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The First Four Years by hermione278
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The First Four Years

hermione278

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter world (although I wish I did), which was created by the brilliant J.K. Rowling. However, I do own any characters and concepts unfamiliar to you.

Chapter Two: There's an owl in the Kitchen!

-- Flash Forward 11 years --

"Mom!" eleven-year-old Lily Evans called from the kitchen, "There's an owl sitting on the window sill!"

"Oh, shut up, you freak!" her older sister, Petunia Evans, shouted, "Why the hell would there be a god damn owl in the kitchen?"

"Petunia! Watch your language!" Laura Evans said, walking into the kitchen.

From the sitting room where she was watching TV, Petunia muttered, "Oh, please!" and rolled her eyes.

"Now what's this about an owl, dear?" Laura asked, turning to her younger daughter, smiling fondly.

Lily smirked before replying, she loved it when her fourteen-year-old sister got into trouble, "Yes, mum. There's an owl sitting on the window sill over the sink, and it's holding a letter with a funny wax seal on it."

"Well, see if you can get the letter from it. If you need me, just call."

"Ok, Mum!" Lily proceeded to walk carefully towards the owl. When it didn't move, Lily reached her hand out, and took the letter. When she looked at it, she gasped. In emerald green ink, the exact same color as her eyes, she read:

Miss L. Evans

The Kitchen

643 Crimson Drive

Bristol

England

On the back, there was a wax seal that said:

γHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"Mum, could you please come here for a moment?" Lily yelled frantically.

"What is it, dear?" Laura asked, concerned, as she ran into the kitchen, "Is it about the letter?"

"Yes, mum," Lily thrust the letter into her hands, "Read the front and back of it."

Neither of them noticed as Petunia walked in.

Laura read what the envelope said, "Miss L. Evans; The Kitchen; 643 Crimson Drive; Bristol; England," she read slowly, her eyes wide, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"I always knew that there was something freakish about you!" Petunia muttered angrily, "Now I know what it is. You're a witch!"

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked rudely.

"I live here, you dolt."

"Funny, as I recall it, you don't live in the kitchen, my darling sister."

Laura rolled her eyes at her two daughters, who were always bickering. It seem that once Petunia got Lily started, it could go on for days. She cleared her throat, and said loudly, as both girls turned to look at her, "Now that you're both finished arguing, let's open this letter to see what it says."

Petunia glared at her sister. Lily smirked, and then turned to look at her mum. "May I open it, Mum? After all, it is addressed to me," she asked sweetly, in a voice that Petunia thought was absolutely revolting.

"Of course you may, dear," her mum replied, smiling.

Lily opened the letter and gasped. Then, with a loud, clear voice, and emerald eyes bright with excitement, she began to read:

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 Miss Evans:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Now I know that you are Muggle-born (having non-wizard parents), so you don't know about us. You can get your school supplies in Diagon Alley, by going to the Leaky Cauldron in London. (Manchester Drive, between the big bookstore and the record store). Go into the back alley, and tap the bricks over the garbage pail in this order: three up, and two across.

I have assigned a wizarding family to help you in case you need help. This family is the Potters. Their son, James, will be in your year at Hogwarts. Please arrange to meet them at Diagon Alley before the start of term. They will be sending you an owl.

We await your reply no later than the start of term, September, the first.

Attached, you will find a list of supplies necessary for the year to come.

Sincerely,

Prof. M. McGonagall

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Lily was amazed. She looked briefly at the list of supplies before turning to look at her mum.

"Oh, Lily! I'm so proud of you! I can't wait to tell your father when he gets home!" Laura exclaimed.

Petunia rolled her eyes. "Oh, mum! May I open it? Please, mum!" she mimicked, "I always knew there was something wrong with you, you FREAK!"

Lily burst into tears, and ran out of the room. "Petunia! That was uncalled for, and unnecessarily mean. Go apologize to your sister RIGHT NOW!" Laura demanded angrily, in a very loud voice.

"Fine," Petunia muttered, walking out of the room, and walking up the stairs to her sister's room.

Laura sent the owl off with a response saying that Lily would be attending, while wondering what she was going to do with her eldest daughter.

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"James, honey, your Hogwarts letter is here! Yours is too, Sirius," Christine Potter called down the hallway so that her son, James Potter, and his best fried, Sirius Black could here, "I'll let you two open your letters for yourselves."

"Coming, mum!" James shouted back, as he and Sirius ran down the hall, early crashing into Christine.

Christine handed each boy his letter. "Thanks, Mrs. Potter," Sirius said enthusiastically.

"Yea, thanks, mum," James frowned, "It says that we have to help this girl, Lily Evans. She's muggle-born. It also says to owl her after we get an owl from Dumbledore confirming that she's going to Hogwarts."

"Oh, yes, I remember Albus asking me if we would do this," Christine replied.

"I don't have anyone that I have to help," Sirius noticed.

"Mum, how come Sirius doesn't have to help anyone?" James pouted.

"Probably because my whole family would rather kill a muggle-born than to tell them how to get to Diagon Alley," Sirius muttered angrily, "They're pureblood freaks, the whole lot of them."

Just then, a bright red and gold bird appeared in the kitchen, where Christine, James and Sirius were sitting. "Wow, mum! Is that Dumbledore's owl?" James asked, captivated by the bird's bright colors.

"No, dearest, but this is Fawkes, his phoenix," Christine replied, opening the letter, "Good! Lily Evans has decided to go to Hogwarts. I will owl her now. We can meet her, and her family on August 31 at King's Cross Station, and then from there, we will head over to Diagon Ally, where we will get supplies for both of you. Capisce?"

James nodded, and Sirius said, "I should be going now. Mum said I had to be home by five. And don't worry. I wont tell her about you helping Lily Evans. I don't think she'd let me speak to you again if she knew," he added hastily.

"Ok, then good-bye, Sirius, dear. The floo powder is on the fireplace mantel," Christine told him.

"Ok! Thanks for having me, Mrs. P! See you later, James!" Sirius called, and with that, he shouted, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" and he was gone.

Christine went off to owl Lily, and James went off to fly around on the field behind the Potter Manor, which, of course, was protected with Muggle-repelling charms.


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