Chapter 2

Behind the letter addressed to me, was a list of books and equipment I needed. Names of books I have never heard of before. All I could think of was, where is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? How am I going to get there? Am I going to attend this school? Am I a witch? I was flustered with all these thoughts running through my mind, so I rushed back to my room with the letter, and shut the door.

I reread the letter over and over, hoping to figure out some more information. I don't want to tell anyone about this, not even my mother, if I will ever see her again. How is it possible that I am the only witch in the family? Have I just developed magical powers by myself? The letter also said that they await my owl back. How am I meant to write back when not only do I not have an owl, but also do not know where it came from?

My father knocks on my door an hour later. I didn't realise how much time had passed.
"Come in" I say, waiting for the door to open.
"I need to tell you something important. Probably the reason why you have received that letter."
I raise my eyebrows. My heart pounds faster, and I can feel it in my chest. What is he talking about, does he know something about witches and wizards?
"Before your mother left us, she told me something about her that I did not know," he says as he looks at me with wide eyes. "She warned me about you."
I stare at him until he continues.
"Your mother was a witch. She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and after she finished studying there, she decided to live in the muggle world, keeping her magical powers a secret."
Shocked, not knowing whether to believe him or not, I slouch back into my bed. Thoughts bouncing around my mind. I wait for my father to continue.
"Her magical powers were passed down to you. She told me it would either be you, your brother, or both of you." He puts his arm on my shoulder. "She instructed me to take you to London, that is where you will buy all of the items that you need."
"Should we tell Joey?"
"I'll think about it," he says as he looks away. "Prepare yourself to leave for London." And he walks out of my bedroom without another word.

I take another look at the list, and go over the things I will need. I notice that I am required to bring a pet. An owl, toad or cat. Maybe that is how I shall write back. I try to put the thoughts in my mind away, and think about them later. I get up, and start preparing myself for London. How long are we going to stay there anyway? Will it take time to buy all of these items?

Later that day, I decided to meet with my friend Toby. Toby is thirteen years old, two years older than I am. He decided to meet me at the beach down the street from my house at 4 o'clock.

"Bye Dad, I'm going to meet Toby, I'll be back in an hour or so." I shout while walking out of the house. I did not give him enough time to reply.

I start walking to the beach. The road outside my apartment building is clean, with palm trees planted all along the street. It's a hot summer day, and since I live so close to the beach, you see many people walking around. My apartment building is on the sea front, where from the balcony in my brother's room, you can see the waves crashing on the rocky shore. I like walking on the pavement to the beach. If I look to my left, I see the horizon, and a calm sea, if I look to my right, I see a busy street, with busy ice cream shops and coffee joints. Palm trees surround the area.

Should I mention my letter to Toby? I trust him with everything, and I have known him since I was a little girl. What if he takes it badly? And tells his parents? They would never let him see me again.
"Elle is a witch, Mum." I imagine him telling his mother. What would she think? I better keep it to myself for now.

I arrive at the sandy beach a bit before 4 o'clock. Toby has not arrived yet. I find a bench, isolated from the rest of the people. I like to make myself invisible to other people. I do not like attracting attention to myself. For a few minutes, I sit alone, staring at the waves, thinking in a few days, I am going to London to buy necessary items to attend a school for witchcraft and wizardry. I wonder what the school will look like, or other wizards and witches would look like. I am more afraid, than excited unfortunately. It is normal for me to think negatively, and worry about things more than I should.

"Elle!"

I look to my left, and see Toby running toward me, waving his hand at me with a wide smile stretched across his narrow face. He has blonde hair, that is shaved around his head, and leaves the rest grow on top. It is a nice hairstyle for him, I think it suits him. He is tall for his age, and he has green eyes, a very bright shade of green, that sparkle during the daytime. I wave back, with a small smile, then look at my feet dug up in the sand.

"Hey, have you been waiting for me for a long time?" says Toby, as he catches his breath and sits down beside me.
"No, only a few minutes." I reply, still looking at my feet. "How are you?"
"I'm okay." He looks at me, and smiles. I smile back, but look away quickly.
"I was a little, nervous, to meet you today," he adds. "I have something important I have to tell you."
I look up at him, with a curious smile. "What is it?" I say.
"Let's walk along the beach, shall we?"

I get up and he grabs my arm. I don't stop him. I've always had some feelings for him. He is my only friend, he does not think I am strange, like everyone else at my school. My old school. Toby is attractive to me. I can't believe I have this big secret I am keeping from him, that I am a witch.

"I have something to tell you too," I add. "I'm leaving for London soon, my father and I decided we should go on a little family trip, do some shopping, you know."
"Not really your thing, shopping." says Toby, looking at me curiously.
"I know, I thought I'd go for my father," I lick my lips, and look ahead of me. "What do you have to tell me anyway?"

He stops, and pulls me back. I look up at him. He is taller than me, so he has to look down. I wonder what he is going to tell me. He bites his lip, and touches my hands. What is he going to say?
"Well, I've been thinking about telling you for a long time now." I raise my eyebrow at him.
"I have some feelings, that I want to tell you about." He continues.
"What kind of feelings?" I add curiously.
"For you," he pauses, and a smile slowly widens on his face. "We've know each other for a long time, and I think I'm mature enough to know what I want now."

Shocked that he has the same feelings I have for him, I stare at him with my mouth open, not able to say anything. I am leaving soon. I am a witch. I can't be in a relationship with Toby if I am keeping this secret from him. I will be attending Hogwarts. What do I say?
"Toby, I don't know what to say," I say, to give myself more time to think of an excuse. "I'm moving away, across the country."
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know how to tell you," I look away from him, and check the time. It's too early to go home, but I can't stay with Toby for a second longer. I wish he was a wizard too, and everything would be alright. "I need to go home, I promised I would help my father around the house." And without another word, I let go of his hands and walk off. As I walk back, I peek over my shoulder to see if he is still standing there. Sat on the sand, his head into his knees.

I'm a terrible friend. I've known him for so long, and I just walk away from him after he told me that he has feelings for me. He plucked up enough courage to tell me, and I still walk away. There is something wrong with me. All I want to do is go home, and fall asleep. Escape reality for a few hours.