Dillon spend most of the day by the window, letting excitement flood through him every time he saw a bird in the sky, only to sigh sadly when we saw it was just an ordinary bird, not an owl carrying more messages from a world he only just learned might exist. As much as he wanted to believe in a magical world, his mind wouldn't let him fully accept it yet.
"Dillon, come away from that window and set the table," Colleen, his mother called from the kitchen where she was busy over the stove cooking her favorite chicken and rice dish. Her son sighed with a last look out the window and went to get dishes out of the cupboard to set the table for him and his mother.
Trying to distract himself from thinking about owls and magical schools Dillon asked, "So, what do you want to do tonight for your birthday Mum?"
"I think sitting on front of the television with some cake sounds wonderful," Colleen said. She did not really feel like leaving the house for any unnecessary reason at the moment. She, like Dillon was rather anxious about this whole wizard deal. Something in her heart told her not to dismiss this, though her head told her she was insane.
They are in silence, both just wishing this wait for answers would end. As though reading their minds, a knock on the front door brought them both back to the present and Colleen got up to answer it, Dillon right behind her. Colleen opened the door and their stood a young smiling woman in a gray businesslike trench coat.
The woman held out her hand and said, "Good evening Miss Allaway, I'm Miss Natasha Hobbes, from the Department of Muggle Relations at the Ministry of Magic. I have come to talk to you about your son, Dillon," Colleen shook Miss Hobbes hand, a little stunned. Was this a witch then? Coming back to her senses she said,
"Yes, please come in, and call me Colleen," She took the guests coat and hung it up on the coat rack. When she turned back around she saw the woman was wearing sleek, clean black robes with beautiful light blue detailing and a golden emblem on the chest. Colleen motioned for the other woman to follow and led her to the living room where they all sat, Dillon barely hiding the fact that he was staring at this woman in wonder.
"Miss Hobbes," Colleen said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "forgive me but, I feel like I might be losing my mind. Do you have any proof of, well, magic I suppose, exists?"
Miss Hobbes smiled kindly. "I understand. This can be a shock for muggles, non magical folk, to hear and believe at first. I can, if you would like, demonstrate,"
"You can do magic?" Dillon piped up from the arm chair he was sitting in.
Miss Hobbes smiled and nodded. She took out her wand, chuckling at how wide Dillon's eyes got. She waved her wand and a vase of flowers appeared and drifted to a space on one of the end tables. "They will never die, so long as you keep them in that vase," she told Colleen, whose eye's were now as wide as her sons.
"Thats amazing," Colleen whispered.
"So, am I a wizard? Is that why I got those letters?" Dillon asked.
"Indeed it is!" Miss Hobbes confirmed. "What I'm here for is to answer any questions you have, because I am sure you have many, and assist you in anyway possible."
"So I get a wand?" Dillon added looking at Miss Hobbes wand that was still in her hand.
"In time you will yes,"
"When?" Dillon asked not bothering to hide how anxious he was.
Miss Hobbes laughed and said, "Whenever we arrange for the two of you to go to Diagon Ally, at which point you will get all of your school supplies. That is of course, if your mother agrees to let you attend Hogwarts," She looked over at Colleen to judge her reaction.
"Well, I can't really deny him what sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime can I?" Colleen stated looking at her son with sad eyes, "And I suppose that is where he belongs. I can't keep him here forever if it's not where he belongs."
"Wise words Colleen," Miss Hobbes said to the older woman.
"So, I'm really doing this?" Dillon asked.
"You almost have too, it seems,"
"Yes, untrained magic is very dangerous. It could burst out strongly at points of high emotional strain," Miss Hobbes informed them, "It's essential that he get the proper training,"
"What," Dillon began, clearly nervous, "what if I get there, and it turns out I can't do magic?"
"Do not worry dear. The enrollment list does not lie. Your name was on the list, so you are a wizard,"
They all sat their in silence. Miss Hobbes let them mull over some of the information she had given them. She then decided to get on with business. "We will need to set a date to go get all of his school supplies. I will accompany you and explain everything you need to know, help you exchange money such. I would suggest getting this done as soon as possible,"
"I won't be free until next weekend," Colleen said mentally checking her schedule.
"Then is fine for me. Fine for you Dillon?"
"Um, yes?" Dillon was wondering why she would think he had important plans. He was only 11 after all.
"Okay then, next Saturday then?" Miss Hobbes asked, "How's 11 o'clock?"
"That's fine," Colleen agreed with a nod.
"Is their any questions you have right now?"
Colleen hesitated, "Um, yes. I don't know if you can answer it though,"
"I can try," said Miss Hobbes.
"Well, I'm assuming that his father is responsible for Dillon here being a, wizard," Colleen struggled a bit with the word, "actually I'm almost positive. But see, I don't know who his father is, and I was wondering if you had someway of finding out, with all your magic," she looked at Miss Hobbes hopefully, as did Dillon.
Miss Hobbes looked at Dillon closely, then back at Colleen, sad understanding in her eyes, "If I knew anything, it would not be my place to say it. But just a personal input, I would encourage Dillon to look into it. Our community is not that large, it shouldn't be too hard to track him down"
Colleen seemed a little put out but nodded and said, "I understand. So, Saturday at 11?"
