Lily Evans heard at tapping sound at her window, closed because the wind was unusually cool and strong for July. She assumed that it was just a branch, and continued reading. She reluctantly looked up from her book as the tapping grew louder. A large snowy owl hovered at her window.
"What the...?" she exclaimed, backing away from the shocking sight. The owl rapped more insistently, the flapping of its wings revealing a letter grasped in its talons. The letter bore Lily's name in emerald green ink. Intrigued, Lily set aside her apprehensions and opened the window. The owl flew in, dropped the letter on the bed where Lily had been previously sitting, and perched on her desk lamp. It immediately began preening itself. Cautiously, Lily opened the letter. It read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRYHeadmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)Dear Miss 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 your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Mrs. Evans rushed into Lily's room to see what was wrong. As she entered the room, she noticed the owl perched calmly on the lamp.
"Oh dear," she whispered to herself. Louder she said, "What's wrong, Lily?"
Wordlessly, Lily handed her mother the letter from Hogwarts that the owl had delivered. Lydia Evans quickly scanned the letter, already knowing the contents.
"So you're one too," she breathed.
"What are you talking about, do you know what this is? It's not a joke?"
"No, it's not a joke, sweetie, it's real. Your grandmother was a witch, but your grandfather wasn't. When I was born, everyone so hoped that I would inherit my mother's magical genes, but I didn't. My eleventh birthday came and went with no letter from Hogwarts. I went on to school, I suppose it's all worked out for the best though, I wouldn't have met your father if I had been a witch. Mother would have been so proud to know that you are able to go even if couldn't." Mrs. Evans sighed for a moment, thinking about what could have been; she then briskly went back to the task at hand.
"Okay then, let's send your reply." Lydia took a slip of paper and a pen off of Lily's desk and wrote out an affirmative reply. She attached the letter to the loop on the owl's outstretched leg and stood back. The owl flapped soundlessly a few times before taking off out the open window. Lily and her mother watched as the white bird turned into a black dot and then disappeared into the distance.