Chapter 1
It was a warm summer day when an unusual owl landed on the windowsill of Harry Potter's bedroom. Harry was surprised by the bird's odd appearance, but he knew better than to be alarmed by strange occurrences. He had noticed odd things happening around him for as long as he could remember, and he had been trying to train himself to control his strange abilities to a limited degree.
When he opened the letter the owl had brought, he was astounded to find that it was an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry had never heard of the school before, but he eagerly read the invitation, feeling a sense of excitement growing inside him, which read:
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.
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
Students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
SUPPLIES
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Irma Pince
Librarian
Harry couldn't believe it. He was a wizard! The thought made him giddy with excitement. However, his excitement quickly turned to dread as he remembered his aunt and uncle's reaction to anything related to magic. He had been keeping his abilities a secret from them, but he knew they wouldn't react well to the news that he was a wizard.
Just as Harry was trying to figure out how to hide the invitation from his aunt and uncle, he heard his aunt's voice calling him from downstairs.
"Harry! What's that noise outside?" Aunt Petunia called up the stairs.
Harry quickly stuffed the invitation into his pocket and went down to face his aunt and uncle.
"It's just an owl," Harry replied, trying to sound casual.
"An owl? What's it doing here?" Uncle Vernon asked, his face turning red.
"I don't know," Harry replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.
Before he could say anything else, they heard a loud knock at the door. Harry's heart skipped a beat as he wondered who it could be. Uncle Vernon went to answer it, and Harry saw a huge man standing outside. The man had wild, tangled hair and a bushy beard, and he was wearing a long coat and a strange, pointy hat.
"Sorry to barge in," the man said, "but I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."
Hagrid went on to explain to Harry and his relatives about the wizarding world, the existence of magic, and how Harry's parents had been killed by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. Harry listened in shock as he learned about his true identity as a wizard, and how he had been living with his muggle (non-magical) relatives for the past 10 years.
Hagrid explained that he had been sent to collect Harry and take him to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies. Harry's aunt and uncle were less than thrilled with the idea, but Hagrid made it clear that Harry would attend Hogwarts whether they liked it or not.
With a sense of wonder and anticipation, Harry followed Hagrid out of the house and into the magical world he had never known existed.
Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading Chapter 1 of this Harry Potter fanfic! In this chapter, we see the start of Harry's journey to Diagon Alley with Hagrid, where he will purchase his school supplies to attend Hogwarts. We also get a glimpse into Harry's life where he must hide his magical abilities and do chores to avoid his relatives wrath.
Please let me know your thoughts and feedback in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
PS: I wanted to share with you all that this is my very first fanfic, and I couldn't be more excited to dive into this world and share my story with all of you!