Chapter 1: Gwen and Gen's Beginnings

Gwen

It was a warm day in June, and a small 11 year old girl was playing in her playhouse. Strange things had been happening to her lately, but her parents kept telling her that it was her imagination running away with her. For example, she had seen her toy table begin to float all by itself, and she had also seen her toy food serve itself to her dolls.

Things got weirder one afternoon when she heard her mother calling for her to come inside. "GWEN!" her mother shouted. "Get in here, quickly!" Gwen ran inside as fast as her little legs could carry her. Startled, trying to catch her breath, she asked, "Mom, what is it?"

"Gwen, your father and I are not sure". Gwen looked around, and there, in the living room, stood the strangest looking woman Gwen had ever seen. She had on a dress of every color of the rainbow, and on top of the woman's head sat a rather large hat that came to a point. The hat was black and had a green trim, which made Gwen smile as green was her favorite color.

"Mr. and Mrs. Redfield," spoke the strange woman, "I am here on a matter concerning your daughter, Gwen. I have been sent to deliver her welcome letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"I'm sorry, what did you just say? Is this a joke? Wait, where's the hidden camera? Are we on television?" Mrs. Redfield asked as she looked around the living room and out of the windows looking for a camera that simply wasn't there. "This is no joke Mrs. Redfield, and certainly not a television show, I can assure you."

"You honestly expect me to believe that my daughter is a witch? Witches are nothing but legends; characters designed to amuse children." Mr. Redfield spoke. The strange woman replied, "Oh no, we are quite real. We just prefer to keep a low profile around muggles such as yourselves. We only reveal ourselves to other witches and wizards, and Gwen here is one of them." she said.

"What's a muggle?" Gwen asked shyly. The funny woman leaned down to face Gwen and said "Muggles, my dear child, are people who don't have the ability to use magic. While the rest of your family may be made up of muggles, you my dear are indeed a witch."

"I still don't believe any of this," stated Mrs. Redfield. "If you truly expect us to believe that you're a witch, and our daughter is one as well, then prove it!" Without uttering a word, the woman pulled a small stick from her robes, pointed at some furniture in the room, and it began to float into the air, seemingly all on its own.

Mrs. Redfield, clearly dumbfounded, fell back into a chair, mouth agape. Gwen could hardly hold in her excitement at the seeing magic right before her eyes. Gwen asked, "Mam, will I be able to do that too?" The woman smiled, lowered the stick in her hands, and the furniture was put back into its original place. "Yes, Gwen. If you wish to learn how to perform magic such as this, you will be taught all you need to know at Hogwarts to become a very powerful witch. You will of course need your parent's permission, and there is plenty of time for both you and for them to think about what joining Hogwarts would mean to you and your family. The Train for Hogwarts leaves on September 1st at 11am. We will expect a response concerning your attendance via a letter sent by owl. Should you choose to join Hogwarts, further instructions on how to attend, as well as what you will need, will be mailed back to you." The woman lifted the stick back into the air, waved it around in the air for a few seconds, muttered something Gwen couldn't quite make out, and a small cage containing an owl appeared in Gwen's hands.

"An owl! Oh, he's so pretty!" Gwen exclaimed, holding the owl cage. The woman went on to say, "In the Magical world, we send mail with owls and other creatures. I will leave one here with you so that you have a way of contacting us. Just tie your reply to the owl's leg when you're ready." When she finished speaking, she walked into our unlit fireplace, withdrew some sand from a pouch she was carrying, threw it down to her feet, and she vanished in a huge puff of green smoke.

Gwen stood there, mouth open, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. Gwen could hear her mother and father whispering in the corner. The last thing she heard before her parents sent her up to her room was her mom saying, "This can't be happening. What should we do?" Gwen slowly made her way up to her room, still holding the cage from the woman, whose name she was never told.

Gen

The Sun was shining bright over the home of Gen Taylor. But all Gen wanted was for the evening to hit. This is when her parents would leave for the night and Gen could escape to her room and finally play.

"Gen finish the dishes then go clean the bathroom" her mother shouted at her. " I want the house to look nice in case we bring friends over." She said in a sing-song voice.

Gen hated cleaning she would rather be playing but wasn't allowed to until her parents left for the night. She wished things could clean themselves would make life easier.

All of a sudden the broom she was holding started sweeping by its self. Gen jumped back and let out a little yelp.

" WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE?" her father shouted "Nothing its nothing it was a spider." Gwen called back "Well Kill it and get on with your work." he replied

What is going on. Gen thought to herself as she grabbed a hold of the broom.

This wasn't the first time a weird thing had happened when she had wished for something. Just my imagination she thought to herself.

Finally the evening came. Gen could hear her parents running around trying to get ready. Finally she heard the sitter come in and her parents go out. Gen ran as fast as she could up the stairs to her bedroom. The sitter would be watching the TV for hours, Gwen knew she had time to play.

As Gen threw open her bedroom door she saw the strangest site she had ever seen. There stood what looked like a doll wearing a potato sack. It spun around to face her.

" Are you Miss. Gen Taylor?" the strange creature asked her "Yes yes I am." Gen said as she jumped back stammering "Who are you?" Gen asked shyly " Oh I'm Eisa miss and I'm here to bring you a special message."

" A message?" " Yes Eisa has it here somewhere." she said as she began to search her potato sack dress.

" Excuse me but what are you?" Gen asked "Oh! Me why I'm a house elf."

" What's a house elf?" "We serve houses of witches and wizards, Me however I work at Hogwarts." she said proudly. "Hogwarts what is that?" Gen wondered out loud. "It's a school. Oh! Here's the letter." Eisa handed Gen a letter bearing a crest on the back of it.

Gen turned it over it read Miss Gen Taylor

" This is for me but why? I don't understand." Gen said out loud "Why miss Gen you're a witch of course." Eisa said with excitement. " A witch you mean they are real!" " Oh yes very real! Gen have you ever noticed you can do things other children cant?" " You mean like when my broom sweeps for its self?"

" Yes just like that!" Eisa squeaked.

"What you hold in your hand is your welcome letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Eisa said hopping up and down.

" Just show your parents the letter and I will be back in a week's time to get your reply."

Eisa then snapped her fingers and she was gone.

Gen stood in her room very confused. How would she ever explain what just happened to her parents?

Gwen

In the Months since the visit things had gone from bad to worse. At first her parents had been screaming about how this was a bad joke. But as time went on they began to believe it might be real.

" What if this gets around to our friends?" Her mother whispered " I was thinking the same thing I don't know if I could live that down." her father replied.

"Is there a way to get magic out of people?" screamed her mother " I don't know let's just keep her in her room till we figure out what were going to do." And at that moment Gwen was sent to her room and told to stay there and to not come out unless she was called. I always thought being magical would be fun but it just seems to cause problems she thought quietly to herself as she closed her bedroom door.

Later that night Gwen snuck out of her room after she was sure her parents had gone to bed. She crept out of her room and down the stairs to find something to eat.

There on the counter sat a note in her mother's hand writing, Call the Saint Catherin's mental hospital tomorrow.

Gwen's mouth dropped in horror, she knew what this meant she had watched enough TV and movies. That was a place for crazy people.

My parents think I'm crazy and are going to send me away!

The whole room started spinning she had no idea how she made it back up to her room. What do I do? was all she could remember thinking as the night took over.

Gen

Gen had hid the letter for several months. Eisa came back several times and Gen kept telling Eisa that her parents we still thinking about it. When in all actuality she hadn't told them because she knew it would end badly.

But one afternoon about two weeks before the first of September things got real bad for Gen.

"GEN COME DOWN HERE AT ONCE." her mother yelled, Gen ran down from the safety of her room, wondering what could possibly need cleaned now.

" Gen your father and I have decided that you need a better school".

Gens heart skipped a beat were they going to send her to Hogwarts? " Gen we are shipping you off to a boarding school at the end of the week" her father said with a smirk.

Gens heart sank further than it ever had before, " A Boarding school! Why? Can't you just let me pick the school I want to go to!" Gen shouted. " And where is it you want to go?" he said looking down at her.

"Hogwarts?" Gen said regretting opening her mouth. "Where?" he asked " It's a school for witches and wizards." "Gen you have been reading too much again." her mother said in a mocking tone.

Gen just stood there her life had been chosen for her she had nothing more to say. " No response? Typical Gen, now go to your room you may as well enjoy your last week of play time."

And at that Gen ran up the stairs and threw herself on her bed tears streaming down her face. She reached her hand under her pillow and held her letter in her hand.