I walk into the kitchen and see my parents sipping coffee at the table, my dad sees me first as he is facing the door, he puts his coffee down and comes over to me pulling me into a hug .
"Happy 11th Birthday Rose" he whispers into my ear.
After he lets me go, my mum pulls me in for a hug before pushing me gently towards the table. A pile of presents are in the middle of the table with a letter on top. I quickly reach for the letter and upon seeing it addressed to me, my stomach fills with butterfly's, I've been expecting this letter for months know, but the thought that I am actually receiving my letter send nervous energy through my body. I turn the letter over and see the crest of Hogwarts, slowly I open the envelope and pull out the parchment, my eyes quickly slide down the paper.
"Dear Rose Zeller
You have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" My grin widens and I finish reading the letter quickly, then looking up at my parents I nod, quite unable to speak then mum is pulling me into a hug, I hug her back and there are tears of excitement in my eyes.
"Oh congratulations Rose, we're so proud of you" she says before she gets up and dad quickly pulls me into a hug whilst Mum brings coffee back to the table, and a hot chocolate for me. I quickly open the other presents, there are a variety of books, clothing and a few other little Knick knacks that I have wanted for a while. After I finish opening the presents, mum brings the pancakes over and we eat breakfast.
We've only just finished breakfast when there is a knock on the door.
"That would be Alex" I say quickly getting up from the table and going to the front door. Opening it, reveals my best friend, Alexandra, Alex for short. Her parents moved into the house down the street a year after my parents, at first they didn't really talk, then one day my mum was at the Ministry and saw Ella talking with another wizard. From then they became friends, not long after that, Ella became pregnant with Alex and my mum became pregnant with me, we were born two days apart. As our parents were friends, we grew up together and became firm friends, it helped that at our local school, we had been the only witches and it was a much easier secret to keep when you had a friend you could share with.
Alex had said that she wanted to wait for me to get my letter before we went to get out supplies.
"Did you get your letter?" Alex asks as soon as I've opened the door.
"No I'm not magic enough" I say, trying not to smile. I see her gape for a moment, before I pull her into a hug.
"Of course I did silly, come in" I say pulling her into the house and leading her into the kitchen.
She slides into the seat next to me and smiles as my mum hands her a hot chocolate.
"Alex did you and your mum still want to come to Diagon Alley with Rose and I to buy school supplies today? My mum asks sitting back down in her seat and taking a sip of her coffee.
"Yes that would be great Mrs Zeller, this is great hot chocolate by the way." Alex adds on, and my mum just smiles, as she knows its Alex's favourite thing in the world.
After we had finished drinking the hot chocolate, mum shooed us out of the kitchen, so she could clean up and call Alex's mum to organise a time to leave.
Settling onto the bed in my room, we read the book and supply list again.
We talk about the different supplies and books, but spend the most time on what type of wand we want. I hope that I get a long willowy one, whilst Alex wants one for charms. Before we know it, Mum is calling us downstairs so we can go to Diagon Alley. Stepping outside the house, we meet Miriam, Alex's mum and as four we make our way down the street to the train station. Soon enough we are stepping into the Leaky Cauldron and through the pub to the back area.
No matter how often I go through the leaky cauldron wall to Diagon Alley, it always takes my breath away. Next to me, Alex grabs my hand excitedly as we walk down the alley to Gringotts, looking at all the different shops that we will need to go in today. Following our mums to Gringotts, we opt to stand out on the stairs and look over the alley, neither of us like the ride down into the vaults. The day is sunny and there isn't a cloud in the sky. The alley has quite a few people shopping along it, but it's not too busy. Our mums come back out smiling and ask us where we want to go.
"Ollivanders' we both say at once.
Our mums nod and lead us down the alley to Ollivander's. Opening the door, I step in and a shiver goes down my spine as I look around the small shop, Ollivander is standing behind the counter, and behind him are hundreds of wand boxes.
Welcome" He says bowing gently
"First year at Hogwarts then?"
We nod and he smiles gently.
Alex goes first and she quickly finds her perfect wand (Red Oak and dragon heartstring, 11 inches)
I step up nervously to the counter.
"What hand are you my dear?" The wand maker asks.
"I'm left handed" I say, he stares at me for a moment and then smiles at me before heading to the left of the store, climbing up a ladder he picks a box out. Coming back to the counter he takes the wand out and hands it to me. I do what Alex did and bring the wand down in an arc, it doesn't do anything, and he takes it away mumbling. Five wands later, I am getting frustrated.
"Don't worry my dear, it sometimes takes a while to find the perfect wand" he says before handing me another one.
Another 8 wands pass through my hands before he starts really smiling.
