Chapter one
Owls
The Hogwarts letter usually arrives around the fifth July, right? So, can someone explain me why today, 28th July 1990, my letter hasn't still arrived? Perhaps Mom's right. Perhaps all of my big sisters are right and I was not born for magic. But I don't wanna go to Beauxbatons! If I did, I had to move to France, and I'm not even sure if there they would accept me. But I just can't be a Squib. Sparks fly when I'm angry! I even alter the atmosphere, the water, the air… I'm not sure if that's normal for a eleven-year-old witch, because my mom seems about to explode with anger every time it happens. But she always stares at me like I'm doing everything wrong. It's frustrating!
Paula always says I have no witch's talent, but I don't listen to her. In my opinion, she is the one who has no talent. But I'm really scared, now that my letter hasn't arrived. Selene, Violetta and Isabella have been laughing at me and remembering me how fun it's to go to Diagon Alley. They're really evil, and they didn't even tell me if their letters for the Second and Third Year arrived. They want me to get desperate. Guess what? They managed it. Fortunately, I have still got Draco by my side. I'll send him an owl asking if he's gotten his letter.
While I sit on my chair and start writing, someone opens the door. It's Selene, who I share room with. Woo… wait for it… hoo.
"Waiting for your letter, Leyla? Don't worry, it will never arrive. You are not even worth of Hufflepuff"
"Weren't you going to Diagon Alley?"
"I was. But it's my Third Year. I've seen everything. Haha, and you still don't even know how to go in."
"And you don't know how to tie your lace, but I'm not reminding it to you every single day. Go out, I wanna be alone"
"No, I'm not going because you wanna be left alone. I'm going because I wanna leave you alone. Understand, you little blonde girl?"
Another reason to depreciate me: I'm blonde. The only one in the family. My mother belongs to the legendary, most pure, etc Black family, who are all tall, extremely white, their eyes and hair totally black. I have indeed pale skin, but none of the others attributes. During a while, I even thought I was Auntie Cissy's daughter, who is as blonde as me and loves me more than my own mother does. But then I knew cruel reality: I am irrefutably Alesia Black and Joseph Blair's daughter, and sister of the other thirteen Blair-Blacks. It's better not to distract me with my stupid relatives and concentrate on Draco's letter. I write some lines saying hello and telling him about my problems, like I always do, and I grab Karen's owl to send him the piece of paper. I haven't got an owl, and I'm always borrowing my brother's... without their knowledge. This is their reward for the love they always share with me.
Selene re-enters the room and I almost fall over the floor. She scared me! That usually happens when someone is near and I'm doing not-so-correct things. Luckily, my relatives don't know me that much, so this reaction doesn't mean anything for them. After all, I'm not doing not-so-correct things all the time!
Day after day I wait for Karen's owl to come back, but I'm wasting my time. She's already started to suspect, and, obviously, all will blame me without thinking twice. I think I'll look for an owl in our forest -oh, yeah, we've got a forest in our house, where lots of magical creatures live. Dad works in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, you know.
Failed mission. We have hippogriffs, but not a single ******* owl. I'll talk sternly with my father about the creatures we have... after Karen's owl arrives. I don't want to give away myself with my request. Oh, no, I'm talking like Violetta and Isabella.
Half past eight in the night I saw a dark speck in the sky and thought it was the owl, but it was just Leon with his broom. Now that the animal –the owl, not my brother- flies nearer and nearer and I can see its silhouette, I can't believe it: It's got a letter tied to its claw.
Surprisingly, it's not Draco but Auntie Bella who wrote me the letter. She lives in a far place, and only owls know exactly where that place is. Despite of the distance, she writes me very often. I think that I tell her more things that I tell my thirteen siblings put together.
Dear Leyla,
I received your letter some days ago, but I haven't been able to reply you until now. I've been really busy, and I'm sorry I haven't written you this letter quickly enough. Has your Hogwarts letter arrived? I'm sure it has, and I'm really proud of you. Show that bunch of stupid people you call family -parents and siblings- you are more than anything they can imagine. I wish you are in Slytherin! It's the best House, and the most notable wizards and witches have been all Slytherins. You don't know how much I would like to be your mother, so that I could give you the best education. And you would know what mother love is. And the stupid woman you have as mother is near you all day long and doesn't even talk to you. And that idiot of father I-don't-know-who-the-hell selected to you... Well, I think I have expressed everything I think about him in the last eight or nine letters. Oh, for the D.L., I'm not changing form paragraph!
Done. :) Have a wonderful school term, and send my special loathing to all the fifteen "geniuses".
Auntie Bella.
.
Isn't she the best woman in the world? She says we are really similar. I hope not to start thinking again about my "real mother" and all the problems and doubts I have already had with Auntie Cissy.
Another speck in the sky. It could be the letter! The Hogwarts letter! For Merlin's beard, I hope it's what I think…
No. I immediately recognize Karen's owl. It's a bit depressing, you know, but at least they won't punish me. It's Draco's reply. But, surprisingly, it's Auntie Cissy who answers me. When I finish reading I'm nearly exploding from happiness. I'm spending the rest of the summer with them! And the best part: Without my siblings! Well, I admit that Abby, Maddy and Debby are not that bad, but they're not good enough to balance how much I hate my other ten siblings.
I quickly answer with a big YES, and this time I borrow Paula's owl. Great. An unexpected letter, a reply... But nothing from Hogwarts. Perhaps Mom's right, after all.
Depressing moment.
No no no, depressing moment ends, I can see from far a third owl! It's brown and looks like an eagle. And, best of all, it has a white envelope, written with emerald ink and tie to it's claw.
Yuppie! Yuppie! Eat dung, Mom, Selene, Karen, Natalie, Paula, Violetta, Isabella, Thais and Leon! Oh, I think I'll be lying on the floor in a matter of minutes. And, this time, not because of bad behavior...
Fifteen minutes later I'm ready to open the envelope and read the letter, which is addressed to…
Leyla Kerstin Blair Black
Bedroom on the left, second floor
Hippogriff's Cave
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class,
Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump,
International Confederation of Wizards).
Dear Miss Blair Black,
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, Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
My God.