Note: This was supposed to be my method of learning to write; I wasn't planning to publish it. I don't want to make this a story with plots, adventures, and good fortune. I will try to remove any plot holes left by JK and make my own version which sounds plausible and won't interfere with the primary plot. Both suggestions and criticism are welcome at any time, but it is up to me to decide whether to act on either of them. Thank you.

...

Silence.

It was too silent.

I still remember the day very vividly.

I jolted out of sleep. Have you ever experienced waking up someplace unknown, forgetting why and where? Oddly, memories from before waking up seem too distant. I can feel the damp T-shirt sticking to my body. Beads of icy sweat drip down from head to neck. For some strange reason, I felt incredibly alive, much like I did when I was younger, and I could do the unthinkable. There was something just below the surface of my mind that was struggling to get noticed. Something out of this world. Magical? Something that felt like a long-forgotten dream. I just couldn't place my finger on it.

I start to notice the heavy breathing coming from me, the smell of the evening breeze, from the window on my right, and conversations in the distance. As I focused more, I might have imagined hearing an unknown melody coming from far away. As my ears and nose start working, my eyes seem to tell me I'm sitting on a bed with my back against the wall in a small room. A small enough room to keep a bed, a water pot, and an old, worn-down wooden trunk. Strange place that I have no recollection of. A creeping fear slowly starts to rise in my chest and is pushed back by the fact that the room is scaling up and down.

I did not move, waiting for the disorientation to wear off. As I waited, the room stopped expanding, the melody vanished, the breeze got stronger, voices seemed muted, and the noise of the flutter of a paper joined the fray. Where's my phone? I looked around, A yellow paper—and, hmm, parchment and an envelope—were lying down on the small table beside the bed with a pebble on top. A memory of longing and immense confusion flashed for a moment and made me befuddled. I bent over and raised my arm, sliding the parchment and the envelope from under the pebble. Why does my body seem younger? Wait a minute. Was I supposed to be a little bigger? I ignored the disconcerting thought for a minute to focus on the vaguely familiar symbol on the parchment. As I was starting to doubt my perception, my eyes fell on the yellow envelope. It was addressed to me and written clearly in emerald-green ink.

Mr. Ravi Kumar
The Shack in the corner of the bacyard,
7th Road, Lancaster Hill,
Manchester, England.

'When did I buy a Hogwarts letter? Before that, why would I add "Kumar" after my name? Hmm, the address? Or was this someone else's and I found it somehow?'
Turning over the envelope, in excitement, there it was the letter "H" above the red wax seal, surrounded by four animals, a lion, a snake, and another two should be an eagle, and a badger. I set aside the envelope and inspected the letter. I was excited to finally hold a real-life replica of the letter. I noticed an earthy and musty smell permeating my nose.
The letter read,

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class,_

"Oh, I see that you are awake, Mr Kumar. How are you feeling?"

I jerked my head towards the voice so fast that I may have snapped my neck as the letter dropped onto my lap. I stared at the tall, severe-looking woman, and my mind swirled into motion. I started to weigh possibilities and formulate theories to figure out the current situation. A strange room, a foreign English lady, and someplace far away from the city—noticing the strange silence that is only heard in an area devoid of human activity. What should I say? My mouth felt dry as I spoke.

"I'm fine mi-miss?" Wasn't my voice a bit deeper?
"That would be "Professor" for you, Mr Kumar as I informed you earlier, I'm the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you hadn't opened your eyes for one more minute, I might have to take you to St. Mungo's."

I stared and did not reply. I stopped all my thoughts and just stared. Seeing my hesitation, she continued.

"You fainted Mr Kumar" She waited for my reply. I kept quiet.
"The very uncommon occurrence of your fainting may have been due to shock, as it occasionally occurs with muggles who are exposed to the wizarding world. I do believe this is the first for a wizard. Did you remember our earlier conversation, Mr Kumar?"
I nodded slowly
"Good. As I informed you earlier about your unique circumstances, you'll be transferred to 3rd year when admitted to the School. Although we have already lost some valuable time, we must buy the school supplies today since the train to school will leave from King Cross station tomorrow."

Possibilities remain uh a possibility. Theories narrowed down to a few. one, I've been drugged, for which I do not have any experience. Two, I'm dreaming. I pinched myself secretly on the arm. Yeah, not dreaming at all. Rest seems at the current moment very far-fetched. I never had any panic attacks in my life, but this would be a good time to experience one. I noticed my stomach started to stir, ribcages felt like they were closing in, and hands vibrating. Not now, stay calm. I forced myself to take control of body. Right then, something warm spread through my being. Odd and…magical. It felt warm and cold, but it did not make me feel uncomfortable; rather, it calmed down my agitation.

