Harry's hand shook as he picked up the letter and stared at it, his heart twanging like an elastic band. No one in his whole life had written to him. Who would? He didn't have any friends or family except the Dursleys…. he didn't belong to any library, but here it was, a letter, addressed so plain there would be no mistake:
Mr. Harry R. Black
The Smallest Bedroom,
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.
"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.
Harry headed back to the kitchen, tossing his letter into a cupboard and closing the door. Vernon would never let him see it if he knew, he thought, heart pounding with excitement. Harry's fat old uncle went out of his way to make Harry miserable, punishing him for things that he couldn't possibly have done, making him live in a small cupboard, keeping food from him… If you could think of something to make another person unhappy, Vernon did it to Harry. He even allowed Dudley to hit Harry, as long as he didn't do it in public. The Dursleys were, after all, obsessed with public appearances.
Harry dropped the other letters and went back to his seat. Dudley had a big chair with armrests and an incredibly soft plush cushion, and was eating fresh pancakes with syrup. Harry had a small stool, which had no top, having long ago lost the wooden seat. He arranged himself as best he could on the four wooden legs, and spooned up some oatmeal from the small bowl in front of him.
A few minutes later, Harry had finished his pitiful meal. He waited, trying to be patient, as Vernon continued to read through the letters, and finally interrupted him. "Sir, may I be excused?"
Harry slipped away, only barely holding back from running to his letter. After carefully shutting the door to his cupboard and turning on the tiny lamp he had stolen from Dudley, he tore open the letter and pulled out what was in it. On thick, heavy paper; no, it was more like parchment, he read:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr Black,
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, as well as a ticket for the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross Station. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
Harry read it again, finding it hard to believe. A school of magic? He was going to a school of magic? It had to be a prank of some sort, a joke. Another trick by his 'family', trying to make him despair. There was no reason to think that it was real.
And yet… something within Harry seemed to perk up, thinking 'yes, this is true'. He felt an odd surge of joy when he considered going to this Hogwarts, and the name of Dumbledore seemed somewhat familiar… Harry absentmindedly slipped out the other sheet of parchment in the letter, the list of things he'd need to get. He hoped that the school had some sort of loan system that he could use, though, as he didn't have any sort of money to buy things with.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. Three sets of underclothes
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide)
4. One winter cloak (black)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Course books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1), by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshot
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration, by Emetic Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions, by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, by Quentin Trimble
Other equipment
Wand
Cauldron set (pewter, standard size)
Glass or crystal phials
Telescope set
Brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad OR a snake OR a dog. For magical analogues, send an inquiry
Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks.
Harry gaped. This was… this was ridiculous. Wands? Robes? Where on earth was he supposed to find this stuff? He didn't notice that he had stopped thinking of the whole thing as a joke, instead wondering if there was a way to contact Hogwarts and get some help. The letter had mentioned his owl. What was that about? Did they expect him to just go out, catch an owl, tie a letter to its leg, and say "off you go, girl?" Eventually, he decided that there was no other way to do it; he'd have to send a letter.
He bends down and took a note, a envelope and pen from his school bag and wrote:
'Dear Professor McGonagall,
Thank you very much for your letter. I would be very happy to come to Hogwarts but I don't know where to buy a cauldron, or robes, or an owl
Thank you,
Harry Black.'
He folded it into his envelope, addressing it simply to:
Hogwarts
#
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Harry froze. Someone was at the door. "Get the door, boy!" Petunia shouted from the kitchen, he dumped the book he was reading {Nancy Drew} and turned to open the door. It took him a moment to unstuck the handle, but he soon swung the door open.
Standing there was a woman, she was tall, rather severe-looking about seventy-year-old woman. She had black hair which was combed back into a tight bun. "Hello" she told with a smile, which he thought looked strange in her face. "My name is Professor McGonagall, from Hogwarts. May I come in?"
Harry blinked. "Er, Sorry Professor but it would be better if we talk about it here.
Minerva was scowling inside What the heck was happening here, but decided against asking him. "I will be taking you to Diagon Alley, to purchase your school supplies," she said, and held out a hand. "Come, take my hand."
Harry took it and opened her mouth to ask her about the money, but before he could, she began to turn on the spot, and a moment later the question fled from his mind.
CRACK!
#
A/N please review.