a/n; Thank you all so very much for the follows, favorites, and review! :) I hope you all like this new chapter!

disclaimer; Sadly, I do not own the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.

the fabulously vintage world of holly potter

—second: an invitation extended

Nearer to Holly's birthday in July an odd letter arrived. Her life had settled back into its regular routine, and she had mentally categorized the event with the snake with the other odd occurrences of her life. She thought sometimes that she ought to live in a weird television program where things like that happened to the main characters.

Holly was excited for the end of the summer. She loved learning history in school and seeing all her friends there. Unfortunately she wasn't going to be able to see all her friends at school—because she was being sent to St. Michael's, a different private secondary school than a few of her friends were going to. But Jenna and Melanie would be there, and they had been Holly's closest friends anyway.

Not only that—Holly would be far, far away from Dudley and his gang. That lot was the most thickheaded, irritating bunch that Holly had ever had the misfortune to meet. Holly already saw most of them around the house in the summer; she had to escape outside if she wanted any peace.

Dudley would be attending Smeltings, a school with a gray uniform and strict codes. Holly thought it would be good for her cousin. He needed some rules in his life. It was also unfortunate because for some reason or another a walking stick was part of the uniform. When angered Dudley liked to smack Holly in the arm with it. Unlike a true gentleman, Dudley had no qualms about hitting a female.

Holly was seated at the kitchen table, minding her own business reading a book, when the mail slot clicked open loudly in the front hall. She heard letters slap to the floor. Holly glanced up, already sliding her favorite bookmark into place. Vernon was seated at the head of the table perusing the paper before going to work. Dudley was in another room, probably playing a video game by the sounds of it. Petunia was on the phone with her friend Yvonne in the living room.

"Go get the mail, Holly," said Vernon dismissively.

"Yes, sir," said Holly, hopping to her feet. She walked down the front hall and paused to pick up the letters. She flipped through them—there were some bills and a letter from Piers, who was on vacation. The most interesting letter, though, was addressed to her.

Holly would have thought it was from her friend Allison, who was on vacation. But it wasn't from anyone Holly knew. She set down the other letters on a coffee table in the front hall before using her nail to carefully open her letter. It was addressed to

Ms. H. Potter

The Second Bedroom

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

The envelope was heavy, which was odd in itself. Holly slid the contents of the letter out of the envelope. The paper felt rough and strange, more old-fashioned than anything. "Holly?" she heard Vernon call from the kitchen table.

"A moment, please," Holly replied.

She read the letter:

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 Ms. Potter,

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 await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Holly read the later twice more. It seemed to be making less and less sense rather than more. Before her uncle could shout for her again, Holly quickly refolded the letter and slipped it back into its envelope. She then proceeded to fold it neatly and put it into her hat. She wanted some time to mull over this development before showing it to anyone else.

Vernon was annoyed with his bills, but Dudley was delighted with his letter from Piers. Holly wanted to remark that she was surprised the boy knew how to write, but she thought it would be unbearably rude and kept it to herself. She excused herself shortly after to go to her room; she wanted to think about this Hogwarts letter.

Her first idea was that it was a scam. There were all sorts nowadays trying to make a pound, Vernon always said. It was very strange, though, that they had labeled this letter to precisely the correct address—including the correct bedroom.

The second idea was that Holly was, in fact, being spied on, and there was anthrax in this letter and she would soon develop the first stages of the disease. However, even several days after she received the letter, she did not have anthrax, so she had to rule out that idea as well.

The final idea was the most absurd of all: that this letter was truly an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Holly had never applied. She highly doubted her aunt or uncle had sent in an application for her; they were both quite happy with her upcoming attendance at St. Michael's. Holly came to the conclusion that she needed more information, and she sat down to write a letter in response:

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 Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,

Thank you for your invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before I make my decision I would like to know where I can find more information about Hogwarts. May I inquire how many students attend? Where is this school? What is its reputation? Are there competing wizarding schools in the United Kingdom?

Thank you for your time,

Ms. Holly Potter

She had no idea where to send the letter, which was a problem. Holly could only hope that stamped and slipped in with the regular mail someone would be able to find it.

