Chapter 3
Kila checked the completed piece of homework, leaned back in her chair, sighed and rubbed her eyes to wipe away the sleep threatening to overcome her. A glance at the luminous alarm clock on the nightstand next to her bed told her it was late, very late. Past her bedtime in fact. But she wanted to get all her homework so she could enjoy her holidays in peace but then again she was really tired and it was really late...
She sighed heavily again, saved her work and switched off the computer. Her eyes itched with tiredness and her brain was starting to shut down, preparing for sleep but part of her mind was still buzzing. The part that was worrying about the homework.
Never mind, she would finish it tomorrow.
Kila flicked off her light and crawled into bed pulling the covers over her head. It was pleasant just to lay there thinking of the weeks of freedom ahead and it was raining outside. The calm sound of raindrops slashing against her window was comforting and made her feel even warmer and safer tucked up in her bed. She let the sound of the rain wash over her as she closed her eyes.
Then she heard something else. At first she believed that she had just drifted off and what she detected was part of a dream but then she realised undoubtfully that she was still awake.
Opening her eyes a crack she could see the orange light beaming through her window from a street lam outside. The rain had splattered the window and slid down the glass, leaving trails of water behind like a snail that leaves a trail of slime. She glanced around her noise to try and figure out where the sound was issuing from. It was a tapping. Like a tapping on glass.
Her eyes shot to the window again and this time she spotted a gigantic tawny owl seated on her window ledge tapping the glass with its beak. Its bright yellow eyes watched her as she rushed to the window to pull it open. It swooped in landing neatly on her computer table.
Kila, who had never seen a bird this close, was totally amazed. She hadn't expected anything like that. She studied the owl. It was indeed big but handsome with soft brown feathers which were damp and ruffled and a dainty beak. Its strong claws looked sharp and lethal and its yellow eyes were eerie in the dimness of her bedroom. It let out a screech and held out its leg. Maybe it was hurt but as she moved closer she noticed that there was something attached to its leg, wrapped up envelope.
Daring to edge closer hoping it wouldn't attack her with its sharp claws, she saw green writing on yellow paper. Taking a deep calming breath she bent down a little and unwrapped the envelope while the owl watched her deadly still. With shaking hands she held the envelope and the owl screeched again and soared out of the window into the rainy night. Kila quickly slammed the window shut and looked at the envelope in her hands.
On slightly yellow parchment with green ink was written:
Kila Thornton
10 Abbygate Way
Surry
England
Kila stared at the envelope in her hands, puzzled. Why would somebody send her a letter using an owl? It didn't make sense, why didn't they just send it in the post. Well she wouldn't have the answers until she opened the envelope. She ripped it open and two yellow pieces of parchment fell out onto her bed. She picked up the largest one first and read it:
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 Thornton,
We are please to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will be joining the lost witches and wizards in the 5th year. Over the summer holidays a few individuals have been given the authority to teach and train lost witches and wizards so that they can take their place at Hogwarts. You have been assigned a Miss Hermione Granger, Mr Harry Potter and a Mr Ronald Weasly. If you are ready to take you place please contact Mr Harry Potter and send your reply as soon as possible.
Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl no later then the 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Kila heard a small laugh escape her lips. Witches? There was no such thing. This was some sort of stupid joke from somebody at school who was trying to embarrass her. But then part of her, an intrigued part, was wondering about the letter. She glanced at the other letter and saw a list of schoolbooks, books she had never heard of and a list of what looked like equipment.
No, this is stupid. It is just made up. Perhaps it was even made up by Harry, maybe it was she didn't know him well, didn't know what he was like. But somehow she knew it wasn't him.
Sighing she shoved the letters into a draw and drew the curtains, not wanting any other nighttime visitors. It was late, and she as tired, and she could worry about that letter in the morning.
Maybe this really is a dream, she thought, maybe I will wake up in the morning and the letter will not be there. It would have all been a dream.........
Harry's eyes itched from tiredness. He raised his head from his homework and looked around the room. He had heard a distinct tapping sound over the rain. He laid down his quill and ran a hand through his hair, musing it. It was late and his homework was confusing. He couldn't concentrate on it and then there was the sharp tapping. Where was it coming from?
He frowned and looked self-consciously to the windows and was startled to see two owls there. One he recognized as Pig, the tiny grey owl that belonged to one of his best friends Ron Weasly. The other, larger, brown owl he didn't recognize and concluded it must have been a school owl or an owl from Sirius, his godfather.
What was a school owl doing here? They had only broken up a week ago so they couldn't be sending his list of books for the New Year.
