Written for the Quidditch League Round 5. Character: Emmeline Vance; Scenario: Getting their Hogwarts Letter.
On-the-whole-typical
The Vance family lived in a quaint cottage on the outskirts of a modestly sized village, and on the whole were just your typical, middle class, British family. Not that they strove to be so, that's just the way they were. Mr Vance was an accountant for a reasonable large company, and Mrs Vance was a primary school teacher. Their eldest child, Henry, had just graduated, and was going to start studying accountancy in the fall. Azaria, their second-born, was going into her final year of school, and was planning to study English Literature, with high hopes of becoming both a Professor and an author. No, the only thing keeping the Vance's at on-the-whole-typical and not absolutely-completely-typical was, well not so much a thing as a person really. Their youngest child, Emmeline.
For one thing, Emmeline was not quite eleven, while her siblings were nineteen and seventeen. For another, while both her siblings had lighter, almost blonde hair, Emmeline had the darker brown of her cousins. But perhaps the strangest thing of all was the Emmeline could do things. Not ordinary things like tie her own shoelaces or get around the child-proof catches on all of the cupboards by the time she was seven, although she could do that as well. No, Emmeline could make things happen that she shouldn't. Like the time when Henry was teasing her by holding her dolly just slightly out of reach, when suddenly he received an electric shock that caused him to drop the said dolly straight into Emmeline's arms. Or the time when her hair was really knotty, but she didn't want Mummy to brush her hair. By the time Mrs. Vance had caught up with her, Emmeline's hair was all straight and neat, even though she had been sitting up a tree the whole time.
But perhaps even stranger than that was the fact that the Vances didn't seem worried at all. When her teachers expressed a concern, Emmeline was merely moved into her mother's class, doing her work at the back while her mother taught the students who were two whole years older than herself. New rules were made especially for Emmeline – "No purposely hurting your brother and sister, Emmeline," "No Emmi, you can't get away with ordinary things like that. You must brush your teeth the same as Henry and Azaria," "Emmeline Vance! When I say you can't touch that, I mean it! Just because your hands weren't on it, doesn't mean you weren't playing with it!"
Of course, the Vances knew that Emmeline wasn't an average child, but they figured that if there was a reasonable explanation, it would come when the time was right. And if such an explanation didn't exist, well she didn't seem to be doing anyone any harm, so it couldn't have been anything evil. What was the point in worrying? As such, instead of being confused, or even frightened, by the owl screeching at their kitchen window one morning about a month before Emmeline's eleventh birthday, all four older Vance's had the same sudden feeling that this had to do with the oblivious girl humming to herself as she poured her cereal without using her hands.
Henry was the first to reach the owl, who somehow managed to give him a look that was both cold and benevolent before flying back to wherever it had come from. One quick look at the letter in his hands confirmed his suspicions – "Hey Emmi, looks like this is for you."
"Mummy, it says I have a place at a school. A magic school."
"Oh Emmeline, quick read it out loud so we can all hear it."
"It says: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I guess that would make me a witch then? Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore. Umm, this bit's in brackets: Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc, Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards. What's a Sorc? And a Mugwump?"
"Probably short for Sorcerer sweetheart, and I don't know. Keep reading, what else does it say?"
"Alright, alright. Dear Miss Vance, 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 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours Sincerely Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. What do they mean my owl? The only owl I've ever seen just flew off!"
"Are you sure there isn't anything else? Any instructions on how to get there, or where to buy your books. Maybe that will tell you how to get an owl too."
"No, that's it. Wait, no. There's a bit down the bottom. Due to the fact that you are a Muggleborn – that is you are the first witch or wizard in your family – a Hogwarts Professor will visit you one hour after you have received this letter. He or she will explain all you need to know and answer any questions you may have. So that means I get to meet a real life witch or wizard!"
"Well, let us all hope they are not all as talented at troublemaking as you, Miss Emmi"
"Daddy! That's not nice! You watch out, now I'm a witch I could-"
Just what she could Mr Vance never had the misfortune to find out however, as all conversation was cut short by a sharp rap at the door.
As Azaria was closest, she beat the exuberant Emmeline to opening the door, which she swung open to reveal a stern-looking, middle-aged woman wearing an emerald green dress and spectacles, her greying hair pulled into a severe bun on the back of her head.
"The Vance family I presume? I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Headmaster Dumbledore sent me to answer any questions you might have."
"Oh yes, Charles Vance, and this is my wife Clementine. And our children, Henry, Azaria and Emmeline. Emmeline is the one going to your school."
"Yes, I assumed as much, thank you. I also assume you have questions?"
"Yes, many, in fact. So, this is why Emmeline has been able to – do – things then?"
"Yes, it is. What you would have seen is accidental magic. Children usually exhibit it from the age of two or three all the way up until they receive their wand and begin formal training with us at Hogwarts. Of course the level of magic exhibited varies. Some children show little magic at all, perhaps the occasional explosion when angry, or the slight shift of an object they wish to have. Others however can use their magic in a much stronger, much more controlled manner."
"Yes, well, that sounds like Emmeline. Just this morning she was pouring her own cereal without the use of her hands."
"My goodness, that is impressive magic Miss Vance. I do believe you will do well at Hogwarts."
"Excuse me Professor?"
"Yes Miss Vance?"
"Are there many people like me? I mean, will there be a lot of people who don't have magical parents?"
"Well, I won't lie to you, there won't be many. Muggleborns – that's what you are dear, a witch born to two muggles, that is people without magic – are the rarest sort of magic-user. Although there is a diminishing amount of Purebloods – people who have no muggle blood at all, for many many generations. But there will be a few, yes. There may be one or two others in your year with you, and we do have a number currently studying with us."
"Professor McGonagall, will it be a problem? That is, will people bully Emmeline because Charles and I are not magical?"
"Again, I will not lie to you. There are some witches and wizards who do not believe Muggleborns hold a place in our community. Think of it as the magical version of racism. But thankfully they are a minority, and most people will welcome your daughter with open arms. You need not worry about that. Any other questions?"
"I don't pretend to know much about magic, but surely Emmi will need supplies that are not sold in a normal department store?"
"Oh yes, you are quite right. Do not worry though, I will take you to Diagon Alley this afternoon where you can change some of your money for our currency and purchase everything Miss Vance will need. And if money is a problem, Hogwarts will be happy to offer Miss Vance a partial scholarship to help cover the costs."
"Oh no, money won't be a problem, but thank you. Is there anything else we need to know?"
Three hours later Emmeline was the proud possessor of a wand, a cauldron, an owl, multiple sets of robes, an overly large supply of parchment, quills and ink, an even larger pile of textbooks and a trunk to put it all in. She was also of the firm mind that she would like to be in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, that Quidditch sounded interesting but a little silly, and that she would thoroughly enjoy living in an actual, real life castle, with actual, real life wizards and wizards.
Yes the Vance's were an on-the-whole-typical sort of a family, with the only odd thing about them being their youngest daughter, who just so happened to be a witch. But even though it was all a little strange, and would definitely take some getting used to (especially when an owl would begin swooping through the kitchen window at odd hours of the day), they wouldn't have had it any other way.