Hey all! This is the first story I decided to post here. I've been writing for a while now, and decided that it was time to show the world some of my fiction! It begins in 1989, when my OC Bethany, her best friend Angelina, and of course the Weasley twins are just starting their first year at Hogwarts. This is a story about a friendship that develops into a budding romance with many twists and turns along the way. I hope you all enjoy it! I will remain as true to the books as possible.

~I own my plot line and OC, everything else belongs to the wonderful JK Rowling.~

Bethany Thorne, age eleven, didn't think much of the fact that she could make flowers blossom in her palm, or that she was able to open her curtains simply by looking at them. Mostly because of the fact that her best and only friend, Angelina Johnson, possessed the same strange abilities she did. Nearly all of her afternoons were spent with her best friend frolicking about the local playground, or skipping rocks in the nearby lake. Spending so much time with one person that was so similar gave her hope to believe she wasn't quite as odd as her peers, and herself, thought she was.

"You're a freak Bethany Thorne! I hope you and Angelina never come back here!" A boy named Porter shouted at Angelina and I.

Tears welled up in my honey colored eyes. I hated being called a freak, and above all, I hated that everyone else wasn't a freak. That's what I loved so much about Angelina. We got each other more than anybody could understand.

I looked at my best friend who had a look of determination on her face, the face I knew came before she made something mysterious happen.

"Don't, Ang. Can we please just go?" I begged. It was the end of the day on last day of school before summer break. The last thing I wanted was to be around these kids anymore. And anything Angelina was about to do could really get us in trouble.

"Yeah." Angelina replied, reluctantly pulling her eyes away from Porter, who now looked more intimidated than mean.

We turned our backs on everyone and started to walk home.

"You're not a freak, Beth." Angelina said to me; trying to make me feel better, "They're just not as special as you and me."

"I guess so." I replied.

We walked in silence for a few moments. I began twirling one of my long, blonde curls absentmindedly before asking, "Is your mum like us, too? I've seen her do things that we can't do, things that are almost magical."

"She says that everybody is special, but you and me have her special talent. She says that soon enough we won't have to deal with the mean kids at school anymore." Angelina said, watching her feet as she walked.

"I hope so. I can't take anymore of Porter." I said, pronouncing the P so that I spit when I said it.

"Precisely." She said, doing the same.

I looked at her and giggled, bumping my shoulder into her's. She bumped my shoulder in return and so our bumping war continued until we were laughing so hard it hurt.

When we turned the corner onto our street, we saw both of our parents standing in between our neighboring houses having what looked like a pretty serious conversation.

Angelina gave me a questioning look as we walked up to our parents.

"Hello, girls!" My mum said to us as we joined their little circle, "How did your last day of school go?"

"They called me a freak." I said blankly. "I don't want to go back ever."

My mum gave my dad a look that I couldn't quite comprehend before saying, "Well, we have good news for you. Both of you."

I looked at Angelina excitedly, wondering what the good news could be. Maybe we're going to travel this summer with their family! We used to travel with them all the time, but we haven't gone anywhere exciting recently. What fun it would be to stay in the same room with Angelina for a week straight! Now that we are eleven I'm sure mum will let us stay up until midnight!

Angelina looked at me excitedly and bounced up and down a little bit.

"Tell us, tell us!" I shouted.

"Well..." Ang's dad said to us, winking at my parents, "Are you sure they're ready to hear?"

"We are, dad!" Angelina exclaimed.

"Just please tell us!" I added.

"I suppose they are ready." My dad said, smiling. "Girls, you don't have to go back to that school anymore."

"What?" I gasped in shock.

"Where will we go?" Angelina asked, confused.

My mum handed me a letter as Angelina's parents handed her a letter that looked identical.

I flipped over the letter and read out loud, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

I looked at Angelina with wide eyes, and tore open the letter. Inside were two letters folded around each other. I pulled out the two letters and began to read the first out loud.

"Dear Bethany, 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. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore."

I rapidly pulled out the second piece of paper listing all the items I would need at this strange school.

My head was spinning.

"Oh.. oh my." I sat down in the grass and began re-reading my letter.

Witchcraft and Wizardry... but that could only mean.. am I a witch? Is that what Angelina's parents meant by 'special?' And... and my talents... it's magic. I can do magic. And that must mean Angelina is a witch, too! But my parents can't do magic... Angelina said her mum can but her dad can't. So Angelina's mum must be a witch as well! I began to feel lightheaded when I heard someone saying my name.

"Bethany, dear? Are you okay?" My mum crouched down in the grass beside me and put her hand on my shoulder. "Darling, this is a wonderful thing!"

I looked up at Angelina and saw that she had the same puzzled expression on her face.

"Ang?" I said softly.

"I always had a feeling..." She said, her eyes beginning to gleam in excitement.

"We're witches!" I said, standing up.

"I know! This means we never have to back to that school! We can learn to do more special things at this new school! This is the best news ever!" She said grabbing my shoulders and bouncing up and down.

Her excitement was contagious and soon enough we were both hugging and jumping around like fools.

"Do you girls want to talk about this? It's huge, life-changing news!" My dad said, looking at us.

"I do have a question." I said, looking up at my parents. "How is it that I can be a witch, but you are not?"

"Well darling, your father's sister, Aunt Winnie, is a witch." My mum explained.

"She is?" I asked, astonished.

"She is. When we found out we were having you we knew there was the chance you could be one, too. When you were only one year old, you answered our question. You've always been special, my dear. And this school will be wonderful for both you and Angelina. I am so happy for you." My mom said, tears starting to pool in her eyes. I gave her and my dad a huge hug before turning to Angelina.

"This is the best day of my life!" I said with a huge smile on my face.

"Me too!" She replied.

She linked her arm through mine and we ran into her house and up to her room to talk about everything. If one thing was for sure, I was so glad to have her as my best friend.