Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at a fanfiction story! I actually started writing this about 8 months ago, and I wasn't going to ever publish it, but my dear friend (and beta) Alissa made me. So her it is! I would enjoy reviews, and though compliments are nice, so is constructive criticism! Also, for people wondering this is going to kid of show what happened to Draco while Harry, Ron and Hermione were off in the forest! This is also pretty compliant with all the books and the epilogue! If you se anything that isn't, tell me! I'll shut up now!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, sadly! Except for myself and the plot! And (I wish) Draco.
A young girl named Brittany had been lying on her bed, dreading the start of school. She would be going into 6th grade this year, and this was the year she would be separated from all of her friends. The lights in her room began to flicker, and she looked out the window to see if some freak Iowan storm had appeared, but it was just as sunny as it had been ten minutes ago, and there were no clouds in sight. She frowned to herself, and hopped off the bed.
"Mom!" She called down the hallway, it was the third time that week something freaky was happening in her room, and she wanted it to stop. Her friend Lizzie was sure it was ghosts and Brittany was not very thrilled at the prospect of having a haunted room.
Her mother wasn't in the living room or kitchen, so she opened the door to the garage, and nearly ran into her mother who was just about to walk inside.
"Ah!" Her mother yelled, and dropped the mail she had obviously just been getting.
"Oh, my god, I'm sorry mom!"
"It's fine, don't worry about it. Could you just pick them up and put them on the counter? Dad needs my help outside."
"Sure, and mom, can you ask him to check out my room again? My lights are being weird again…" She trailed off when she realized her mom was already walking away. Well, then. Whatever, I'll tell Dad myself later.
After picking up the letters, she went back inside and flipped through them at the kitchen table, one by one. All of them were boringly labeled letters for her parents. All of a sudden there was a sharp tapping at the sliding glass door behind her. She turned around slowly, thinking it was just her little sister wanting inside, but there was no Haley on the other side of the door.
Why is there a huge freaking owl on my deck in the middle of the day? …Is it… looking at me? She got down on her knees to be at eye level with the bird. Maybe it's hurt. Or it has rabies… She began to unlock the door when she saw there was something stuck on its leg. She finally got the door open and was about to try and help the bird when it hopped towards her and she fell backwards in shock.
The big, brown owl fluttered her wings, and stuck out the leg with something on it. Is that a… letter? It can't be. Who in the world would send a letter by owl? It's absurd!
Brittany had always loved animals but that didn't mean she wasn't afraid to get pecked at by one. And anyway, aren't owls nocturnal? What if it had rabies? Still, she reached her hand out to remove the foreign object from the bird's leg. Thankfully, the bird made no attempt to peck at her, but flew away as soon as the letter was unattached from its leg.
She glanced down at the paper she had in her hands and frowned. Maybe I'm going crazy.
She quickly closed the sliding door, and inspected what she now realized was truly a letter. Sitting on her deck, she quickly opened it, eager to see what it contained and who it was from. She read it through twice, because she didn't believe it. It must be a joke…
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Kolfenbach,
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 are aware of your status as muggleborn, and have arranged a meeting between your parents, the Headmaster, and you, Saturday the 12th of August at 4 in the afternoon.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
What in the world was this? Brittany was shocked, but also skeptical. I mean, really! Why me? I bet it's all a joke. But, but that's today's date and my name… No, she wouldn't dare let herself hope that somehow this letter might be real. Ohmygod, there's a second page! She thought frantically, failing to notice this before.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
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 glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
She couldn't believe it. A school of magic with hats and robes and wands? No way in the world this is real. I mean, come on, Magic Books?
Then she began thinking, should she tell her parents? What would they say? She bit her lip nervously, and looked to them across the yard where they were planting a tree. They'd definitely think it was a joke by me… But what if someone, this 'Headmaster' really does come at four? It's nearly half past three already! She jumped up from her seat on the deck and ran inside; changing from old shorts and a t-shirt to jeans and a blouse her grandma had given her. Then she felt stupid. Nobody's coming Brittany, you're not thinking rationally. She checked the clock again, 3:55…
She took in a few deep breaths, why am I getting all worked up for nothing? Trying to calm down, and act normally she decided to go see what her mom was up to, but only got to the living room when suddenly there was a loud crack, and then the doorbell rung. In that instant, she felt so alone.
Her parents were outside, and Haley was probably with them, so nobody was there to save her if she needed to be saved from the person on the other side of the door. It rang again, and some unknown force urged her to answer it, so she strode forward and quickly wrenched the door open before she lost her nerve.
Her eyes grew wide as she took in what looked like a very old man, and very tall too. The next thing she noticed was his clothes. Is he seriously wearing a robe-cloak thing? It's like, 80 degrees out. And his hair… it's longer than mine is! And his beard, oh my goodness. Maybe I shouldn't have opened the door.
He smiled, "Brittany, I assume?" He asked in such a kind voice, and she immediately went with her gut feeling, to trust him.
