Hogwarts. You buy your books, pack your bags and excitedly anticipate the adventure that lies before you. In that state, you’re all equal. Every one of you is not-quite-a-Hogwarts-student, nothing more, nothing less, nothing superior, nothing inferior. That is, at least, until you get through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters on your first day.

“If you didn’t want to volunteer, you shouldn’t have raised your hand."
“You know what I mean.”

“There’s a Hogsmeade weekend in a couple of weeks,” he continued, as if he’d had this conversation planned for a while. I nodded. “Want to go with me?”

“What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” I hissed.
“Commandeering your carriage,” James replied promptly as he settled himself down into the window seat opposite me.

“You really are a spineless little mudblood. Fight back!” Dominique yelled furiously.

“Lily, next time something like this happens, you have to tell me. I’ll get your wand back for you, okay? I’ll look after you.”

“I really like her. I can’t just give up on her. She needs help, mate.”

“I just don’t want you to feel obliged to look after me, for whatever reason.”

I spluttered out, “I’m a bit of an idiot, aren’t I?” James raised his eyebrows, not denying it.

“Just because of . . . her blood . . . it doesn’t give you the right to kick her out for daydreaming in class . . . look at Lucius Malfoy!”

The penultimate chapter.

The final chapter.