It was a mid-July morning, when the young girl sat in the corner of the shop, very much hidden to the eyes of strangers. She may have been alone, but her book kept her company. This girl, even with her so called pure-blood ascendance, found nothing more frustrating right now that the fact that Elizabeth had said no at Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal, and was all but turning the page as she read the last paragraph. Muggle literature fascinated her.

So immerse in her book she was, that the girl didn't noticed the commotion going on at the front of the shop, nor did she hear her mom saying the lines of:

"Peter, go get Nina, please."

And so Peter did, knowing exactly where his best friend, Nina Blotts, was located. He slipped into the aisle, making a mental note to clean this one a bit, and sat down quietly next to her. Immediately, he noticed the concentrated and curious look on his friend's face.

"What exactly did Miss Elizabeth Bennet do now, that had gotten you so into the book?" He asked.

Nina held up a finger and took one more second to finish the passage she was reading, but she did wonder when he had gotten here. Nina set the book down and said a cheerful hello to Peter, and then lounged to explain how and why Elizabeth had said no.

She smiled when she was done. As always, Peter understood everything she said, even without reading the book. It was their game when they were little that they could read each other's minds, and she still believed it sometimes.

"When did you get here?" She asked him.

"About five minutes ago."

Peter Davies, she knew, had been sent to her for a reason, because they never interrupted each other's reading like that. It was just how they'd been brought up. Just before she could ask, both their mothers called on them.

"Coming, mom!" They said simultaneously.

They moved through the aisles of the store with swiftness no one else but their parents and the store clerk could. Rows and rows of books had filled their childhood, and they know it would fill the rest of their lives too.

"Something wrong?" Nina asked her mother after saying good morning to the Davies.

To her side, Peter saw the same thing she did: a flash of two envelopes with green writing floating around, and she let out an involuntary squeal, snatching hers from the air.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

Dear Ms. Blotts,

We are please to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no longer than July 31.

Hoping to see you soon,

Neville Longbottom,

Deputy Headmaster

Peter and I smiled at each other and I looked in the envelope for the second piece of parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for daywear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions

by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Can we go buy the wands?" I asked looking up at my mother.

"When we close up for lunch break?" Peter contributed, knowing our parents as well as I did.

"Oh, so now it's 'we' isn't it?" Mr. Davies said. "Remember it's sale day, we'll go get everything tomorrow."

"Fine." We sighed, and left the store sulking, only to brighten up in the street.

"We got in!" I told him.

"I told you we would."

"Sure, Mister Right. What do we do now?"

"What about Fortescue's? To celebrate."

So we walked down Diagon Alley and into the parlor.

"Two Chocolate Frog flavored cones to Flourish and Blotts, please." Peter told the lady behind the counter.

"Card?" She asked him.

Peter looked in his pockets. "Bloody hell." He whispered. "Nina, do you have your card?"

Nina smiled and shook her head at him, as if saying Dear Merlin, but passed him a card with her picture that read.

Flourish and Blotts

Diagon Alley Card

Holder: Nina Blotts

Daughter of William Blotts, Co-Owner

They got their ice cream and sat down.

"I had it this morning, I'm sure of it." Peter continued saying, and looking over his pockets again.

"You should go and look for it, maybe it fell in the street." Nina suggested. "I'll be fine for a couple of minutes."

Reluctantly, he agreed, and not a second after he had left, the bell chimed again.

How fast, Nina thought, but looked up to find a complete family coming inside the parlor, and her eyes went wide.

The two boys, one about her age and one a little older, where bickering.

"I won't be in Slytherin!" The youngest screamed.

"Sure you won't, Al." The other said.

The boy called Al gave signals of wanting to answer his brother, but their mother told them to be quiet.

The other sibling – a little girl, maybe a couple of years younger than her – was in his father's shoulders; and it was the father that amazed her.

It was Harry Potter.

Of course, he may have awed Nina, but she knew better than to bother. Just imagine what it must be like, not being able to enjoy eating an ice cream with your family because people were on your tail – not that there was anyone else in the parlor – so she decided to continue to eat her ice cream and wait for Peter to return.

Her plans failed immediately, as the younger boy came to sit in front of her.

"Hi." He said, his green eyes' the same as his father's. "What are you doing alone?"

She shrugged. "Waiting for my friend, we think he lost something in the street."

"Really? What's his name?" The boy asked, and Nina raised an eyebrow.

"What's your name?" She returned.

"Clever." He pointed out, and extended his hand. "Albus Potter."

"Nina Blotts." She said, taking his hand over the table.

"Blotts?" He said. "Like from the bookstore?"

"The very same." She said. "Am I supposed to say something among the lines of 'Potter, as in the Chosen one' now?"

Albus laughed, "No thanks. I just wanted to know if by any chance your friend's name is Peter?"

Nina's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

Albus looked in his pocket and drew out Peter's card. "I found it on the floor outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. My brother needed new Keeper Gloves."

"Thank you."

Just then, Peter walked through the door, defeat reflected on his face… That is, until Nina showed him his card.

"Nina!" He exclaimed. "You know I don't appreciate practical jokes."

"What joke?" She defended herself. "Albus here found it next door."

"Oh, thanks then." Peter said to Albus, finally noticing him there.

"No problem."

Peter extended his hand to the other boy, "Peter Davies."

"Albus Potter."

That was when Peter noticed. He turned around and saw the rest of the family. He then mouthed at Nina "That's Harry Potter."

The other two kids laughed at him and nodded, but when Mr. Potter himself walked up to the table, Nina was instantly shut up and Albus almost fell on the floor with laughter.

"The usual, Al?" He asked his son.

"Yeah, Dad. Thanks. Oh, these are Peter Davies and Nina Blotts." Albus answered him.

Peter eyes grew a little wide while he shook Harry's hand.

"A pleasure, Mr. Potter." He said.

Nina, a little numb and completely willing to smack Albus for this presentation, repeated what Peter had said.

"Same here. Are you starting Hogwarts this year?"

"Yes, sir." Nina answered for both of them.

"Really?" Albus asked. "Me too."

"Nice." Peter commented.

"Pretty girl, Al. If you don't mind, may I ask what's her name?" Said a new voice, putting his arm around Nina's shoulders, who blushed just a little.

"It's Nina," she said, "and I would appreciate not having a stranger's arm around me. "

Both Albus and his brother looked astonished for a moment, before Albus rolled with laughter again.

"You must be the first girl to ever say no to him."

"Really? Then maybe refuses are what he needs." She tilted her head a little sideways, examining him.

"James Potter." Albus' brother said, still a little numb, but nonetheless kissing Nina's hand instead of shaking it.

"Merlin, James. Leave the poor girl alone." His mother called from the counter. "And come, uncle George and uncle Ron must be waiting for us already."

James followed after his parents with a nod of the head.

"He'll be thinking about you for a while now." Said Albus.

"Poor Nina." Peter smirked, and the girl rolled her eyes.

"I guess we'll see each other around." She said to Albus.

The boy nodded. "Nice meeting you both."

After he had left the parlor for good, both Peter and Nina sat down again.

"Quite the ice cream break." Peter commented, and both of them laughed while finishing their magically preserved ice creams.