learning
Over the course of the long weekend before the start of classes, Lily learned a lot. She learned how to write with a quill and ink (the reason the wizarding world hadn’t adopted ballpoint pens, or at least wooden pencils, was, of yet, unknown to Lily).
She learned how to navigate the castle, and she learned that Marlene was not naturally as prim and proper as she had seemed on the first night. As a matter of fact, Marlene had some of the worst bedhead Lily had ever seen, to the point that, by the third night in the dorm, Mary was offering to braid Marlene’s long blonde hair before bed.
Lily learned that Mary had truly excellent taste in music, as her extensive record collection proved. Lily learned that the owls at Hogwarts had their own kind of magic and could navigate almost anywhere with very little instruction.
Lily learned that there were some wizards who believed she and Mary weren’t as good at magic as they were, because she and Mary were muggle-born (“Mud-blood,” they called it). According to the fifth-year prefects, Alice and Frank, however, so-called “blood purity” was a bunch of codswallop, and she, Mary, and Remus (though he was a bit guarded about his parentage, so who could really be sure?) were just as capable as any pure-blood. Sirius Black (who had cheered up significantly after the first night) even said that some pureblood families were so committed to keeping their line pure that they inbred. That, ultimately, was what convinced Lily not to care about her “inferior blood.” So, Lily put it out of her mind and let Alice teach her to play Exploding Snap.
Lily thought she had really lucked out being in Gryffindor, since Alice and Frank were the Head Boy and Girl (Lily would have thought Ravenclaws and Slytherins would be the ones going places). Alice and Frank made sure Lily and Mary and Remus, who had not grown up with magic, were up to speed before Monday classes. As a result of these private lessons, Lily felt she got to know Mary quite well, and felt they would get along as roommates. Remus was harder to get a read on, in large part because he stopped coming after Saturday afternoon. His roommates were obnoxious enough that while Lily didn't want to completely write him off, she wasn't upset about his absence.
Lily wrote letters home, one to her parents and one to Petunia.
Dear Mum and Dad,
It’s so COOL here!!! We haven’t started lessons yet, but I’ve been getting to know the castle, and guess what? The stairs MOVE!!! And and and!!! The ceiling in the Great Hall is even better than we had imagined it, Dad! The candles aren’t on strings, in spite of your skepticism. I looked through the first week’s coursework, and I think I’ll learn the basics of the spell that levitates them in my first week of lessons. I got sorted into Gryffindor, which is the courageous house. I think I influenced the hat, but I don’t really mind, because the girls in my year are so nice and cool and they’re from the beach and one of them is muggle-born too and Sev’s in Slytherin, but it’s okay because we looked at our schedules and we still have Potions together and that’s Sev’s favorite subject, so it’s really going to be okay I think even though I really miss both of you, I spoke to Mary (one of my roommates, the muggle-born one—she has so many albums it's insane!!!) and she said that she’s set stuff on fire by accident, too! So it’s not even a big deal here that I did that, and like, yes I kind of liked the being so special aspect of it, but I’m glad that I don’t have the constant threat of being found out (whatever that even means when you don’t know you’re a witch) over me, because everybody here is just like me!!!
Anyway, hope home’s good, I’ll write again soon.
I love you.
Love,
Lily
Tuney,
I know you might not want to hear from me, but that’s just too bad, because we are sisters and I love you. How is year 8 going???? You have to tell me everything! Hogwarts is pretty cool, but I miss you a ton. I think you’d really like some of the art here. The portraits on the walls TALK!!! I haven’t had any lessons yet, but I’ll let you know which professors are knobs annoying and which ones are cool. All the subjects seem so out of this world, like yes, I want to learn “Charms,” but shouldn’t I still be learning maths? Oh well. Please write back, I need to know what’s going on! are there any boys? Is anybody being mean? I’ll learn some hexes for when I come home at Christmas ;)
Lots of love,
your sister Lily