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


Yours Sincerely,
Deputy Headmistress



Lily looked at the envelope with a hint of shock. A grin was slowly forming on her lips but words refused to form in her mind.

At last she found them as she looked up at her mum, her shimmering, emerald green eyes wide, "Mum! I'm a witch!"

Mrs. Evans looked at her daughter with concern. "A-witch, dear?"

"Yeah! Look! There's a special school where I go to learn magic! That letter I got this morning is from the Deputy Headmistress. I've been accepted! Oh, can't I go, Mum, please?!"

"Can I see that letter, Lily?" asked her mother, now smiling.

Lily handed her mother the paper and waited for her response with bated breath. As Mrs. Evans read her eyes also grew very wide. Her expression went from amusement, to nervousness, to what seemed a bit like astonishment.

"Well dear... I-I suppose that it's all right with me. If you want to go-"

"Oh I do mum!" Lily said, jumping up from the chair she'd been frozen in.

"But Lily, I don't know how we'd get your school things. They aren't just the same old thing that I can get anywhere, and I'm not sure how they want us to respond. It says something about owls here, it doesn't make sense to me at all," both Lily and Mrs. Evans frowned.

Mrs. Evans laid the letter down on the coffee table of the living room and sighed. She could see her younger daughter's disappointment and searched her mind for something that would cheer her up for a short time. But at that moment, terrible screeches interrupted her thoughts.

"ARGH! GET OUT YOU FILTHY BIRD! MUMMMMM!" Petunia, Lily's 13-year-old sister was screaming at the top of her lungs, as was something else.

Lily and her mother ran up the stairs to the source of the noise. Petunia was still yelling and thrashing wildly at a terrified looking ball of feathers.

"PETUNIA!" Mrs. Evan's shouted over the ruckus.

Lily had managed to steer the owl towards her. She cradled the disheveled bird in her arms and carried it down the stairs. Filling a tea saucer with cool water, she set the owl on the kitchen counter and let it drink and recover.

She could hear her mother trying to lecture and calm her sister at the same time. Lily smiled and peeked into the room. Petunia scowled at her. Petunia always scowled at her.

"I hear you're officially a freak now. Off to turn people into frogs?" Petunia's voice was shrill and haughty.

Lily frowned at her, "You're just jealous because you're ordinary."

She turned her nose up and walked back down the stairs to check on the owl. It fluttered to her arm and cooed affectionately at her. It was holding an envelope in it's beak addressed to Lily.

"What's this?" she asked smiling as she took the envelope with the hand that the owl wasn't occupying.

The owl flew up so Lily could read her letter, and a smile had spread from her eyes to her lips as she read. She ran up the steps to her sister's room where Petunia was now sitting on her bed, her long, bony face grinning with satisfaction.

"So you can't get to the freak school?" she said with a cruel smile dancing in her eyes.

"I just got another letter about it. Where's mum?" Lily replied, still grinning.

"She's in her room. What are you so happy about, then?" Petunia snapped.

Lily turned and bolted towards her mother's bedroom.

"Mum! I can still go! I've just gotten a letter! The owl that was in Petunia's room brought it for me!"

Mrs. Evans smiled very brightly as well. She stood up to see the piece of thick paper in Lily's hand, and reached to take it. The letter was written on the same stationary as the other letter had been, and was also from Professor Minerva McGonagall.

"Dear Miss Potter, After reviewing our potential students list, we have found that you are from an entirely muggle (non-magical) home. In light of this, you have been paired with a wizarding family. This is so you may purchase your supplies for this school year if you choose to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and also so that you might learn a bit more about the magical community before the year begins.

"The family is that of Mr. James Potter, Sr., Mrs. Patricia Potter and their son, James Potter, Jr.-That's awfully nice of them isn't it?"

"Very. It says that I can send word with the owl that they sent here if I'm going or not. That way they can let the Potter's know if they're supposed to help me."

"Oh look, dear," she pointed to the next line. "James is going to be a first year as well. Maybe you'll have a class together. It'd be nice to have someone you know there."

"Right. We'd better send that owl mum," she changed the subject disinterestedly.

"Alright then," said Mrs. Evans.

She seated herself at her desk, and removed a box of strong stationary and a pen.

Speaking as she scrawled neatly on the envelope, she said, "Dear Professor McGonagall, thank you for your time and consideration.

"Lily is delighted for the upcoming school year and quite pleased to be starting as a first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please thank the Potter's for taking time to help Lily. I would like very much to be in contact with them to thank them directly as well. Yours Sincerely, Rose Evans."

Lily was beaming. Petunia, who was now in the doorway, was glowering. It was already promising to be a very intersting school year.

The first letter was the same as that which Harry eventually recieved. The picture of Professor McGonagall's signature appears in the books, and was taken from http://www.harry_potter_at_hogwarts.homestead.com's picture section. thank you to both J.K. Rowling and the owner of this website. thank you!