Chapter 3
"Adler! Wake up son, we are going to your grandmother's house for the party!" Leonard shouted up the stairs. Adler opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Today was his eleventh birthday party, and tomorrow he would be turning eleven. The day he gets his letter from Hogwarts. He sat up and looked across his room to see the medium size cage sitting on his desk. The door was open. "Where have you gone off to now, Apple?" He trotted over to the cage and peered inside. "Bloody ferret, always getting loose." Adler opened his bedroom door and ran downstairs. Leonard was eating eggs at the kitchen table when Adler ran into the kitchen. "Have you seen Apple? He got loose again." Leonard took a bite and chewed before answering, "Haven't I told you to put a lock on that cage? Otherwise I'll be sending you to school with Venus." Adler sat down across from him. "All I'm saying is you need to keep him in his cage overnight." Leonard took another bite of his breakfast. A plate of eggs appeared in front of Adler suddenly. "I'm not hungry Wilma, you can take it back." The plate disappeared again and Adler stood up. "I'll go find him." "We're leaving in an hour to go to your grandmother's. Wear the scarf my sister made you please." Adler rolled his eyes and ran upstairs to his room.
Last year, for Adler's tenth birthday, his father had held the party at their house in Godrics Hollow. His father's side of the family had all come to celebrate. As expected, everyone brought gifts for Adler. "We're so excited our little Addy is turning ten! That's another year closer to going to Hogwarts!" Grandmother Summers said as she kissed Adler on his cheek. Adler laughed nervously as the rest of the family poured into the house. After his mother died, Adler's father talked about nothing but Hogwarts and how he was excited that Adler would be sorted into Gryffindor. When they moved to Godrics Hollow, Leonard showed Adler famous witches and wizards that came from Gryffindor, even the statue of James and Lilly Potter with baby Harry. "These are who I want you to look up to son, I know your mother would have said otherwise. But this is who we are. Us Summers men are true Gryffindors through and through, nothing will change that." He said as he pat Adler on the back and walked back towards their home.
"Adler! Time for cake son!" Leonard yelled from the kitchen. The whole Summers clan was gathered around the table, Adler noticed all of them had been wearing at least one thing Gryffindor related. Grandmother Summers was wearing a ring with a red gemstone and two lions holding it up. Aunt Betsy was wearing a Gryffindor sweater and Uncle Gerard had a lion patch on his coat jacket. When he went to blow out his candles, he saw that the cake read, Our little Lion is another year closer to his den Happy 10th Adler! "Go on son, make a wish and blow out the candles!" Leonard said cheerfully. Adler closed his eyes and held his breath. Everyone sat in silence as they waited with ginormous smiles on their faces. When Adler blew his candles out, they all pointed their wands to the ceiling and red and gold confetti exploded from them. Adler smiled anxiously as his father began cutting the cake. "Birthday boy gets first dibs on cake!" Leonard handed Adler his plate and winked at him. Adler took the plate and began eating. He didn't want any of them to know how he truly felt about being sorted, about how he didn't want to disappoint anyone. Especially his own father, whom had told him everything about being a Gryffindor and Adler felt that he didn't fit in with the Gryffindor status. He didn't know where he fit in.
Adler found the scarf his aunt made him last year and wrapped it around his neck. From the corner of his room he heard a scratching noise. He snuck over to the corner and found his pet ferret, Apple, stuck in a cardboard tube. "C'mere you." Adler reached out and picked up the ferret and tube. "S'whachu get for sneaking out at night again." He pulled the tube over the ferrets head and stuck the tube in the cage and put the ferret on his shoulder. "Time to go to Grams. If I have to wear this," Adler pointed to the scarf, "you have to wear that." And pulled a small Gryffindor sweater out from his desk drawer. Apple jumped off his shoulder and ran under the bed. "It's not that bad! You only wear this thing once a year, I'll take it off of you when we get home." The small head popped out from under the bed and its little beady eyes stared into Adler's. "I'll give you extra treats." Apple rolled over onto his back, signaling a truce. Adler picked him up and pulled the sweater over his head. "Look, not that bad." Apple climbed up onto Adler's shoulder and laid across the back of his neck. Adler laughed and ran back downstairs. Leonard was waiting by the fireplace holding a small container full of powder. "It's either Floo Network or Apparation, your birthday, you decide." He smiled as Adler entered the room. "I've never gone by apparation before!" Adler said excitedly. Leonard put the container of floo powder back on the mantle and held out his right arm. "It's not every day a young boy becomes a wizard!" Adler smiled and took his father's arm in his. Before Adler knew what was happening, he felt his feet leave the ground as his body went through what felt like a small black funnel. When his feet hit the ground, he looked around and saw that he was in his grandmother's backyard. A large red and gold banner was strung across the edge of her house that read, "Happy 11th Birthday Adler! Our Cub Has Become A Lion!" Adler felt his face go red and his legs began to tremble. Leonard felt his son begin to shiver, "You alright Ad?" Adler took a breath and gave a small smirk to his father, "Never better." He let go of Leonard's arm and went to sit down at a small picnic table. Leonard went over to go help the rest of the Adults get ready for the party. Again with the Gryffindor things, Adler thought, Of course I want to be in the same house as my father and his father before him, but what if I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor. I'm not daring or anything. I mean, I can fake it, but I'd rather be home reading then doing something daring and brave. "Addy! Come in here!" his grandmother yelled from inside the house interrupting his thoughts. Adler stood up and walked through the open door and into the kitchen. "Yes, Grams?" She hugged him and handed him an envelope. " 'Appy Birthday! It's your letter!" She squealed with excitement. Adler looked at the envelope in his hands. The yellow envelope felt heavy in his hands, this is it, he thought, this is my acceptance letter! He turned it over and saw that the front of the yellowish envelope had red writing on it addressed to him at this exact location.
