Written for "The HPFC Easter Egg Hunt 2018". Dialogue prompt: "Don't freak out. I just need you to come with me for a second."

Word count: 603.

The lane between the only school in Cokeworth and a run-down fabric store was narrow and dirty. Apparently no one felt need to wander here, and that made it a perfect place to apparate. Nobody noticed when a feminine figure appeared there out of thin air. She gave herself a minute to recover from the unpleasant travel (despite having the apparition licence for more than twenty years, she still hated this method of transport) and looked around, grimacing. Then she pulled an envelope out of her coat's pocket to check the address once again.

Miss L. Evans

The Ground Floor Bedroom

9, South Street

Cokeworth

West Midlands

"Number nine, South Street, right," she muttered. South Street was supposed to be rather close to her landing point. And it was. Having found a sign with the street name on it she smiled for a moment. Soon she was in front of the correct house.

It looked pretty much like any other nearby house – simple, two-storey building with brick walls. With nothing more to contemplate, she knocked on the door and knocked. It was answered almost instantly by a young, redhead girl.

"Good afternoon. Who are you, ma'am?" asked the girl curiously.

"Good afternoon. I am professor Celeste Pembroke and I'm looking for miss Lily Evans," answered the woman, adjusting her hat slightly.

"It's me," she stated.

"That's perfect, miss Evans. I am here to offer you a place at a very special school," informed Celeste. "But I need at least one of your parents to accompany us in this conversation. Are they home?"

"Mum's here. Please come in and I'll go get her."

Letting the woman inside, Lily bit her lip.

"This special school… Do you mean Hogwarts, ma'am?" she asked, uncertain.

"How…"

"I know I'm a witch," she whispered. "The living room's this way. I'll be back in a minute!".

Before Celeste had a chance to say anything more, the girl rushed upstairs. Frowning, the which headed in the pointed direction. Lily Evans was listed as a muggleborn. How could she know?

Meanwhile, Lily entered her parents' bedroom. Mother glared at her disapprovingly over the needlework she was working on. She tried to teach her daughters manners, knocking included.

"Lily…"

"Don't freak out. I just need you to come with me for a second."

"Lily!"

"Please, mum. Just do it."

Hesitantly, Mrs Evans put her work aside and stood up. Without waiting, Lily almost run in the stairs direction. Shaking her head, Isabelle followed her daughter.

"Mum, this is professor Celeste Pembroke," introduced the girl instantly after her mother entered the living room. "She has something she needs to talk about with us."

"Professor? Lily…"

"Good afternoon. Mrs Evans, right?" interrupted the woman. She just wanted to get the things done. "Please sit down for a moment and I will explain everything."

"Isabelle Evans, yes. It's nice to meet you ma'am, but I don't understand…"

"Just listen, mum. Please?"

"All right," muttered Isabelle, sitting down. "What is it all about?"

"As your daughter mentioned, my name is Celeste Pembroke. Young Lily here… Is a very special young lady and I am here to offer her a place at our school."

"Special?"

"Your daughter is a witch, ma'am," calmly stated Celeste.

"You must be joking," said Mrs Evans. Then she looked at the others woman serious face, and at equally serious face of her own daughter. "You are not joking," she sighed. "All these weird things happening around Lily…"

"I am not joking," she confirmed. "Your daughter is a witch. And Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a great chance for her…