A/N: This is a story written for the House Competition.
House: Slytherin.
Year: 1
Category: Short. Prompt: [Last Line] "No," I replied with a smile."'In fact, I think I'm only just beginning."
Word count: 1585
Today seems like a special day, I don't know why but I woke up feeling excited. It was an unusual feeling, but I felt like it was a good kind of unusual. For an 11 year old, I am very good at predicting things, I think I might be psychic or something, but that can't very well be true. I get out of bed and walk up to my bathroom to freshen up and what I see in the mirror above the sink doesn't faze me at all. My unruly hair, or should I say mane? No matter how much I try to manage it and tame it, It just doesn't go down. It was as if magic was keeping my hair like this, messy, huge, and never neat. Nothing seemed to work on it, I even tried straightening it but to no avail. It was as if my hair had a mind of its own. Oh well, it is what it is. I tried researching on it, but I got no answers. I never got any answers to any of my questions though. Why did I make the books fly out of the cupboard when I was 7? Why did the soup I did not like light on fire? At first, everyone passed the little things around me as coincidence but now, it is starting to show more, and we have no explanations for any of these. Maybe I woke up feeling excited because I'll have an answer to all of these mysteries surrounding me. But maybe not, it was highly unlikely.
Going down to the kitchen I see my mother preparing breakfast, with father sitting and reading the morning paper. I see this routine everyday but I could never tire of it. My parents makes me the happiest, even after spending the day in school getting laughed at, coming back home to my parents always made me smile.
Breakfast was a cheery affair, like always, and conversations with my parents about books which I have recently read up on was the highlight of every breakfast. Somehow the feeling I woke up with had not settled down yet, and it keeps distracting me from my breakfast. Just as I was about to address it to my parents, we hear a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," my mother says and gets up from her seat.
"Hi. Can I help you?" I hear my mother say. She sounded a little confused, and I guess my father noticed the tone in my mother's voice because he stood up as well and started to walk towards the door.
"Hello Mrs Granger. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I'm here to talk about Hermione. Do you mind if I come in?"
Did I hear my someone mention my name? I hear a shuffling of feets and the door closed.
"Hermione? Honey? Come in here for a moment. There's someone who wants to meet you." my mother called from the sitting room. I quickly gather myself up and head towards where my parents and the guest were seated.
"Hello. I'm Hermione." I greet the very odd looking lady. She was wearing an emerald green robe and had on a pointed hat. I have never seen anyone dress this way except in the movies and she must have seen my expression because she took of her hat and extended her hand towards me.
"Hello Hermione. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I'm here with some very important but quite shocking news so it would be best if you all sit down."
I shot my parents a look, but they had the same confused look as me so I sat down waiting to hear what the weird lady had to say. Maybe this was the feeling I woke up to today.
"I am a professor at a school called Hogwarts, it is a school for talented young witches and wizards. Miss Granger, I'm here with your letter of acceptance to Hogwarts."
"What?" I mumble. Was this a joke? School for wizards and witches?
"This might come as a shock to you, but you, Miss Granger, are a witch. Has anything out of the ordinary ever happen to you? Especially when you feel sad or extremely happy?"
And it made sense. Everything that I had done, everything which was left unexplained. This woman right here is giving me the answers. I'm a witch!
"Bu- but how do I know this is true?" I question. All this while, my parents kept quiet, shock clearly evident on their face. I'm sure they have a million questions, they just can't figure out which one to ask first. I turn to look at Professor McGonagall and she has a wand out. Wait. A wand? She swished and flicked the wand and immediately a picture frame of me and my parents started to levitate. I couldn't believe my eyes, but my heart fluttered. I'm going to be learning how to do that and the fact that all the weird things that I seemed to have made all these years were because I was gifted with magic.
"Uhmm.." I looked at my mother who had gone pale with shock. "So you're trying to say that our Hermione is a witch and you want her to study in your school?"
"If that is what you want. But I do advise you that studying there will be in her best interest."
Of course I wanted to attend Hogwarts. The things I will learn there will be beyond my imaginations. I look at my mum and dad, who seemed to be trying to comprehend what had been relayed to them just a few seconds ago.
"Mum, Dad. I really want to go there. It would really help me understand everything that we have not been able to explain. Please say yes," I beg. I know they would agree if I really wanted it, but I was doubtful about this. Everything that just happened here was relatively new to us. We spend our whole life thinking that magic was just some myth, that it did not exist at all but everything that we believed to be true just came crashing down on us. Not in a bad way, it was just something unexpected.
"Can we have a moment alone, please?" my dad finally speaks. He looks shaken but he tried not to show it, but I know him and he was contemplating on the current situation.
"Of course. I'll wait outside." and with that, she goes out, and I could see her standing outside, perfectly still.
"Hermione. Are you sure? Is this what you want? What if it's dangerous? We don't know anything about this." My father asks me, the worry now clearly showing on his face.
"I'm sure Dad. And like you said, we don't know anything about this place. That's why I want to learn about it and the only place I'll learn about it is by going to Hogwarts. I don't want to say no and end up regretting it for the rest of my life."
"Alright then. If you're sure about it, we'll allow you. But you have to promise to write to us, every week."
My dad was always supportive of my decisions and he trusted me. I'm glad he trusted me on this one too, because I could not wait to learn about magic, about everything this new world has to offer.
I went out to call back Professor McGonagall inside to inform her of our decision. She came in swiftly, nodding at me as she entered. I take a proper look at her, and she seemed to be a very intelligent person, and I hoped she would be teaching me at Hogwarts.
"Have you made your decision?" she asked, looking at me.
"Yes. I'll be happy to join Hogwarts, and I look forward on learning everything!" I answer, heart thumping with excitement.
"Excellent. Here are a list of materials you need for your 1st year at Hogwarts. You will find everything you need at Diagon Alley. I will of course be taking you there since it is your first time and..."
"Excuse me, Professor," I interrupt her. It wasn't intentional, but my curiosity got the better of me.
"Yes?" she answered, looking down at me.
"Are you going to be teaching us as well?"
"I will. I am to be your Transfiguration teacher."
"And what about my subjects? What am I to take?"
"All first-years at Hogwarts are to take seven subjects consisting of Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology. There is also a flying lesson which is compulsory."
Everything felt surreal to me. Potions, Charms, I can't believe I am to learn all these. I was filled with curiosity and happiness.
"I will end this here. I shall come back tomorrow to take you to Diagon Alley where you will get your supplies. The term starts on the 1st of September so you need to be ready with everything. Thank you for having me here, and congratulations on getting in at Hogwarts, Miss Granger."
We walked her out and said our goodbyes, thanking her for all the informations. Once inside we sat back down at the kitchen table, our breakfast now cold.
"Well Hermione. I guess this is the end of all your questions about your unique abilities." my dad said, breaking the silence.
"No," I replied with a smile."'In fact, I think I'm only just beginning."