Harry groaned and stood up and opened the window. The large owl soared in and landed on his desk, Pig fluttered in chirruping, madly and looking very pleased with himself. Harry unwrapped the letter from the leg of the large owl and it gave a deep hoot and flew off out of the open window into the rain.
Harry looked at the letter and noticed that it was indeed a letter from Hogwarts:
Dear Mr Potter,
We are writing to inform you that you, along with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasly, have been chosen to teach a lost witch over the summer holidays. You have been given authority to do magic by the ministry of Magic but only to help teach your student. Expect your student, Kila Thornton, to contact you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry read the letter once again to make sure he had read it right. Lost witches and wizards? Kila?
Well he knew that Hogwarts wouldn't lie but he had never expected something like this. Well at least he would get to spend the summer with Ron and Hermione instead of the dreaded dull Dursley family whom he was housed with now. And Kila seemed like a nice girl, she had tried to help him after all. The thought of leaving the Dursley's and going to stay with Ron made Happiness swim inside him. He would probably be staying at the Burrow.
Pig had landed on Harry's table and he rushed to him untying the letter from his leg while he hopped madly.
"Hold still" he commanded. Pig chirped and managed to stay still long enough for Harry to untie the letter. He then fluttered off to Hedwig's cage for a drink of water. She was still out hunting and wouldn't be back for a while.
Harry looked at the letter and read Ron's untidy scrawl.
I can't believe that we have to teach a lost witch! I thought this was meant to be holiday for us away from learning. Well at least we get to do magic. Wonder what she is like. Mum told me you all ready know her. Dumbledore says you Hermione and the lost witch are coming to stay with us and we are picking you up on Friday. Mum says the lost witch has already got her Hogwarts letter and has been told to talk to you. See you on Friday.
Ron
PS: We are using cars this time because of what happened last time.
Harry felt himself smiling remembering what had happened and the look on the Dursley's faces when Mr Weasly had blasted the fireplace. Dudley still hadn't really gotten over his tongue growing so much, he still gave Harry shifty looks. The Kila girl did seem nice and he hoped that she would contact him because it would be a shame if she missed out on being a witch.
He waited for Hedwig to come back and for pig to zoom off and then he closed the window and crawled into bed.
Kila checked the completed piece of homework, leaned back in her chair, sighed and rubbed her eyes to wipe away the sleep threatening to overcome her. A glance at the luminous alarm clock on the nightstand next to her bed told her it was late, very late. Past her bedtime in fact. But she wanted to get all her homework so she could enjoy her holidays in peace but then again she was really tired and it was really late...
She sighed heavily again, saved her work and switched off the computer. Her eyes itched with tiredness and her brain was starting to shut down, preparing for sleep but part of her mind was still buzzing. The part that was worrying about the homework.
Never mind, she would finish it tomorrow.
Kila flicked off her light and crawled into bed pulling the covers over her head. It was pleasant just to lay there thinking of the weeks of freedom ahead and it was raining outside. The calm sound of raindrops slashing against her window was comforting and made her feel even warmer and safer tucked up in her bed. She let the sound of the rain wash over her as she closed her eyes.
Then she heard something else. At first she believed that she had just drifted off and what she detected was part of a dream but then she realised undoubtfully that she was still awake.
Opening her eyes a crack she could see the orange light beaming through her window from a street lam outside. The rain had splattered the window and slid down the glass, leaving trails of water behind like a snail that leaves a trail of slime. She glanced around her noise to try and figure out where the sound was issuing from. It was a tapping. Like a tapping on glass.
Her eyes shot to the window again and this time she spotted a gigantic tawny owl seated on her window ledge tapping the glass with its beak. Its bright yellow eyes watched her as she rushed to the window to pull it open. It swooped in landing neatly on her computer table.
Kila, who had never seen a bird this close, was totally amazed. She hadn't expected anything like that. She studied the owl. It was indeed big but handsome with soft brown feathers which were damp and ruffled and a dainty beak. Its strong claws looked sharp and lethal and its yellow eyes were eerie in the dimness of her bedroom. It let out a screech and held out its leg. Maybe it was hurt but as she moved closer she noticed that there was something attached to its leg, wrapped up envelope.
Daring to edge closer hoping it wouldn't attack her with its sharp claws, she saw green writing on yellow paper. Taking a deep calming breath she bent down a little and unwrapped the envelope while the owl watched her deadly still. With shaking hands she held the envelope and the owl screeched again and soared out of the window into the rainy night. Kila quickly slammed the window shut and looked at the envelope in her hands.
