I sat down on the mossy bank. The water was gently rippling up the sides of the muddy slope. The sun was almost perfectly in the middle of the sky and a cool midsummer's breeze was flowing around me. The sun warmed my skin gently.
A few birds could be heard nearby singing to the glorious day and the calming sound of running water drowned out the faraway sounds of traffic. The smell of fresh water and summer air swirled around with the breeze.
This was my place. Legally it wasn't mine but hardly anyone came here so it felt like mine. I came here when I was sad, angry, stressed, confused or even happy. It helped me clear my head and calm down. Lately I had been coming here for privacy, because I had a secret.
With a glance to my left and right I made sure I was alone. Once I was sure I began to concentrate.
At first nothing happened, but after a moment the water began to move more vigorously. Then slowly a shimmering bubble of water rose from the water. It appeared the water was trying to escape the bubble as it began contorting and shifting.
It continued to shift until it began to become more of the shape of a small rabbit. It hopped from the air onto the bank. It continued hopping, shimmering as the sunlight bounced off the water of its back. It finally stopped by my side. I stroked its watery back and stared ahead at the river.
"That was a nice trick" a voice came from behind me.
The watery animal exploded, soaking my denim shorts through. I swivelled round to see who had caught me, trying to think of a reasonable explanation.
It was the boy from the huge manor at the other end of the road, the posh end of the road. I couldn't remember his name, I don't know if I ever learned it. He was about the same age as me. He had pale blond hair slicked back and a long pale face as well. His bright blue eyes were watching me cautiously. He ran his hand nervously through his hair.
I stood and tucked a strand of my own long red hair behind my ear and waited on an answer.
"I didn't mean to startle you" he apologised "I'm Draco"
"Oh hi" I mumbled lamely "That um…thing…it…um"
"Don't worry" he smiled "you're secret is safe with me"
"Thanks" I smiled, as willing as a child to trust this stranger "I'm Alma"
He looked as if he wasn't sure how to proceed, I my self was shocked. How could he react so calmly after what he saw?
"I know how you did that" he told me smugly.
"Excuse me?" I was stunned.
"I have been watching you for a few weeks now and I have seen what you can do"
I stood there unblinking.
"Well it may be a bit hard to believe but…you're a witch"
"Excuse me but that's not funny!"
"It's true! It's a good thing though; I'm a wizard as well"
I was suddenly very angry. He was making fun of me I was sure of it.
"This is a really cruel joke, you know"
He sighed.
He walked over to the large oak tree and seemed to inspect the ground looking for something. He scooped up a dead leaf of the mossy carpet and then it started floating upwards. As it floated it seemed to become greener. By the time it reached a branch it was a very much alive leaf attached to a branch.
"Wow" I gasped "how did you do that?"
He chuckled "The same way you did"
"So you were telling the truth?" I searched his expression to find a hit of mockery. His blue eyes met my brown ones, but I saw nothing but truth and innocence.
"Yes of course I was" he sighed, slightly exasperated.
"Well how do you know about all this?"
"My parents are wizards too. I've always known"
"Well my parents are not so how come I am a wizard"
"Yeah sometimes that happens"
"Sometimes that happens?" I repeated raising my eyebrows.
"Yes, that means you are a muggle born"
"What's a muggle?"
"A non-magical person"
"Does that matter?"
"Not to everybody"
I raised my eyebrows. He was looking down at his shoes. They were very clean, in fact his whole appearance was that of a child whose parents believed that appearance is everything. His smart black trousers and shirt were neatly ironed.
"Some people think that muggle born's are rather inferior, but those are the people you wouldn't want to hang around with anyway"
"You're not those people are you?"
"No of course not"
"Well that's alright then" I said smiling "we can be friends"
He smiled back at me as if he didn't realise we were as good as friends already.
"So is there anything else I need to know"
"Well" he looked at me "How old are you?"
"I'm eleven"
"That's great we will both be going to school at the end of the holidays"
"What school"
"Hogwarts" he grinned.
"Hogwarts?" I repeated.
"It's a school for witches and wizards"
"Wow really?"
"Yeah"
"Well how do I apply?"
"You won't need to. Most of us get a letter but if you are muggle born sometimes someone comes to explain everything to your family"
"That's good because I don't think I would be able to tell them" I smiled.
He was telling the truth. The next week we got a visit from someone called Professor McGonagall. I ran down to the river afterwards to tell Draco how it went.
"And my parents are so proud. They can't wait for me to go to Hogwarts!"
I finished my incredibly detailed report on how it went. Talking at a million miles per hour.
"So I will see you there?" I asked.
"Where?" asked Draco like he had zoned out for the last few moments.
"Diagon alley, of course!"
"Oh yeah, defiantly"
Over the next week and a bit my parents helped me pack my trunk and re-read the list of things I needed for school a number of times. They were befuddled by the potions kit and other things they had never heard of.
