Chapter 1: The Prophet

A/N: Hey, I hope you like this. Just something I thought up. I hope it's not too bad! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own what you recognize! I wish I did, but I sadly don't. If only!

Rachel peered out her window as she heard the distant rattle of a rumbling engine belonging to a silver mini-van. She huffed as she slumped back onto her messy bed, intently waiting for the correct car to charge down the road.

This behaviour of jumping up to be disappointed continued for an entire hour on that marvellous Summer Wednesday, until the noise began again. She climbed off her bed once more to see that the two newspapers had arrived.

She pushed out her room, bolted down the stairs two steps at a time, and cantered along the country side driveway. The two papers were then scooped up quickly. Rachel folded The Examiner under her arm while she opened up the The Prophet, reading the headline: 'Headmistress of Hogwarts: Truly Ready for Another Year?'

She scoffed at this remark. Rachel had been receiving The Prophet for a little over two months now and had realized that this 'Rita Skeeter' woman had a nasty tendency to criticize this Professor.

Rachel walked back to the house, dropping The Examiner on the kitchen table when she walked inside. She secretly took the other newspaper to her room. Sitting back on her bed, she read through the entire paper like every regular Wednesday afternoon. She mostly watched the moving pictures, for they were always so intriguing to Rachel (mostly because she couldn't seem to understand the mechanism behind it).

Her paper had never been properly seen by anyone, except for Daryl, a kid a year younger than Rachel who lived across the street. He was able to read it and see the pictures moving, while Rachel's older sibling, Marie, was fit to believe that The Prophet was only a clump of blank sheets of paper. She had given subtle hints to everyone she knew about The Prophet, but no one else but Daryl and Rachel had the slightest clue as to what she meant, so she gave up asking.

Rachel was flipping to the last page to read the advertisements (because she found them bizarrely interesting, like one shop that sold magical broomsticks), to find an envelope resting in the fold crevice. It had been addressed to her in seamless, black ink:

Miss R. Higgins

The North Upstairs Bedroom

78 Elkington Road

Yelvertoft

England

She peeled the letter cautiously, perplexed by the thought that someone had known where she slept. She tugged a slip of paper out of the envelope and read to herself:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Ana Brinson

(Order of Merlin, Second Class)

Dear Miss Higgins,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Igor Gigs

Deputy Headmaster

Rachel was sure that her mind was to combust from the confusion she felt, but slowly pieced it together like a 2000 part jig-saw puzzle. She looked back at the paper and realized that now everything made sense.

The first thing Rachel did was reach for a scrap piece of paper to scribble on. She wrote:

Hey,

Daryl, get over here! It's The Prophet! I can't believe it! You need to come over, NOW!

P.S. Carry back Dinah, she's getting old.

Later that day, William answered the door to an unusual looking stranger. He stood tall and scrawny, his spotted grey hair ruffled on his head. His face was wrinkled, but friendly.

"Is Miss Rachel home?"

Will gave the man a weird look.

"And you are...?"

"Professor Gigs, dear boy. I'm from an extra-ordinary school, and I would like to speak with your sister about attending."

"Er- I'll go get her."

William burst into Rachel's room, where he found her and Daryl starring down at a letter, reading it.

"...And it says that first years, I guess that'd be me, aren't allowed to have broomsticks-"

"Oh hey Dare. Ray, some man is at the door to talk to you about some school thing-"

Almost knocking William to the floor, Ray jumped up and ran downstairs to the kitchen with Daryl and William following. "Are you from this Hogwarts place?" She asked without hesitation, holding her letter up towards his face.

"You managed your letter alright then?"

"Err- yeah," breathed Rachel heavily. "Rachel Higgins, but by the letter, you must already know that."

"Indeed, indeed. Professor Gigs, Deputy Headmaster," He gave a weak smile towards her and shook her hand. "Though it all seems silly, I need you to take this very seriously."

Rachel gave a slight nod towards him, with the two boys mimicking her movement.

"Rachel Higgins, I must inform you that you're a witch and have access to magical abilities. I would think best that you come and find your place at our school."

Rachel nodded and smiled slightly.

"Come in, our mum should be getting home from work any minute."

Gigs walked in and sat down at the kitchen table.

"I have a few questions I wanna ask-"

"I would think so, ask away." He laughed in his seat then straightened back up, ready to answer a mountain high pile of curiosity.

"You see, Mr. Gigs, I believe you and all that. I've been getting this news paper for a few months now, every Wednesday. I know it's true, I know it's real. I just want to see some magic. I've been waiting to see someone from the paper, to ask about all of this stuff that no one but me and Daryl get. Could you just please show me something so I know I'm not crazy?"

A wide grin broke out over Professor Gigs face. "Ah, this is my favourite, proving magic exists!" He pulled out a long stick in his pocket and laid it on the table. "You see this?"

They nodded.

"This is a standard wand. Mine happens to be 12 inches, made of willow, and has a core of hippogriff talon. Though I didn't receive mine in Diagon Alley like you will, it's all the same."

