Lily Evans

Chapter Three

"Mudbloods, half-bloods, and blood traitors come out you filthy animals. You don't deserve to be here, come out, come out now!" An icy voice laughed in the distance. The whole compartment, all of the teens falling into the aforementioned categories, went silent. Everyone stood up at once, pushing Lily and Mary to the back, seeing as they were the only muggle-borns present.

"Where's Pete?" Sirius asked, glancing around.

"I don't know, he wasn't here when we got back from the meeting, maybe he's in another compartment," James suggested, looking worried. Lily grabbed Mary's hand, anchoring herself, then reached for her wand. James turned to her, taking her shoulders. "Lily, listen. We need to get everyone off this train. We need to get everyone who can't apparate to pair with people that can. We can go through compartments underneath the seats. I'll come with you, okay? We can see who is making these threats." Lily looked at him, unblinking. "Lily, do you understand me?" Lily nodded. Mary squeezed Lily's hand and let go. James turned to Mary, "you both need to disguise yourselves. Mary, Remus, go that way. Sirius, Dorcas, Marlene, Alice. Disguise yourself, then go out into the corridor. Get everyone out." Lily cocked her head at him. When did he mature? Everyone pointed their wands at themselves, changing their looks. Lily turned her signature hair and eyes, to a dull blonde and a muddy brown respectably. James turned his hair a bright ginger winking at Lily despite the seriousness of their situation. After changing their clothes Lily slid under the seat and James rolled on top of her. His weight crushed her in an oddly comforting way. He slid the compartment door open, shimmying into the space. "What year are you?"

"F-f-first years," a small voice replied. James got out from under the seat dragging Lily with him. They brushed off their clothes. Scared faces stared at them. A small girl ran to Lily and hugged her tightly.

"Hey now. It's going to be okay, trust me. We'll get you to safety," Lily told her, leaning back to wipe the little girl's tears. "Two of you hold onto me, tight as you can." Lily felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, she looked up meeting James' eyes.

"Be careful, love." She narrowed her eyes at him, narrowing them more when he kissed her forehead. She allowed herself to bask in the feeling of comfort for a tiny moment. She shoved him in the shoulder gently.

"You too, James. Meet here when you get back." He nodded, turning to a small boy with messy hair quite like his own.

"I need you to be brave, can you do that for me?" The boy nodded. "I need you to go to compartments like we just did and find anyone sixth year and below. Tell them to find seventh years, or tell them to come to this compartment. Can you do that?" The boy nodded again before slipping underneath the seat opposite where Lily and James emerged from. Lily smiled at James before apparating away. She landed in Hogsmeade, the two first years looking pale beside her. Rosmerta, the bartender at the Three Broomsticks, came hurrying out of the pub.

"Oh, merlin. What happened?" Rosmerta asked, taking in their scared faces.

"The train was attacked. We need more people who can apparate safely. Everyone who can apparate is trying to get the ones who can't off the train," Lily explained, passing the small hands to Rosmerta. Rosmerta nodded.

"Go into the pub, it'll be warm there." The two ran off disappearing into the warm pub. "I'll send a Patronus to the castle and other residents here. Everyone will be helpful. Now go." Lily nodded before apparating back to the train compartment. When she got back there was no James but a handful of young students.

"Hold onto me, tight as you can. Good?" They all nodded to her. Again she apparated to Hogsmeade, sending the students towards the Three Broomsticks. She did this again and again. Finally when she returned to the compartment for the seventh time, James was there waiting for her. She smiled widely at him.