A small girl of perhaps seven or eight years play outside with her pet dog in the early evening hours. The Chocolate Lab was at her heels as she ran around the yard, long red hair waving wildly behind her. She collapsed tiredly in the shade of a big oak tree and the lab fell beside her, putting its head in her lap expectantly. She scratched his ears obligingly and the satisfied dog wagged his tail in response. The young girl would have been content to lay in the shade of the oak until night but a woman's voice issued from the house, calling her to come inside.

"Lily! Time for supper!" the girl's mother called from the open doorway. Lily gave the dog's ears a final scratch and walked to the house. In the kitchen, her father and older sister, Petunia were sitting at the table.

"There you are Lily. Were you outside playing all day?" he asked, smiling. His eyes shown with the same bright green color as hers.

"I was playing with Tyros and we were exploring," she said, launching into a long story about her day. It was an ordinary dinner at the Evans' house. They all talked and joked during supper. It wasn't until nearly everyone was finished that something not-so-ordinary happened. Lily was poking at the gross looking carrots on her plate, with a look of dislike.

"Eat your carrots," her father said sternly. She stabbed one with her fork and grimaced. I wish it were chocolate, she thought as she lifted the fork to her mouth. She closed her eyes and bit into it, expecting the horrible taste of a carrot but receiving a sweet flavor in her mouth. She opened her eyes to see that the carrots on her plate had been replaced with chunks of chocolate.

"D-did you see that, Thomas?" her mother stuttered, "I saw them. They j-just changed. It was- It was like magic."

"I saw, Catherine," Thomas said as Lily continued to eat the treat on her plate, "How did you do that, Lily?"

"I thought how nice it would be if this was chocolate and not carrots. And it just turned into chocolate, I guess," she said.

"This is really weird," her mother said, still amazed at what she saw.

That was the first time something weird had happened with Lily. Since that time, she had turned her cat blue, made a frog fly, and, a few times, her homework do itself. Four years had passed since this first incident and with the time passed came some changes. Her sister, who she had once gotten along with so well, would no longer talk to her without the words 'freak' or 'weirdo' in her sentence. This started along with the weird things. Petunia apparently thought of Lily as some abnormal thing anymore. Whereas they once used to play happily together outside, now they couldn't be in the same room for very long before a fight would break out between the two.

Lily sat her on her bed, listening to some new band on the radio, when she heard a tapping noise at her window. She looked up curiously to see a large bird silhouetted in the evening sky. She was amazed at the sight before her. The bird tapped with its beak again, wanting to be let in. Lily, reluctantly opened the window and large gray owl flew in and perched itself on her bed post, leg extended. Her first instinct was to yell for her mother or father, but she caught sight of a few words on the envelope in its outstretched leg. Her name was on that envelope.

Cautiously, Lily took the envelope from the owl and the bird took flight out her open window. She looked at the front and read the emerald green address:

Ms. L Evans

Third Bedroom On The Left

32 Chestnut Street

Ashford

Kent

The thick yellowish envelope was rather heavy. On the other side was a wax seal with a coat of arms stamped into it bearing a snake, lion, eagle, and badger, all surrounding the letter H. Curiosity coursing through her, she quickly opened the envelope and pulled out the letters. She unfolded the first and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Evans,

We are pleased 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 and a letter explaining everything more in depth. Term begins September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Lily dropped the letter on the floor in shock. A witch? She was a witch? She shook her head. That couldn't be right. It was probably a big joke. Someone was playing a joke. But it made since, with all the weird things she could do. She thought maybe Petunia had put together this as a joke for a second, before realizing her sister had no sense of humor. She picked up the second letter and read it.

Dear Ms. Evans,

From the first letter, I am sure you've gathered that you are a witch. Hogwarts is one of many schools for young witches and wizards to perfect their magical abilities. On September 1, you are to come to King's Cross Station. The train leaves from Platform nine and three-quarters. You are to walk through the barrier between Platforms nine and ten to get to the Hogwarts Express.

