Rewrite the past

Chapter 8

September 1st, 1971; Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross Station, London, England

"Do you all have everything you need for school?" asked Mrs Evans looking her eleven- year- old daughter over one last time before she'd board the train for her first year at Hogwarts.

"I think so, mum," answered the redhead as she hugged her mother and father goodbye.

Her elder sister stood a few metres away from them, apparently more than annoyed that she had to come along. Lily, however, walked over towards her.

"I'll write to you, Tuney. I promise," said Lily, attempting to hug her sister who just pulled away, ignoring the hurt expression on her sister's face.

"As you wish. Have fun with your freaky little friends," was the brown-haired girl's reply before turning and walking further away.

"Lily, it's time to board the train," said Hermione, standing behind the more than saddened young witch who was on the verge of crying.

"Don't worry, she'll come around eventually," said Severus as they guided her towards the train.

"Until later, grams," smiled Hermione as she hugged the woman she had been living with the past years.

"Behave, Hermione. If not, I will know in only a mere few hours."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she, Lily and Severus waved through the opened window of their compartment.

"Do you think she'll favour you especially in school?" asked Lily when the station was out of sight and they all had settled into their compartment.

"No, I think quite the opposite will be the case. She knows that I read more about magic and all and her expectations can be quite high. Adding to that she'll be stricter with me, I think. She wouldn't want anyone thinking that she can't raise children because of me not behaving," shrugged Hermione who sat next to Severus on one side of the compartment.

"I think you might be right. I don't think she is someone who is lenient. She expects much and is really disappointed when someone is not giving his all," answered Severus thoughtfully.

It was not long before someone knocked at their compartment door.

"Sorry to intrude. Uhm, can I - can I sit with you? Everywhere else is full," said a young boy who had a lengthy pale scar that went from his left cheek up to the right side of his forehead and some other rather small ones on his neck.

"Sure, just sit down. Are you new at Hogwarts?" said Lily pointing to the empty seat next to her.

The brown-haired boy smiled shyly at her as he sat down.

"Yes, I am. My name is Remus Lupin and yours?"

"We're all new, too. My name is Hermione McGonagall."

For a moment, Hermione was really tempted to say Granger but, gladly, she didn't.

"I'm Lily Evans. Nice to meet you," said Lily, sticking out her hand for the shy boy to take.

"And my name is Severus Snape," said Severus, who had put his book on potions away when the fellow first year had entered the compartment.

"What house do you think you'll get?" asked Lily very eager to indulge in some conversation with Remus and the others, too.

"I think I'll make Hufflepuff," whispered Remus looking down at his shoes.

"Gryffindor or Ravenclaw would be fine but I'd rather Ravenclaw. I wouldn't really want my grandmother to be my head of house but in the end, it's not me who decides that," said Hermione, smiling at Remus who looked at her questioningly.

"My grandmother is Gryffindor's head of house and she teaches transfiguration at Hogwarts," explained Hermione with a shrug.

"Gryffindor would be fine by me."

"I guess Ravenclaw would be best although there are small chances that Slytherin might be possible. My ancestors were all Slytherins , well, those who were magical, I mean. But seeing as I'm a half blood, the chances are very small," explained Severus who was hoping to end up in a house with at least one student he knew. He wasn't the best at making friends and that was not going to change anytime soon, he thought.

"It will all work out, you'll see. And houses don't define who we are friends with, the houses are not or should not be all that we are defined by."

Lily and Severus nodded while Remus looked up at her.

"Thanks, Hermione. That has actually helped. You see, I never had friends like, real friends. I was always being judged because of my scars and my so called friends dumped me at the first chance they got just because I was different. You all don't seem to be like them," said Remus smiling at them, his cheeks slightly reddening.

"I know what you mean," said Severus quite unexpectedly.

"I had no friends until Hermione decided to get on my nerves and try to talk to me when she was new in the town we live in. I wouldn't know anyone my age if it weren't for her and now I have two friends and another person who has the potential to be a third friend."

Hermione had to say that she was kind of proud of Severus who seemed to open up to Remus. She knew that Remus was not the most outspoken person but she had no idea that he was this shy as a young boy.

A few hours later they all either were asleep or reading like Severus and Hermione, when a blonde Slytherin prefect knocked at their compartment door and Hermione recognized him immediately. She had to say that he looked the same as the adult him. He had the same long hair, the aristocratic features and that ominous air of arrogance around him.

Despite that, he smiled charmingly and said: "We will arrive at the station in roughly half an hour. It would be best if you were to change into your school robes rather soon."

Hermione and Severus nodded and set to wake Lily and Remus up when the tall blonde had left.

"We're nearly there. We need to change now," was what they said before Severus and Remus took their robes to let the girls change in the compartment while they'd search for an empty bathroom to change into their robes.

Finished with that, they returned to collect their things and retrieve their trunks to get ready to leave the train.