Ten more minutes. That's all that he had to do was make it ten more minutes and he would finally be free. All of the students from John's school were playing cards or talking in their various groups to pass the time until the bell would ring releasing them from this school year. John however sat on his copy of The Hobbit for what had to be the eleventh time. Despite the fact that John had now been going to this school for four years he never quite felt as if he belonged-it was as if something deep inside of him told him that he was meant to do more. He looked at the clock again and he now had mere seconds left, until bring, bring, the bell rang releasing him.
Summer. It was finally summer. As much as John liked learning in school, nothing compared to the sweet freedom that came with staying out all day with his sister and exploring the woods around his house. John lived in a small village occupied by maybe 30 people. After his father had died in the war when he was seven his mom had relocated them here because she didn't want anything to remind her of him. She didn't even allow pictures of him to adorn the wall. John ran the whole way home, maybe a mile and a half away, and reached the front of his house panting. He ran inside yelling hello to his mom and threw his backpack into his closet, not to be seen until he entered middle school next year. John padded into the kitchen to get a glass of water and scrounge for a snack, but he noticed his mom crying at the kitchen table, clutching what looked like an old fashioned letter in her hand.
"Mom" John said warily as he approached her, "Mom, what's going on, are, are you okay?" John reached out to place his hand on his mother's shoulder but she flinched away with him, refusing to make eye contact. Instead of saying anything she merely put the letter on the table and pushed it to John. Nerves and fear coursing through his veins, he shakily took the letter in his hands and read;
Dear Mr. Watson,
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 September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
John scrunched his face in confusion, then noticed that there was another piece of-what was it, parchment-attached and he picked it up,
Dear Mr. Watson,
We have been informed that due to extenuating circumstances your familial link to the Wizarding world is no longer in residence at your house. I would like to formally apologize for any confusion caused and send my sympathies to you and your surviving family. A Hogwarts representative will be send to your house on July the fifth at 7:30 am to explain to you what our school has to offer as well as take you supply shopping if you so choose to attend Hogwarts.
With sincerest apologies,
Minerva McGonagall
John became even more confused after he read the second letter attached. He looked up to his mom and questioned, "Mom, what does this mean, are they saying that dad and I are wizards? Why did you never mention it to me before?"
His mother took in a deep breath and finally relented to his questioning, motioning to the chair next to her for John to sit in she began, "Yes, your father was a- was a wizard" she managed to choke out, slowly becoming more comfortable. "I didn't know that he was until after we had Harry because he left the wizarding world, he was upset about something to do with their secrecy so that's why he came to our world and joined the military." She then grabbed John's hand, "We decided not to tell you or Harry about him because we weren't sure if you were going to be wizards as well and didn't want to get your hopes, up just to disappoint you but, when you were little you started to perform what is called 'accidental magic." She explained taking a pause to formulate her words, "Your father said that he was going to tell you the next time he was home, but that was when-that was just before he was killed." She trembled, "I didn't want to tell you after that because it hurt too much to think about, you were already so much like him." She looked at the table embarrassed that she had kept this from John.
John always was a child beyond his years, so he gave his mother a moment to collect herself, and himself a moment to think over what he had just discovered. So it wasn't a prank, he really was a wizard and he was going to go away and study magic-perhaps this was why he never quite fit in at his now old school. "So that time when I was nine and I fell out of that tree and didn't get hurt, that was magic?" John asked excitedly.
His mom wore a sad smile on her face and said, "Yes, that's why we told you not to tell Harry-she wouldn't understand." John nodded in understanding, feeling sorry that Harry didn't get to be a wizard like him. "Wait" John realized, "Doesn't that mean that someone is coming here in two days to buy me supplies? And that I get to go to Hogwarts? Oh but I don't know anything about it!" Before John could keep rattling on his mother shushed him and stood up motioning for him to follow her up to her bedroom. When they reached it she pushed open the door and walked towards her bed, pulling out an old looking trunk. She picked it up and placed it on the bed opening it to take out its contents. Out of it came an old looking book labeled Hogwarts a History, an old looking photo album, a yellow and blue scarf, a hand written journal, and a wand. John eyed the pile greedily, "Can I have this stuff?" he asked, all tact gone in his excitement. "Yes, of course," his mom responded, "except for the wand, you need to have your own." John groaned in disappointment, but decided not to push the subject or he might not get any of it.
John could feel the excitement coursing throughout his body as he collected his father's belongings. He raced upstairs to his room to get reading. He wanted to know everything he could about Hogwarts before he met someone from the school. "I had better get reading." He mumbled as he tucked into his favorite chair ready to discover the new world ahead of him.