((A/N: Hey all! This is my first fanfiction that I've ever posted, so I hope I do everything alright! I just want to warn you that I write the beginning like the beginning of an actual book. This means that some of my stuff you might already know (like the acceptance letter). I'm just one of those people that likes to do background.
Please let me know what you all think through reviews! Like I said, this is my first fanfic, so I want to know that I'm doing everything right. Thanks!
LoveToWrite7198))
"True! Jacey! Time to get up, girls! It's your birthday!" I heard Mum shout from the kitchen of our two-bedroom apartment. I don't know why she felt the need to shout. We didn't live in that big of a space.
Then, it occurred to me what Mum had said. It was our birthday, July 1st. And better yet, we were turning 11.
I was wide awake instantly, being the type that once I was awake, I was awake. My twin sister next to me, however, was a different story. I took a pillow and threw it at her, trying to wake her up without getting up. "Jacey, come on! Mum probably made us breakfast, and if you don't hurry up, I'm eating all your bacon!" I taunted as I walked out of the room.
That got her. Maybe two minutes later, Jacey came out of our shared room, cursing me for waking her up. "Next time, True, let me sleep."
"Nope," I grinned as I sat down and ate a piece of bacon, as Mum finished making the pancakes. Every year on our birthday, Mum would take work off and spend the whole day with us, and would usually make all of our meals. She was usually working all the time, so it was a nice treat.
Jacey sat down next to me as Mum carried over two plates and put them in front of us. As she was returning to get her own plate, however, there was a knock on the door. It was odd. No one ever knocked on our door. Jacey and I didn't really have any friends-we were always called freaks by everyone-and the building we lived in had a No Solicitors rule.
"Are you girls expecting anyone?" Mum asked as she walked to get the door; both Jacey and I shook our heads.
Mum opened the door to find an old woman standing there. She was wearing a sort of dress, one that at the same time looked like a robe. Over those, she had a deep green cloak on. She was tall, and had gray hair that was pulled up into a bun. She had a kind face, but at the same time it was stern. She looked like she belonged in some sort of story book.
"How can I help you?" Mum asked her, in wonder. "Hello, Ms. Middleton. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I have come to speak with you and your daughters. May I come in?" The woman said
. Mum looked shocked. "Oh, um, yes of course."
Minerva said, "Hello. You two are Trudy and Jocelyn, I presume?"
I said, "I go by True" at the same time that Jacey said, "I prefer Jacey, actually." Minerva nodded, accepting what we had both said.
Mum said, "Would you like some tea, Mrs. McGonagall?"
She shook her head. "I suppose I should get right to it, then. I have come to inform you that you two are witches, and you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where I am headmistress. You may call me Professor McGonagall."
I looked at Jacey, whose chocolate brown eyes were as wide with wonder as my blue ones must have been
. Professor McGonagall then went on to tell us about the world which we now belonged in. She explained that Hogwarts was a boarding school, the finest of it's kind, where young witches and wizards went to learn about their powers. She said that, unless we were expelled, we would live there for seven years, learning.
Professor McGonagall held out her hand, which held two cream-coloured envelopes. One said 'Trudy Middleton' on it, and the other said 'Jocelyn Middleton'. I took mine, while Jacey took hers, and quickly opened and read it:
Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
(Animagus, Expert Duellist, Former Transfiguration Professor)
Dear Ms. Middleton, We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
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, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
Course Books:
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade One) 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
Other Equipment:
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
Mum was reading over my shoulder.
"You mean, my daughters are witches?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes, much like myself," Professor McGonagall responded.
"But, how? When I'm-" Mum said.
"Yes, you're a muggle. Muggle is a word for non-magic folk. True and Jacey are called muggleborns. Will you be able to attend? If so, I must show you where you may buy your supplies." Professor McGonagall explained.
Jacey and I both looked pleadingly at Mum. I didn't know about Jacey, but I desperately wanted to go to this school.
Mum nodded. "Girls, go get ready. We can't go out while you two are looking as you are."
I gave a quizzical look. "Professor McGonagall? Where do we find all these things? I didn't know you could buy some of these things."
"In a place called Diagon Alley. Now hurry up, listen to your mother." Professor McGonagall responded.
