Dear Diary,

Sharply at ten in the morning, the first witch I ever met showed up at our house; just like Gutosh described to me. Prepared with my key and letter ready, was positively bouncing off the walls! Who could blame me? I mean the first of 'my kind', as father joked; I was finally going to meet! My mother excited as I, had cleaned our house as if on fire the day before, mumbling to her self madly about some house elf or gnome thing that we should have while running around with the feather duster. Petunia, of course, disappeared around nine. How much I do love her, even though she can be the world's biggest prat. We used to be friends, Petunia and me, until last year. Peoples' minds can work funny sometimes. I swear I didn't mean to trip her into the large purple paint puddle! It was like magic… wait a second! It appeared out of thin air, and as for my foot, I kept to myself. She had of tripped in front of that arrogant, self-centered Josh Guapoita on her own! The strange thing is, Diary, I'm the klutz, not her.

ANYWAYS, Jenna arrived at our small yet cozy house right on time (Father and I were counting down in the kitchen). She looked like she just walked out of one of my friend Mandy's beauty magazines. Her straight and short brown hair accented her small blue eyes as if in a famous painting. It's kind of freaky how proper she looked, but I liked her instantly, she was bubbly.

"Lily, do you know about wizarding money?" Jenna asked me as we rode the tube. People in suits looked at us like we were odd, but I didn't mind. For remembering purposes I'll jot it down:

One large gold Gallon: Seventeen silver Sickles

One silver Sickle: Twenty-nine bronze Knuts

We had the weirdest way to get to Gringotts; I was so confused at first! That does seem to happen quite often, doesn't it?

Flash back

"I thought we were going to Gringotts?" I said as we walked along a normal London road, I glanced at her completely stumped. Where in the world were we? It was obvious not a single touch of magic lay anywhere. A regular 'Muggle' street being trampled on by highly polished shoes of London's best customers, for sure was no Gringotts. A messy haired boy was even feeding starving birds by a spouting water fountain. Where was the magic in that? Where were the powerful wizards with the black hats and rabbits? The crystal balls? Wands exploding with spells?

"The first thing to learn in our world: nothing is what it seems." Smiling at me, she said. Lily, what do you think everyone in the Muggle world would think of if we performed any magic plainly for all to see?"

I bit my lip thinking, "well, they probably would want to know more about it. And then probably begin to panic when they realize they cannot control it like us. So… they would try to control us…" I said.

She smiled, "Exactly. And with our magic we would not let them, which honestly, could come quite chaotic." She said pausing in front of a door. "This is the Leaky Cauldron, a pub for us Wizarding folk, and the tube stop for all school supplies!" She smiled opening the door.

I paused looking at the door which seemed to be the entire width of the pub with Muggle stores jammed on either side. "but how…" I begun to ask before Jenna cut me off.

"You won't go anywhere in the world of magic without accepting that things are not always what they seem." She said with a kind smile holding open the door for me. "Ready?" she asked kindly noticing how large my eyes were and sensing the knots in my stomach. Nodding, I took a final glance at the boy at the fountain with the birds- they had started to attack him; hunger not fully quenched; they decided to eat him instead. He proceeded by running in circles and waving his arms as if on fire. It was my last glance at what I have known before I turned to step into a new chapter of my life. And somehow, I just knew, everything was going to be different now.

Walking into the Leaky Cauldron I had not expected the large room that opened up in front of me. We were in a Muggles three feet width, and a wizards 50 feet pub. Old large oak tables were placed around the room, scratched terribly all over. Everything was alive that normally was not. Posters on the wall had figures that moved, like a movie, and yet were clearly just a new take on photographs. The dim bar was made out of the same heavy oak, and was littered with different people in capes and outfits that looked like a different take on night gowns. A couple of mothers sipped their drinks in a corner by a warm, old fireplace, while a father and his son ate sandwiches at a table listening to a music box where an animated figurines sang them stories. A handsome teenage boy played with moving chess pieces against his graying father. Even the game of chess was alive, just a command and the pieces moved on their own. Other then the odd music, clothes and self-moving chess game, it appeared as 'normal' as the Muggle world. Only floating bottles around the pub, and an every other minute crash from the chess pieces murdering each other, any Muggles wouldn't have even thought twice about magical and normal.

