Amy may have moved on from the orphanage she had grown up in and now have a far happier life because of it, but that didn't mean she forgot where she came from.
On Thursday, September 3rd, 1992, Harry, Susan, and Hannah all felt a nasty sense of foreboding when Amy didn't come to breakfast on time.
Amy only turned out to be a few minutes late, but her face was tear stricken and she gave Harry, Susan, and Hannah a pleading type of look.
"Harry, Susan, Hannah?" asked Amy desperately, "May I ask you three for a favor?"
"But of course, " chroused Harry, Susan, and Hannah a nanosecond later.
"I've just been to see Heather, " explained Amy, "She woke me up early to give me some news pertaining to my native homeland of Arizona and the orphanage I grew up in."
"What's happened?" asked Harry urgently.
"So, " continued Amy, "Heather explained to me that a massive fire broke out in the orphanage. The old building is a total loss. The great news is that no one died or was seriously injured. The worst that happened was a few people getting minor burns. Everybody realized what was happening right away and evacuated at once. Fortuitously, there is a vacant building across the street from where the orphanage's building was because the previous tenant had let their lease expire. The landlord of the vacant building has graciously permitted the orphanage to at least temporarily set up shop in the vacant building. The bad news is that the fire burnt everything the kids owned except the clothes they were wearing when they escaped. The bottom line is that the children at the orphanage have lost all of their toys and most of their clothes."
Harry, Susan, and Hannah all looked sadly up at Amy.
"There are kids I grew up with who are still at the orphanage, " said Amy matter of factly, "I may not have been particularly close with any of them individually, but I do still care about them. More importantly, imagine being a kid anywhere from a toddler to a teenager and losing almost everything you own in one night. The favor I am going to ask of you three is this: Would you three be willing to donate some money that would be used to buy new toys and clothes for these poor kids?"
Susan and Hannah replied, "Yes," instantly. Harry however, responded by piping up, "Amy, I think there's a bigger and better idea."
"What's that?" asked Amy urgently.
"Amy," said Harry in a clear and serious voice, "I think you should make an announcement to the whole of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery and ask for donations from the entire student body. Not only might you get financial donations, but you will also get students who will donate old clothes they have outgrown that are still in good condition and toys that they have outgrown or lost interest in that are still in good condition."
Amy looked Harry eye to eye and said, "OHH, you're right Harry. "
Amy now walked up to the staff table and grabbed Heather's megaphone, to which Heather did not object.
"Attention, Skyward School of Practical Sorcery, " called out Amy, "My name is Amy Alworth. I grew up in a muggle orphanage in my native homeland of Arizona. There was a massive fire at the orphanage last night. Luckily, no one was killed or seriously hurt because everybody understood right away what was going on and got themselves out at once. Minor burns were the worst anyone's person got. Furthermore, the orphanage has at least temporarily been able to move its operations into a vacant building across the street. The previous tenant in that building let their lease expire and the landlord has kindly allowed the orphanage to set up shop there. The issue is that the occupants of the orphanage lost everything except the clothes they were wearing when they escaped. The kids at the orphanage lost all of their toys and most of their clothes in the fire. I wish to set up a fundraiser here at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery to help out those poor kids and replace their lost clothes and toys. You may make either a financial donation, donate old but still in good condition clothes and/or toys, or donate new and unused clothes and toys."
At this, Heather raised her wand and said a nonverbal spell.
A nanosecond later, a yellow collecting tin and several large yellow baskets appeared at the front of the Eating and Meeting Hall.
"I say, " suggested Heather grabbing her megaphone from Amy, "That we open up donations now and keep the fundraiser open through 7 P.M. on Sunday. I'd like us to meet up here in the Eating and Meeting Hall at 10 P.M. Sunday night to announce how well we've done. "
Heather handed the megaphone back to Amy.
"Thank you in advance to everyone who makes a donation, " said Amy warmly, "Please understand that this is a muggle orphanage and do not donate magical items such as gobstone sets."
Everyone nodded in understanding and Amy handed Heather her megaphone back and went back to her seat.
Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah, but Amy in particular, felt their insides glow with warmth as they saw various people dropping money into the collecting tin and clothes and toys into the baskets at every meal that the fundraiser was open.
Amy was pleased to see that her fellow members of the Potions Club all made donations.
Brett Brew donated a set of board games such Connect Four, Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue, Chutes and Ladders, and Candy Land.
Mason Mix provided a silver slinky, a yellow yo-yo, and a green and yellow Super Soaker 250 squirt gun.
Ernie Macmillan, meanwhile, gave a large collection of toy cars that he bought specifically to give to the fundraiser. The toy cars ranged in color from hot pink, red, green, yellow, blue, orange, purple, gray, gold, silver, bronze, brown, teal, aqua, magenta, lavender, cyan, maroon, crimson, burgundy, lime green, spring green, sky blue, black, and white.
Among those to donate clothes were Justin Finch Fletchley, who donated multiple sets of tee shirts, shorts, pants, underwear, socks, and shoes.
Meanwhile, a tall and black seventh year girl named Betsy Barbie provided a large collection of dolls of various types.
Some people even thought to donate reading material. Luna Lovegood offered up a set of Narnia books while Cedric Diggory tossed in a complete set of Garfield comics.
Perhaps most thoughtfully of all, Fiona Float, Crystal Current, and Amanda Aqua all gave the fundraiser toothbrushes and combs of various colors. These had been bought for the purpose of donating them to the fundraiser and so were new and in perfect shape.
Many students and staff, including Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, and Heather herself made monetary donations. Heather would convert the wizarding galleons into muggle dollars to donate to the orphanage.
On Sunday night, Heather made the announcement to the school.
Speaking into her megaphone, Heather declared, "Skyward School of Practical Sorcery, I'm proud to say that between the money and items donated, this fundraiser has netted the orphanage in Arizona where Amy grew up ten thousand dollars' worth of money and items in four days. I'm really proud of your generosity. Amy would like to say a few words."
Heather handed the megaphone to Amy.
"T-to, my fellow students of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery, " cried Amy, getting choked up, "I-I. Thank you. Thank you for your kindness and generosity in helping out the kids at my old orphanage during a dark and difficult time for them. I'm truly touched by how m-many of y-you donated to this fundraiser and how high a percentage of the student body did so. Your kindness, generosity, and huge response to a sudden and unplanned fundraiser will benefit many children from toddlers to teenagers, some of whom I once knew personally. I also need to thank Harry Potter for suggesting this fundraiser. I asked my three BFFs, Harry Potter, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbott, if they would make donations to help out the kids at the orphanage. Susan and Hannah said yes, but Harry suggested I make an announcement to the entire school. He predicted many of you would pitch in to help and he was right. Heather will be taking the donated items to the orphanage's current location tomorrow morning. I want you all to know how much the success of this fundraiser means to me and..."
Amy set the megaphone down and stepped down, unable to speak any longer. She was overcome with emotion. This fundraiser had exceeded her expectations and she kept thinking about how much the spirts of the children at the orphanage would be lifted when their things were replaced.
Yes, this fundraiser had been a success and showed what kind of student body Skyward School of Practical Sorcery possessed.
A shout out to the following members who have added Harry Potter and the Yellow Quartet to their favorites and/or follows lists since the last update.
David Garrido
farazalizadeh75
fern1968
Jobil
lordganon1
megkinda1
PerseusJackson406
tom23029
Much love from Arizona for all the support. Love you all-Michael :)