Okay, like I said in the second chapter, I know that I should be working on Meet the Parents, but I have writer's block on that. And I really am liking how Ali's character and personality are developing. So I'm giving you a third chapter.
After Harry had introduced us and explained the situation, Lily showed me to her room upstairs. I was still clutching my violin to my chest. I glanced around as Ginny emerged from the doorway. She smiled at me warmly.
"Can you girls just hop over to the side of the room for a moment, please?"
We moved over to the side of the room and stood against the wall as Ginny waved her wand. Seconds later, a second bed, complete with blankets and pillows appeared in the room. It wasn't a little camp bed, either; it was a proper full sized single bed. I stared at it in awe, walking over to it. I poked at it, making sure it was solid before putting my bag down at the foot of it.
I sat on the bed, kicking my legs over the side.
"So…" I said awkwardly. "You're the same age as me?"
Lily smiled. "Yeah." She pointed at my violin case, sitting next to me on the bed. "What's in there?"
I opened the case and pulled it out. "It's my violin. My… my mum gave it to me when I was four."
"Oh. Are you any good at playing it?"
I nodded, not wanting to elaborate on my entire past with my mother.
"Can… can I hear you play? Please?"
I shrugged, and positioned it, ready to play. "Got any song requests?"
"Just play anything."
I went through my mental list of music I knew by heart and settled on a piece from my favourite movie.
I finished my piece and put my violin away. I hear someone behind me clapping and cheering and turned around to see the entire household standing in the doorway listening. My face reddened.
"You're very talented, Ali." Said Harry.
"Yeah, that was so cool!" said one of the boys. I think it was Albus, the younger one.
Later that night, Ginny came back in to the room before bedtime.
"Ali, I want you to make sure you get a goodnight's sleep tonight. Tomorrow, we're all going to London to go shopping for everyone's school things, so we all need to be up bright and early."
I nodded and said goodnight.
Before I went to sleep, I pulled my letter out of my bag and read it for the fortieth time.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
(Order of Merlin, First Class)
Dear Ms Dursley,
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.
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 pupils' 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 Magicby Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theoryby Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfigurationby Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungiby Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potionsby Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protectionby 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,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
I wasn't sure where exactly in London we'd be able to get any of this stuff. I'd lived there my entire life and had never seen any stores that looked like they might sell wands of dragon hide gloves or magic broomsticks. I guess I'd find out in the morning.
The next morning I woke up in the magically produced bed and was momentarily confused about where I was before I remembered that I was a witch and was staying at dad's cousin Harry's house. I looked around. Lily rolled over in the bed next to mine and yawned. She rolled over again, which caused her to fall out of the bed. I sat up straight.
"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.
She moaned. "Yeah I'm fine; I do that all the time."
I stretched, cracking my knuckles, yawning again. I rubbed my eyes and climbed out of bed, putting my slippers on before holding out my hand to help Lily up. Lily put on her own slippers before we walked out of her room and made our way to the kitchen. Harry and Ginny were already in there, bustling around, making breakfast.
"Ali, your dad's still asleep; can you go wake him up?" Harry said looking up from the bacon he was cooking.
I snuck into the spare room where dad was snoring away, tangled up in the sheets. I poked him in the cheek.
"Dad. Dad, wake up. We have to get ready to go shopping."
I went back to the kitchen while my dad got ready. I ate bacon and eggs for breakfast before going back to Lily's room to get dressed for the day.
I don't like the ending of this chapter. But anyway, the next chapter will be Diagon Alley, and yes, they will be visiting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.