I let out a gasp as I walked into the Magical Menagerie. I had never been her before. There were so many animals! I walked over to the owl section, passing nifflers that bounded up to me seeing my watch, rats that were skipping around, and bunnies that looked terrified of the owls near them.

The owls were all on perches, and there were so many different breeds, barn owls, hoot owls, and snowy owls. I had a difficult time deciding which owl to choose. I half- heartedly reached out my hand, and a beautiful snowy owl flew off her perch and landed on my arm. She was gorgeous; I couldn't help but love her. While I was walking around the store buying food and a cage, I was deciding her name. When I went to pay for everything, the storekeeper said:

"Oh, you picked her out? She's quite a beauty."

"Actually, I think she picked me."

At these words, the owl fluffed up her feathers and shook her head in such a manner that reminded me of Belle Delacour.

"Belle. That's your name," I said.

My owl, now named Belle, hooted happily, which led me to believe that she liked her name. I carried the stuff to the room where I was staying. I was so happy about my new pet that I almost forgot why I had bought her. Once I had remembered, I sat down at the desk, inked my quill, grabbed three pieces of parchment, and wrote a letter to Erica, Jessica, and Hotaru bearing this message:

Hello!
I just purchased this owl. Her name is Belle. I'm staying in Diagon Alley until the start of term. Any chance of seeing you here before start of term? Well, I didn't just write to you to tell you about my owl, the real reason I wrote to you was to ask you something. Did you by any chance tell James my grades or what classes that I am taking? Please write back, this really is urgent. Hope to see you soon.
Lily Marie Evans

I continued to write until I had finished, and the sun was beginning to set outside. I sent my letters. Late at night, while I was sleeping, I thought I heard Belle return, but I was too exhausted to get up.

OoOoOoOoOoO

I awoke the next morning totally refreshed. Belle was sitting on top of her cage hooting happily, looking extremely pleased with herself. I grabbed the letters and sat down on my bed. I opened the first one, which was from Carrie:

Lily,

Wow! I really love your owl; she's gorgeous, just like her name. I already got my supplies, so I won't see you until September first! I didn't talk to James at all this summer, and no one has even asked me about your grades. Well, enjoy the rest of your summer,
Carrie Montgomery

Well, Carrie didn't say anything. So it was either Erica or Jessica. I opened the next letter. It was from Jessica:

Lily
Hi, how are you? I hope you are well. I'm going to Diagon Alley on Friday to get my supplies, so I'll see you then! I absolutely adore your owl! She's beautiful, and her name suits her. I never told anyone about your grades, but to tell the truth, I never knew they were secrets. Well, I will see you on Friday!
Jessica Lee

I was running out of clues! It had to be Erica, and so I opened the letter, ripping the top of it off accidentally.

Hello Lily!
Your owl is really sweet. I like Belle for a name; does it have anything to do with Belle Delacour? I'm coming to Diagon Alley on Tuesday, and I'm staying for the rest of the week too. Umm... (Here Erica started talking about Quidditch, she's Chaser for the Gryffingdor Quidditch team) Umm...How's the weather? Ok, I have stalled long enough. I'm really sorry. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to tell. James wrote to me all summer asking about you. I just told him that you were in N.E.W.T. classes. I really didn't see the harm. I'm really sorry; please don't be mad at me.
Erica Caran

I leaned backward on my bed and stared at the ceiling. So that's why he knew. I wasn't mad at Erica; it wasn't her fault that he was a nosy person. I remembered that today was Tuesday. I ripped off my pajamas and put on my robes in a trice. I walked outside and saw Erica immediately.

"Erica!"

"Lily! I'm so sorry; please don't be mad at me." Her blue eyes brimmed with anxiety, I couldn't help but forgive her.

"Don't worry; it's not your fault. I can't be mad, it's not like I told you not to tell." So much for keeping secrets. Right?

There was a pause as we walked past Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Daddy bought me a gift for my birthday," Erica said, making a stab at conversation.

"Yeah, well, my parents buy me gifts for my birthday too."

"He bought me a Nimbus 1000."

I gasped. A Nimbus 1000 was the best broom made so far. Good brooms cost a lot of money.

"Erica, why did your dad buy you a new broom? Your Shooting Star was good."

"I have been begging since the broom came out. And, you'll like this part. I don't need two brooms, so I'm giving the Shooting Star to you rather than donate it to the school."

"But I don't play Quidditch."

"I know, but you can help me practice. Plus, brooms are dead useful"

"Good point. Thank you so much!" It's so much easier to forgive people when they give you stuff.

I gave Erica a hug and we walked over to Madame Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion.

"Which dress robes did you get?"
"These."

I pointed to a display in the window. The dress robes were periwinkle blue, made of a sheer, floaty material. They brought out my green eyes and light complexion. I had bought the last ones. I felt that they we meant to be, since the last one came in my size.

"Wow! Those are gorgeous! Those are pretty, too."
She pointed to a teal colored dress robe in similar style to mine.