Now the entire thing was beginning to feel even more ridiculous. Holly couldn't be sure whether she hoped to attend St. Michael's or this mysterious Hogwarts. St. Michael's was where Jenna and Melanie would be; however, Hogwarts meant that Holly was somebody. In fact, she was a witch.

Normally Holly would have been quite insulted at the very idea. But being a witch clearly meant being able to attend Hogwarts. At first it sounded rather stupid, but the more Holly thought about it, it began to sound prestigious. It was rather suspicious that Holly had never heard of it before—but she had never even known wizards and witches were real before. How could she have heard about a school for them?

It explained all of those odd incidents as well. Holly must have subconsciously wanted to achieve revenge against Dudley and Piers by releasing that boa constrictor in the zoo. She knew she had wanted to upset that old teacher of hers. And she had definitely wanted to escape from that angry dog.

Were her parents wizards? Holly had no idea. She was afraid to ask.

Two days after she sent her letter, she received a reply in the strangest possible way. Holly had been lying on her bed with her nose in a book. Quite suddenly she heard a tapping on her window. Holly would have thought it was a wayward bee if the tapping had not been so hard and loud, like knocking.

Holly twisted around and found an owl perched on the windowsill outside, in broad daylight. She stared, and rubbed her eyes, and kept staring.

She cautiously approached the window, leaving her book forgotten on her bed, and carefully pushed it open. She saw that the tawny owl had what looked like a letter attached to its leg. Holly swallowed. "Please do not attack me, Mr. Owl," Holly murmured as she went about untying the letter from its leg.

Once released from the letter, the owl pecked at her hand. "Hey!" Holly squeaked in dismay. She frowned at the owl; it blinked back, with round amber marble eyes.

Holly sat down a safe distance away, at her desk, her back to the owl. She opened the reply letter; it was addressed to the same place. Holly suddenly realized that this is what the original letter must have meant by owling a reply. She wondered how on Earth these wizarding people came to assume she owned an owl. Were they not in short supply in the daytime?

The response read:

Dear Ms. Potter,

Thank you for your interest! I will give you more information about Hogwarts now. There are about six hundred students in all, and about seventy or more students in each year. There are seven years at Hogwarts, with two years of important wizarding examinations: OWLs in your fifth year, and NEWTs in your seventh. They will prepare you for a career outside your education at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts is located in Scotland. I would rather not write its exact location, as I doubt your relatives know much of magic; we prefer to keep Muggles in the dark that way. It is reputed to be the safest wizarding school in the world, and it will teach you all you must know in order to make a successful life for yourself. There are no competing schools in the United Kingdom; however there are other schools in other countries, such as Beauxbatons in France.

I hope to hear that you wish to attend. Please respond with your decision.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Holly surprised herself by wanting to go.

She started to reach for a pen; then she realized that she had to ask her aunt and uncle. How foolish of her, really, to think she could set this up all on her own. Holly glanced back at the owl, still sitting, waiting, on the windowsill. "I'll write a reply soon," Holly promised the owl. "Just fly around for a bit and come back in a few hours, okay?"

The owl hooted at her, as if irritable, before turning and flying away. Holly stared at the empty space it had just occupied for a moment, still rather astonished at all this mess. Finally she stood and straightened her sundress. Then she headed downstairs to see what she could make of this.

Petunia was making dinner already, and Vernon was settling into an armchair in the living room, having only recently gotten home from work. Dudley was watching the television set with rapt attention. Holly could hear laser sounds from it; she guessed it was another one of his sci-fi movies. He had been on an apocalypse kick lately, obsessed with making up an imaginary team of people he wanted with him when the apocalypse happened.

Holly was unsure how to begin. She entered the room cautiously and cleared her throat. She immediately regretted it; it was always best to start out with a confident step. "I have an announcement," she decided to say.

"Shut up," snapped Dudley.

"What is it?" groaned Vernon.

"Yes, dear?" asked Petunia.

"I've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I'd like to go."

For a second there was a stunned silence. Holly looked around at everyone. Dudley wasn't paying any attention: but Vernon was staring at her, his face whitening. Petunia dropped a glass and it shattered.

Holly immediately walked over to help her aunt clean up the mess. Vernon rose from the chair in the living room and took a seat, loudly, in a chair at the kitchen table. Petunia's face was as white as her husband's and her hands were shaking. "Are you all right?" Holly asked cautiously, as she helped Petunia pluck the large shards of glass off the floor.

