The thundering sky was black, the dawn could not break through the heavy clouds. Rain filled the air. One disgruntled owl, unluckily caught in the storm, perched under a roof ledge letting the extra weight of the water slide off his feathers before continuing on his mission. The letter he held in his beak was not so rain proof. It resembled a soggy clump around a bright red seal. The owl shook once more and swoop back out into the fray.
In a small cottage a muggle family of four were going through their morning routine. The day beginning a bit dreary for the boy, was beginning blissfully well for his younger sister. They were twins, not identical, but twins all the same. Their birthday was a few days ago. It was very fun for them both, but this was the day the boy's father had promised him they could fly his new plane. And the rain ruined it all. Now his father snored by the fire with his radio playing muggle news. The boy brooded sleepily, waiting for his breakfast. The girl worked hard in the kitchen with her mother preparing a traditional rainy day family feast. This was one of her favorite things. Cooking and chatting with her mother was clearly enjoyable to her. When she asked her brother to set the table, he gloomily complided. It was clear to her that the cloud over his head was darker than the ones outside.
As the muggle family sat down to breakfast, with the warm fire at their backs and the hot food and sweet cakes, the pitter-patter of the rain grew.
THUNK!
"What the hell!" Mr. Halin stood up and went to the window throwing back the forest green curtains.
"What is it sweetie?" Mrs. Halin asked holding her white cotton napkin to her mouth.
"It's an owl. Amber, Alan come see." They rushed over. It was a tawny barn owl carrying a soggy paper with a bright red seal.
"What's it got in it's beak!" Alan tapped the glass. The owl blinked slowly and tapped back with its beak. Shaking its feathers, it wondered how long these muggles would stare at it before they opened the window.
"Well, it looks like a letter. Could it be someone owns this owl da?" Amber wondered why anyone would send them a letter by owl, but in this storm she supposed it could just be lost.
"Should we open the window? The poor creature looks drenched." Mrs. Halin joined them at the window.
"Alright, but likely it will just fly off when we do." Mr. Halin unhooked the latch and slid the window open. To the muggles utmost surprise the owl calmly hopped in and glided to the table where it promptly delivered it's charge.
"Oh my!" Mrs. Halin exclaimed.
Mr. Halin was first to react he ran around the table, Alan at his heels. Their arms outstretched to keep the unwelcome bird from heading deeper into their home. Amber watched the owl as it helped itself to a nibble of some fresh savory scone and then flew out the way it came.
"Well. That was a first wasn't it." Mr. Halin said going over to his wife.
"That was awesome!" Alan laughed sitting back to his breakfast. Excitement fueling his hunger. Amber walked over to the table to inspect the soggy clump on the table. SHe picked it up by the wax seal, looking over the symbol stamped in it.
"Hogwarts. What's that?" Amber looked to Alan, he just shrugged.
"Oh Amber do wash up after touching that. You don't know where it's been." Mrs. Halin said fixing the curtains back into place after closing the window.
"Mom, that owl dropped this. It's a letter- no it's two! Look here." Amber pulled the wet letters apart from each other.
"Well look at that. We should dry them out before they tear, perhaps we might even make out a few words out of the mysterious letters." Mr. Halin took them and laid them carefully on the hearth letting the warm stone dry them slowly.
After all the excitement the family settled down for rainy day games and reading. All the while Amber kept glancing over at the letters. Hogwarts was a funny name, she couldn't stop wondering what it was all about.
Finally her father said what she had been waiting for all day.
"Let's see what those letters say, hmm? They should be dry enough." Mr. Halin picked up one of the wrinkled letters. With the family cozy in around the fireplace Mr. Halin broke open the seal and pulled the letter from its sleeve. The ink was badly smeared, but then right before his eyes it cleared and the ink slid back into place on the page forming the words in a beautiful cursive script. Mr. Halin started, he blinked several times as if to clear his vision.
"Honey, are you alright?" Mrs. Halin asked considerately.
"Yes, I just thought I saw...Well nevermind."
"Is it legible?"
"Yes, yes. Here it says,"
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
(Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Member of the First and Second Order of the Phoenix, Head of Transfiguration, Protector of Hogwarts)
Dear Ms. Amber Liv Halin,
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 1st of September. We await your owl by no later than 31st of July.
Yours sincerely,
Pomona Sprout
Deputy Headmistress
"And there is a odd looking list on the next page. What do you make of it Laura?" Mr. Halin looked to his wife, who in turn stared at him in complete bewilderment.
"What does the second letter say da?" Alan asked excitedly. He had peaked a few minutes before and saw his name above the address.
"I think someone is playing a gag on us. This isn't a real school. Witchcraft and wizardry and magic just aren't real. And I have never heard of this Hogwarts. You know what school you will be attending after holiday. Why entertaining this is just silly nonsense! Really this is a joke." Mr. Halin stood and strutted out of the room on some business he needed to attend to in the other room. Amber scooped up the letter off his abandoned arm chair and reread it. She read to the list of oddities she might need if she were to attend this Hogwarts.