Chapter 3 – Accidents With Magic

Our story only makes sense in retrospect. It is not a boring overcomplicated story that doesn't make any sense and never ends. Each moment has a purpose – a purpose of leading us to the climax. How fast we get there depends on how ready we are to learn. What is the difference between you at the prologue and you at the end? Apart from some meaningless physical changes, just the way you think. The way we think determines everything around us – our friends, our family, our jobs, and our life. Every moment, the ones you consider good and the ones you consider bad, shape the way we think. The problem is that we are too embroiled, too disillusioned in our prejudiced view of thinking that we don't realize that there is another way. Our life is all about our carrots and our sticks.

I was a creature of habits conditioned by a persistent rebellion against the villains of my story. The bad guys tried to condition me to follow orders – I learned to break them. I was forced to never ask questions – never having my questions answered made me more curious. They tried to curb my imagination – it became my reprieve. They said no backtalk – it has never worked, has it? I suppose, in a way, I should be thanking you, Dursleys… after I serve you justice.

A month has passed since he had gone from a rag wearing freak to a freaking rag wearing savior of the world.

People observing No. 4 Privet Drive had easily noticed some changes. Lights in both the upper bedrooms could now be seen switched on in the evenings; the scrawny, boorish kid wasn't spending a far too disproportionate of a time in the kitchen as opposed to the stout one; now none of the kids were seen doing any chores; apparently the scrawny kid was now behaving judging from the lack of angry complaints from the generous couple who were kind enough to adopt him.

For Harry though, everything had changed. He lived in a different world - a world where magic was real and normal, and where he was famous, and where a magic book laid atop his bed proving all this still wasn't a dream. He was part of that world earlier too, he just didn't know it. And because he didn't know it, it wasn't real for him.

Suddenly, he wasn't affected when he was called a freak. Suddenly, he wasn't afraid of Dudley, or even Uncle Vernon. He didn't have to be silent when he had to go to the bathroom, or when he was eating, or when his relatives were talking. He didn't even have to wake up early now, but he did it anyway – he liked a little morning air, especially going to the park where people allowed him to play with their dogs.

His school had their final exams on the way. He had tried to do his best in the last couple of weeks and tried to outdo Dudley every chance he got. His teachers were surprised when the untidy, disheveled and imprudent boy suddenly started asking questions, answering questions and laughing whenever his cousin couldn't answer a question or was reprimanded. They were even more surprised when his grades showed some improvements.

A laugh escaped Harry when he thought of what had happened. He had predicted that he would be called out on it, and when asked about it in the class, he explained as he had practiced multiple times, "My cousin is not very smart, you see. His doctor told us that he has confidence issues because of his weight."

Smiling sheepishly, he added, "To help him with it, Aunt Petunia asked me to bring down my grades, and keep silent in the class. She even forbade me to tell my teachers about it – I don't know why she did that," he finished looking at Dudley with fake pity.

He remembered Dudley's confused face clearly as he added, "A week ago, Aunt Petunia told me to stop doing that because Diddykins's doctor said that it could further hinder his mental growth."

Dudley had turned red on hearing "Diddykins". And it turned out he had gotten the gist of what was said because he shouted, "You freak! I am not stupid!" looking exactly that.

The next day, Aunt Petunia had spent a long time in the principal's office and was sweating when she came out. Harry got an earful that night, but even that was toned down.

Dudley, in order to get back at him, tried to flaunt his gifts in the presence of Harry whenever given the chance. Dudley didn't know it, but he was actually more jealous of him for completely different reasons. The git didn't even realize the actual gifts he had. The evenings where he sat alone in his cupboard, or a room now, while the rest of his family were all together – eating a nice meal, or watching a movie, or gushing at Dudley's sub-par scores in school, were the times he desperately wished to be in Dudley's position. He never had someone close to him, someone to talk to, someone who would want to know how his day went or cared for how or what he did. He sometimes interjected cheeky comments or retorts that they wouldn't appreciate precisely for that sense of belonging, to prove that he mattered.

