The More Than Wonderful News
"Mum! Dad! It came! Just now! It's here! It's here!" James Potter yelled holding up and envelope.
"Calm down, James," his mother said. "What's here?"
"My Hogwarts letter. I'm in! When can we go get my stuff? I've got to get my owl in soon," James said. He was pacing around the kitchen of his house.
"Hold on there, son!" his father said beaming at him. "Just wait a second. I'll send your owl to Hogwarts fist thing. You and your mother can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your school things."
"Yes!" James said running out of the kitchen. His mother and father didn't say anything. They just smiled after him.
* * *
That same day Lily Clark was greeted by an owl that had an envelope for her. She grabbed it eagerly and looked inside. She read the letter quickly.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwamp, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Clark,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been excepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory bye Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguring by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPTMENT
1 wand
1cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Lily ran downstairs immediately to tell her parents of the good news.
"Mother! Father!" she yelled.
"What is it, Lily?" asked her mother. She stood up when Lily came in with the envelope.
"I've been excepted for a school for witches and wizards!" she squealed. Her mother looked like she was going to faint and her sister, Petunia, just gaped at her. Her father was just as shocked but beamed at her.
"Let me see the letter," he said quickly. "Our Lily is going to be a witch!" he cried with joy and hugged her. "I've never heard of such a thing. Well you and your mother will have to get your things tomorrow morning."
"Humph," Petunia said and stormed off. Lily was too excited to care, though.
* * *
The next day James was so excited that he got up really early and was ready by 7:00. He went downstairs to find his mother making some coffee with her wand.
"When can we leave?" he asked eagerly when she looked up at him.
"Well you'll have to give me a chance to get ready, but we can leave soon."
"Thanks, Mum," he said hugging her quickly.
By 8:00 his mother was ready. James stood by their fireplace while his mother got some floo powder. James had his Hogwarts letter with him to make sure that he wouldn't forget anything. His mother handed him some floo powder and he threw it in.
"Diagon Alley!" he said and he was rushing off. Next thing he knew he was standing in Diagon Alley followed by his mother.
* * *
Lily too awoke early to go to Diagon Alley with her mother. Her mum was already awake and ready to go. She knew how much this meant to Lily. She had no idea how they were going to get to this Diagon Alley place but she agreed to it anyway. She of course wanted her daughter to be happy.
"I'm ready Mum," Lily said holding her letter.
"Alright then," her mother said. "We're going to the.. Leaky Cauldron you said?" her mother asked. Lily nodded. "I have no idea where that is."
"Well it's in London but I think but I'm not really sure how to get to Diagon Alley itself but we can ask someone when we get there," continued Lily. Her mother nodded and they left in the car.
* * *
Meanwhile, James and his mother had already bought his books, cauldron, telescope, scales, phials, and all they had to get now was his robes and wand. They went into a shop called Ollivanders and a man (who James assumed was Mr. Ollivander) came and greeted them. "Katherin? Katherin Skenshaw? I haven't seen you since you were in here yourself getting a wand! 9 inches, beechwood, flexible, one dragon heartstring?" he asked James's mother.
"Of course, Mr. Ollivander. You never forget! I'm here because my son James here needs to get a wand," she said nodding down to James.
"Excellent!" he said. "Follow me, please." They followed him to the back and he told James to stand up on the chair. "Try this one first. 13 and a half inches, flexible, 2 unicorn hair," he said handing James the wand. James wove it around but nothing happened. Mr. Ollivander snatched it up again and handed him a different wand. "11 inches, mahogany, pliable, one unicorn hair. Wonderful for transfiguration." James wove this one around and some sparks came out. He was very pleased. "Very nice!" Mr. Ollivander said beaming at him. "You were a very easy customer," he said leading them back up front. Mrs. Potter paid him and they set off for Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions with James's new wand.
* * *
Lily and her mother had found the Leaky Cauldron and were now asking the man behind the counter how to get into Diagon Alley. "Well allow me. You need a wand to get in. Remember this. Tap the third brick up second one across three times and it will open up into Diagon Alley's archway," he said leading them out back. He did just as he had said and Lily and her mother stepped back in shock as a large archway appeared.
