Chapter 1: Meet John Preswick
If you were to meet John Preswick, you might not think anything of him. He is a polite, calm, and moderately well mannered child, but nothing about would really stick out about him as odd or unusual. Aside from being tall for his age, you probably wouldn't give him a second glance if he walked past you on the street.
If you were to ask his family or his friends, however, you might get a different picture of him than your original impression. You might hear stories of machines turning off and on when he touched them, and stories of things just floating up into the air around him. Now this must sound insane to you, but it isn't, it's magic. John Preswick is a wizard, and he doesn't even know it yet.
Now John Preswick's life is no different at this point from yours. He is the youngest of six kids; his father is an office worker in London, and he goes to school Monday through Friday. But something is about to happen to him that will change his life forever.
"John, come upstairs. You've got a visitor!' his mother shouted from the top of the stairs leading down into the basement, where John's room was located.
"Coming Mom!" John called back, as he looked up from his Gameboy, setting it on the blue nightstand beside his bed. "Who would come to see me?" he wondered. "Michael isn't coming over today." As he hurried up the steps into the kitchen, his two cats came to greet him, a calico named Zelda and a grey and white cat named Zeke.
"John, this is Professor…" John's mother, Lisa, started, "what did you say it was again?" gesturing to an older woman dressed in green robes.
"Professor Minerva McGonagall. Deputy headmistress of Hogwarts." The visitor replied.
"Ah, yes, well John, Professor McGonagall is here to talk to you about the school she works for, Hogwarts."
"Can I speak to John alone for a minute Mrs. Preswick?" McGonagall requested, keeping an eye on John. "I need to speak to him privately"
"Of course, Professor, take as much time as you need. Is there anything I can get you before I go?" She replied
"Some tea would be lovely,"
"Of course, I will go make some right away. why don't you go sit in the library while you talk?"
"Very well, John lead the way."
"Of course Professor."
"John, may I ask you a question?" Professor McGonagall asked as they entered the library.
"Sure Professor, what is it?" John replied, unsure as to where this would lead.
"Have you ever done something, something you couldn't explain?"
"Like what, Professor?"
"Things that you know shouldn't be able to happen, but happen anyways."
"Sometimes, if I concentrate really hard, I can make things float in the air. Is that what you mean?" John around with the glass of grape juice his mother had joust brought in.
"That is precisely what I mean, have you ever wondered how you do those things?"
"Yeah, I suppose I do, why?"
"Because I know what it is. It is magic, you're a wizard, john."
"You're kidding" John said " Prove it, do a spell."
"Very well then, Wingardium Leviosa!" she said, pulling a long piece of wood from her robes.
Suddenly, the candle on the kitchen table started to float into the air.
"Cool!" John exclaimed, still staring at the candle." Is that what I do?"
"Yes, only you have yet to learn how to control your magic. And that is precisely why you need to go to Hogwarts."
"Cool, why did you need to tell me this alone, can't my parents know?"
"No John, You mustn't tell them any of what we have spoken of here." Professor McGonagall commanded with a whisper.
"Why professor?"
"Have you ever heard of the Salem Witch Trials? That is precisely what we want to avoid. So, we keep our selves secret."
"Ok professor, I think I understand."
"Good, now I think it's time for us to speak to your mother" The professor said as she lowered the candle back to the table.
"Ok" Said John as they walked into the dining room where Mrs. Preswick was sitting, reading an old, worn out book.
In the end, they spoke together for the rest of the afternoon. In which they decided that Hogwarts would send a member of staff to help him pick out his school supplies at Diagon Alley. And would take him to the Hogwarts Express on September 1st.
"September 1st, that's only a week away!" John thought to himself.
"I am sorry about the short notice," Professor McGonagall apologized as she was heading out the door. "This year has been more hectic than most and we have had to hire a new teacher this year."
"No problem," Mrs. Preswick said "just make sure this Hagrid fellow is here on time, you don't seem to have much faith in him."
"No, it's not that I don't trust him, it's just he can be a little, overwhelming at times."
"Well whatever the case may be, we have to get him ready for school now, don't we. I have never seen him this excited about school before, though, maybe you can finally get him to do his math right."
"Yes, I suppose you so, goodbye Mrs. Preswick, I look forward to having your son in my class."
"Yes, goodbye Professor,"
And so, John Preswick's life changed in ways he could not even begin to imagine