In the magical world of the London countryside, there are two houses, side by side. These two homes are the only ones around for miles, far away from any Muggles. The house on the left was red with green shutters and the one on the right was white with blue shutters. Both were fairly old, but they were cozy accommodations for the most delightful tenants.

In the bedroom of the red house was a young boy, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that read "No such thing as too much Butterbeer". He was sitting on his bed, with a small wooden box in his hands. The boy opened the box, revealing a gold ball. Wings unfolded from the ball and it rose into the air. The Golden Snitch fluttered around the boy's head and circled the room. Alex watched in amazement as the Snitch maneuvered through his bedroom, dodging furniture and going under the bed. Alex jumped off his bed and got on the floor. As he raised the bed sheet, the Snitch zipped out and hit him in the forehead. Alex rubbed his forehead as the Snitch banged itself against the window, trying to escape.

"You're not going to get away that easily," Alex taunted.

Francis, Alex's little brother, burst through the door and shouted, "Breakfast is ready, Alex!" The Snitch found its chance and darted out the door. Alex, immediately, got off the floor and followed the gold blur. Francis chased after Alex and the Snitch. It raced down the stairs and into the kitchen, where breakfast was being prepared by Alex's mother.

"Immobulus!" shouted Alex's mother, pointing her wand at the Snitch. It froze in mid-air. Clink! It fell to the floor, with its wings still spread. "Alex, how many times have I told you to keep that thing under control?"

"Now, now, Jennifer. Let the boy have some fun." Alex's father was speaking as he came down the stairs. "Besides, a Golden Snitch is not exactly easy to contain."

"He obviously gets it from you, Henry." Jennifer shook her head and went back to making scrambled eggs.

Alex bent down and picked up the Snitch. "What am I supposed to do with a Snitch that doesn't fly," he complained.

Jennifer pulled her wand out again, tapped the Snitch with the tip of her wand and said, "Finite Incantatem."The Snitch's wings buzzed back to life, but Alex had a firm grip on it. He ran upstairs to his room and put it back into the wooden box. The box was, then, placed safely in a drawer. Looking out the window, Alex could see the family owl carrying the mail.

"Curtis is back with the mail!" Alex shouted, as he ran down the stairs. Alex went to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of milk. He grabbed a plate of eggs and two pieces of toast and sat down at the kitchen table. Henry and Francis were already eating their eggs and toast. Curtis flew in, landed on his perch near the window, and dropped a bundle of letters, bound together by string, onto a plate below his perch.

"Accio mail," Henry said, pointing his wand at the plate of letters. The stack of letters rose from the plate and landed in his lap. The Daily Prophet was on the top, showing a picture of an old man in scarlet and gold robes. His beard was long and white. People were around him, applauding. The headline read "Hogwarts Headmaster Dubbed Greatest Wizard In History". "Looks like Dumbledore is pretty happy," Henry said, untying the rest of the mail. Witch Weekly was under The Daily Prophet. Bills and ads were also in the pile. On the bottom of the heap was an envelope written with green ink.

"Alex, your letter from Hogwarts has finally arrived. Here." Henry handed the letter to his excited son. Speechless, Alex dashed outside and jumped on his broomstick. Alex kicked his Silver Arrow off the ground and flew into the air. He went to the bedroom window of his best friend next door, William, and knocked loudly against the glass.

"Hey, Winchester! Wake up, you lazy dungbomb!" Not even the tiniest sign of movements under those sky-blue sheets. "Wake up! We're going to Hogwarts!"

In that moment, William opened his eyes and turned over to see his neighbor floating outside his window.

"Wha?" he uttered, still half-asleep. William made an effort to lug himself out of his comfortable bed and open the window. "I wake up and the first thing I see is you hovering outside my window. Does that seem strange to you? Cause it does to me."

"I got my Hogwarts letter! Look!" Alex held the envelope up for William to see.

"I just woke up. I'll meet you downstairs in the kitchen." He closed the window and went to the closet to get dressed while Alex drifted down to the door and entered the house. He knows this house as much as he knows his own house. Alex walked straight ahead the hallway and ended up in the kitchen. William's father was a Muggle, but his mom's a Witch, so the interior of the house was decorated with non-moving pictures and The London Times comes through the mail, as well as The Daily Prophet.

"Hello, Mrs. Winchester."

"Good morning, Alex. Would you like some breakfast?" Marian asked.

"That's alright. I've already eaten." Alex replied.

"Is that a Hogwarts letter you have there, Alex?"

"Yes, it is. I got it this morning. I'm very excited about it."

"Well, that's wonderful. William's letter came in the mail this morning, too. What a pleasant surprise."

William came down the stairs, in a red t-shirt and khakis. "What's a pleasant surprise?"

"Your Hogwarts letter is on the table over there."

"Thanks, mom."

Alex and William sat down at the kitchen table. William's mother set a plate of pancakes and sausage in front of him. Alex reached over and snatched a sausage link.

"Thanks, Will," he said, munching on it. William continued to eat his pancakes, not paying attention to the missing sausage.

Alex opened the envelope and read the letter inside.

"Wow, I can't believe we finally get to go to Hogwarts!" he replied.

William finished his food and opened his envelope, too.

"Where do we get all this stuff?" he said, after reading it. Alex grinned at him.

"Diagon Alley."