It was the first year for most of the students attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the new students that were included in this category were Fred, George, and Lily. It was early in the morning, Lily was heading to platform 9 ¾, but she accidentally bumped into George and their trolley carts ram into each other, causing both George and Lily to hit the ground pretty hard. Mrs. Weasley, or Molly, heard the collision and immediately ran to them making sure that they weren't hurt. She gently helped George and Lily up, making such a fuss over them. "You're not hurt, are you dears?" Mrs. Weasley asked Lily and George, "No ma'am, I'm fine, thank you, it was entirely my fault for not watching where I was going, and I am terribly sorry for causing such a ruckus." The Weasleys were all taken back for a moment of the manner Lily had spoken that it was so formal it almost felt like it was completely abnormal for anyone, especially, someone as young as Lily's age to speak in such a manner anyways. "Oh." George let out as he picked up Lily's wand off of the ground, "Is this yours?" Lily's eyes widened with great fear, concern, and desperation to hide the fact that it was hers, she even went very pale because she had no idea if they were muggles, non-magic folk, or those with magic. "Don't worry dear, we aren't going to harm you or anything like that, but you must be very careful of that, above all, with so many muggles around." She said that last bit in a whisper that only the young Weasleys and Lily could hear. Lily gave out a short sigh of relief, just then, "Come on, platform 9 ¾'s this way." Mrs. Weasley ushered Lily to follow them since she was all by herself, "Forgive me for failing to introduce myself earlier. My name is Lily, Lily Snow. It's an honor to meet you all." Mrs. Weasley smiled at her gently, and there was a twinkle in her eye. "I'm Molly Weasley. These are my sons, Percy, Fred, and George." "He's not Fred, I am!" The twin next to Lily said. "Honestly, woman. You call yourself our mother." The twin next to Percy said. "Oh. I'm sorry Fred and George." said Mrs. Weasley. "Only joking, I am George." Said the twin standing next to Lily. "Oh honestly, how long are you two going to keep doing that trick on me?" Mrs. Weasley said almost in an annoyed tone but teasing as well. "Anyway, my husband would be here with us to see our sons off to their first day of school, but unfortunately, he had to go to work. It's really wonderful to meet you, Lily." George leaned in towards Lily and said, "You are more than welcome to sit with us on the train if you would like, that is." Lily was taken back by how kind they were when they barely knew her, it made her think of her dear sweet aunt that took her in as a toddler after the unfortunate events that happened to her parents, which made her a bit depressed and lonely, for her aunt couldn't come with her to drop her off. Only gave her cab money and snacks if she wanted some, but she was unaware that they were all staring at her with such sadness in their eyes. "S-Sorry. I was just - just really deep in thought." Lily tried to reassure them that everything was fine, but they could see right through her that she was feeling lonesome and had no one physically beside her on this big moment for her. "I would love to sit with you, George, thank you for the offer. I greatly appreciate it, truly." Out of instinct, George, Fred, Percy, and Mrs. Weasley embraced her, which made her on the verge of tears, almost unable to hold them back any longer. Luckily for Lily, Mrs. Weasley broke the depressed atmosphere by saying, "Oh! We best hurry or the train will leave without you all." They all quickly walked to the platform, but they made it with ten minutes to spare, so they slowed down a bit so they wouldn't hurt themselves or others going through the wall. Percy went through first, followed by Fred, George, and finally, Lily. They all boarded the train together after dropping their belongings with the luggage members of the train. They eventually found available seats where all four of them could sit two-by-two, Percy and Fred on one side, where Lily and George were on the other. The three boys had no problem discussing any topic amongst themselves, but Lily just sat there, so silent, and staring off into the distance. Until suddenly, George placed his hands on her shoulders so carefully, as if she were going to break with the slightest touch, boy, did Lily ever jump, she jumped so bad that with a sharp and frightful gasp, she almost looked like a very scared and timid animal that had been caught by a fearsome creature. "Woah! I'm deeply sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to scare you, especially that badly. You just look like you were getting lost in your thoughts again, so I got a bit worried. Would you like to talk about what is bothering you so much?" At first, Lily said nothing, then she took a very deep breath and turned her body to where she could look at all three of them at the same time. "I'm truly sorry for making you worry about a complete stranger, such as myself, it's just - Well... I'm super envious of what you three have with Mrs. Weasley, having a mother like her, and you all being so close as you are." Lily began. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring you all down. It's just that you all are such wonderful, caring, and amazing people that it made me go back to my past, that's all." George gently grabbed her hand as did Fred with her other hand, then in unison they say, "It's just how we were raised to be, Lily." Lily gently smiled at them and gently squeezed their hands. "I really wish I had siblings such as you three, I feel like you are already making me feel like I am your sister. Thank you for that." Lily said with a hint of sorrow in her voice. "You make us feel like we're your brothers already," Percy added to her sentence and then continued, "we will continue to be just as we are now, close as family, the family you long to have." Lily began to actually cry this time, but these were really joyful tears, for she wanted to hear those similar kinds of words all her life. Lily embraced all three of them and whispered, "Thank you." In their ears as she hugged them one by one. They have finally reached Hogwarts and got off the train, "All of ya first years, please come towards me. Come on, don't be shy." Lily was a bit taken back with seeing such a tall person, but did as she was instructed by him. He continued, "This way down to the boats if ya, please." Lily didn't want to get separated with her new friends and now brothers by bond, yes