Valentina woke up the next day with the same level of anxiety, but for a different reason. The excitement of going to Hogwarts was mixed with the sadness of leaving her best friend Lívia Bettoni, behind. Lívia was like a sister to her, and the idea of not being able to share the rest of her life with her at the same school was almost unbearable.
The two met, as usual, at Burger King, their favorite place to eat and chat. But the atmosphere was different; there was a tension in the air that both felt, but no one dared to address the elephant in the room.
"I need to tell you something," Valentina finally said, and before she could continue, Lívia interrupted her.
"Me too." Lívia felt a knot in her stomach as she started a countdown with her fingers for Tina, before speaking the truth.
At the same moment, both friends said, "I'm going to change schools!"
They fell silent for a moment, surprised by making the same revelation at the same time, then looked at each other with suspicion. A nervous laugh broke the tension.
Valentina then looked around, pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and quickly wrote something so no one would hear their conversation. Within five seconds, she handed the paper to Lívia, who read it quickly: "Do you believe in magic?"
A huge smile spread across her face as she looked at Valentina.
"Don't tell me you're also..." Lívia began, her voice filled with disbelief that made her stutter.
Valentina nodded quickly, her eyes shining with joy.
They both burst into laughter, a contagious sound that soon filled the entire place. People around them looked on with curiosity, but the friends didn't care. They were too busy enjoying the unexpected revelation.
---
The next morning, Valentina and Lívia could hardly contain their excitement. Today was the day they would go to Diagon Alley to buy their school supplies for Hogwarts. They had arranged to meet at the Leaky Cauldron, a hidden pub that Valentina's Mother had told her about.
As Valentina arrived, she saw Lívia already waiting outside, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the magical surroundings.
"Ready?" Valentina asked, grinning from ear to ear.
"More than ever!" Lívia replied, her excitement matching Valentina's.
They entered the Leaky Cauldron and made their way to the back, where a brick wall hid the entrance to Diagon Alley. With a few taps of Valentina's wand, the bricks shifted and parted, revealing the bustling street beyond.
Lívia gasped as they stepped into Diagon Alley, the air filled with the sounds of chatter, the clinking of coins, and the rustling of robes. Shops lined the cobblestone street, each one more fascinating than the last.
"Where do we start?" Lívia asked, her eyes darting from shop to shop.
"Ollivanders," Valentina said confidently. "We need our wands first."
They made their way to the small, dusty shop where the sign read "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." As they entered, a tinkling bell announced their arrival, and an elderly man with twinkling eyes appeared from behind a stack of boxes.
"Ah, new students for Hogwarts, I presume?" he said, looking at them over his spectacles.
"Yes, sir," Valentina replied. "We need wands."
"Of course, of course," Ollivander murmured, sizing them up. "Let's see... who will go first?"
Lívia stepped forward, a mix of excitement and nerves on her face. Ollivander handed her a wand and instructed her to give it a wave. A burst of light shot from the tip, and Ollivander smiled.
