Chapter 2 - A Letter And A Wait

As the owl disappeared from sight Kirsty sat back down on her bed. Her fingers, for the second time that morning, were crossed tightly. Praying she would get a reply, Kirsty slipped off her bed and switched on her computer. She called up a fan fiction site on her screen.

She had stumbled across this site by accident the day before. It was a very simple site. Mainly fan fictions based on different stories, including as Harry Potter. The latter section had been started up only set up day before. However, new fans of the books from all around the globe had added their stories. One very much like this one. She clicked on it and laughed at the irony as she read. Just as she reached the forth chapter there was again a tap, tap at the window. Kirsty spun round. To find the owl was on her desk again.

Smiling, Kirsty untied the next letter from the leg of the owl. Ripping it open she read it's contents.

The handwriting had a spidery quality to it and it was written in the same colour ink as the Hogwarts letter.

It read:

Dear Miss Broom.
I shall be arriving at your house in ten minutes, Please make sure you are at home,
Yours sincerely,
Professor Dumbledore.

Kirsty jumped up and down with delight. If the appearance of one of the most powerful wizards would not convince her mother she wasn't sure what could.

She then ran downstairs calling for he mother.

"Mum! Mum! He's coming!" she shouted, laughing happily.

"Wait a moment Kirsty. Who's coming?" questioned her bemused mother.

"Professor Dumbledore!"

"Wait… isn't he...?"

"Headmaster of Hogwarts? Yes!" Kirsty replied, finishing her mother's sentence.

"What? When? How do you know?" asked her mother.

"He'll be here in about..," Kirsty paused to look at her watch, "six minutes, I know because I sent a letter back asking if they could do something to prove to you the reality of the Hogwarts letter, so he replied saying he would come here!"

Her mother ran downstairs, casting a disapproving look at her daughter on the way past, she then ran up the garden to call Kirsty's father from the shed.

Kirsty ran to the front window, from here she had a clear view of the drive. She sat down and waited.
After what seemed like forever, she looked at her watch, 3 minutes to go... 2...2 and a half…. 1.…. 30 seconds… 20...10.….9... she looked around behind her hearing a 'pop' noise...4...3... her mother and father rushed into the lunge to tidy it quickly..1...'Knock, Knock!'

"He's here!!" Kirsty shouted with delight.

She rushed to the door and pulled it open.

There, standing on her doorstep, stood a man. His hair and beard were silver in colour. Both were tucked into his belt. His belt was tied around the outside of some emerald green wizard's robes. Half moon glasses were perched on his nose and his smile reached his eyes, which twinkled with some mystical light.

Behind him, stood a women. She wore robes as well, however hers were midnight violet in colour and her was face strict and serious. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her eye's were blue. But without the sparkle of the man's eyes.

"Hello, Miss Broom," the man said kindly, "May we come in?"

Kirsty shook herself, suddenly realising she had been standing there staring at them for nearly a whole minute.

"Yes, of course, come in." She stood back to let them pass. Then, after pointing them to the lunge, she got them to make themselves comfortable on one of the sofas.

As they entered the room the voice of her mother asked, "would you like some tea?"

"Thank you for your kind offer but, unfortunately today, I shall have to refuse," answered the man bowing his head to Kirsty's mum.

The women then spoke for the first time since her arrival, "should we get on with what we are here to do Dumbledore? Its only 3 weeks until the beginning of term and..."

"Don't fret Minerva, we shall be here as long as it takes, no more, no less," he replied. Then he said to the room at large, "I presume we all know why we are here?"

Kirsty and her mum nodded, her father, however shook his head saying, "No I don't, to be honest."

"Honesty is always the best policy, my good sir. Well shall we start from the beginning?" without waiting for an answer he continued, "This morning at 12 minutes past 9 your daughter received a letter. The contents of this letter invited her to join a school. My school in fact. However, this is a school that teaches students to use an extraordinary talent, not one that all are lucky enough to have. Sir, my school is a school to teach magic, your daughter is a witch. I feel, if trained properly she could be a very powerful witch.

"However, when your daughter asked her mother about it, well let's say that they didn't see eye to eye. Quite understandably, your wife wished for proof. So your daughter sent a letter pleading for help, that really is the reason I am here, to persuade you to allow your daughter to come to my school."

For a while there was silence and Kirsty's father processed the information.

"So you're saying," her father said carefully, "That my daughter is a witch? But how? Why her?"

"Yes, sir, that is exactly what I am trying to say. How? I don't know, but she was born with it. She is, however, not the first in her family to have the talent. But she is the first for several generations, and the member previous to her was not of her direct bloodline," replied Dumbledore.

"So who exactly are you?" asked Kirsty's mother, "I don't want to send my daughter to a mad house."

Dumbledore laughed merrily. Then answered, "My name is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school." He paused, "Minerva, do you wish to tell the good lady about yourself, or shall I?" he asked the women politely.

"I shall do it myself Dumbledore. My name is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Also head of the Gryffindor house," explained the women.

Kirsty's head was spinning. After wondering, 'so how much of the books are true?' she asked, with a definite pleading quality in her voice, "Please can I go?"

"I'm sorry Kirsty, I'm still not convinced," her mother answered, after a moment of hesitation.

Kirsty rolled her eyes, however Dumbledore said, "perhaps this will enlighten you?" He then drew a long, thin and rounded piece of wood from his pocket. He gave it a wave and a flock of bright blue birds streamed from the end.

Kirsty's mother gasped, Kirsty watched in awe. Her father, however, looked impressed.

"Well, you can't get much better than that, really, can you? Personally I'm all for letting you attend, Kirsty, what about you dear?" he asked, turning to his wife.

Kirsty's mother nodded slowly, transfixed on one of the birds which was now circling round and round the lamp shade.

Dumbledore smiled cheerfully. "Well that's good," he stated, now turning his head back to Kirsty, "Tomorrow I shall be here at 9am precisely; to take you to Diagon Alley, as your parents will not know where to find it."

"Where are you taking her?!" Her mother asked flabbergasted.

"To buy her school supplies."

There was a pause, "I don't mean to be rude, but we haven't got enough money. Not for all those things that equipment list was asking us to buy. Or for that matter to pay fees."

"Don't worry," comforted Minerva, or, as we should call her, Professor McGonagall, "we have scholarships, but the conditions are that you have to work very hard and keep up with your school work." she added, staring at Kirsty.

"I will Professor, I'll try my hardest," Kirsty promised.

With a flick of his wand, the birds disappeared, then Professor Dumbledore said, "Well then I shall see you tomorrow."

Then with a polite nod from Professor McGonagall, They span round on the spot and disappeared with a small 'pop.'