Hi everybody,
Once again, thanks soo soo soo much for reading this story. You really don't know how much it means to me. Also, as I was reading through the last chapter, I noticed some grammar errors. Really sorry about that! Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't worry, James will be in the next chapter!
Thanks,
mm
Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and never will own Harry Potter.
I don't think Mum and Dad really believed me about being a witch—though they knew I could do things—until the man came to the door a few years later. He was dressed strangely, Petunia later told me. And she was right. He was wearing a dark cloak with a shield woven onto it. In the center of the shield was a big "H" and around that were four animals: a lion, snake, a badger, and an eagle.
The first words out of my mouth were, "You're from Hogwarts, aren't you?"
Mum and Dad looked at me in astonishment but the man just replied calmly, "Why, yes, Miss Evans, I am from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Mum and Dad gasped.
Petunia called from her bedroom, "Who's at the door, Mum? One of my friends?"
"Tuney, come here!" I cried. "It's them! From...from...Tuney come!" I was so excited, so excited that I couldn't finish my sentences.
She clopped down the stairs but then froze in the doorway. "Who is he?" She was looking distastefully at the cloak.
"Excuse me, sir, might you repeat where it is you represent?" Dad asked.
"Hello, Mr. Evans. My name is Ogg. I work at Hogwarts as the Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys. I'm here to tell you that-"
"That I'm a witch, Mr. Ogg! Yes! I know!" I squealed, grinning widely. "Are you going to give me my letter?"
He looked slightly surprised but managed to fumble around in his pocket and draw out a large envelope. It was light brown with the same emblem that was on his cloak. "To Lily Evans, at the town of Cokeworth," I read out.
"Wait, sir, so our daughter is a...witch?" Mum asked. She was looking at Ogg with interest. "Is that why she can...do things?"
"Yes, that's exactly why, Mrs. Evans," Ogg said. "And Hogwarts is the school where we train the witches and wizards to do magic. Now, I'm sorry to make haste but I have much to do today and I'm afraid I cannot stay much longer. Is there anything else you'd like?" He smiled apologetically.
Mum blinked several times and glanced back at Petunia. "Just Lily?" She asked quietly. "Just one girl, are you sure?"
Ogg nodded.
"Well then. If that is all. Where is this Hogwarts? When do they go...how do they get there...how long?" Dad questioned.
"Well, the exact location of Hogwarts is, of course, not specifically known. It is in somewhere in Scotland. And they board the Hogwarts Express on September—but now, it is all in the letter."
"Thank you, Mr. Ogg!" I said as he hurried down the doorstep. We heard a loud crack and then he was gone.
There was stunned silence in the house.
Finally, Petunia spoke up. "You can't seriously be thinking of going, Lily...Mum...right?" She was breathing heavily and shaking her head.
"Lily, so you knew about this all?" Mum asked me. I nodded. "You knew about Hogwarts? And...magic?"
"Yes, Mum. Isn't it great?"
Mum and Dad shared a look. "I'm still wrapping my mind about this, Lily. But...yes...magic. Well, we already knew you were special, I suppose." She laughed a little. "Very special."
With that, Petunia took off up the stairs, sobs echoing behind her.
"Tuney!" I cried.
"Lily, let her be," Dad told me as I was poised to follow her up the steps.
After Mum and Dad thought things through a bit—in hushed whispers and awed looks—they decided that it was amazing. They were so proud of me, they told me.
"Why? Because she was born a-" Petunia would always answer, then cut herself off.
But, Severus was even happier when I told him the news.
"Sev!" I cried, rushing up to our little spot on the riverbank. "Sev! Oh, great news!"
He appeared and asked, "What's wrong, Lily?" He was glancing around suspiciously.
"Nothing's wrong, Sev! I've been invited. I got the letter. I'm going. Oh!" I launched myself into his arms. "I am going to Hogwarts, Sev!"
His eyes widened when I wrapped my arms around his skinny middle. Then he was grinning stupidly with me.
"That's great! Now we can go there together!" Severus had gotten his letter earlier in the week.
I pulled back and jumped up, clapping excitedly. "Mum is taking me to...Digian-"
"Diagon Alley," he corrected.
"Diagon Alley, yes! She's going to take me to Diagon Alley next week. And I figured...you could come. If you'd like, that is."
Severus hesitated for a moment but then he agreed. "Yes. Of course! I already have some of the books, though."
"Lucky!" I said. "I want to start reading through them..."
"Lily," Severus assured me, "You're not going to be behind anyone."
I just shrugged.
We went to Diagon Alley on a Wednesday afternoon. It was a beautiful day. Severus came over to our house in the morning and we poured over our letters together.
"There are so many books!" I pointed out. "And they all have to with magic. No math."
"Well, we need them all!" Severus said.
"Yeah, of course. I'm so excited."
"Me, too!"
