Looking back on my life now, I never would have thought that I'd be where I am today. Yes, there were parts that I knew were always possibilities, but they didn't happen exactly as I thought they would, or planned them to.

My name is Callidora Hopkins, and I'm a witch; the cast spells, broom-flying, potion-making kind…although I have been told that I have somewhat of a temper. I'm also a metamorphmagus, meaning I can change my appearance at will which is a rare trait among witches and wizards.

I grew up around magic, and my parents, Nicolas and Violetta Hopkins, discovered that I had powers when I accidentally set this ugly sweater that my Aunt Miranda had bought me for Christmas on fire. I was six and wished I could burn it in the fireplace. My parents were proud, although they didn't like explaining to Aunt Miranda about how I couldn't wear the sweater since it "caught fire."

I'm a pureblood witch since both of my parents were wizards, but I don't like to brag about my ancestry like some families do.

When I turned eleven I received my letter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry like my parents and most wizards my age.

As I grew up and went through school, I had experiences, both good and bad, that I will never forget. I share my life with you not for sympathy, but in the hopes that you will understand the difficulties that come with growing up in my world, and that there's always something worth fighting for.

Chapter 1

"Happy birthday Callidora!" my parents yelled in unison. It was a very special birthday for me because mum and dad say that this year I'll get my letter to Hogwarts. They were so sure I was going to get in because they told me I showed signs of being a witch when I was younger. I was still worried though; what if I didn't get in? What if I turned out to be a squib?

Dad handed me a really big present. It was so big, that he had to set it on the table in order for me to open it.

"Go on and open it," dad said all excited. I tore the paper open, and there on the table was a brand new broom. "We thought you'd need your very own broom. You can't keep using your mother's old one when you go off to school."

"Nicolas," mum said. "You know first years aren't allowed brooms."

"They are if they play Quidditch," dad argued. "So how about it Dora? Want to test it out?"

"Yes!" I squealed. Dad picked up my new broom off of the table and we both ran out into the backyard.

"Be careful you two!" mum yelled after us.

"We will!" dad and replied.

When we got outside I was so excited to fly on it that I was jumping up and down and making dad laugh.

"What kind is it?" I asked.

"The best one on the market at the moment," he answered.

"Comet 260," we both said. Dad handed me the broom and I nearly exploded from excitement.

"Dora, you have to be more careful on this broom," he said. "It's much faster than your mother's."

"Okay. Can I please fly it now?" I whined. Dad laughed.

"Alright," he said. "But only where I can see you." I pouted but got on the broom and took off.

I flew around for a bit before dad got out his broom and our practice Quaffle; dad always thought I'd play Quidditch at School.

I don't know how long we were out there playing before mum called us in for supper.

"If you keep playing like that Dora, you'll be an excellent chaser," dad said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Absolutely."

"Alright, no more talk about Quidditch at the table," mum said. "Go on and eat your supper before it gets cold; I made your favorite."

"Yum," I said.

"We were about halfway through supper when our tawny owl with bright blue eyes flew in through the open window carrying our mail. Dad got up from the table and walked over to the owl to get it.

"Thank you Skye," he said. Mum and dad let me name our owl so I came up with Skye from her really bright blue eyes; like the sky. "Looks like you're quite popular today, Dora; all the mail is for you."

"A bit late to be getting it," mum said. "I'm guessing it has to do with specifics."

"I wonder why," I said. Dad handed me the mail and most of it was birthday cards from relatives. I opened them all up until I reached the last one.

It was thick and heavy, with emerald-green ink written on the yellowish parchment. On the back was a purple wax seal of a coat of arms with a lion, eagle, badger, and snake surrounding an 'H.'

I looked over at mum and dad to see then smiling at the letter in my hand.

I tore it open at the seal and pulled it out. It read:

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 Ms. Hopkins,

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

I was so excited that I was bouncing in my seat.

"Looks like we'll be taking a trip to Diagon Alley soon," mum said.

"Yay, yay, yay, yay," I said as I continued to bounce in my seat. I had only been there once before, and that was when we bought Skye. I loved it there.

"Calm down Dora," dad said as he laughed. "You'll explode if you keep doing that." I stopped right away and stuck my tongue out at him.

"And after that," he said while picking me up. "It's time for bed."

"But-" I said.

"No buts, Dora," mum interrupted. "You had a big day today and it's late, so go on up to bed.

"Fine," I said and went right upstairs to my room after dad put me down.

We had to wait until summer to go to Diagon Alley since my birthday was in April. My parents didn't want to keep my school things lying around the house for so long. So on the morning of our trip, I was so excited that when I got up, mum and dad weren't even up yet.

I snuck into their room, climbed up onto the bed, and started jumping up and down.

"Wake…up," I said between bounces. "I…want…to go…already." Mum and dad laughed and sat up.

"How about this," mum said. "You go and get dressed, and we'll meet you downstairs for breakfast."

"Okay!" I said. I went to jump off of the bed, but my foot got stuck in the blanket and I fell face first onto the floor. "I'm okay," I said after getting up. Then I ran back to my room.

"Be careful!" mum yelled after me.

I quickly got changed and rushed downstairs to see mum and dad already in the kitchen.

