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 Ms. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Magnolia had read the opening letter multiple times when Harry stood up and started to pace the room. They were quiet for a moment, before he said,
" Someone's joking with us," with a quiet voice, so that Magnolia could barely hear him. Uncle Vernon snored in the next room over. " Obviously one of Dudley's friends thinks we're stupid enough to- to go find an owl, and -"
" I don't know Harry, I doubt they have the beautiful penship of Ms. McGonagall," Magnolia replied with a grin. Harry's face blanked out.
" So what do you expect this is?" He said.
" Isn't it obvious? You're a wizard, Harry." Magnolia puffed out her chest proudly, beaming. " So am I."
Harry rolled his eyes at her. " Be realistic, Magnolia."
Magnolia glared at him. " I am. Haven't weird things always happened to us? Remember when you turned Ms. Allen's hair blue? Or ended up in the roof? How about when Dudley pushed me in the lake, and I came out all dry?"
Harry bit his lip. " So you really think...?"
Magnolia looked at the letter and bit her lip. " I'm 98% sure."
They were quiet again.
" What should we do...?"
" Well, we don't want Uncle Verbal Abuse and Aunt Petty to find out we know what we are," she said softly. " It says to reply by owl... but there's no way of doing that, is there? Imagine us, chasing after a wild owl... we'll be a laughing stock on the Evening News." Harry nodded jerkily. " We can walk to the Post Office and send our letter through there." Harry continued to nod.
" But - but we don't have an address," Harry said suddenly, and they both looked through the letter several more times to decipher whether it was true - and it was. Hogwarts had no address attached to it. They both frowned.
" We'll... we'll figure it out," Magnolia said. The likelihood of them chasing after a wild owl seemed to grow and grow. " For now, let's just... go to sleep." Harry nodded, took the letter and a stuffed it under the larger bed, under a telescope box,
" Goodnight, Magnolia," he said. "... I can't believe we're wizards..."
" Goodnight, Harry," his twin replied. " I can."
The next day when Magnolia woke up, she was pleased to find that there was no trapped muscle in her neck, back, arms or legs. It was, despite her difficulty in falling asleep, the best rest she'd ever had. She went to bed with an answer to all her questions! But now, awake, she had whole new problems. How would she send her response by owl? Or get any of the assortment of school materials listed on the second roll of parchment?
" Magnolia!"
The shriek of her Aunt made her sigh and push her glasses onto her face. Wizard or not, she was still subservient to her Aunt and Uncle. She noticed Harry wasn't in bed, and wondered what happened to him vaguely as she put on her oversized jeans and oversized jacket, with her belt wrapping around twice over. She put her once white, now greying socks and her shoes - the only thing she owned that was hers - black loafers, scuffed at the heads from being tripped. It wasn't a matter that bothered her, all of her clothes being second-hand from a boy three-times her size, even if she was bullied over it by the other girls in school - But it wasn't as though it delighted her.
She was on the bottom step when her Aunt pulled from around the corner, whisking something in a great silver bowl that seemed to have chocolate chips in it. She absentmindedly licked her lips. This came with a smile - a tight lipped one, but a smile nonetheless - from her Aunt.
" Sleep well?" She asked, which caused Magnolia to blink several times, unsure if she heard her correctly, or if she misunderstood her sickly sweet tone. Such a tone had never been directed to her before.
" Yeah," she replied awkwardly, head reeling. She knows, she told herself, there's no other explanation -
" Your clothes are... quite big on you," Aunt Petunia continued.
" Seeing as they aren't really mine, that's to be expected," Magnolia said, her tone sharp and cold. Her Aunt Petunia did something she'd never done before. She nodded in agreement.
" I was thinking, this afternoon," she started, and Magnolia blinked - she'd just realized she had been allowed to sleep in. This had never happened before. " I could take you out to be fresh, new ones, to fit in at Stonewall High a little better." Magnolia's lip twitch. She was joking, she told herself. Aunt Petunia had never taken her shopping before. " You are my only niece, after all, and you have such good marks - "
" So does Harry," Magnolia said quickly, feeling very much like she was betraying Harry by having a civil conversation about her needs with her Aunt.
" Yes, well, that boy..." Aunt Petunia stiffly shook her head. " Well, you understand... He seems to find trouble wherever he goes, well, you may do well not to follow him around anymore."
" I don't follow him around," Magnolia said, feeling anger raise into her face. " We go together. He's my twin," she reminded her, in case she had forgotten. Much like with Dudley's rude tone and demeanor, Petunia ignored her spice.
" Primark, shall we?" Aunt Petunia asked, with a smile that seemed to be the attempt at a familiar gaze. Magnolia squinted in suspicion as her Aunt walked back into the kitchen. Magnolia snuck a peek past her. Harry was in the kitchen, and he looked at her with wide eyes as their Aunt returned the bowl of sweets into his hand, speaking sharply under her breath, " Now whisk it as I did, and don't stop until it's nice and solid - Don't burn them while I'm gone, will you?" Magnolia's eyes were wide, and she looked between their newly-smiling Aunt and her twin brother, who wore an obvious frown. Magnolia wore one to match. Aunt Petunia grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out, and into the families second car, a van for long travels with Dudley, and now apparently, with Magnolia.