"Oh yes, we are getting close, very close" he says handing me another wand. Two wands later, he hands me one and as soon as I pick it up a warmth pass through me and when I arc the wand and bring it down, orange sparks come out the end and he jumps around happily.
"yes, yes' he says jumping up and down
"That is your wand, English Oak and Unicorn hair, 12 inch" he continues and gently takes it from me and places it into a wand case.
My mum steps up and pays for the wand and I quickly pick up the box, looking down at it, I smile now I feel like a witch.
He bows us out of the store and I blink in the sudden brightness after the darkened store. There are some people bustling past us and I can't help smile.
"So where next girls, your robes?" Mum asks and we nod. We head up the alley to get our robes fitted. As we enter I look around hoping that we might meet some more first years there, but there are only a couple of older students. Alex and I stand on stools next to each other and pull faces at each other while the ladies work around us. After we have purchased all the robes mum shrinks the supplies so it can fit in her bag.
"Okay girls what's next?" they ask.
"Florish and Blotts?" I ask thinking of the money mum and dad had given me this morning.
"Well that is down this way" Miriam says and we follow her down past Ollivanders, entering the store, there are quite a lot of people in the store, and after a moment a flustered staff member comes up to us.
"First years?" she asks
We nod and she points over to a corner of the room.
"You will find all your books there"
We go to the section and mum looks at me.
Now Rose remember you have 10 galleons from your birthday, how about you go find some books and I will pick up your school books" my mum says. I nod and then wander through the store, looking at all the different books. I find my way to the Hogwarts section and pick up a History of Hogwarts, as I am walking back to mum, a book catches my eye.
"The animals and plants of the magical world' I pick it up and look at it, its only 4 galleons so I still have 2 galleons left to spend. As I get to the counter, I see there are some changing inks and book marks going cheap, so I add them to my pile and the amount totals 10 galleons exactly. Smiling I grab my package and head back to the others.
We step out of the bookstore and my stomach rumbles at the same time as Alex's our mums look at each other and smile.
"Time for lunch I think" my mum says and leads us to a café just off Diagon Alley where we have toasted sandwiches and Butterbeer.
Feeling refreshed after our lunch we sit around the table and look at what we have left to buy.
"So you've got the potions ingredient, a cauldron and a pet"
We split up, Alex goes to get the potion ingredients, whilst mum and I go and buy the cauldrons. Once we have met up again, the final question is asked.
So what pet do you want girls? Our mums ask
"I want a cat" I say immediately and my mum nods.
"I'd like an owl I think" Alex says. We go our separate ways to get our specific animals and soon mum is leading me into a small shop that is filled with many different animals.
"Hello" A kind looking women says to us as we enter.
"What animal are we looking for today?" she asks coming up to us.
I'm looking for a cat to take to Hogwarts do you have any kittens." I ask nervously looking at my mum who nods encouragingly.
"No sorry, I don't have any kittens, we only have these three cats here" she says leading us over to a large box, where I see three cats curled up.
"Now I would recommend either the grey or the tabby cat, as the black one needs quite a bit of medication and special food.
I nod at her and then pick up the tabby cat who allows me to pat it for only a moment before it jumps back down into the box, when I pick up the grey cat it lies down into my arms and starts to purr, I know which one to choose.
"I will take the grey cat, does it have a name? How old is it?" ask
"It's 14 months old, and it doesn't have a name" the witch says picking up a carrier for us, placing it on the bench, I manoeuvre the cat into the carrier as Mum hands over the money. Once outside again, we find Alex outside the Owlery with a dark brown barn owl and we spend a few minutes showing each other our pets before we head down Diagon Alley and stop in a café for afternoon tea and another butterbeer.
Once we get home, I show my dad everything that we have brought today and then I go up to my room and let out my cat, she sniffs around my room whilst I put away all my books and presents, when dad calls me down for dinner, she curls up on my bed and falls asleep. I enter the kitchen just as dad is pulling out a vegetable bake from the oven, over dinner we chat about our day. By the time we have finished talking about our day, mum brings out my birthday cake and I blow out the candles, wishing that Hogwarts is fun. Soon after we have cake, I get sent to bed, but don't complain as today has exhausted me completely. I head up to my room, moving the cat gently, she wakes up as I climb into bed, then she climbs onto my stomach and I fall asleep quickly.
The next month flies by, Alex and I enjoy the last of summer alternating between lazing around under the apple tree in the back yard and reading our school books and talking all about Hogwarts what it will be like, what the classes will be like and most importantly what house we will be in.
A/N This is my first H.P fic in a long time, any advice is always welcome.