He had to repeat his most frequently used CRUEL rule to get himself out of that recurring funk – feeling sorry for yourself doesn't help.

He had received another letter from Lyanna a few days later. It was… long. It brought a total shift in his thoughts. What he was doing was absurd. What he was thinking was absurd. The whole situation was absurd. The Dursley's didn't matter at all.

Hey Harry, how's it going? I felt really sorry for leaving you with no means of communication and with no one to consult to after being hit by what was probably the biggest bombshell of your life. I hope, though, the book I left with you is at least somewhat helpful. I know it can't answer most of the questions you had to be having. However, I promise, that stuff is a gold mine. It has some of the most unique insights and guidelines on magic that you can find. You will definitely get the hang of it by the time you hit your seventh year at Hogwarts. You are probably wondering why I am writing this letter. Well, I want to talk to you, but more importantly, I would like to advise you. You are Harry Potter and you don't know who Harry Potter is or how important he is. It would be a crime for you to rejoin our world without knowing some specific information. Information that you should have already known.

You are Harry Potter. Just the other day I was thinking about our fateful encounter like I have been for the past two weeks. I had met HARRY POTTER, and anyone other than you could imagine how surprised I was to actually meet you and realize how different you were from their imaginary dark lord defeater, savior of young girls and killer of rogue dragons. Yes, you read that right. There are several fantasy books and plays about you in Wizarding Britain. I tried to put myself in your shoes and imagined what was the most useful advice I could give you. I couldn't even pinpoint five things. You can't imagine how mindboggling the situation is. I have been living in the wizarding world my whole life, and let me tell you, I am part of the most knowledgeable bunch here, and I have trouble imagining how the situation would pan out. You can't just stroll into our world like some common muggleborn. That would be disastrous, and a terrible waste. You are probably scratching your head right now, and I can't fault you for it.

Well, where to begin? Let's start with what some would find the most contentious. I am from Slytherin, the most hated house at Hogwarts. The reason is hard to explain, and it is worth understanding as it explains a lot about our world. It is in part idiocy, part discriminatory, part vengefulness, part righteousness, part prejudice, and part prudence. To understand it properly you'd need to be much more mature than a young child can be expected to be. I can write a whole book explaining it but I will give you a brief overview as it is extremely critical in the wizarding world. It's something that no one is going to explain to you before you are plunged directly into the mix of biased opinions.

Among those who oppose us, there is an opinion that most slytherins hate muggleborns and want to prevent them from joining our world; that most are Voldemort sympathizers and joined his forces; that most care heavily about the blood and family of the witch or wizard; that most want to remove the restrictions on dark magic, and prohibitions on using magic in muggle presence. If that was all true, they have the right to hate us. But only some of it is true, and that too for only some of its people, and that too only up to a certain degree. And those opinions are not specific only to slytherins.

You have to understand, Harry, the wizarding world is an extremely divided place. Some people support the integration of muggleborns freely into our world without any restrictions, while some acknowledge the threat to our culture and safety if that were to be the case; some support the government control on magical research and its use for their own safety, while some believe it violates their basic rights and want liberal use of magic; some people support muggles and provision for the laws protecting them, while some think those laws are too extreme and believe muggles to be a dire threat to the wizarding world; some want to end the prevailing nepotism in the wizarding world, while some want to preserve the existing system. The list goes on, but you should by now get the gist of it. It's a war between emotion and reason, between change and preservation. There are two sides to a coin, and this hatred persists on both sides of the war. Disliking people not of the same opinion to us is the human story and our history. People endorsing this hate are creating divisions in the name of equality and freedom. They usually go about doing everything backward. Trying to do the wise thing without any wisdom, they end up tripping over themselves when things eventually fall apart, and then they blame everyone else for it.

