Harry woke to the sound of Dudley's pounding footsteps on the stairs, and the smell of sizzling pork. Breakfast was one of Harry's least favorite meals because the smell of bacon wafted all through the house. Its tantalizing smell made Harry slightly dizzy. As Harry sat up and listened to the Dursleys eat, there was a knock at the door. Three sharp raps that paused the conversation at the table.
Harry heard Uncle Vernon push his chair back, and walk out of the kitchen; he walked heavily down the hall, passed Harry's cupboard, and opened the front door.
"Who are you?" Asked Uncle Vernon's voice. This was an unusual demand from someone who always tried to suck up to the neighbors, so Harry assumed it was a door-to-door salesman. A class of people Uncle Vernon could not stand.
"Hello," said a heavy Scottish accent. "I'm Professor McGonagall. I assume you are Vernon Dursley?"
"Yes, and may I ask why you are calling so early?" Uncle Vernon responded. He sounded very annoyed.
"May we step inside? I would like to discuss great opportunities with you for your child."
"Really? Opportunities? I suppose…Come into the front parlor, please. I'll go get Petunia and Dudley."
Harry listened as Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon talked in excited whispers.
"Come on Dudders." Harry heard Aunt Petunia say. "You can eat your breakfast later. Right now you need to impress this lady in the front parlor. You need to be a good boy, alright?"
Aunt Petunia still talked to Dudley like he was five. Dudley only ever protested in front of his friends as he knew to go along with it to get whatever he wanted from his parents. Harry heard all three Dursley walk past the door to his cupboard and into the showy front parlor he was never allowed in. The Dursleys seemed to fear he would destroy it somehow. Harry heard the family of three settle in on the decorative furniture with the woman.
"You seemed to misunderstand me. I meant your other child." Said the Scottish woman. Harry's heart sped up. She couldn't possibly mean…
"We have no other children." Said Uncle Vernon roughly, fear clear in his voice.
"There is a child in the cupboard." Said the woman.
"No there isn't." Aunt Petunia denied harshly. "Don't be ridiculous."
Harry heard a click and the door to his cupboard swung open. Time seemed to freeze along with Harry's heart.
"Come on out Harry." Said Professor McGonagall
Harry slowly rose to his feet, not believing his ears. How could she have known he was in here? And how did she unlock and open the door? He slowly peeked into the hall. Experience taught him to be cautious exiting his cupboard. He walked quietly down the hall and stood in the doorway to the front parlor. He didn't want to risk the Dursley's wrath by entering their entertaining space.
On one side of the room on the couch sat Dudley and Aunt Petunia. Aunt Petunia looked like she was sucking on a lemon. Next to them in a chair sat Uncle Vernon, his face red with fury. On the other side of the room sat a stern-looking woman with glasses. Her grey hair was pulled back in a severe bun. The strangest part about her was her funny clothes. A long bottle-green robe, with swooping sleeves. Despite the heat of the day she looked perfectly comfortable in the heavy fabric.
"Hello, Harry Potter." She said, "I am Professor McGonagall. Please take a seat."
Harry looked over to the Dursleys. They seemed frozen in shock. Harry deemed it safe enough to enter the room. He walked to the seat that professor McGonagall was gesturing to, a plush pink thing that Harry could help but think looked horrid. He sat down facing Professor McGonagall.
She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but Harry stayed silent. Better to be seen and not heard.
"I'm a professor at Hogwarts, a very prestigious school. You have been signed up since birth."
Aunt Petunia stifled a little gasp. Harry was confused. Did this have anything to do with the letters he had been receiving in bulk? And how had he been signed up since birth? His parents couldn't have signed him up. The Dursleys always told him they were poor drunkards who died in a car crash. They probably wouldn't have had the money to sign him up for a fancy school. He looked fearfully at Uncle Vernon and decided not to say anything. But Professor McGonagall seemed to see the confusion on his face.
"Hogwarts is a school for young witches and wizards to come and learn magic. You are a wizard and-"
"Stop!" Yelled Uncle Vernon suddenly standing up. Harry flinched and raised his hand in reflex. Luckily, Professor McGonagall did not seem to notice. She kept her shrewd eyes on Uncle Vernon, as he continued his rant. "You do not have permission to tell him! I forbid you!"
Harry shrunk back in his chair, subdued. If Uncle Vernon forbade it, then he wasn't going to learn anything more. Uncle Vernon's word was law in this house. He was still curious, but he tried to suppress it. Nothing good could come from going against Uncle Vernon's demands, and he had been taught that curiosity should be stifled.
