A/N: Yes! Another repost!! Once again, some minor changes, nothing big.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story, though, and if you're reading
and not reviewing, you're committing a cardinal sin and definitely need to
review. I accept flames if you don't like the story, as long as it's
constructive so I can fix what you don't like. Anyway, I don't own Harry
Potter or anything you recognize, but Jess and her parents are mine. .
.hands off!!
Sammy Solo
"I got it!" Jess sprinted down the steps, clutching the letter in her hand. "I got. . .ow!" she yelled as she tripped over her dog at the bottom of the steps and sprawled onto the floor. The dog seemed to smile and started licking her face. "I got in, Leia, they let me in!"
Climbing to her feet, she sprinted into the kitchen. "Mom, I got into the exchange program!" she called.
Jennifer Gabriel looked up from her morning coffee and smiled at her daughter. "That's great!" she exclaimed. "Wait until your father hears!"
"What do I have to hear now?" Joshua asked, stepping into the kitchen and looking suspiciously at his wife and daughter.
"I got in!" Jess said again, shoving the letter into her father's hands. As he read the letter, a frown spread across his face.
"Jess, we haven't discussed all this yet," he said.
"Discussed what?" Jennifer asked.
"This says she's been accepted to Hogwarts," he answered. "We didn't. . ."
"It does?" Jess asked, snatching the letter back. "I didn't see that. Yes!" She jumped up and pumped her fist into the air. "Wait 'til I tell Hermione."
"Hold on," Joshua said. "We still have to talk about this. They never caught Sirius Black. I don't think I want you going over there if your life will be in danger."
"Dad, I live in New York City. My life is in danger everyday!"
"But here you have police to watch over you," he argued.
"And there I'll be at school, allowed to use magic, with a bunch of professional witches and wizards. If the guy could get anywhere near the school, he'd never get past them."
Before Joshua had a chance to respond, Jennifer spoke up.
"What's the deadline for your response?" she inquired.
Jess examined the letter. "Friday," she answered.
"And today's Tuesday. So, Josh, you can talk to the people at work, maybe ask some questions in the International Office, and find out all you want."
Jess rolled her eyes. "I don't. . ."
"Jess," her mother said sternly.
Jess sighed. "Fine."
"Fine," Josh said. "We'll talk about this later. I'm gonna be late for work." He pecked his wife and daughter on the cheek, then turned, picked up his briefcase, and strode out of the house. Jess immediately turned on her mother.
"He can't stop me from going," Jess said defiantly.
"Yes, he can," Jennifer said sharply. "He's your father, and you'd better remember that." She seemed a little less angry now that she got that off her chest, and her tone softened slightly when she spoke again. "I'll talk to him, Jess. I know how badly you want to go. He's just doing his job, being a father."
"I know," Jess said. "I just really wanna do this." Her mother nodded. "Anyway, I'm gonna go write to Hermione and Rachael, at least tell them I got accepted."
"Alright," Jenn said. "I'll see you in a little while.
Two days later, Jess was waiting by the door when her father walked in from work.
"So, did you decide?" she asked before he had even closed the door.
"Okay, let me walk into the house before you leap down my throat," he said, stepping past her and into the kitchen. She followed, glaring at his back.
Josh stepped into the kitchen, Jess hot on his heels. He dropped his briefcase onto the table and opened it. He carefully removed his wand and some paperwork, including a letter addressed in green ink.
"In response to all the inquires I've made, I got this in the mail today," Josh said, holding up the green-lettered envelope.
"What is it?" Jess asked, starting to worry that her father had not been convinced that everything was safe. Joshua opened the envelope and scanned its contents as he spoke again.
"It's a letter from an Albus Dumbledore, apparent Headmaster of Hogwarts."
"Oh yeah," Jess said, the name sparking a memory. "Hermione mentioned him a few times. Um. . .what did he say?"
"He says that he heard from the wizards in the British Section of the International Office that you may not be allowed to attend his school for security reasons," Josh explained. "He felt that he should give me his direct opinion on the matter."
"And?" Jess asked, ready to explode with the suspense building inside her.
"And. . .he convinced me," Josh said.
"He. . .really?" Jess asked, astounded. "YES!" She leapt on her father, hugging him tightly. "You're the best, Dad. I'm so excited! Wait until Hermione hears!" On that note, Jess rushed up the stairs to write her friend a letter. Jennifer Gabriel stepped into the kitchen, a curious smile on her face.
"He must have said something really strong," she commented. "To convince you to let her go."
"Well, it's a long story, and it's all in the letter, if you want to read it. Basically, from what I hear, this Dumbledore is a really trustworthy guy, so I believe what he says."