It is in fashion now to vilify these beliefs commonly associated with slytherins. When Voldemort stood for the extreme versions of those beliefs, most of his followers were to be found in Slytherin. So, yes there is a sensible reason for people not of the same opinion to hate slytherins. They feel threatened. They don't understand that slytherins feel threatened too. Harry, if I can teach you one thing, it'd be that no one is completely wrong and no one is completely right. Again, I reiterate, not all slytherins ascribe to those opinions, and not everyone in other houses opposes those beliefs. We slytherins pride ourselves on our intelligence. We are pragmatic, we are clever and probably more ambitious than what is good for us. Part of that involves taking advantage of any opportunity we get, and because of the way this world works, it's sometimes at someone else's expense. And people hate that. I have tried to be as unbiased as I could be, and yes, I said I'd make it brief, but alas. You have to form your own opinions, Harry.

The same slytherin qualities tell me that there's a massive opportunity here. You have to understand how the world sees Harry Potter. You are the most famous wizard alive on the face of this planet. There are books written about you. You have been turned into a big fictional character fighting dragons, saving babies, and being a beacon for justice. Most of the wizards today adore you without knowing a thing about you, while some others probably hate you because they bought into the dark lord's ideals. Your image is an opposition to those ideals, and you still can't comprehend what those ideals are. I can tell how difficult this must be for you to grasp. This all must be so bizarre, so weird for you. I can imagine your brain turning to mush. But things only begin there. When you go into the wizarding world people will stare at you; they will stalk you; they will try to get on your good side, sometimes their motives will be benign, and the rest of the time they will try to take advantage of you.

Take this as a piece of heartfelt and sincere advice. You will have to question yourself why people are doing what they are doing. Are they looking at you because you are famous, or because you have a bugger on your face? Don't believe everything people tell you. Form your own opinions. Try to put yourself in their shoes and question why they are doing what they are doing. This probably has never come to your mind, but you must believe what I am saying is true. You might also think it is difficult and probably wrong to think and act that way. You are just 10-years-old (Yes, we know when your birthday is. Some even celebrate it), and few that age are pragmatic and mature enough to do so. However, I believe you have been living on your toes for quite a while, and you have been doing just that when you have to interact with those muggles. You will have to start thinking objectively, to not take anyone's word for anything, and again, form your own opinions.

You will act shadowing those opinions. Majority of the people don't understand or think about the consequences of their actions. Normally, it doesn't really matter, because it is just their own life that gets affected. But in your case, your actions will have far reaching consequences. People will pay attention to them. They will feel compelled to follow you. It can be a DISASTER for the wizarding world if you don't think about your actions or come under the influence of some power grabber trying to achieve his/her selfish goals. I will try to put some perspective on it. It will be extremely difficult for you to lead a normal life – you will be a huge celebrity at Hogwarts, you will often be a topic of conversation, and let me tell you, Hogwarts is a haven for rumor mongers. Half of the rumors in there will be about you, at least in your early years, and probably for all seven years depending on what you do. You are that famous. And then, when you enter the real world you will carry that image, that power, and that influence on your peers with you. All these things will depend on how you chose to act under the circumstances. And if you are thinking objectively, you can see what any proud slytherin can see – you are POWERFUL. How you act and behave will shape the thoughts, actions, and lives of many people. People will follow you, focus on you, and will even be obsessed with you. You have the potential to be one of the most important figures of the wizarding world capable of doing great things, shaping the future of the wizarding world for the betterment of its people, or you can be a pawn in someone else's grandiose scheme shedding more misery on the world. Just think about it.

To think and plan effectively, you've got to know what you are working with, where you are working, and how it works. I want you to read our history, to know how our world is run and who runs it, and grasp how effective or dysfunctional it is. I want you to understand the ideologies that govern the wizarding world. I want you to believe that you have the power to change it. But, to do that, you have to understand our world, you have to feel for our world, you have to have the ambition and the desire to do so. You don't know anything about the life in our world, you don't know anything about what people do to earn their living, you don't know what they do to have fun or enjoy doing. You don't understand what people desire in our world, or anything about the challenges faced by the wizarding population, you don't understand anything about the cruelty, the corruption, the discrimination rampant in our world, or the things that threaten it. In a way, you are probably in the best position to realize this because you have not been socially conditioned and integrated into our culture, and you don't have strong ties to the muggle world. You are free from the barriers that hinder the realization of the hidden agendas and maladies of our world. It would be a shame to let this opportunity to pass. You have the power to achieve what other people desire to achieve, but don't have the power to. You've been gifted that power. If you so desire, you can change the lives of many people for the better, you can create a lasting impact on the wizarding world. I know you are failing to grasp it fully, and I don't expect you to. I just want you to think about it.