"Yes," Miss Hobbes confirmed standing, summoning her coat from the front hall. "It was nice meeting both of you," she held out her hand for both Colleen and Dillon to shake. With a last smile and a slight bow, she stuck out her wand, turned, and with a pop was gone.
Dillon giggled, wide eyed, "Awesome." Colleen merely nodded. Dillon, sensing his mothers emotions, which tended to come out strongly, went over and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry mum. I won't leave you, not for good. Just think of it as one of those private schools you wanted me to get into. I would have had to stay there too,"
"Oh I know dear. Still doesn't mean I won't miss you," Colleen wrapped her arms tightly around her son.
"I'll write okay?"
"You'd better," Colleen half threatened, letting go of her son.
The following week was needless to say the longest for Dillon, and the shortest for Colleen. Dillon was spending nearly all of his free time imagining what this Hogwarts was like, and what he would be learning. He tried to force some magic out of him late at night, after his mother had gone to bed. At most, he though he might have jiggled his pen on his desk while he was across the room sitting on his bed, but that might have just been his imagination. He sighed. What if this was all a mistake? Re reminded himself over and over again that Miss Hobbes said that book thing didn't lie, and his name had been in it. That led him to wondering what his father was like. He had to be a wizard. Dillon knew in reality his father was probably just an average guy, but he couldn't shake the image and dream of him being something extraordinary.
Saturday morning was finally here, and Dillon tired to force himself to go back to sleep when he awoke at 7am. After an hour's futile attempt, he gave up and got up, showered, and dressed. When Dillon walked into the kitchen and was a little surprised to see his mom up, fully dressed and drinking some tea.
"What are you doing up so early for Mum?" Dillon asked sitting across from her a the kitchen table.
"Same reason as you are up now, I imagine. Couldn't sleep," Colleen said. Dillon nodded and stared off into space for a bit, wondering what today would bring. Both of them spend the morning trying to do normal things, such as eat breakfast, and watching Saturday morning cartoons. Both being in an anxious state, the morning passes slowly.
Finally, just as the clock struck 11, the doorbell rang. Dillon jumped off from the couch and ran to the door, flinging it open. There stood Miss Hobbes. Dillon smiled widely and stood aside for her to come in. He hadn't realized till now that he was more than just a little worried that he imagined the owls and the previous meeting with Miss Hobbes. Colleen met Miss Hobbes in the hallway and shook her hand.
"Are you both ready?" Miss Hobbes asked. Dillon nodded enthusiastically while he slipped on his shoes. Colleen said she would be just a moment and went into the other room. She returned a moment later carrying her purse. She nodded to Miss Hobbes who led them back out the door.
In the driveway was a black official looking car that had a little flag on the hood. Dillon couldn't make out what was on the flag.
"Official ministry car," Miss Hobbes explained, opening the back door for Colleen and Dillon to get in.
"This, looks bigger than a normal car," Dillon said slowly, not sure how insane he would sound for saying it.
"It is," Miss Hobbes explained sliding into the car after Colleen. "Magically enlarged." Without warning the car backed up and sped off at a speed that was clearly over the speed limit. "Oh, and you might want to buckle up," Miss Hobbes suggested with a smile after a particularly violent turn. Dillon hastily buckled up and glanced out the window. The car was definitely not normal. It was going so fast the surroundings were blurred and other cars seemed to just jump out of its path. Before Dillon could get used to the car ride, it came to a sudden halt.
"That was so cool! Is that how you always travel?" Dillon asked with glee evident on his face.
"No. We only did this on your behalf," Miss Hobbes told him opening up the car door and holding it open for them to get out.
"Oh," Dillon said a bit sadly, sliding out of the magic car. When he straightened up, he looked around. They were clearly in London, but nothing looked very magical about the place. In fact, he was sure he might have been here before. He asked, "where are we going?"
"The Leaky Cauldron," Miss Hobbes said pointing between two shops. Only now Dillon noticed a shop there he hadn't seen just a moment ago.
"Oh dear," Colleen said softly.
"What is it Mum?" Dillon asked looking worriedly at his mother who had a hand over her heart.
"I've been here before. This is where I met your father,"
"Oh yeah? Well then yes, he was definitely a wizard. This is a Wizard pub," Miss Hobbes said stepping towards the shabby wooden door. Dillon was secretly a little disappointed. This placed looked pretty run down. He imagined a magical gathering place to look well, magical. Miss Hobbes opened the door and Dillon and Colleen entered.
Dillon's eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light in the room. Before he could get a good look around however, Miss Hobbes was ushering them to a side door that led to a sort of alley way. She gave Dillon a sly smile then took out her wand. For the briefest of moments, Dillon thought maybe this lady was a crazy serial killer, and she had taken them to this scary little place to kill him and his mother. Much to his relief, she simply tapped a couple of bricks on the wall. Dillon was just about to think how silly that was when suddenly the bricks started to shiver then shake. Suddenly the wall was rearranging itself into a large archway beyond which lay so much activity he could not take it all in at once.
"Diagon Alley. Step on through, if you will," Miss Hobbes said to a stunned mother and son. She would never get tired of this part of her job.