Chapter One
"Mackenzi! C'mon, girly! Time to get up!" my mother's voice said qt the door. She was pound-ing on it for me to get up for school. I always locked my door before bed so that she wouldn't try and get back at me for previous pranks played on her while I was asleep. Of course, she did much the same but I had long since figured out how to pick her lock.
I groaned and put a pillow over my head. "Five more minutes!" I yelled.
"I guess that I can have all the bicuits for myself, then?"
That woke me up a bit. "Chocolate-chip?"
"Yup."
I shot out of bed before you could say 'breakfast'. I opened up the door, my mum still at the door.
"Well, what are you waiting for? We have biscuits!" I said, and shot to the tiny kitchen in our tiny flat. My mum was a single mother since my dad had bailed when I was born, so we were always struggling money-wise. It didn't help that I was in a private school because I wanted to go to Oxford for college. Mum never complained about the high tuition, though.
My school was strange and went all year round, so I had school in the middle of July. I didn't like that part of it, but I loved the opportunities it gave me, and the teachers there. But, the kids... that was a different story.
All of them were rich, snotty brats who, for some reason, hated me. They made fun of me for everything from my clothes to my reading habits to skipping a grade to my name, Mackenzi McKynsie (don't ask; my mum is ever so slightly eccentric). They didn't like me, and I didn't like them. I hadn't had a friend my age since I was in primary school, before we moved to London. I missed my old small town, and especially my friends, such as a Hermione Granger, a girl much the same as me, only a year older (but we had been in the same class since I had skipped first grade). But, because both our families were constantly moving, it was impossible to stay in touch.
"Whatcha thinking about, kid?" Mum asked as I munched on my biscuit, which was the size of my face.
"Oh you know, this and that," I said nonchalantly.
"Sure."
I rolled my eyes. My mum and I were practically best friends because it was just us in the flat, plus my dog, Sweetheart. She knew me better than I cared to admit, and vice versa. We were a team, we couldn't be separated.
Little did I know, we soon would.
As soon as I walked into school, the whispers started. Everyone could tell that my uniform was too small, it had been for several months. But now the skirt was really pushing the limit length-wise. I was sure that the teachers would be calling me out on it very soon.
"Jeez, McKynsie," a too-familiar voice drawled. I turned around to face my nemesis, Valerie Frasier. "I know that you've grown up in a slut's home, but isn't the length of that skirt pushing it, even for a whore's spawn?"
I couldn't help it. I saw red. I didn't care what anyone said about me, or my reading, or my clothes, but talking about my mum like that was too far. That's where I drew the line.
"I'd shut it if I were you, Frasier," I hissed.
"I can definitely see why your dad left your mum. Given by the state of your clothes, she's not even a good-looking hooker!"
I lost it. As I stood there, glaring at and deducing how to attack her, her clothes began to shrink and grow more ratty. Soon, her skirt barely covered her butt, and her shirt was little more than a bikini top.
Then, she was thrown across the hall, right into someone's locker. Everyone began laughing, except her and her posse. She glared at me and pointed.
"This is her fault! I dunno how she did it, but she did it!"
She said the same thing to the headmaster before he called my mum. I groaned, knowing that this would not go down well.
Riding home, I could tell that my mum was fuming, though she hadn't spoken a single word to me. I kept sinking further and further into my seat as the train went on. Finally we got to our street and into our tiny flat. Mum slammed the door and threw her keys on the table. I flinched.
I didn't get into trouble too often at school (I did stuff to my enemies on the sly to where no one could possibly say it was me), but when I did, it was really bad, but I could never explain what happened.
Like one time, Frasier had been chasing me with a daddy long leg, and it all of a sudden turned into a snake that bit her. It hadn't been poisonous, but somehow she had managed to turn it around on me. Another time, I had been reading, and she stole my book. I got super angry, and then it blew up in her face. And then there was the time... Well, you get the picture. I had a strange, and not very nice, history.
Finally mum sighed and said, "What happened, Mackenzi?"
"Well, she was saying all these horrid things about you because my skirt is a bit too short, and then her clothes, somehow, started shrinking until she looked like a hoochie mama, and then she was thrown into the locker. I swear, though, I didn't even touch her," I said, praying that she would believe me.
My mum sighed. "Then how in the world did she end up in the locker?"
"I haven't a clue."
Mum sighed again before picking up her purse and keys again. "C'mon."
"What?"
"We need to get you some more skirts. Valerie Frasier was right, you are starting to look a little trampy." I laughed and shoved her lightly. "A new consignment store just opened up down the road. It looks pretty cute, you know, young, hip, stylish."
I grin. "Cheers, mum."
