Disclaimer: Once again, not mine, and it never will be.
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Chapter Two: The Hogwarts Letter
The next morning when Jessica woke up her thoughts immediately turned to Harry. Jessica would have jumped out of bed and called him right away if she hadn't forced herself to be reasonable. He probably wasn't even up yet. She would feel like such a dork if she called and woke him up. Jessica forced herself to take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and water the garden before she let herself call him.
Her fingers were shaking as she punched in the number. Her throat felt dry. What on earth was she going to talk about? It rang once...twice...a third time. Jessica was about to hang up, when a voice said, "Hello?"
"Um, yes, may I speak to Harry Potter, please?" Jessica asked, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Who are you?" the man asked. His voice held a note of alarm.
"I'm Jessica Banks," she said. Sensing that the man wanted more she said, "Harry and I met at the bookstore the other day."
"You're not from that school of his?" the man asked. His voice was still gruff but the alarm in it was fading.
"No," Jessica said. Where had he gotten that idea?
"Why do you want to talk to him?" the man asked her.
Jessica got the feeling that this man didn't want to let Harry come to the phone. "Well, sir, that is something to be discussed between Harry and I," she said. "Quite frankly, it is none of your business."
"How dare you-" the man started to say but just Jessica butted in.
"I called to talk to Harry sir, I did not call to talk to you," she said. "If I had wanted to talk to you I would have asked for you. Now may I please speak with Harry? I promise you it is not about anything illegal or something of the sort."
There was silence for a few moments. "Well, fine then," the man said in a very disgruntled voice. Jessica let out a mental sigh of relief. She'd been afraid that he wouldn't let her talk to him.
"Hello?" Harry said.
"Hi Harry, it's Jessica," she said, doing her best not to let her voice shake.
"Oh, hello Jessica, how are you?" Jessica noticed that his voice warmed considerably once she had said her name.
"I'm okay, what about you?"
"Pretty good." Harry hesitated. "What'd you call about?"
"Well, I wanted to know if you'd like to have the book," Jessica said. "I finished it last night and I know you wanted to read it. It is partially yours."
"Uh, sure, yeah," Harry said.
"Where do you live?" she asked. "I'll bring it over."
"Maybe that's not such a good idea," Harry said quickly. "Why don't you meet me over at the park?" He quickly told her where it was located.
"Great," Jessica said. "I'll see you there." She hung up the phone, a grin spreading across her face. He wanted to see her again! Jessica knew that it was probably just the book he wanted but even if that were the case, she would be allowed to spend a short amount of time in his presence. Somehow though, she thought he actually wanted to see her. The way his voice had grown warmer when she'd said her name made her wonder and hope that it was true.
Twenty minutes later, Jessica walked into the park. She looked around as she clutched the book to her chest protectively. She didn't see Harry. Then a woman moved near the concession stand and Jessica spotted him sitting at a table. He saw her and waved. She waved back and walked towards the table. As she neared it she saw that Harry was smiling. He had a nice smile and she felt herself smiling in response.
"Hi Jessica," Harry said. She handed over the book.
"Hi Harry," Jessica said. He scanned over the back of the book.
"Is it any good?" Harry asked, looking up curiously.
"It's great," she said. "I couldn't stop reading until I was done." She yawned. "I was up past two last night."
"Really?" Harry said. "I've been up 'till midnight for the last three days."
"Why?" Jessica asked, curiously.
"My teachers gave me a bunch of homework to do over summer break," Harry said.
"Oh," she said. Brilliant response Jessica, she thought to herself. There was silence for a moment.
Finally Harry asked, "Do you want to walk? I don't want to go back just yet and this is a bit boring."
"Sure," Jessica said. The two of them stood up, walking over in the direction of the path. She looked around. The sun sparkled down on the lake, which reflected the light all over. There was a light breeze. Jessica turned to look at Harry.
"So," she said, "how old are you?"
"Fourteen," he answered. "I'll be turning fifteen in five days."
"Really? That's cool. I don't turn fifteen 'till October. So, what are you going to do for your birthday?"
"Probably nothing," Harry said, becoming a bit downcast as he said these words. "I imagine I'll be getting some gifts from my friends from school though."
"You should do something fun," Jessica said. "It's not everyday you turn fifteen, after all."
"My friends are all too far away," Harry said. "And my aunt and uncle don't..." He trailed off.
Jessica nodded. "I understand." She looked out at the lake, thinking. What if she was to surprise him with something? From what she had seen of him so far, he was a pretty cool guy. He deserved a birthday party.
"So what do you like to do?" Harry asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Well, I like to read," Jessica said. "Just fiction most of the time though. There aren't very many non-fiction books I can read without falling asleep from boredom. I like to act as well. What about you?"
"I like to," Harry seemed to struggle with the words. He laughed to himself. "You know, I don't know. My aunt and uncle never take me anywhere and there isn't much to do around the house."
"There isn't much to do around my house either," Jessica said. "So instead I take the bus around town. My grandma doesn't have a car. It's better than having nothing to do though."
"I bet," Harry said. They were exiting the park. "I've run out of good excuses to not return home."
"I'll walk with you," Jessica said. "I haven't got anything better to do."
The two of them kept up the idle chitchat all the way to Harry's house. Somewhere along the way they got back onto the subject of Ben Smith's books. By the time they reached Harry's front doorstep Harry was claiming that his first book was the best yet and Jessica said that it couldn't be as good as his new one.
"Look," Harry said. "I have the book up in my room. I'll go get it. You can read it and I'll read his new one. Then we'll see who's right."
"Sure," Jessica said. "That's a great idea."
