A/N: Thanks for reading my second chapter! I hope you'll enjoy it, and come back for more. I'm not too sure why Jaclyn was doing this, but I'll do the same: I own Charlotte and Deanna? That sounds awfully creepy, doesn't it... Well, anyway, now onto the second chapter! ---

The letter had no stamp in the corner, but the green ink seemed to glisten as if it was still wet from being written. To support herself as she dared to open the envelope, Charlotte sat at the chair next to her desk, quivering slightly, but not sure why.

"What's wrong with me? Why am I so nervous? It's just a stupid letter..." she thought.

"Come on, Charlie; open it already!" Deanna urged.

But what surprised Deanna was that Charlotte didn't snap at her for calling her "Charlie."

Charlotte gulped and turned the letter over, and saw a wax seal.

"It looks like a coat of arms," she thought.

On the seal, pressed into the wax appeared to be a lion, a badger, a snake, and an eagle. They all surrounded a bold letter "H." Still too nervous, Charlotte flipped the envelope over again.

"Is this really for me?" she asked herself.

The only way to be sure was just to keep reading the address. Charlotte knew it said her name, but was still in disbelief. She had to check again.

But the letter was addressed so obviously that it was plainly just for Charlotte. It even told exactly where her bedroom was! She ran her fingers nervously through her red hair and for the final time, she turned over the envelope, and pulled back the purple wax. She gasped as she read the words one-by-one.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
~
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf.
Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International
Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Talon,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
deputy headmistress
~

"Oh my gosh... Deanna, read this!" Charlotte cried, handing over the letter. A frustrated look took over her face as she sat back down at her desk. She pushed her glasses up further on her nose; they had slipped while she read the strange note.

As Deanna was reading the letter, she looked puzzled; perhaps more than Charlotte.

"What on earth is going on? This has got to be a joke!" she said.

"I don't know," Charlotte responded, "but maybe we should ask my mom... she might know what this is about."

With that being said, the girls left the bedroom and dashed down the stairs. With the envelope still grasped tightly in Charlotte's hand, she called for her mother.

"Mom! Where are you? I just got something really strange!"

"Hold on, I'm in the kitchen," her mother answered back.

Charlotte, with Deanna behind her, turned the corner in the hallway to the kitchen entrance.

"Mom, the strangest thing just happened. You see, it was really weird-- "

"Dear, aren't these flowers gorgeous? I just returned from the florist," her mother interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah, they're wonderful, Mom," Charlotte rushed, "But an owl! There was an owl at my window!"

At first, her mother said nothing. Only a blank stare was upon her face, until she sighed.

"Err, Mrs. Talon, are you alright?" Deanna asked.

"Yes," she replied, "but this is so complicated. Charlotte, was the owl carrying a letter?"

"Yeah," Charlotte answered, "and it flew into my room and dropped the envelope on my bed. It left as fast as it came."

"May I see it?"

"Sure," Charlotte said as she handed over the envelope.

Mrs. Talon took hold of her daughter's letter and flipped it over to the opening. When she saw the purple seal, she cupped her hand over her mouth. With the letter still in the envelope, she carefully pulled back the flap, finally holding a piece of yellow parchment. Mrs. Talon read the letter twice, and placed it back in the envelope. Handing it back to Charlotte, she got up from her seat at the kitchen table.

"It looks like we have some... things to discuss, honey." she said.

"Why did I get this, and what the heck is Hogwarts? What do they mean, 'I've been accepted'?" Charlotte demanded.

"Charlotte, please calm yourself," her mother asked, "Now, I know this must be very sudden, but your father and I didn't think something like this would happen."

"What, get accepted to some crazy school I've never heard of?"

"Dear, please don't blow this out of proportion. There's such a long story for you to hear. You see, your father--"

"What about Dad?"

"Well, you know about your father living in London as a child, Charlotte..."

"Uh-huh." Charlotte responded.

"Isn't that where the school is?" Deanna asked.

"Exactly. But you have to know this: when your father moved to the United States, and we finally met, it was almost as if we instantly fell for each other." Mrs. Talon said, "When we decided to get married, he told me stories of when he was younger." she continued.

"Yes? What else, Mom?" Charlotte asked.

"Charlotte, your father did not go to an average school like the one you girls go to. He... attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was trained to be... a wizard."

"Wow..." Deanna sighed.

"Are you serious? That's insane!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Both your father and I never expected for you to be eligible for Hogwarts. This is so unexpected, sweetheart. Your father believed you didn't show any signs of magic at birth, and so we thought nothing more of it," Mrs. Talon explained.

"But with Dad out of town, how can I get more information? I'm still so confused..."

"They're waiting for a response by July 31st. We have plenty of time. I'll give your father a call and get directions, and clear things up. Don't worry, Charlotte. Everything is fine. I promise."

"Alright," sighed Charlotte, "Come on, Deanna. Let's go back upstairs."

--- A/N: I've written about 6 other chapters so far, but they're all in my notebook and might take a while to get them all here. I hope you're all enjoying my story! I've worked really hard to write it! Deanna is like my best friend Kaitlin. It didn't start out that way, but that's how it ended up... I have so much more to write! Review if you feel like it!

**Originally, Charlotte was supposed to be like me, but that was changed because the only thing we had in common was being stubborn and liking Simon and Garfunkel. Aren't we just awful losers?