We ended up being able to get three skirts under twenty dollars. Mum was right; the place was really cute. I ended up buying myself a couple of shirts to wear outside of school as well. I also drug Mum to the second-hand bookstore next door to the shop. I ended up buying a bunch of books there, including a couple of Narnia books that had new covers (my favorite series, I collect the different editions) a couple of random books that looked good, and a biography of Queen Victoria, with whom I shared my first name. My mum rolled her eyes at all the books that I had bought. Most of them were barely even a pound or two, so I went for it!
The rest of the week, I kept my head down. We had only one more week until a three week break before we went into the next grade level. The week went by uneventfully, until Friday.
I had only been home (free! Free! For three whole weeks!) for about half and hour, when our buzzer rang. I jumped up from my Queen Victoria biography (it was very interesting) and ran to the door to open it, expecting the pizza man.
Who was on the doorstep was quite different. He was very old, with a silvery beard that fell to his knees, his hair was much the same. He was wearing half-moon glasses in front of twinkling blue eyes and had on floor-length purple robes.
"Erm, can I help you?" I said, trying to be polite. "Are you lost?" The Dragons and Dungeons convention is on the next street, though I've no idea who've you dressed up to be.
"Is this the McKynsie residence?" he said, his eyes sparkling kindly.
"Erm, yeah," I said, "My mum's not home, she will be anytime now, though. Would you like some tea, sir?"
"Yes, thank you, dear girl," he said. I didn't know why, but for some reason I trusted this man almost immediately.
"Okay. We have chamomile, Chai, black, white, and probably ten other kinds that I don't know what they are. Mum's a bit of a tea freak," I said awkwardly.
"Black would be fine. No cream or sugar, thank you."
"Okay, that I can do." I said, grabbing the tea kettle and setting it to boil. "Would you like to sit? The sitting room is, well, a complete mess, and there is no where to sit, but the dining room table should be clean."
"The dining room will be fine," he said. I motioned to the tale, though you could see the entire flat easily. The kitchen, 'dining room', and living room were all open. Almost all the walls were covered in bookshelves (all throughout the house, except for Mum's room), because I had so many. My mum had even put up a sign that said "The Double Mackenzi/Mckynsie Library". Then there was a little hallway with four doors, the loo, my room, Mum's room, and the craft/art/exercise/t.v./office room. Both Mum and I loved to draw, and we weren't half bad either.
The kettle screamed and I went to get three mugs and tea bags out. I usually had orange spice tea for Mum ready when she got home, and Chai tea with milk and plenty of sugar for myself. I brought the mug over to the man.
"One cup of black tea, Mr..." I trailed off, realizing I hadn't asked his name or given mine.
"Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore," he said, smiling kindly. "And may I ask your name, young lady?"
"It's Victoria Mackenzi. McKynsie," I said, a bit awkwardly. "But I go by Mackenzi. Me mum's a bit... erm... eccentric."
"Eccentric people are the best, as I always say," he replied. "Beautiful name, by the way."
"Thank you," I said sheepishly. Since I was used to taunts or snorts of surprise when I told my name, I was mildly unsure of what to do with that. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you here for? Is it for my mum?"
"No, actually I'm here to talk to you. And your mother, if you wish," he said. This piqued my interest.
"Me? Why?"
"Well, you see, Miss McKynsie, I am the Headmaster of a school. A very special school, for very special people," he said. I looked at him, very confused. As far as I knew, you had to apply to a school for them to be interested in you, and I had done no such thing. He passed me an envelope with green writing on it. I flipped it over to the other side, where there was a wax seal that said Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Witchcraft and Wizardry? I thought. What in the world? I popped open the seal and pulled out two thick pieces of parchment. I looked up at Professor Dumbledore skeptically, he nodded en-couragingly for me to continue. I unfolded the parchment and looked down.
Dear Miss McKynsie,
Congratulations, you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The start of term begins on September 1st and we will need your owl no later than the first of August. Enclosed is a list of books and materials you will need before the beginning of term.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
I looked up at Professor Dumbledore in shock.
"Witchcraft and Wizardry? Owl? Hogwarts? What is all this?" I said. I vaguely wondered if this man was insane, or just a relative of Frasier or one of her gang.
"You, Miss McKynsie, are a witch. And probably a very talented one as well, once you get to Hogwarts, that is." he said kindly. I gaped at him. This wasn't possible. Magic didn't exist outside of books (however much I wish it did so that I could turn Valerie Frasier into a buzzard). I knew that.
"This is not possible."
"Have you ever made anything strange happen around you, that you just can't explain? Or done something to someone? Got out of trouble?"
Memories Flooded me, one after another. Frasier being thrown back into the locker, though no one had touched her. Her clothes shrinking. The blown up book. A spider turned into a snake. Mum's lock melting at my hands, not even having to hardly push the pick in.
I looked up at him in shock, realizing what he said was true. It finally explained everything that had happened to me my entire life. "Are you a wizard, sir?"
"I am."
"So you can do magic?"
"Yes."
