Hi Everyone! this is my first book so let me your what you think please.I don't know how often I'll update but I'm now nearly half way through the second chapter so hopefully that will be ready soon! Enjoy :)
The strange man at the bottom of the stairs.
It was a rainy, dull sort of morning, but then again most days in England are, but today was not like most days, oh no! Today was a little girl's birthday. More specifically it was Christine Helen Bailey's birthday.
Christine who had turned 11 at precisely 2am on the 16th of June 1938, was soon going to find something other than presents waiting for her in her living room that morning, when she ran excitedly down the well carpeted stars of Mr and Mrs Bailey's quaint little house.
Instead of finding the smiling faces of her mama and pa, she found a rather strangely dressed man seated in her father's comfortable arm chair, never had she seen anyone dressed quite so abnormally and with so much colour!, while her pa sat across from the strange man on the less comfortable sofa, wearing a most peculiar expression.
Unsure of what to do, Christine tried to slowly tip toe her way in to the kitchen in hopes of finding her mama, who could hopefully tell her who the strange man was, but before she could scurry off in to hiding the strange man called out 'hello my dear, Christine is it?' at her shy nod he carried on with a wink 'I believe that today is a rather special day for you Christine, after all its not every day that a special girl such as your self turns 11 now is it?'
Christine was rather confused, what did he mean by that? She sent an inquisitive look towards her father who looked back at her rather dazed 'Father?' she questioned hoping he understood what she was trying to ask, without actually having to do so. He startled, As if the sound of her voice woke him from a dream, and replied by opening his arms, in to which Christine slowly walked in to, still weary of the stranger. 'papa?' she whispered in to his ear 'who is he?' though it must not have been quiet enough for the strange man replied in a gentle tone 'oh how rude of me, I am Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, but please call me professor Dumbledore, though I find my name most delightful most people find it rather long and therefore quite hard to remember.'
Her father cleared his throat 'Professor Dumbledore was just telling me about a rather special school poppet, now I don't really know how to tell u this Christine, I'm rather In shock about it myself, mind you it does explain an awful lot, right well umm.. I don't really know how to say it, professor would you mind? I mean u can explain it a lot better I'm sure!'
Professor Dumbledore then looked at Christine with the brightest pair of blue eyes and said 'my dear you are no ordinary little girl and the school at which I teach is no ordinary school, it is a school that teaches young wizards and witches such as yourself how to control your magic, you see my dear you are a witch and your name has been written in our registry since the day you were born'
As can be expected Christine wasn't sure what to say let alone think! Maybe this was a joke of kind? Maybe this man was crazy, he sure dressed crazy. Purple suit and golden polka doted scarf was not a combination most people would choose, he was looking at her quite piercingly, what was she to say? 'Me? A witch?' she timidly replied 'yes Christine, quite sure. Have you never had anything strange occur around you when you're really happy, or sad or angry? Ah see! That was you doing magic without you knowing you were doing magic!'
Christine was still very dubious, yes strange things did happen around her when she was emotional, but well it just seemed too unreal. 'Could you please show me sir? I mean would u show me some magic?' she asked 'well of course my dear! Now let's see' said professor Dumbledore removing a long thin piece of wood 'A wand?' I ask 'why yes, you get to choose yours, or rather the wand chooses you as Olivander would say, when you go to Diagon alley to get your other school supplies.' 'Diagon alley sir? I've never heard of it! Where is Diagon alley?' interrupted papa
'Diagon alley my good sir is one of the many magical communities. And it's in London, hidden right under the noses of muggles, non-magic folk that is. But don't worry Robert I shall personally escort you and your family there myself!' kindly relied professor Dumbledore.
'Now where were we? Ah! Yes!' He picked up the tea cup on the side table, waved his wand in a strange squiggle and said 'Avifors!' and out of the end came a bright flash of blue light and 'Oh! That's beautiful!' exclaimed Christine. Instead of a tea cup perched on his hand was a wispy ethereal blue bird. 'Yes, quite beautiful! But magic is very beautiful Christine and I hope that you will come to love it and Hogwarts!' he pulled out from out of his pocket an intricate pocket watch and glanced at it before exclaiming 'alas my time here is come to an end and I have many more visits to pay today so I must be off!'
'It was lovely to meet you Albus. And I cannot wait to see how extraordinary Diagon alley is!' kindly replied papa. 'The pleasure Robert is all mine!' replied Professor Dumbledore 'I shall meet you in London on the 15th of August, Oh! And before I forget Christine this is your Hogwarts letter, in it you shall find the first year shopping list.' With that the strange man at the bottom of the steps vanished and Christine and her papa were left bewildered yet ecstatic.
