"Lily, wake up!"
Lily opened her eyes to find her brother's nose just inches from her own.
"Albus! What're you doing in my room?"
Albus grinned, his intensely green eyes sparkling, and straightened up to show her a letter in a yellowish parchment envelope. It was addressed, in green ink, to Miss Lily Potter, Regulus's Old Bedroom, 12 Grimmauld Place, London.
"Booklists are in," Al said, still grinning, and ran from the room, yelling "Come and get it!"
Lily sat up and put on her slippers, and was running after her brother before she'd even put on her dressing-gown. She cornered him in the drawing-room, against a newly wood-paneled wall that had once held a very old tapestry. Her parents hadn't much liked the thing, it brought up bad memories for her dad, but it had a Permanent Sticking Charm on. Anyway, a reluctant and panting Albus handed over the envelope, and together brother and sister walked downstairs to breakfast.
The oldest brother, James, was already at the long wooden table, as was their father, Harry. Mrs. Potter was busy at the stove, fixing scrambled eggs and sausages. James was already reading his booklist.
"Nothing new this year but Standard Book of Spells, grade Four, Dad," yawned James. "Al?"
Albus opened his own letter and took out the list. "Standard Book of Spells, grade Three, Monster Book of Monsters, Unfogging the Future, Intermediate Transfiguration, and the Hogsmeade form."
Ginny looked up from the eggs.
"Lily, dear, what about you? Haven't you opened yours yet?"
Lily, still panting slightly from the chase, opened her envelope. The letter inside read, in swirling script:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall
(Order of Merlin, Second Class, Animagus, International Confederation of Wizards)
Dear Miss Potter,
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 September 1. Enclosed is your ticket for the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross Station, and we await your owl by no later than August 7th.
Yours sincerely, Neville Longbottom
Deputy Headmaster
By the time she finished reading, Lily was in tears of joy. She sent her reply (I'll be there with my brothers. Mum and Dad send their love. Yours, Lily Potter.) with the family owl, and returned to the breakfast table. James and Albus, as usual, were arguing.
"Betcha you're expelled this year, Al."
"No way! Ten Galleons I'm not!"
"You owe me ten Galleons, then."
"Not yet!"
"James! Albus! I'll put you in a Full-Body-Bind if you don't give it a rest!"
"Yes, mum."
Once breakfast was done and the boys had stopped bickering, mum, dad, and children departed Number 12 for Charing Cross Road with Lily sitting between her brothers in the Jetta's backseat.
They passed through The Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley, and were immediately greeted by their cousin Rose and the twins Hugh and Ginevra, as well as Lily's Uncle Ron and Auntie Hermione.
Rose, as usual, was quite calm. Hugh and Ginevra, however, were quite as excited as Lily.
"Ooh! I can't believe it, Lil! We're finally going!" squealed Evra.
"Finally! I've been dreaming about Hogwarts since I was old enough to dream!" said Hugh, hugging Lily.
"Finally…" Lily repeated. "Finally."