Hello a new person here! I've been a fan of the Harry Potter series for ages and, after seeing Fantastic Beasts, I had the idea for a fanfic to cover both eras of the Wizarding World. Yes the Fantastic Beasts characters do feature in this story but I'm not going to say how yet. Let me know what you think.

Lots of love,

LucyMaxine xxxx

Secrets, Lies and Discoveries-Part 1:

Lydia heard the Hogwarts Express whistle loudly as it departed Platform 9¾. She was sitting in a compartment at the front of the train with her father, who was repeating the same advice – or rather the same lecture – he had given her since Lydia received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had rather dampened her excitement of the experience and all she wanted him to do was to stop so she could begin to enjoy the thought of going to the famous school.

"Now Lydia I want you to behave yourself. Stay away from the Whomping Willow until…well you know."

"Dad when have I ever let you down?" Her father raised an eyebrow.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Lydia sank her chin into her chest slightly. Of course she didn't, it was only going to lead to another lecture.

"And don't think I'm going to go easy on you in class."

"Dad, of course I don't think that." You don't go easy on me any other time, she thought. "Once everyone learns who I am, I will be keeping my head down and barely saying a thing."

"Yes and I don't believe for a second."

"So are we done now?"

"Lydia, this is important."

"I know, and you've been over it a thousand times."

"Well then, if you're not going to listen to me anymore, then it is time you started making some friends.

"I'd rather stay here," Lydia said looking up at her father, "I've got plenty of time to get to know people. Wouldn't you rather I got a head start reading my textbooks?"

"I've been telling you to do that for the last month, and you haven't touched a book. What makes you think I believe you're going to start now? It's time you stopped hiding and made some friends." When Lydia didn't move, her father pulled her up from her seat and gave her a gentle shove towards the door. "Now."

Lydia sighed, knowing she was going to have to so she picked up her bag and kissed her father's cheek before leaving. Looking longingly back at the compartment, Lydia felt a thud as she bumped into someone in front of her.

"Look where you're going," snapped a blonde-headed boy with pale skin and a foul look on his face. "You ought to show a Malfoy more respect." Lydia's eyes widened as she realised she'd made a massive mistake,

"I'm sorry, I…Malfoy? You're Draco Malfoy aren't you? I saw your mum on the platform. She's very pretty."

"You know my mother?" He looked suspicious, and Lydia immediately knew she'd said the wrong thing. She didn't want to give anything away about her family connections just yet.

"Only by reputation,' she said quickly. "She's a member of a very old and noble pureblood family."

"That's right," Draco snarled cockily, "which means I am too. Which means you should be more respectful in the future."

"I already said sorry and I just paid your mother a compliment."

"Well, I'll let it go this time," Draco replied. 'But be careful."

"I will." Lydia watched as the boy swayed down the corridor, carrying himself proudly.

Lydia continued the other way, occasionally peering into compartment windows to see if there were any first years inside, but they all looked much older so far. But just then, she heard a loud bang come from behind one of the doors. She slid it open and saw five students engrossed in a game of Exploding Snap. They all stopped what they were doing and looked up at her. Lydia stood in the doorway awkwardly.

"Hi," One of them broke the silence. The boy with flaming red hair looked about thirteen and was sitting next to his identical counterpart.

"Hi," she blushed, and then looked at the other three students, who looked much younger. "Are you first years?" They all nodded. "Can I join you?"

"Of course," one of the older boys stood up. "We're Fred and George Weasley," he said, indicating to his look twin. "And this," he pointed to the lanky first year, "unfortunately is our brother Ron."

"Hey!" Ron protested.

"Curtsey to the lady, Ronald."

"I will not!" Ron's ears went as scarlet as his hair with a mixture of embarrassment and rage.

"I'm Hermione Granger," the only other girl amongst them declared. "And this is…" She looked at the dark haired boy with glasses, but her voice trailed off.

"Harry." the boy finished, "Harry Potter." Lydia's eyes widened. Taking a closer look, she could now see the boy's scar; the scar given to him by He Who Must Not Be Named. It was The Boy Who Lived.

Realising that she'd been staring for a little longer than was polite, she finally said,

"I'm Lydia," she said, purposefully leaving out her last name. She did not want to reveal anything about herself so soon.

"Take a seat," George offered, as everyone budged up to make room. She wedged herself between Hermione and the twins, wondering whether if the six of them would all become friends. Only time would tell.