A Chance to Live and Love Again
Chapter 1: A New Life
At sixteen years of age, Alyssa Cooper found herself pregnant with a baby by the only guy she had ever thought of loving forever. The day she told him of the baby was the day that everything changed. She had thought that he would be as happy as she was, but he was quite the opposite. He yelled at her for letting herself get pregnant, and then he done the unthinkable. He struck her across the face and turned his back to her and walked out of her life forever.
Alyssa had always thought that Chase was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. She had shared her deepest secret with him and he accepted her and everything else that came with her. But when he left she only had one other person to lean on, Troy Callan. Troy knew all about Alyssa's secret and he quite enjoyed it. So Alyssa picked herself up and went to Troy for help and comfort.
Troy was sitting in the living room of his family's house watching TV when he heard the doorbell ring. Knowing that he was the only one home, he looked around because he wasn't expecting any company that night and he knew that Alyssa wouldn't be by until a little later that night. Thinking that something might be wrong, he got up to answer the door. But when he opened the door, he was met by a bruised, slightly bloody, and crying face of Alyssa. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and asked, "Oh baby, what happened? Are you alright?"
Alyssa pulled herself back and looked up at him with tear stained eyes and replied with a quivering voice, "He doesn't want me or the baby. He said it was all my fault that I got pregnant, and then he hit me. I feel like my world is ending, Troy. How am I going to raise this baby on my own at sixteen years old. No one is going to want a teenage mother, especially a magical teenage mother."
"Oh Alyssa, sweetie I'm so sorry. He doesn't deserve you anyways. If you want me to I will make sure he pays for this. As for you being alone, you know that's not true. I will always be here to help you. You are my best friend and I love you and the baby."
She looked at Troy with tears in her eyes asking, "What am I going to do? I can't stay here. Everyone would know the situation. They will know Chase is the father."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about earlier. I have been looking at all the magical schools that you could attend to learn the things involved in that part of your life. I only found one here in America and it's in Boston, but the things I have read about it say that it's not too good of a school." He breaks to let everything that he has just said to her sink in.
"So what do you suggest? That I should go to this school in Boston?" she asked him with some hint of fear in her voice.
"No that's not what I am suggesting. There is a school in England that is really good, and I know how much you have always wanted to go to England. So I notified the Headmaster and he said that they don't have hardly any American students to attend there, but he thinks you would do well there. He told me that anytime you wanted to talk to him to notify him by floo and he would come right to you and talk with you."
"Oh Troy that's wonderful. Thank you!" she said reaching up to kiss him on his cheek, "But wait how do you floo?"
Troy laughed and said, "I have the instructions right here," he reached into a bag beside the couch and pulled out a piece of paper and another small bag. "All you do is take a pinch of this powder and throw it into the fireplace and say 'Albus Dumbledore Headmaster at Hogwarts,' then you put your head inside the green flames and it will connect you to him."
She seemed a little frightened at the fact of placing her head in flames, but she was willing to take a chance.
"Okay then hand me that powder and let me see him."
Troy smiled and handed her the bag. She grabbed some powder and threw it into the flames and said, "Albus Dumbledore Headmaster at Hogwarts," and placed her head in the flames.
She was falling past many fireplaces and it was beginning to make her dizzy, so she closed her eyes. She didn't reopen them until she felt like everything was still and she screamed when they opened to the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore.
"Don't be frightened my dear," he said, "You must be the American girl that I was informed about earlier today."
"Ye..Yes sir. My name is Alyssa Cooper."
"Well hello Miss Cooper. I assume that Mr. Callan has informed you that I am looking forward to maybe having you as a student here at Hogwarts."
"Yes sir. He told me that you were willing to speak with me, and if you don't mind, could we speak now. I need to get away from home and I would really like to learn more about the magical world."
"Splendid! If you would be so kind as to back out of the fireplace, I would be so happy to join you and Mr. Callan to talk about the arrangements."
"Ok", she said as she began to pull her head out of the flames. She had just barely gotten off the floor when Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace saying, "Oh I am so sorry dear. I am just so excited about you joining us."
"That's ok sir. I am anxious to join you myself."
"Please call me Professor Dumbeldore or just Professor, seeing as how you are now going to be one of my students."
"Okay Professor there are some things you must know about me before I can come to your school. You see I have no family. My parents and brother were killed in a car accident a year ago and now I am living with my Aunt and Uncle. They have 3 kids already so it's hard on them to take care of me too. And plus I'm 6 weeks pregnant."
"My dear child, Mr. Callan has already informed me of your unfortunate situation and it is an honor to award you a scholarship to our school."
"Oh Professor that is so kind of you. When would I need to be ready to go to your school?"
"We do not start our school year until September 1st, but if you would like to come back with me tonight in order to get all the supplies you will be needing, there is a family that wants to be your host home…I think that's what Muggles call them."
"Do you mean that I could leave here tonight and start a new life for me and my child?"
"Yes Miss Cooper, all we need to do is to get your things and tell your family."
With a new found happy spirit, Alyssa along with Troy and Professor Dumbledore flooed to her Aunt and Uncle's house. While Professor Dumbledore informed her Aunt and Uncle of the move, Alyssa and Troy went to gather her things. While they were packing Alyssa noticed that Troy seemed really sad. So she asked him what was wrong. He just said that he was going to miss her but he knew that it was best for her to go. When everything was gathered and ready to go, Alyssa said her goodbyes to her Aunt Lisa, Uncle Henry, Mia, Alisha, and Elaina. She told them that she would write them often and let them know how her and the baby were. She then turned to Troy with tears in her eyes and thanked him for everything. She told him that she would write him everyday and that whenever he got breaks he could come and see her. With that Professor Dumbledore portkeyed them back to England on the doorstep of the most odd-looking house.