Chapter 1-Paige

"Any day now." said my father. We were both sitting at the kitchen table. I reached for my hot chocolate and took a sip. Yumm.

"You've been saying that for the past month." I said. Since a few weeks after the summer started, (2 months after my eleventh birthday!), my dad has been saying the same thing every morning. Our owl Aine swoops over from the kitchen window that's above the sink. Dad takes the letter from the tawny owl.

"Your grandparents say 'hello'." he announces as he reads the slim letter.

"Wait, the Australian ones?" I said, slightly puzzeled. They've never even bothered with us in years.Right then, these two owls flew in, one a burly barn owl along with the usual daily prophet one. Dad pays the daily prophit one as the Barn owl drops the letter on the table barely missing the bowl of fruit and they both fly away. A grin spreads across his face as i open the letter.

"What?" I ask, annoyed.

"Is that your letter from Hogwarts?" he says excitedly, it's almost weird how I'm not as excited as him. I think back on the moment I first used magic while listening to him talk excitedly about his time at Hogwarts. Boring!

I've developped some magical abilities since I was 5. That's when my mom began hitting me, she's a muggle. Very anti-magic. Dad says that I wanted a chocolate cookie, and when my mother wouldn't let me. I summoned it from the cookie jar. He said it was very controled magic, that I was calm and quiet, than it zooms out of the kitchen. They argued a lot afterwards. She left us when I was 8, leaving behind nothing but the painful memories.

"I remember when I first got my letter from Hogwarts." sighed my father, freeing me from my painful memories. The letter was thick, it was adressed:

Paige Coulombe

(not telling you!)

Bedroom to the left on the second floor

postal code thing

It was adressed in Dark Emerald ink. The wax seal on the back had the heraldry of a snake, a lion, a badger and a raven.

"That's Griffindor," said Dad, pointing at the lion, "I was in that house, Gryfindor: Where the brave dwell at heart" he points at the badger, "and that's Hufflepuff-"

"Do fat people go in that one?" I ask with a giggle. Dad just laughed

"No, I don't really remember," he points at the raven, "That's Ravenclaw, they're very wise, just like you! and that," he continued, pointing at the snake with disgust across his face, "is Slytherin, evil.' The disgust on his face is gone as soon as it had come. 'Come on! Read it aloud!" I open and read the contents of the letter.

Dear Miss Coulombe,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed, a list of all necessairy books and equipment.

Term begins september 1st. We await your owl by no later that July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Grand Sorc., D. Wiz., X.J.(sorc.), S. of Mag.Q., Order of Merlin - First Class,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistres

"I'll send out Yara with your acceptance" said dad. I took out the second piece of parchment that was enclosed in the envelope.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags.

Books

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment

1 Wand

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

I took another sip of my hot chocolate.

"Guess we're going to Diagon Alley." and with that, I finish my hot chocolate and stuff the letter inmy pocket. I race up the stairs and into my bedroom. I sit down on the bed and sob quietly as memories replay themselves in my mind.

"Stop!" yells my mother, her hand coming across my face hard. "There will be no silly nonsense in my house, in my presence!" My hairbrush imediatly froze in the air. I had been beckoning it with my mind to come to me, when my mom walked in. She doesn't like magic, I have fresh and old bruises scattered all over my body to prove that.

"I'm sorry." I murmured, trying to hold back the sobs. I glance down as tears begin to slide down my face. Why did they have to run down my face now?

"Why are you crying? I should be the one that should be crying for having such a horrible mistake of a daughter!" she shouted, her sharp words slapping me. She only acts like this when Dad's at work. "why do I have to have such a horrible five year old? Why am I cursed with a devil child?" She kicks my shin then left crying insults over her shoulder. Once I was sure she couldn't hear me, I bent down to hug my shin till it felt better in the corner of my room.

Fresh tears wet my face as I glance at the clock and wonder what she's doing now. Did she even think about me? Was she filled with grief and guilt every time she thought about me and what she had done? Probably not. But even if she did, would I have been comforted by that thought? No, I wouldn't have been. Even if she said sorry… I would never be able to forgive her for all of the tears and the hate. Never.