"Good luck in Hogwarts," the man said before going back inside.
"Thank you," Lily murmured. They entered and set off for a place that was labeled the
bank. While they were there they changed some of Mrs. Clark's Muggle money into wizard money and set up a vault for Lily. Then they went to buy everything. They went to the bookstore Flourish and Blotts first. There were some other people there, too. Some looked about Lily's age all the was up to about 16 or 17. She bought all of the books she needed and decided to go and get her robes next. When they walked in she saw two boys that looked her age getting measured, too.
* * *
As James was being measured for his new robes a beautiful girl with red hair and dazzling green eyes walked in with her mother. Her mother said something to Madam Malkins, and the girl stepped up onto a footstool next to him.
"Hi," she said in a sweet voice, "I'm Lily Clark," she replied to James and the boy next to him.
"I'm James Potter," he said trying to stay calm. All of a sudden he was very fidgety.
"I'm Severus Snape," said the boy next to James.
"Here you are," said the lady handing Severus his robes. He paid for them and turned back to Lily and James before he left.
"We'll see each other at the train, then," he said mostly to Lily but they both nodded and said goodbye.
"So," James said his voice shaking slightly, "what house d'you want to be in? I guess I want Gryffindor or Ravenclaw."
"I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean," she said and James turned to look at her.
"I'm the only witch in my family."
"Oh so your mum and dad are Muggles?" James said without thinking. Then when Lily gave him a strange look he explained. "A Muggle is someone without magical powers."
"Yes. My sister is a...Muggle, too. She's furious I'm a witch. I think she's a little jealous," she said flashing him a great smile. He smiled back. Just then Madam Malkins handed him his new robes.
"There you are," she said to him and he got down off his footstool.
"So maybe we could talk again on the train?" he said and she nodded and waved goodbye. James had never felt this way before. He liked that girl Lily so much.
* * *
Lily stared after James after he left. I like him Lily thought. Maybe we'll be friends. She got her robes, cloak, and hat and went off to try and find her mother. She found her marveling at some of the Quidditch supplies.
"Broomsticks?" she whispered as Lily approached her. "A sport played of broomsticks?" she said a little more loudly.
"Yes, Mum. Now can we go get my wand please?" she asked pulling her mother toward the shop called Ollivanders.
* * *
As Severus Snape left the robe shop he couldn't help thinking how much he disliked that James Potter. He would definitely be one of those Gryffindor showoffs. But Lily Clark was the prettiest and nicest girl he had met in his life. He wanted her to like him as much as he liked her. He was going to make her like him if it was the last thing he ever did.
* * *
Lily continued through the shops until she had everything she needed for Hogwarts. She a had new wand that was 10 ΒΌ inches, swishy, willow, with a dragon heart string. Mr. Ollivander told her that it was wonderful for charm work. She and her mother thanked him then left the store.
* * *
James and his mother returned to the Leaky Cauldron so that the could use their fire. James couldn't wait until term started. He wanted to learn how to do magic, and meet some other people. He also wanted to talk to Lily some more.
"James, come on dear," his mother said dragging him into the green flames. In no time he was rushing home happily.
When he got home he went upstairs and put all of his things into a trunk that was in his room. When he went back downstairs his father said, "So, James. Like the new trunk?" James nodded. "Did you meet any other first years at Diagon Alley?"
James nodded again. "Lily Clark and Severus Snape. Lily's real nice but I don't like Severus much," James said but his father wasn't really listening.
"Snape, Snape. I know that name from somewhere. Oh, yes. Those Snapes are nothin' but trouble. He's a born Slytherin, James. You're gonna want to stay away from him!" his father said seriously.
"Martin! Don't tell him not to make friends!" his mother said shrilly.
"I'm just givin' him some well deserved advice," said his father and James went back upstairs. James already knew that Snape was trouble. He could feel it.