Chapter One: England, Cat, & the Letter
There was a house that held a family that was unlike any other family in the neighborhood. This house was located in the middle of nowhere in the dry desert. The neighbors were all regular people or as we know them as no-maj, no magical people. This family to the outside world was as normal as can be, but behind closed doors they were anything but normal. This family was magical. They are witches and wizards. This family's house was bewitched and was bigger on the inside than the outside. The underground part of the house was separated into sections for magical creatures. The parents study and protect these magical endangered creatures.
The family consists of five people. The parents are Tara and Chris Phoenixfeather. Tara is part of a family that takes care of magical creatures for centuries starting with the first one, Helga Hufflepuff. Tara was beautiful with her long red hair and blue eyes that were like the depths of the sea. The father, Chris, along with helping his loving wife help take care of the magical creatures, but also worked in the American Ministry as No-maj Relations. He had long blonde hair which he kept in a high ponytail. He gazed with his green eyes lovingly at his three beautiful children.
Their first born is a blonde haired, hazeled eyed short girl named Margaret. She goes to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for now. Their middle kid was the most physically different child of the three. She had long bright red hair with green eyes and she was me. Last but not least, was my young sister Aashka. She was a cute eight year old with her Strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. I'm extremely excited because we are going back to my mother's homeland of England to take care of my aging grandfather, Sylvester.
Most of the creatures were now in my father's suitcase except the Runespoor and Horned Serpent eggs which were in Margaret's bag and the few Phoenix eggs in mom's bag. Everything was ready to go and we were leaving tomorrow. Maggie, Margaret, is extremely upset at having to leave all of her friends at her school, but she would have to deal with it. We were going to a huge house with hundreds of acres of land and was covered with lots of different magical creatures. The only magical creatures that were out are Rocky the Crup and Pepper the Kneazle. We are around the makeshift table eating our last dinner in this house.
Next Morning
We all loaded into the car with Rocky and Pepper in the back with us three kids. Dad is driving the car while mom navigates. It took four days to get to Jacksonville, Florida where we were going to take a ship to England. The hotels were bad and the creatures were acting up alot, but it would only get worse. We finally made it to the docks where Maggie sneakingly bought seasickness pills, but not for herself. Dad had us in two rooms that connected by a door, we snuck Rocky and Pepper in. As the ship left the dock, I could already hear mom throwing up over the side of the ship.
The next five days had to be the worst five days in my life. I had to watch my little sister because dad was taking care of mom. She was still having seasickness even though she was taking the pills. I had to make sure my sister didn't accidentally fall over the edge because all she did was explore the ship. Maggie just layed on her bed the whole time, sulking over the fact that she had to learn the layout of a whole new school when she only had three more years left. The only thing she did successfully was keep Rocky and Pepper in her room.
Finally, we made port and I basically rushed off the ship with the speed of an Erumpent during mating season. I looked around for Grandpa Sylvester because he wanted to pick us up even though he really shouldn't be driving anymore. I spotted him a little ways away and ran up to him and gave him a huge hug.
"Hi, Grandpa!" I said.
"Hello, little blossom." He said.
Finally, all the rest of the family caught up with me and we all loaded into Grandpa's huge truck. It took us several hours, but finally we entered an invisible forcefield where our new house was. The house was surrounded by a huge forest that had a river flowing through the land to a large lake and the trees and plants were plentiful. As we were passing through the forest, I could see Firedrakes flying calming in the sky! I looked at an open meadow and saw a Hippogriff and a family of Nifflers! I looked towards the trees and saw a Wampus cat laying on a branch! We just passed a tree full of Bowtruckles! If this is just the beginning, then I can't wait to meet all of the other creatures that live here.
As we come to the house I see the greatest site I have ever seen in my life, a tree full of Phoenixes. As we stopped in front of the house, I could see burning stations around the tree. I went near one and looked inside. Thankfully, there were no Phoenix ashes in them, but just as I was about to walk away a Phoenix with bald patches of feathers flew into the station. I freeze and look at the creature. It seems to smile at me for a minute, then closes its eyes. I heard a sparking noise and all at once the bird caught on fire and was reduced to ashes. To be honest, it scared me. I could hear my family chuckling behind me as I watched a little baby chick rise from the ashes.
My grandpa stepped next to me, "That means good luck on your part. Phoenixes only let those who are loyal and trustworthy to watch them burn."
I watched as a little bird head popped out of the ashes and squeaks at me. I leaned my hand over and before grandpa could stop me, I petted the little bird's head. Grandpa huffed at me and removed my hand from the top of the bird's head.
"Come inside everyone! I have all your rooms set up!" Called Grandpa to our family.
We rushed inside and unfortunately Maggie and Aashka got to choose their rooms first. I got the last room which was actually a tower room and was huge. It had several levels and a working station. As I explored I found several hidden passages that lead to other parts of the house. Now, I'm kind of glad that I didn't get to choose my own room because this room rocks! Time to unpack!
Several Days later
I'm getting nervous. Hogwarts school year starts in two months and I still don't have my letter. My sister Maggie's letter came months ago and if it doesn't come in by the end of the month then I am not going to school. I went outside to check on fairies and pixies while Maggie was brushing a young unicorn.
"Amber, maybe you're not a witch, but a squib." Laughed Maggie as she got up to walk away.
I got very mad and focused my magic on the ground. The ground starts shaking slightly and a vine appears right in front of Maggie's left foot and trips her. Maggie trips over the vine and falls down onto the ground.
"MOM! Amber tripped me!" Maggie yelled.
