Distant Memories

July, 1971

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. 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 await you owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Lily Evans stared at the letter, her wide green eyes filled with shock.

It had been breakfast time at the house of Evans. Lily had finished her breakfast early and offered to get the morning post. A surprise was waiting for her in the hallway when she arrived, a handsome brown own with a letter attached to its leg.

Lily had stared at the owl for some time, and then had removed the letter from the owl, heart beating fast and mind incredibly curious. Owl post? Who would be sending her a letter by owl post?

She had ripped open the letter and unfolded it. Now, after reading it, she was staring at it in complete disbelief.

"What is it, Lily dear?" Mrs. Evan asked, coming up to her daughter. "What's that?" She pointed to the letter.

Lily handed her mother the letter, mouth wide open. Mrs. Evans read the letter, her eyes also widening in shock.

"Unbelievable," Mrs. Evans muttered.

"Mum?" Lily asked meekly, ignoring the mutters.

Mrs. Evans seemed to snap out of a daydream. "Yes, dear?"

"Is this a joke?" Lily asked her mother quietly.

Mrs. Evans stared at the brown owl that carried the letter. "Maybe," she said slowly. "But I guess it wouldn't do any harm to, er, owl them back, at least with questions and some instructions."

Lily stared at her mother. She was so sure that her mother would take the letter as a joke of some sort, but apparently not. After all, the letter was incredibly official looking, and Lily had no enemies that would want to play a joke on her.

"I don't know," Lily said hesitantly. "It doesn't seem... real."

"Well, maybe it's real and maybe it's not," Mrs. Evans said. "But how in the world are we supposed to know?"

As if to answer her question, an owl swooped gracefully in through the open hallway window and dropped a letter into Lily's hands. Trembling, she slit open the letter.

To ensure the family of Evans that Ms. Evans is actually a witch, this letter will transfigure into a flower within ten seconds of reading the last word. Do not be alarmed, as you are a Muggle and you're probably seeing magic for the first time.

Lily stared at the letter even more than she stared at her Hogwarts letter. What in the world is a ... Muggle?

"What's going on now?" Mrs. Evans asked, peering over her shoulder.

Lily stepped away from her mother. "The letter says it's going to turn into a flower soon, we just have to wa- "

Before Lily could get the word out, the letter in her hand had transformed into a beautiful bouquet of lilies. Both women gasped in amazement and delight.

"It is real," Lily said in an awed whisper.

Many feelings instantly entered Lily. Part of her was extremely worried. If she went to this Hogwarts, she would be leaving her own world and entering the world of magic, a world her family didn't know about.

Another part of her was incredibly excited. She would be learning magic! This type of thing only happened in movies, and here was a letter saying she was accepted into a magical school. She would actually be immersed in the world of magic, and she was a witch!

"What is going on?" Lily's sister Petunia asked from the doorway.

Lily spun around. Petunia was her best friend. They did everything together and always laughed and shared secrets. Lily was incredibly excited, and could not wait to tell her sister the news.

"Should I tell her?" Lily asked her mother excitedly.

Mrs. Evans forced a smile. "Sure, dear."

Lily was too excited to notice the smile was forced.

"What is going on?" Petunia repeated, a hint of impatience in her voice. "Honestly Lily, picking up envelopes doesn't take that long. Anything for me?"

"I don't know," Lily said, brushing away the comment with a wave of her hand.

"Well?" Petunia said.

"I'm a witch!" Lily shrieked delightedly.

She expected Petunia to shriek back, smile or say something.

Nothing happened.

Petunia stared at her.

Taking her sister's silence for joy, Lily shoved the letter and the bouquet of flowers into Petunia's hands. Petunia's eyes scanned the letter. She gasped, and the letter fell from her hands. As if in slow motion, it floated down to the floor.

Petunia raised her head and looked Lily in the eyes. There was no joy in them, no happiness, no nothing. They were blank.

"Petunia?" Lily said meekly.

Petunia looked at Lily some more. "Freak," she finally whispered.

Lily looked at her sister, eyes full of hurt. "What?"

Petunia narrowed her eyes. "FREAK!" she screamed.

"Petunia," Mrs. Evans started.

"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Petunia shrieked, pointing at Lily. "DON'T YOU DARE COME NEAR ME!"

"That's enough," Mrs. Evans said, voice raised.

"NO!" Petunia screamed. She spun around. With one last vindictive look at Lily, she stomped up the stairs. Lily heard a door slam loudly.

"Lily," Mrs. Evans started.

Lily looked around to her mother, her green eyed shining with tears. Blinking them back, she too ran up the stairs, her red hair billowing behind her. Mrs. Evans heard a second door slam.

"What just happened?" Mr. Evans asked, coming through the kitchen door, spoon in hand.

"Lily's a witch," Mrs. Evans said simply, gazing at her husband.

"Ah," Mr. Evans said. "Of course."

Lily staggered to her bed, unable to see straight. She had trusted her sister to be happy for her, and Petunia wasn't. Slumping down on her bed, she finally let out the flowing tears. Lily cried and cried for what seemed like forever.

She finally stood up. If her own sister wouldn't accept her in her own home, there was nothing to lose by going to Hogwarts.

She would make new friends. She would do well in her classes. She would make her parents proud of her. As for Petunia, she would come around. Lily knew she would. And if she didn't, Lily could always magic some sense into her.

Her emerald eyes gazed at the fireplace, lost. She didn't want to go, or did she? Lily shook her head. Of course she was going.

Grabbing a piece of paper shakily from her desk, Lily wrote a letter asking questions and asking for instructions on how to get the school materials. She breathed heavily, willing herself not to start crying again. Finally satisfied, she folded the piece of paper up and stuck it in an envelope.

Tying the letter to the owl to the best of her ability, Lily watched as the owl took of and soared out the window, wings spread wide open into the beaming afternoon sun.