Jennifer nodded and hugged her husband. "The fact that she would have hated you if you didn't let her go didn't have any effect on your decision, did it?" she asked playfully.
"No," Josh replied. "No effect at all."
Sammy Solo
"I got it!" Jess sprinted down the steps, clutching the letter in her hand. "I got. . .ow!" she yelled as she tripped over her dog at the bottom of the steps and sprawled onto the floor. The dog seemed to smile and started licking her face. "I got in, Leia, they let me in!"
Climbing to her feet, she sprinted into the kitchen. "Mom, I got into the exchange program!" she called.
Jennifer Gabriel looked up from her morning coffee and smiled at her daughter. "That's great!" she exclaimed. "Wait until your father hears!"
"What do I have to hear now?" Joshua asked, stepping into the kitchen and looking suspiciously at his wife and daughter.
"I got in!" Jess said again, shoving the letter into her father's hands. As he read the letter, a frown spread across his face.
"Jess, we haven't discussed all this yet," he said.
"Discussed what?" Jennifer asked.
"This says she's been accepted to Hogwarts," he answered. "We didn't. . ."
"It does?" Jess asked, snatching the letter back. "I didn't see that. Yes!" She jumped up and pumped her fist into the air. "Wait 'til I tell Hermione."
"Hold on," Joshua said. "We still have to talk about this. They never caught Sirius Black. I don't think I want you going over there if your life will be in danger."
"Dad, I live in New York City. My life is in danger everyday!"
"But here you have police to watch over you," he argued.
"And there I'll be at school, allowed to use magic, with a bunch of professional witches and wizards. If the guy could get anywhere near the school, he'd never get past them."
Before Joshua had a chance to respond, Jennifer spoke up.
"What's the deadline for your response?" she inquired.
Jess examined the letter. "Friday," she answered.
"And today's Tuesday. So, Josh, you can talk to the people at work, maybe ask some questions in the International Office, and find out all you want."
Jess rolled her eyes. "I don't. . ."
"Jess," her mother said sternly.
Jess sighed. "Fine."
"Fine," Josh said. "We'll talk about this later. I'm gonna be late for work." He pecked his wife and daughter on the cheek, then turned, picked up his briefcase, and strode out of the house. Jess immediately turned on her mother.
"He can't stop me from going," Jess said defiantly.
"Yes, he can," Jennifer said sharply. "He's your father, and you'd better remember that." She seemed a little less angry now that she got that off her chest, and her tone softened slightly when she spoke again. "I'll talk to him, Jess. I know how badly you want to go. He's just doing his job, being a father."
"I know," Jess said. "I just really wanna do this." Her mother nodded. "Anyway, I'm gonna go write to Hermione and Rachael, at least tell them I got accepted."
"Alright," Jenn said. "I'll see you in a little while.
Two days later, Jess was waiting by the door when her father walked in from work.
"So, did you decide?" she asked before he had even closed the door.
"Okay, let me walk into the house before you leap down my throat," he said, stepping past her and into the kitchen. She followed, glaring at his back.
Josh stepped into the kitchen, Jess hot on his heels. He dropped his briefcase onto the table and opened it. He carefully removed his wand and some paperwork, including a letter addressed in green ink.
"In response to all the inquires I've made, I got this in the mail today," Josh said, holding up the green-lettered envelope.
"What is it?" Jess asked, starting to worry that her father had not been convinced that everything was safe. Joshua opened the envelope and scanned its contents as he spoke again.
"It's a letter from an Albus Dumbledore, apparent Headmaster of Hogwarts."
"Oh yeah," Jess said, the name sparking a memory. "Hermione mentioned him a few times. Um. . .what did he say?"
"He says that he heard from the wizards in the British Section of the International Office that you may not be allowed to attend his school for security reasons," Josh explained. "He felt that he should give me his direct opinion on the matter."
"And?" Jess asked, ready to explode with the suspense building inside her.
"And. . .he convinced me," Josh said.
"He. . .really?" Jess asked, astounded. "YES!" She leapt on her father, hugging him tightly. "You're the best, Dad. I'm so excited! Wait until Hermione hears!" On that note, Jess rushed up the stairs to write her friend a letter. Jennifer Gabriel stepped into the kitchen, a curious smile on her face.
"He must have said something really strong," she commented. "To convince you to let her go."
"Well, it's a long story, and it's all in the letter, if you want to read it. Basically, from what I hear, this Dumbledore is a really trustworthy guy, so I believe what he says."
Jennifer nodded and hugged her husband. "The fact that she would have hated you if you didn't let her go didn't have any effect on your decision, did it?" she asked playfully.
"No," Josh replied. "No effect at all."