A/N: I have most of this pre-written, all you have to do is hit the little review button and I will post! Aaand... if I accidentally steal an idea from someone, please tell me and I will give you credit :)
Disclaimer: Not JKR. HP's not mine... I wonder how short I can make the disclaimer and still have it be understandable...
The next morning, Andi woke up excited. For a second, she couldn't remember why, but then she realized that a person from Hogwarts would visit her today. She walked downstairs, containing herself even though she felt as though she might burst from anticipation.
"Morning, Mum," she said, yawning, as she entered the dining room.
"Good morning, Andi." Her mother made no reference to the letter. Andi ate her breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, then turned back to her mother.
"Mum, may I please go play outside?"
"Of course, Andi. Stay in the yard, now."
"Yes, Mum," Andi said, darting outside. Maybe the wizard was waiting out here. She searched the shed, the porch, and even in the old tree house, but no one was there. Disappointed, she sat by the thick hedge and fiddled with a twig, wondering if the letter was indeed fake. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a tabby cat in the hedge.
Andi had always liked cats, and they her. She stretched her hand out and crooned to the cat.
"Here, kitty, kitty," she called. The cat glared at her chastisingly-was that normal?-and stalked past her onto the lawn. Andi watched in awe as the cat transformed into a woman in emerald-green robes, spectacles, and a disapproving look on her face. Her graying hair was up in a tight bun, and there was a pointed hat atop her head.
Andi scrambled to her feet, nearly poking herself on a thorn in the hedge.
"Miss Andromeda Kirkwood, I take it?" she asked politely.
"Yes," Andi said. "Though I prefer Andi."
"Andi, I am Professor McGonagall. I am a teacher and deputy headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"So it is real, then," Andi breathed.
"Yes, quite so. Let us go inside, and I shall explain many things to you and your parents." Andi walked with Professor McGonagall, who seemed to know where she was going, and went back inside.
"Back already, Andi?" her mother said curiously, before glancing up and noticing the witch in green robes standing with her daughter.
"Who are you?" she nearly shouted in alarm. "Andi, get away from her!"
"It's okay, Mum, she's from Hogwarts. She sent the letter," Andi explained.
"Mrs. Kirkwood, I am Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Andi's mother sucked in her breath. "You're kidding. There's no such thing as a magic world…is there?"
"There is indeed, and your daughter is fortunate enough to be a part of it."
"She can't be a witch! She's normal!"
"She is, and I assure you, she is normal for a witch of her age."
After lots more arguing over every small point, and no progress on Andi's mother, Professor McGonagall pulled out a long, thin stick-a wand!-and waved it in the air. A wreath of flowers appeared, and it settled onto the table. With another flick, it was turned into a black hat, similar to the one she wore on her head.
Andi's mum sat, dumbfounded. She stared at the hat, then back at Professor McGonagall.
"You see, we magical people have been hiding our talents from Muggles-people who can't use magic-for centuries. We've gotten quite good at it," Professor McGonagall said.
"Why hasn't anyone found out?"
"They do, sometimes. Muggles have witnessed accidental magic, or provoked a hot-tempered wizard. We use memory charms on them, so that they can't remember it. It's a kindness; if they lived with what they had seen, they would likely become senile and be placed in a Muggle asylum."
"How is Andi a witch, then?" Andi looked up at Professor McGonagall. She had been wondering that herself.
"The ability to use magic strikes unexpectedly. Most purebloods-witches or wizards who are descended from all-magic families-are magic, as are most half-bloods. Half-bloods have one muggle or muggle-born parent and one witch or wizard. Muggle-borns are like your daughter, who is a witch yet does not have any direct magical ancestors."
"Professor McGonagall, if we could speak in private for a moment…"
"Certainly."
"Andi, run along to your room now. Look at that letter again; bring it down when I call you."
"Yes, Mum," Andi said, scampering up the stairs. She heard the door shut and crept down, dropping her bracelet so that she could pick it up as a claim as to why she was there. She pressed her ear to the keyhole.
"Professor McGonagall, you may not know this, but Andi-"
"We know."
"But is she really a muggle-born?"
"No. One moment-" Andi heard something that sounded like Muffliato and her ears were filled with a low humming noise. She tried to hear more, but to no avail. Frustrated and curious, the eleven-year-old witch tiptoed up the stairs and into her room.
Andi sat on the bed and reread the letter several times over, including all the schoolbooks she had to get. Would Mum and Dad let her go? Andi wanted to go to Hogwarts so bad she might burst if she couldn't.
Finally, after a long time, Mum called her down. Dad was waiting at the table with her and Professor McGonagall.
"Andi, do you want to go to Hogwarts?" she asked.
"Yeah, Mum, of course I do!" All thoughts of the overheard conversation forgotten, she looked at the adults hopefully.
"Well, that's settled then," Professor McGonagall said. "I'll tell Professor Dumbledore that you've accepted.
"YES!" screamed Andi, jumping up and down in the air. After several leaps, she looked down to find that her feet weren't resting on the ground, but in thin air. She froze, then imagined herself lowering to the ground. As she did, she felt the air give way and she fell, barely catching herself.
"That, Andi, was accidental magic. Powerful, too," Professor McGonagall noted.
"Wow! I used magic? Mum did you see, Dad did you see that? Did you?" Andi asked excitedly.
"Yes, Andi, we saw," her father responded hastily. Her mother nodded in agreement.
"Can she come to get her supplies today?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Of course. Where can we take her, though?" asked her mother.
"I'll take her to Diagon Alley. She'll be able to find it, but I'm afraid Muggles can't see or pass through the entrance."
"Okay," agreed her father, looking a bit nervous nevertheless.
"We'll be on our way, then," said the witch. She held out her hand to Andi, who hesitantly took it. "Hold on tightly, Andi." Then, Professor McGonagall turned on the spot and Andi held her hand tighter as she felt only her hand in the crushing darkness. She couldn't breathe, Andi felt as though she would pass out if she couldn't breathe now-
