Chapter 3

Amelia's Shock

A short while later, we left Diagon Alley and headed home. I had gotten myself a great gray owl and named it Sasha. She was so beautiful! I could not wait to try and do some spells! There's a whole lot to learn in a year. Why not get a little bit ahead of everyone? At least then I won't be stuck for hours. So for the next few hours, I flipped through my books and tried random spells. One I was good at was a spell to repair glasses. My dad had a broken pair upstairs so I tried it on them and it actually worked! I was so pleased with myself that I started breaking glasses and repairing them over and over again!

Around 8:00, Amelia came by and asked me if I wanted to sleep over night. Mum said yes so I went. I brought my wand with me too. I figured that when I told her I was a witch, she wouldn't believe me at all. I would probably have to show her. And that for me would be a pain. What if she gets mad at me? What if she thinks I'm a freak? I guess this will determine whether we stay friends no matter what.

At first we started watching a movie called, "Sticks and Stones," about this girl who gets bullied and then fights back and wins the heart of her crush. I liked that movie. It was so dramatic and funny and sad. It was everything. Afterward, we sat on the computer for a while and talked to people over messenger. It was 12:00 am when we were sitting in Amelia's room painting our nails.

"Next year is gonna be so awesome!" Amelia sighed, happily, "you and me, being the most popular girls in school again and having Tony all over us…it's gonna be great," My heart started pounding like mad. How could I tell her? How could I tell her about Hogwarts and witches and wizards and spells? How could I? I sighed and decided to tell her anyhow because she would find out anyway.

"Amelia, about that. I'm not going to John L. Hart Elementary anymore," Amelia stared.

"You have got to be joking!" she exclaimed, "We're sticking together to the very end! You promised!"

"I know," I said miserably, "but I haven't got a choice,"

"Why? Are you moving or something?"

"No," I replied, "Well technically yes, but my parents aren't,"

"Boarding school!" Amelia shrieked, "is that it?!" I sighed. It was time to break the ice. Amelia is gonna so hate me for this, I thought.

"Yeah,"

"But why? Your parents don't seem the type of people to send you to a place like that!"

"It wasn't their choice either and neither was it mine. Amelia, this is going to scare you, but you have to know,"

"Know what? That I won't see you till Christmas?"

"No. What you have to know is that I'm-,"

"You're what?"

"I'm a witch," Amelia froze.

"But those aren't real," she forced a laugh, "you're joking,"

"No I'm not," I pulled out my wand from my bag, "this is my wand," She laughed.

"Yeah right,"

"Fine. Then I'll prove it," I grabbed the pair of my dad's glasses and broke them.

"What are you doing?" Amelia asked.

"Mending them," I put the broken glasses on the floor and pointed my wand at them.

"Oracales Repairo!" I said clearly. My wand responded by sending out a small jet of magic. I picked out the glasses. They were fixed.

"But that's impossible," Amelia whispered.

"Watch this," I said to her. I pointed my wand at a pink and white stuffed panda bear on her bed.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I said. The panda flew up into the air and stayed there for a few seconds. I put my wand down and it dropped back onto the bed.

"You really are telling the truth," Amelia realized.

"Yeah,"

"I'm sorry for not believing you. It's just so bizarre,"

"I know. I didn't believe it either at first,"

"So that's why you're going to boarding school. It's a school for witches, isn't it?"

"And for wizards," I added.

"How many years do you have to go there for?"

"Well, this year is my first year so I think that when you're 11 you start. I think it's about 6-7 years that you attend?"

"But that's so long!" Amelia cried, "I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too! But we can write, though you'll have to send me letters through owl post…"

"Owl post?"

"Witches and wizards send mail through owls,"

"You have an owl!" Amelia screeched.

"Yes. Her name is Sasha and she's a great gray owl. She's in my room at my house, but I bet my mum let her out to fly around for a while. She's so-," I got cut off by a screeching noise. It was coming from the window. I looked there, and there was Sasha, fluttering outside.

"Sasha!" I cried, opening the window. She flew in onto my arm.

"Good girl," I smiled. Amelia stared.

"Wow," she said, "can I touch her?"

"Sure," Amelia stroked her feathers.

"Just promise me one thing, Amelia," I said to her,

"What?"

"That you will keep this a secret,"

"I promise,"