Chapter One-Special Abilities

Kittianna had always known she was special. At least, she'd been told ever since she was a child just how special she was. Kittianna was a witch. But just because she was a witch, that didn't mean she was any more special than other kids. Her younger sister, Melissa, was also a witch, and her adopted parents were both magical. Magic wasn't what made Kittianna feel more special than others.

There was more to Kittianna than simply magic. Simply was a strange word to use, but she had something more. Kittianna could dream into the future.

It didn't happen very often. Sometimes what she thought was a "future dream" was simply a dream she'd had because she was excited for the coming day. Still, every once in a while, a dream of Kittianna's would come completely true.

Magic was amazing and special; though, Kittianna knew that not everyone was magical. She learned this when she was talking to the other children at a playground. Kittianna had mentioned she'd dreamed the exact event the other day, and the other children stared at her. Perhaps she'd also talked about the self-cleaning dishes.

"You're weird," one said.

"Completely crazy!" cried another.

"People don't do that," a young girl shook her head.

"I don't want to play with you anymore," they all agreed.

Sometimes, it wasn't very fun to be special at all. Since then, she never mentioned her dreams. Kittianna didn't want to feel special anymore. Simply magical was good enough for her now, but only in the magical world did she enjoy fitting in as much as she could.

She'd never told her adopted parents, Helen and Frank Habersnap, about her "future dreams," but maybe it was better that way. For all she knew, Kittianna's future dreams were not normal for magical people either. So now, she just wanted to be special through her magic, but it took a long time for it to show up.

It wasn't until she was a week or two away from the age of six that Kittianna would show her magic. She was so angry; angry because she wanted to go play with newly adopted sister Melissa, who was four at the time. But Kittianna was supposed to make the table for lunch. She didn't want to and the table and chairs lost their legs, causing a loud ruckus. The Habersnaps were delighted, but, of course, she was also scolded for not doing as she was told.

Little Kittianna was ecstatic, and went to the park after lunch that day. Melissa would have to play by herself, she'd decided. She was special again and wanted to make friends. Special people always made the best friends in the stories Helen Habersnap read to her at night.

Sadly, the park children were as cruel as always.

"You're so weird," they mumbled.

"What kind of name is Kittianna anyway?" a girl asked.

"It sounds stupid," another boy responded.

"It's just Russian," Kittianna would whimper.

"Well we're British here," the boy replied.

"Go away," the children chorused, "you aren't normal!"

"I'm special!" Kittianna cried.

"Special education maybe," an older boy laughed.

Kittianna had again been turned away for being special. Magic was not always what it was cracked up to be, she'd decided. And special was not always a good thing. After walking around the park alone for some time, Kittianna returned home. Helen Habersnap greeted her at the door with her big, fairy smile, reserved for her adopted children and husband.

"How was the park, Kittianna? Did the other children play nice?" she inquired, noticing Kittianna's sad look.

"They never do; Mom, they never do. I don't want to be special! My name is dumb, I'm dumb, and I'll never make friends!"

Helen Habersnap wrapped little Kittianna up in her thin arms, holding her close.

"You are not dumb," she said looking into Kittianna's eyes, "you are a bright little girl with a bright future ahead of you. Let me tell you a secret."

Kittianna looked up at her adopted mother, small tears staining her cheeks.

"When I was your age, the other children thought I was weird. You know what I mean?"

Kittianna nodded and waited for the rest of the story.

"But then one day, I got a letter from a school called Hogwarts. They knew I was special, and I was going to go to school with other magical and special students from all over Britain and Scotland."

Kittianna was fascinated now, and wiped her tears away with her sleeve.

"We learned all sorts of magic tricks and spells. I learned every piece of magic I know from Hogwarts."

"Do I get a Hogwarts?" Kitty asked, bewildered by the information.

"Of course you do. When you're old enough, you can go to Hogwarts and learn all sorts of magic. You'll be ten or eleven when your special letter comes by owl in July. That's when it always comes."

This brightened Kittianna's spirits, and soon she was her happy self again.

"Mom," she asked.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Is my name stupid?"

"Absolutely not!" Helen mussed her hair gently, "But we could give you a nickname if you like."

"Like Kitty-Witty? Like when Dad sends me to bed?"

"Exactly, but maybe just Kitty. How does that sound?"

Kitty loved it. She now only went by Kitty, unless she got in trouble. Because of Helen, Kitty felt special again, and maybe magic wasn't so bad, parents could do that; make you happy again when you felt like you weren't worth it.

The years went by, and Kitty was going to turn eleven on the 1st of September. The first day of July, she sat in front of the mail slot all day playing patty-cake with Melissa. Kitty was a bundle of energy and could not contain her excitement. She kept looking for the owl that would bring her letter.

"Kitty, dear," her adopted father, Frank, came around the corner, "I'm not sure if the letter will come today or later. It seems we might receive the letter by the regular postman."

"But I thought it would be an owl…" Kitty complained.

"I'm sorry, but it's a special case," her father replied and sat next to the two girls in the corridor, nearly squishing them against the wall with his rotund frame.

"Why's that?" Melissa, the ever curious, inquired.

"Well you both know we live in a Muggle town, and very rarely, except in the late evening, do we receive mail via owl."

"I don't understand," Melissa and Kitty both pouted.

"Well, Muggles don't get their mail from owls, my dears, I'm sure you've already noticed. They get mail through the regular post. So, often, Hogwarts will send your special letter with the Muggle post."

This news did not suit Kitty, as she had always hoped her letter would come via owl. Kitty had always wanted an owl. She saw owls come with the Daily Prophet, a leading wizard newspaper, for her parents every night, and had so desperately wanted to receive her letter in the same way. Also, the post office was closed today due to a town celebration.

"It's not fair," Kitty groaned.

"I know, I know," her father said, desperately trying to soothe her by stroking her hair.

Frank Habersnap was not the best at dealing with emotional little girls, as hard as he tried.

"I know!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Melissa hopped up and down in the hallway, excited at the look on her father's face.

"You'll get an owl, for your school present. Would that make up for it?" Frank's eyes were imploring, hoping he'd satisfied his eldest daughter.

"Yes, Dad! That's perfect, thank you so much!" Kitty jumped on her father, hugging him tightly.

Helen's voice came from the kitchen, "What's going on out there? Are you promising presents again?"

"Maybe…" Frank replied.

Helen entered the hallway and smiled at her three family members piled there hugging, "You're all silly. Come, let's make lunch."

Kitty went to bed that day satisfied. In a few days, maybe even tomorrow, the postmaster would come with her letter. And she would get her very own owl! Kitty would be special, and she'd soon meet other special, magical children just like her. She'd even learn magical powers and skills. Perhaps her dreams would not be so strange after all. It took her a long time to fall asleep.