Lily is a witch!
January 30, 1971. (Saturday)
The little Evans family was eating breakfast together this Saturday, laughing, singing “Happy Birthday” to Lily, and anticipating the snow fight that would occur later. But a knock on the door disturbed the planned day.
Petunia, nearing her thirteenth birthday, got to the door. When she opened it, there was a lady waiting. She was wearing a pointed wide-brimmed hat, and she was looking frighteningly like Marlene Dietrich, in her white double-breasted suit. But redhead. She was beautiful, but she was also an unknown person knocking on the Evans’ door at eight in the morning.
“Hello, can I help you?” Asked Petunia, curious.
“Hello. I am Minerva McGonagall. Is Lily Evans living here?”
“Yes. She is my sister. What do you want?”
“Can I talk to your parents and your sister? I am a professor in a special elite boarding school.”
Turning around, leading her to the dining room, Petunia introduced her to her family.
“Mum, dad, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall. She wants to talk to you and Lily. Ma’am, this is my father, Ambrose Evans, and my mother, Cæla. And my sisters, Lily, and Ivy.”
The professor took her hat off and smiled.
“Good morning to you all, and happy birthday to you, Lily,” She said with a light smile. “I am a professor at an elite boarding school. This is a school for peculiar children. We are interested in seeing young Lily attends.”
“Peculiar? In which way?” Asked Ambrose, frowning.
“Nothing bad, I assure you. You see, Lily is an incredibly special child. She is a witch, like I am. Hogwarts is a school for children like her, to help control and develop her magic.”
Silence followed the declaration, Cæla and Ambrose looking at each other incredulously while Lily had a slow smile spreading on her lips.
“Sev’ was right!” She finally exclaimed, giggling, throwing a look at Petunia. “You will have to apologise to him Tuney!”
“I will do no such thing, Lils. He is rude, and mean, and unwashed. He is bad news. Maybe he was right about that, but that doesn’t mean he is right about everything.”
Lily’s face fell, while the parents shook their heads.
“Let’s get back to the witch thing, dearies,” said Cæla. “What does it mean?”
The professor smiled gently, almost amused, and took the seat that Petunia offered her.
“In itself, it just means that your daughter can do wondrous things. But she needs training, or her magic can become out of control. You see, witches and wizards have an entire community, hidden from non-magical peoples, since 1692. There is a law, called the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which instruct us to keep our abilities hidden amongst non-magical peoples. There is some lenience for the families of those witches and wizards that are born from non-magical peoples, but as a whole, our community is a secret. We have entire villages where only magical people live, we have shops, and we have schools. We also have national and international governments, laws, and facilities.”
It was a lot. Petunia, back on her chair near her youngest sister, blinked slowly.
“So, the Snape boy is a magical too? Because he knew about it.”
The professor nodded, smiling.
“Yes. I assume you are talking about young Severus Snape. He is also enrolled in Hogwarts and will start his first year the first of September. Like Lily, if you let her attend.”
Ambrose shook his head a bit, trying to wrap his mind around the news. Meanwhile, Cæla offered tea to the professor, who accepted gratefully.
“Let me fetch you a cup. Would you like sugar, cream, or both?”
“A drop a cream, please. And don’t trouble yourself for the cup, I can make one.”
She showed them her arm, where a leather band was strapped. Under her wrist, the wooden handle of something was visible. She took it and retrieved a long piece of wood from the leather band. Much, much longer than it should be.
“This is my wand. All witches and wizards have one. They acquired it before their first year in Hogwarts. It is the primary tool used to control our magic.”
With a flick of her wands, a napkin turned itself into an intricately sculpted porcelain cup, complete with a little saucer. Another flick, and the teapot floated to her, serving the tea without spilling a drop. The little family watched the little magic show, stunned. Lily was the first one to clap, followed enthusiastically by her youngest sister.
“That is amazing! I can do that, too?” Asked the eleven years old redhead, excitedly.
The professor nodded, smiling.
“That, and a whole lot of wonderful things. There is seven years of schooling to learn everything. Then, when you will turn seventeen, you will be legally considered an adult in our world. And there is lots of books to help you learn, internationally renowned professors to teach you, and many children alongside you.”
Smiling, her eyes shining excitedly, Lily turned to her parents.
“Can I attend? Please? Please, please, please, please, pleas-”
“Yes,” interrupted Cæla after a long look to Ambrose. “Yes, you can.”
“Wonderful!” Exclaimed Minerva McGonagall, searching her purse and taking a thick envelop from it. “Then, this is your letter of admission, miss Evans. You will also find a list of supplies needed for the school year. I am here to show you how to get everything listed. Maybe if you have nothing planned today? Or we could plan for another day?”
Overwhelmed, Petunia didn’t listen to her parents planning the rest of the day. She kept looking at Lily, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her little sister was a witch. That magic was real. She felt distant the rest of the day, even when around so much magic that she could compare it to the fantasy books she reads with her sisters. She was distracted all along, never really taking in the wonderful sights around her.
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