July 22nd 1971

My mother had been gone for nearly four years and it was coming up to my eleventh birthday. We only saw her twice a year, on my birthday and on Petunia's birthday. Every year I would make elaborate plots with which I could tempt my mother into staying with us. Every year, it failed. When she visited, she would bring us presents, gifts of sparkling glass pendants or boxed orchids. She would float into our lives and we would hope against hope that she was here to stay but she never did.

It was the day of my eleventh birthday, July 22nd 1971. I knew that that day my mother would be coming to visit and all week I had been preparing. I had made her a 'Welcome Home' banner using my best paints and glitter, pansies from the garden and making chains of daisies to hang on the curtain rails. I had convinced my father to let me make a special cake, my mother's favourite- lemon sponge with raspberry icing and Petunia had made us a cloth to cover the table. She had spent 2 months making it, sewing thousands of tiny flowers onto it by hand, she was just as excited as I was though she tried not to show it.

We set the table and sat down to wait, I couldnt keep the grin off my face. We sat there for 3 hours, the ticking clock the only sound in the room. Finally, Petunia got angry and swept everything off the table.

"This is your fault Lily. I hate you," she spat at me hatefully before storming out of the room. I sat still, I couldn't move, tears were pricking my eyes and my chest felt tight. I was so let down, so disappointed, that I vowed that I would never believe in another promise again. People who made promises always broke them and let me down and it wasn't fair.

I must have sat in my chair for hours, the light was fading around me and stars were beginning to appear in the sky. Even though it was late July, I was freezing, numb with cold and disappointment. I guess I didn't notice, I was too busy thinking, hundreds of unanswered questions and doubts running through my head. Where was my mother? Was it my fault that she hadn't turned up? Had she left us forever? What had I done wrong? Was it because I was worthless?

Just as I was contemplating the answer to that last question, I had a tapping on the window. I turned my head, stiff from the hours of sitting slouched in my seat and staring at the wooden table. To my confusion, I couldn't see what was making the noise. Awkwardly I stood up, my joints creaking, glad to be moving again. I made my way over to the window and opened the catch. Suddenly I heard a whooshing sound and felt a gust of air. The momentum was strong enough to knock me backwards into the table.

I looked around the kitchen in shock and spotted a large bird perched on the chair I had been sitting on. Upon closer inspection, I realised it was an owl which appeared to have an envelope attached to its leg. Hesitantly I stepped closer to the owl who seemed to be holding its leg out to me. I untied the string and looked at the front of the envelope. It had my name on. Not only that, it had my exact location written on the front as well. As soon as I had taken the letter, the owl flew off through the open window and into the inky night sky. Carefully I opened the envelope and pulled out a letter written on parchment in what looked to be green ink.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, 1st 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 on September 1. We hope to receive your owl shortly,

Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress

Attached to the letter was a list of things that I supposed I would need for the school. You see unlike some of my other muggleborn friends, I believed what the letter said straight away. How could I not with a mother like mine? She told me to believe in things that everybody else were convinced did not exist. The letter even made me forget my sorrow at my ruined birthday. This letter was like a beacon of hope, maybe I wasn't worthless after all.

A.N Feedback is appreciated :)