The morning of his eleventh birthday, Tommy awoke to find a small
pile of parcels at the foot of his bed. The presents were creatively
wrapped, as his friends had had to forage for old newspapers and bags to
cover them with. He grinned at his roommates and reached for the nearest
package, reading the note that fluttered out of it:
Tommy~ Happy Birthday! I wasn't sure what to get you so I settled for something useful! Give Ms. Hettlebaum hell with these! Ethan
Enclosed was a package of stinkbombs and a Whoopee Cushion. Ethan looked thrilled at the prospect of trying them out and had his usual mischievous look in his eyes. Tommy opened the rest of his presents and received a brand new pair of shoes that looked blindingly white compared to his ratty old sneakers that were on the verge of falling apart.
Everyone in the room knew that the small amount of pocket money that the children were given each week for doing chores around the orphanage were not nearly enough to cover the cost of the shoes, but Tommy chose to pretend that they were bought and paid for by his friends. He often felt uncomfortable knowing that the other boys were stealing, especially since he never did it himself, but would never turn them in to the headmistress.
The five of them headed down to breakfast with unusual anticipation, as it was Friday and they received their spending money for the week. As the headmistress dropped the coins into his hand, the weight felt heavier than usual.
"So what're you gonna do with the extra money?" asked Kevin, staring a little too long at the money in Tommy's hand for his comfort.
"I guess I'll go over to the "Nook" and see if they have anything new," Tommy shrugged, referring to the book store that was only a short walk from the orphanage called the Book Nook.
"Oh come on," complained Ethan, "if you're gonna waste your money on books, you might as well just give it to me so it won't go to waste!" Tommy laughed at the hopeful look in his friend's eyes. Whenever the children got in trouble, they were not given any money for the week as punishment; Ethan was broke.
Tommy was probably the only kid in the world that enjoyed school and read extra text books during the summer for a bit of "pleasure reading." He found it exhilarating to learn new facts and somehow felt that since none of the kids at the orphanage were going to go far in life, he might as well get ahead of the pack. Somehow, being smart made him feel as though he were worth something.
On Sunday morning, Tanya, the caretaker of the orphanage would come around the tables and pass out any mail that had arrived that week. Tommy had never gotten a letter but wasn't too upset because he was hardly alone in that. However, he couldn't help feeling shocked and slightly superior as a letter was dropped onto his place.
Ethan was looking over his shoulder, but Tommy didn't want to open his first letter in front of anyone, so he tucked it into his pocket and gave Ethan a look that clearly said, "You're not reading it." He struck up a conversation about sports, which instantly distracted everyone. Soon a violent debate was taking place over whether or not the rugby team that had lost in the finals had been bribed. Tommy managed to slip away and he headed for his room.
"Thomas, could I have a word in my office?" The rather stringent voice of the headmistress sounded from behind him.
"Yes m'am," Tommy replied, nodding his head and following her to the office at the end of the hall.
To his surprise, he was not taken into the main part of the room where troublemakers were sent to await punishment, but was led into a side room; the headmistresses private chambers. Looking around, he made a mental note to describe the place to Ethan, as his pal often said that she must sleep in a nest on the roof, because she looked like a vulture.
Tommy's eyes widened as he found himself face to face with a old man. He had seen many old people, especially beggars on the street and strict schoolteachers, but this man was unlike any he had ever seen. His hair was mostly white, but had flecks of brown in it. His long beard reached down to his chest and his pleasant smile was surrounded by laugh lines. Strangest of all, however, were the long blue robes that he was wearing, that spanned his very tall, lanky, frame.
The old man put out a weathered hand and said, "It's delightful to meet you, young Thomas. I believe I should introduce myself? My name is Professor Dumbledore and I am a professor at a very selective boarding school in Scotland."
"It's a pleasure sir," replied Tommy, intrigued. The words boarding school echoed in his mind.
"Now, I must explain that this school where I teach is of a rather different nature than you might expect. It is called Hogwarts," professor Dumbledore explained.
Tommy couldn't help but let out a snort at the name. He had been rather hoping it was some prestigious boarding school that might give him the opportunity to become powerful when he was older, but at the name he realized that it wasn't to be.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that is. I teach the subject of Transfiguration, but there are an array of teachers that can expand on the magical ability that you have proven you posses."
Tommy stared at the man incredulously, then started to laugh. Dumbledore waited patiently, eyes twinkling at Tommy's reaction.
"You react in the same way that most of our muggle-born students, that is, students of non-magic descent, do when they first hear of magic. However, I can assure you that magic is very real." He pulled out a long stick, muttered some incoherent phrases, and suddenly Tommy's shoes were tied and the hole in his trouser leg mended. He stared at Dumbledore in utter shock, unable to speak.
"I assure you that this is no hoax, and that we have detected that you have very strong magical ability, that will be fine-tuned once you come to our school. I will give you a week to think this over, and if you agree to come, which I hope you will, your headmistress will contact us. Now I must be going to visit other homes. With luck, I will see you on September first." And with that the strangest man Tommy had ever met disappeared into thin air and he was left sitting by himself, soaking in what he had just learned.
Tommy was surprised to find that he believed the man. What he was saying was just so ridiculous that it made sense. There was no way the man could have fooled him into looking the other way while his shoes were tied, or distracted him while he had an assistant sew up his trousers. Tommy was a very reasonably boy, and was not one to stray far from logic. And there was only one logical way to explain all this. There was such a thing as magic after all.
