Mandy looked out the door and sitting on the railing a little ahead of them was a brownish colored owl. "Wait, is this what the letter means?" She read the letter again, and sure enough, it had said to send it by owl. This had to be it. How many owls are out during the day, and happen to come sit on your front porch on the day you're instructed to send mail by one.
She looked at the owl a little more closely and saw it had a letter in its talon. She started walking towards it and her mother started getting touchy. "Don't touch it Mandy, it could hurt you."
Mandy shook her head, "No mom, it says to send by owl. Look, the owl has another letter for us." Her mom saw the letter for the first time and started to calm a little. "Owl, can you drop the letter on the ground so that my mom will let me pick it up?" The owl let go of the letter and flew a little to the other side of the railing so that he wasn't near the letter anymore. When he was flying, Mandy stopped immediately. "You were the one outside of my window this morning," she told more than asked. The owl gave a screech in agreement. Mandy bent down and picked up the new envelope, it looked exactly like the first one. She opened it and something new was written on the page:
Dear Ms. Brocklehurst,
Because we have received information that you are living with non-magic folk, we have decided to help your family understand every step of this procedure. First of all, we have lent this owl to your household until every question has been answered, and everything is finalized.
I'm sure your parents have many questions to ask, and maybe you have a few of your own. I want to assure you that Hogwarts is a highly respected school and I would hate you to miss out on such an experience. Please return mail either with questions or with a statement on whether you will join our lovely school or not.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Her mother stood long enough to hear what was written on the letter. She then looked at Mandy. "What do you think?" Mandy thought she'd never ask.
"I really want to go mom, it sounds like a lot of fun. I've never felt normal in our school and if I could go to one with other kids just like me, then maybe I'll do better."
Her mom looked at her watch and then shook her head. "We'll talk about this later, I have to go to work. Just keep Bryan away from the owl for now. I don't want him to get hurt." With that, she kissed Mandy on the forehead, and then left the house to go to work.
Mandy looked over at the owl. "I want to go, let me just convince them first." The owl winked at her and then flew over into a tree to get some shade. She giggled as she went back into the house, now holding two of the most strange and exciting letters she had ever gotten.
She didn't do much that day, she was too excited about her letters to do anything important. When Bryan woke up she had to fight him so he would leave the owl alone. During the day, she brought some water out for the owl. She searched her encyclopedias to find something he would eat. Owls like eating field mice and things like that, but she didn't have any. So she brought out some crunchy snack food and he seemed to enjoy that pretty good.
When her parents got home they had a long discussion in the living room. Her father was worried that she would fall behind on her "Real" studies and she told him she would study those during the summer if she had to. She didn't want anything to stop her from going. Her mother was worried that they didn't know what they were getting into, but eventually their mutual decision was, if Mandy wants to go this bad, then lets let her go. So Mandy was having trouble sleeping because she couldn't stop thinking how her life had changed so much with the arrival of just two letters.
In the morning, they wrote a letter explaining that Mandy would be attending the school of Hogwarts. It took about half a day and then they got another letter.
Mandy opened it and it said:
Dear Ms. Brocklehurst,
We are pleased to hear that you will be joining us this fall at Hogwarts. On July the 31st you need to go to the Leaky Cauldron in London. A guide will be there to help you find your equipment. Your parents should attend too so that they can enter money into your new witch bank account.
Be ready early on July the 31st because it will take a while to buy your items in the different stores. A list of equipment has been enclosed so you know ahead of time what you are going to buy. Again, thank you for accepting Hogwarts as your school.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
She flipped the page over and saw a long list of items:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
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
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
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 (pewter, standard size 2) set
glass or crystal phials
telescope set
brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"That's a lot of stuff," her mother said. "But, we should be able to afford it." Mandy smiled when she knew that her parents had already accepted her choice.
The next week went by really slowly for Mandy. She had read each letter over a million time by now and the folds in the papers looked like they were going to rip. She couldn't imagine using all the strange items she had seen on the list. As the 30th came they received more "owl mail" that gave them directions to the Leaky Cauldron.
That night was very difficult for Mandy to sleep. She would close her eyes and imagine being able to do things she had always wanted to do. Maybe she wouldn't have to be as shy if everyone else felt the same way about things. Her heart was racing. When she heard the alarm clock ring she cut it off and looked around curiously. Could it really already be 6:00? It seemed like just minutes ago she had been wondering whether wizard boys were cuter than normal boys. She got out of bed and went downstairs.
