too red from her mini meltdown.

Dear Mum,

I’ve had a really hard day. I hate surprises, and I’m sure you know that. So why didn’t anybody tell me? I’m not upset anymore, just a little confused. I’ve got something I need to tell you. Right after I finish writing to you, I’m going to tell Dad. It’s not great news.

So here’s the truth: I’m failing Defense Against the Dark Arts. I’ve been struggling all year. I wanted to tell you, but I was embarrassed. Professor Sprout has been telling me to get a tutor, but I just couldn’t. It was too humiliating.

I do feel a lot better now that you know. I’ll see you at parents day weekend.

Lily Luna Potter

Before she could change her mind, Lily ran up to the Owlery and sent the letter to her mum. Then she ran to the DADA classroom.

Like Lily had guessed correctly. Her father was setting up his new desk and classroom for tomorrow’s lessons. She opened the door and knocked quietly to let him know that she was there. He looked up from a drawer.

“Hi Dad.”

“Hi Lily.”

“Dad, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Okay.”

Silence. “I’m sorry. I overreacted in the Dining Hall. I don’t like surprises, and you threw me off guard. I shouldn’t have behaved like that.”

“I accept your apology. Anything else?”

“I..I’m failing Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“I know, Lily.”

“What? You knew?”

“Lily, I’ve spent the last two hours looking over my students’ records. Yours was generally near the top.”

“Oh.”

“Why didn’t you tell me or your mum?”

“I was embarrassed.”

“Well I’ve arranged with me to have some extra lessons in the evenings to keep your grades up.”

“Okay.”

“And next time, Lily, tell us. We’d never be ashamed of our only daughter.”

Lily went to bed that night feeling better than she had in months.

Easter holiday approached quickly, and both Lily and James signed up to stay at school over break with Harry. Ginny was going to come visit in a couple of days.

The day the Hogwarts express arrived to take students home, it brought Claire with it. Her mother had been laid to rest near their home town, and after some therapy, she was finally ready to return to school. Cassia, Lily and Tierney were overjoyed to see her, but Claire just managed a weak smile and disappeared into the dorm, asking not to be followed.

“I thought she was taking therapy?” Cassia said.

“She was,” Lily said, “her therapist wouldn’t have let her come back to school if she was depressed, would she?”

“Guys, I’d give her some time,” Tierney said, going back to reading, “it’s a big adjustment.”

“But we want to help,” Cassia said, and Lily nodded in agreement.

“I think Claire just wants to be alone right now,” Tierney said, sounding frustrated.

“How would you know what she wants? She might need us but is too afraid to ask,” Cassia said, her voice rising.

“When I was in 3rd grade, my aunt died.”

“That’s not the same thing,” Lily scoffed.

“My parents died in a car accident when I was a baby. My aunt and uncle adopted me. They were my parents,” Tierney continued, “my aunt was like my mother. I remember wanting a hole to spawn and swallow me up. I just wanted to disappear.”

Lily and Cassia didn’t say anything.

“Everyone wanted to help. I went to therapy, too. But therapy doesn’t work for everyone,” Tierney said with a shrug, “it worked for me, but it didn’t work for my cousin. He’d lost his mother, and that’s really hard.”

Lily and Cassia continued to stare into the fire in silence before proceeding to go up to the dorm. Tierney told them to leave Claire alone, so that’s exactly what she did.

The next morning, Lily awoke early because Ginny was coming into town on the Hogwarts express before the breakfast feast, to visit for Easter holiday. Lily, James and Harry headed down to the Hogwarts express.

Ginny came out with a bag and her purse, things falling all over the place. Her hair was all over the place, and she was so pale she looked like she was going to collapse at any moment. Harry rushed over, and Ginny dropped all of her bags and nearly fell into his arms.

“Grab the bags, please,” Harry said, leading Ginny up to the castle.

James and Lily took the bags that Ginny had dropped and followed behind their parents.

“What do you think happened to mum?” James asked.

“I don’t know,” Lily said.

When Lily and James arrived at the hospital wing, Ginny was in a bed surrounded by a curtain, being pampered by Madame Pomfrey. Harry was pacing in the hallway.

“What’s wrong with mum?” Lily asked her dad.

“We don’t know yet. But Madame Pomfrey has some ideas,” Harry said, “go to the feast, kids. You can come back here after.”

Lily, however, had no appetite. She told her friends what happened, sat for a couple and minutes, and then Lily loaded her plate and brought it back to Harry in the hospital wing. He wasn’t hungry, either, so the food was discarded.

Madame Pomfrey said that her mother was simply in shock, not anything magical was cast upon her.

“She’ll stay in the hospital wing tonight, and maybe tomorrow we can figure out what caused her state of shock,” Madame Pomfrey said.

“Okay, thank you,” Harry said, but didn’t leave.

“Dad, are you coming?” Lily asked.

“I think I’ll stay here with your mom, in case she feels like talking,” Harry said.

“She is sleeping,” James said, “come with us. We can go visit Hagrid.”

The mention of Hagrid brought a smile to Harry’s face.

“Hagrid is still working as the gamekeeper here? Why didn’t you mention him in your letters!” Harry said, suddenly very happy.

“I actually don’t talk to him that much,” Lily said, “I can’t take Care of Magical Creatures until third year.”

Harry, Lily and James headed out of the castle to Hagrid’s house. It was a gloomy day, with lots of clouds, and yet Harry babbled on about Hagrid like a little boy.

“My my, Hagrid must be very old now!” Harry continued, “he was at school 50 years before I was, so he was 60 when he taught me...and now, nearly twenty years later..80! That’s getting on in years.”

When Hagrid opened the door, he was overjoyed to see Harry. They talked and talked about everything while Lily and James had tea in oversized cups (more like bowls) in front of the fire. It was unusually cold for Spring holiday; there was still snow on the ground, and the temperature remained in the mid-thirties.

