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The door of Lily's bedroom creaked open.A tall skinny, curly brown headed woman with a neck twice as much as Petunia wearing a displeased look stormed in the quiet room followed by scared Petunia, who was using her mother as a shield.
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"I thought I told you to stop reading that book of yours and get ready, any minute now the guests will arrive", said Mrs.Evans, in a firm voice.
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"And stop scaring your sister with that stupid owl toy or I'll take it away", said Mrs.Evans and jerked her head towards the window, where the owl stood motionless, and left at once.�����
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Petunia smiled elatedly at Lily, as though nothing better can happen then this and, like her mother, left at once.�������
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Lily was motionless, as well."What would I do with this owl", she wondered.As her brain was rummaging for answers, Lily spotted a tiny note around the owl's neck which she didn't notcie before.
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�� It read:
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This owl is yours to keep.Do take care of it.
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������ Lily didn't know who send it to her, there was no name at the end of the note.But where on earth can you get owls?, Lily wondered.The owl, who seemed to read Lily's mind, pecked softly at Lily's cheek.
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"I 'll name you...Peckers", whispreed Lily, patting the owl, who hooted happily.
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"LILY, ARE YOU READY?", yelled Mrs.Evans from below.
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"UM...ALMOST",lied Lily, she didn't want her mother to come up again and this time scream.
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������� Lily dressed into a bright blue robe with sparkling diomands that flickered by every movement.Then Lily quickly brushed her curly red hair straight.She grabbed a dazzling pearl necklace and a pair of earings, and hung them on her.She caught a fleeting glimpse of herself in the mirror and thought she looked great.Casting one last look at Peckers, she dashed downstairs, just in time to hear the doorbell.
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"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cavrin, and hello to you Miel",greeted Mr. Evans.
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������� Mr.Evans is a tall man, with puffy cheeks that always popped out.HIs dark red hair laid flat against its head.He was wearing a navy suit and a white-red striped tie to add the finishing touch on his pale yellow long-sleeve shirt.
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"Petunia, get their coats", ordered Mrs. Evans, who simly looked distinguished in her purple gown with black fastenings.
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����� � Petunia eyed Lily with disgust that she, Petunia, looked ok in her rose colored dress ( her mom made her wear it) while Lily enchanted others in her magnificent glowing blue robe.
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������ After the superb delicious dinner, Mr. Evans and Mr. Cavrin chortled as they shared their funny moments, as champaign was served by Petunia.Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Cavrin were telling each other about how they fell in love with their husbands.This conversation seemed to interest Miel, Lily's best friend.
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����� Miel looked prettier then Petunia.She wore a creamery� white silk long dress.Her earings and necklace matched her dress.Her hair was the color of honey and if you'd saw her hair you'd say it was the curliest hair you've ever seen.���
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"Lily, did you hear, my father brought my mum a moonstone bracelet?Lily...Lily..are you listening?",asked Miel, who finally seems to notice that Lily's mind was someplace else.
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"Wha-? Oh! Yeah, I'm listening",said Lily, thinking about Peckers, the letter she had recieved,Peckers,she's a witch,Peckers,whether she should tell Miel about it..should she?
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"Lily,is something wrong?",Mile asked,staring at her.
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������ "Er...No",lied Lily,looking away with guilt.She didn't want her best friend to think that she's nuts or weird and tell other students about it at her school.
������ "You can tell me",said Miel,knowing her friend is lying,"After all,I am your best friend", she added,thinking that perhaps Lily doesn't trust her,well..not anymore.
������� "It's not that,...it's just...",Lily sighed deeply.
�������� "Follow me to my bedroom",Lily whispered,aware of Petunia's earshot,because that's what she does.
�������� Lily lead Miel to her bedroom. Lily's bedroom,like before,was still.The silver misty glow of the moon crept in the room,creating a twinkle in your eyes.But the most peculiar thing in her room was the owl.
�������� Lily stared at Miel,who stared back,then Lily simply pointed to Peckers.
������� "Meet my..er...pet...Peckers"',said Lily,looking at the floor,waiting for Miel to scream and say,"ARE YOU MAD?"!
�������� Lily waited,but no scream came.She quickly looked at Miel.Instead Miel beamed at Lily,then at Peckers,and then at Lily again.The last thing Lily thought Miel would do was to run towards Peckers and pat her.Peckers seemed delighted to see Miel,like they know each other.
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"Miel...", Lily stammered,she didn't understand Miel's behavior.
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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY,LILY!",said Miel,running into a hug.
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"You...You remembered?I thought everyone forgot",said Lily,pulling away from Miel's hug.
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Lily was in total shock.Since the time she woke up, no one greeted her with a HAPPY BIRTHDAY,or mentioned anything about her birthday.She followed with the flow, she wanted to see how long it takes them to remember her birthday.And then later, she will announce to her family that they forgot her birthday.
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"You like the owl I chose for you?....Well,do you?",asked Miel impatiently.
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"Yeah,thanks,but where on earth did you get an owl?I suppose the letter you send me was a joke.I have to admit that I fell for it.", said Lily with a relief,thinking that for one brief moment,she considered herself to be a witch.
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"Hmph,what a thing to be",Lily though.
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"Oh! Right. The letter.Must be from Dippet,the headmaster.I got one too.My brother,Makas, got one last year.He's been going to Hogwarts for a year.",said Miel,"He says its pretty neat,and thats all he tells me,doesn't want me to know anything more.
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But I found out this,the school teaches how to do magic with a stick.I sneaked in my brother's room and tried to grab one of his school books, but i always get caught,red-handed.Thats all I know.But Hey! We are going there anyways, so we will see it ourself."
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"Er-Right",said Lily.She was a bit confused.
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"Say,where'd you get my owl?",asked Lily again.Lily was sure that people definitely didn't sell owls.But asked anyway.
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"You know that it is not a great custom for me to tell you where I brought your gift,now is it?But you'll find out anyways because tomorrow,we'll go shopping together to buy our school stuffs.",said Miel with enthusiasm.
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"HUH?",Lily immediately blurted out.
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"Let me see your letter?",miel demanded.
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Without a word,Lily grabbed her letter from her study desk,and handed it to Lily.Miel and Lily scanned the first parchment Lily had read before.But the second one Miel and Lily scanned was the one Lily didn't read because of Petunia's disturbance.It read:
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