I want you to relax. Let it sink in. Absorb it. Reread this letter until you think you understand what I am saying. You have a month and a half before joining Hogwarts. This is extremely important.

Now, did you ask yourself what my motivations are for telling you all of this? Question everything, Harry. Always.

Your well-wisher,

Lyanna

The summer holidays had just started and things were starting to get a lot boring. There was nothing to occupy his time with. He had a magic book and a most illuminating letter, but you can't just read the whole day, even though he did try it.

Today, Harry had offered to make breakfast to Aunt Petunia, who had suspiciously declined. Harry just shrugged and sat at the table, where his uncle sat reading today's newspaper complaining that all the celebrities were so skinny. Dudley was wearing a ridiculous disciplinary outfit of his new school, which required students to carry a stick for the purpose of beating each other, which they said was supposed to make students tougher and be prepared for future hardships. Dudley's parents had forced into his mind that he looked very handsome and all grown up. That was one of the funniest things Harry had heard in a while. He had proposed to Dudley that he should wear it all the time.

They heard the sound from the mailbox clicking and the flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind the paper.

"Make Harry get it."

"What do you say?" Harry whispered. "I should go to pick the letters. Really!" he said excitedly. Harry had no problem picking up the letters, but he didn't mind ruffling the Dursleys. "The invisible wizards say that I should go get them." Harry got up from his seat before Uncle Vernon stopped him.

"No! Dudley, you go get the letter… Come on! … Get up!"

When he still didn't move, Harry said, "I can get a witch to pick it up. She is watching over the house."

Uncle Vernon had to hit Dudley with the stick before he moved his butt. When he came back, he threw the letters at Vernon, before rushing to his room. Was that an actual tear?! This is the first time he had seen him really cry. I think there is some merit to Stonewall's method of beating students with their sticks.

As Harry ate his breakfast, he saw his uncle turning pale, suddenly holding a curled parchment. He looked at Petunia, who looked equally pale. The letter!

"Petunia, IT has come. What should we do Pet?"

"What do you mean you should do? Give it to me, or else I am calling the wizard police," Harry threatened, standing straight trying to look tall.

"Give it to the boy, Vernon. He already knows about his freakishness, and… look at the address! They are stalking us!" she exclaimed in a shrill voice.

Vernon groaned and resignedly handed the letter to Harry, who couldn't hide his excitement. His Hogwarts letter was here. Hurriedly, he straightened it up and started reading.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

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.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

There was a second piece of paper, which listed the things and the books that would be required. Harry was already somewhat familiar with some of these things, having read about them in the book given to him by Lyanna. But it was a supplementary book, not an introductory text, and had left Harry confused many a times. It'd be great to read these books. He had many head-scratching questions about magic and its use. He hoped the books would answer those questions.

Now, the pressing question. What do they mean by "they await my owl?" Where would he get a frigging owl?!

"I won't be paying any of my hard-earned money to make you learn any more of this fiendishness," Uncle Vernon muttered maliciously.

"There's no need really. My parents have already paid for me to learn magic. I will be gone on the 1st of September, and you'll only have to see me at the end of June," he tried to cheer them up.

And then added, "Aunt Petunia, do you remember how my mom sent her acceptance letter to Hogwarts? It says here that I should use an owl."

His aunt's lips curled in distaste. She replied, "I remember a teacher of your freak show! He came uninvited to our house. Started floating things around to show how different he was – how better he was."

