disclaimer: again, not mine!

a/n: okay…this is different from my first attempt: there's no romance, at least not yet. Still, there are some familiar elements: angst, and some humour to come later, as well as muggle/wizard relations and problems I just thought about one day. I'm trying to make it credible and realistic, even though my protagonist maybe seems older than his years – that will be justified.

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Poorly Covered Threats

"Dad?"  The boy's voice was severe and he sounded older than his eleven years. "I think we shouldn't show this to Mum."

He swallowed, looking warily at the parchment in his son's hand. "I guess you are right, there."

"She wouldn't understand and it would only get her agitated in vain." It pained his heart to hear Kevin using the familiar, clinical phrases, his voice carrying so much insight on his mother's state.

"Yes, I don't think she would understand." Brian Summers paused and watched the small, chubby boy with a contemplating look on his round face. "You believe it's real, that letter?" he then asked cautiously. It would have sounded odd to a stranger listening to them: an adult man and a small boy discussing like equals, the man seriously asking the boy's opinion.

The boy wrinkled his nose. "It's hard to believe. But it would explain some things. You know, like the sprinkler."

Yes, he knew. The sprinkler on their yard had an astounding habit of always saving Kevin from it's sprays when the boy was wearing his better clothes and generously cooling him off when he wasn't, and it got too hot outside.

"Anyhow, it doesn't matter. If it's real, there will be someone here tomorrow to see me and my parents. I guess no one would go into so much trouble only to play a joke on us."

Now Kevin was, once again, so damn practical that Brian wanted to strangle him. He was the adult here, for God's sake! How come his eleven-year-old son was always the calm and sensible one?

"You mean we'll just happily wait until tomorrow to see if this is all true?"

"Well, you can wait unhappily, too, if you wish. But it won't help any." Hell, his utter calmness was infuriating. And the boy knew it.

"Damn it, Kev! Can't you show even some emotion?" he exclaimed, frustrated.

Kevin smiled at his father, but his smile wasn't entirely a happy one. Show some emotion? He did have some emotion on the matter of the odd letter, but he wasn't ready to show it, yet. For the first thing, the letter hold a promise and he had learnt not to trust promises; it only brought one disappointments. Secondly, there wasn't just an emotion to show, there were several, and he didn't think his limited means of expression could display them all at once. A part of him was feeling excitement and giddiness; an other was getting guilty and anxious for feeling excited; one thread of emotion reeling inside him was a mixture of caution and fear; the other of hope and relief; and blending in with the others were shameful shreds of contempt and malice. He really didn't want to turn to his dad singsonging Hahaha! I've got some special talents and you don't! No, it was better to keep his emotions under control. Instead, he once more started to read the letter in his hand.

Dear Mr. Summers,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry starting form the upcoming semester, which begins  the 1st of September.  

As you are of non-magical heritage, we understand your probable confusion and surprise about this invitation. We are, however, very serious on the matter, and therefore a member of our personnel will be coming to see you and your parents on the June 11th at five o'clock pm. The purpose of this meeting will be to set some light on the matters concerning our school, the world of Magic and your future education. If the suggested time is inconvenient for you, please inform us by writing an alternative suggestion for an appropriate time on the bottom of the parchment.

Should  you and your parents be unreachable at the mutually appointed time, we will be getting in touch with you by less conventional ways. We hope we will not be forced to resort to these other means to contact you, but will be able to reach a mutual understanding without any further complications.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

The letter was cordial – except that it wasn't. There was a hint of a threat in its last paragraph and Kevin didn't want to think about what the "less conventional ways" would be. He guessed he should have been all for it – who wouldn't have? Just think about it: magic being real and him a wizard, privileged with special talents. That should have been any eleven-years-old's dream come true. But there was that hint of a threat, indicating he really didn't have a choice on the matter. And Kevin liked to have his choices.

"Uh..." His father was shifting nervously. "I guess we'd better be home around five o'clock tomorrow, then?"

"You noticed it, too?""Well...yeah. But it doesn't necessarily mean anything. You know,

anything nasty."

"I guess they have a reason for the threats." The boy was wrinkling his nose again, thinking aloud. "I mean, most people probably take it as a joke and don't bother to wait for this person to drop by. It must be quite frustrating for them, to keep coming over again and again." He could understand they would try to make sure someone would be meeting them when they came, but he couldn't help wondering why they didn't use better methods. Surely they understood that constructing the letter in a more normal manner would guarantee normal people's co-operation much better than these weird, weakly covered threats.

Altogether, Kevin didn't get such a great feeling about it all. Yes, magic sounded a lot more exciting area of study than English or Geography, and yes, he didn't like it in his current school and yes, his grades were, frankly, lousy, but he wasn't going to fool himself or anyone else by thinking he would immediately fall in love with schoolwork or teachers in general when getting to study magic instead of mathematics. A school was a school as far as Kevin was concerned and he had learnt long ago that teachers were able to turn the most interesting subjects into a boring pile of trivial knowledge and senseless rules and regulations.

Suddenly, he almost giggled at his own thoughts. He certainly had taught himself not to except too much. He had been offered – or he had been ordered to – a magical upbringing and he was already anticipating it being boring and poorly instructed.

Then he sobered anew. There was no reason to be even be thinking about the possible brighter sides or interesting and exciting elements of it. There was no way he was going to attend this...Hogwarts. First of all, it was a private school and they didn't have the money for it; and secondly, his father needed all the help he could get, with Mum as well as with his own problems. And Laura certainly wouldn't let him go to a strange boarding school situated...who knew where!

Brain watched his son. For his age, the boy could be almost scarily impassive and nonchalant, but still he could read flicks of several different emotions flashing on his face. He couldn't interpret all of them, but he was able to guess some of Kevin's concerns. He felt guilty. Nevermind the letter being a joke or not, Kevin really didn't have a choice. They didn't have the money to send him to a boarding school – and even if the letter looked unconventional, there still was this air of wealth and sophistication about it, indicating the school being an expensive and elite one. Not the one for their kind, that is. And then there was Laura Winters to think about, as well. He knew he should say it to Kevin, right away, but he couldn't find the right words, not when he himself felt he would have been extremely excited had he recieved a letter like that when he was eleven years old. How could the boy  bear the disappointment? How could he tell him?

Naturally, he didn't have to.

"Well, if someone will come tomorrow, I just have to say I can't go." Kevin's voice was impassive. " It doesn't matter, really. Being a magician can't be a very good career choice."

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Well...that was really just the beginning. This story is getting its inspiration on several thoughts: how would a child keep going to Hogwarts a secret from a parent; how would the school be explained to the social workers etc. if it was needed; is it really optional to go – or can it be, or what is done to the children who decide not to go?

So: who is Laura Winters? Will Kevin be able to stay at home? Is Hogwarts a totally free of charge sort of school? What is Kevin's Mum's condition? Why he has such a relationship with his Dad?

Are you even a bit interested? If you are, do review and tell me so! if you aren't, let me know, too!