"Mr Kumar?"

I had lowered my head so as not to show my growing fear. I simply nodded my head.

"I have taken the liberty of writing a reply as this has never happened that the Book of Admittance had written someone's name so late before the start of term. Now, Mr Kumar, if you're okay and want to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I suggest we finalize the paperwork."

"Yes, Professor." She came forward and handed me a letter. I leaned forward, stretched my noodled hand, and took the parchment. My mind occupied, I did not heed the content and just signed it, using the bedside table as a support.

"Now that is done, would you like some time to get ready before we go to Diagon Ally to purchase school supplies?"

I looked down at myself, I was wearing long knee dark blue shorts and what look like a clear one-size big white t-shirt with dark brown horizontal strips. I looked around the room and found what I was looking for.

"Um, c-can I, no no-nothing. Sorry. Just a sec, Professor." I almost ran toward the water pot placed on a half-a-foot-thick block of wood. As I refreshed myself with cold water, the fog surrounding my mind cleared up almost completely. I kept all the thoughts at bay. My ears were already turning red from overthinking. She'll have to do magic at one point. I only need to nod my head and wait for the proof to satisfy my curiosity. It would be a good time to spot my phone, the chances of which are incredibly low. I looked down at my feet, and looked around the house—nothing to wear, huh?

"Thank you for the waiting, professor. We can go now." She obviously noticed my naked feet and eyed me with a look I could not know. Maybe it was pity as I had not yet known about the past of this body.

"I remember seeing a pair of slippers out the door, Mr Kumar." She said softly at last.

I nodded hurriedly and went out to find them. That did not work. I was hoping to see some magic if there was any. Oh well, we'll know in a while. The outside was so bright that it nearly killed my vision. It took a while before I was able to see and wonder where in the world I was. I'm pretty sure I've never visited any place that has a garden this beautiful or this big or any garden as a matter of fact. This would be the backyard of the address written on the envelope If I assume all that happened till now is true however barmy I sound. Rows of beautiful tall trees on the edges stand there like soldiers. I can see a towering fountain far away behind the bush that separated the view. Birds were chirping in the distance, trees were swaying from the cold breeze, the midday sun was blazing in the west, the sky was azure blue, and no signs of cloud could be seen on the horizon. 'It is a good afternoon for a nap' I thought. I stood there, took deep breaths, and tried to calm down my nerves, not that it helped much but at the very least shifted my attention from the growing anxiety to the chirping of birds. I'll say again, I felt alive. Alive like it was something that my soul longed for it. I have never felt this much energy in my body for years that I have forgotten how it felt to be so lively and free. There was something else present just beneath my skin that I was unable to explain, or I may have simply begun to assume.

'Yeah, I'll be alright. Doesn't seem like I'm in mortal danger' the passing breeze assured me.

There were slippers near the door. I slipped them on carelessly before turning towards the professor.

I simply smiled.

The next minute I found myself looking at the different sky, It was surely blue but seems tainted, there were fluffy white clouds that randomly scattered and drifted lazily, loud honks could be heard from nearby, and murmurs of so many people that I thought I might have woken up in my parent's house in Mumbai. My back hurt. I was lying on something hard and cold in an isolated alleyway. Slowly snippets of memories wander around my head. These memories of the last few minutes seemed hazy to this day now. Fragments of explanations on the ways of travel in the wizarding world seem to come alive in my mind. The experience of squeezing through a tube is the most uncomfortable feeling I can remember in my whole life.

"Are you alright Mr Kumar?" I heard an aged but powerful voice from my left. Minerva McGonagall was there. The person who had overturned my reality, broken fundamental law, and messed my logical brain, in a manner of few minutes. All this made me realise that I clearly am not in my world. At the same time a saviour who is going to guide me to something extraordinary from the mundane world to the magical.
"Yes, Professor?"
"You seem fine Mr Kumar. Apparition takes time to get used to. I see that you did not puke your stomach out. As this was your first time you seemed to have done well compared to others."

'That is because my stomach has nothing to puke at all.' As I got my bearings back a rush of excitement passed through my every being. I had really teleported. This was the confirmation I have been waiting for. This really is the Wizarding world and I can do magic. I lay there for a full minute before Professor McGonagall's cough caught my attention.
"Mr Kumar, shall we move ahead or will you require more time to rest."
I jumped straight up in realization and spoke, "I'm alright professor, thank you for waiting. We can move now."
"Very well. Follow me, this way. This place is situated in London and one of the ways you can enter the magical community of Britain known as Diagon Alley. Stay near to me and do not stray from my side"