Rachel had heard of hippogriffs in her English class when they were studying mythology, but like the look on Daryl's face, she was too astounded that they existed.

"With a wand, you can control your magic."

"But I can already-"

"Not in the same way, but out of curiosity, you mean?"

"Dinah, my cat. I can sort of make her do things. I don't say anything, It just happens. Me and Daryl, we send messages that way. If I want her to take a piece of paper to him, she does."

The professor looked at her for a moment then decided on replying. "And he, Daryl. Can he send her back?"

"Only sometimes," spoke Daryl. "It's an on and off sort of thing."

"Hmm." Mr. Gigs sat puzzled for a moment when he suddenly spoke again, changing the tracks of the conversation. "Anyone thirsty?"

"There's a tap over there if you need a drink?" suggested Will.

"No, no, this is different," said Gigs, pointing towards a cup sitting on the counter not too far away. He did this with his wand. They all turned to look at the empty cup to find it filling with what Will later tested as water.

"You like that? Here..."

The next thing Rachel knew, the cup was floating over to them, resting itself on the table.

Just at that moment, Janet, their mother, walked in the kitchen door from work. "Hey kids, oh and hello Daryl. Your mother phoned me to tell you that you have to be home by-" Her mother stood silent when she saw the Professor. She put her hands on her hips as she asked "Who's this?"

William bursted quickly. He ran towards her saying "He's from a school, and he's invited Rach to go!"

Their mother pursed her lips and stood silent for a few moments before saying "What's it called?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the finest institutions in the entire-"

"Did you say witchcraft?"

"Yes, I did indeed," replied Gigs, expression blank on his face.

Their mother froze and muttered something under her breath. "Daryl, Rachel, and you too, Will. Can you go across the road to Daryl's and tell his mother that I need to speak with her immediately?

"Uh, sure, Miss H," replied Daryl.

The three walked across the street to tell Daryl's mother that she had told us to tell her that their mother needed her over, for something rather weird. They ended up staying at Daryl's house for a good two hours. In the mean time, Rachel and Daryl attempted to levitate objects as Professor Gigs had, but only they didn't own wands, so their attempt was trying solely with their minds. Rachel achieved a small wiggle when trying to move a pencil, while Daryl was unsuccessful. Will also tried, but there was no doubt that he would fail.

Daryl's mother returned around three in the afternoon and Will and Rachel were to go home. Janet was waiting in the kitchen, leaning against the table, arms crossed when the pair walked in. Professor Gigs was nowhere to be seen so it was assumed that he had also left.

"So am I going? I really want to go."

Her mother sighed and finally let out a breath that sounded like 'yes'. Rachel jumped up and down, her arms flying around her waist.

"Thank you!"

"Now, settle down, I have some news."

Her face was serious and strained, as if it pained her to speak it. They all sat on the couch, and as did Marie, as she had just returned from her part-time job.

"Ray, you will be escorted by Professor Gigs to Diagon Alley, where you will buy all of your school books and equipment that you need. Daryl will be going too, as we already know that he should receive his letter next year."

"What about me?" This came from Will. He looked deep into her eyes.

"I'm sorry dear, but you'll have to wait until another time."

"But, me and Daryl, we're the same age!"

Janet took a deep breath, assuming she was attempting to stay calm, but sadly this didn't work when she spoke. "This is why I didn't want any of them to find us! I knew they would, but I hoped that I could just politely tell them no..."

"Mum, what're you talking about?" Rachel sat, confused.

"Your new school, that's what I'm talking about!" She took in another breath, kneeled in front of the couch and looked at the three children straight in their eyes. "Ray, you're mine, we know that. Will, Marie, you know that I'm not your mother, you're Henry's kids from your mother before." She began to tear up as she continued. "I'm a witch, Ray, my blood, your blood. I never meant to bring this on you!"

"Why, is it bad?"

"No, no, just- just dangerous. There was war, honey, wars between wizards, giants, and so many dark creatures. I went into hiding, but I ended up having you, then I met Henry and you two." She pointed towards Marie and Will, her hands shaking.

Ray looked over at Marie, who was devastated, her faced disgusted by her step mother, the very step mother that she lived with, confided with, and had grown to love since her father and Janet met. This 'mother' of Marie, was nothing more than a freak and a liar in her eyes.

Ray then looked at Will, to see that he was just wonderstruck and intrigued.

"Please, please, no... don't be mad! I love you three so much; I can't stand to lose you!"

Marie opened her mouth to talk but was unable to find her voice for a few moments. "Does he know?"

Janet just looked at Marie without moving a muscle.

"DOES HE KNOW?!"

Janet shook her head and continued to weep. Marie stood suddenly from the couch and ran out the back door, slamming it on her way out.

"It's okay, mum, everything's okay."

"No, no it's not," stuttered her mother, "Will, say goodbye. Marie will probably be calling your father now, telling him everything. I'll drop you off at his work. He won't want to live here much longer..."

Will's face began to harden like a sped up video clip focused on a freezing bucket of water. He hugged Rachel tightly and whispered to her, "Don't go."