"Jenna, who is this new face?" asked a small man, coming joyfully from behind the bar. His head shining from the above lights didn't even subdue his joyful smile; many of the oddly dressed people at the bar turned around to catch a view of the new comers.

"I'm Lily Evans." I said blushing slightly by the attention, coming forward confidently to shake his hand. First impressions were always important my father had taught me. With his experience in business the suggestion was always too hard to pass up.

"A pleasure, I'm Tom, the bartender that slaves away to help satisfy my customers!" he stated with a grin as the magic folk raised their glasses, "Aye!" they cried in unison. I think I like magic, I remember thinking, it made everyone smile.

How to get into Diagon Alley: out the back door of the Leaky Cauldron and.

"Three up, two across, and tap three." Jenna actually sung as she proceeded. The wall magically started to quiver. My eyes, I'm sure almost popped out of their sockets! It was amazing, the bricks twisted and turned to make their way into a brick doorway. Pinching myself to see if I was seeing things, I left a bright pink mark on my arm guaranteeing that I was infact awake.

Little kids (Diary, I know what you're thinking, but hey, who cares they were only a couple years younger than me! They still qualify as little!), were running around crazily in the most bizarre game of tag. They would throw colored balls that would explode all over them, turning them different colors for a few seconds before fading. Mothers walked proudly holding fidgeting hands and purchases; with the almost blind fathers carrying the largest of loads. Young couples strolled happily hand in hand, pointing in the brightly decorated windows with delight.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." I remember Jenna smiling and stepping into the mix. I kept behind her trying to soak up all the sights, sounds, and smells that the foreign place was made up of. We made our way first into a large white building, where to my amazement were goblins. REAL GOBLINS, no kidding you! Griphook, a sharp goblin, took us on the roller coaster ride down to vault 880. I was rendered speechless when I saw how much gold and silver, let alone bronze could be contained in one vault. Petunia would flip, "How many beauty magazines could it buy?" she'd ask. My mother would add, "Was it clean? It would be a shame if it was collecting dust."

I was able to use the gift I received through Gutosh, from Grandmother for the first time. It was a small lavender pouch, that supposedly was usefully for carrying valuables. You could place a large amount into the bag, without it becoming heavier(Gutosh had explained) and it appeared empty to another's eyes. AND it stayed the size of my hand. Even though he told me about it I still marveled at its brilliance. Off to Ollivander's after that, I saw surprises wherever I looked. It took a while but with guidance I found the perfect wand, well, more like I was chosen by the perfect wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, and made of willow. I love it. I've never seen something so beautiful before.

Whenever I held it I got an exciting tingle down my back, I couldn't wait to try it out. So I treated myself in a small book of Basic Spells and Bewitchery by Mylia Mcknowlin. "Unlock Doors, Transfigure Matches, and Adore Your Friends with Ever Fragrant Flowers." It was a light blue book, quite thick, and sparked stars when you opened it. And I LOVED stars. Along the way Jenna suggested we should make pit stops at select stores, the best was by far the candy store. I picked up some chocolate frogs, what the store clerk soon ensured my family would love along with other odd candies. Purchasing my school uniform was also fun, since Jenna was there to also charm the owner into showing us some of her side creations. I purchased a light blue sweater for my mother which she had charmed to keep the wearer perfectly warm no matter how fiercely cold the weather is. Knowing how cold my mum always was, it seemed to sing her name. I also found a purse for Petunia. It looked stylish and was promised to carry whatever you placed into it with out gaining weight or expanding. It reminded me of the clever little pouch I carried. It would be odd to leave them for a year, but at least I could give them something that would hopefully make their lives a bit easier while I was gone.

And, guess what? They loved them! Even Petunia ate a chocolate frog and managed a thank you for her present. Mom was delighted, and wore her shirt immediately which as Jenna pointed out, brought the blue out in her eyes.

Lily Evans