31st of July, 1991

My name is August Myrddin Wyllt. I am 11 years old. I was born in a small village named Dale of Pembrokeshire in Wales. I was given this journal as an early birthday present so that I could write down things that happen in my life. I live with my mum in a small cottage outside of the village. My dad died a year after I was born from Dragon Pox so I never really knew him, but my mum told me all sorts of things about him, like how he was a great Quidditch player, and a really good cook. He also loved playing a muggle game called Dungeons and Dragons, he played it with his friends growing up along with my mum where they played as knights and wizards fighting dragons and going on adventures. It was made by an American squib named Gary Gygax and it became very popular in the wizarding world when using real magic and real dragons. My mum taught me how to play and I often play with my best friend Ben. My mum also got me the collection of the 2nd Edition D&D books that just came out a few years ago as an early birthday present as well. I got the Players book, Dungeon Master guide, and monster book! The artwork is so amazing!

My mum also said that I should write down all the things I experience and learn once I leave for school. After all these years of waiting, I still couldn't believe it when my acceptance letter came. I've known I was a wizard since I was five years old, ever since I accidentaly lit the cat's tail on fire. He hated me after that and hisses at me whenever he sees me. My dad found him hiding under our home when they first moved here and named him Patch. My mum told me that he kept meowing while I was being born so I don't think he even liked me before. He's a black persian and he scares me alot when I wake up to him staring at me at night. But now that I'm going to Hogwarts, I won't have to deal with him. He wouldn't work as a school pet anyway. He'll probably be happy he'll get my room all to himself and get to rip up my sheets.

Last week we went to London for the first time in my life. It was amazing. It was so big and there was so many people! I almost got lost a few times because I kept wandering off, and my mum was cross about that, but I couldn't help it. After seeing all the muggle buildings, she took me to Diagon Alley where we bought my school supplies. She let me buy an owl, which I was excited about. I chose a great grey owl and named her Fen, after my favorite flower my mum showed me growing up. She said that she used to pick them as a girl but they started to die off and are now very rare because of the muggle world. I've read you can find them still in places like Asia, but I'd still like to find ones like she did. After getting Fen and all of my books, we went to get my wand. The man there was named Olivander and at first he seemed strange, but then when he started talking about wands and how they worked, I couldn't stop listening. After a few failed attempts, one of them breaking one of the shop's windows, a wand finally chose me. It was a 9 ¾ Yew wand with a Phoenix feather core. He was hesitant to give it to me at first, but after he saw me use this wand he stared at me for the longest time and I didn't know what to do. Then he whispered to me saying that this wand had been with him for a long time and had been waiting for the right person. I asked him where the wand had came from and all he said was 'from a very old tree that is in a deep slumber until it wakes again'. I didn't know what he meant by that but I didn't feel like prying. I was just happy to get my wand.

I've spent the last few days getting ready, but when tomorrow comes, I really don't know what I'm going to do. Mum keeps telling me that this will be the best experience I'll ever have in my life and I'll become a great wizard and make tons of friends. That all sounds great, but I honestly like being here in Dale. My best friend Ben is who I grew up with and my only friend in the world. He's great. He lives a bit away from me just across the meadow and we would always go out chasing the chickens together and climbing the tallest trees in the fields around our houses. He's a muggle, but he found out I was a wizard when we were eight. He fell into a pond and broke his leg and my magic ended up draining the entire thing. I was really scared that he would be frightened of me, but he was absolutely thrilled and thought I was wicked. He promised to keep my secret and we haven't told a soul since, not even my mum. But leaving for Hogwarts means I won't be able to go to school with him anymore and we won't get to do fun things everyday together anymore. I'll get to see him in the summer, but I'm scared he'll end up making new friends and will forget about me. My mum says that since he's my friend, he'll understand, but he hasn't really spoken to me since I told him I was leaving, so I guess she was wrong.

I have no idea what will happen. What house will I be put into? What classes will I have? What friends will I make? It's all really terrifying. I almost think I should just make a run for it tomorrow so I don't have to go, but I don't want to upset my mum. She's told me that I don't have to go if I really don't want to, but everytime she brings it up, my grandad fights with her about it saying stuff like 'I need to realize my true potential' and other things like that. He's a really cranky and cross old man who lives an hour from us and who comes down to see us every now and then. He was my dad's father and he's always mean to my mum. I think after dad died he tried to move us back to his home in Carmarthen and my mum wouldn't listen so he just yells at her for no reason. Maybe he just misses dad and wants to have family back, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere near him if he treats my mum like that.

But, I still do want to learn magic in the castle that I've only seen in books and photos. It's where both my parents learned, and I want to make both of them proud. So I guess I'll go and hopefully it will be fun and exciting. I'll go to sleep now and write about my experience after my first day. Only one more night and I won't have to see Patch's creepy eyes for a long time!