Jacey and I both ran, eager to be apart of the world we had never known we belonged in.
XXXXXXXXXX
Diagon Alley was a magical place. Literally. Almost all of the people there were dressed like Professor McGonagall was. Mum, Jacey, and I all stuck out like sore thumbs, dressed the way we were.
Speaking of McGonagall, as soon as she had shown us how to get into Diagon Alley, she left, saying she would see us on the first day of term.
Jacey and I ran like mad, running in and out of all the stores until we had finally gotten everything on our list. That is, except for two things: our wands, and our pets.
Mum looked at Jacey's list. "Well, where do you want to go first? We can go get you wands, or pets. It's up to you two."
Jacey and I both decided that we wanted our wands first.
We walked into a store called Ollivanders. There was only one old man inside. There were countless of boxes, must've been thousands, that stretched all the way up to the ceiling.
The old man looked up at us, and got a look of joy on his face. "Hello there! Welcome, welcome!" he said joyously. "My name is Mr. Ollivander. And you are?"
Mum answered for us. "My name is Adriana Middleton, and these are my two daughters, Jacey and True. They'll be attending Hogwarts this year," she said proudly.
"Then I suppose you've come to see me to receive your wands!" Mr. Ollivander said happily. "Well, come on, then! Who wants to go first?"
I shoved Jacey forward, letting her go first. I didn't want to do something wrong.
Jacey was practically bouncing with excitement as Mr. Ollivander scrutinized her. Then, he said, "I know just the wand for you!" Then disappeared behind some rows of boxes.
Jacey glanced at me, and then Mr. Ollivander was back, with a box in one hand and a wand in the other. He said, "Try this one, Ms. Middleton. Pear and unicorn hair, 14 1/2 inches, slightly springy. Just give it a wave." Jacey took it from his hand and waved it, and blue sparks shot from the tip up into the air like fireworks. She grinned widely.
"I knew it! Now, I know the perfect one for you, too!" Mr. Ollivander said after looking me over.
When he came back, he handed me a wand that was similar to Jacey's, but still different. "Adler and unicorn hair, 14 1/2 inches as well, also slightly springy. Try waving it, like your sister did."
I did the same, and this time red sparks shot out of the tip of my wand. I could feel my own wide grin.
Mum paid for our wands and we left to get our animals, thanking Mr. Ollivander.
"It says here on the list that we can get a toad, an owl, or a cat. I think I'm going to get an owl," Jacey said.
"I'd like a cat," I said. "I think that I'd like having an animal that would always keep me company. I mean, I'd have you, but I could get pretty lonely."
"That's true. Still, I heard that the way to talk to people outside of school is through owls, sending letters. I want to be able to send a letter to Mum once in awhile. You can borrow my owl, though, True. If you want, I mean," Jacey said. Mum left to go find something for us to eat.
"Thanks," I smiled at her. "You can always borrow my cat. I don't know how that would work exactly, but you're welcome to." Jacey smiled back at me.
We were best friends, and had been for pretty much our whole lives. At school, people would call us freaks all the time, because sometimes, things happened because of us. Things like people-ones that were mean to us-having their hair change to a wild color. We could never explain it before. Now, I suppose it was because of the fact that we're witches, but it hadn't made sense back then.
We walked into the shop to buy our animals, and were instantly greeted by the owner. She seemed like a nice lady, and said she would be with us as soon as she was done helping the customer that she was with.
Jacey and I wandered through the shop, looking at all of the pets that there were. I decided that I wanted a black kitten, thinking that it would be pretty funny to go along with the stereotype of witches and black cats. Jacey settled on a tawny owl. It was pretty little compared to the other owls in the shop, so I assumed that it was still pretty young.
When the shop lady came over, I said that I wanted the black kitten and Jacey requested the tawny owl. She happily gave them to us, in their own cages, and we paid her the 19 Galleons we owed her. It took us a moment though; we were still trying to figure out how money worked in the wizards' world.
I decided to name my kitten Nocte, after figuring out that it meant night in Latin; she sure was as black as night. Jacey named her owl Denahi, which meant strong.
We showed Mum, and after we ate, we went home, eager for two months to pass and for us to be at our new school.