Author's Note: Sorry its very short, but I get impatient and then feel the incredible desire to update and then nothing can stop me. Anyway, I was also having a writer's block near the end…I hope you like it. Review because then I feel inspired and neglect my loads of honors homework and give up my dream of a 5.0 GPA and write instead.
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Positively Slytherin-ishLily awoke when Beth sat down hard on the edge of her bed. Beth had definitely grown friendlier as the days had passed. They were friends now…well almost. Beth was at least civil.
"You have a letter. It's downstairs at the breakfast table. Mother cooked us good food this morning. Come down when you're ready," With these words, Beth jumped up and headed back down to continue her breakfast. Lily had been here for a week and bizarre things still seemed to be happening. The other day, Bridget had begun making supper, a complicated roast, and ten minutes later, the family had sat down to eat the perfect roast. Many people had come calling, but no cars were ever seen pulling up to the driveway. They all had weird names and wore very funny clothes. As if they had gotten dressed in the dark. Polka dots and stripes. Lime green pants with a floral housecoat over them. And that was just the men.
"Here's your letter dear," Mrs. Hale said absentmindedly, "It's from your school." Lily was handed a funny parchment envelope addressed with emerald ink. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was written in the corner. She opened the rest in a daze. Wizards? Witches? Mugwump? What in the world was that supposed to be? She couldn't be a witch! There was no such thing. Or was there? Lily thought back to all of the weird things that had happened recently. James had mentioned magic. He had said it didn't exist, but he hadn't sounded very serious. That would explain Beth's strange clothing. All those robes. Would she have to wear the funny polka dot and striped clothes? Those were so tacky. Of course that explained her fire episodes. And Mrs. Hale's always superb cooking. And Dumbledore. It says that he was the Headmaster of this school. Magic wasn't really that difficult to imagine. Lily supposed most children had some fantasies about magic. But could it be true?
"Umm…Mrs. Hale? This is not some kind of joke is it? Perhaps something that Eric and James thought of? I mean can magic really exist?"
"Of course dear!" Mrs. Hale removed her wand from her sleeve and swished it, muttered a quick spell and held a bouquet of roses, "See perfectly real. Are you okay? Many muggle-borns have a difficulty accepting it at first."
"Yes, I suppose it makes sense," Lily whispered.
"Good because I can't tell you how difficult it has been for us, pretending to be muggles. We depend so much on magic, we don't even realize! Oh! Muggles are non-wizards by the way. I'm sure you were wondering…"
"Yes. Actually I have another question as well. Will I have to wear those bizarre clothes that your friends wear, the stripes and polkadots and such?"
"Oh dear! Of course not! They were just trying to fit into the muggle world! It wasn't working very well, was it?" Mrs. Hale laughed and winked.
All of a sudden Lily was struck with an amazing realization, "If I'm a witch, couldn't I bring my parents back to life? Or could Dumbledore do that? I mean that's what wizards and witches do," Lily was amazed by her own brilliance. Maybe that's why she had been chosen. So they could help her!
"Oh my! I'm so sorry dear, but that's not possible. It's not right. Even if it was possible, it would be very dark magic, which is like evil magic. We do not practice that type of magic. But everything will be alright, sweetheart," Mrs. Hale pulled Lily into a hug. She then visibly brightened, "Beth, Eric, and James will be attending school with you. You'll already have friends. Isn't that great?"
Lily nodded glumly. She had gotten her hopes so high. She blinked back tears and began to pick at her food. At that moment, Beth bounded in.
"Do we get to go to Diagon Alley today? Please! Please! Especially since Lily knows everything now!" she stopped abruptly at Lily's forlorn glance, "It'll make Lily feel better too! Shopping always make people feel better. Today is when Amber is going to be at Diagon Alley too. We were going to meet Eric and James there!" Beth put on her winning smile and clasped her hands together. Mrs. Hale sighed.
"I suppose that would be alright. Today is as good of day as any, right Lily? You'll like Diagon Alley. Now, Dumbledore took care of your parents' will, so we have the money already, but we must exchange it for wizarding money. Go get dressed. You can wear one of Beth's robes if you want," Lily looked at Mrs. Hale rather confusedly and Beth gave her mother a look as well, "Well, only if you want to. You don't have too if you don't want to." She trailed off as Beth ran from the room and Lily followed quietly.
Half an hour later and many minutes of Beth tearing through her wardrobe searching for an old robe that Lily could wear, they both walked back downstairs. Mrs. Hale was waiting by the floo powder and the fireplace.
"Now you're going to have to do this alone because I am not qualified to partner floo. It's easy enough. Just shout 'Diagon Alley' as you enter the fireplace and you'll be transported there. But get out quickly or you'll collide with the next arrival," Bridget explained to Lily.
Lily's trip by floo was fine, save for a near collision with an irate James Potter. She jumped out just in time and stood to the side as he stepped out brushing off his clothes and glaring at her, muttering under his breath. Eric followed soon after and they went off talking quietly to each other. Eric called back to tell her to remind Beth to meet them at Fortescue's around noon. What in the world was Fortescue's?
"Beth, Eric said to meet them at Fotishki's by noon. What is that?"
"Oh, Florian Fortescue's ice cream parlor. It's delicious," Beth answered offhandedly. Lily was on her good side apparently after relaying this very important message. She caught sight of her friend Amber and waved her over. Amber arrived and gave her a once-over. Lily was apparently sub-par as Amber quickly turned around and began chatting with Beth.
"So, when I was owling Eric this summer, he was totally friendly. I think he fancies me. Won't that be great? You and James, with me and Eric," Amber lowered her voice, "So Lillian, right? Is she nice? She looks quiet."
"I don't know. We don't talk much, really," Beth answered, "She's kind of haughty and stand-offish. Positively Slytherin-ish. I wouldn't be surprised, really," they both turned their heads back towards her and turned away giggling. Lily wondered if they knew she could hear them. And what in the world was Slytherin?
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Author's Note: Review Please!! All it takes is a simple…. Me like. Me no like. Me think you should fill in the blank.