I looked at him expectantly, then sighed. Of course he couldn't take the hint that I wanted to see some actual magic. I had to come right out and say it.
"Will you show me? I'd very much like to see some. I want to know how it's done."
He chuckled. "Learning how it's done will be taught at Hogwarts. But, as I see you have a liking for books..." He pulled a long stick from a pocket in his robes and waved it. Suddenly, four or five brand new books were on the table. They had very interesting titles, to be sure.
Hogwarts, A History.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
The Magical Nation: England's Wizarding World.
Which House? A Non-Prejudiced Guide to the Four Houses of Hogwarts.
The Recent History of the Magical World: Advances, Terrors and Victories of the Century.
I would have started reading them then and there if there wasn't one thing on my mind. I pulled out the list of materials. "How do I find these? And, how will I pay for them? Me and my mum, you see, well, it's just us. There isn't a lot of money around here. And that's an awful lot of stuff."
"Ah, of course," he said. He then waved the stick again and everything but the wand and robes appeared. "I think that your set. All that you need now is some gold for your robes and wand. Those, I can't magic out of thin air," he said with a wink and a smile. He waved his wand again and there was a small stack of gold, silver, and copper coins. My eyes widened further. He chuckled at me. "That should suffice. No one who truly deserves Hogwarts will be denied because of monetary issues."
"Thank you, sir," I said. Just then, the door opened and my mum stepped through.
"Guess what just came out on video? Dirty Dancing! I got all the necessities for a movie night... And who the bloody hell are you?" she said, eyes widening at Professor Dumbledore.
"I assume you are Mrs. McKysie?" he said, cordially holding out his hand.
"Just miss, actually," she said suspiciously. "Who are you?"
"I am Professor Albus Dumbledore," he said kindly.
"Wow, kiddo, already off to college?" she joked to me. I guess she was getting the same feeling from this man as I did, once the shock wore off, of course.
"Not quite yet," I said seriously. "Mum, you might wanna sit."
"Why?"
"Because I have to tell you something that you are going to find unbelievable. Literally," I said, putting on my "getting down to business" face.
"Okay," she said, suspicious once again.
I took a deep breath. "Mum, I'm a witch."
It had been a few days since Dumbledore's visit. Mum had taken the news surprisingly well, once she established that I wasn't pulling her leg, or completely mental. Today was the day that I would get my robes and, most importantly, my wand. I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of an owl to get here to give me directions to Diagon Alley. I was completely antsy, unable to sit still long enough to even read my school books, which were all very interesting.
"Calm down, Kenz," Mum said for the thousandth time, while yawning. "It's not even eight! Why can't you be a normal child and sleep in? Or at least let Mummy sleep in?"
"Because!" I huffed. "I wanna see an owl deliver mail!" Mum rolled her eyes and went back to dozing. Finally, I saw a speck in the distance, growing larger and larger until it took shape of a barn owl. I bounced up and down excitedly, before realizing that I needed to open the window in order for the owl to come to me.
The owl was beautiful. He sat on my arm and proudly lifted his leg for me to take the letter off. Even Mum was in awe of it. I slowly untied the letter before the bird flew out the window. Mum and I gaped after it. The bell tolled in the distance, it was eight o'clock. I suddenly realized that it was time to go.
"C'mon, Mum!" I exclaimed. "Move!"
. A few hours and five wrong turns later, we were standing in front of a brick wall in a rinky-dink, run-down tavern. I, for once, did not know what to do. So we just stood there, until a girl with bushy hair who looked vaguely familiar and her parents came up to the wall as well.
"First time?" she said sympathetically. I nodded. "Watch me carefully."
She took out her wand and began tapping the bricks. Suddenly, they started moving, then there was an actually alleyway, filled with amazing things.
"Thank you so much!" I cried. "My name's Mackenzi McKysie, what's your's?"
Her eyes widened. "You don't remember? I'm Hermione!"
"Oh, my god! Seriously?"
"Of course, CSL."
I grinned. "It really is you, JA!" We had always teased each other about our favorite authors. For Hermione, it was Jane Austin, and for me it was (who else?) C.S. Lewis. "So, do you go to Hogwarts? I just got my letter."
"Yeah. I'm in second year now."
"What House are you in?" She quirked an eyebrow at me, obviously wondering how I knew about Houses. "I've done my research. Professor Dumbledore gave me a bunch of books on Hogwarts."
"He did that for me, as well," she said, nodding. "And, by the way, I'm in Gryffindor."
"Hmm. I would've guessed that you'd be in Ravenclaw," I replied, genuinely surprised. "Do you know where to get a wand?"
"Yes, of course, c'mon," she said and linked arms with me, taking me down the alley. Mum and the Grangers followed nervously. Hermione and I were talking all the way, catching up with each other. All in all, it was a fantabulous day.
Chapter ?
I took a seat at the Slytherin table, not quite sure of what to do. I knew that