Tommy~ Happy Birthday! I wasn't sure what to get you so I settled for something useful! Give Ms. Hettlebaum hell with these! Ethan
Enclosed was a package of stinkbombs and a Whoopee Cushion. Ethan looked thrilled at the prospect of trying them out and had his usual mischievous look in his eyes. Tommy opened the rest of his presents and received a brand new pair of shoes that looked blindingly white compared to his ratty old sneakers that were on the verge of falling apart.
Everyone in the room knew that the small amount of pocket money that the children were given each week for doing chores around the orphanage were not nearly enough to cover the cost of the shoes, but Tommy chose to pretend that they were bought and paid for by his friends. He often felt uncomfortable knowing that the other boys were stealing, especially since he never did it himself, but would never turn them in to the headmistress.
The five of them headed down to breakfast with unusual anticipation, as it was Friday and they received their spending money for the week. As the headmistress dropped the coins into his hand, the weight felt heavier than usual.
"So what're you gonna do with the extra money?" asked Kevin, staring a little too long at the money in Tommy's hand for his comfort.
"I guess I'll go over to the "Nook" and see if they have anything new," Tommy shrugged, referring to the book store that was only a short walk from the orphanage called the Book Nook.
"Oh come on," complained Ethan, "if you're gonna waste your money on books, you might as well just give it to me so it won't go to waste!" Tommy laughed at the hopeful look in his friend's eyes. Whenever the children got in trouble, they were not given any money for the week as punishment; Ethan was broke.
Tommy was probably the only kid in the world that enjoyed school and read extra text books during the summer for a bit of "pleasure reading." He found it exhilarating to learn new facts and somehow felt that since none of the kids at the orphanage were going to go far in life, he might as well get ahead of the pack. Somehow, being smart made him feel as though he were worth something.
On Sunday morning, Tanya, the caretaker of the orphanage would come around the tables and pass out any mail that had arrived that week. Tommy had never gotten a letter but wasn't too upset because he was hardly alone in that. However, he couldn't help feeling shocked and slightly superior as a letter was dropped onto his place.
Ethan was looking over his shoulder, but Tommy didn't want to open his first letter in front of anyone, so he tucked it into his pocket and gave Ethan a look that clearly said, "You're not reading it." He struck up a conversation about sports, which instantly distracted everyone. Soon a violent debate was taking place over whether or not the rugby team that had lost in the finals had been bribed. Tommy managed to slip away and he headed for his room.
"Thomas, could I have a word in my office?" The rather stringent voice of the headmistress sounded from behind him.
"Yes m'am," Tommy replied, nodding his head and following her to the office at the end of the hall.
To his surprise, he was not taken into the main part of the room where troublemakers were sent to await punishment, but was led into a side room; the headmistresses private chambers. Looking around, he made a mental note to describe the place to Ethan, as his pal often said that she must sleep in a nest on the roof, because she looked like a vulture.
Tommy's eyes widened as he found himself face to face with a old man. He had seen many old people, especially beggars on the street and strict schoolteachers, but this man was unlike any he had ever seen. His hair was mostly white, but had flecks of brown in it. His long beard reached down to his chest and his pleasant smile was surrounded by laugh lines. Strangest of all, however, were the long blue robes that he was wearing, that spanned his very tall, lanky, frame.
The old man put out a weathered hand and said, "It's delightful to meet you, young Thomas. I believe I should introduce myself? My name is Professor Dumbledore and I am a professor at a very selective boarding school in Scotland."
"It's a pleasure sir," replied Tommy, intrigued. The words boarding school echoed in his mind.
"Now, I must explain that this school where I teach is of a rather different nature than you might expect. It is called Hogwarts," professor Dumbledore explained.
Tommy couldn't help but let out a snort at the name. He had been rather hoping it was some prestigious boarding school that might give him the opportunity to become powerful when he was older, but at the name he realized that it wasn't to be.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that is. I teach the subject of Transfiguration, but there are an array of teachers that can expand on the magical ability that you have proven you posses."
Tommy stared at the man incredulously, then started to laugh. Dumbledore waited patiently, eyes twinkling at Tommy's reaction.
"You react in the same way that most of our muggle-born students, that is, students of non-magic descent, do when they first hear of magic. However, I can assure you that magic is very real." He pulled out a long stick, muttered some incoherent phrases, and suddenly Tommy's shoes were tied and the hole in his trouser leg mended. He stared at Dumbledore in utter shock, unable to speak.
"I assure you that this is no hoax, and that we have detected that you have very strong magical ability, that will be fine-tuned once you come to our school. I will give you a week to think this over, and if you agree to come, which I hope you will, your headmistress will contact us. Now I must be going to visit other homes. With luck, I will see you on September first." And with that the strangest man Tommy had ever met disappeared into thin air and he was left sitting by himself, soaking in what he had just learned.
Tommy was surprised to find that he believed the man. What he was saying was just so ridiculous that it made sense. There was no way the man could have fooled him into looking the other way while his shoes were tied, or distracted him while he had an assistant sew up his trousers. Tommy was a very reasonably boy, and was not one to stray far from logic. And there was only one logical way to explain all this. There was such a thing as magic after all.