Chapter One: Brotilda Birchbark

"Mildy, go get some hot water and more towels!"

"Right away, Master Birchbark!" Mildy agreed quickly, picking up the trailing ends of the overlarge burlap bag she was wearing and scurrying out of the master bedroom. She tripped nimbly down the stairs and hurried to the kitchen, where a large cauldron was hung over the fire, filled with boiling water. Mildy wasted no time in filling a small bucket with hot water. Then she carried it and a stack of clean, folded towels back up the stairs to the room where Mrs. Birchbark lay in the bed. The 34-year-old witch was moaning and holding her husband's hand as she prepared to give birth to their first child. Mildy had been in the Birchbark's wizarding household for centuries, and she remembered helping attend to the old Mrs. Birchbark at Master Birchbark's own birth. She wondered what it would be like to have a child herself, and smiled briefly, thinking of her own husband. Berkly would be fetching a doctor, and the two of them were expected to apparate back at the Birchbark house any minute now.

"S'all right, Madam," the little house elf said soothingly, hopping up onto the bedside table next to Mrs. Birchbark. The witch smiled weakly back at Mildy. On her other side, Master Birchbark was still clutching his wife's hand. His face looked drawn and pale. "Don't you worry, Master Birchbark," Mildy reassured him cheerfully as well. "You and your mum came through all right as rain, and I reckon it'll be just the same with the Missus."

There was a loud bang, and Berkly apparated into the room right next to Mildy. The doctor apparated at Mrs. Birchbark's side next to them. "Are you all right, Madam?" Berkly asked worriedly, wringing his thin, wiry hands.

"Not to worry," the doctor said briskly, ushering Master Birchbark and Berkly out of the room. "Your wife is healthy and strong. The baby has been growing well. Everything should be just fine." He firmly closed the door on them as Master Birchbark gushed, "Thank you, Doctor Hornwallsby! It's just that this is our first child, and I've been so worried! Take good care of her!"

At long last, Doctor Hornwallsby gently handed the newly born baby to its mother. "Congratulations," the old wizard said kindly. "You have a beautiful, healthy daughter."

Mrs. Birchbark cooed as she nestled her new daughter into her arms. "Hello there," she murmured, and leaned her head back on the plush pillows, breathing heavily in exhaustion.

As the doctor went to the door to admit the nervous, waiting husbands into the room, Mildy looked down at the new baby. She was almost as big as Mildy herself, but there was a smallness about the child nonetheless. It just looked so helpless and adorable, so needing to be cared for and protected.

"Lovilna, darling!" Master Birchbark cried, rushing to his wife and daughter's bedside. Berkly perched on the footboard of the bed, and eyed his mistress as if to assure himself of her wellbeing. He had joined the Birchbark household with her. Before that, he had told Mildy, he had spent his lifetime working for her family. Lovilna had been the last of the line of Wellingbrooms, so he had come with her when she married.

"Isn't she beautiful, Daven?" Lovilna Birchbark said, smiling radiantly up at her doting husband.

"Yes," Master Birchbark agreed, reaching out to put a hand on his daughter's soft black hair. "What will we call her?"

Lovilna sighed happily and looked down at her sleeping child. "I was thinking of... Brotilda," she suggested.

Master Birchbark nodded, smiling. "Brotilda Birchbark," he agreed. "It's a good name."

Mildy and Berkly quietly excused themselves as Master Birchbark leaned over to gently kiss his wife.

The years passed quickly, especially for the two house elves, who had seen the raising of many young witches and wizards in their households.

"She's such a sweet child," Berkly commented affectionately while he helped Mildy to hang up the wash on the line to dry. "So like her mother at that age."

Mildy nodded agreeably, and accepted another piece of laundry to pin up on the line. She watched young Brotilda chase a small golden snidget around the yard as they worked. Although Mildy hadn't known Lovilna personally as a child, she could see the resemblance herself. Berkly had also told her many stories of young "Mistress Lovey," and the adventures she'd had with him in the woods near her home.

"That's the last of it," Berkly said, reaching up a hand to help his wife down off the chair she was standing on.

Mildy picked up the empty laundry basket and nodded to Berkly with a smile. "You'd best be off, then. Don't forget your stick - those gnomes have gotten a wee bit rowdy!"

Berkly grinned. "I'll be careful," he agreed, and ran off to help Master Birchbark with the yard work of chasing away the pesky gnomes.

