Chapter 2—Top picks
News about the idea of foreign exchange students spread like wildfire throughout the wizarding world.
Some cocked their heads in laughter, as they thought the idea was ridiculous. Others were definitely pleased. Yet still, other wizarding families, [most of the purebloods] were enraged. Lucius Malfoy himself had gone down to the office of the ministry of magic just to express his anger. He left with that same anger, since his yells were of no use since it had now become an official order.
Meanwhile, a small group had another meeting about choosing the exchange students. Present in this meeting were Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, Arthus Weasley, school leaders of Beuxbatons and Durmstrang, and two other officials in the ministry of magic.
"Oh this is soo exciting!" Arthur beamed.
They had decided that they did not necessarily have to get children from different countries, but they were to take in children with different races. They could reside in any country aside from England.
Fudge scoffed and said that having five per school would be too much ("Who knows what these muggles of different races might be like!?"). Madame Maxime, from Beuxbatons, agreed. She did not like her school to have these 'different creatures' as she called them. Arthur tried to persuade the minister into considering the original plan of five per school ("Sir, they're just ordinary people like you and me! Don't be racist!"), but Fudge would hear none of it. He was convinced that Mr. Weasley was just saying this because he was obsessed with muggles. Finally Dumbledore suggested that they had two new students in Hogwarts, another two were to be sent in Durmstrang, and another last pair to Buexbatons. Fudge was defiant, but he agreed.
After hours of further discussion, they had finally decided. Each school had already picked their students. Beuxbatons had Fantasia Cowell, and Aristina Williams, both ladies from France; Durmstrang had Carlos Morales, a Spanish boy who was raised in America, and Thomas Crowe, half Chinese, half European; Hogwarts had Tatiana Guevera and Brian Matthews, both Filipino-Europeans who resided in the Philippines.
Fudge was pleased that most of the top picks still had some European breed in them. Arthur couldn't care less. Muggles were muggles. He was still bouncing with excitement.
"Oh, Minister, if there are only two now, than I can probably take in both of them...!" He suggested cautiously.
"We'll see Arthur." Fudge said, without paying much attention.
They quickly discussed about a few more details on how they would go about things, and then the meeting was dismissed.
A white fluttering owl tapped gently on the window outside a mint green bedroom. Inside, sixteen-year old Tatiana turned down her radio and looked to see the creature tapping the window pane rhythmically. Curious about the creature, she slowly opened her window and drew her curtains as the owl fluttered in. It dropped a sealed white envelope onto her bed with a soft 'plop', and then it perched on the armrest of the chair next to it. Tatiana was, at first, mesmerized by the snowy white owl with a tinge of light brown at the end of its feathers, which seemed to pass of as a sparkling gold. She rarely saw owls like that flying around the Philippines, especially one with such an exquisite beauty. Then her attention shifted to the envelope on her bed. It was sealed with scarlet wax with a familiar emblem. The letters were embossed in gold:
Ms. Tatiana Isabel Guevara
Number 9 Nicolas Street
Brinafriend Village
Manila, Philippines
She opened the letter cautiously and her heart beat faster, while her peripheral vision was still eyeing the glamorous owl that was patiently waiting at the edge of her crimson computer chair.
"Dear Miss Guevara;
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of the few who were chosen as an exchange student in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry for our new program.
You will be living with a volunteer wizarding family for a month before the term begins, in order to get you better acquainted with the magical world. Things may be unclear for you at the moment but you will be personally visited by the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, in order to properly explain, as things might be too difficult to understand if we write it all down.
Enclosed is a list of books and supplies you will need for the upcoming year. Term starts on September first..."
Tatiana was in a daze. Her mind was racing ... Hogwarts... wizards... magical world... what did this all mean? ...She couldn't understand anything... Her heart was pounding furiously against her rib cage, as she walked over to sit on her bed.
'This is probably a prank...,' she thought, trying to calm herself down. "...its probably somebody playing a casual trick on me, that's all. And I'm not gonna be stupid enough to fall for something as lame as this...'
The owl must have sense Tatiana's feeling, as it fluttered gently over to her, and nudged its beak affectionately into the side of her arm. She closed her eyes, and her finger ran across her forehead, as her other hand unconsciously began stroking the feathered animal next to her. She heard a faint "pop" at the corner of her room, and sure enough, she opened her eyes and there, by her turquoise door, stood a smiling old man with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles over his sparkling eyes--- Albus Dumbledore.
