Mr and Mrs Granger, of number ten, Heathgate were very content to be perfectly normal. Their detached brick house, was light and inviting. Helen Granger had used a pastel theme throughout the two story home. Her husband Colin had no say in the matter, not that he much minded. He was far too busy keeping his nose buried in his latest book. The pair had bought the two bedroom house a year after their marriage in the hopes they would one day have a child. 1978 was a very happy Christmas indeed, as Helen discovered that in eight months time, they would be parents.
At her twelve week scan, Helen and Colin were very shocked to hear two heart beats. They were expecting twins! The Grangers were well paid from their careers as Dentists but did not throw away money on frivolous things and live lavishly. The pair had met when they attended university where they studied dentistry. At the end of their graduation ceremony, Colin got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. After a two year engagement, the two where married in the small church in Helen's hometown. The very same church her late parents, Jack and Rose Carter had attended and got married in themselves.
During their first year as newlyweds, Collin received a phone call informing him of his father's passing. Andrew Granger had been married to Jean since he was just eighteen years old. They had been friends from childhood, falling in love during their teenage years. Jean Granger was thirty five when she was about to give up on the idea of ever having children. It seemed fate had another plan as she was soon to discover she was pregnant. After a draining pregnancy full of morning sickness and fatigue, Andrew and Jean were rewarded with a bouncing baby boy.
Collin was just five years old when his mother became ill. He watched as her soft, honey, brown curls faded away to nothing. Her rosy cheeks, paled to the colour of snow. He didn't know it at the time, but he was watching his mother die. He watched his fathers smile become slowly more strained until there wasn't a smile at all. After what seemed like the longest six months, Jean Granger passed peacefully in her sleep. Each of her cold, thin hands held tightly by the two men in her life. All of a sudden, those past six months where just not long enough.
Andrew Granger never married another woman. He didn't see the point, he had already met and loved his soulmate. To combat his grief, he threw himself into raising his son and running the dental practice that had been passed onto him from his father. He was very pleased when Colin revealed he to, would be going into the business of teeth.
After his fathers funeral, Colin and Helen moved to Hampstead to take over the practice. They spent their free time in their small, one bedroom flat, browsing for the perfect house. When they found it, the pair where over the moon. They cuddled up on the sofa, in front of a roaring fire, Colin nose deep in a novel and Helen surrounded by paint swatches and furniture catalogues.
It was September the nineteenth, 1997 when Colin and Helen became parents themselves. After four hours in labour, Hermione Jean Granger was born first. Following after her elder sister swiftly, Camilla Rose entered the world just six minutes later.
The twins were tightly bundled in matching soft, pink blankets when their parents brought them home. Their second bedroom had been transformed into a nursery. The antique, white furniture contrasted nicely against the dusty, rose coloured walls.
To Colin and a Helen it seemed no time at all, that eleven years had passed. Today was the day that twins would have their eleventh birthday. The family of four were going to see a show in London.
Camilla slowly blinked her hazel eyes open. She gazed sleepily up at her white ceiling before letting out a yawn. She groggily climbed out bed, wincing as her bare toes touched the cold, hardwood floor. She pulled on her red dressing gown before shuffling across her bedroom. She continued to head towards the set of pull down steps that connected her room to the second floor. After nine years of sharing a room with her sister, it was decided that the attic would be converted and Camilla would claim it as her bedroom. She had no problem sharing with Hermione but the two sometimes clashed when it came to hobbies, while Camilla did enjoy reading as much as Hermione did, she much preferred stories of adventure and love where her sister liked, educational books. Ones filled with facts and history.
Camilla's taste in books seemed to influence her personality. She was outgoing and somewhat reckless. She dreamed of travelling the world and finding lost cities or undiscovered animals. She was completely convinced that the vast oceans covering the world, where home to aquatic dinosaurs.
Camilla also found it very hard to sit still and so she did not find the same enjoyment in school work that Hermione did. Camilla was smart, almost at the same level as her sister, she just struggled to apply it. She found it boring and that if she wasn't stuck in class she could be doing something greater.
Camilla was was a sucker for animals. Throughout her childhood, she was often caught bringing in injured or abandoned animals. When they were seven it had taken three days for Hermione to notice the hedgehog under her sisters bed. It wouldn't have bothered her that her sister brought in strays but they often seemed to confuse Hermione's homework as their toilet.
When Hermione held tea parties for their dolls and teddy bears, Camilla would bust in, ready to question her suspects. Detective Granger would arrest Hermione's guests and drag them to the cupboard under the stairs for an intense interrogation. In the end, it was always Mr. Wiggles, Hermione's tatty clown that their father had won in a ring toss at the pier on their family holiday to Blackpool when the twins were four. Camilla hated that clown.
Camilla paused as she reached her top of her steps. Glancing back at the calendar pinned to her wall she lasted as she noticed the date, boldly circled in red ring. It was her birthday! She gasped before sprinting down her steps and across the landing. She barrelled into her sisters room, finding Hermione peacefully sleeping, buried under her purple covers. Camilla grinned before creeping across her sister floors. She groaned when her toe stubbed against her sister bed frame. She silently cursed herself for not putting on slippers as she grabbed her throbbing foot and hopped in place. After breathing through the painful encounter, she leaped onto the bed.
"Wake up! Wake up! It's our birthday!" She exclaimed happily, as she on top of her sister.
Hermione groaned after a whoosh of air was forced from her body as her younger sister landed on top of her stomach. "Cami!" She complained, try to wiggle free.
The younger Granger giggled as she rolled off to lie beside her. She turned on her side, elbow angled as her head rested on her palm. She grinned when Hermione's bushy brown hair appeared from under her quilt. Hermione ran a hand across her face as she yawned before peeling it away to look at her sister. She glared when she saw Camilla's grin directed at her. "Happy birthday 'Mione!" she chirped.