Magnolia had never contemplated fashion in her life, and wasn't sure what to get. She knew better than to not suspect Aunt Petunia for this. For some reason, her not getting a letter had raised Aunt Petunia's opinion of her. This could not end well, as Magnolia was definitively going to that school of magic their Aunt and Uncle were trying to keep them from. She decided to play safe, and choose clothes she would probably be able to wear for several years. While she didn't particularly mind her huge tees (she liked not having her form shown to the world - they'd make fun of her for how skinny she was), their Aunt insisted that she get something new. Several long sleeved shirts for weekend wear, a uniform (and a cardigan to wear over her uniform with a picture of a cat on it, which she particularly felt happy about) a pair of slightly large bell bottoms, a pair of slightly large high-waisted black jeans, some summer khaki shorts, black knee high socks, and an assortment of ribbons and pins their Aunt guided her to buy, for the hair she had only just insulted yesterday. While the pants may not fit her yet (or forever), she was luckily gifted with a belt that actually fit her. Their Aunt complimented her on looking at the bigger picture.
" Though I suppose I wouldn't mind shopping with you again in a year or so, when you've grown a bit more," she said.
Magnolia stammered her thanks and tried to give her a grin. Had Aunt Petunia actually cared for her and her brother, she may have actually felt guilt about keeping her knowledge of the Wizard World secret. Not that she had a lot of knowledge.
" Aunt Petunia?" She tried on the ride home, blushing and fidgeting uncharacteristically. She wasn't used to being pampered, after all.
" Yes, Magnolia?" Aunt Petunia asked, peering at her from the rearview mirror.
" Um, what was in that letter yesterday that me and Harry couldn't know about?" She asked, and the car skidded to a halt for a moment, causing the yellow beetle behind them to drive around them, beeping their horn aggressively.
Aunt Petunia kept her eyes on the road after that, tight lipped. "... None of either of your concerns," she said faux patiently.
She wasn't brave enough to press the matter.
At home, she muttered her thanks once again, and Aunt Petunia went to the kitchen where Dudley sat eating sweet-smelling cookies. Harry was absent. Magnolia took the opportunity to meet him in their shared room, and tossed the bags of clothes in her arms to the side. Harry rose his brows under his fringe.
"... Fun spree?" He asked. " Nice not being a wizard, is it?" Magnolia sighed.
" Harry - "
" Forget it," he said, and Magnolia could hear the bitterness behind his throat. " I don't want to spend any time with Aunt Petunia o-or Uncle Vernon, buying some... prissy outfits - "
" I know it's not much, Harry, but I actually did remember you while I was out," Magnolia said. Harry seemed to blush.
" W-well, you didn't have to - "
Magnolia sighed, and smiled, " They're a little big, mind you, so we fit in them longer. I doubt this will happen again if we really do go to- to you-know-where." Harry nodded, looking away sheepishly.
" Sorry," he said.
" Don't mention it," Magnolia said, shrugging. " Mind you, they're mostly monochromatic."
Harry beamed at her.
" Thanks... I've been writing our letter, by the way."
Magnolia beamed. " Brilliant! We can take it to post tomorrow. Can I read it?"
" 'Course."
Magnolia walked to the desk before the window, and picked up the parchment.
Dear Professor McGonagall,
This is Harry Potter. I hope this finds you well. My letter was confiscated, but my twin sister managed to sneak hers into our new bedroom, and we would love to go to your school! However, we have no way to get our supplies, or even talk to our relatives about wizards at all. If you could send another letter explaining this all to them, we would be very grateful, because there's nothing more we'd rather do than join you at Hogwarts.
Thanks,
Harry Potter
Magnolia beamed at him. " It's perfect. Thanks, Harry."
" No problem," he said, sitting at his bed. " You should add your name. Since we go together," he said, with a knowing smile. Magnolia smiled back.
and Magnolia Potter
The next day, they walked to their neighborhood post box to mail the letter. The envelope read, to Hogwarts, with no further address. Hopefully (and they had weak hopes, magic real or not), it would mail straight to the school.
" Wish we could get mailed to the school," Magnolia muttered.
Harry nudged her, and she turned to give him an obnoxious Ow! of disapproval, when he jerked his head towards to post box. There, sitting as though it were waiting for them, sat a perched great-horned owl, looking down at them with a yellow-eyed glare. They stopped several steps before them.
" D-d'you think it's wild?" Harry asked.
Magnolia rolled her eyes and gave him a look. He nodded, and said, " Right."
It was Magnolia who walked up to the creature, green eyes fixed onto its, holding up their letter.
" Excuse me," she spoke to it. It felt more unnatural than when she'd spoken to the snake. The owl's feathers puffed importantly. " But can you send a letter to Hogwarts for us?"
If anyone else were there in the early purple morning light, she would look mad. But the owl cooed softly, and stuck out it's black skinny leg.
Magnolia blinked several times, and pulled from her head a purple, silky ribbon. " Can I tie this to your leg?" The owl cooed softly. Magnolia nodded, and ripped the envelope open (the owl tilted its head, 'is this their first time delivering mail?' it very well may have though), rolling their letter into a skinny cylinder, and taking several minutes to tie the letter to the owl. It puffed importantly again, and Magnolia felt the strong urge to apologize for how long it took her.
" Thank you," she said, feeling herself blush, and the owl took off.
Harry put his hand on her shoulder. " Better get back to Number 4 before they notice we're gone." Magnolia nodded, but both of them stayed still, watching as the owl turned into a speck in the sky, and then disappeared entirely.
Thanks for reading! I didn't love writing this chapter, but I needed them to find a way to send Hogwarts a letter somehow! i hope you enjoyed! please review so i know where people want this story to go :3 thanks to my little sister for beta reading! she's awesome and deserves recognition for her part in bringing the magic to life. bye!