Uncle Henry quickly rose to his feet and bounded towards the door. "Let me see" he muttered under his breath. Harry and Hermione looked at each other in confusion. What about these letters was so interesting? And why would anybody be writing to them in the first place? A simple postcard from Harry's friends could hardly cause such a fuss. Maybe the school was writing to them. Yes, that had to be it. Perhaps something had gone wrong with their SATs. Harry still had no idea what his mother had to do with that though.

After a minute or two of heated discussion, his aunt and uncle moved into the living room and then back into the kitchen. Aunt Pet6unia held a letter in each hand "Harry, Hermione , you'd better take a look at these" she said " I promise you, you won't believe it until you see for yourselves and even then you'll find it hard". She handed them their letter.

Harry looked at the letter. It wasn't much like any other letter he'd ever seen before. Instead of paper it was made up of a yellowish parchment. Instead of a stamp there was a wax seal displaying some sort of crest- a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake gathered around the letter H. It didn't even feel right- it was too thick and too heavy, thicker and heavier even then the bills that sometimes came in the post. On the front, handwritten in green ink were the words

Mr H Potter

The bedroom on the left-hand side of the bathroom

17 Baldwin Avenue

Winchester

Hampshire

Harry suddenly felt a stab of worry in his stomach. How did these people, whoever they were, know where he slept? Were they watching the house? He looked up at his aunt and uncle, who beckoned him to continue. Hermione was already trying to open the letter as carefully and precisely as she could. Harry was less careful- he simply ripped open the envelope, took the letter out and began reading. What he saw was the most astonishing thing he had ever seen in all of his young life.

The letter said:

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 Mr Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry looked at the letter, then down at the floor and then at the letter again. Surely he hadn't read it right. The letter seemed to be saying that he'd been asked to join a school for wizards, who wanted him to give them an owl so they'd know he was going. Was this some sort of joke? Harry decided to read the next page of the letter. Perhaps it would explain everything, although Harry certainly couldn't think of any explanation himself.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. 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 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

No, it definitely hadn't helped. Harry just felt more confused than ever. He turned to his aunt and uncle to say something but he didn't seem to be able to make words. His mouth simply opened and closed like a goldfish. Hermione had no such difficulty.

"Honestly mum and dad, this is all very silly. Why are you so worried about someone's childish idea of a joke? Magic is a load of nonsense, everyone knows that"

Harry very much wanted to agree with Hermione. The only way this made was if somebody was playing a prank on them. But this was an awfully long way to go for a prank. Who would go to so much trouble for a joke and why did his aunt and uncle seem to take it so seriously? Then there was the name of the Headmaster. Dumbledore, the word that always seemed to come up whenever something strange happened. Could it be…?

Uncle Henry turned to Aunt Petunia and said "do you want to tell them or shall I?"

"I'd better tell them" she said "it's all to do with me anyway"

"Harry, Hermione sit down. I'm going to tell you everything but please don't ask any questions until I'm finished"

"Twenty years ago, Harry's mother got a letter just like these ones. We thought it was a joke too but before long we had proof. Your mother went to that school and she met your father there. They were wizards Harry and so are you"

She turned to look straight at Harry and gave him a smile. Then she turned away to look directly at Hermione.

"We knew that Harry had magic when we took him in but we never expected you to have any, Hermione. But when you grew older and started to make strange things happen, just like Harry did, we knew that you were magic too. Think about what you did on Tuesday. Is there any way that could have happened without magic?"

"There are magic people all over the country and all over the world. They've got some way of hiding themselves, I don't know how. Everything I know about magic comes from Lily and we didn't speak that often. For a long time we'd fallen out with each other and when we made up there were …. other problems"

The whole family stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a couple of seconds. It was Harry who spoke first. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" he demanded. Harry found that his blood was beginning to boil and his heart was starting to beat faster. All these years he'd lived with them and they'd lied to him about who he really was.

Hermione spoke up in agreement "yes, why would you keep something so important from us? We had a right to know. It terrified us, every time something we couldn't explain happened"

Both of the Granger shuffled uncomfortably and looked at each other. It was Henry who spoke "you have to understand, we were scared. Scared about what might happen if we told you while you were so young. What if you'd told someone at school and they told a teacher? You'd have been institutionalised for sure. We couldn't risk that happening".

Harry had only one more question "what happened to my parents, was that … to do with magic?

There was another awkward pause before Petunia answered "there was a war Harry. Some madman was trying to take over something and everybody else was trying to stop him. You're mum and dad stood in his way and he, he killed them for it. I'm sorry Harry. I wish I could have told you sooner"

Uncle Henry spoke again. "I think we'd better take some time to let you think over all this. You've got a lot to take in. We can resume this conservation later".

It was a few hours later when Harry heard a knock on the door. He got up from his bed a looked out of the window to see a wizard on the doorstep. Harry rushed downstairs and arrived at the door just in time to see his aunt and uncle letting the stranger in. The man looked around and then spoke.

"Hello to you, Dr Granger, Mrs Granger" he said "it's good to see you in the flesh at last"

Harry knew that the man was a wizard because he could not have made it more obvious if he had had the words 'I am a wizard' written on his clothing in big red letters. He was tall, thin and old, with a great white beard that reached almost to his belly. A pair of half-moon spectacles were perched on the edge of his long, crooked nose. Even his clothes were very much what one would expect a wizard to be wearing – purple robes and a pointy cloth hat.

