It was nearing the end of July, one day, when Calvin and Hobbes had gone to the local park to play Calvin Ball.
"Snapshot!" Calvin hollered as he whacked the Calvin Ball against a tree.
"Backwash!" Hobbes responded after snagging a flag from under a bush.
"That was a fowl!" Calvin snapped angrily.
"You know there are no fowls in Calvin Ball." Answered Hobbes
"Says who?"
"Said you. Remember?"
"Oh – yeah. Well, it was still – hey, what's that?"
"Oh, I'm not falling for that – again." Said Hobbes.
"No really, look." Calvin pointed behind Hobbes, where a tawny owl was fluttering away. Just before clearing over the trees, something dropped from its beak. The item it dropped twirled and spun through the breeze before landing just in front of Hobbes's feet.
"Looks like some kind of letter, or something." He said, picking it up.
"Really?" Calvin asked "Who's it for?"
Hobbes examined the letter front closely. "It's for you." He handed it to his friend.
"For me?" Calvin asked as he took it. On the envelope was printed a crest of some sort with a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake gathered around it. On the other side of this envelope was Calvin's name and his exact address written in glittering, green ink. Curiosity overpowered any caution Calvin received from this strange discovery. He therefore, decided to open it.
"Dear Mr. Mitchell," He read "We are pleased to inform you that you have been excepted to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry –"
"Witchcraft and wizardry!" Hobbes asked, not even trying to mask the doubt that lined his voice. Calvin examined the letter more closely.
"Uh, yeah. Witchcraft and wizardry." He said
"Now, don't tell me your actually going to buy into this." Hobbes said "There's no such thing as magic or other mumbo jumbo like that."
"This coming from a talking tiger." Responded Calvin
"… I don't get the connection." Hobbes stroked his chin.
"please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment." Calvin continued reading "Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress." Calvin re-folded the letter. His hands, with the parchment in them, slowly drooped down. "Cool!" He said.
"So that's how it all began?" Susie asked in the large, comfy chair that Calvin had produced "With a simple letter?"
"Yeah." Calvin answered.
"Simple as that." Hobbes yawned, as he stretched in the couch.
"And Hobbes," She went on "you didn't believe it was real?"
"I have been chastised." He grinned. Susie sat for a moment
"So, how did your parents take it?"
"Ah, they thought someone was trying to play some kind of practical joke. Yeah know, typical muggle reaction." Susie paused for a moment.
"… Muggle… is that a word I should know?"
"It means someone who doesn't have magic." Hobbes explained.
"Ah." She said. "So, your parents didn't believe that there was a wizarding school? Then, how exactly, did you get to go?"
"Well, that very evening…"
The doorbell rang through the quiet evening at the Mitchell residence. Mr. Mitchell opened the door to see a woman clad in a green gown. Underneath the big, pointed hat she wore, was paling, red-ish hair rolled into a tight bun.
"Good evening, Mr. Mitchell." She said quite pleasantly, as if she was someone he had known all his life. "Is young, Calvin at home?"
"Uh,… who are you?" He asked uncertainly
"My name is Minerva McGonagall." She introduced herself
"Minerva McGonagall?" Calvin asked from the hallway "Y – you… you're the one that sent me that letter, right?"
"Yes." She said "May I come in?"
"Sure." Calvin said excitedly
"I, uh… you – your…" Calvin's dad stuttered as the strange woman crossed his threshold.
Minerva McGonagall entered the family room where Calvin's mom was busying herself with one of her projects. At a prompt from Calvin, the professor settled herself into one of their chairs.
"Now," She began "I trust you've gotten your letter?"
"Yeah, I did." Calvin answered "So, is this really a school for wizards?" He asked
"Who is she?" Calvin's mom asked gesturing to the green clad woman.
"Apparently, she's a 'witch'." Calvin's dad made quotation movements with his fingers as he sat down next to his wife.
"Yes Mr. Mitchell, it is a school for those who posses the skills of magic." McGonagall answered Calvin's question "That is why you have been selected to attend." Calvin sat quietly, unsure of how to phrase his next question.
"Are you sure I could really be a wizard?" He said at last. "I mean, I've never, I didn't – I don't… feel very… magical."
"And what of your striped friend, here?" McGonagall asked without hesitation.
"Hobbes? What about him?" Calvin asked.
"Am I correct in assuming that you are able to see him sitting uprightly beside you? As a living creature?"
"Well, yeah." Calvin said. Realization slowly dawned on him. "Wait, you mean you can see him like that too?"
"Yes Mr. Mitchell," She stated simply "anyone who possesses magic can see creatures like him. And that is proof enough that you have what is necessary to learn magic."
"Cool!" Calvin cheered "Sign me up! I –"
"Now wait one minute!" Calvin's dad rose from his seat, pointing an accusing finger at the professor. "Look lady, I don't buy all this 'magic' and 'witch' stuff for one minute. Oh sure, you can say that you are a witch, and that you can do all this magic, but I'm on to you. You're a fraud! This is all some kind of trick! Granted, it's a well thought out trick, but I will not allow my son to be caught up in this prank of – this,… this, this... prank of…"
Right before their eyes, Minerva McGonagall had transformed into a cat, and was now looking up at Calvin's dad with great, green eyes.
"Dear," Calvin's mom said "I, I think you should sit down." Calvin's dad was still pointing his finger at the cat – Albeit limply – but his accusation had turned into dry throated, gasping breaths.
"Wow." Calvin said "Will I learn to do that?"
"This is advanced magic." McGonagall stated as she changed into a human again "But you will be able to learn this in time. If you wish to."
"How is this even possible?" Calvin's mom asked "Calvin being a wizard, I mean, neither up us have magic. No one in our family does. So just how could he be?"
"It is possible for witches and wizards to appear in the families of muggles –"
"What did you call us!" Calvin's dad found his voice again.
"Relax Mr. Mitchell," McGonagall said calmly "'muggle' simply means non-magical people." Mr. Mitchell sat down again.
"Now then," McGonagall turned her attention back to Calvin "If you are certain you want to attend, I will send an owl to back to Hogwarts at once."
"Of course!" Calvin jumped out of his chair excitedly. "Of course I want to attend!"
"Very well," McGonagall rose from her seat "now, all that is left is the matter of your school supplies." She turned her attention to Calvin's parents "Would the two of you bring Calvin to London tomorrow?"
"Uh,… Sure – I guess." Calvin's mom got out. "Can you actually get magic supplies in London?"
"Here," McGonagall handed her a piece of parchment. She unfolded it to find a sort of map. "Bring him to The Leaky Cauldron." She indicated a spot on the map marked in red. "Someone will be there to help Calvin with his supplies. And now, good night." And with that, she simply walked out the door, and vanished from everyone's sight.