Would a professor come here too? "Umm… do you know how I can send them an owl? I don't think a professor would come here."

They were looking at him indignantly now. " Call one of the freaks you talk to regularly."

He gave a reluctant nod. "I will. By the way, they can hear you."

They glanced at each other, and as one scurried to their bedroom.

Harry stared into the air with a heavy feeling in his gut. Ugh, was this a test? Was he supposed to send the letter by a normal post office? There was no stamp on it. He was taught the way to reach the ministry people in case of an emergency, but he needed a wand to call them.

It was 8 in the afternoon when he got up from his bed. He had decided to read the magic book again. He had thought there would be some clues.

His mind was spinning. There were so many different ways to send something from one place to another. There were several fragments of text that hinted at the possibilities of magic that he hadn't noticed in his earlier reads of the book - Magic Gilderoy Lockhart Didn't Learn at Hogwarts. Maybe because he wasn't actually looking for them then. He started noting them in a notebook.

Magic is the essence of our world, the defining agent. It is limitless, boundless and endless. Limitations abound only in the problems that we perceive in our mind. Magic accepts no problems and admits only our Imagination, which, like Magic, is limitless.

Harry recalled the amazing things that he had done previously that he couldn't explain. Turning a teacher's hair blue, shrinking a sweater, re-growing his hair, teleporting to the roof of his school. These memories had been circling his thoughts ever since he learned of magic. At the time, he wasn't aware of them, but he was sure that somehow, he had imagined them before they happened. He tried imagining an owl coming to pick a letter in many different ways - closing his eyes, joining his hands, thrusting his hands in the air. Nothing happened. Ugh!

Our Magic is shaped by our Will and Wisdom. Our Thought and Belief can combine into a power-surge that can literally move mountains. Let go of the thoughts that created the problem, and hear the Thoughts that know the answer. If you believe you can do it, you can do it. Our Wisdom is inherent – when you let go of the fear mongering and problem-creating self, you will be aware of your Wisdom.

Harry was confused. Wisdom? Knowing what is right, and what is not? That meant being smart, didn't it? Harry considered himself to be very smart. Of course, he only had the Dursleys as a measure so he could be wrong. He wrote his acceptance letter and willed it to appear at Hogwarts wherever they collected their letters. Then he willed desperately. Then he got on to his knees and willed. After an hour passed, the letter was still sitting firmly in front of him. What was the problem here? He read the note again. Thought and belief? How can he believe in something he hadn't done before? Thinking he can do it, and believing he can do it wasn't the same. Ugh!

Magic is integral to your life. You should be as intimate with Magic as you are with your Thoughts. Ask Magic to help you in trivial things. Ask it to help clean the room, ask it to help you dress, ask it to help clean your teeth, ask it to help when you are talking to someone. The more you ask for Magic, the more you can ask for Magic. Your unwillingness to make an effort has to be replaced by Willingness. No effort, however unsuccessful it seems, is ever wasted.

"Oh, Holy Magic, I ask you to deliver this letter for me… Magic! Listen to me asking for help." Harry was feeling very awkward. "Magic, please send me an owl… or send this letter to Hogwarts." Harry hesitated; he had no belief in what he was asking. Doing magic was difficult! Unwillingness should be replaced by willingness. He tried again with a false conviction. He tried again. No effort is ever wasted. At least, he was not wasting his time, according to the author. Harry seriously hoped this author wasn't a fraud like many muggle authors out there. He realized that he also had to believe in this author when he says that magic works based upon our belief in it. Ugh!

We use wands only because we have not found any alternatives to it. We have become so accustomed to using our wands to bend Magic to our Will, that it has bound our Will to it. That is the reason that children, whose Will runs free, are so prone to doing Wandless Magic. To learn something new, you have to forget your old false learnings. Wandless Magic is difficult because we think it is difficult.

It all came down to his willpower. It is difficult because we think it is difficult? This author really used a lot of mumbo-jumbos. At least the author was saying that a wand wasn't compulsory for this. Harry tried again. This. Wasn't. Working!

