Extraordinary: A Harry Potter Story

Part II: Owls Hoot

"This is really weird..." Lilith says to herself as she walks up the stairs, going to the left and the second room on the right. She shuts her bedroom door closed behind her and reads this strange letter.

Dear Lilith Johnson,

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,

Matilda Weasley
Deputy Headmistress

  She took the list out of all "necessary books and equipment" and saw lots of stuff that looked like it belonged in a fantasy novel.
  A cauldron? Only ever heard of those  in books about witches and wizards.
  A wand? It said something about a wand store, but the more Lilith scanned this list, the more she wanted to laugh. Surely, this couldn't be real. Or maybe she was hallucinating?
  She sits at her desk and stares at her ceiling. What should she do about it? Show Ms. Paisley? Surely she wouldn't know anything about it. Talk to Delilah about it? Could she have gotten the same kind of letter as Lilith? Pretty small chance, but maybe she should take it. Lilith didn't even consider throwing it away, because she had this gut feeling like she had to figure out where this came from. And she would somehow. But not right now. She was too tired. She got up from her desk chair, flopped down on her bed, and fell asleep, with her day clothes on and shoes.

  The next morning, Lilith told Ms. Paisley that she wanted to go on a bike ride so she could get out of the house and figure out what to do with the letter. Before she left the driveway, though, she spotted an owl on the top of her mailbox. She stared at it for a minute before it flew off. How weird. Owls were supposed to be nocturnal, right?
  Lilith pedaled around the neighborhood for a little while, trying to think of what to do. Eventually, she just sat at the neighborhood park, letter in hand, watching this one little boy trying to climb on top of the little slide.
  Lilith sighed as she watched the boy fail at climbing up the slide. She had no clue what to do with this letter. She re read the front. Lilith Johnson. How'd they know her name? Up the stairs, to the left, second room on the right. How'd they know where her room is? All of it was crazy. Maybe it was just a prank letter from Delilah. But how would she come up with "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" ? It was all very confusing, too.
  "Hey there, Lilith." Mr. Lyons, Lilith's next door neighbor sat next to her. She quickly shoved the letter in her pocket. She didn't want this old guy thinking she was crazy. It was bad enough that she thought she was going insane.
  "Hey, Mr. Lyons. How are you?" She asks, looking at him. He was a polite old guy, and he came from Scotland. He had to walk with a cane and had a bit of a limp, but otherwise he seemed perfectly fine. He had a faint Scottish accent, which Lilith tried to mimick sometimes.
  "I'm perfectly well this fine day." He smiled and looked over at Lilith. He looked down a bit and saw the envelope hanging out of Lilith's pocket. "What's that?"
  "Oh uh..." Lilith thought about showing him. She knew she would look crazy, but maybe, maybe, he might know something. "It's just a letter." She pulled it out of her pocket, and handed it to Mr. Lyons to look at. He started reading it, and his expression went from calm happiness to surprised alarm.
  "Do you know what this is, young lady?" He asked, looking at Lilith with a serious expression.
  "Uh.. a letter?" She said, shrugging, not having a better answer.
  "Come with me. I must show you something." And Mr. Lyons set off towards his house.