James, Lily and Harry stayed at Hagrid’s hut for several hours, until the lunch bell rang. Hagrid walked up to the castle with them, where he and Harry continued talking at the teacher’s table. The remaining students staying over holiday were in a large circular table, all mixed together, not sorted by house. There were 7 Gryffindors, 3 Slytherins (including Genevieve Malofy), 4 Ravenclaws and 8 Hufflepuffs. The table had to seat all 22 of them, so it was a very large table that seated 24.

Most of the kids sat by fellow classmates. The two extra seats separated the 3 Slytherins from Ravenclaw on one side and Hufflepuff on the other. Lily had been seated next to none other than Leena Lovegood.

As they talked through the feast, all of Lily’s old questions came back. Who was Leena’s mother? How could she not be a Lovegood? Why did she immediately change the subject whenever it came up?

“Leena, I know your mother isn’t Luna,” Lily said, “so who is it?”

“I promise I’ll tell you, just not here. Somewhere more private, okay?” Leena said, but said no more.

Lily, James and Harry went back to the Hospital Wing to visit Ginny after dessert. She seemed better, and she was talking, but refused to talk about anything to do with the train ride to Hogwarts.

“Hi Lily,” Ginny said, her first words since she arrived, “thank you for your letter. It helps if you’re honest with us.”

Ginny spent the night in the hospital wing. The next morning, Madame Pomfrey said that Ginny had confessed to seeing a dementor on the Hogwarts Express. Lily could tell that Harry was thinking back to his 3rd year, when dementors were placed around the school to protect students from Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather who was actually an innocent criminal.

After Ginny told Madame Pomfrey about her fears, she seemed absolutely fine for the rest of Easter holiday. However, Madame Pomfrey did suggest using Floo Powder in Harry’s classroom fireplace to transport her back home. So in Harry’s DADA classroom, the family gave hugs and watched Ginny disappear with the ashes.

Soon enough, the school was back full of students talking about their holidays. Most kids (especially muggle-borns) came back equipped with enough candy to last until the end of the year. Harry’s classes continued to be the new favorite class of nearly every year, because he took a similar teaching style to his favorite DADA teacher, Remus Lupin. They battled boggarts, hinkypunks, and learned by watching movies. Harry always gave plenty of time to complete his assignments, which he rarely ever gave.

Harry’s private lessons with Lily gave her a boost in the class. She only had a couple of sessions before her grades started rising, so Harry discontinued with them. As exams grew closer, Lily’s grade average was nearly up to standard. A few more aced assignments and she’d be ready to ace the DADA exam.

As much as Lily wanted to prepare for exams, her headaches were becoming almost a daily morning thing. Lily went to the Hospital Wing 12 days in a row before Madame Pomfrey met with Harry. Lily was horrified when she found out that Harry had agreed to send her to St. Mungo’s for x-rays.

Ginny arrived by Floo Powder to Hogwarts the day before Lily would be transported to St. Mungo’s. She’d be accompanying Lily during her stay in the hospital. Tierney, Claire and Cassia were very upset. They weren’t allowed to visit at all because of exams, and were dreading the Friday morning.

Lily kept her goodbyes short and sweet as they gathered in a group hug.

“I’m sure they’re freaking out over nothing,” Lily whispered, “I’ll get some x-rays, and I’ll be back on Monday morning to sit all of my exams. I plan on passing them with flying colors.”

Tierney nodded happily. Cassia and Claire didn’t seem convinced. Either way, it was time to go. Lily gave James and Harry hugs, and then followed Ginny into the fire to transport to St. Mungo’s.

Lily was admitted right away, but her x-rays weren’t scheduled until Saturday morning. This made Lily extremely upset.

“Why did we have to come on Friday?! I had exam prep classes all day, while I sit here not even being examined!”

“I know it doesn’t make sense Lily,” Ginny explained, “but this is serious. You’ve heard our concerns about your connections with Voldemort from your father. We just want to be sure that you’re healthy.”

“Maybe I just have some kind of headache disease that causes bad headaches as I get older,” Lily said, not even believing this ridiculous theory.

They didn’t speak of it again.

The next morning, Lily was put to sleep for her x-rays. One moment she was wide awake, the next she was sleeping. When she woke, there were some nurses talking worriedly with Ginny. When the nurses left, Ginny was crying. She told Lily what they had feared; part of Voldemort’s horcrux hadn’t been destroyed, and Harry had passed it to Lily’s brain. She needed immediate surgery.

“We’re lucky we realized something was wrong,” Ginny said through sobs, “they said another week at school and it would have destroyed your brain.”

The surgery was scheduled for Monday morning. Lily was furious that she’d be missing part of her exams. It didn’t matter that Professor McGonagall said that she’d be passing to Second Year no matter what. Lily had tried so hard to keep her grades up, only to be guaranteed a place next year. Lily was livid.

Lily was once again put to sleep for the surgery, and woke up with a splitting headache that made her scream. Ginny spoke very softly, hoping not to make the pain any worse.

“The surgery went well,” she said, “but the recovery will be very long and very hard. The doctors are saying you won’t be able to return to school until after Christmas break.”

Lily was still ridiculously angry, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. How could she pass Second Year if she missed the first half? There was no way she could catch up!

Days passed by. On Friday, the day that Hogwarts ended, Lily woke up in a very depressing mood. There would be no celebration of the end of exams for her. She missed Claire, Tierney and Cassia. Lily’s head was still hurting, but she’d learned to cope to act normally during the day.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Ginny said with a smile, as if she knew who was coming.

Lily gasped.

It was Cassia, Tierney and Claire, with Professor McGonagall, holding her passing diploma for First Year.