Magic?

It's a lot to comprehend, this magic stuff.

mag·ic

noun /ˈmajik/

The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces

- do you believe in magic?

- suddenly, as if by magic, the doors start to open

Mysterious tricks, such as making things disappear and appear again, performed as entertainment

A quality that makes something seem removed from everyday life, esp. in a way that gives delight

- the magic of the theater

Something that has such a quality

- their seaside town is pure magic

[Introduction into the magical world]

.

Lily twiddled her thumbs nervously. She was in a large office sitting opposite a mahogany desk. She was alone, for the time being, having been told she was to be joined by a faculty member around about now. She hastily retrieved the letter she had been sent from Nottingham University.

"Dear Miss Evans

Congratulations on achieving the grades required to attend Nottingham University. This letter is to confirm your place and to ask you to attend a meeting on 3rd September at 10am at the enclosed address. This meeting is to discuss a potential scheme for select students who have shown certain skill or capabilities. We hope you can make it.

Signed
M. McGonagall"

Well, this was the address she'd been given. She looked at the clock. 9:59. What kind of special scheme was she going to be offered? She wasn't particularly outstanding at anything. Yeah, she'd admit she had a knack for chemistry, but that was why she was doing Pharmacy as a course. The clock chimed 10 o'clock and Lily looked up with a start. In front of her was a man with half-moon spectacles and a long, white beard. Normally in such a situation, she would have thought of Santa, especially as said man was wearing robes of a deep red, but something about him gave him a much more striking demeanour and she was struck with an automatic sense of respect.

"Sorry." She began. "I didn't hear you come in."
"That's quite alright, Miss Evans." He said kindly. "I'm Professor Dumbledore."
"Pleased to meet you." Lily said, shaking his hand. "I'm Lily Evans…but…er…you already know that." She said, giggling nervously.
Lily noted that he was practically beaming. What the hell had she done?
A moment of awkward silence passed before she cleared her throat and asked: "So…um…this meeting was about a special-"
"What are you hoping to achieve at Nottingham, Miss Evans?" Dumbledore interrupted her.
"Er…a good degree? To-"
"Yes, all of that is very important and very general to the student body." He interrupted again. "But what about you?" His vivid blue eyes seemed to probe him and before she could even mentally comprehend an answer she had said: "I want to discover who I truly am." She realised he must have seen the shock on her face as he chuckled slightly.
"Now that is more like it."

Silence descended on the room again. Lily looked at Dumbledore, who had found an interesting spot on the ceiling. "What do you think of magic?" he blurted out.
"Magic?" She asked, taken aback. "I think it's something this world needs a little more of."
He sat back in his chair, placing his fingertips together. "How so?"
"Well you can't turn on the news for more than five minutes without hearing about death and destruction nowadays…"
"Do you believe in magic?" he continued.
"I want to." she admitted. "But there's always that little doubt at the back of my mind that tells me it's not real."
"What if I told you it is?" She remained silent. "And what if I told you that you were a witch?"
"In that case I think I'd deny it." She said. "Surely if I was a witch I'd be able to do magical things?"
"That's the thing with magic." Dumbledore said, closing his eyes. Suddenly the desk was on fire. Lily leapt back with a yelp. "You have to feel it." The desk went back to normal. Nothing was charred. There wasn't a mark on it. Lily frowned, breathing heavily. "Excuse me?"
"You have to believe in magic for it to come forth. I think you possess magic, Miss Evans."
"But…but I've never done anything like that!" she protested. "And I've tried to be magical…do you know how many times I've tried to make the remote come to me via my mind?"
"Magic isn't in the mind." Dumbledore said, patiently "It's part of your soul and you need to free it." He smiled. "Besides, you wouldn't have been able to find this office if you weren't at least a little magical." He winked.

Lily exhaled slowly, trying to take it all in. Then a thought hit her and her face became unreadable.
"Am I being Punk'd?" she asked.
Dumbledore laughed loudly. "Ah. Muggles."
"What's a muggle?" Lily asked, confusedly, all thoughts of being pranked being forgotten.
"Someone who's not magical." Dumbledore explained.
She nodded slowly, then looked to her shoes. "After 18 years of being told magic isn't real," she said "How am I meant to believe you?" She looked disappointed, as if she really wanted to believe.
"You don't need to believe me." He said, sitting up straight. "You know in yourself that I'm telling the truth."

"Now there are some things I have to tell you." Lily looked to him again. "You have to understand that the idea of real magic is somewhat…incomprehensible to the majority of muggles." Lily mentally scoffed. "Therefore the wizarding community, for their own and for muggle safety require the utmost secrecy in regard to our existence. There are some who are trying to thwart such ruling, but that's for another time." He smiled slightly.
"So…are you saying I can't tell anyone about this?" Lily asked.
"Well that depends on your choice. You can accept that you have magic, leave your ah…Pharmacy course and join Hogwarts University of Witchcraft and Wizardry or you can go back to being a muggle. You'll forget all about this conversation and you'll never hear from our world again."
Lily stared at Dumbledore. "You have a week to decide." He continued. "Term starts on the 1st October and you need time to get all of your supplies." He smiled again.
"Professor…if…if I become part of your world," she began "Do I have to completely leave the muggle one? Can I never see my parents, my sister again?"
"Integration has become more important in recent years than ever before." Dumbledore replied "As such, to your family you will still be at Warwick. The system is put in place and is completely fool-proof and every holiday you can see them, like you would if you were at university. But, at this particular time…we strongly suggest that you do not tell them anything about the magical world. It could cause…problems to say the least."
"Sir you…you keep talking about 'these times' and 'recent years'…what do you mean?" Lily asked curiously.
Dumbledore's expression turned grave. "If you decide to join the wizarding world, I will send someone to fill you in on everything you need to know and someone who will help you to get your supplies. But I really must leave now, I apologise."
They both stood. "Professor, how do I let you know what I have chosen?"
"I'll know." He replied mysteriously, before turning on the spot and vanishing.