Mr. A. Summers
Grandmother's Kitchen
Godrics Hollow
England
Adler looked around the room and saw his family smiling all around him. "What are you waiting for?" Aunt Betsy questioned, "Open it!" Adler's hands shook as he nervously opened the envelope. The letter read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
Dear Mr. Summers,
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 September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonnagall,
Headmistress.
Adler stared at the letter in disbelief. He did it, he finally got into Hogwarts. Of course he already knew he would, he had shown signs of magic since he was three. There was no denying he wasn't a wizard. The feeling of actually having a real letter from Hogwarts in his hands just helped the fact that he was on his way to learning how to use his magic and the knowledge of how his magic worked excited him.
"Looks like we'll be sending Venus to Hogwarts when we get back home!" Leonard said, breaking Adler out of his daze. Adler skimmed through the second page of the letter that just held all of the materials he needed for his first year. "I wish mum was here to see this." Adler said with a small smile on his face as a tear rolled down his cheek. Grandmother Summers came up to Adler and embraced him. "Oh honey, she knew from the very day you were born that you are a very special wizard who will do wonderful things at that school." Adler snuffled and dried his eyes on his sleeve. "Thanks Gram. Thank you everyone for being here, this birthday is the best one ever!"
"The wonderful Leaky Cauldron!" Leonard said as they stood in front of the small, grubby looking pub. "I've been here before dad. I know." Leonard acted like Adler didn't say anything. "Let's go in and see if we can find Diagon Alley!" Adler rolled his eyes as his father opened the door. Inside was ark and shabby with a woman cleaning some glasses behind the bar. Leonard stopped and talked to a few people that Adler didn't really care to get to know. "Time for Adler to get his things for Hogwarts. He'll be sorted to Gryffindor for sure, all Summers men are!" Adler heard his father say a few times. Adler just smiled and nodded. They worked their way to the walled courtyard outside of the pub. Leonard pulled out his wand and tapped on a brick three times. The wall opened up to reveal Diagon Alley. "Right, now let's go grab your things." They went to many of the shops and gathered many of the items on Adler's list. They headed towards Ollivanders Wand shop and walked inside. The shop was eerily quiet and dusty. "Hello?" Leonard said. They listened for a minute in complete silence. "Maybe he's not in right now, let's go get your robes and then we can come back." Leonard began to lead Adler out of the shop when Adler heard a noise. "Good morning." They both stopped and turned. Standing behind the counter was an old man smiling at them. "Good morning, Mr. Ollivander. How are you today?" Leonard said as he closed the door and walked back inside. "Waited for this day a while, just like the day Harry Potter came into my shop. I went through many wands before his wand chose him. Holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Brother to the wand of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Adler and Leonard stared at Mr. Ollivander. "Ah yes, but enough of my rambling. Let's get you a wand my boy." Mr. Ollivander pulled out a tape measure with silver markings from his pocket. "Which is your wand arm my boy?" Adler held up his left arm. "Ah yes, quite like your mother. You don't find many left handed wizards or witches." Adler held out his arm as Mr. Ollivander measured him. Mr. Ollivander was talking, but Adler wasn't paying attention, the tape measure was measuring between his eye brows. He realized that Mr. Ollivander had placed a wand in front of him. "That's enough thank you." He said as the tape measure fell to the floor. "Try this wand." Adler held it in his arm. "Applewood, Dragon Heartstring, twelve inches. Give it a wave." Adler gripped it and waved. "No, no, no. Give it back, not that one." Mr. Ollivander put the wand back in its box and took a couple minutes to find another wand. He slowly he handed it to Adler, "Try this one." As soon as the wand touched Adlers fingers, the wand felt warm in his hand. He waved it around and blue and bronze sparks shot from the end of the wand like fireworks. "Amazing." Mr. Ollivander stated. "Almost identical to your mothers. Yours, however has the core like your fathers." Adler looked at the hard wand in his hand. "Cypress Wood, Unicorn hair, ten and three quarter in length." Mr. Ollivander told him as Leonard paid seven galleons for the wand. "Take care of this wand young Adler, for you shall find that the more you use it, the more the wand will trust you." He whispered into Adler's ear as they left the shop.
Walking towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Leonard stopped and stood still. "What's wrong dad?" Adler noticed that his father was focusing his eyes on the door of Madam Malkin's so Adler stopped and looked as well. He watched as three blonde headed figures walked out of the shop. The child looked to be Adler's age, which meant that they were possibly shopping for Hogwarts robes. However, when they came near someone, that person would dart out of their way and stare at them as they walked past. "Who are they father?" Adler asked. It took a minute for Leonard to register that Adler had said something. "Malfoy, distant cousin of Lucius." Adler turned towards his father, "The one in Azkaban?" Leonard shushed him but nodded. "Yes. Now, no more talking of it. Let's go get your robes."