Hermione continued to glare at her sister whose grin never faltered. She let out a sigh "Happy birthday Cami." She reciprocated, lips twitching into a fond smile. Cami laughed before tackling her sister into a hug, Hermione's laughter joined in as the two rolled right off the side of the bed, landing with a thud.
The twins where still laughing as footsteps thundered down the hall. "What happened?!" Colin questioned frantically, throwing the door open. "Are you girls alri-" His steps faltered as he noticed his daughters.
"Are my babies okay?!" Helen asked running into her husband back "Colin what-" she trailed off as she moved from behind him. She breathed out in relief as she saw her children where unharmed. She linked her arm through Colin's as she rested her head on his shoulder as the pair watched their girls fondly. "Happy eleventh birthday babies!" she cooed as her daughters stopped laughing long enough to notice their parents.
The sisters grinned as they stood, dropping Hermione's quilt. "Thank you!" They replied in unison, stepping forward to pull their parents into a hug.
"Breakfast will be ready shortly, get ready and come downstairs. I'm making you're favourite." Helen told her daughters pulling away with a smile.
"Waffles?" Colin questioned instantly, a hopeful glint in his brown eyes.
Helen sent her husband a look "Your daughters' favourite." She reminded, eyebrow raised.
Colin sighed in disappointment as his children giggled. "Pancakes!" They cried happily.
After getting ready for the day ahead, Camilla met Hermione in the hall and the pair headed downstairs to the kitchen where their parents were waiting. Colin sat at his chair at the dining table, morning paper in hand as he took a sip of his orange juice. Helen hummed as she flipped the pancakes in the pan. She glanced over her shoulder hearing her daughters approach "Take a seat girls, they'll be ready in a minute."
Camilla and Hermione took they're regular seats. They sat directly across from each other at the four person, square dining table while their parents sat at either end. The girls thanked their mother graciously as she dished out a stack of pancakes. Once Helen took her seat, the family of four tucked into their delicious breakfast. While Hermione and her father smothered their pancakes with syrup, Camilla and her mother stuck to just sprinkling sugar across the fluffy stack. The family didn't often eat sugary things as they all took great pride in dental hygiene but they four couldn't deny how good it tasted.
The tapping of their kitchen window broke the contented silence of the a granger family as they enjoyed their breakfast. Camilla had to blink and rub her eyes as she took in the sight. A tawny, barn owl was perched on the window sill with what appeared to be two envelopes held tightly in its beak. "I'm not imagining this right?" Camilla questioned her family, not taking her eyes off the bird.
Hermione gulped "No, what you're seeing is definitely real." She breathed, clutching the back of her chair as she had twisted to look towards the window.
The three girls tensed as they watched Colin approach the window slowly. They four jumped as the owl tapped the window again, almost impatiently. "I think it wants you to open it daddy." Camila commented.
Colin nodded absentmindedly as he carefully reached across the sink. He twisted the latch before slowly pushing the window open. He took a step back as the owl shuffled forward. They family watched as it stuck its head inside the kitchen. It hooted as it jerked its head forward. Everyone helped their breath as Colin carefully received the envelopes from its beak. They watched confused as the owl continued to hoot and stamp it's clawed foot.
Camille glanced down at her plate before picking up a plain pancake. She hopped off her chair before moving to stand beside her dad "Cami! What are you doing?" Helen questioned concerned as she watched her daughter approach the wild bird.
Camilla said nothing as she tore off a piece of the fluffy pancake before holding it out to the owl. The owl swiftly gobbled the morsel before looking at the small girl expectantly. Cami giggled before ripping off another piece and holding it out once again. After getting its fill and the pancake was finished, the owl gave Cami's fingers an affectionate nip before flying off.
Camilla turned, a smile on her face to find her family looking at her bewildered. "I shouldn't even be surprised." Hermione muttered, shaking her head.
"What did it bring?" Helen questioned her husband, as she stood and made her way beside him. Hermione was quick to follow as the two sisters stood before their parents, looking up interested.
Colin furrowed his bushy eyebrows as he looked over the two envelopes. "Their for the girls." He breathed out confused "They're even addressed to their rooms!"
Camilla gasped "Oh! Can we see?" She questioned excitedly, standing up on her toes as she tried to peer at the envelope.
The parents shared a look before Colin was handing his daughters an envelope each. Camilla admired the rich, green ink her names was penned in.
MS. C. GRANGER
The Bedroom in the Attic
10, Heathgate,
Hampstead Suburban Garden,
London.
Camilla shared a look of disbelief with Hermione before the two where opening their letters. Camilla ripped the wax seal excitedly as she pulled two pieces of paper out. Her hazel excitedly soaking in the words as her eyes roamed the first page.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Dear Ms. Granger, 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 September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
The twins gaped in sync, their parents becoming concerned as they took in the expressions. "I'm a witch?!" The screeched in disbelief. Hermione was frowning as she re read the letter while Camilla was grinning.
The letter was torn from her grasp by her parents as they frantically read over the letter. Camilla was unphased as she pulled out the second page.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry COURSE BOOKS OTHER EQUIPMENT
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Colin, Helen and Hermione were in shock as they continued to reread the letters. The three had came to the same conclusion, Surely this must be an elaborate prank! They where too absorbed to hear the sudden bang come from the living room. Camilla glanced at her family, to see they hadn't moved before deciding to investigate herself. She set her equipment list on the dining table before grabbing the nearest weapon of the counter and holding it in her hands she took silent steps towards down the hall.
"Oh Merlin!" She heard a deep voice hiss, before a clatter as she stealthily, slithered with her back against the wall towards the living room door. She took a deep breath before jumping into the room "Freeze!" She shouted holding up the weapon.