After her parents were ready (they were leaving Bryan with a friend) they all hopped into the car. It was the beginning of the most exciting trip that Mandy had ever been on.
She looked at the owl a little more closely and saw it had a letter in its talon. She started walking towards it and her mother started getting touchy. "Don't touch it Mandy, it could hurt you."
Mandy shook her head, "No mom, it says to send by owl. Look, the owl has another letter for us." Her mom saw the letter for the first time and started to calm a little. "Owl, can you drop the letter on the ground so that my mom will let me pick it up?" The owl let go of the letter and flew a little to the other side of the railing so that he wasn't near the letter anymore. When he was flying, Mandy stopped immediately. "You were the one outside of my window this morning," she told more than asked. The owl gave a screech in agreement. Mandy bent down and picked up the new envelope, it looked exactly like the first one. She opened it and something new was written on the page:
Dear Ms. Brocklehurst,
Because we have received information that you are living with non-magic folk, we have decided to help your family understand every step of this procedure. First of all, we have lent this owl to your household until every question has been answered, and everything is finalized.
I'm sure your parents have many questions to ask, and maybe you have a few of your own. I want to assure you that Hogwarts is a highly respected school and I would hate you to miss out on such an experience. Please return mail either with questions or with a statement on whether you will join our lovely school or not.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Her mother stood long enough to hear what was written on the letter. She then looked at Mandy. "What do you think?" Mandy thought she'd never ask.
"I really want to go mom, it sounds like a lot of fun. I've never felt normal in our school and if I could go to one with other kids just like me, then maybe I'll do better."
Her mom looked at her watch and then shook her head. "We'll talk about this later, I have to go to work. Just keep Bryan away from the owl for now. I don't want him to get hurt." With that, she kissed Mandy on the forehead, and then left the house to go to work.
Mandy looked over at the owl. "I want to go, let me just convince them first." The owl winked at her and then flew over into a tree to get some shade. She giggled as she went back into the house, now holding two of the most strange and exciting letters she had ever gotten.
She didn't do much that day, she was too excited about her letters to do anything important. When Bryan woke up she had to fight him so he would leave the owl alone. During the day, she brought some water out for the owl. She searched her encyclopedias to find something he would eat. Owls like eating field mice and things like that, but she didn't have any. So she brought out some crunchy snack food and he seemed to enjoy that pretty good.
When her parents got home they had a long discussion in the living room. Her father was worried that she would fall behind on her "Real" studies and she told him she would study those during the summer if she had to. She didn't want anything to stop her from going. Her mother was worried that they didn't know what they were getting into, but eventually their mutual decision was, if Mandy wants to go this bad, then lets let her go. So Mandy was having trouble sleeping because she couldn't stop thinking how her life had changed so much with the arrival of just two letters.
In the morning, they wrote a letter explaining that Mandy would be attending the school of Hogwarts. It took about half a day and then they got another letter.
Mandy opened it and it said:
Dear Ms. Brocklehurst,
We are pleased to hear that you will be joining us this fall at Hogwarts. On July the 31st you need to go to the Leaky Cauldron in London. A guide will be there to help you find your equipment. Your parents should attend too so that they can enter money into your new witch bank account.
Be ready early on July the 31st because it will take a while to buy your items in the different stores. A list of equipment has been enclosed so you know ahead of time what you are going to buy. Again, thank you for accepting Hogwarts as your school.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
She flipped the page over and saw a long list of items:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
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
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
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 (pewter, standard size 2) set
glass or crystal phials
telescope set
brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"That's a lot of stuff," her mother said. "But, we should be able to afford it." Mandy smiled when she knew that her parents had already accepted her choice.
The next week went by really slowly for Mandy. She had read each letter over a million time by now and the folds in the papers looked like they were going to rip. She couldn't imagine using all the strange items she had seen on the list. As the 30th came they received more "owl mail" that gave them directions to the Leaky Cauldron.
That night was very difficult for Mandy to sleep. She would close her eyes and imagine being able to do things she had always wanted to do. Maybe she wouldn't have to be as shy if everyone else felt the same way about things. Her heart was racing. When she heard the alarm clock ring she cut it off and looked around curiously. Could it really already be 6:00? It seemed like just minutes ago she had been wondering whether wizard boys were cuter than normal boys. She got out of bed and went downstairs.
After her parents were ready (they were leaving Bryan with a friend) they all hopped into the car. It was the beginning of the most exciting trip that Mandy had ever been on.