Lily in the Shadows

Chapter 4 (Edited)

Lily-Kathryn wakes up with a smile on her face and a song in her soul. She dances over to her bookcase and puts a Selena CD on as she gets ready. Claude crawls out from under her bed and into a wicker basket filled with pillows he lays down to sleep. Lily pulls on a nice shirt with dark leggings and some cute heeled boots. Brushing her hair, she ties the front half up and ties a blue ribbon around it. She opens a small drawer in her dresser and pulls out a tiny four-armed blue hoodie. Walking over to the basket she scoops up Claude and sets him on her dresser, helping him into the small hoodie. Setting him down, the two make their way downstairs to the dining room. Sitting at the table, she fixes some eggs and sausage on a saucer and places them on the floor for Claude. Fixing her plate, she starts eating.

Petunia enters the dining room and begins to cry. She cries a lot. She cannot believe the little girl she raised as her own will be leaving so soon. Petunia remembers when her sister Lily left for Hogwarts for the first time, she felt so jealous; why did Lily get everything and Petunia never got anything? But, that wasn't important anymore, her baby is leaving her. It is almost like a piece of her heart is leaving her.

After breakfast, Lily is petting Claude in her room when Petunia enters, holding a small, flat box. She sits next to her on the bed and passes Lily the box watching Claude apprehensively. Inside the box is a framed picture of Petunia holding a baby Lily. Laying together, they reminisce and talk about the good old days until Dudley enters the room. He sees them lying side by side, crying as they laugh about something that happened years ago and his eyes fill with tears. Noticing him, Lily opens her arms as he rushes forward to hug her tightly. Scooting over the three of them cram in Lily's queen bed and hold each other tightly talking and crying. Dudley sits up and rushes out of the room suddenly. When he comes back he sets two poorly wrapped parcels in her hands. Lily unwraps one to see a large book, opening it she gasps at the singular picture in the front, it's a picture of Lily and Dudley, taken on her last birthday. They're dressed up in their Halloween costumes; Lily was Babs Bunny from Tiny Toon Adventures and Dudley was Garfield. They are hugging each other with big smiles on their faces, Lily's pink bunny ears are crooked and Dudley's face paint is smeared but, they're both so happy.

"So you don't forget me while you're gone, and you can add pictures too. So I can see your school." Lily bursts into tears, throwing her arms around him.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" She exclaims.

"I am going to miss you too," Dudley cries. "Open the other one, open the other one." Pulling away, Lily-Kathryn opens the second package to see a beautiful camera. She gasps, looking at Dudley in shock as he grins cheekily.

Their moment is ruined when Uncle Vernon calls out that it is time to go. Getting up, Lily puts Claude in a carrier as Vernon and Dudley carry her trunk down the stairs into the car. Lily begins to shake with nervousness as they arrive at the station. Pulling her trunk and cage out of the car's boot, they get it set up on a trolley and head into the Kings Cross station. They arrive at platforms 9 and 10, Lily-Kathryn looks around in confusion.

"How do I get on the platform?" Kathryn asks.

"So, when Lily went to Hogwarts I came with her and my parents to see her off. What she did is she ran into the wall of platform nine and went through to somewhere else. We, unfortunately, cannot follow you on through, I want you to be very careful. Remember we love you very much and please write to me soon" Petunia gives Lily-Kathryn a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, turning away so she won't see her cry. Kathryn then hugs Uncle Vernon goodbye as he pats her on the head. Kathryn and Dudley look at each other and Dudley slowly opens his arms. Rushing forward, she throws her arms around him and they hug.

"Don't forget to write and take lots of pictures," Dudley mumbles into her hair.

"I promise." Pulling away from the two lock pinkies.

She grabs her trolley and pushes through the wall, gasping as she passes right through. Looking around in awe, she sees so many children just like her, wondering if Harry is anywhere around she begins walking. As she makes her way closer to the train, she feels her ribbon fly out of her hair and watches as it drifts, floating away in the wind.

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Draco floos onto platform 9 ¾ with his parents. Pushing his trolley towards the train, he listens to his mother drone on about being good and getting good grades whilst his father follows silently. Draco's father begins telling Draco how to do better during quidditch when Draco stops, suddenly seeing something moving out of the corner of his eye. A piece of blue fabric, nay, a ribbon, floating through the air. His eyes follow it as though in a trance as it drifts towards him. His parents watch him as he reaches out and catches the ribbon, eyes lifting to meet the most captivating green eyes he had ever seen. Time

seems to stand still as he looks at the angel across the station, her flaming locks billowing behind her, her eyes scanning his face a look of perplexed fascination reflected in her eyes. Her eyes, oh, her eyes, Draco has never seen anything as beautiful as the kaleidoscope of her green eyes.

His feet move as though against his will as he walks across the station towards her. His parents follow behind, confused at his sudden distraction. The closer the two become, the more they notice one another. Draco notices a spattering of tiny little freckles across her nose and cheeks, not enough to be noticeable but there if you look. Lily-Kathryn notices the tiniest scar on his upper lip, probably from a fall or something similar. His eyes follow her as he approaches, too afraid to look away, at the risk of her disappearing forever.

Stopping in front of her Draco is stunned into silence, his voice ceasing to work, as he stares in awe at her beauty. He simply holds out his hand with the ribbon placed inside.

"I think this is yours."