Chapter One

The Arrival

Courtney awoke to the sound of an owl's hoots. She rubbed her eyes with one wrist and looked at the clock beside her bed.

"Athena," she yawned in complaint, "it's four in the morning."

When the sound refused to stop, Courtney sat up and saw that there was a different owl sitting on her windowsill. Not a tiny little owl like Athena, but a large puff-ball well over half a meter tall.

Its feathers were a speckled brown and white pattern, except for the area around the eyes, which was all grey. Its tail was very long, considering the rest of its height, but Courtney did not know for sure if that was normal. But the most notable feature there was its claws, which were curled tightly around a piece of paper.

Satisfied that Courtney had woken up, the owl flew over and dropped the paper into her lap. She patted the owl gently on the head with a mumbled "Thank you". She reached to the side to grab a bronze Knut and handed it to the owl, who eagerly took it in his beak before flying away.

Courtney looked at it closely, just to make sure. Miss C. Glass, 42 Dalmont St., Loughton. This was really it.

She jumped out of bed and started moving toward the bedroom door to tell her parents, before remembering that it was still four in the morning. Mum, at least, was probably awake, but there was no way Da was, and she wanted to tell both of them at once.

But, as a tiny voice in her head reminded her, there was no reason why she couldn't read it while she waited.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmistress: Septima Vector

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 3. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,

Vander Lochram,

Deputy Headmaster

July 31. Today was July 2. Courtney looked over the required supplies - plain work robes, a black pewter cauldron, a telescope; things like those were the standard things for first-years. The real thing that she needed to look at was the textbooks. Those changed every year.

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk. A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. 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. Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling. The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

Courtney felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Most of these books were in the house now; in fact, she was fairly certain that this was the exact same booklist Mum had when she started her first year at Hogwarts.

But still, after spending so many years on Muggle education, learning about basic science and history from their perspective, all while incapable of telling them about what they don't know… there was now official confirmation in her hands. In just two months, she'd be going to Hogwarts, where she'd learn the exciting stuff, spells and potions and magical creatures.

She got up and climbed onto the windowsill. "Athena!" she called. The little owl swooped up and landed beside her. "We're going to Hogwarts this year! Are you ready?"

Athena hooted in what Courtney decided was excitement.

"Mum, Da, I got it." Courtney's voice was very excited.

Da, who had only just awoken, rubbed his eyes before asking the obvious question. "You got what?"

In response, Courtney held out the letter to Hogwarts.

"My word, ah!" Mum exclaimed. "Your letter to Hogwarts has arrived!"

All traces of exhaustion instantly fled from Da's expression and he was suddenly even more excited than Courtney. "You have your supply list and everything? We're going to Diagon Alley?"

Da was a Muggle who'd always been fascinated by magic, even if he'd never really believed in it until he met Mum.

Courtney nodded. "I think all of the books are the same ones you used for your first year, Mum. But there is a certain something we can get in Diagon Alley that I do need for class."

Mum chuckled. "Yes, we will go and get you a wand, don't you worry about that. But, first things first, your response!"

Right. Hogwarts was expecting Courtney to send them a letter with Athena.

Courtney sat down and took a quill, a bottle of ink, and a paper. Athena flew over and sat in front of her.

To Deputy Headmaster Vander Lochram:

I have just gotten the letter of acceptance to Hogwarts, and I will indeed be attending this year. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Courtney Glass

It wasn't much of a letter, Courtney had to admit, but it said what needed to be said and besides, there were hundreds of students in Hogwarts. Surely the staff would be relieved to have a shorter letter instead of a massive essay.

Mum read over the letter to see if there was anything that needed to be fixed. When she nodded her approval, Courtney gave the letter to Athena. "This is going to Hogwarts, okay?"

Athena gave a little nod, then flew out the window with the paper in her claws.

Flames erupted for a few seconds in the fireplace of Ollivander's Wand Shop. As they faded away, three more figures emerged and stepped into the shop.

"Welcome," said the man in the front. "Here for a wand?"

Courtney gave an instant nod and held out her arm. "I'm left-handed."

"Alright then," he said. He walked to various shelves in the back and started skimming.

"You know, this is one thing I never quite understood," Da said. "How is there no line here when wands need be tested before you buy them and all eleven-year-olds in magical Britain are getting them around the same time?"

"Not all at once," the shopkeeper said absently while he pulled a wand from a shelf. "Letters from Hogwarts can come at any time during the summer... actually coming to Diagon Alley varies by laziness... and of course some choose to start by buying their books and supplies before they get wands... Overall, most years it's an hour at least between customers. Here, try this."

He handed a thin light brown wand to Courtney, then backed off to the side. Courtney flicked her wrist, moving the wand's tip in a complete circle. A few sparks emerged from the tip with a hint of smoke.

"Hmm, not quite. Not particularly compatible with holly, so let's try something on the other end of the spectrum... yew, perhaps?"

He took the holly wand back and handed her a longer, paler wand. Courtney drew her hand up...

... and a larger explosion snapped from the tip. Courtney, her parents, and the shopkeeper all started coughing from the smoke.

"Well, the holly was closer than the yew; that ought to narrow it down... Let's try alder..."

He handed her a third one, longer than the first, shorter than the second, darker and heavier than both. Courtney turned her hand upside down. The end of the wand took on a bright glow.

"There it is," the shopkeeper said with a nod. "Alder, nineteen centimeters, sturdy, powered by unicorn hair. A wand like this would be good for healing spells, but I'd minimize the offensive magic if I were you."

Courtney had never planned on doing offensive magic. She didn't particularly enjoy fighting. This wand was a good one.