A/N: Hi guys... so I just thought that I would test this new stuff. All characters are mine, except when they are JK's (2nd gen.)

Hope you enjoy! =)

Willow was sitting at her desk in her family's study as normal. It was a sunny Monday afternoon and she had just got home from her last day of 5th grade. The next time she would go there, she would be entering into her 6th and final year of primary school.

'5 weeks of summer vacation!' Willow thought. She had already thought of every day's activities. She had it planned out with her school friends, who call themselves 'The Ace'- this included her long time pal, Renee, Julia, Maggie and of course Ally, who was her cousin.

She laughed to herself as she wrote in her diary, the last day of school and start of summer vacation, which happened to be her 11th birthday. She closed her diary and stood up and went downstairs in order to get a head start on the decorations, cleaning up, and preparations before her mother, father and younger sister Emily got home. All of her family and friends were coming to celebrate her birthday. Willow was so excited!

The doorbell rang about 20 minutes later and Willow cautiously peered through the eyehole in the front door to check who it was.

Ah! The postman Archie.

Willow opened the door. "Hi Archie!" Willow greeted him.

"Hi Willow. Happy Birthday! I have something for you, but it didn't come from me or the post office." He said mysteriously.

Willow was hopeful. Maybe the posties had put a secret birthday present in for her and weren't allowed to tell their main boss. After all, Willow was the Mayor's daughter.

"I found this on the porch?" He held out a yellowish envelope with green writing. I read:

Miss Willow J Reinland

2nd bedroom on the left

12 Cape York Road

Newington

"What?" Willow asked, looking at the envelope questioningly.

"Strangest bit of post I've ever delivered, that's for sure." Archie agreed.

"But that is so precise. Who knows that I live in the 2nd bedroom on the left?"

"I don't know. Sorry, Willa, I got to go, more rounds to make. Say hi to the rest of the family for me. Oh and happy birthday." He handed her a wrapped parcel and with a wink he was gone.

Willow stood at the door of her house for several minutes, clutching her present and the odd envelope.

Once Willow became aware of the breeze on her coming from the door, she promptly closed the door and walked over to her favorite armchair and began to open the envelope. She pulled out a thick piece of paper and unfolded the first letter.

Dear Miss Reinland,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Willow sat in silence for a few minutes. What's going on? An owl? Owls only travel at night. What's Hogwarts?

Willow opened the second letter, which she guessed was the list of necessary book and equipment.

She skimmed the list and frowned. A cauldron? A set of brass scales? A pet owl, toad or cat? A wand? Where was she supposed to purchase items of this description? Certainly not in the local shopping centre.

She turned the envelope over in her hands and read the back, which had the Hogwarts seal imprinted onto it. Out fell something else. A ticket. Willow turned it over and read what it said.

'Hogwarts Express

Kings Cross Station – Platform 9 ¾ '

Since when was there a platform 9 ¾?

Willow heard the door open and close. She heard the hustle and bustle of her mother carrying in the shopping bags and her father playing tag with her sister. She could hear Emily squeal with delight as her father picked her up and tickled her so that she couldn't breathe from all the laughter.

She smiled to herself. She really adored her family.

"Hi Willow. Happy Birthday darling!" Her mother came and gave her a big hug. "Is that from Archie?" She pointed to the still wrapped present sitting next to her.

"Yes. He came round today and dropped it off and he also delivered this." Willow gestured to the envelope that was still in her hand.

Her mother looked down at the envelope and gasped.

"What's wrong Mum? Do you know about this?" Willow asked.

Her mother was still flabbergasted and took a deep breath. "I suppose it was coming sooner or later." She mumbled to no one in particular.

Willow could barely hear her mother. "What Mum? Do you know about this Hogwarts School?"

"Eric, Emily, can you please come into the living room?" Her mother called.

Willow could hear her father put down a still squealing Emily and led her to the living room.

"Hi sweetheart." Her father bent down to kiss his daughter on the forehead. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks Dad." She whispered.

"Happy Birthday Willa." Emily scrambled to sit on her sister's lap.

"Hey, Em, thanks." Willow replied and gently took her 8-year-old sister in her lap.

"Eric, please sit down." Her mother gestured to the couch nearest her father.

"What is it honey? What is that you're holding Laura?" Eric asked.

"This arrived for Willow today along with Archie's present. It's from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Oh wow! Willa, you're a witch?" Her sister asked in admiration.

"Witchcraft? Wizardry? I don't understand." Her father replied.

"Eric. Eric. I'm so sorry." Her mother choked out.

Willow took a look at her mother. She had now found the nearest armchair and sat shaking, sobbing.

Her father had now got out of the chair and went to comfort his wife.

"Darling. What's the matter?" He placed an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"I'm – I'm – I'm a witch." She spat out and sobbed even harder and uncontrollably.

"You're a – a witch?" Her father asked, stunned.

"Yes. A pureblood. I come from a lineage of purebloods. My whole family is magical. Willow and Emily," She looked up at her daughters and into their shocked faces. "You are half-bloods. I'm a pureblood and your father is a muggle, therefore that makes you half-blood."

"Laura, why did you never tell me?" Eric asked, still trying to digest all this information.

"I didn't want you to be ashamed to marry someone magical. I was so upset that you would leave me, so I just kept it hidden. But when Willow came along, I freaked out a little bit. I knew that it would all come out eventually. I thought that maybe they would overlook her at Hogwarts. But no." She let out a chuckle. "McGonagall's too smart for that."

