uChapter I: Seeing is Believingbr
"I can't believe you acctually believe this stupid excuse for a prank, Marianne!" Linda heard her father yell at her mother.br
After Cindra had recieved the Hogwarts letter, her mother had called her father into the room to see it as well. Her father had erupted into shouts of "this is so stupid!" and "it's just a prank!" immediately after he read it.br
"What if it /u true?" Cindra had pleaded.br
"You're not going either way. I don't want you with a bunch of role playing fantasy witches," her father replied coldly.br
Tears were welling up in Cindra's eyes. "Some birthday this is!" she cried as she ran out of the room.br
Once upstairs in her bedroom, Cindra sat on her bed clutching her letter and sobbing. After what seemed like an eternity, the yelling downstairs subsided. A few moments later she heard a soft knock on her door.br
Her mother cautiously entered. Cindra rolled over onto her die and faced the wall, too upset to look at her mother. "Cindra..." her mother said sitting down on the edge of her bed. Linda did not answer. "Your father and I are doing this for your own good. It could all be a hoax, you could get hurt, or kidnapped..." she paused for a moment then said, " Do you understand?"br
No answer.br
"Honey," her mother cooed softly. "We're not doing this to be mean or for you to hate us."br
Slowly, Cindra spoke up. "What if...what if we go to Diagon Alley? And if-if it's there, and it's realy, you'll let me go."br
Her mother thought for a moment and said, "That sounds like a good compromise. I'll have to check with your father, so we'll see."br
Cindra's eyes lit up. "Really?!" she embraced her mother who was now smiling as well.br
After another ten minutes of convincing Linda's father, they had decided that the Paiges minus Emily would be taking a trip to London to check out this "Hogwarts hoax" as her father had put it, the next day.br
The rest of Cindra's birthday was quite alright. She ate her Muggle cake with eleven candles, opened her Muggle presents, and all the while thought about how she, Cindra Paige, was going to be a witch.br
The next morning didn't come soon enough. When her alarm finally woke her at eight o'clock, Cindra was thoroughly excited. She hopped out opf bed and into the shower. After her shower she put on her nicest blouse and uniform-looking pleated skirt. She tied her long blonde hair into a low ponytail, smiled at the mirror, and rushed downstairs.br
Her parents were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Cindra poured herself a bowl of Frosted Flakes and sat down next to her father. "G'morning dad...mum," she said between bites. They smiled and bid her good morning in return.br
"When are we leaving?" Cindra asked impatiently as she spooned up the last of her cereal.br
"I thought around ten would be good," her father said, looking up from the business section of the newspaper.br
Cindra let out a sigh. It was only nine. She put her breakfast dishes in the sink and went upstairs to pack her things for the hour drive to London. She pulled out a bag that she had recieved the day before from her aunt. In it she put her paperback copy of uThe Philosopher's Stone/u, and a notebook full of Harry Potter drawings, stories, and notes on everything under the sun. She also included a selection of pens and pencils, and the 30 pounds she revieced for her birthday. She would exchange it for galleons at Gringotts later in the day.br
"Cindra!" her mother called upstairs to her. "We're leaving in five minutes!" Linda dashed downstairs and out to the car.br
After an hour of driving, her father announced that they were in London. Cindra directed him to where the Leaky Cauldron was supposed to be. As they tuened onto a dark street, Linda noticed a mysterious looking shop somewhat hidden by the flashy shops around it. Sure enough, there was a large sign that read "The Leaky Cauldron" above it.br
Cindra's eyes widened. "See?! I told you!" she cried as her father parked alongside the road.br
They entered the Leaky Cauldron, and Cindra confidently lead them to the bar where she explained to whom appeared to be Tom the innkeeper their situation. The wizard nodded and led them out back. He pulled out his wand, tapped the third brick to left above the trash bin, and the wall magically opened, revealing Diagon Alley. They thanked him and entered the underground wizard world.br
"So," Cindra said a-matter-of-factly. "Am I going to Hogwarts?"
