Rachel Lapp

DISCLAIMER: I have not, am not, nor will I ever be J.K. Rowling.

Rachel Lapp stood in her bedroom carefully pinning up her hair into the traditional Amish bun. That finally accomplished she placed and pinned her prayer kapp on top of the bun and tied her full length apron over her plain brown dress. Careful not to wake her seven year old sister, Hannah, she opened the door and slipped downstairs. Today, July 16, was her eleventh birthday and she had a plan. If she could finish all of her chores quickly enough, maybe she could go over to Katie Byler's house. Katie was her best friend. They had been best friends since they were very little, and they had sworn to be there for each other forever.

Rachel hurried with her chores in the barn. She had more now that it was summer and there was no school. She could honestly say that she was not looking forward to school starting back up in about a month. Rachel and Katie were starting sixth grade his year at the Old Order Amish one room school house. Jacob and Matthew, two of Rachel's older brothers, were already out of school, and John, here other older brother, was about to get married. They were so lucky to not have to go to school. Rachel always seemed to get into trouble. She didn't mean to. Things just happened.

"Wacha' doin' up so early, Rachel?" Jacob, who was mucking one of the stalls, asked.

"I want to get my chores done early so Katie and me can go to the lake." She said getting the milking pail down from the loft.

"It's I." Jacob said adding new hay to the horse's stall.

"What?"

"It's I. Katie and I. Not Katie and me."

"Oh." She replied storing the tid-bit in her memory for later.

"I think Mamm wanted to get the whole family here for dinner. I hear Ruth is makin' a cake for ya." He took one more look at the stall and started heading for the door. "See ya at breakfast."

"Where ya going?" She asked. She kind of hoped he'd stay and keep her company.

"Can ya keep a secret?"

"Jah, course I can." He looked around uneasily.

"Well, I been thinkin' about goin' back to school."

"You're doin' what? I thought you were gonna join the church next fall!"

"Jah, well, I've done an awful lot o' thinkin' 'bout that and I don't know if I'm goin' to."

"But you could be...ya know...shunned." She gave a shudder as she whispered the last word. "Then what would I do to pass the time when I'm supposed to be learnin' how to cook and clean and sew?"

"Ya got Matthew."

"Jah, I know, but he's...Matthew. He still treats me like a bobbeli.(baby)"

"Ach, I know he can be hatt (difficult) but no one's fehlerfrei (perfect), liewi.(dear)"

"I know." She said putting the milking bucket by the door where dad would get it later.

"Why don't you go 'head in and tell Mamm that I'll be in soon."

"Where are ya going?"

"The Esh's if ya gotta know. Don't tell and I'll drive both you and Katie to town later." He smiled telling her that even if she did tell he would drive them. She smiled back and with a nod ran back inside.

"Mamm?" Rachel asked walking into the kitchen.

"Yes, Rachel? Is something the matter?"

"No. I just wanted to tell you that Jacob said he'll be in soon."

"Danki, Rachel, would ya mind waking up Joshua for me?"

"Jah, sure. Jacob said he was going to drive Katie and me to town, later. Is that okay?"

"You'll have to talk your Daed. Can ya go get Joshua now?"

"Jah." She turned and headed up the stairs to fetch her four year old brother. "Joshua?" As she came in she casually looked around the room. She noticed how lived in the room looked. John, who shared the room with Joshua, was using the dresser as a catch-all and multiple cover-alls littered the floor. Joshua was up and looking out the window, but turned around when she came in.

"Jah, was iss es?" He asked. (What is it?)

"English, Joshua." They were trying to get him used to English, instead of always German-Dutch.

"Es iss hatt!" He complained. (It is hard.)

"I know it's hard, but try. Please?" He nodded.

"Jah, okay, Rachel." He said coming over to her and taking her hand. She smiled and they carefully made their way back to the kitchen. "Mmm...Something smells gut! (good)" Rachel nodded and didn't bother correcting the German word.

"I made one of your favorites, Rachel."

"I can tell. It smells wonderful-gut, and I bet it tastes even better."

"Do you and Katie have any plans yet for town today?"

"No...i think i just heard Daed commin' in." Sure enough, within moments, Samuel Lapp walked into the kitchen.

"It's gettin' real hot out there. I don't think we've had a summer this hot or dry for some time. Don't know if the crop'll survive."

