Neville
I made my Gran proud today. For the first time I can remember she said she was proud of me.
She also said I "mustn't let her down" and I must "strive to achieve in honour of my parents" but I prefer not to concentrate on those parts. They're a bit too scary.
Anyway Gran and Great Uncle Algie and Great Aunt Enid are all proud because I got my Hogwarts letter. I got into Hogwarts. This should be no big surprise, every Longbottom in living memory has gone to Hogwarts, but I know they all thought I might be the first not to. The first squib.
I don't know if I'd have minded that. Gran would have been disappointed, but it's only a matter of time before she sees how rubbish at magic I am anyway. And my parents would never know.
Great Uncle Algie came round after Gran sent him an owl with the news. He said he'd bring me a present in congratulation.
"Well done my lad" he boomed in that hearty Lancashire way of his, as he plonked a toad in front of me. I stared at it for a moment before realising this was my present. I couldn't help my face falling a little. Toads aren't the coolest of pets.
Great Uncle Algie seemed to guess what I was thinking.
"I had a toad when I went to Hogwarts and all my friends loved him" he said, looking rather hurt. Gran glared at me.
"No, no I love it!" I said, trying desperately to remedy the situation. "I'll call him Trevor"
This is in honour of the milkman who delivers to the holiday cottage Great Uncle Algie owns in the Pennines. When I was little we'd go every Easter and I was obsessed with the milkman. Apparently every morning I'd get up super early to see him and have a chat, and I'd run after his van shouting his name as he left. I wanted to be a milkman until I was about nine because of him. No wonder Gran despairs of me at times.
So anyway this seemed to work as Great Uncle Algie cracked a huge smile and turned to his wife.
"Told you the boy would like it Enid" he said, "You're Aunt thought we should have got you a gobstone set or some nonsense."
Gobstones. Because they would have been so much better, really why can't I have relations who take me to The Weird Sisters concerts and buy me broomsticks? Actually on second thoughts I don't think I'd like a broom. I can't see myself as much of a flier. Ever since Uncle Algie dropped me out of a window when I was eight I've been a bit funny about heights. Yet another one of my short comings according to Gran. It's alright for her, she's not scared of anything. And there's no way I'm cool enough for a rock concert. No doubt I'd get kicked out for being too much of a wuss to crowd surf or whatever goes on.
Maybe I'm better off with the toad.