The Story of Jessica Black



Chapter One: Jessica's Future

Jessica woke up to her father's calls of, "Jessi, mail's here!" She flung the covers off of herself and went to sprint down the stairs, but lost her footing halfway down and fell flat on her face.

"Ow," she said, rubbing feeling back into her nose. Hoping it wasn't broken, she stood up and carefully walked the rest of the way down.

"Are you all right?" asked Emory, "I heard a crash."

Jessica took the mail her father handed out to her. "I'm okay, I just fell down the stairs. Again."

Emory chuckled. "You'll want to be more careful," he said, trying to stop laughing.

Jessica, however, was turning over a thick yellow envelope. She broke the blood red seal and pulled out a letter made of the same yellow material as the envelope. She unfolded it and read:

Dear Ms. Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Due to your special circumstances, your letter has arrived a few years into schooling. If you could please arrive at the school on August 1st instead of September 1st for a quick introduction session, to learn the things you may have missed during the first four years of schooling, we would greatly appreciate it. We're terribly sorry, but the only students we send these late letters to are those with a great inclination to magical talent. So if you would kindly arrive at Hogwarts at six o'clock in the evening on August 1st, we would be indebted to you. Thank you for your patience, and congratulations!



Below were signatures, and it included a note saying that all required school supplies would be provided for her, so all she had to do was get to Platform 9 ¾ the morning of August 1st. It included a set of directions through King's Cross Station and how to get onto the platform. Jessica was set for everything. She turned to her father.

"Dad," she said, "You remember how you told me about Uncle Sirius?"

Emory looked up from his paper. "Yes," he said.

"Well, I just got a letter from that school . . ."

Emory swept over and took the letter from her hands, reading it all. He then gave it back to her. He looked at her intently.

"Jessi, this is your choice. I'm not going to tell you whether you can or you can't. It's your choice."

Jessica thought of the uncle she'd never met and the mother she'd lost before she could even walk or talk. She thought of the friends she would be leaving behind, but also of the friends she would meet. She though about how many things she could learn, and about how different her life would be. She looked back at her father.

"Dad," she said with only a hint of a British accent, "I want to go."



On June 30th, Jessica and her father were fighting their way through London International Airport with a trunk full of robes, a wand, wizard money, and other things they had bought back in the States. Once outside, they caught the Underground and rode to King's Cross. They found the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, and Emory turned to his daughter.

"Jessi," he said, "I love you. Don't forget to write, and have lots of fun. Stay out of trouble." He kissed her on the cheek then sent her on her way. "You'd better get going."

Jessica smiled at her father, adjusted her cart, then went running at the barrier. Suddenly, she came out the other side, her former life behind her and her new one ahead of her.

She looked around to see an abandoned platform. A scarlet steam engine sat in front of her. She thought that perhaps there had been a mistake when a very old man in long green robes came walking toward her, followed by a shaggy black dog. The old man had a long silver beard and matching hair and wore half moon glasses and a green wizard's hat. He smiled as he walked.

When he reached her, he said, "Well, Miss Black, it certainly is good to finally meet you. I believe you would like to meet someone I have here with me."

Jessica looked around, seeing no one, but then the dog began to change shape. He slowly grew, taller and broader, until a man with black hair like the dog, dark eyes, and pale skin stood before her. His face broke into a smile and his eyes filled with tears.

"Uncle Sirius?" Jessica breathed, finally seeing the man she had been told for so many years that she looked like. He nodded, and the two hugged.

"I have waited so long to see you," he breathed. Jessica nodded.

"Me, too."

Sirius had cut his hair, shaved off his beard and had gotten some new clothes. He looked like a different man than Harry had last seen. He looked much healthier and much handsomer.

The uncle and the niece broke from their hug. The man with the silver hair said, "While we are making introductions, I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts. Now, Jessica, if you will please continue onto the train, you can meet the rest of the staff and we can begin your training."

Jessica let Sirius carry her trunk onto the train, then seated herself in a large compartment filled with an assorted group of people. Dumbledore sat next to her and Sirius seated himself on her other side. The other witches and wizards in the compartment smiled at her.

"Now, Jessica, if I may introduce Professor Flitwick," he began, pointing to a very tiny wizard with a long white beard, "Charms teacher, Professor Sprout, Herbology teacher," a thin witch with wispy hair nodded, "Professor Snape, Potions instructor," a thin man with a long nose and greasy hair stared at her with a look that screamed loathing and hatred, "Professor Binns, your History of Magic teacher," he nodded to a ghost sitting across the room, "And finally Professor McGonagall, deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration teacher. These will be your instructors for this month and for the rest of your time here at Hogwarts." Sirius cleared his throat. "Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, "Your uncle and I will be instructing you in Defense Against the Dark Arts, as there has not been a replacement for last year's instructor."

Jessica just looked around the room, trying to remember all the faces and the names. Then Dumbledore said, "If you could take out your wand, Miss Black, I believe Professor Flitwick would like to begin right away."

Jessica nodded, opening her trunk and taking out her wand. She followed Professor Flitwick into an empty compartment.

After a grueling hour, Jessica had mastered most of the Charms the others had learned their first year. Professor McGonagall came next, and so on and so forth. Before they could reach Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, however, the train shuddered to a stop, and they had arrived at Hogwarts.

Jessica stuck close to Dumbledore and Sirius, although she began to carry on a conversation with Professor McGonagall, whom she had begun to bond with. They rounded a corner and climbed in to carriages, Dumbledore, Jessica, Sirius, and McGonagall in one, the other teachers in another. They came around another corner and Jessica drew in a sharp breath.

The castle was huge. She had never seen anything like it. She couldn't believe that she would be spending ten months there. She couldn't wait.

"I'm a witch," she whispered to herself, almost inaudibly.

Exhausted, she leaned against Sirius's chest as they bumped their way along, and fell asleep.