The man looked around until he saw Harry "hello Harry" he said "my, you've grown. But then I suppose that is to expected after eleven years"

"You know me?" said Harry in a surprised voice. He was sure that he would remember meeting somebody like this before.

"I did indeed Harry. But I did not know you for very long and that was an awfully long time ago. It was I, Harry who left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep when you were a baby"

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts. I wish to discuss with you and Miss Granger the shape of your education and to answer any questions you may have. Now, if you would like to show me to the living room, I believe we have a great deal to talk about"

Harry and Dumbledore led the way into the living room. Uncle Henry called up the stairs to Hermione, while Aunt Petunia eyed Dumbledore warily. When they were all sat down, Dumbledore spoke again "now, I assume you have some questions?"

Uncle Henry spoke first "yes, I've got a few. Is it usual for the headmaster himself to come and tell students about the school? In my experience Headmasters are usually too bust for that sort of thing"

"No, it is rather unusual" said Dumbledore "These things are normally handled by the child's parents or by my deputy, Professor McGonagall. However because the circumstances here are rather unusual I have decided to take on the role myself. I hope that you will find me adequate"

Harry found this rather peculiar. Was there such a thing as usual circumstances at a school for wizards?

Aunt Petunia looked as if she was about to say something but Hermione beat her to the punch "can you really do magic" she said suspiciously. Harry wasn't sure if she believed what she'd been told or not but he was leaning towards the latter option.

Dumbledore just smiled and said "I certainly can, Miss Granger. Would you like to see some?"

"Yes" she replied and then Dumbledore did something incredible. He drew out an ornate stick from the pocket of his robes (a magic wand, Harry realised) and pointed it at the bookcase. Suddenly the bookcase had vanished and in its place lay a small lamb, bleating furiously. Dumbledore drew his wand again and pointed it at the lamb and suddenly it was a bookcase again. "Does this satisfy you?" he asked with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry was beyond shocked. It was one thing to know that magic existed in the abstract but quite another to see it performed in front of his face. What he'd just seen was completely and utterly impossible. A part of him screamed that this was wrong and no good could come going against nature like this. Another, much larger part of him wondered if one day he might be able to do that and much more besides.

Dumbledore took advantage of the silence to ask a question of his own "might I take Harry aside for a moment? I've something to discuss with him that would be best said in private". Aunt Petunia nodded and Harry led Dumbledore upstairs towards his bedroom. Harry wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to be alone with Dumbledore but the man seemed pleasant enough, even if he was very odd.

"Harry, how much do you know about your parents?" he said softly.

Harry replied "not much-only that they're dead" that came out harsher than he intended "I mean they were wizards and they got into a war with somebody and when I was a baby he..." the rest of the words didn't seem to want to come out.

"Yes, that is true" said Dumbledore "would you like to hear the whole story?" Harry nodded.

"Very well. Be warned however that it is not a very happy story. If you wish for me to stop at any point, please say so"

"Around ten years before your birth Harry, an evil wizard emerged from the shadows. His name was Lord Voldemort. He became one of the most powerful wizards in the world and he gathered an army of followers who were just as wicked as he. He sought to control all that he could and what he could not control, he sought to destroy".

"He was so powerful and his wrath was so terrible that many today are still too afraid to say his name, a practice which you will not, I hope follow. Nevertheless there were those who stood against him. I was one of them- your parents were another".

"Your parents were talented at magic and they were powerful foes of his. They were among the very few who fought him directly and yet lived. Perhaps this is why he wanted them dead- Voldemort hated anybody who showed him that he was not all powerful. In any case, one night, when you were a baby, he came to the house where your parents lived and attacked. Your mother and father fought bravely but alas, they were no match for him. When he had killed your parents he set his sights on you"

"And then a curious thing happened. Your mother had died trying to protect you. In doing so she committed an act of great love. Love is one of the most powerful of all magical forces and her death left you with a great protection. When Voldemort attempted to kill you he triggered this protection and he was destroyed. It was this that gave you your scar, Harry. To this day the wizarding world calls you the one who destroyed Voldemort. You are a hero to many, Harry"

Harry felt his eyes start to get damp and Dumbledore suddenly became very interested in one of Harry's books. When he had dried up he realised the true implications of Dumbledore's words. "I'm famous? People think I'm a hero? But I didn't do anything, I don't even remember it! Why am I the hero and not my mum?"

Dumbledore replied "Harry, the truth of what happened is not very widely known. To many of our kind, your survival seems inexplicable. It does not do to dwell on what people think and expect of you Harry. If you do not think yourself worthy of such praise, then I would encourage you to bring yourself to a point when you will be worthy. Now, I do not think we should keep your aunt and uncle waiting any longer"

Harry and Dumbledore went back down the stairs and into the living room. Dumbledore spoke again "I wish to know whether I have your permission for your daughter and your nephew to attend Hogwarts"

Aunt Petunia opened her mouth to speak.

Authors Note: Gee, I wonder what the answer will be?.

This chapter is mostly exposition but I've tried to give it some heart.