She cleared her throat a little, "Um, yeah! I'm Brittany, would you-" She was cut short, when she heard the back door sliding opened and heard her parents' footsteps coming in.
Her mother froze when she saw the tall man standing in the doorway, not two feet away from her child. Brittany's father, however, stepped forward. "Hello sir, is there anything I can help you with?" Oh, there dad goes again. I can tell that's his "I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'm going to TRY to be polite" voice. She could also tell that her mother was debating whether or not to call the police.
The older man gave Brittany's father a small smile, and looked at him knowingly. "James, I believe it is? My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I am the Headmaster at Hogwarts School." He said cheerfully, and then looked at her mother, who looked pretty freaked out. "And of course you, Michelle. How nice it is to finally meet you." His eyes, so blue for his age, seemed to light up. How the heck does he know our names!
"Sir, what exactly is it that you need?" Her father asked, confusion and annoyance was written clearly all over his face.
"Mr. Kolfenbach, rest assured I came here only to speak to you and your daughter about her attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Is this a joke? Nobody in this family practices witchcraft, and I have never heard of this 'school'" James asked rudely as he crossed his arms, and looked at the other man skeptically.
"This is not a joke, and the reason you have not heard of it is because this school is very exclusive." He spoke solemnly, Brittany couldn't believe her ears, but his voice was so full of honesty that she immediately believed him. I'm invited to an exclusive school of Witchcraft.
"Hah!" James laughed once, sarcastically and derisively. "And you expect me to believe that? Magic is a myth. And those who think otherwise are insane. Maybe you should leave, Sir."
But Dumbledore only smiled, "I knew you would say that James, so I would like to prove to you that magic is indeed very real." Her father shot Dumbledore a skeptical look, but remained silent and tense.
I am so beyond confused right now, and why does mom look so strange? Brittany frowned and tilted her head at her mother questioningly, and frowned when she realized her mother was paying her no attention.
Dumbledore reached inside his robes, and pulled out a long stick. A wand…? Maybe this is real. In one swift movement, he waved his wand and what happened next made Brittany gasp.
All the furniture in my living room is floating. She looked over at her parents to make sure they were seeing what she was seeing, and by the look on both of their faces; they were definitely seeing this. He made another movement with his wand and the furniture gently settled itself back on to the floor.
"Why me?" She asked forcefully, but also softly. How can I be the lucky person that gets a trip to a magical school? How in the world could I be a witch? My dad's side definitely isn't magical, and who knows about my moms side, I've never even met them since my mom was adopted… Adopted! "Mom!" She yelled. Her mother jumped at the loud noise. Brittany's father frowned and looked back and forth at them, trying to figure out what she was talking about.
Dumbledore looked impressed. "You figured that out very quickly Brittany." He then addressed her mother, "Michelle, your were adopted as you know. But what you didn't know was that your birth mother was indeed a witch, a muggleborn one at that. Your birth father happened to be a muggle, which is someone who has no magical blood. Due to circumstances, you were born without any magical powers."
For the first time in the conversation, Brittany's mother spoke up, "So, it skipped me and was given to Britt instead?" Why is Mom acting like this? She looks mad. For someone who always told me to believe in the paranormal, she's acting pretty skeptical.
Dumbledore hesitated before he spoke, "Technically yes, you acted as a carrier for the witch gene. So through all of this, Brittany is a witch." He said, smiling at her mother. All of a sudden, Michelle smiled back at the old man and nodded.
"So what does that make me? Since both my parents are normal but I have a magical grandmother?" Brittany asked, just to clarify. She had guessed her title in the Wizarding World would probably be something like her grandmothers.
"Since both of your parents are muggles that would make you a Muggleborn." He said wisely, and she almost thought a look of sadness pass over his elderly features.
"So you're saying Brittany can go to this school because she has magic in her blood?" She asked, clarifying. Dumbledore nodded, and Brittany's father looked shocked at his wife's words. "Then I say yes, I always knew Brittany was special. Jim, honey, please say something." She looked imploringly at her husband; she knew in her heart this man was telling the truth. Brittany inwardly flinched at the answer she was sure her dad was about to give.
"Yes. You had my trust when you made that furniture float." He said with a small smile that made Brittany gape. What? No way had he just said yes. I knew it; I KNEW this was a dream! Is this Crazy Parent Day? Or do they know something I don't?
"So what do you say Brittany? Would you like to come and learn magic at Hogwarts? You must know that whatever your choice, this must remain highly confidential as I'm sure you are familiar with the Salem Witch Trials?" She slightly paled at this, since she hadn't really though about what bad could come of her choice.
"Britt, you know I'll support you whatever choice you make." Her mother said with a sad smile. Brittany nodded; she had her mind made up. "Same here, Kiddo." Her father said, making Brittany smile. She turned to face Dumbledore. She looked straight in to his bright blue eyes and knew she had made the right decision.
"I'm going." She said clearly, and knew there was no turning back when she saw the Headmaster of her new School smile, as if he had known her answer before she had.