Setbacks and Inspirations
Ch. 4 - Trains Are Trouble
Lily's parents were reasonably upset when they found out about her condition. Not possibly as upset, though, as Lily was presently. In two days, she would have to face her friends and would have to tell them the truth about what had really happened. She would also have to face her school and most dreadfully, the Slytherins.
During the past few days, Professor Dumbledore had visited her. He had smoothed things over with her parents and had informed them that they must go into hiding as soon as Lily's first term started. When Lily admitted how self-conscious she would feel if she entered the train platform and all eyes were on her, he kindly suggested that she arrive earlier than usual. He told her that the train was usually at the platform two hours before anyone got there.
Joseph and Julie Evans were very surprised when they learnt the details of what had happened. They made sure to be as supportive as possible toward Lily. They wanted her to feel comfortable, cared for, and most of all they didn't want her to give up hope. Her sister, Petunia, was another story.
When Lily had gotten her first Hogwarts letter, her parents had been so proud and Petunia's jealousy had grown with each coming year. Unknown to anyone else, the night Lily had left for Hogwarts for the first time, Petunia had promised herself something that she swore never to forget. The night Lily left, Petunia had been filled with so much anger that she had made an oath never to feel anything for Lily relating to love ever again. Knowing Petunia to occasionally hide her true feelings, Lily thought she might be going through nothing but some kind of phase. Years of snarky comments proved Lily wrong. Every conversation they had only seemed to cause them to drift further apart.
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Lily was making her way back to her room in her wheelchair after dinner. Dumbledore had conjured up ramps for her for all of the stairways in her house. She was growing accustomed to the wheelchair, though she knew that she would never actually grow to like it.
As she turned a corner, Lily barely managed to miss running over her beloved sister's foot.
Petunia looked down at her with annoyance. They held each other's eye before someone broke the silence.
"You're not going to get any pity you know, just because you can't walk anymore," stated Petunia, her voice neither cold nor kind.
"I never asked for your pity, I never will," replied Lily, her voice equal in emotion.
Petunia looked at Lily searchingly. "Well than at least something is understood between the two of us." There was a pause before she said, "you know, it was always things like these that made me content about being nothing like you."
"Things like what?" Lily asked testily.
"You're always stubborn Lily, in your own little world where everything revolves around you… and you're always asking for trouble."
Petunia watched for any reaction. There was none.
Lily seemed to have no response to this, so Petunia wordlessly made her way around her sister, and then back down the stairs. Before she turned the next corner though, she threw Lily one last glance.
In her eyes, a look of sorrow could be seen. It couldn't have been sorrow though, for Petunia had a promise to keep. It was a promise that she had made to herself long ago.
With that last glance, that couldn't have contained any sorrow, she left her sister in the darkness of the hall.
Without realizing that Petunia had already left ages ago, Lily finally made her response. "Never have I asked for something like this," she said staring into the darkness. "Never."
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Tomorrow Lily would have to board the train and make her way to Hogwarts. She knew she wouldn't have to tell her friends much. The wheelchair would probably explain many things for her. A huge commotion would be made, some weeping from Charlie and some anger from Riley. Lily hated commotions and the more she thought about things, the more she dreaded leaving the security of her home.
After a while of thinking in the solitude of her bedroom, Lily came to a decision. She wouldn't meet her friends on the train and create a scene in public. She would meet them in the privacy of their own dorm rooms.
She woke her owl Bay and attached two parcels to her leg. In her letters, she made sure to inform her friends well. She wrote that she would meet them in the dorms during the feast, after the sorting, when no one would be in the common room. She wrote that she wouldn't be able to make the train because of certain prefect duties Dumbledore had for her, and that she would tell them everything as soon as she could.
Lily knew that since she was doing this, she would have to make an effort in not running into anyone who might recognize her.
If only I had an invisibility cloak, she thought.
First, she would have to find an empty compartment, which would be an easy task since she would be arriving at least an hour early. She would need a disguise and an advanced locking charm for the compartment door.
These should be easy to find as well, she thought.
As she sent her owl off, Lily couldn't help but feel a little at ease. She wouldn't have to confront anyone right away.
She decided to find a proper locking charm first. She racked her brain and thought of all the charms lessons she had endured in the past. In minutes, she thought of a suitable spell. Indeed, Professor Flitwick would be proud.
Now all she had to do was find a suitable disguise. She searched her closet high and low. In the end, she settled for a hooded black sweater, black sunglasses, old jeans, and some black shoes. Once she was on the train, she would be allowed to use magic. She would charm her hair into a different colour and make herself look a little plump. No one would even suspect her to be Lily Evans.
When Lily was sure that she had packed everything she might need at Hogwarts, she decided it was time for bed. For the first time in weeks, she fell asleep almost instantly.
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The next morning, Lily woke up to her ever so annoying alarm clock. After she had her breakfast and was dressed in her disguise, Lily headed out the door two hours earlier than usual.
Before she went through the barrier, she shared a couple of teary goodbyes with her parents. They hugged and kissed, and then Lily was on her way. She gave them a wave before she pushed herself and her luggage through the barrier.
As she entered, she looked around in awe. She had never known how big the place was. There had always been so many people before.
She wheeled herself toward the train and as she did, someone stepped out of it. At first, Lily was alarmed, but when she realized who it was, she was worried no longer. It was just Mr. Boyle, the driver of the train. He approached Lily with a friendly smile.
"Professor Dumbledore told me to expect you at around this time. I'm just supposed to help you get onto the train along with your luggage."
Lily offered him a polite smile. "Well that's a relief. I was wondering how I was going to manage doing that by myself."
He returned her smile before he lifted her luggage and then disappeared onto the train. When he returned, he took out his wand and lifted her with it as well. Once she was aboard with her luggage, she thanked him and he was on his way.
Lily looked around. She had to pick which compartment. Usually she would head to the one she always used with her friends, but this time things were different. She headed toward the back and picked one near the washrooms. Being near them would be convenient.
First, using Wingardium Leviosa, she placed her baggage under the seats. She put Bay on the bench next to the window. Then Lily went to the washrooms to see what she could do about her hair. She had to change its colour. Her hair, along with her eyes, where what she was known for.
She lowered the mirror with a simple spell and stopped it when it was just right. Looking at her reflection, she tried to decide on what to do with herself. Hmm… Blonde, Brunette or Raven coloured. I wonder. She tried the latter. No, I'm wearing too much black already. Maybe Brown. She tried this colour too. I think this it. I'll probably blend right in if anyone breaks my locking charm. With brown hair, she still stood out though. Thank heaven for the sunglasses that would cover the greenness of her eyes.
She tied her hair back and then remembered what else she had to do. She thought back to second year. Potter and she had had an argument; what it was about she couldn't remember. Near the end of the "argument", quite a few curses had been thrown. One, Lily remembered had made her gain weight. It didn't take her long to think of what it had been. She tried the spell and looked at the result. She pulled her hood up and put her sunglasses on. She was a completely different person.
When Lily got back to the compartment, she lifted herself onto the bench. Lifting her legs up as well, she then transfigured her wheelchair into a pocket-sized contraption that no one would ever notice.
Lily was very exhausted now as she leant back against the wall and into a comfortable position. She found herself drifting off to sleep before she could remind herself to lock the compartment door.
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Lily woke up to the sound of four noisy boys entering her compartment.
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