Lucy Potter: Harry's little sister

Chapter 5: The letters

Lucy's POV:

I froze in the middle of the kitchen, heart sinking.

Only now had I realised how hard it was to watch Harry and the others go off to school, while I should too.

I think it was obvious I was somewhere else with my mind, because George called out to me.

"Are you OK, Lucy?" Everyone turned to me in worry. Harry looked hurt: he knew what was wrong.

"Do you need to talk?" He asked. I shook my head, he deserved this and I wouldn't ruin this for him.

Or for Ginny, who had just gotten hold of her first letter.

"I got it Dad!" She shrieked. Mr. Weasley hugged her tightly. "I'm proud of you kid."

"Dad, Harry's is here..." Ron suddenly said. "Where's Lucy's?"

I didn't dare look up as I felt my heart sink deeper and deeper. My throat went dry as Mr. Weasley rummaged around the table, looking for a letter I knew wouldn't be there.

After every inch of the table was searched and all Weasleys were looking at me in confusion, Harry stood up and tugged me along out of the room.

We went outside. "Lu, I am so sorry..." he started. "If I could change anything in my life right now, I'd change this."

I looked up.

"It's fine, we already knew, right? Minnie has made it quite clear." He hugged me shakily. "We'll figure something out, you're not going back to the Dursleys."

"I am, I won't stay here, I can't do that, Harry..." I sighed. "Look, we knew there would be a chance I wouldn't get in, it's the stigma."

"I didn't know it was this big..." he sighed shakily.

"I did. It was just weird in front of the Weasleys. What do we tell them?"

"No idea, you're usually the one who knows what to say." Harry said after a while.

I'd known it, I'd prepaired for it. And it still hit hard. I couldn't help but be hurt by this hidden hate message.

I'd been bullied, hated, people moved to the other side of the road to not cross me. And yet, it still pained me that even in this world, they would.

I thought this world, and specifically Hogwarts, would be different.

"Lucy!" Ginny ran out of the house. "We've found it! Apparantly Errol dropped it in the owlery and not in the kitchen!"

Harry looked excited out of his mind, but I knew better. "I know it's not true y'know, I know I didn't get it..."

"What? No, I mean it! Come see it for yourself!" She dragged me back in, to the kitchen.

"Gin, it's OK really, I alreasy knew-"

Mr. Weasley held out a letter. Not just a letter, a Hogwarts letter. An unopened one. Without the Weasley name on it.

It had my name on it.

Mr. Weasley was still holding the letter, for me to take it. Harry had now joined us too.

"Lucy...!"

With a shaking hand, I took the letter and opened it.

They must've written about how they could- n't let a monster come to Hogwarts. How it just wasn't possible and too dangerous. And bad for their reputation if people found out.

But that wasn't what it said.

'Dear Ms Potter,

We are pleaschcrafted to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A list with required equipment has been attached.