Disclaimer- Sadly, I do not own the copyrights to Harry Potter or Hogwarts. Any mention of either, or other various characters from her books, belong solely to JK Rowling. However, the plot and Jessica, as well as her relatives, and Serenity, and Mr. Clarkson are of my own creation.
Ready to Take on the World
A week had passed and Jessica's mother had been unusually happy for its entirety. The discussion with her daughter had lifted a huge weight off her chest, and she was even more sure now of her daughter's safety. Jessica's eleventh birthday had been three years ago, and there hadn't been a mention of Hogwarts, she had no reason to worry. Just as she began to hum, he chose to knock.
Turning off the water in the sink where she had been washing the dishes from dinner, and wiping her hands on the flowery apron at her waist, she walked towards the front parlor and opened the strong oak door, making a note to herself to wash off the grubby fingerprints of her children after the visitor was dealt with. All thoughts of cleaning were soon forgotten when she opened the door and was met by a long white beard. Its owner stared down at her, his blue eyes twinkling gaily, his hair as equally long as the beard in front, and dressed in a dark purple robe. She felt an awful lot like fainting again, but without knowing it, waved him in and instinctively yelled for her daughter.
Jessica came down the stairs with a frown, expecting her mother to yell about the untouched meatballs on her dinner plate when she too met the bizarre stranger standing in their front parlor. "Who are you?" She asked quizzically, looking him up and down.
Normally, her mother would have scolded her for being so rude, but she sensed something strange about this man and sat quietly in a rocking chair instead.
The man chuckled merrily, reminding Jessica of a scrawny Santa Claus. "Professor Dumbledore, miss. I'm assuming you're Jessica."
Both mother and daughter felt their breath catch in their throat. Jessica was extremely happy, her mother just as extremely upset. She too knew who the man was.
"So, you got my letter then?" Her mother was now sure she'd stop breathing all together.
"Oh yes, Serenity has always been quite reliable. It was an unfortunate mistake, what happened three years ago, and I do apologize for not realizing what had happened."
Jessica nodded, afraid of what would come next. She had missed three years of her education of magical sorts. Would she be allowed to attend in the fall?
"So, I'm pleased to inform you that you're presence will be expected in the fall as a fourth year student."
Jessica beamed, her mother clinged to the rocking chair fighting the urge to faint.
He continued, "But not without the knowledge of the past three years."
Jessica's smile faded. "I am all so pleased about being let to attend in the fall," at this she cast an extremely pensive look to her mother, "but how would I retain three years worth of lessons before then?"
Dumbledore laughed. "Now dear, you're forgetting who and what I am. There's a simple potion I had one of our professors whip up for me," he produced a glass vial filled with a gummy blue solution, "and upon drinking it you'll have no need for the previous three years."
Her mother couldn't stand it a second more, she stood, tears streaming down her face, her back to Dumbledore and her face to her daughter. "You're not.. you can't be serious.. You won't be going to that school, Jessica. If you do I can guarantee that you won't find a home when you return."
Jessica looked shocked, and tears readily stinged at her eyes.
Her mother took one last look at her speechless daughter, with her chestnut brown hair, green eyes that made the two look so much alike, and then turned away. "I do mean it, Jessica." At this she walked from the room.
Jessica looked at Dumbledore and blinked the tears from her eyes. "The potion, please?"
Dumbledore handed it to her tentatively and as soon as she had it in her hand she forced it down her throat. She'd never felt anything like it before, as potion recipes, spells, facts about trolls and human transfiguration flooded her mind. When finally the potion had worked itself through her mind Jessica couldn't imagine not haven known all this before.
She was a witch now, and ready to take on the world.