Hey. My name is Jonathan Hill, but you can call me Joe. I used to be a pretty average 11-year old, skinny and pale-looking with short brown hair and I loved video-games, computers and all things technology. My path in life looked pretty straight-forward:

I was finishing primary school, and was ready to enroll to a secondary school – then find a University to study something related to Computer Science, probably in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Yes – I was a nerd. Yes –I wasn't very popular. I loved reading books, I loved researching and I was always first in class. My only friend, Andrew, got to know me due to our shared interest in video games. We both brought our PSP's at school –well hidden inside our backpacks- and played together during breaks. Pretty much nobody paid attention to us. As such, my school-days were passing pretty normal.

I thought that my life was going to be pretty normal as well. I could never imagine how abnormal things could go, and that in just a few days, I would find myself in a world not governed by technology and where science meant nothing that you didn't want it to mean. It all started when my mother, Jessica, brought my home from school at a Friday evening, and as soon as we got home, she started scrolling through the letters as usual, looking at the bills and the occasional community announcement. I headed to my room and already switched my computer on when my mother walked in and casually announced "Jo, you have a letter!" and she left an envelope on my desk, next to me.

She stood there, waiting for me to open it, probably as curious as I was. "Who sends letters nowdays?" I asked, and took it in my hands. My name and address were clearly written on the back, and when I turned it to the front, I saw a perfect red wax seal, stamped on it was a crest.

"A University? An academy for gifted student?" my mum answered proudly.

"A university!? Mum, I'm 11." I answered "And I am not a genius either.."

"But you are, you are a very special child!" my mum said with a smile all along her face. She was sure such a formal looking letter would be good news.

I started opening the letter carefully around the seal so as not to break it. It was a nice seal. I've never seen an authentic medieval wax seal. I'd definitely keep it! Maybe start a seal collection… but for now, I wanted to see what the letter was all about. I finally took it out and started reading it:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Dear Mr. Hill,

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 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Deputy Headmaster

Bangley Burton

I had no words. I passed the letter to my mother which she started reading while I scavenged the letter for more material. A second longer page was in the envelope as well, which I took out and skimmed:

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 (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

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, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

By then my mother had finished reading the first page and her eyebrow was raised. She was as riddled as I was. "What the…" she said to me. I shook my head, as I didn't know more.

"Is this a joke?" she continued

By then, the front door opened and my father got in. It was about time he finished his job at the software company he was working. My father, Will, was a software engineer and it was his influence which gave me my keen interest for technology. From a young age, I could remember him sitting in front of the screen, writing line after line of code, making the computer do magic. He told me he could make the computer do whatever we could think or imagine!

As he got in, he threw his coat on the armchair of the living room and came into my room to see what we were doing "Jessy, Jo?" he said

"Dad, what is a School of witchcraft and wizardry?" I asked curiously. My dad always gave the best advice, so he could probably figure something out of this. My mother passed him the letter and said

"I've never heard of something like this either.."

"Probably an advertisement" said my father coolly "they always make them sound fancy to attract more attention, and they probably heard that we have a son who is a student from some government database"

He then read the letter in a snap and got to the second page, his face changed from sure to riddled.

"Son, I have no idea.." he said.

The thought of both my parents having no idea got me excited. Grown-ups always know and they always have an opinion about everything…

"Nothing a web search won't tell us about" he said then, and all three of us circled around my computer screen as I opened Google.

I typed "HOGWARTS school of witchcraft and wizardry" and clicked on Search. A moment later, I was even more surprised…

Your search - HOGWARTS school of witchcraft and wizardry - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

Make sure that all words are spelled correctly.

Try different keywords.

Try more general keywords.

…that google hadn't found anything. Not even a reference. Nothing! Google always finds something.

I searched "Hogwarts School", nothing.

"Hogwarts Academy", nothing…

Just search "Hogwarts" my father suggested. I did so, and there was a result.

Hogwarts Drills – Ireland.

"Doesn't look like a school" my father commented "Well, it's not a very popular school anyway, if there's anything about it on the Internet. Probably a scam or a joke. The probably have a hog that's going to give you warts as a teacher if they exist. Better avoid.." he ensured me.

His statement sounded pretty logical.

But what is a school for witchcraft and wizardry, I asked again.

"Probably they give lessons on how to be a magician or a party entertainer. They don't get much revenue.. You want to be a scientist, just like your dad" he said calmly "No, even better than dad, you will innovate! When I was your age, I wasn't half as smart as you were. It's a pity to waste all this intelligence on something that will not utilize it. You will change the world – and we will be the proudest parents in the world, not that we aren't now."

I agreed. This letter was non-sense. My dad got it and said "I'll throw it away, if you don't mind"

"Actually I want to keep it" I said "I want to show that to Andrew tomorrow, will make for a good laugh. Also, the seal is nice."

"Okay then." said dad and left the letter down. "Well, let's prepare lunch, shall we?"

"Coming!" said my mum and rushed to the kitchen as well.

I gave the letter one more look. What could it be? Are there people who claim to perform paranormal activities? Against the rules of science? I sure wanted to show it to Andrew.

But I kept it mostly because I wanted to investigate by myself. I had to know what this school was…