Chapter Two: The Mysterious Letter

Ten years later, in late June, Geoffrey and Jill Walker still felt the loss of James and Lily Potter. However, hope had been restored for them in the form of young Harry, who had not only survived the attack of Lord Voldemort, but had also caused the disappearance of the evil wizard.

The Walkers also had a son of their own, who had been born a month before Harry: Josias. In fact, his eleventh birthday happened to be this very day: June 22.

That morning, he was awakened by the sound of a large stone crashing through his bedroom window. He had been dreaming his parents sent him to a Muggle, or non-magical, military school and jumped up at the noise with a salute. "Sir! Yessir!"

He blinked a few times when he heard two sets of laughter from outside the broken window. He turned and looked down into the faces of his friends, Kels and Tak Montone. Kels closed her different-colored eyes and smiled. "Happy birthday, Josias!"

"Yeah, happy birthday, kiddo," Tak, her cousin, echoed. He was only half a year older than Josias and Kels, but he still thought of himself as being more mature. His hair was dark and scruffy like Josias' but just a bit longer. He continued, "Sleep well, Private?"

Kels giggled a little, and Josias blushed, when a voice suddenly broke the morning air. "Josias Ephraim Walker! What did you do to your window?"

Josias turned around to face his mother and looked down at his feet nervously, trying to come up with an explanation for the broken window. "That's our fault, Mrs. Walker," Kels called.

"Yeah," Tak added. "We spent half an hour throwing pebbles at the window…I figured it was time to upgrade."

"That's alright, kids," Jill Walker replied with a smile. "Repairo."

The pieces of glass on the floor of the bedroom levitated and melded into a solid panel in the wooden window frame. Jill opened it up. "Come on in, you two. Joey will get ready and be down in a few minutes."

Kels and Tak ran around to the front of the house and waited in the lounge as Josias took a bath and got dressed. The Walkers' house, like the houses of most upper-class, American wizarding families, only looked like an average suburban home on the outside. On the inside, it was as spacious and luxurious as any mansion. However, due to the many Muggle guests Jill and Geoffrey received, the interior of their house contained an elaborate system of wall panels and secret doors.

About ten minutes later, Josias tumbled down the front staircase and found his friends in the lounge drinking milk and eating cookies. His mom was waiting with another glass of milk and some biscuits. As he ate, Kels and Tak waited patiently, helping themselves to more milk and cookies.

Just then, two owls flew into an open window. One landed on the table and dropped a rolled newspaper, The Daily Oracle; the other dropped a letter in Josias' lap and flew back out. "Who's the letter from, baby?" his mother asked as she put some tiny bronze coins in the pouch on the waiting owl's leg.

"I don't know…There's no return address, just a seal on the back with a letter 'H' stamped on it…"

"Let me see that, Joey."

Josias passed the sealed envelope to his mother. She examined the seal on the back for a few seconds. "Well, it isn't from Hogwarts. The seal is different. It must be from an American wizarding school, though I didn't think there were any. Open it up."

She handed the letter back to her son, who, in turn, opened it and read it out loud. "Okay, it says:

Hantelep School

Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: (to be announced at the opening banquet)

'Dear Mr. Josias Walker,

'We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted ant Hantelep School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

'Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

'Yours Sincerely,

'Esme Flane

'Deputy Headmistress '"

When he finished reading the letter, his mother took it back and read it and the list for herself. "I'm so proud of you, baby," she exclaimed, hugging him tight. "I just knew you would be accepted at a wizarding school. Some of these things on the list are certainly different than the first years' list for Hogwarts, but that's to be expected. I'm surprised they didn't add to not allow first years a broomstick. Never mind. As soon as your father gets home from work, we'll head out to get your supplies and buy you a pet for your birthday."

"…And we'll be going too," said a voice from the doorway.

"Mom!" Tak exclaimed, standing suddenly.

"Aunt Ophilia!" Kels said, smiling.

Ophilia Montone was a heavyset woman, a jolly middle-aged witch, and sister to Kels' father. "Both Kels' and Tak's acceptance letters arrived a few minutes ago. I've written replies for them already. Would you like for me to send Josias' reply with Fleek as well, Jill?"

"If that isn't too much trouble, Ophilia," Jill replied.

She scribbled down a reply with her quill on a piece of parchment, sealed it in an envelope, and gave it to Ophilia, who returned to her own house to send all three letters with Fleek, the Montone family owl.

Josias turned to his friends with a smile plastered on his face. "And here I was worrying about going to a Muggle school for another year!"