"Not fair," I mumbled. No matter how early I got up, they were always in the kitchen before me. Dad laughed.

After breakfast, we took the fireplace to Diagon Alley, meaning we used floo powder to get there. We ended up inside Gringotts which is exactly where we needed to go.

Once we got money from our vault, we left Gringotts and headed out, onto the street.

"Do you have your list, Dora?" dad asked.

"Yup," I answered while pulling it out of my pocket.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' 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 Beginners' 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 an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"We should get your robes first," mum said. "Then we'll get your books and-"

"Come on!" I yelled grabbing hers and dad's hands and pulling them along.

I pulled them all the way to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

When we walked through the door, it was Madam Malkin, who was a squat smiling witch.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked. I nodded with a smile on my face. "Come on back then."

I followed her to the back of the shop where she had me stand on a stool, and she slipped a robe over my head and started pinning it up.

When she was done pinning my robes, I thanked her and we went to Flourish and Blotts.

We all split up to search for my books, but I got distracted when I got into an aisle filled with books on jokes and pranks. I laughed at every one of the pranks I read.

"That one's pretty funny when you actually see it," dad said. Oops. Busted.

I turned around and saw dad there holding two of my new schoolbooks.

"Just slip it into the pile," he said. "Your mother won't notice." He smiled and lifted up the book on top and I slipped it in between the two books. Then he looked away, like he was pretending he didn't see it.

Dad told me that he was into pranks and jokes when he went to Hogwarts and apparently I inherited that from him.

After buying my schoolbooks, mum decided to get my cauldron and go to the Apothecary while dad and I went to get my owl.

We went to Eyelop's Owl Emporium which was filled with every different type of owl, that all had bright, colorful eyes.

I walked around for a bit before I stopped in front of two owls; a snowy owl, and a black owl. The snowy owl had really pretty blue-green eyes, while the black owl had bright purple ones.

"Did you find one you like yet Dora?" dad asked as he came up to me.

"I can't decide," I said. "I like them both."

"Then I guess we'll just have to get both," he said.

"Really?" Dad nodded and we ended up leaving with the two owls.

That's always the one thing I liked about being an only child. I wasn't spoiled, but my parents were able to give me things and do things with me that they couldn't do if I had a sibling. Sometimes I wished I had a younger brother or sister to play with; I didn't know anyone my age.

Dad and I met up with mum right outside of Ollivanders wand shop where a sign outside said: Ollivander: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

When mum saw the two owls she gave dad a look and rolled her eyes.

"Have you come up with names for them yet?" dad asked. The whole walk over here was filled with me thinking about names for my owls.

"Yes. I'll call her Athena," I said referring to the snowy owl. "And her Nyx."

"I'm sensing a certain theme here," mum said. Mum used to be really into mythology, and for some reason, those two names stuck with me.

I just shrugged and we walked into the wand shop.

A little bell rang when we walked into the shop. It looked sort of like a library with the piles of narrow boxes that reached the ceiling.

"Good afternoon," an old man with wide, pale eyes said as he walked towards us. "I was wondering when I'd be seeing you two again." I was confused. "If I'm not mistaken, you two came in at almost the same time to buy your wands."

"I'm surprised you remembered us, Mr. Ollivander," mum said.

"Ah, but what did I say to you when you first came in here Violetta?" he asked. "I remember every wand I've ever sold." Mum smiled. Then Mr. Ollivander noticed me standing between mum and dad. "And now you're here for your daughter?"

"Yes," dad answered. "We were so proud when Callidora got her letter. We knew she would get one of course; she was gifted since birth."

"Dad," I said embarrassed. My hair turned pink and I felt myself blush.

"Very gifted indeed," Mr. Ollivander said. "Well Ms. Hopkins, which is your wand arm?" I held out my right arm while he pulled out a tape measure with silver markings on it out of his pocket.

As he measured me with it, he explained all the different types of wands, and that another wizard's wand isn't as good as our own.

"Try this one," he said while handing me a wand after he finished measuring me. "Willow and unicorn hair. Eight inches. Just give it a wave."

I took the wand and waved it once before Mr. Ollivander took it out of my hand and gave me another one.

"Mahogany and dragon heartstring. Eleven inches." I waved it and again, Mr. Ollivander took it from me.

He then pulled out a third wand and handed it to me. I know I only tried two others, but I was starting to doubt that I would find one.

"Rosewood and phoenix feather. Ten and a half inches." I slowly took the wand from his hand with a doubtful expression on my face.

As soon as I touched the wand, it felt warm, like it was heating up my fingers. I looked at mum and dad who both had smiles on their faces, before waving the wand. Very bright and colorful ribbons shot out of the end of the wand like confetti, and my parents clapped happily.

"Oh very good. Bravo," Mr. Ollivander said. I smiled widely as Mr. Ollivander took the wand back and put it into its box. Then he wrapped it in brown paper and handed it back to me. "I can see many wonderful things coming from you, Ms. Hopkins. Many things."

Mum and dad paid for my wand and we said good bye to Mr. Ollivander before going back out onto the street.

We stopped at Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream, and then we went home, where I'd wait to finally start at Hogwarts.