Tatiana screamed.
News about the idea of foreign exchange students spread like wildfire throughout the wizarding world.
Some cocked their heads in laughter, as they thought the idea was ridiculous. Others were definitely pleased. Yet still, other wizarding families, [most of the purebloods] were enraged. Lucius Malfoy himself had gone down to the office of the ministry of magic just to express his anger. He left with that same anger, since his yells were of no use since it had now become an official order.
Meanwhile, a small group had another meeting about choosing the exchange students. Present in this meeting were Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, Arthus Weasley, school leaders of Beuxbatons and Durmstrang, and two other officials in the ministry of magic.
"Oh this is soo exciting!" Arthur beamed.
They had decided that they did not necessarily have to get children from different countries, but they were to take in children with different races. They could reside in any country aside from England.
Fudge scoffed and said that having five per school would be too much ("Who knows what these muggles of different races might be like!?"). Madame Maxime, from Beuxbatons, agreed. She did not like her school to have these 'different creatures' as she called them. Arthur tried to persuade the minister into considering the original plan of five per school ("Sir, they're just ordinary people like you and me! Don't be racist!"), but Fudge would hear none of it. He was convinced that Mr. Weasley was just saying this because he was obsessed with muggles. Finally Dumbledore suggested that they had two new students in Hogwarts, another two were to be sent in Durmstrang, and another last pair to Buexbatons. Fudge was defiant, but he agreed.
After hours of further discussion, they had finally decided. Each school had already picked their students. Beuxbatons had Fantasia Cowell, and Aristina Williams, both ladies from France; Durmstrang had Carlos Morales, a Spanish boy who was raised in America, and Thomas Crowe, half Chinese, half European; Hogwarts had Tatiana Guevera and Brian Matthews, both Filipino-Europeans who resided in the Philippines.
Fudge was pleased that most of the top picks still had some European breed in them. Arthur couldn't care less. Muggles were muggles. He was still bouncing with excitement.
"Oh, Minister, if there are only two now, than I can probably take in both of them...!" He suggested cautiously.
"We'll see Arthur." Fudge said, without paying much attention.
They quickly discussed about a few more details on how they would go about things, and then the meeting was dismissed.
A white fluttering owl tapped gently on the window outside a mint green bedroom. Inside, sixteen-year old Tatiana turned down her radio and looked to see the creature tapping the window pane rhythmically. Curious about the creature, she slowly opened her window and drew her curtains as the owl fluttered in. It dropped a sealed white envelope onto her bed with a soft 'plop', and then it perched on the armrest of the chair next to it. Tatiana was, at first, mesmerized by the snowy white owl with a tinge of light brown at the end of its feathers, which seemed to pass of as a sparkling gold. She rarely saw owls like that flying around the Philippines, especially one with such an exquisite beauty. Then her attention shifted to the envelope on her bed. It was sealed with scarlet wax with a familiar emblem. The letters were embossed in gold:
Ms. Tatiana Isabel Guevara
Number 9 Nicolas Street
Brinafriend Village
Manila, Philippines
She opened the letter cautiously and her heart beat faster, while her peripheral vision was still eyeing the glamorous owl that was patiently waiting at the edge of her crimson computer chair.
"Dear Miss Guevara;
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of the few who were chosen as an exchange student in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry for our new program.
You will be living with a volunteer wizarding family for a month before the term begins, in order to get you better acquainted with the magical world. Things may be unclear for you at the moment but you will be personally visited by the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, in order to properly explain, as things might be too difficult to understand if we write it all down.
Enclosed is a list of books and supplies you will need for the upcoming year. Term starts on September first..."
Tatiana was in a daze. Her mind was racing ... Hogwarts... wizards... magical world... what did this all mean? ...She couldn't understand anything... Her heart was pounding furiously against her rib cage, as she walked over to sit on her bed.
'This is probably a prank...,' she thought, trying to calm herself down. "...its probably somebody playing a casual trick on me, that's all. And I'm not gonna be stupid enough to fall for something as lame as this...'
The owl must have sense Tatiana's feeling, as it fluttered gently over to her, and nudged its beak affectionately into the side of her arm. She closed her eyes, and her finger ran across her forehead, as her other hand unconsciously began stroking the feathered animal next to her. She heard a faint "pop" at the corner of her room, and sure enough, she opened her eyes and there, by her turquoise door, stood a smiling old man with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles over his sparkling eyes--- Albus Dumbledore.
Tatiana screamed.