On slightly yellow parchment with green ink was written:
Kila Thornton
10 Abbygate Way
Surry
England
Kila stared at the envelope in her hands, puzzled. Why would somebody send her a letter using an owl? It didn't make sense, why didn't they just send it in the post. Well she wouldn't have the answers until she opened the envelope. She ripped it open and two yellow pieces of parchment fell out onto her bed. She picked up the largest one first and read it:
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 Thornton,
We are please to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will be joining the lost witches and wizards in the 5th year. Over the summer holidays a few individuals have been given the authority to teach and train lost witches and wizards so that they can take their place at Hogwarts. You have been assigned a Miss Hermione Granger, Mr Harry Potter and a Mr Ronald Weasly. If you are ready to take you place please contact Mr Harry Potter and send your reply as soon as possible.
Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl no later then the 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Kila heard a small laugh escape her lips. Witches? There was no such thing. This was some sort of stupid joke from somebody at school who was trying to embarrass her. But then part of her, an intrigued part, was wondering about the letter. She glanced at the other letter and saw a list of schoolbooks, books she had never heard of and a list of what looked like equipment.
No, this is stupid. It is just made up. Perhaps it was even made up by Harry, maybe it was she didn't know him well, didn't know what he was like. But somehow she knew it wasn't him.
Sighing she shoved the letters into a draw and drew the curtains, not wanting any other nighttime visitors. It was late, and she as tired, and she could worry about that letter in the morning.
Maybe this really is a dream, she thought, maybe I will wake up in the morning and the letter will not be there. It would have all been a dream.........
Harry's eyes itched from tiredness. He raised his head from his homework and looked around the room. He had heard a distinct tapping sound over the rain. He laid down his quill and ran a hand through his hair, musing it. It was late and his homework was confusing. He couldn't concentrate on it and then there was the sharp tapping. Where was it coming from?
He frowned and looked self-consciously to the windows and was startled to see two owls there. One he recognized as Pig, the tiny grey owl that belonged to one of his best friends Ron Weasly. The other, larger, brown owl he didn't recognize and concluded it must have been a school owl or an owl from Sirius, his godfather.
What was a school owl doing here? They had only broken up a week ago so they couldn't be sending his list of books for the New Year.
Harry groaned and stood up and opened the window. The large owl soared in and landed on his desk, Pig fluttered in chirruping, madly and looking very pleased with himself. Harry unwrapped the letter from the leg of the large owl and it gave a deep hoot and flew off out of the open window into the rain.
Harry looked at the letter and noticed that it was indeed a letter from Hogwarts:
Dear Mr Potter,
We are writing to inform you that you, along with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasly, have been chosen to teach a lost witch over the summer holidays. You have been given authority to do magic by the ministry of Magic but only to help teach your student. Expect your student, Kila Thornton, to contact you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry read the letter once again to make sure he had read it right. Lost witches and wizards? Kila?
Well he knew that Hogwarts wouldn't lie but he had never expected something like this. Well at least he would get to spend the summer with Ron and Hermione instead of the dreaded dull Dursley family whom he was housed with now. And Kila seemed like a nice girl, she had tried to help him after all. The thought of leaving the Dursley's and going to stay with Ron made Happiness swim inside him. He would probably be staying at the Burrow.
Pig had landed on Harry's table and he rushed to him untying the letter from his leg while he hopped madly.
"Hold still" he commanded. Pig chirped and managed to stay still long enough for Harry to untie the letter. He then fluttered off to Hedwig's cage for a drink of water. She was still out hunting and wouldn't be back for a while.
Harry looked at the letter and read Ron's untidy scrawl.
I can't believe that we have to teach a lost witch! I thought this was meant to be holiday for us away from learning. Well at least we get to do magic. Wonder what she is like. Mum told me you all ready know her. Dumbledore says you Hermione and the lost witch are coming to stay with us and we are picking you up on Friday. Mum says the lost witch has already got her Hogwarts letter and has been told to talk to you. See you on Friday.
Ron
PS: We are using cars this time because of what happened last time.
Harry felt himself smiling remembering what had happened and the look on the Dursley's faces when Mr Weasly had blasted the fireplace. Dudley still hadn't really gotten over his tongue growing so much, he still gave Harry shifty looks. The Kila girl did seem nice and he hoped that she would contact him because it would be a shame if she missed out on being a witch.
He waited for Hedwig to come back and for pig to zoom off and then he closed the window and crawled into bed.