A/N: Am really going to get this chapter out…sometime…and I'll try not to delay so often. I'm such a hypocrite…when other people have to delay stuff I am frustrated and/or disappointed, but I delay my own stuff anyways…okay. Let's get moving!
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"Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!"
Lily awoke immediately, wondering what would be making this noise at two in the morning.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!"
Lily glanced at the window, not expecting to see anything or anyone there. And she didn't at first.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!"
Yes, there was definitely something there. Lily walked towards the window and saw an owl as black at the night. She opened the window carefully and let the owl in, not knowing who would have sent an owl so late. She was glad that she no longer shared a room with her fellow seventh-years; though the girls were very kind in the daytime, they would kill her rather than allow her to disturb their sleep.
The owl had a note tied to its leg, and Lily removed it, curious as to its contents. In bold handwriting, she read the following:
"Dear Miss Evans,
My name is James Harold Potter. I bought a book from the
Stemson Library last summer, and that book happened to be The Count of Monte
Cristo, a book which you donated. I do not understand how it was that you
came to give up such a precious gem of a book after spending such time and
effort writing such intricate notes, however, I do not believe you meant to
also give away your bookmark. I hope I am not troubling you by returning it.
And if it's not too personal, might I inquire who you are? I am fascinated with
your notes, and I believe that if you would permit it, we could become very
good friends. Please do not respond if this letter offends you, and my deepest
apologies if it does.
Sincerely, James Harold Potter"
Lily didn't know what to think. She had been missing the book; she had two identical copies and had accidentally put her favorite one into the book donation pile. She'd missed it ever since. And now the person who had bought this book had found her. Who was he? He had not included any information about himself other than the fact that he had found her book. He couldn't be too bad; he had returned her bookmark, hadn't he? For all she knew he could have kept it, for no apparent reason. At any rate, she knew that he was a wizard. He had certainly been bold to send a piece of mail by owl post; if she'd been a muggle, who knows what might have happened. But Lily was a witch, and she was used to this sort of thing. Perhaps he was a decent person. Lily decided to write back.
"Dear Mr. Potter,
As you know, my name is Lily Aurora Evans, and I am the Head Girl at Beauxbatons Academy in France. I am of muggle descent; neither one of my parents possessed a fiber of magic. My father is the ambassador of England to France, and I grew up in England until I was ten years old. Then my family moved to France to accommodate my father's job."
Why am I telling him this? Lily asked herself. I really don't know him at all; he could be some psychotic killer for all I know. But Lily continued to write anyways. For some reason, she didn't believe someone with such beautiful handwriting could be a criminal.
"I have an older sister named Petunia, who is married to a man named Vernon Dursley. They moved to England last month and live in Little Whinging.
"But enough about this boring life of mine. What about you? Tell me about your family. Who are you? (Despite what you think, I still know nothing about you except that you are a wizard named James Harold Potter and you possess my book.) Reply to me quickly."
"Sincerely, Lily Evans"
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A/N: Better? Maybe? By some freak of nature? Will try hard to get out longer chapters; it's just that I always want to post right after I write it…and I KNOW this is short. I'm thinking of trying to end this really soon because finals and all are coming up and I want to have completed all of my ongoing stories by then…and also, I must admit I'm somewhat losing interest in this story. Be forewarned: I may jump ahead a few months…