Author: Duck
Disclaimer: I own nothing, especially not the wonderful HP books, or even the title, which belongs to a Jason Mraz song.
Rating: PG
Genre: Just HP stuff.
Summary: Jennifer Anderson transfers to Hogwarts in her fifth year to show her support to Dumbledore and make a statement to the Ministry of Magic.
A/N: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic because my friend asked me to write it for her, so forgive me if there's a story like this out there. I've never read HP fanfic, so I wouldn't know. Reviews are always appreciated. I hope you enjoy my venture into the HP fanfic world.
"The Right Kind of Phrase" Chapter One: "Owl Flights" Tap tap.The girl on the other side of the window rolled over and pulled the red and black plaid closer to her body.
TAP TAP.Again, the noise was ignored, and the girl dreamed of watching famous tap dancers move around the stage in unison, which had abruptly interrupted her previous dream about fingernail polish. It had been dripping onto the floor, and then there were tap dancers and—
TAP TAP."I'll be RIGHT THERE. God. Don't MOLT or anything," Jennifer Anderson snarled as she ripped the warm comforter off and slid her feet into the waiting pink slippers on the floor. The offending owl was glaring at her with large amber eyes, snapping his beak as if he would like to take a snip at her. When she pulled the window up, however, the owl merely stuck his talon under her nose expectantly, and she dropped a bronze knut into the pouch attached there.
The Daily Prophet was on her windowsill, teetering near the edge so that she barely managed to grab it before it fell two stories into the hedges below. The tawny owl clicked his beak with a smug expression and flew off.
Jennifer grumbled, "Stupid California owls. Always in a freaking rush," under her breath as she opened up the newspaper. It was in fact a British paper, but she had found the American paper to be quite uninteresting; it barely had anything of true value. Until recently, the Daily Prophet had been her window into the European wizard life; now she was thoroughly disgusted by the claims laid by the British Ministry of Magic. Dumbledore was the greatest wizard alive and they were all fools if they didn't realize it. The only reason she continued to read the paper was because she hated being ignorant of the outside world.
Summer vacation was ending quickly, almost too quickly in Jennifer's opinion. The letter she had sent out at the beginning of vacation had never been replied to, and it burned her that she had been ignored. Well, she reasoned, not exactly burned, but very disappointed. Returning to the Salem Institute was not very appealing now that she'd gotten her hopes up in attending a different school, but she'd have to make do. It was unheard of to transfer to another school and there was no way she couldn't not go to school; if she returned to a muggle high school she'd fail every subject, not to mention be the reject because of her long absence in a boarding school.
'Letters should be here soon,' she thought miserably as she threw the Daily Prophet into the trashcan by her desk. Three or four tossed papers accompanied it; all were mostly unread and the pictures still moved animatedly. Jennifer's school supplies were spread throughout the room; her owl, Sam, was sleeping with his head under his wing on the stand by her dresser. She stroked his wing gently, waking him. His huge eyes questioned her as she petted his feathers. "Need to ask Sarah if she can take me to the train station this year, since Grandma and Grandpa will be here. They still think I go to some boarding school in Switzerland." She tied the letter to his leg, and kissed his head. He hooted in response and took off through the open window.
Sam was probably her closest friend at Salem besides Sarah; she found that making friends came difficult to her. Unsure if it was because she was imposing or just unfriendly, she stayed away from the girls who would glance at her and giggle.
Sighing, she turned on her stereo and began her daily stretch, losing herself in the pull of her muscles and breathing. Dancing and witchcraft were her passions, which allowed her to be athletic and very adept at magic. Even from muggle parents she had developed great skill in every aspect of learning at Salem, quickly earning a reputation for being 'the smart ballerina'.
Thirty minutes later she was dressed and downstairs, watching her mother make waffles with an old fashioned waffle iron. "Mom, I think you left that one in long enough," she warned, and her mother opened the iron just in time to save it.
"Thanks, Jenny. Grab the syrup and set the table. Nana and Grampa should be down soon."
Obediently Jennifer set the table, and sure enough, her elderly grandparents ambled down the stairs to kiss her cheek and sit down. Once the food was placed in front of everyone, her dad joined them, newspaper tucked under his arm. "So Jenny," Nana said between mouthfuls, "You itching to get back to that school of yours? Gotta be pretty year round."
To keep herself from lying out loud, Jenny nodded around some waffle. It was difficult to lie to her family, but her Grandma was not fond of magic in the least; in fact, if she had known that her granddaughter was going off to a school that taught witchcraft, she'd disown her, or call an exorcist. So to avoid complications, Jennifer's parents had decided not to tell anyone, not even their closest family.
'It'll be great when I disappear one day and become an Auror,' Jennifer thought as she kept her eyes on her food. 'Wonder what they'll tell everyone then.'
The letter was an absolute shock to them; at least it had come by regular mail, but there was not a drop of magic in either side of her family trees, or if there was, no one had been told about it. Jennifer had accepted without hesitation although she'd had to plead to get her parents to understand why she wanted to go so badly.
For as long as she could remember she'd read stories about magic and been fascinated by it, and then there was the chance for her to actually live the life of a witch. It was inconceivable to turn down such an offer. They relented, eventually, and she was now currently entering her fifth year at Salem Institute.
"You up for an early walk, Jenny? I gotta stop these old bones from creakin', and company would sure be nice," Grampa said after he finished his meal. Under normal circumstances she would have readily agreed, but something inside her head was nagging at her to get back up the stairs and into her room.
"I would Grampa, but I forgot I have some last minute summer homework to finish. Forgive me if I bail on you this time?"
Grampa stood up and gave his granddaughter a kiss on the cheek. "You just do your work, Jenny, because the harder you work now, the more it'll pay off later. Is this school getting you ready for the real world?"
She nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ears, as was her custom when she was feeling cornered. "It's preparing me well, don't worry, Grampa. I'll be fine when I graduate."
He smiled and then went upstairs to get his walking clothes on. She couldn't help but feel bad for not agreeing to go with him, but she washed her plate in the sink hurriedly and headed upstairs. The nagging sensation in her mind was growing stronger as she neared her bedroom, and she warily turned the nickel brushed doorknob and peered around it, as if expecting to be attacked.
The curtains at her window breezed airily around, as if they were feeling playful, and she realized she had forgot to shut the window when Sam had flown out. When she reached it, however, she gasped loudly.
Sitting on her windowsill was a great big tawny owl, waiting patiently it seemed, however that was not what shocked her. The letter the owl carried bore the crest of Hogwarts. Trembling, Jennifer took the envelope from the owl, and it flew away majestically, causing her curtains to flutter even more.
She willed her wildly beating heart to calm, getting her hopes up was useless when the letter might only contain a sympathetic rejection, or perhaps a 'thanks but no thanks'. But if she was granted what she asked…'Stop torturing yourself. Just open it.'
Breaking the seal with shaky fingers was difficult, but she managed, and when she unfolded the letter she let out a soft scream of disbelief.
Dear Miss Anderson,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
A huge grin spread across her face and she had to resist the urge to start dancing in the middle of her bedroom. 'I got in! I got in!' she rejoiced silently, hugging herself. Warmth bloomed in her chest and spread to her fingertips, filling her head to toe with happiness. 'I'm going to Hogwarts!'
***