"Go see if they fit." I said.

She ran over and grabbed one. When she came out of the dressing room, the robes looked like they were made for her. The teal color perfectly matched her eyes, and her long dark brown hair seemed to glow.

"I love them! How much?" she asked Madame Malkin.

"Ten galleons."

"Wow. Don't come cheap, do they?" Erica said.

She bought them anyway, as well as some regular robes. We basically went everywhere, and at the end of the day we walked to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Thankfully, James wasn't there.

"I want strawberry." I said.

"Of course you do. That's what you always have. I'll get chocolate."

A voice behind me said: "I thought you hated strawberry."
I whipped around so fast that I cracked my neck. Speak of the devil.

"Oh. Hello. What do you want?" Erica asked him.

"Nothing. Can't a guy just say hello?" James replied. This is borderline stalking.

"Sure, I believe that you just wanted to say hello, you've said it, now leave!" I answered. I can kick him out of an ice cream shop I don't even own, right?

But he ignored me and walked away. I sat down at the table and ate my ice cream. James soon came back and sat down. I opened my mouth to protest but Erica kicked my leg under the table.

"So, you DO like strawberry" James said with the air of someone taking diligent notes. Forget borderline. He's a stalker!

"When's your birthday?" James asked me.

"None of your business" I replied. I should have offered him a pen and paper for his notes. Wonder if the Ministry has restraining orders?

"Erica, when is Lily's birthday?" James asked Erica.

"I'm not telling," Erica replied. She probably figures she's in enough trouble.

"Fine, I'll find out myself. I'll ask Jessica." Said James.

"She won't tell you either. You can leave now," I stated pointedly. Damn friends being so gullible. Jessica would tell him so easily.

"I don't want to leave, I'm staying right here."

"Fine, stay here." said Erica.

Erica and I got up to leave, leaving a dumbfounded Potter sitting stupidly at the table.

"I think I've outwitted him." Erica claimed proudly.

"Well, he hates to lose at anything including a battle of wits."

"His magic fits in one category, but his wits cannot compare. In fact, I wonder if he even possesses the ability to think, considering how little he does think, that is."

Laughing,we walked to Flourish and Blotts and bought some books. As we walked outside, we saw Lucius Malfoy and Snivelis Snape walked out of Knockturn Alley. Snape cornered us.

"So, it's the Mudblood and half-breed." Said Snape.

"Kindly rot in hell, Snivelis," said Erica.

"Where's Potter the Potty? I've been meaning to hex him. Know where he is?"

A voice behind me cried out "pyrochate!" and at once blue flames started burning through Snape's robes. I let out a peal of laughter as Snape did a strange dance attempting to put out the flames. Lucius muttered "Aguamenti" and a small rain cloud hovered above Snape and doused the flames. Sirius and a now soaking wet Snape stared each other down. Snape sulked away, leaving a trail of water behind him.

"Hallo Lily, Erica." Said Sirius, "Hope that git wasn't bugging you."
I remembered James's words on the train home: "Sirius doesn't hate Snape, he reminds Sirius of his mother's views about blood."

"Nope, just the usual meaningless taunting. Who's that?" I asked, referring to a little girl of about 3 years of age holding Sirius's hand.

"That's my cousin's daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. Cute isn't she?"

"That's some name," I commented.

"What's the matter with her? Why does she look like that?" Erica asked, because at the moment, little Nymphadora was screwing up her face as if she was in pain. I yelped, because in an instant, her blond hair had changed to red, and her blue eyes turned green.

"How did she do that?" I asked.
"Hmmm. she looks good like that. Good one Tonks!" Sirius congratulated her.
"How come she can do that?" Erica asked.
"She's a Metamorphmagus. She can change her appearance at will. Look, now she's doing Erica!"
Little Nymphadora then screwed up her face again, and the long red hair changed to dark brown, her eyes turned teal, and she reached out and held Erica's hand. If I didn't know any better, she looked like Erica's little sister. "Incredible!" Erica said.
"Yeah, you should she her during the holiday, she gets a kick of imitating people. Tonks!" said Sirius, and Tonks looked up at him with now teal eyes. "Do Professor Dumbledore!" And Tonks grew a mustache down to the ground, and her long brown hair got longer and turned white. All she needed were a pair of half-moon glasses and she would look like a little Dumbledore.
"We had to get her registered at the Ministry. They'd have a fit if she wasn't. Once she's older she could look like anyone. Good, she's changing back." Sirius said.
"Well, it's was nice talking to you, but we really have to go. So, we'll see you in school. Bye" I said.
"Toodles!" said Sirius.
"Bah-bye! Tonks like you! Come see Tonks soon!" said a now blonde haired Nymphadora Tonks.

Erica and I laughed as we waved goodbye. It was kinda sweet meeting Sirius and Tonks like that. We finished shopping and spent the rest of the week buying little odds and ends. Jessica arrived on Friday and we went shopping together, and on Saturday, September 1st, we left for Hogwarts.