"Lily, Severus, we're going to go into London!" Mum called from downstairs. Severus and I sprang up from the floor and flew down the stairs.
"Can't Petunia come, Mum?" I asked. Mum bit her lip.
"No, Lily. I think that Petunia will stay at home today. One of her friend's is coming over today and they...no. Just you and Severus and me. But don't worry," she added at my upset expression, "we'll still have plenty of fun!"
Mum drove us to London and down Charring Cross Road and stopped when we came to a little bookshop next to a record store. "This is it, Mum!" I cried. "It's the Leaky Cauldron! That's how we get into Diagon Alley!"
Mum stepped out and looked at the shops. "Lily..." She seemed hesitant to say anything. "There isn't a pub here, dear."
I felt my heart drop but Severus walked up to the crack between the two buildings. "Here it is! Muggles can't see it but it's here. You just have to believe it's there, like Platform 9 and 3/4. Come on!" He took my hand awkwardly and pulled me forward. Mum followed behind me and then suddenly all three of us were in a dimly lit room. There were tables crowded around and a bar. In one corner a creaking staircase led upstairs. I gasped.
"Mu-um! Sev! This is amazing!"
A grizzled old man stood at behind the bar, hands slowly washing a cup. He looked up when I talked.
"Hogwarts?" He asked sullenly.
"Yes, sir!" I cried. I loved the sound of it: Hogwarts. "We need to get to Diagon Alley."
"It's out back. I suppose you'll need to get in. Well, come on," he grumbled. Setting the cup down, he hobbled out a door into a tiny courtyard. There was a rubbage bin and he approached it, pulling out a stick-
"A wand!" I gasped. It was a real wand, a wand that could do magic, a wand like the one I'd get, a wand...
"Mm-hmm," he sighed, tapping the bricks beside the can with his wand. "Three up, two across," the man grumbled. Tap.
The bricks opened up, slowly creating an archway. I gaped, breathless with excitement. Mum stood beside me looking upon the scene in the same awe as me.
"Well, off you go," the bartender said and then he shuffled back inside grumpily.
Mum and I followed Severus through the arch and into a long, cobbled road. On either side of the road were shops: Flourish and Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium; Gringotts Wizarding Bank; Ollivander's Wand Shop. Mum looked at the letter.
"It says to go to Gringotts and exchange "Muggle money" for wizarding money," she said.
We all looked over at the white marble building a bit farther down Diagon Alley. "Let's go!" I cried, hurrying ahead of Severus and Mum.
Mum laughed a bit as she jogged to keep up. "Slow down, Lily, dear!"
But I couldn't slow down. I had been learning about the wizarding world with Severus, but now that I was actually here...it took my breath away.
We approached Gringotts. It was a tall building, towering over the shops around it. Outside of it stood a short, slightly hair man with a pinched, brown face. "A goblin," Severus whispered to me. My hand flew up to my mouth in wonder.
"Welcome to Gringotts!" The goblin said, opening the front doors for us. He had a strong accent that I couldn't quite place. The door was wide and polished and had writing engraved on it:
"Enter, stranger, but take heed
'Of what awaits the sin of greed
'For those who take, but do not earn,
'Must pay most dearly in their turn.
'So if you seek beneath our floors
'A treasure that was never yours,
'Thief, you have been warned, beware
'Of finding more than treasure there."
Severus went first into the bank and then I followed him. We emerged into a grand hall that was lined with booths, all of which scarlet and gold clad goblins sit at. Mum and I went up to one of these booths.
"Hello," the goblin's deep, rumbling voice said. "What can we do for you today?"
"Er-" Mum said. "We'd like to trade in our money for wizard money. Where should we do that?"
"Here is fine," said the goblin. Mum set a few pounds onto the counter and he swept them back to him. "Alright. Nine Sickles, twelve Knuts. Nine Galleons. Is that all you'd like?"
Mum hesitated. "Will that buy the books for Hogwarts?" The goblin nodded.
"Well, then, thank you. Come along, Lily. Where is Severus?"
We both looked over to another counter, where Severus was arguing with a goblin. "But it's my mum's family's vault!" He said.
"She does not own any of the currency inside. They specifically said that Eileen Prince or her family must not enter the vault. Now please leave," the goblin ordered.
Severus looked ready to blast Gringotts apart so I went over to him, taking him by the arm. "Come on, Sev," I said quietly.
He came slowly. "It's my mum's money, too. Just because they disinherited her does not mean that it's not her money. She was from a wealthy purebl—a wealthy family." I didn't notice his slip up; I was too busy examining the coins Mum was holding out to me.
They were gold, silver, and bronze and had words written around the outside. They looked very different than the British pounds I was used to seeing.
"Sev, let's go buy some books. You said that you needed some?"
He nodded, looking down. "But you go on ahead. I'll go find my own books and meet you back here."
