Chapter Six
A/N: Thanks to my encouraging reviewer, ClaireBear1987.
The next time Lily took her wand from its place in the cupboard of her bedroom, it was on her eleventh birthday. It was a lovely spring day, sunlight drifting softly through her bedroom window and Lily had decided to take a look at the golden piece of wood, seeing as she was due to recieve her letter for Hogwarts during the day. Ironically, just as that thought passed through her anxious mind, a tapping sound came from the window.
Lily turned to the source of the tap and pulled the lilac sheer from the window, opening it to allow the speckled brown owl to fly down onto the creamy white desk. Lily pulled out some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and carefully selected one that she knew to be apple, feeding it to the owl and prising the letter from its talons. At once, she recognised the seal, a lion, a serpent, an eagle and a badger together surrounding a letter 'H'.
"Mum." breathed Lily, leaping up, running through her bedroom door and down the stairwell. "Mum! Dad!"
Harry's head poked out from the living room door, forcing Lily to stop abruptly to avoid running right into him.
"Hello, birthday girl. What've you got there?"
"My Hogwarts letter! It came straight to my bedroom a few minutes ago!" smiled Lily, laughing as her father grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around in the air.
"That's brilliant, Lil! Come on, let's see if we can find your mum." he said affectionately, placing his daughter back on the ground and taking her hand, both running across the landing. They found Ginny in the garden, reading the Daily Prophet on the cream swing seat, a scarlet and gold cushion clutched in her lap. Lily bolted through the patio doors, her father seemingly forgotten in the kitchen.
"Mum!" Lily yelled, catching her mother's attention, who folded the paper and stood up to embrace her young daughter.
"Hello, birthday girl. How are you?" she asked, stroking Lily's cheek affectionately as the three sat down on the swing seat, Harry having finally caught up with them.
"I got my Hogwarts letter. It came a few minutes ago, that's why I came to find you."
"Oh, Lily." sighed Ginny, tears beginning to fill her eyes as she embraced her daughter once more.
"Are you upset?" she asked, which caused Ginny to laugh and begin to stroke her daughter's hair fondly, while Harry wrapped his arm around the pair of them.
"No! Baby, of course not. I'm just so proud of you. My only little girl going to Hogwarts."
"Just like the boys. But won't you be lonely?" asked the small girl, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck.
"No. I've got Daddy, Grandma, Auntie Hermione and the rest of the family. I'll be alright, as long as you write to me as often as you want to and tell your brothers to do the same."
"Of course I will, Mummy!" exclaimed Lily. "And I'm sure James and Albus will too. I can even ask Vici and Rose to write as well if you want me to."
"No, I don't think so, Lily, but it's a nice thought. Now, come on, why don't you run upstairs and write to Grandma and Auntie Hermione and tell them about your letter? I'll be up in a minute, I just need to have a quick word with Daddy."
"Alright, Mummy." agreed Lily, darting across the garden and into the house, leaving Ginny alone with Harry. The redheaded woman almost immediately curled up on the window seat, resting her head on her husband's lap, while he stroked her hair.
"Our baby's growing up, Harry." Ginny whispered sadly, a couple of tears glistening down in lines down her slightly coloured cheeks. Harry smirked a little, wiping the tears away with his thumb, still rubbing it in circles across her cheeks once the tears were all dried up. Harry leant down to kiss Ginny on the lips, which were seperated by under an inch when their daughter reappeared at the patio door.
"Mummy, come on! Uncle Ron's in the fireplace, he says he really needs to talk to you."
"Impeccable timing, Ron!" exclaimed Harry, kissing her on the lips more chastely than he would've done, had Lily not been watching them. "Go on, Gin. Ron's waiting."
"I love you, Harry."
"I love you too, Gin. Come on, you'd better not keep Lils waiting for too long. She's getting impatient." Ginny smiled at this comment and got up, walking quickly across to her young daughter, taking her hand as the little girl lead her into the house.
"Yes, Gin, you're right." murmered Harry to himself. "Our little girl's growing up."
A/N: I'm updating a lot lately, I know, which will stop next week, because of school, but those of you who have me on Author Alert, enjoy it while it lasts! Please review!