To purchase your things, you will go to Diagon Alley. It is located in London. You will go to Rosen street. Between Glut and Esotery Books and Singh's Music Store is pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Be very careful to notice it. Inside, the innkeeper will help you to get into Diagon Alley.

Once in Diagon Alley, you are to go to Gringotts, the wizarding bank. You can exchange muggle (non-magic) money into wizarding money. Then you can go to the shops along the street to purchase thing. The shopkeepers will be kind enough to help you.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Lily picked the first letter from the ground and reread them. This had to be joke. There was no way she was a witch. She couldn't be. But the voice in the back of her head spoke head. What about all those things you've done? Like turning the cat blue and your room cleaning itself.

Lily took the envelope and letters in her fist and ran down the hall and stairs, into the living room, where her father and mother were watching the news. She couldn't help but feel excited, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Mum! Dad! Look at this!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Lils, Calm down," Thomas Evans said, taking the letter she was brandishing at him.

"What is it, dear?" Catherine asked her.

"I'm a witch! All that stuff I can do, it's magic!" she said.

"Now, Lily, please calm down. We don't know what it is that causes that stuff to happen," Catherine said softly.

"Really, mom. Look at the letter. An owl brought it," she said. Catherine looked over Thomas's shoulder and read the letter with him. They said nothing when they finished. Thomas flipped through the papers again before he spoke.

"I don't really know what to think of this," he said.

"It's probably a joke from someone who saw one of Lily's incidents," Catherine said. Lily tried not to let herself get upset. She was stupid, really, for thinking she could be a witch. She was just as Petunia said, a freak.

"I don't know. This is so detailed. I mean an owl to deliver the letters and they know where her room is. Look at the address. And the instructions are so detailed," Thomas said, causing her spirits to lift again. He must have saw the excitement rise again in her eyes, because he added, "Please, Lily. Don't get your hopes up. I'm not sure at all. I'm only saying that it would make sense if you are. And, well, I suppose we could find out if it is true just by going into London and seeing if that pub is there."

Lily ran over and hugged him, thanking him profusely.

"What's going on?" Petunia had just entered the living room.

"Well, Lily may be magical," Catherine said bluntly.

"Magical? Lily? You're kidding, right?" she laughed.

"Take a look," Thomas handed her the letters and she read through them, nonplussed.

"What a lame joke for someone to play. Don't tell me you all believe this stuff? She probably made it up herself to get some attention or something," Petunia scoffed. Lily glared angrily at Petunia.

"I did not make this up for attention," she spat.

"Whatever freak," Petunia said.

"Go on and say that again," Lily threatened, taking a step towards Petunia. Petunia was only two years older and Lily could definitely take her.

"Fre-" Petunia began. Lily pulled a fist back, ready to fight.

"Lily. Petunia," Thomas didn't raise his voice at all. His speaking to them was enough to make the two girls grudgingly separate from each other. Lily sat on the couch beside her mother. Petunia handed her father the letters back and sat as far away from Lily as possible.

"Lily, tell me honestly," Thomas began, holding her gaze with his, "Did you make all of this up?"

Lily's heart sank. She couldn't believe he'd think she made something like this up. How dare he take Petunia's snide words seriously. She jumped to her feet and the letters zoomed from her father's hands through the air to her own.

"I can't believe you!" she snapped before storming out of the room. She slammed the door to her room, angrily. Only a few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her door. Her mother opened the door and came in.

"Lily, there was no need to snap at your father like that. He was only making sure," she reproached slightly.

"He shouldn't have believed a word of what Petunia said. He should know how she is," Lily said.

"Petunia is just having a hard time with things," Catherine said.

"It's no excuse to be so horrible," Lily said.

"I suppose it isn't," Catherine sighed, "Now about this letter. You're father will take you in to London tomorrow. Then we'll see what all of this is about."

"Thank you," Lily said, hugging her mother.

"Please don't get your hopes up, though," Catherine asked of her. Lily nodded.