Eventually we went to Diagon ally. I loved it. It was so magical. We went from shop to shop collecting all the things we needed, cloaks and uniform, potions and cauldrons. Eventually all I needed was a wand.
We were on our way to a shop called Ollivanders when I met Draco.
"Hi I have been looking for you all day" he laughed.
"Oh well, my parents. They are a one hundred miles an hour; I think they are more excited than me."
"So where are you off to now?"
"I am going to get my wand from Ollivanders"
"Me too, come on"
"Hold on. Mum, Dad! Hurry up" I yelled "where are your parents?"
"Oh they had to go into the bank so I am getting mine my self"
He grabbed my hand and we hurried through the crowd. We stopped outside the shop to let my parents catch up.
"Alma don't just run off like that" they noticed Draco "oh hello what's your name?"
"My name is Draco Malfoy, pleased to meet you" he held out his hand.
"Our pleasure" my mum answered "shall we go in?"
The shop appeared deserted. Draco called out a hello.
An elderly wizard with a kind looking face appeared from the back of the shop.
"Ah hello. New wands I suppose?"
Draco and I nodded. He looked at both of us for a moment then disappeared. He came back with a bundle of long rectangular boxes.
He carefully opened two of the boxes and produced two wands. He turned to Draco.
"Here try this one, hawthorn and unicorn hair, eleven inches"
Draco took the wand and waved it a bright blue light came from the end of it.
"Yes" Ollivander smiled "This is the wand for you"
Draco clutched his wand happily. Next the wandmaker turned to me. He opened three boxes.
"Hmm, bit tricky. Why don't you choose one?"
I let my hand drift over the three wands. They all looked really exciting I wanted to grab all three so, instead of choosing, I closed my eyes and picked up the first one I set my hand on.
As I held the wand, golden sparkles shot from the end.
"Yes defiantly this one" he said "Maple and golden dragon scale, nine and a half inches"
I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts to learn how to use my wand.
And Hogwarts was only a train ride away.
Once we were at the station, we checked our tickets for the platform number.
It was numbered platform nine and three quarters.
"Where the heck is platform nine and three quarters" I hissed.
We got to platform nine, and ten, but no three quarters.
My dad was about to go and ask the conductor where the platform was when we heard someone talking.
"Same every year packed with muggles"
"Muggles" I said quietly to myself. Now there was a helpful word.
I followed the voice till I saw a red haired woman with five red haired children.
"Right Percy you first" She told the oldest looking boy.
He ran straight at the wall…the vanished!
Whoa, wait…what?
I walked over to them while my parents looked around.
"Excuse me, um is that by any chance how I would get to platform nine and three quarters?" I smiled at the woman.
"Oh, is it your first time here? Don't worry its Ron's first year as well," she nodded to a rosy cheeked redheaded boy, who looked exceptionally eager, "I am Mrs Wesley."
I turned the direction of my parents.
"Mum! Dad! Over here!" I called urgently.
My parents rushed over to where we stood.
"Oh your parents are muggles?" Mrs Wesley asked.
"Yeah," I nodded.
The man I could only assume was her husband head shot up. He walked over and started a very enthused conversation with them, without as much as an introduction.
"Sorry about my dad, he finds muggles fascinating," Ron whispered to me.
I giggled, "That's ok. I'm Alma Lawson."
I stuck my hand towards him, he shook it slightly nervously. I guess I was a bit to full on for him. Oh well, to bad, he seems ok so he can be my friend.
"Sorry dear, I meant to say," Mrs Wesley interrupted, "what you do is, aim straight for the wall and run through it."
I blinked at her unbelieving.
"Fred will show you," she nodded to one of the older looking boys, clearly he and the other boy was twins.
"Mum, get it right, I'm George, he is Fred," George rolled his eyes.
"Honestly woman and you call yourself our mother," Fred shook his head.
"Sorry George, of you go," she motioned.
He lined up and just before her ran he added.
"Only kidding, I am Fred," he laughed before running straight through the wall, followed closely by the other twin.
Mrs Wesley let out an exasperated sigh.
"Ok I…think I can do this," I said.
I carefully lined up my trolley at the wall. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and ran. When I opened them again I was in awe.
All around me there were students in their black robes, with trunks some with animals, like owls, rats, toads. Some were clinging to their parents some were already on the train.
Cool, I thought to my self. I quickly got rid of my trunk onto the train and ran back to my parents.
"I'll miss you," I whispered with tears in my eyes.
"We will write everyday," my parents assured.
"Promise?" I asked.
"Promise," my dad nodded.
"Ok," I cheered up quickly.
"We are so proud of you Alma. Remember that," my mum said.
"I will," I said, quickly because everyone was getting on the train.
I jumped up onto the great scarlet engine and waved like mad as the train started slowly away.