Harry opened the front door. He turned back to Jessica. "Come on in. You'll have to wait just inside the doorway...I'm not allowed to bring anyone upstairs to my room."
Jessica followed him in. She shut the door behind her.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" A loud male voice bellowed. She recognized it as the person who had answered the phone. Loud thudding footsteps came thudding towards the entryway. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE RUDDY..." A man stepped into the entryway, breaking off as he saw Jessica.
"Jessica this is my uncle, Vernon Dursley," Harry said quickly. "This is Jessica Banks, the girl I met at the bookstore." He turned to her. "I'll go grab that book really quick." His eyes were apologetic as he turned and ran off up the stairs.
"Hello, Mr. Dursley," Jessica said. She stuck out her hand with her polite smile frozen onto her face. She didn't like this man at all but he was Harry's uncle.
"Hello, Jessica," he said slowly. He shook her hand. "You're a friend of Harry's? He's been behaving himself, I trust?"
"Yes, we're friends," Jessica said. "Don't worry, he's been a gentleman."
"Good," Mr. Dursley said. He seemed to be at a loss for words. Harry, coming back down the stairs with the book in his hands, broke the unpleasant silence.
"Here you go," Harry said. He handed her the book, which she took without looking at it.
"Thanks," she said. "Well, goodbye." Harry walked with her out the door.
"Now you see why I didn't think it was a good idea for you to come over earlier," Harry said. He sounded embarrassed.
"Jeez, what a jerk," Jessica said. "No wonder. How do you stay sane living in a house with a guy like that?"
"Well, I'm away at school almost all year, so the only time I have to deal with that is during summer," Harry said.
"That's sacrilege," Jessica said. "I'm sorry."
"I'll survive," Harry said with a shrug. "Bye."
"Tootles," Jessica said with a grin.
Harry looked at her for a moment. A small smile broke out on his face. "Tootles?" Harry asked.
"It's my word," she said, her grin staying on her face. "It means goodbye."
"I like it," Harry said after a moment. "Tootles."
Still grinning, Jessica waved and walked off.
When Jessica came home, Eliza was sitting at the kitchen table holding a letter in her hands. She looked at Jessica as she walked in and she knew that something was wrong. Eliza's eyes had a haunted look to them, something Jessica hadn't seen since she had been little. She hadn't seen that look since her parents had died.
"Eliza, what's wrong?" Jessica asked. She hurried over to the table and sat down. Silently, Eliza handed her the letter.
It read:
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 Banks,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have recently found your name on our fifth year student list. It seems that you were overlooked on your first four years. We apologize for the mistake. Term starts on September first. We await your owl by no later than July thirty-first. Please find enclosed a list of supplies required.
When you arrive at the school please meet with the first years to be sorted. We hope to be seeing you at the school this year.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"Oh," Jessica said. She couldn't think of anything to say. Her thoughts were racing. Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry? What did it mean, they awaited her owl by no later than July 31st?
"Your mother went there too," Eliza said. "There were some kids who couldn't leave her alone. She nearly dropped out because she couldn't take it." Eliza looked very sad. "I was a witch. But everyone I loved got hurt because of my magic. So I renounced magic."
"Is that why you never wanted me to think or talk about magic?" Jessica asked. Eliza nodded. "How far back is our family wizards?"
"Your great-grandmother was the first. She was Muggle-born," Eliza said. At Jessica's confused look she said, "Muggle is the wizarding term for non-magical people. She married a Muggle boy she knew. Your mother and father both went to Hogwarts."
"So grandpa was a wizard too, right?" Jessica said.
"Yes," Eliza said. She didn't say any more. Her lips were pursed and Jessica got the feeling that she'd said something wrong.
"So, is it all right-if I go, Eliza?" she asked.
Eliza looked at her tiredly. "Jessica, you've got four year's worth of work to make up. I can tutor you in some of it before you go, but I don't want you to go, only to fail. I want you to think about it here, just for a moment. Do you really think you can do this?"
"I think I can," Jessica said after a moment.
"Let me go up into the attic and look for some stuff okay?" Eliza said. "I imagine your supplies list is extremely long."
Jessica turned to look at the supplies list. A piece of paper slid out onto the floor. Jessica bent down to pick it up. She read it once silently then aloud.
"Dear Eliza," she said slowly, causing her grandma to turn around. "I know you have renounced magic but it is time your granddaughter discovered the world that is open to her. The protection spells have fallen away. She cannot be kept from her future. Do not blame yourself for his actions. Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore." Jessica handed the note to her grandma. Eliza read it slowly.
"Eliza," Jessica asked hesitantly, "who is he talking about?"
"No one important," Eliza answered quickly, her lips going all pursed again. "I'll be right back."
Ten minutes later Eliza had found a stack of very old, very dusty boxes. Jessica sneezed and dust flew everywhere. Eliza opened one of the boxes.
"Right, now what do you need?" Eliza asked.
"Uh, I need A Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk. It says grades one through five," Jessica said. "And A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot." She went down the list of books and it turned out that Eliza had quite a few of the books she needed.
"For uniform I need plain robes, dress robes, a hat, gloves and a cloak," she said. "I also need a wand, a cauldron, a set of phials, a telescope and a set of brass scales." She looked up at her grandmother. "Eliza, where are we going to get all this?"
For the first time since Jessica had come home Eliza smiled. "We'll need to pay a visit to London. We'll go this weekend. In the meantime, I want you to start reading those books. The more you can learn before you go the better."
"Sure Eliza." Jessica picked up a book and opened it. She sat down at the kitchen table and started reading.