Hogwarts is a Magical Place

Chapter 2

  Lily Hope Lovegood

*Five days later*

We are back at my aunt's house for little Nova's birthday. Aunt Luna has a pool, so we are going swimming. Nova's tree is Lavender with aqua tinsel. It has lots of hippogriff ornaments and also some pictures of her, and of course, a pickle.

"Mum, watch me!" I yell on the diving board in my blue and black zebra striped bathing suit.

"I'm watching!"

I turn so my back is facing the water. I jump once, twice, and the third time, I jump backwards, away from the diving board and do a backflip. Luckily, I braided my hair before, so it didn't catch the diving board.

"Lily!!! Where did you learn to do that?!"

"Mom. I am tired of just doing front flips."

"You scared me to death. Don't do that with me watching. Ask your dad next time."

My dad opens the screen door. What about me?

"Supervise Lily doing a backflip. I am talking to Luna."

"Alright. CANNON BALL!!!"

Dad jumps in the pool, splashing mom and Aunt Luna.

"Oops."

River and I giggle.

"C'mere, Nova! Want to have some fun?"

"River let's throw her in!"

"No. That's mean!"

"It'll be fun. Besides, she has floaties"

"Ok, Fine"

Nova comes over. "What?"

I grab her under the arm and River does the same. I swing her back and forth.

"One... Two... Three!"

We let go and Nova flies into the pool, shrieking. "Weeeeeeee! Again! Again!"

"I told you it would be fun."

Nova's friend Rose comes up to me and tugs on my bathing suit top. "Can I go?" She asks, softly. Rose is very shy.

"Sure thing, Rose."

"Nova!" Aunt Luna yells, "time to open presents!!!"

"Presents!!!"

We all dry off and go inside, pulling on our cover ups. Mine is a white sundress with aqua blue at the bottom. Nova's is the same, but with purple instead of blue. River's is just a plain aqua blue pool cover up. River's brothers, Lorcan and Lysander both pull over matching bright orange shirts.

I put a purple crown on Nova's head. "This is my present, princess."

"Pretty," Nova returns.

"Open ours first!" Lorcan and Lysander push.

"Ok!"

Lorcan and Lysander got Nova a picture book about pirates. Oh, boy. More booby traps.

My mom and dad give Nova something next.

"It's so BIG!!! How did you wrap it???"

"Oh, just TONS of wrapping paper and tape..."

"And my help!" I add as Nova starts ripping the paper. "Help me, Rose!"

Rose runs over and starts helping Nova rip the wrapping paper off the life-sized hippogriff we wrapped for her.

"I love it!!!" Nova flops down on the hippogriff, and Rose cautiously sits down on it.

"Don't forget about our present!" Aunt Luna reminds Nova as she hands Nova her present. Nova is still sitting on her stuffed hippogriff when she started pulling the tissue paper out of the bag. Aunt Luna got Nova a tiny broomstick that resembles the Starcatcher 2000 with a little remote control that has a screen on it. Aunt Luna always knows what everyone wants.

"Also Lily, sweetie I have your late birthday present. I ordered it in the mail, but it didn't come until the day after your birthday. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind."

Aunt Luna opens her cupboard and pulls out two packages wrapped in brown paper with an aqua blue ribbon on each.

"No way!!!" River and I scream.

"I knew it would be unfair if one of you got a broom and not the other, so I hope it's ok that River opens hers at the same time as you."

"No, it's fine, I'd love for us to open them at the same time. Ready?" I ask River. She nods.

"One," I say.

"Two," River says.

"Three!" we both say together as we rip open the paper.

I gasp. "It's the new starcatcher 2000!"

"Can we try riding them?" River asks, and I can see the excitement in her eyes.