"No," Petunia answered faintly. "I—I need a moment." She straightened up and wandered over to sit down at the kitchen table as well, putting the back of her hand to her forehead.

Holly decided there was a history here, and it was a bad one. She threw away the glass and swept up the floor before reentering the living room. Vernon's face was beginning to flush now and he was fanning himself. Petunia had her head in her hands.

Dudley was watching them with the same rapt attention he'd been studying the television set with earlier. Apparently his family was now far more interesting than the film. "What?" Dudley asked. "What is it?"

"I hoped this wouldn't happen," Petunia said into her hands.

Vernon let out an annoyed grunt. "I told you it would! She's related to your barmy sister—even looks just like—"

"She wasn't barmy," Petunia retorted, lifting her head. She and Vernon were looking at each other now, completely ignoring Dudley and Holly. "She was—and he was—a different—I don't know, Vernon!"

"She even wants to go to the bloody school!"

"I asked for more information first," said Holly. "It's the best wizarding school in the United Kingdom." It was also the only wizarding school, but Holly felt that information was best saved for later.

"She'll be out of the house ten months of the year," said Petunia. Holly's head snapped toward her; she felt a little as though she'd been slapped. She'd known she wasn't on the best of terms with Vernon or Dudley, but she'd thought—in fact, she didn't even know what she'd thought.

How childish of me, Holly thought, schooling her expression into casual interest. A lady would not get emotional at the kitchen table when a big decision needed to be made.

"But she'll be one of them when she's here for the two months!" Vernon snapped back.

From what Holly had gathered thus far, her parents had been wizards, and the Dursleys were utterly prejudiced against them. Holly wondered what the wizards had done to deserve such hatred. "May I say something, please?" Holly asked as politely as she could currently manage.

"Hush, child," said Petunia, waving her hand at Holly.

"I'd like to say something," Holly insisted.

"Fine," Vernon said. "What is it?"

"I would like to go to this school," said Holly. "In fact, I'd love to go. I would travel abroad and get new experiences, firstly, and I would meet all sorts of interesting people I could network with." She had picked up this idea from Vernon himself, who lauded networking because it had worked out well for him. "I might also do different things, but I'd still be myself. I can act just like any of you during the two months I would be home. I can lie and pretend I'm attending a prestigious academy in the States. I can even sit in my room. Or I can go on vacation with Jenna or Melanie."

Holly paused to check her audience's responses. Vernon still looked ruffled, but fortunately less so. Petunia looked, to Holly's surprise, like she might very well burst into tears. Holly didn't bother to glance toward Dudley. "So please," Holly asked, clasping her hands together, "may I enroll at Hogwarts?"

"Who runs this ruddy school?" Vernon demanded.

"A headmaster named Albus Dumbledore," said Petunia, before Holly could say anything. Holly swallowed her response, glancing at her aunt. Petunia looked exhausted and older than she'd ever looked. "Best in the country."

Vernon squinted at his wife and then at Holly. He seemed to be trying to make up his mind. Dudley, seated on the living room floor and gaping at all of them, exclaimed: "Yes! Ship her off!"

"How will you keep up your piano?" Vernon asked Holly. "Or ballet?"

"I can practice there," Holly replied. "I'm sure there will be other people who need to practice as well."

Vernon studied her for a moment. "We'll have to set some rules," he finally said, after a long moment. "No funny business in front of the neighbors. Don't come back thinking you can run the house. And don't, whatever you do, for Pete's sake, run around telling people all about what you've been doing!"

"And no magic," said Petunia. Vernon seemed to shudder at the very word.

"Agreed," Holly said immediately. She wanted to ask if this meant she was allowed to go to Hogwarts, but she didn't want to interrupt the proceedings again. She carefully looked toward Petunia, who still seemed upset.

"Well, you can go then," said Vernon, all business. His face had straightened out, now its regular color. He picked up the newspaper and began to read it again. Holly started to smile unstoppably and she looked toward Petunia.

Petunia looked up at her. "Don't ever change your ideals, young lady," said Petunia. "Before you go I must finish teaching you how to be a proper lady."

Holly nodded grimly. This was serious business.