But Professor McGonagall wasn't having it. She raised one eyebrow and pulled out a wooden stick from under her sleeve. Aunt Petunia flinched, as the professor gave it a flick.
To Harry's shock and amazement, Uncle Vernon's bottom seemed to become magnetized with the chair beneath him. Uncle Vernon was stuck to the chair he had previously been sitting in. He struggled a bit, then slumped and glared at Professor McGonagall.
"Release me at once!" He yelled. He looked a bit like a walrus that was stuck on the beach with his bushy mustache and splotchy skin. He was purple with fury about being wedged into the chair.
"Lower your voice!" Said Professor McGonagall strictly like she was scolding a schoolboy. She turned to Harry. "I'm sure you had strange instances that couldn't be explained by logic when you were feeling mad or upset as a child?"
Harry nodded dumbly, not daring to say anything.
"Well, that was you subconsciously doing magic." Said the professor smartly. "All young witches and wizards do it. Do you have any questions?"
Harry had tons but in the presence of the Dursley's he did not feel safe to voice them.
"Your parents were a witch and a wizard, did you know that Harry?" Said Professor McGonagall softly.
Harry shook his head. Aunt Petunia let out a hiss.
"I was told they died in a car crash," Harry said in little more than a whisper.
"You were? How interesting."
Professor McGonagall looked over at the Dursleys with narrowed eyes.
"Very well then. Do you know anything about magic?"
"Magic-well I-"
"We don't want the boy to know anything about magic." Snarled Uncle Vernon.
"Silence!"
Professor McGonagall swished her wand and Uncle Vernon opened his mouth but no sound came out. Aunt Petunia pulled Dudley closer to her. Dudley looked frightened, an expression Harry had never seen on his piggy face.
"Well, I can see I have a tougher job than I thought. Albus dropped a letter off, expecting everything to be explained." Mused Professor McGonagall.
"Explain what?" Asked Harry.
"Harry, your parents were two of the greatest people I ever had the pleasure to teach. Lily Evans and James Potter were bright people who had a brilliant future in front of them. But unfortunately, they were being hunted by a dangerous wizard toward the end of their life. A wizard feared by all, who had been gathering followers and support for a few years. Once he put a target on someone's back, there wasn't much hope. He used dark arts, and deadly creatures to do his bidding. Your little family all went into hiding when you were just a baby. Unfortunately, the dangerous wizard found your parents' hidden home. He killed Lily and James."
Harry sat there stunned. How could this be true? His whole life he was told that his parents were unimportant nobodies. Now they had magical powers and were killed by a dark wizard? His entire belief system was shifting just from a visit from this strange woman. He looked back at the grey-haired Professor as she continued to change his whole world.
"And then he turned his wand on you. He cast the killing curse, a horrible curse that had killed thousands of people before you. And the strangest thing happened, it didn't work."
She paused again, and gave him a curious stare. Harry dared to ask a question, normally a taboo in the Dursley household.
"Why… why couldn't he kill me, Professor?"
"Nobody knows for sure. The headmaster of Hogwarts, who is the greatest wizard of all time, in my opinion, has several theories. But they are just that, theories. You, just a baby, survived a curse that killed thousands of people, all it gave you was that curious scar on your forehead. And in the process of killing you, the dangerous wizard, or as we call him in our world he-who-shall-not-be-named, vanished and hasn't been seen since. Harry, your name is known all over the wizarding world."
"I think you have the wrong Harry. There's no way I'm famous. I have trouble believing I'm even magical. I can't be a wizard!" Said Harry in a soft voice, looking up at Professor McGonagall.
"Harry, I know you are the Harry Potter that belongs in the wizarding world. There is no way you couldn't be the Harry Potter we are looking for. You look just like your parents."
Harry looked over at the Dursleys. He wasn't allowed to ask about his parents. It was the number one rule in the Dursley's house, but here was a perfect stranger offering him answers he had given up on. Did he dare ask the questions he had buried deep in his heart?
"Really? I look like my parents?" He asked quietly. "In what way?"
"Well, Harry, you have your mother's eyes. Lily had the most beautiful green eyes, just like yours."
Aunt Petunia whimpered, but didn't say anything. Professor McGonagall continued like she hadn't heard her.
