Chapter 4- Magic is real
"Hold on hold on", said Edward Granger, I'm not just about to let some random woman enter my house, and especially not to talk to my daughter. How do I know you're not just some child trafficker?"
Professor McGonagall pulled out what looked like a painted wooden stick and pointed it at the coat rack next to the door.
"Accio coat" she said. The coat, to the shock and disbelief of everyone bar Professor McGonagall, flew straight into her hand.
"How did you do that?" said Helen Granger
"Magic" said Professor McGonagall, "now, as I said, if you will just let me inside I will explain what the purpose of my visit is"
Reluctantly, and to Hermione's great excitement, her father moved away from McGonagall and invited her into the living room, where she sat down at the table and politely declined their offer of refreshments.
"So magic is seriously real?" said Hermione.
"Yes, as I've just shown you" said McGonagall. "I believe just prior to my arrival you would have received a letter from me?"
"Yes" said her mother
"Indeed, and it was offering Hermione here a place at my school, for which I am one of the professors and also the deputy headmistress"
"So Hermione has magical powers?", asked her father
"Yes" replied McGonagall.
"How is that possible, if we don't have any ourselves?
"Hermione is known as a muggle-born in the wizarding community" said McGonagall, "which means a witch or wizard born to non- magical parents. I'm not an expert on this type of thing, and it's not known why it happens, but the fact is it does, and Hermione here is one of many such examples. It can work the opposite way around too, where a witch gives birth to a non-magical person, and they are known as Squibs"
Hermione smiled and said "I told you that letter wasn't a hoax, I had a feeling this could finally explain all those strange events"
"I guess it does then" said her Mother. "So what does it mean in the letter, that they await our owl?"
"It means that you are to send a return letter to Hogwarts confirming your place, and doing it buy owl post, which is our means of communication. But since you obviously will not have an owl, I will inform the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore personally of your intention to send Hermione to Hogwarts, if that is what you choose"
Her mother chewed her lip, then turned to Hermione. "Is this really what you want?"
"Yes, definitely!" replied Hermione enthusiastically, "it sounds so fascinating"
"Very well then" said her father "We will allow Hermione to attend Hogwarts"
"That's great to hear" said McGonagall, "it is what's best for her, after all. I will show you to Diagon Alley, where Hermione will need to buy all of the equipment she will need for classes. Hogwarts is quite some distance from London though, so I will also provide you with a ticket for the Hogwarts Express, which will leave Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station at 11am on September 1st. I understand you may not have heard of such an oddly named platform, so it will also contain instructions on how to access it. Is that understood?"
They all nodded.
"Right", said Professor McGonagall. "Am I able to show you to Diagon Alley now then?"
Helen chewed her lip, then said "yes, I guess so, we are free today"
"Good" said Professor McGonagall "fortunately Diagon Alley is not too far from here, it is within London, but in order to not arouse suspicion we will have to travel your normal way, which would be via the London Underground I believe. The nearest station is Leicester Square, I do know that"
They all stood up, and Hermione felt something she'd never felt before. It still hadn't properly sunk in yet. Magic was real, and she could do it. She was going to a special school to learn more of it. It was amazing and sounded too good to be true, yet it was. Feeling better than she ever had in her life, she walked out of the flat after Professor McGonagall, with her parents right behind…