"I can't believe you acctually believe this stupid excuse for a prank, Marianne!" Linda heard her father yell at her mother.br
After Cindra had recieved the Hogwarts letter, her mother had called her father into the room to see it as well. Her father had erupted into shouts of "this is so stupid!" and "it's just a prank!" immediately after he read it.br
"What if it /u true?" Cindra had pleaded.br
"You're not going either way. I don't want you with a bunch of role playing fantasy witches," her father replied coldly.br
Tears were welling up in Cindra's eyes. "Some birthday this is!" she cried as she ran out of the room.br
Once upstairs in her bedroom, Cindra sat on her bed clutching her letter and sobbing. After what seemed like an eternity, the yelling downstairs subsided. A few moments later she heard a soft knock on her door.br
Her mother cautiously entered. Cindra rolled over onto her die and faced the wall, too upset to look at her mother. "Cindra..." her mother said sitting down on the edge of her bed. Linda did not answer. "Your father and I are doing this for your own good. It could all be a hoax, you could get hurt, or kidnapped..." she paused for a moment then said, " Do you understand?"br
No answer.br
"Honey," her mother cooed softly. "We're not doing this to be mean or for you to hate us."br
Slowly, Cindra spoke up. "What if...what if we go to Diagon Alley? And if-if it's there, and it's realy, you'll let me go."br
Her mother thought for a moment and said, "That sounds like a good compromise. I'll have to check with your father, so we'll see."br
Cindra's eyes lit up. "Really?!" she embraced her mother who was now smiling as well.br
After another ten minutes of convincing Linda's father, they had decided that the Paiges minus Emily would be taking a trip to London to check out this "Hogwarts hoax" as her father had put it, the next day.br
The rest of Cindra's birthday was quite alright. She ate her Muggle cake with eleven candles, opened her Muggle presents, and all the while thought about how she, Cindra Paige, was going to be a witch.br
The next morning didn't come soon enough. When her alarm finally woke her at eight o'clock, Cindra was thoroughly excited. She hopped out opf bed and into the shower. After her shower she put on her nicest blouse and uniform-looking pleated skirt. She tied her long blonde hair into a low ponytail, smiled at the mirror, and rushed downstairs.br
Her parents were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Cindra poured herself a bowl of Frosted Flakes and sat down next to her father. "G'morning dad...mum," she said between bites. They smiled and bid her good morning in return.br
"When are we leaving?" Cindra asked impatiently as she spooned up the last of her cereal.br
"I thought around ten would be good," her father said, looking up from the business section of the newspaper.br
Cindra let out a sigh. It was only nine. She put her breakfast dishes in the sink and went upstairs to pack her things for the hour drive to London. She pulled out a bag that she had recieved the day before from her aunt. In it she put her paperback copy of uThe Philosopher's Stone/u, and a notebook full of Harry Potter drawings, stories, and notes on everything under the sun. She also included a selection of pens and pencils, and the 30 pounds she revieced for her birthday. She would exchange it for galleons at Gringotts later in the day.br
"Cindra!" her mother called upstairs to her. "We're leaving in five minutes!" Linda dashed downstairs and out to the car.br
After an hour of driving, her father announced that they were in London. Cindra directed him to where the Leaky Cauldron was supposed to be. As they tuened onto a dark street, Linda noticed a mysterious looking shop somewhat hidden by the flashy shops around it. Sure enough, there was a large sign that read "The Leaky Cauldron" above it.br
Cindra's eyes widened. "See?! I told you!" she cried as her father parked alongside the road.br
They entered the Leaky Cauldron, and Cindra confidently lead them to the bar where she explained to whom appeared to be Tom the innkeeper their situation. The wizard nodded and led them out back. He pulled out his wand, tapped the third brick to left above the trash bin, and the wall magically opened, revealing Diagon Alley. They thanked him and entered the underground wizard world.br
"So," Cindra said a-matter-of-factly. "Am I going to Hogwarts?"