I shook my head at her as mom came out and I got grounded while Maggie laughed. I went to my room and started going through my notes on magical creatures and on quidditch flying. One of the best things about grandpa's house was that there was a small quidditch pitch next to the lake where we can play a more simple game of quidditch. We got to play quidditch all the time and hold our own games. I hope I can inherit the Hufflepuff broom that my mom has, every Hufflepuff member since the first Hufflepuff has put their magic into it and has changed it in their own way. For example, mom made it so that the broom could be shrunk into an earring.
Late at Night
I woke from my blissful sleep when I heard it, a god-awful noise. It was like nails on a chalkboard and they just kept scratching their nails against the chalkboard over and over and over again. I covered my ears, I can't take it! It was too loud and it hurt so much! Suddenly, it got less loud. I uncovered my ears and listened. I thought it could be a magical creature, but it was unlike any magical creature we had. As I listened, it kind of sounded like a cat. I knew pepper was okay, she was in her little house in the backyard. So I got out of bed. I put on my coat and left my room.
I headed outside to see if I could find the poor creature that was crying out. I know none of my family will hear it because they are all very heavy sleepers. I started walking around checking on the unicorns, hippogriff, and made my way towards the lake. I walked closer toward the lake to check on the Hippocampus, when I heard the noise again. I looked around the lake and saw a little black thing by the water. Knowing that this could be a dangerous magical creature that somehow got through the barrier, I walked very cautiously towards the black thing. I picked up a branch that the Hippocampus broke off and held it up as my weapon.
I got a bit closer, "Hey, little black blob thing. Are you okay?"
I gently poked it with the stick and it moved its body with a horrible hiss. I got closer and saw that it was a regular black cat. It was horribly wounded on its side and it's fur was just covered in mats from head to tail. Poor black cat!
"It's okay, little cat. I'm just going to pick you up and take you inside." I said as I put my stick on the ground and tried to pick the cat up.
The cat continued to hiss at me, so I took off my coat and covered the cat in my coat. The cat tried to lash out at me with it's claws, but I wrapped the cat tightly in my coat and lifted it into my arms.
"Stop fussing. I'm taking you home and healing your wounds. If you still want to leave when you are better than you can leave. Until then stop your moving." I told the cat.
Surprisingly, the black cat stopped moving and clawing. I made it home just to realise that not all my family are heavy sleepers. Grandpa Sylvester stood by the door and stared at me as I came near him.
"Hi, grandpa. Did I wake you?" I asked with a weak smile.
"No, I sometimes can't sleep and I walk around the house making everything. I go into your room and what do I see, but my granddaughter is not in her bed. What do you have to say for yourself?" Asked my grandpa.
I wince and tried to think of an excuse, but nothing came to mind. So I went with the truth.
"I heard a horrible noise and I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I went outside to check on all the animals to make sure they were all okay. I made my way to the lake and found this." I showed him the injured black cat that I had wrapped up in my coat.
Grandpa looked over the cat, "How did this cat get so many wounds?"
I shook my head, "I have no idea."
Grandpa nodded, "Let's get him inside."
I looked at him, "Him?"
Grandpa pointed to the cat's backside. I made a 'oh' look on my face and we brought him inside. It took all night, but we patched up the poor little black cat. Over the next couple of days, I kept myself busy taking care of the cat. It took a long time to get the cat to allow me to give him a bath and bush his fur out, but finally the cat was ready to leave.
I didn't want the cat to leave. He was better company then my older sister and my younger sister loved him too. I went back to the lake and set the cat by the river back far enough away from Hippocampus.
"You can leave now if you want." I told the cat.
The cat tilted his head to the side and came back to me and rubbed himself against my legs. He started purring like crazy.
"I don't think mom will let me keep you." I told him.
He pushed up on his back legs and launched himself into the air and he landed on my shoulder. He started licking me on my head and cheek. I laughed.
"Okay, you win. I will try to convince my parents to let me keep you, but what shall I call you?" I asked the cat.
"Cooter?"
HISS.
"Goldie?"
HISS.
"Fluff-fluff?"
HISS! SWIP!
"Okay, okay you don't like Fluff-fluff! I found you at night. It was a night without a moon. Blackmoon? No, maybe Blackout?" I ask.
He started purring into my ear.
"Blackout it is." I said.
I walk back to the house with Blackout on my shoulder. I saw my mom sitting at the picnic table looking over what looked like mail.
I called out to her, "Mom, can I have a cat?"
Mom looked at the cat thoughtfully, "Are you going to take care of it?"
I nodded, "I'll take care of him, his name is Blackout."
Mom rubbed Blackout's head, "I guess we could keep him. I have something for you Amber."
She waved a letter that had Hogwarts seal on the back.
I grinned, "Is that what I think it is?"
She handed it over with a smile. "There was an extra letter that just stated that your letter accidently got sent to the wrong home."
I opened the letter and read it out loud.
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 Ms. Amber Phoenixfeather,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed list of all the necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1st of September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"YES!" I cheered.
"Quiet down. You're gonna scare the animals. This weekend we are going to Diagon Alley to pick up all the supplies." Siad mom.
I look at Blackout then back at mom, "Can I take Blackout with me?"
Mom shrugged, "What does your letter say?"
I looked back at the letter and found the second page.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (Black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
By Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
By Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
By Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
By Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
By Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
By Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
By Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
By Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 Wand
1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 Set glass or crystal phials
1 Telescope
1 Set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEAR
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
I look at Blackout and say, "Well, it looks like you and me are going to Hogwarts together." All I got was a very loud purr.
Edited by hwang_lee_bang