The more you learn to control Magic, the more you can learn to control Magic. The only barriers to it are the control we have on the tools – our wands, the incantations, wand movements, Emotion, Imagination, Will, and Belief - using which we connect to Magic and control it. The wands the caster uses have limits on the amount of Magic that they can control, and have predilections to certain types of Magic. The incantations and wand movements help the caster to signify the Magic they want to use and align their Belief with it. But these incantations and wand movements have limits in their ability to represent the form of Magic. Your ability to control your Emotion, Imagination, Will, and Belief is limitless. These are the four pillars, on which improvements should be strived for in order to connect more to your Magic. There are potions, physical exercises, rituals, and techniques to help you achieve that. But, perhaps the most beneficial technique that I can recommend is meditation, which aids on all four levels.

He tried and tried and tried and tried all evening. He tried summoning an owl; he tried sending the letter on its own; he tried to transfigure an owl from a nearby book, even though he hadn't even seen a transfiguration yet. The more he failed the more frustrated he got. When he got frustrated, he realized that this would further prevent him from succeeding. Then he tried to control his frustration and got even more frustrated when he couldn't. He tried meditating, but it wasn't having any noticeable effect. Still, he tried.

'A dog has got to bark, a lion has got to roar, and a man has got to wonder why? why? why?

The dog goes to sleep, the lion goes to eat, and the man says he understands'

But you do not understand. No one understands. Don't let your tiny brain put limits to your understanding of magic. Believe that you do not understand, and let Magic define everything through you, and your ability to control Magic will increase manifolds.

It was 1 AM when he finally stopped and collapsed onto his bed, exhausted, wishing for an owl to appear. His dreams were filled with him sending letters using a spotted golden owl to everyone he knew – his school teachers, the Prime Minister of England, the Queen, even to Mrs. Figg.

It was early in the morning the next day when he woke up. His body was protesting waking up this early, but his thoughts came alive by the sound of someone tapping on his window. Someone is tapping on my window! He immediately jumped into a sitting position, and saw a beautiful, golden owl, with black dots on its wings. He laughed euphorically. The owl continued rapping against the window. Harry whooped and rushed to open the window. It looked at him expectantly. Harry looked at it expectantly. Moments passed.

"Umm, can you deliver a letter for me to Hogwarts?"

The black pupils looked at him unblinkingly. Hoot. Hoot. As if he had offended it.

"Have you been to Hogwarts before?"

Hoot. Harry somehow knew that the owl was saying no.

"Will you be able to carry the letter there without a proper address?"

Hoot. This one was forceful, and then, averting its eyes, it looked around the room. It rushed to the table where Harry had written his letter last night, picked it, and flew away with another hoot to Harry.

Harry blinked. He wasn't expecting this, but he wasn't sure what he was expecting. Happiness was bubbling inside Harry, and his stomach even growled. Oh, I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday. Executing a jig, he went to the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

Minerva McGonagall was sitting in a vast room jam-packed with trinkets and objects of all kinds, color, and sizes. There was a phoenix perched atop a golden stand. The headmaster was sitting behind a clean black desk on a well-cushioned seat. There was a letter positioned on the top of the table.

Hello Professor McGonagall,

I have received my Hogwarts acceptance letter and I am interested in attending this school.

I became aware of the magical world and magic just recently, and do not know where to buy the equipment and the books required for the school. It would be extremely helpful if you could send a Hogwarts representative to aid me in buying these things.

Another important thing that I should mention is that my relatives, with whom I am staying, are hesitant to pay for any magical equipment or any fee that Hogwarts charges. I was told my parents, before their death, had collected a small fortune, and that the Potter family was wealthy. I am not sure how to access my inheritance. I would be very grateful if you could also help me with this.

Thank you,

Harry Potter

P.S. You should add another option for students to send a reply. Some students don't have an owl to send a letter. If you already have another option, you should explain it in the letter.

