Chapter Two: The Letter From Overseas
"Aha! Blocked you again, Dad! I think you're getting too old for this!" Leonor Lawson taunted her father from the air. They were out in the backyard of their Chicago suburban home doing what they did everyday: Quidditch Keeper practice.
"So you think, Leo. But your old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve," Mike Lawson smiled as he shot up once more, feigned left, and threw the Quaffle straight through the right hoop pass Leo's reach.
"Ooo, tricky. I gave you that one, you know," Leo teased as she went after the Quaffle. "Ok, one more round, then I'm finished."
"Leonor, honey! Could you come down please? Mike, you too. This is a family matter," shouted Jane Lawson, Leo's mom, from the ground. With her was Teresa Jasmine, or Jazz, Leo's little sister.
"Oh, all right Mom! Down in a tick," Leo did a quick somersault in the air then descended to see what was up. "What's with all the urgency?"
"Come inside and we'll show you," Jane motioned them to follow her into the house. Leo caught up with Jazz, "So, do you know what's up?"
"No idea, actually. All I do know is that an Owl arrived a couple of minutes ago, and then Mom just freaked out. But you know Mom, it could just be one of those 'You might have won 100,000,000 Galleons' sweepstake things."
"True, true. Hopefully it's something cool, though."
As they entered the house, the Lawson family sat down around the kitchen table as Jane went and got the letter. When she returned, the family stared at her in anticipation of what this was all about. She held it out.
"Isn't that from our school?" Jazz peered at it, noticing the crest at the top.
"Ooo, I bet you're in trouble," teased Leo, which was returned with a kick under the table.
"No, actually it contains some VERY good news for both of you. Listen while I read it:
'Dear parents of Leonor Tricia and Teresa Jasmine Lawson,
We are pleased to inform you that your daughters have been selected to participate in a foreign exchange program with a wizarding school overseas: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is located in England. The Headmaster there, Albus Dumbledore, has set up this program in hopes of strengthening ties with foreign witches and wizards. Your daughters were selected because of their academic excellence and their character. This is a great honor and if you would choose to comply, we will send you all the information you need for this endeavor.
Send Owl as soon as possible,
Justina Gruelstout
Headmistress of Phoenixaen Academy of Witchcraft'
"Whoa! You mean we get to go to a foreign country? To learn?"
"Yes, Jazz, that pretty much sums it up." Jane said, smiling.
"Can we Mom? Headmistress did say it was an honor. And you wouldn't want to turn down an honor, would you?" Leo asked, hope shining in her eyes.
"Well, I don't see why not. This will be a great experience for you girls and a chance for you to learn about a different culture and how other witches and wizards live. Why, back in my day." Jane's jump into nostalgia was drowned out by Leo's yells of celebration.
"Yes! Yes! Thank you Mom! Thank you Dad!" she hugged them both and then went straight upstairs to her room to send an Owl to her friends, telling them all about her going to England. Jazz, on the other hand, was pleased, but doubtful. She didn't really want to leave all her friends, and that thought showed on her face.
"Honey, don't worry. I bet you'll make a ton of new friends at Hogwarts," her dad reassured her.
"Really?"
"Of course. But if you don't want to go, you don't have to."
"Oh, no, I want to go! This will be great!"
"That's my girl! Now go tell your sister to stop sending owls for a second. She and I have some Keeper practice to finish up on."
"Aha! Blocked you again, Dad! I think you're getting too old for this!" Leonor Lawson taunted her father from the air. They were out in the backyard of their Chicago suburban home doing what they did everyday: Quidditch Keeper practice.
"So you think, Leo. But your old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve," Mike Lawson smiled as he shot up once more, feigned left, and threw the Quaffle straight through the right hoop pass Leo's reach.
"Ooo, tricky. I gave you that one, you know," Leo teased as she went after the Quaffle. "Ok, one more round, then I'm finished."
"Leonor, honey! Could you come down please? Mike, you too. This is a family matter," shouted Jane Lawson, Leo's mom, from the ground. With her was Teresa Jasmine, or Jazz, Leo's little sister.
"Oh, all right Mom! Down in a tick," Leo did a quick somersault in the air then descended to see what was up. "What's with all the urgency?"
"Come inside and we'll show you," Jane motioned them to follow her into the house. Leo caught up with Jazz, "So, do you know what's up?"
"No idea, actually. All I do know is that an Owl arrived a couple of minutes ago, and then Mom just freaked out. But you know Mom, it could just be one of those 'You might have won 100,000,000 Galleons' sweepstake things."
"True, true. Hopefully it's something cool, though."
As they entered the house, the Lawson family sat down around the kitchen table as Jane went and got the letter. When she returned, the family stared at her in anticipation of what this was all about. She held it out.
"Isn't that from our school?" Jazz peered at it, noticing the crest at the top.
"Ooo, I bet you're in trouble," teased Leo, which was returned with a kick under the table.
"No, actually it contains some VERY good news for both of you. Listen while I read it:
'Dear parents of Leonor Tricia and Teresa Jasmine Lawson,
We are pleased to inform you that your daughters have been selected to participate in a foreign exchange program with a wizarding school overseas: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is located in England. The Headmaster there, Albus Dumbledore, has set up this program in hopes of strengthening ties with foreign witches and wizards. Your daughters were selected because of their academic excellence and their character. This is a great honor and if you would choose to comply, we will send you all the information you need for this endeavor.
Send Owl as soon as possible,
Justina Gruelstout
Headmistress of Phoenixaen Academy of Witchcraft'
"Whoa! You mean we get to go to a foreign country? To learn?"
"Yes, Jazz, that pretty much sums it up." Jane said, smiling.
"Can we Mom? Headmistress did say it was an honor. And you wouldn't want to turn down an honor, would you?" Leo asked, hope shining in her eyes.
"Well, I don't see why not. This will be a great experience for you girls and a chance for you to learn about a different culture and how other witches and wizards live. Why, back in my day." Jane's jump into nostalgia was drowned out by Leo's yells of celebration.
"Yes! Yes! Thank you Mom! Thank you Dad!" she hugged them both and then went straight upstairs to her room to send an Owl to her friends, telling them all about her going to England. Jazz, on the other hand, was pleased, but doubtful. She didn't really want to leave all her friends, and that thought showed on her face.
"Honey, don't worry. I bet you'll make a ton of new friends at Hogwarts," her dad reassured her.
"Really?"
"Of course. But if you don't want to go, you don't have to."
"Oh, no, I want to go! This will be great!"
"That's my girl! Now go tell your sister to stop sending owls for a second. She and I have some Keeper practice to finish up on."