"But...Sev!" I was shocked. Why didn't he want to go shopping with me? He gave me a pleading look. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, Lily. Let's meet in a little while."
I agreed and Mum told him to go carefully and not get lost and then Mum and I headed into Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore, alone.
It was a little dusty. There were rows and rows of books; long, tall shelves stretching in every direction. Books rested on them all. I could hear some screaming and, after looking around a bit, realized that the books were making noises!
Immediately, a man emerged from the stacks. "Are you here to buy Hogwarts books?" He asked breathlessly, while other kids tugged on him. "One second, miss," he said, looking over at a tall, skinny woman wearing a...stuffed vulture on top of her hat! "Ah, Augusta Longbottom! Just one moment." He turned back to Mum and me. "Alright, what year?"
"First," I answered confidentially. There was one thing that I couldn't get wrong.
"Ah, welcome, welcome. I'll go get the books, if you'll just wait around here. Feel free to look at other books!"
He hustled off and, instead of looking at books, I watched the woman, Augusta. A tall boy had come up to her.
"Mum, look here! It's Quidditch. Can we get it?" He held a book with a broomstick on the front of it up eagerly. As I watched the book's cover, I saw the broomstick zooming all around the page.
"The broomstick is moving!" I pointed out quietly to Mum, pointing at the book. She grinned in amazement.
"Wow!"
"Here you are, then." The bookshop manager came out from the back. He was carrying a stack of books with difficulty. Mum paid him with the Sickles and then we split the load.
We went to get a cauldron and school robes and dragonskin gloves and a witch hat! We bought a telescope and a set of glass phials. And then Mum took me into Ollivander's Wand Shop.
It was a lot like the book store, in some ways. There were sweeping shelves but instead these were filled with little wooden boxes. Mum and I sat on a little stool and waited until a man appeared from the shadows.
He was old and stooped. He had long, white hair and a creased, leathery face. He eyed me.
"Hi, sir," I smiled shyly. "I'm Lily Evans and I need a wand." He continued to stare at me. "Do I just...go and grab-"
"No, Lily Evans," said the man. "The wand chooses the witch. Mr. Ollivander, at your service." He spun around and retreated into the stacks again. Mum and I shared a long look before he returned, carrying several boxes. "Try it out," he pushed one towards me.
I slipped the box open and gently lifted the wand out. It looked like any other stick, though admittedly very smooth. "Umm..." What was I supposed to do with it?
"Wave it around, get a feel for it!" Mr. Ollivander instructed. I flicked it...and nothing happened. I felt bitter disappointment but the wand-maker pushed another box at me. "Try again."
It was on my sixth try that, as I waved yet another wand around stupidly, light green sparks trailed from it. "Mum!" I gasped. "Did you see that?"
"Ah..." Said Mr. Ollivander. "That's the one." He picked up the box and read out, "Willow, 10 1/4", unicorn hair. Lovely. Swishy, nice for charm work." He looked up at me. "Good pick, Miss Evans. Six Galleons."
I was too intent on my new wand—my wand!-to pay Mr. Ollivander so Mum doled out the appropriate amount. She couldn't help staring at my wand.
Whenever I waved it, the same green sparks trailed behind. It was beautiful, magical, amazing. Mum and I left Mr. Ollivander's shop and were sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine, when Severus found us. He was carrying bags and looking down awkwardly.
"Sev!" I jumped up, gripping my wand behind my back. As I ran towards him, his face lit up. "LOOK!" I wooshed my wand in face of his nose and the green sparks trailed behind.
"You got your wand!" Severus said. "It's great."
"It has unicorn hair inside of it," I announced proudly. "Willow, 10 1/4". It's fantastic!"
He smiled at me. "Ya, it is."
The next week, as I was coming in from hanging around Severus, I noticed a parcel on the table. It was addressed to Petunia Evans from...Hogwarts. I moved over towards it. I reached for it—and then I backed up quickly.
It could just be that they had messed up on the reciever. I was sure that it was meant for me. But...what if it wasn't, I wondered dimly. What if Petunia had mailed the school telling them that I wasn't fit to go there? What if this was the letter that told me that I was no longer accepted to board the Hogwarts and go to the school that I'd been waiting so long for?
I felt tears well up. Petunia was so mad at me lately. She didn't want me to go to Hogwarts, that much I was sure of.
"Lily?" Mum called from upstairs. "Have you just come in?" I heard her coming down the stairs. I stumbled away from the letter, dashing into the sitting room. "Lily, dear?" Mum appeared in the doorway. "Oh, good. You're home. I wanted you to help me with supper."
I followed Mum back into the kitchen, avoiding looking at the letter. As I chopped vegetables, Petunia came into the room. "Tuney, sweet, come help us with supper," Mum said.
"Just one moment. I need to go put this in my room." Petunia snatched up the letter and hurried away.
So, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Don't hesitate to comment!