"I told you, Albus. They are the worst sort of muggles you can find. They have money, I gather. Why would they refuse to pay for their nephew's education?" Minerva shook her head, seething. She felt uneasy about what else these muggles had done to Harry.

"Yes, Minerva. You were right then, and are right now," Albus smiled. "I had hoped that raising a wizard would help them as much as it would help Harry. But it seems I was asking too much of them. Regrettably, there is nothing we can do now. From what I hear, however, things are not as unwelcoming as they could have been. Harry has grown up to be a fine young man."

"Has he, Albus? Have you seen him recently?"

Albus shook his head. "Arabella has been keeping an eye on him for me. She was always full of praise for him. But she did say that he didn't like any of her cats," Albus laughed.

"Stop laughing Albus. This is no laughing matter. Who in their right mind can't like a cat? Oh, I am sure he hasn't met the right cat yet. I will be taking him to Diagon Alley tomorrow. I think I may even buy one for him."

She was glad to hear that he was doing well. She had always liked Arabella. Much like other squibs, she had a nice head on her shoulders. "And what's this about him not knowing about the magical world? Those nasty muggles didn't tell him about who he was!" her nose flared. "Who told him about it then?"

"Ah, Harry had quite an adventure last month," his eyes twinkled. "The ministry had to send some wizards to handle a bout of accidental magic."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. "That must have been quite the experience for him."

"I heard that he handled it quite well. He was also full of questions about our world. Try to explain them to him as best as you can, will you?" Albus asked her expectantly. Seeing her nod, he added with a twinkle in his eyes, "How do you think he sent the letter?"

Minerva blinked, feeling bewildered. "I don't know. The letter was sitting on my desk when I came back after breakfast. Surely an owl dropped it off. How would he get an owl, though?"

Albus started laughing.

"Why are you laughing, Albus? It's not funny."

"Oh, I think it's quite hilarious."

Suddenly, an image of James Potter and his group causing mayhem came into her mind. An ominous feeling began to rise in her.

Harry was wandering wondering. After having his breakfast, he had decided to steer clear of Aunt Petunia that day. There were more important things on his mind as he went out for a stroll through the park. Like that owl, magic, Hogwarts, magic, Gilderoy Lockhart, magic, being famous, magic, his baggy clothes, magic, the letter, magic, the children playing in the park, magic, the dog wagging its tail, magic, why was Sunday named Sunday, and of course, magic.

He was sitting on a bench looking at the entrancing if formalized beauty of the park. A slight breeze was rustling the leaves of the trees making them fall to the solid ground one by one, and beams of sunlight were glowing on his skin. Children were playing on the swings, or just running around. Their parents were talking among themselves. Some families were sitting under a tree, having a picnic in the park. Harry smiled at the blissful atmosphere, in contrast to the negative energy reigning at his house at such moments.

He wondered if it would be like this at Hogwarts. He'd be living with children like him away from Dudley and his friends stopping him from making any friend or having any fun. He recalled the letter from Lyanna. Well, they won't be like him, will they? He would be famous there. What luck he had. He just wanted to be normal, learning magic, making friends, and growing up to make a name for himself. He didn't want his name to be already known. He didn't know how to be famous. He didn't want to live as though he was a detective. He imagined it would be like being the prince attending a school. He shuddered. On the one hand, everyone would pay attention to him, and on the other hand, everyone would pay attention to him. Well, he'd just have to live with that, making sure he acted like someone worth paying attention to. It would be infinitely better than living here.

Speaking of that, he wasn't sure if that owl had delivered his letter. His gut was telling him that it did, and usually, he trusted his gut feeling. How did it come this morning anyway? Was it all his attempts at magic that caused it to fly in this morning, or did someone from Hogwarts sent it, realizing that he would have no way to send a reply? If it was the former, this was the first time he had consciously performed magic, and Hogwarts was very negligent for a magic school. His gut was telling him that owl appeared because of him. He sighed. And he didn't know how he had done that. Why couldn't things ever be simple?

A/N - Things would never be simple for Harry. That would be boring.