"Honey, I would never leave you. I think it's wonderful. Wow! A magical family. I'm so proud of you Laura and Willow." He looked over at his eldest daughter and smiled.

"So. Mum. Did you go to Hogwarts then?" Willow asked.

"I did. It was the best seven years of my life before meeting your father of course." She squeezed Eric's hand.

"Seven years?! I have to go there for seven years!?" Willow asked.

Her mother laughed. "Willa, I'm sorry to have dumped all these on you now. I should have spoken to all of you before this. No, it's like school. You attend for about 8 months, but you have Christmas holidays, which you can come home, and at the end of the year, you have summer vacation like everyone else in Britain, you come home. The school is closed at that time. Then you go again and repeat for seven years."

"Oh." Willow felt relieved.

"Come Willa. I think I have some things I need to talk to you about." Her mother got up out of the armchair and walked over to Willow. She picked up her youngest daughter and Emily ran outside. Willow felt herself being pulled out of the chair.

"Laura." Her father grabbed her hand and pulled her into an embrace. Willow smiled as she watched on.

"I love you Laura. No matter what." She heard her father whisper.

"I love you too. Thank you Eric. I'm sorry. It's not like I didn't trust you. I was scared." Her mother mumbled back.

"I know. It's okay."

Her father went over to Willow and said 'Take care of her okay."

Willow nodded.

Willow and her mother entered the kitchen and they sat down.

Her mother started. "Your grandparents were of the last purebloods in their day. They bought me, your Aunty Sophie, Uncle Damian, and Aunty Rachel up as some of the very last purebloods. As you know, we became a little estranged, mostly because I had indeed married a Muggle. I hid my magical abilities because of this – I was ashamed, but not of your father or you and Emily, but of my parents own reputation and importance that they placed on purebloods. But don't get me wrong, not as strong as the Malfoys, they were just concerned about the magical world. I went to Hogwarts and loved every minute of it. We, Willa, live in the Muggle side of London. However, there is a whole other world where the wizards and witches reside.

Diagon Alley is where you can purchase your wizarding supplies. We shall make a trip there tomorrow morning. Hogwarts consists of students all around Britain and they learn about the wizard world and learn spells and how to control their magic. Four people founded it. Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw: they now make up the four houses of which new students are sorted into and that becomes they family house for their time at Hogwarts."

"What house were you in Mum?" Willow asked.

"Ah. Willow, I would tell you, but I don't want you to have an expectation of what house you're meant to be in."

"How do you get sorted?" Willow asked again.

"Willow, I'm sure you don't want me to spoil everything for you. But I will tell you that it is very easy and every person is different, it's your personality that counts."

"Okay Mum." Willow nodded.

"Well Willow, do you have any questions?"

"Yes, two actually. Do they take our, Muggle, money in the Wizarding world?"

"No, they have their own system. Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. 17 sickles to a Galleon and 29 Knuts to a sickle."

"Do we have money to buy my Hogwarts supplies?"

"Yes, baby girl, we do. I have saved all my money thinking that I may need it, but hoping not."

"And Mum. Am I going back to my old school?" Willow asked.

Her mother sighed. "I'm afraid not, Willow. Hogwarts is now your new school. I'm sorry."

"That's okay."

They sat in silence for a while, until the doorbell rang, reminding them that it was still Willow's birthday and the guests would be arriving.

"Come on Willow. Let's go and celebrate." Laura pulled her daughter into an embrace and kissed her forehead. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks Mum."

The party was a success, Willow received all sorts of nice jewelry and her lots of books, which she loved getting. Each new book for her was like a whole new world had been opened up, ready to explore.

The last guest had finally left and Willow exhausted slumped into her armchair and heaved a sigh of relief. "They're finally gone."

"Yes, I did think that the Finch's were going to end up staying all night." Her father agreed, as he too slumped into the couch.

"Willa. You still haven't opened Archie's present." Emily said as she handed Willow the small white parcel wrapped with red ribbon.

"Oh. Thanks Em!" Willow took the present from her and began to open the ribbon and finally opened the white wrapping paper to discover a small trinket box.

"Open it Willow." Her mother encouraged.

Willow opened it and gasped at the contents. She lifted the silver necklace out of its box to show her family the present.

"Mum" Willow gushed. "It's a necklace with a pendant of someone reading a book. It has my name and the date of my birthday on the back."

"Wow Willa. That's beautiful." Her father agreed. "The boys deserve a bit of a raise I think. Treating our girl like a princess." Willow smiled.

"Willa. You'd better go to bed soon. We have an early start tomorrow." Her mother called from the kitchen.

"Mum?" Emily's voice coming from the corner near the bookshelf.

"Yes, darling?" Her mother answered.

Her face blushed. "Um. Am I able to go with you and Willa?"

Eric and Laura looked at each with worried expressions and then looking like they were having a silent conservation between themselves, smiled simulatenously.

Willow noticed her mother mouth the words 'Thank you.'

"Come here Em." Her mother beckoned her over.

"We don't want you to be left out. So of course you can come with us. Dad will also be joining us." She looked at Willow. "He wouldn't miss this for the world. We think its important for you girls to be exposed to the world that you soon will be become apart of." Laura smiled at her daughters and then they rounded up for a family hug.

A/N Hoped you liked it! Next Chapter up soon! :P