Owls

Ten years had passed ever since that night, and Violet had remained hidden in the Muggle world, preparing herself for what would come when she had to go back. Her husband had died on a tragic accident involving a bus, leaving her to raise Lily alone.

Lily and Hector had grown up to become the best friends each other could wish for, and still they couldn't be more different.

Hector was a tall, thin, dark skinned eleven year old boy who looked somewhat older than he actually was, probably due to his taste for science and to his speech skills. Despite his ability to talk he was shy and would rarely ever be seen without a book under his arm. Just like when he was a baby, Hector could easily spend half an hour staring at something with his sparkly brown eyes.

Lily, on the other hand was a ginger with huge bright gray eyes, freckles all over her face and a petite physique that made her look younger than eleven years old. She loved arts and languages, sports and, especially, birds. She was very social and liked to be around friends, especially Hector.

They had learned to crawl together and, within all their differences, they still had found a friend in each other. More than friends, they were family. Lily watched Hector read and Hector watched Lily play football for the school team. Hector had been bullied for a while. His mother found out about this when Lily came home full of dirt and bruises, swearing she had done more damage to the boy who was calling Hector names. Of course nobody messed with them after that.

When Lily had bad marks, Hector intervened and helped her with homework and studying.

Although Lily was only one day younger, Hector seemed much older than her. She was born on February 19, under the sign of Pisces, while Hector answered to the Aquarius sign on the previous day. But since it was just a few hours difference, it was considered that they shared birthdays.

They had fought only once, and both got so depressed and isolated that their parents talked and agreed to force both of them to apologise at the same time.

"Lily, do you think magic exists?" Asked Hector on the first night of summer break. They were laying down on an old blanket they had placed on the floor of the common patio area of the building they lived.

Lily lived on 7 Valleyfield street, while Hector lived on the first floor of the building right next to hers, 9 Valleyfield street. Technically it was the same building, but there were two different entrances and her flat had no other connections to the main building except for the common patio area.

"Like fairies?"

"No… more like mermaids and dragons and witches… hidden somewhere around the world…"

"I don't know… maybe. I mean… people have believed in magic for a really long time, right?"

Lily wasn't actually thinking of history, but about all the odd things that seemed to happen around her. Whenever something bad was about to happen, she was somehow saved, like the time when she was defending Hector from that bully and she pushed the boy so hard he was thrown against a wall ten feet away.

Funny things did happen to her all the time, actually. When she got mad or scared, something would always help. Once, while playing football, her foot missed the ball, but it still moved and she scored a goal. And once Hector was at school walking down the stairs with a pile of books when a boy pushed him. He fell and he should probably have broken at least one bone, if it wasn't for the fact that, somehow, the books piled up right where he would fall, preventing the accident.

"Yeah… wouldn't it make sense?" he said.

"I think so." Lily wasn't paying attention anymore.

She was too busy stargazing, trying to push her brain to remember all the shiny spots on the sky, hoping she would see a new one after her father was gone.

Magic wouldn't do her no good, unless it could bring her father back from the dead. Whether it existed or not, made no difference.

An owl hooted somewhere in the darkness. Lily was brought back from her thoughts and got up to look around. She had never seen an owl as close as that one sounded like. The sound of flapping wings made her look around to find two huge birds landing on the fence between her apartment's door and the common area.

"Oh, look, Hector, owls!"

"Be careful, Lily, they can be very dangerous." Hector took notice of the birds and pulled his friend back so she wouldn't do anything stupid, but she broke free of his arms easily.

"What are they carrying?" She ignored his warning and got closer, noticing they had envelops in their beaks. "Hector, they are mail owls!" Lily squealed. Then the animals let the envelops fall on the floor and flew away. The ginger girl immediately got the letters and opened them.

"Lily, you shouldn't be opening other people's correspondence…"

"This is not other people's correspondence, Hector, look! It's addressed to us!"

"How can it possibly be addressed to us?" Hector rolled his eyes, and got up to recover the letters from Lily's hands.

"I swear, Hector, look, this is for you and this is for me. They were here to bring these to us, Hector!"

"Lily, how can owls bring letters to us outside our houses? How can owls bring letters to begin with? Owls couldn't recognize…" But he stopped talking when he read what was written on the parchment.

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 Mr. Allen,

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 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

On second page, there was a list of odd materials required for the school.

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, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's 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

by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

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 EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

"Well, someone wasted a lot of time on this prank."

"Hector, no one would waste time training owls just to play a prank."

"Lily, do you really think there is such thing as a School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

"Weren't you the one talking about magic existing just now?"

"Yes but… not like this! Not something we could be part of!"

"How can you tell? What about all the weird stuff that happens to us? Wouldn't it make sense? I think we should write back, Hector. I want to know."

They were interrupted by Lily's mother calling her to dinner, but the ginger woman froze once she saw what the two kids had in hands.

"Oh, Merlin's beard…" She said. "I should have seen this coming."