The envelope was crinkling under her shaking hands, but she couldn't care less. The boy at the park had said she would get one, but even she knew children weren't always trustworthy.
Yet there it was.
Her hands shook terribly from excitement. She was about to open, to rip open the red seal and unfurl the paper within, when an awful thought struck her. What if the boy had sent her the letter? What if it was all a hoax? If this was joke, there was no way she was going to open it.
She set the envelope on the table, and crossed her arms firmly. She would most definitely not open it.
But what if it was real? What if the boy hadn't been lying?
She uncrossed her arms and started inching her fingers toward the letter, looking around skeptically, like she was waiting for someone to jump out and yell gotcha! She reached the paper and took it gingerly between two fingers. She flipped it over, weighed it in her hand, and stared at it for a good minute. Eventually, she decided it probably wasn't dangerous or anything, so she slipped her thumb underneath the top flap. She pulled upward and ripped it open. Yes, there was definitely something in there. She pulled the torn paper free of the strange seal, scattering dry wax everywhere. She overturned the now open envelope, and shook it for a few seconds. A beige-coloured, completely normal looking piece of paper folded into tiers fell onto the tabletop. She cautiously extended her index finger and poked the letter. It felt grainy and a little heavy, but not unlike normal paper. She picked it up, finally unfolded it, and started to read.
By the time she got to the bottom of the letter, her head was spinning. She was fairly certain it was real now, but it still seemed so fantastic. Platform 9 ¾? Owl, cat or toad?
But still, she believed it.
"Mum! Come see this!" she called up the staircase.
She looked up to the name, just to make sure. And sure enough, there it was.
Dear Lily Evans.