Chapter 1- The Letter

It was the evening of July 31. Alyssa Johansen was sitting on the front porch of her home in London, England. A warm breeze lifted the light brown hair from her back. As she watched the sun set through the trees lining her street, she saw a strange figure silhouetted against the dying light. She stood up and walked to the street so she could get a better view. The shadow seemed to be a bird in flight, but Alyssa had never seen such a large bird in London.

"I wonder what those pigeons have been eating," she said half laughing at the possibilities.

The figure grew larger as it came closer to where Alyssa was standing. When she realized that the bird was heading straight for her, she ducked. She heard something drop on the ground and looked up in time to see a large tawny owl soaring over the trees.

She looked down and picked up a heavy yellowish parchment envelope. Turning the package to the front, she noticed it was addressed in green ink, and there was no stamp. The address read:

1 Miss A. Johansen

12 Birch Lane

London, England

"Why, that's addressed to me," she exclaimed, puzzled. She wondered who would be sending her a letter as she had just moved to London, and hadn't given her address to any of her old friends. She turned the letter over and as she slid the envelope open, she saw that is was sealed with a wax stamp emblazoned with a badger, eagle, serpent, and lion encircling the letter "H."

Her confusion only deepened when she read her note. As she walked back to her house she recited, "Dear Miss Johansen, We are proud to inform you that you have been accepted to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Her voice dropped off and the letter slipped from her fingers. She stared open-mouthed at the parchment as though it was a bomb.

"I must not have read that right," Alyssa stammered. She picked up the parchment and began to read. As it happens, she had not misread the letter. Indeed, she was invited to attend the school. Also enclosed was a list of supplies that she was to acquire before the start of term.

"Robes, pointed hat, an owl?" she read off. "What is this, a joke?

Take the train from Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross, send an owl? Wow, either this is a really good joke, or they're dead serious." As she read through the letter again, she finally realized that this was not a joke.

"I'm a, I'm a, I'm a witch! Wicked! I can do magic!" Alyssa ran inside, and grabbed a pencil from the hall table and began waving it around like it was a magic wand. "Aabra Kadabra, squiggldy zoink! This is fun!" Alyssa giggled.

"What's all that noise?" Alyssa's mother walked in and stared awkwardly at Alyssa's pencil waving. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Er, mum, I'm a witch," she said, and handed her mother the letter.

"What's this? You're a what?"

"Read the letter, mum." Alyssa's mother quickly scanned the letter, however her hazel eyes showed no surprise in what she read.

"'Lyssa, there's something I need to tell you, something I couldn't bear to tell you before, but now I think you need to know. Your father was a wizard."



A/N: I know this is kind of short, but I have 2 other chapters written- Please review and tell me if you want me to continue!