My name is Hannah Minola. I was born in London but when I was four, my mother took me to her home country, Italy. I never knew my father, apparently he died before I was born or at least that's what mamma told me. Whenever she used to talk about him her eyes became very sad and it made me want to cry too so I decided not to ask her many questions. I inherited mamma's maiden name, I don't even know what my father's was.

Just after my eighth birthday mamma died in a car crash and I was sent to live with foster parents. Losing mamma was the hardest thing that ever happened to me. I'm surprised I didn't die of grief because I hardly ate or slept for weeks thinking she was going to knock on the door one day and take me home. But that never happened. I didn't last long in any of the several homes in stayed at because the parents seemed to think that strange things always happened when I was around. I think I am jinxed or maybe cursed but I'll never give up hope of life now, I feel I owe it to mamma. She always told me to look for the silver lining. And I do. I know I will find true happiness one day.

Eventually I was sent back to London and put into an orphanage run by nuns. I stayed there for a few years until something strange happened when I was almost eleven.

I was in the garden relaxing and relishing under the morning sun and digesting a late (and delicious) breakfast when an owl came and landed on the grass beside me. It dropped a letter onto the ground and just as suddenly as it came, left again. I was very puzzled (don't owls come out at night? And what was the deal with it bringing me a letter?) but I opened the envelope and read the letter.

Dear Miss Minola,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1st September. We await your response by owl be no later than 31st July.

Yours sincerely

Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress

Bewildered was not the right word to use in that situation because I was way beyond that. What kind of school was called 'Hogwarts' anyway? And what was the crackpot fool who wrote this talking about magic for? And what about the owl, how did it find me?

So many questions. So little answers. I decided to write back to this Minerva person and ask her what the hell she was playing at! (But being polite at the same time of course).

Dear Headmistress,

I am very confused after reading your letter. Is this some sort of joke? How did you know my name? Anyway, even if there was such a thing as a school of witchcraft and wizardry I wouldn't be interested. You see, I am moving oversees in about a month or so because the head of this orphanage has manage to track down a relative of mine. So thankyou, but no thanx.

Yours sincerely, Hannah Minola

I enclosed the letter and then realised. 'Darn, how am I going to get an owl?'

Just then, as if answering my thought, a small grey owl flew over to me from a nearby tree. I cautiously handed the letter over to the owl, who grabbed it in its beak securely before taking off again. *Well that was odd.* I thought.

I walked over to the fishpond to feed the remains of my toast to the fish. There were beautiful lilies growing on the surface of the water and I was so tempted to smell their fragrance that I reached over and picked one. Looking down I noticed my reflection; The long black hair, the brown eyes, the high cheekbones. Most of those features had shown on my mothers face but that black hair. Who was the mysterious man who had given her that? (Hint, Hint (). I wanted to know him very badly at that time but with both of my parents dead, it was very unlikely.

Then about a fortnight later I was called by sister Katherine, who informed me that I had a visitor. That was odd. Who could be visiting me? I didn't know anyone outside this institute.

When I went downstairs, a tall middle-aged woman wearing (robes?) stood staring at me. At first glance I knew she was someone you wouldn't want to cross but when she saw me she smiled warmly.

Sister Betty introduced us. 'Oh here she is. Hannah, this is an old friend of your mother's, Minerva McGonagall.' As soon as she said that name my jaw dropped wide open, my eyes widened and I was completely speechless.

'Hello Hannah, may we talk somewhere private for a few minutes?' Asked Minerva kindly.

' .' Was all I could bring myself to say at that moment.

She led me to a quiet aria in the garden and began to speak. ' I received your letter Hannah and decided it was important that I come and explain everything to you personally.'

My first response was, 'Were you really a friend of mamma? Is that how you knew my name?'

Minerva simply smiled patiently. 'No. I said that so the sisters would allow me to see you. There is no need to be afraid of me, I am simply here to explain the letter I sent you. You see Hannah, you are a witch.'

*What did she say?* ' Wh-what did you say?' I stuttered.

' You are a witch capable of magic' She replied as if this was any normal thing to say.

'But I can't be a witch' I said slowly.

'Of course you can. And here's why.' And with that she explained all about the magical world and Hogwarts. She also explained that when a person showed signs of possessing magic, then the Ministry of Magic would find out almost immediately and would inform the Headmaster, who would send out school letters to those people when they turned eleven years of age. *So that's how they knew my name.* I figured.

After a long conversation (and magic for proof) I was fully convinced that I was a witch and possessed magical abilities and everything was clear to me. All those times strange things had happened like the time a car had been following me. I had been so desperate to escape and when I turned around the car's tyres suddenly burst and an electricity pole fell and smashed onto the top of it, giving me time to run for it. So that happened because I was a witch?

'But I can't go to Hogwarts anyway' I muttered miserably. ' I'm moving to Italy to live with my Aunt and Uncle.'

'Ah, yes. Well I have discussed that matter with the Headmaster and if you want, there is a small wizarding collage up in the mountains near the border of Austria. Would you be interested?'

'Yes! I mean yes I would' This was so exciting! I would learn magic. Everything was going to be better from now on. I would be living with family and would make new friends who shared my abilities. I was ready to start that new life, knowing this was the happiness I was finally going to find.

Well I was wrong.