Mildy put the basket on the porch and went inside, where she found the now 45-year old Lovilna Birchbark dancing around the living room with wand pointed at the broom which was busily sweeping the floor. The past eleven years had been kind to her, as humans went, but they had still changed her considerably while Mildy remained very much the same. It's no wonder they need looking after, Mildy thought privately. Their lives are so short... Barely children when they die of old age. Mildy shook her head, clearing her mind of such thoughts so she could better concentrate on the day's chores. She hurried into the kitchen and quickly set about preparing a lovely lunch. Mrs. Birchbark had already baked and decorated a beautiful cake for her daughter's eleventh birthday, and Brotilda had a small stack of presents waiting for her on her chair by the table. Everyone wanted to get the chores out of the way in the morning so all three humans and both house elves could take the afternoon off to celebrate. As Mildy stirred the cauldron full of Brotilda's favorite pumpkin-carrot soup, the sound of an owl's screech could be heard outside.

"Mildy!" Mrs. Birchbark called from the living room. "Go and fetch the mail, would you, dear? I must still go and make the beds."

"Of course, Madam," Mildy replied, hopping down from the stool she was on. She went outside and collected the stack of letters from where they'd been dropped on the ground near the porch. As she carried the mail back inside, she was surprised to see that one of the letters was addressed 'To Miss Brotilda Birchbark, The old blue-and-white Cottage in the English countryside 2 and a half miles northeast of London - Care Of Mildy, House Elf'. "Madam," Mildy called, nearly dropping all the letters in surprise, "Mistress Brotilda has got a letter!"

"What's that?" Lovilna asked, leaning over the banister at the top of the stairs to look down at Mildy. Her golden-brown hair hung over her shoulders to either side of her face as the middle-aged witch peered down at the little house elf. "She's got what?"

"A letter," Mildy repeated, holding up the small envelope for her mistress to see.

"Strange," Mrs. Birchbark remarked, coming quickly down the stairs. "Oh, well. Why don't you call the rest of the family in for lunch, Mildy dear, and we'll all find out about it then."

Mildy nodded and handed over the letters before heading outside to round up Berkly, Master Birchbark, and Brotilda.

By the time they all returned, Mrs. Birchbark had set both tables - a human-sized kitchen table and chairs had three place settings for the humans, and a smaller table next to the cooking fire such as a young human girl would use for playing tea-party with two place settings for the house elves and a pair of small stools for them to sit on. Mildy ladled out the soup, and as the family all sat down to eat, Mrs. Birchbark handed Brotilda the letter she'd received.

"Happy birthday, dear. You seem to have a letter. Were you expecting someone to write to you? Have you made some new friends?" Mrs. Birchbark asked with cheerful curiosity.

Brotilda shared a look of surprise with her father, then turned back to her mother. "No, Mum. I mean, I have friends, but I haven't been expecting a letter."

"Perhaps it's a birthday greeting," Master Birchbark offered. "Well, go on then. What does it say? Who's it from?"

Brotilda turned the envelope over in her hands. It had a small wax seal she didn't recognize, with what looked like four small animals pressed into the red wax. She opened the envelope and took out the letter. Clearing her throat, Brotilda read aloud, "Dear Miss Brotilda Birchbark, We are pleased to invite you to attend Hogwarts, our new school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. This boarding school is for witches and wizards aged eleven through seventeen to learn their craft through seven years of study, beginning of course at age eleven. We believe you would be a great asset to Hogwarts in its first year as one of our very first students. If you decide to accept, a list of school supplies and books you will need will be sent to you by owl. Sincerely Yours, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin." Brotilda looked up at her parents excitedly. "A school for witches and wizards! Mum, Dad? Can I go?"

Master and Mrs. Birchbark exchanged a look.

"I was so looking forward to teaching her ourselves," Mrs. Birchbark said. "But this is a wonderful opportunity, isn't it?"

Master Birchbark nodded. "Indeed. Besides, we can still teach her what we know during the summer months. Perhaps she'll even bring home spells we don't know, and she can teach them to us! I think we should let the child go."

Mrs. Birchbark nodded her agreement, and Brotilda jumped up with a squeal of delight to hug her parents. "Thanks, Mum! Thanks, Dad!" The little girl was so excited that she could scarcely eat her lunch. She was also delighted with her presents - a book of spells from her mother, that her mother had written herself when she was Brotilda's age, and a little straw doll witch on a broom from her father, for practicing her levitation charm, as well as a few other magical toys and gadgets that she loved.

Mildy and Berkly grinned at each other. This was among the best birthdays they'd ever celebrated with their human families.