Erin Black smiled as she looked through the daily mail while sitting at her desk in the Headmistress' Office at Lyanesse University. There, among the usual correspondence, was a Hogwarts Acceptance Letter for her eldest son. She got up excitedly. She remembered when she had gotten her acceptance letter. She had been living in the orphanage then. It was, one of, the best days of her life. She went into the living quarters where her family lived. "Jax?" She called.
"Coming, Mum!" he called from the room he shared with his younger brother, Al. He hurried around the corner into the parlor and stopped just short of colliding with his mother. "Yeah, Mum?" He asked.
"Look what I have!" She held up the letter with his name on it.
"My acceptance letter!" he yelled pumping a fist in the air. He took it when his mum held it out to him and ran his thumb nail under the Hogwarts Seal on the back and eagerly drew out the pages to read them.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
and
THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE COUNCIL
Headmaster Filius Flitwick
Dear Mr. Potter,
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.
Yours sincerely,
Aurora Sinistra
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1.Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells 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
The Nine Sentient Beings: A Compendium of Humans, Centaur, Goblin, House Elf, Veela, Moon Fairy, Merfolk, Hags, and Vampires by Louisa McCormack
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size)
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
It was official, he was going to Hogwarts. HE. WAS. GOING. TO. HOGWARTS. With a whoop he ran to show Al and Lexi. Erin chuckled and went to go see to the rest of her mail. They would tell Harry when he got home. She knew he would be just as excited to hear about it. As she sat down her eye was drawn to another letter. This one hadn't come by owl post, it had come through the regular mail. It had been set up so the Muggle parents of students could write to their children without needing an owl. She was surprised to see it was from Dudley Dursley, Harry's cousin. It had Harry's name on it and she wondered what it contained, but she didn't open it since it wasn't addressed to her. She would have to wait from Harry to come home.
Harry came in while Kreacher was preparing dinner with the help of his son Kreeper and Ari was setting the table. "Hello," Harry said giving his oldest a side hug. "How was your day?"
"It was good, Jax has a big surprise for you." She told him.
"I bet I can guess what that is!" He said grinning before kissing her cheek and going to go change for dinner. He found Erin in their room. She had just finished with her shower and was brushing out her long black hair wearing just her slip. He came up behind her slipping his arms around her and kissing her shoulder.
"Hey," she smiled. "How was work?"
"Not bad." He told her giving her a squeeze before letting go. "How was your day?"
"Filled with applications and summer work," she told him as she sat down on the end of the bed and braided her hair. "Oh, you received a letter today."
"Oh? From who?" he asked taking off his work robes and hanging them up in the closet.
"From Dudley."
Harry paused as he was reaching for a t-shirt. "Dudley?" He asked her.
"Yes, it's on your nightstand."
He went and picked it up looking at it for a moment before putting it down. He put on a pair of sweat pants and pulled his t-shirt on before settling down on his side of the bed turning over the envelope in his hands wondering if he really wanted to open it. He hadn't heard from Dudley or his aunt and uncle since they left Privet Drive. Dedalus had told him that they were all right when it was all over, but he hadn't heard anything since then. He assumed they had gone on with their lives…of course he had sent birth announcements when the kids were born and the wedding announcement when he and Erin had gotten married, but he hadn't heard anything from them. And really it was Erin who had insisted on sending those things.
He finally opened the letter and drew it out to read it.
Harry,
I know this will come as a surprise to you, but not long after you married your girlfriend I got married to a witch named Becky. I'm reaching out to you because our oldest, Lucas, just received his Hogwarts Letter. Becky disappeared about 5 years ago and I haven't heard from her since. I know something happened to her. She would never have left on her own accord, but I have little to go on. I need your help to make sure Lucas is able to get everything he needs. They sent instructions, but I'm asking you to help us as well. We'll be going to London on Saturday, August 5 to do our shopping. Could you meet us outside of the Leaky Cauldron at 11? We hope you can.
Dudley
In the time it had taken Harry to read the letter Erin had changed into a pair of loungers and a tank top. "Dudley married a witch…" he told Erin still a little stunned. "She's missing and he wants our help with his son who just got his Hogwarts letter."
"That's…surprising." She said unable to think of another word to use.
"Yeah, it is."
On the fifth of August Harry was outside the Leaky Cauldron, Erin and the kids were inside having a butterbeer while they waited. Soon Harry saw Dudley coming along from the direction of the Underground. He was older, but hadn't changed much. Beside him was a young man very much like Dudley at 11, he was taller than Dudley was, but still large. This boy seemed painfully shy and reserved though. "Harry!" Dudley called waving and smiling. Harry smiled back and the two hugged a little patting each other on the back. "This is my son, Lucas. Lucas, this is your Uncle Harry."
"Hi," Lucas said softly looking down at his large feet.
"It's nice to meet you, Lucas," Harry said. "My son Jaz is starting at Hogwarts this year as well."
"See? You will know someone when you start. You won't be totally alone." Dudley told his son. Lucas just shrugged a little.
Harry could tell he was scared and anxious. "Well, come on, the Leaky Cauldron is just across the street." He said pointing. He had to wait a moment for Dudley to be able to see it and then they crossed the street and Harry held the door open for them. "Erin and the kids are here. We should have a butterbeer together before we start shopping." He said leading them to the table. "Dudley, Lucas, this is my wife Erin," he said.
"Hello, Dudley, it's nice to finally meet you." She said standing up to shake his hand. Dudley was a little unsure about all of this as well. Harry certainly picked out a beautiful wife. "These are our children, Ari is the oldest, she's 16 and going into her 6th year at Hogwarts. This is Lexi, she's our youngest. And then the boys, Jaz and Al. Jaz is going to Hogwarts this year."
"Hi!" The kids all said smiling.
"Hi," Lucas said softly looking down.
"It's good to meet all of you," Dudley said gently prodding his son to take a seat with him. A wizard came by with some more butterbeers and took their empties with him. Seeing how eagerly the kids drank the strange drink Lucas took a tentative sip of his and found it was probably the best thing he had ever drunk in his life.
"Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think at first," Harry was saying. Lucas thought he was talking about the butterbeer until he realized his dad must have said something.
"It's new, that's for sure," Dudley said. "I didn't think that your world would ever be mine. Then I met Becky and…well, I knew my life would never be the same again." He had such a look of love mixed with pain.
"What happened to Becky?" Erin asked curiously.
"I don't know. One day she went out to do the shopping and she never came back. We just don't know what to think. The police were called in and they couldn't find anything. Your lot came too to ask me questions. They were surprised to learn that I already knew about your world and knew my wife was a witch. I had to explain I was your cousin about fifty times before they would believe me."
"I'm surprised I didn't hear about it." Harry said. "But then again it was probably handled by the regular Law Enforcement, not the Aurors."
"You'll have to ask Hermione about it." Erin said. "Our friend Hermione is the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Office."
Dudley nodded. "I'd be grateful if you could look into it."
"No problem," Harry assured him.
When they finished their butterbeers they went out to Diagon Alley to get the kids their school supplies.