"You have your father's hair color. James had black hair, but it was always a curly, tangled mess. I can't tell, but you must have gotten your grandma Dorea Black's texture. I went to school with her."
Harry was fascinated. He wanted to hear more about his family, but he didn't want to break Dursley's rules anymore. The shade of purple Uncle Vernon was, would make a stranger think he was choking, but Harry knew it was a sign he was angry.
"So, there are tons of witches and wizards all over the country?" Asked Harry.
"There are witches and wizards all over the world."
"And Hogwarts? That's where people learn magic?"
"Yes, young witches and wizards all over what the non-magical people consider the United Kingdom go to Hogwarts. You learn a variety of subjects that will help you succeed in the magical world."
"No!"
Aunt Petunia had decided to speak. She looked furious and her chin trembled. Professor McGonagall turned her sharp gaze to the blonde woman.
"Excuse me?" She asked calmly. But underneath there was a note of disbelief that someone would contradict her.
"I don't want to live with a witch or wizard again! We swore we'd stamp it out of him when we took him in!"
"You knew? You knew I was…"
He couldn't even finish his sentence.
"Of course, I knew. My sister was such a freak. Off she went to school with her wand and cauldron; then she'd come home turning mice to teacups. But I knew she was a freak. She and that boy."
"My dad?" Asked Harry, but he never got an answer. Professor McGonagall had silenced Aunt Petunia too.
"As I assume you never got your letter due to your living situation, here it is." Said the Professor. She handed him a thick sealed envelope, made with cream paper; it was written on with green ink. Harry took it with trembling hands and opened it. Inside were two pieces of paper. One was a train ticket; the other was a letter, written on the same cream-colored paper.
Harry unfolded the letter and started to read.
Dear Mr. Harry James Potter,
We are writing to inform you that you have been accepted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please note that the train leaves from platform nine and three quarters on September first.
We await your reply by return owl no later than July 31.
Sincerely,
Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress
On the back it said:
First-Year Students Will Require:
Three sets of plain black work robes for day wear
1 plain black pointed hat
1 winter cloak black, silver fastenings
1 pair of protective gloves
1 wand
1 set of glass or crystal vials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
1 cauldron standard thickness silver or pewter
Book List:
Standard Book of Spells (Grade One) by Miranda Goshawk
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Aldabert Waffaling
A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Hogwarts students are allowed to bring a owl OR a cat OR a toad.
Parents please note that first-years are not allowed broomsticks.
Harry read and reread the letter several times. It all seemed so amazing and out of reach. Books about magical potions and transfiguration.
"Return owl? What does that mean?" Asked Harry.
"Don't worry about that." Said professor Mcgonagal. "So I assume you are going?"
Harry looked over at his aunt and uncle. Aunt Petunia refused to look at him. Uncle Vernon was glaring. Dudley just looked scared. Then he looked back at Professor Mcgonagall.
"Sorry, but I don't think I'm allowed to go." Said Harry. "I apologize for letting you down."
"You don't think you are allowed to go?" Said Professor Mcgonagal. "We will see about that."
She flicked her wand, and Uncle Vernon was no longer silenced.
"Of bloody course he's not going! I refuse to let someone under my roof go to some ridiculous school and be taught a bunch of magic tricks!" Uncle Vernon fumed.
Professor Mcgonagal tilted her head, considering Uncle Vernon. Harry thought she looked remarkably like a cat.
"Really? You don't want Harry to go?" She asked in the same calm but deadly voice. "It's one of the best schools for magic in the world. Some would argue that it is the best."
"He is going to Stonewall High and he should be glad of it!" Uncle Vernon spat. "The ungrateful brat!"
"The headmaster is considered one of the greatest to ever teach there. And we have some great extracurricular activities."
"I'm not going to bother sending that child to a school just so some crazy old crackpot can teach him!" Yelled Uncle Vernon, tugging his still-stuck body manically from the chair he sat in.
Professor McGonagall sighed as if deeply disappointed in Uncle Vernon.
"No, I don't think we will need your permission. Harry's parents wanted him to go to this school, and so go to it he shall. No dim-witted, ignorant muggle is going to stop him."
Professor Mcgonagal stared down uncle Vernon with narrowed eyes. Uncle Vernon looked back with his tiny beady ones. He seemed to focus on the wand in her hand in particular. And somehow, with those words, it became final. Harry was going to Hogwarts. The Dursleys could punish him all they liked, but Professor Mcgonagal was a stern witch. Harry's future awaited him.