It was too late in the summer to be thinking about going back to school. My best friend, Sarah, and I had been going to the pool everyday to soak up the last of the summer sun. After one such day I came home to find my grandfather sitting in his favorite rocking chair staring solemnly at a white envelope in his grasp. "Hi Grandpa." I said. He acknowledged me with a small nod of his head. I sat on the couch next to his chair. I had lived with my grandfather since my mother died when I was three. I never knew my father and my grandmother had died a year ago when I was ten.
"Is something wrong, grandpa?" I asked. He sighed. "I guess its time you knew." He said. "Rebecca do you know what your mother was? Did you know she possessed a great talent?" he asked. I always thought my mother was a doctor and the only great talent I ever remembering her have was her ability to tell stories. When I was young I found myself on many nights sitting on my mother's lap listening to her spin tales like a spider spins silk threads. "You have inherited your mothers talent." He continued. "I know this sounds crazy, but your mother was a witch Rebecca." Had grandpa forgotten to take his meds this morning? A witch? "You mean like Harry Potter?" I asked. He nodded. "Exactly like Harry Potter." He breathed deeply before continuing. "Harry potter was a real person and a real wizard, as was your mother. J.K. Rowling was a wizard when your mother and Harry were in school. Your mother was a seventh year when he came to Hogwarts" "So is my father Harry Potter?" I asked. "No, your father is" he broke off in mid sentence. "I think it best if I tell ye when you're older. Only me and your mother know and I think it best if we keep it that way for a while." He handed me the almost forgotten letter. "You are a wizard to so you must go to a wizard school" grandfather said. With a feeling of confusion and doubt I opened the letter. It read:
HOGWARTS
SCHOOL Dear
Ms. Wilson, The
second page with requirements says: COURSE BOOKS OTHER EQUIPMENT PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT
ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Minerva
McGonagall
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf.
Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
We are pleased to inform you that you have been
accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find
enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins
on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours
sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of
WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will
require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain
pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves
(dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver
fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name
tags.
All students should have a copy of each
of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by
Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical
Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by
Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius
Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt
Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by
Quentin Trimble
1 wand
1 cauldron
(pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1
telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring and owl OR
a cat OR a toad.
"But I thought Dumbledore was head master." I said. Grandfather frowned. "He passed away in Harry' sixth year at Hogwarts. Minerva took over, but still teaches transfiguration." He said. "Grandfather, what day is it?" I asked remembering that the term started September first. "I believe it is August twenty-fifth." He replied. 'Where are we going to get all this stuff in time?" I said as I raised the letter in my hands. Grandpa smiled. "Pack your bags." Grandfather replied. I walked to my room trying to remember where Harry had gotten his stuff in the book. Hm…. Duh. Diagon Alley. Wonder where that is? I thought. I pulled out my old suitcase and started packing