she knows that she shouldn't be so trusting and immediately be this open with these three boys that she just met, but she trusts what her heart is saying to her about them, and she is sticking to it. So, she grabbed George's hand. That way, she wouldn't be as nervous, or at least not as nervous as she's by herself. They got to the staircase that leads to the Great Hall, where they will be sorted into their houses and meet everyone, Professor McGonagall was awaiting for them at the top and she explained that when they enter through the doors that once they go into one of the houses, the ones that are in that house, will be like their family. Following the rules and doing good deeds will earn them points, but any rule breaking and they will lose points. She further explained that there are four houses that they will be sorted into, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, after all of this was explained, she told them that they must wait a bit before they can enter. Once she was gone, Lily gently squeezed George's hand being a bit more nervous than before, George looked at her, and whispered in her ear, "Everything will be alright, even if we aren't in the same house, the three of us will still get to spend time together. So you mustn't feel nervous, have more courage in yourself, Lily, once you find it, you can then see that you can do pretty much anything." Lily felt a bit more relaxed after hearing George's words of encouragement. Professor McGonagall returned shortly after and said, "We're ready for you now, follow me." The first years all followed her through the massive doors into the Great Hall that was so elegant and beautifully crafted that it looked like some kind of masterpiece. The students stood in front of the main stage where the Headmaster and all of the other professors are sitting, Professor McGonagall began to unroll the scroll in her hands and began, "Now, when I call your name, you are to come up and sit upon this stool, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." She paused for a moment to look on the scroll to call out the first name. "Fred Weasley." Professor McGonagall said, with a bit more volume in her voice this time. Fred sat upon the stool and got the Hat put on his head, "Another Weasley, I know just what to do with you. GRYFFINDOR!" The students cheered, stood, and applauded as he was joining the other students. "George Weasley." Professor McGonagall called out his name and without the Sorting Hat touching his head fully this time and absolutely no hesitation, "GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat shouted, and the students again did the standing and clapping when he was added into the house. Lastly, it was Lily's turn to get called on, "Lily Snow!" Lily gulped extremely hard before she walked up to the stool and then took a seat, Professor McGonagall slowly and softly placed the Sorting Hat upon her head. The Hat pondered for quite some time before speaking, "Interesting, very interesting." He began, "Such intelligence, wanting to prove yourself, not for fame, but self-worth in your own eyes, so much courage in your heart, and - OH! You have a LOT of loyalty. So many traits, but where to put you?" Once more, he goes silent, "I know! HUFFLEPUFF!" The students that are in the Hufflepuff house stood up, applauded, and cheered, as she headed to them with a grin on her face, but there is a bit of sadness in her heart. Alas, she didn't forget what George said to her, so she kept her hopes up that she would be able to spend more time with the twins and Percy. Once the sorting was done, Professor McGonagall gently tapped her glass with her spoon, "Your attention, please." Once the students heard her words, they fell silent, and Dumbledore stood up, "Let the feast begin." With that, a wide spread of food was laid out across the tables after he raised his hands slightly, such a variety for different kinds of foods to eat that will satisfy a horde of knights or even a whole kingdom altogether. As the students were eating and just enjoying themselves, the ghosts in the castle suddenly appeared. Sir Nicholas, or Nearly-Headless Nick, which is a name he doesn't prefer, is the ghost of the Gryffindor house, Bloody Baron is the ghost of the Slytherin house, Grey Lady for the house of Ravenclaw, and lastly Fat Friar for the Hufflepuff house. These four ghosts enjoy speaking to the students in their own houses. Which made the meal so much more enjoyable, but unfortunately, it was now time to bid the ghosts farewell for now. It was time for the houses to go to their common rooms, Gryffindor's common room was on the sixth floor, Ravenclaw's location is on the second floor of the library, Slytherin's located in the dungeon, and Hufflepuff's location is in the kitchen corridor. So, up in the Gryffindor common room, Fred, George, and Percy were incredibly eager for the next day to come, so they could spend more time with Lily but they had no trouble falling asleep for they had such an eventful day. Down in the Hufflepuff common room, Lily tossed and turned most of the night, this was a common thing for her, having such trouble sleeping every night ever since she lost her father, Lily was told that her mother passed shortly after giving birth so she never knew her. But, as for her father, she was led to believe that he died of a broken heart and couldn't cope over her loss, so he left a letter to his sister, Nora, to look after Lily. Once the news from this letter came to Nora, she dropped everything and immediately rushed to get Lily who was just a toddler, but Nora had a burden now to deal with, that was to tell Lily that her father was never to return. Lily couldn't quite understand what her aunt was trying to tell her, that her father was now dead, she just said to Nora, "No he's not dead, he's just away on a long trip, he'll come back home to me, to us, before we know it." Hearing those words echo in their minds made everything so much more difficult for Nora and Lily. Some nights when Lily was somewhat able to sleep, she would scream from her nightmares, her imagination got the best of her of how her father passed away or how he looked at her before walking out the door one last time. Thus, she stayed awake countless evenings. This evening, however, she has finally hit her limit of so many days, weeks, or months. She seriously can't remember when was the last time she actually slept. But on this very night, she manages to black out and dream about nothing. That is how tired her brain was from being awake for so long that made her body shut down and her eyesight faded into darkness.