Canes Wands and Braille, Oh My!

Authors: The Blind Apprentice and Blind Witch Wannabe

A/N: So, this story was originally published under the title of "Whose the New Kid" and was originally published by The Blind Apprentice. This story expands on the original and adds some other original characters. Hope you all enjoy this story and do check out the other stories published by both authors.

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Chapter 1: From the Diary of Nathan T. VanBerg

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This Journal is the Property of:

Nathan Thomas VanBerg

If you are not Nathan T. VanBerg, your eyeballs will rot out of your head for reading this.

September 1

Departing for Hogwarts

"Here is a diary where you can keep your thoughts, hopes and dreams." This is what my mom said as she handed this to me at breakfast this morning. First of all, this is not a diary! Diaries are for girls! This is a Journal, there is a big difference!

So, I guess I should start at the beginning, who am I? My name is Nathan. Better known as Nate to my teachers, and to my parents, except when I'm in trouble. I'm eleven years old and I'm from the United States. I have blonde hair and blue eyes. I have two sisters, my mom and dad, and our dog, Floppy. My mom's name is Anne, my dad's name is Steve, my younger sister's name is Christie, and my twin's name is Natalie. Natalie's really the oldest, but I'm considered the oldest because she has a lot more problems than I do. I'm blind, but not all the way.

So, about six months ago, the most awesome thing happened, I found out I am a wizard! Seriously! I've got a wand and everything! I woke up one morning and found this letter sitting on my bed in my room. I thought it was a birthday card, but it didn't say happy birthday. I've never gotten a birthday card like that before, so I opened it. Inside there was a letter. The letter was in print, so I had to take it to school and get my vision teacher, Mr. Haris, to read it to me.

It was on this thick paper and it said that I was a wizard, and that I had been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Isn't that a cool name? I think it is!

So, This letter had a list of books that I would need for school. But these weren't things like math and science. They were for things like Potions, History of Magic, and Transfiguration, whatever that is. Then it said that I had to get stuff like a cauldron, a set of robes, and the coolest thing, a wand. Then it said that because my family is from America, a teacher from the school named Remus Lupin would come get me and my parents and take us to get my school supplies then he would help me get on the train and go to school.

So, yesterday, Mr. Lupin arrived at my house at eight in the morning and came in and helped me pack my suitcase and then we used something called a "Port Key", it was his pocket watch, and we arrived in a place called the Leaky Cauldron. It's a hotel where people can stay, but the cool thing, is that if you're not a wizard you can't see it. But my parents could because I am one.

Mr. Lupin said that Hogwarts had arranged for me and my parents to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the night and he would help me get my supplies for school. It was amazing! To get my school stuff, you have to go to a place called Diagon Alley, you tap on a brick to get there, it's like a secret passageway!

It was awesome! I went to Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions to get my school robes, and to the apothecary to get my potions supplies, and to Flourish and Blotts to get my school books! I got all the ones I needed, but also got one called "Hogwarts A History" the man in the store said I should get it too. But the most awesome thing of all, was my wand! It's Holly, 11 ½ inches, and good for Charms, whatever those are. This funny man named Olivander had this tape measurer that moved all by itself, that was weird… But my wand is awesome!!

I don't know how to do anything yet, but I hope there is a spell that makes little sisters disappear, because I wish mine would sometimes. But there is also this girl at school, that I would want to disappear too. Her name is Michelle and she is mean! She is blind too but she can't see anything. I just transferred to her school from the blind school and she has been mean to me ever since I got there. And the worst part, is that she's sitting across from me right now!

We are on the train going to Hogwarts. I'm sitting in a compartment with Michelle, this other kid named Colin and these two other girls named Ginny and Luna. Ginny says that everyone in her family is in Gryffindor. She said that Griffindor is a school house, and that it's the best house. She says that there are four houses, Griffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. She says that Ravenclaws are smart, Huffelpuffs are loyal, Griffindors are the best, and Slytherins are evil. I hope I'm not put in there, because I'm not evil, but I'm not loyal, smart, or brave either. So, I wonder what would happen if I didn't get into a house, would I have to go home? I hope not, because I want to be a real wizard!