The Truth Comes Out
The summer was unusually hot especially for mid morning in Ireland. It was made much more stifling by the lack of a breeze. A young girl sat on a swing, kicking her legs back and forth lightly. She liked summer. It meant no school and more time with her friends. It wasn't that she disliked school. Actually, she was quite indifferent on the subject. As she generated more speed, a few strands of burnt auburn hair fluttered into her face. She didn't bother to push them out of the way.
"Irlynn!" a voice called from inside the house. The girl's head spun around to look at the person calling her.
"Yes, Mum?" she replied, not moving from her spot.
"Why don't you come inside? It's too hot to be out for long," her mother beckoned. Irlynn gave a loud huff but stood up, enjoying the feeling of the grass beneath her feet as she headed for the front door. She quickly wiped her feet to get any excess grass off before crossing the threshold. She wandered into the sitting room to find her father tinkering with a calculator.
"What are you doing Dad?" she asked, sitting next to him and tucking her legs beneath her.
"Just doing some work," he answered, his fingers flying over the keys.
"Do you think it's too hot outside? I don't. It feels nice,' she rambled. He usually just listened when she went on tangents.
"You can go back out when it cools down a bit," he said, not looking up from his papers. Just then her mother appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.
"William, can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Give me a minute, Vic," he said, fingers flying at twice the speed now. He finally set the calculator down and followed his wife into the kitchen. Irlynn waited until they were both out of view before going to stand within hearing range.
"What's bothering you?" she could hear her father ask.
"This came for Irlynn in the mail today. I'm not sure what it means," Victoria answered. An envelope exchanged hands. William turned it over in his hands and saw a seal on the back.
"Well I suppose we ought to let her open it. It's addressed to her after all," William stated.
"But there's no return address, Will," she protested. Irlynn's interest was peeked now. Someone had sent her something by post. She rarely ever got mail. But why were her parents so worried about her seeing it?
"Why don't you open it then and see what it is," William suggested. Victoria let out a breath and took the envelope back. Irlynn slowly began to back away from her hiding spot. She got a very strange feeling that she shouldn't be there when they read whatever the letter said. So she rushed upstairs to her bedroom, tossing herself at her bed.
Back downstairs, Victoria was scanning the contents of the parchment letter. It said she had been accepted to a school called Hogwarts. It said she was to be at Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station in London on the thirty-first of August. Victoria slumped into a chair. What did this mean for their daughter?
"Vic, look at it this way…we've been trying to find the best the time broach the subject of her birth. Maybe this is the opening we've been looking for," he said, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder.
"I just don't want her to not love us anymore, William," Victoria sniffled.
"She's not going to stop loving us just because she finds out the truth, Vic. She's our little girl and she knows that. Nothing will change that," he reminded her.
"Alright…but we shouldn't make her go if she doesn't want to," Victoria agreed. He nodded and went back into the sitting room to find it empty. Victoria followed him in and stayed him when he went in the direction of the stairs.
"Let's wait until later," she cautioned. He sighed but returned to his work. In her room, Irlynn was lying flat on her back, arms and legs splayed out on either side of her. She was staring at a bird on a branch just outside her window.
"You're lucky, you know," she said, sitting up and inching towards the window.
"You get to be outside even if it is hot outside. I bet your Mum doesn't worry so much," she sighed and watched the bird fly off.
She continued to look outside, but her mind was elsewhere. She was still curious as to what the letter said. Who was it from? Why were they sending her things? She knew she shouldn't be so impatient. If it was important, her parents would tell her. But patience was a difficult skill, especially for an eleven year old. Soon she'd lost track of time and there was a soft knock on her doorframe. She looked to see her father standing there.
"It's cooled down a bit. Want to go for a swim?" he asked. She smiled broadly.
"Ok," she said and raced from the room in search of her swimsuit. Not ten minutes later they were wading in the small pond up the street from their house. They lazed by the edge and slashed each other until the sun began to go down.
"Come on, we better get home before your Mum has a fit. Don't want to be late for dinner," William said, handing his daughter a towel. They dried off and headed home to find dinner on the table.
"Have a good swim?" Victoria asked.
"Yes. The water was lovely. You should have come," Irlynn answered, bowing her head for a quick blessing.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't know how much longer the pond will be there with this heat," her mother replied. Irlynn giggled a little. Shortly they were all enjoying their meal.
"This is really good, Mum," Irlynn said, taking another helping of bread pudding.
"I made you're favorites," Victoria noted. Irlynn beamed at her. Husband and wife shared a look over their daughter's head. With a nod from William, Victoria began to clear some dishes away as an excuse to pick up the letter.
"This came for you today,' she said, handing the letter to her daughter. They had resealed the envelope.
"Who is it from?" the girl asked.
"Why don't you open it and find out," her father prompted. Irlynn slowly slid her finger under the seal and pulled the letter out. Carefully she unfolded the parchment and read the contents aloud.
"Dear Ms McQuillen, we would like to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. School term begins the first of September. Students are to report to Platform 9 ¾ no later than ten o'clock on the thirty-first of August. Enclosed you will find a list of all required books and equipment for the year. All the best, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress," she read.
Witchcraft and Wizardry…was this some kind of joke? She set the letter aside and looked at the other pieces of parchment. They were lists of various books and items such as quills, ink bottle, parchment and cauldrons.
"I don't understand," she said, putting them down on the table. Victoria cleared her throat.
"Well dear…it seems you are more special than we thought," she said. Irlynn just wrinkled her nose.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'm sure we can write a letter back and tell them you aren't interested," William added. Irlynn looked between her parents and down at the parchment.
"Can I think about it?" she asked.
"Of course you can. You don't have to have an answer right now," Victoria said, giving her daughter a sympathetic smile.
Irlynn nodded and stood up. She cleared her place and took the parchment up to her room. This was very strange. At least she knew what the letter had said now. But it didn't make sense. Did witches and wizards really exist? She thought it was just fairytales and make-believe. But her parents seemed to believe this was real.
That night she lay awake, her mind still whirring on thoughts of the letter. Part of her wanted to go, just to see what it was. But another part still doubted. How could she be a witch? She was just a normal girl, nothing extraordinary about her, not really. Well not that she'd admit to anyone else. As he clock chimed midnight she finally drifted off to sleep, the parchment still clutched in her hands.
The next morning she woke up with a decision already made in her mind. She walked downstairs in her nightclothes to find both of her parents at the breakfast table sipping tea.
"Mum, Dad," she said to get their attention.
"Yes honey?" Victoria said, looking up from the paper.
"I want to go," Irlynn stated purposefully. She knew she'd miss her friends at her old school but something deep down within her was telling her that Hogwarts was where she needed to be.