Petunia Evans woke bright and early on March 13, 1969. It was her eleventh birthday, and she didn't want to miss a minute of it.

She ran out of her room, wanting to go straight downstairs and jump straight into celebrating but was stopped by a short red-head. "Tuney!" her sister, Lily, screamed. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, Lily!" Petunia said, trying to pry herself free from Lily's arms.

"Girls!" Mrs. Evans called from downstairs. "Breakfast!" They went downstairs and into the spotless kitchen, where their mother kissed them both and wished Petunia a happy birthday.

Mrs. Evans was a short, thin woman with strawberry-blonde hair and kind blue eyes. Around her eyes were crows feet, which her husband said looked charming because they showed how much she smiled. Mr. Evans was average height and had brown hair, green eyes, and a brown mustache. Mrs. Evans would always say that he complimented her laugh lines to make his seem less significant.

Both of their daughters had inherited Mrs. Evans's short, thin stature, almond eye shape, and fair skin, but other than that, they looked very different. Petunia had blonde hair and a long neck. She had a thin nose, a thin mouth, and sky blue eyes. Lily, on the other hand, had a rounder nose, fuller lips, emerald green eyes, and flaming red hair. Their difference in appearance echoed their difference in personality, with Petunia being more cautious and more self-conscious and Lily being more of a bookworm free-spirit. Despite their differences in personality, they got along amazingly. Petunia was Lily's best friend, and Lily, hers.

That morning, Mrs. Evans had made Petunia's favorite, omelets. The family was discussing their plans to go to the aquarium that day when they heard the clatter of the mail slot. "I've got it!" excitable little Lily exclaimed. As Lily ran down the hall and toward the mail slot, Petunia rolled her eyes. She loved her sister, but Lily could be a bit over-the-top.

Lily skipped back in with the mail. "Bill, bill, bill," she said, flipping through the mail. "Petunia," she handed the card to her sister. "Post card, catalogue, Petunia, Petunia." Lily handed the last two things to Petunia and the rest of the mail to her parents. "What did you get in the mail, Tuney?"

"Be patient, Lily," their father said. "Let Petunia have a chance to open it first.

"It's a card from Gran!" Petunia said. She had been extremely disappointed when she found out her grandmother couldn't make it for Petunia's birthday. Gran had sent a brightly-colored card, though, wishing her the best of birthdays and including a fifty pound note.

"Ooh, Tuney, what are you going to buy?" Lily asked peering over her older sister's shoulder.

"I don't know," Petunia said, moving on to the next thing. It was a letter from Sarah, her best friend from primary school. Sarah had gone off to a London boarding school that year while Petunia stayed at a local school, but they still kept in touch through letters. Sarah told Petunia about how terrible her teachers were, wished Petunia a happy birthday, and put in a ten pound note.

Picking up the last letter, she noticed that it was written on what she guessed was parchment. It had green ink and no stamp or return address. The outside of the letter said, "Petunia Evans, Second Largest Bedroom, 4, Spring Drive, Spinner's End, Surrey." Turning it over, she saw an unfamiliar crest.

"What's that, honey?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"I don't know," Petunia answered her mother. She opened the letter and read aloud:

"HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

"Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
"(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

"Dear Miss Evans,
"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. A representative of the school will arrive shortly to discuss the school. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

"Yours sincerely,
"Minerva McGonagall
"Deputy Headmistress"

Petunia didn't bother going the second page. She just soaked up what the first said as the rest of her family sat in awed silence.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

A/N: This is my first serious attempt at a multi-chapter fic. I'm a bit rough on updates, but I'm going to try.