"Daed? Jacob said he would take Katie and me to town later. Is that okay?"

"Once you've finished your chores, I don't see why not. Just make sure your home at a reasonable hour. We're planning to have a family dinner tonight."

"Okay. Danki, Daed."

"How's the...I think the mail's here. Why don't you three go and get it." Her father said pointing to Rachel, Hannah, and Joshua. The three nodded and walked out the door. More likely than not there would be all of nothing in the mail. They got to the wooden box their dad had made, and Rachel lifted Joshua up to open it and get the mail.

Inside, there was in fact a letter. And for Rachel on top of that. She took it from Joshua and stared at it. No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her. Who would? Katie could walk here before a letter arrived, and she had no non-Amish relatives as fall as she knew. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:

Miss R. Lapp

The second bedroom on the right

285 North Main Street

Holmes County, Pennsylvania

United States of America

The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.

Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, Rachel saw a purple seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

"Hurry up, Rachel. We'll race ya back to the house." Hannah called as she and Joshua ran back up the dirt driveway. Rachel smiled, but didn't join in the fun. Once inside, Rachel went back to the kitchen, still staring at her letter. She sat down and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.

"Wacha got there, Rachel?" Matthew asked walking into the kitchen. Rachel was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was slipped out of her hand like she was very young by Matthew.

"That's mine!" Rachel said trying to grab it back from him. Their father gave them a look and Matthew passed the letter to their father. His face went from its usual tan to ghostly white.

"Grace!" He said, passing it to Mamm. She came over and took the letter curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked like she might faint.

"Samuel. Oh my goodness—Samuel, not Rachel. Not my Rachel-girl." Mamm whispered shaking her head.

"Everyone but Rachel outside. Why don't you all do your chores while you're waiting for breakfast?" Matthew, Hannah, and Joshua nodded. As they started out, Jacob came back in, followed by a sour-looking, strangely dressed English woman.

"Daed? This lady was outside. Said she needs to talk to ya."

"Danki, (Thank-you) Jacob. Would ya mind going out and helpin' Matthew with the younger kinner?"

"Jah, okay, Daed." Jacob left the house and followed the path the rest of the Lapp children had taken to the barn.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lapp? Rachel? My name is Minerva McGonagall. I'm a teacher at..."

"I know, my brother used to talk about you all the time." Mamm spoke up.

"Your brother? What was his name?"

"Ted. Ted Tonks."

"Tonks? But I thought that he was a half blood."

"I got the muggle genes."

"Of course. Well then you know why I'm here."

"Not really."

"Well, because Rachel doesn't have some one to take her to Diagon Alley, I would like to personally escort her to buy her supplies."

"Mamm, I'm confused. What's going on?"

"I don't want this for her. I want her to have a simple Amish life."

"Grace, we both knew one of the children would be probably be magical. GOD chose Rachel for a reason. I think she's strong enough for this."

"Rachel, I am a teacher at a special school. At this school you will learn about magic and how to control it."

"This is your choice, Rachel. We will support you whether you choose to be Amish and stay here or go to this school of magic." Rachel stared at them.

"Would I be allowed to come home?"

"You won't be in school all year, and I think that the church leaders will allow you to come home. However, I'm sure Ted would let you stay with him and his family part time." Rachel looked at her mother. She wanted to go, but what would that do to her family. Her father seemed to read her thoughts. "We'll be fine Rachel." She nodded.

"I think I'd like to go." The three adults nodded.

"I'll help you pack." Her mom said. Together, they made their way upstairs to her and Hannah's room.

"Mamm, this is a gut choice, jah?"

"Rachel-girl, this choice is yours alone. We can talk about continuing next year over the summer, and we'll be able to write. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun. Promise you'll remember what we've taught ya. Okay?"

"Jah, I promise. How can I forget my life here?" They finished packing in silence, but they both had realized that Rachel would always be Rachel. Magical school or not, Rachel was and always would be a little Amish girl at heart.

AN: Chapter one. This plot has been a thought of mine for a while. Next chapter Rachel goes to Diagon Alley! You'll review, jah? I hope so. Any ideas for Rachel's wand?

Character List:

Rachel Lapp

Hannah Lapp

Joshua Lapp

John Lapp

Jacob Lapp

Matthew Lapp

Grace Lapp

Samuel Lapp

Katie Byler

Ruth Yoder

Minerva McGonagall