"See you later Abby!" Cassie yelled at her friend's retreating back before turning around and pedalling down the street.
It had been yet another excruciatingly hot morning spent at the park, but Cassie could think of nothing better to do than messing around on her bike at the not very green anymore park with her friends. It was even better when the ice cream van came around and they clubbed together any spare change for a few crappy ice lollies that melted as soon as you touched them. A thought popped into Cassie's head and she skidded to a stop beside a parked car before poking her tongue out to look at it in the window. Her dark grey eyes lit up with amusement when her tongue was revealed to be bright blue. Cassie swung the pedals of her bike around and set off again, her mum would be annoyed if she wasn't home on time for lunch. Sweat trickled down her back as she sped past rows of houses, she hoped her Dad had finished filling up the paddling pool as she was the only one of her friends that had one so she'd invited them all around later for a go.
Cassie swung her leg over her bike as she came close to her own house and she began to walk it down the pavement, but she stopped abruptly as she saw a woman standing on the front step. It wasn't just that it was a woman that she didn't know but the fact the woman was so strange. She wore a long green cloak thing that looked completely impractical for the weather and a large pointed hat. Cassie wondered if someone down the street was having a birthday party and the entertainer had knocked on the wrong door.
"Can I help you ?" Cassie called out as she unlatched the gate and gave it a little nudge with her hip to get it open before wheeling her bike down the short front path.
The woman turned around and gave such a gasp of shock that Cassie nearly dropped her bike.
"Are you alright ?" Cassie asked in concern as the woman put a shaking hand on her chest like she was trying to stop a racing heartbeat.
"Are you Cassandra ?" said the woman after wordlessly opening and closing her mouth a few times.
"Cassie," said Cassie "but yeah, that's me"
The woman nodded and Cassie turned around and began the process of locking her bike up and shifting the bins so they blocked it from view - it would stop the bike from getting nicked.
"Are your parents in ?" the woman questioned when Cassie had finished "Only I have been here quite a while and no one has answered"
"Yeah, they're in," Cassie replied "Doorbell's busted though and they'll be in the garden so they won't of heard you"
Cassie turned back around and found the woman staring pretty closely at her and looking like she might cry.
"Who are you, anyway? " Cassie asked, trying to determine if this was some weird distant relative who had come to stay.
"I'm Professor McGonagall, " the woman responded, seemingly breaking out of her trance at Cassie's words.
"Oh", said Cassie, thinking of her dad's teaching job, "You a friend of Dad's ?"
"Not quite," answered Professor Mcgonagall, looking quite nervous at the mention of Cassie's dad "But I do need to see your parents"
"Alright." Cassie agreed, producing a key from the pocket of her shorts and unlocking the front door.
"MUMMMMM !" Cassie bellowed, still standing at the front door "DADDDDDD, THERE'S SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU !"
"Cassie dear, what have I told you about shouting in the house ?" scolded Cassie's mum as she came in through the back door
"Who's here to see us ?" asked Cassie's Dad, bobbing excitedly from behind her Mum
"A Professor Mcgonagall" replied Cassie, "She says she really needs to see you"
"Well bring her through then" said Cassie's Mum, looking interested.
Cassie allowed Professor Mcgonagall to follow her through to the living room, kicking her trainers off before she entered. She sank down onto the sofa, watching as Professor Mcgonagall came in and had the same reaction to her dad as she'd had to her. Her parents and Cassie exchanged worried looks as the Professor seemed to be seeing ghosts as she looked at Cassie and her dad.
"S..S..Sirius !" choked out Professor Mcgonagall, pointing at Cassie's dad "I..I..I don't understand"
"I'm sorry," replied Cassie's Dad softly, "I think you may have me confused with someone else, I'm Darius"
Professor Mcgonagall seemed to realise the way that she was behaving was odd as at Cassie's Dad's words, she regained her composure.
"Of course," she said "You just remind me of someone I once knew"
"That's alright," said Cassie's Mum "Now what can we do for you ?"
"I'm here to deliver a letter," said Professor Mcgonagall, reaching into the depths of her velvety outfit and producing a thick letter enclosed in a yellowing envelope.
Cassie noticed her parents exchanging a delighted glance and leaned forward curiously.
"For me ?" asked Cassie.
Professor Mcgonagall handed the letter to Cassie and she glanced at the front,
Miss C Black
The Box Bedroom
20 Neward Street
Langlington
London
"How weird" Cassie thought, but before she could open the letter and see what all the fuss was about, her Dad spoke,
"Wait!" he said "I need to do some explaining"
All eyes turned to her Dad, and her Mum ran a comforting hand up and down his back.
"You can do it," she murmured "It's ok"
"Now Cass," her Dad began. " You've got to keep in mind I couldn't tell you any of this before because of the Statute of Secrecy."
Cassie didn't have time to be confused before she and everyone in the room were thrown back in time to the summer of 1959.
He was standing outside his father's study, his parents were arguing again which he hated, their loud voices prevented him from going to sleep. He had given Kreacher the slip and crept down here, he didn't know why.
"-of course, he's not, Orion, he's of Black blood, Black's don't produce filthy things like squibs" his mother's shrill voice penetrated the thick wood of the study door, making Darius alert.
"He hasn't shown one damn sign of magic and he's five years of age. We'll have to get him tested Walberga. The longer we leave it, the harder it'll be to cover if he is"
"HE IS NOT A SQUIB" roared his mother
There was the harsh sound of skin on skin and Darius knew something bad was happening so he crept back to bed.
He had to walk quickly to keep up with his father's long strides, his robes tangling around his small legs as he hurried as fast as he could. There were puddles on the pavement which he longed to splash in but his mother would be angry and he did not want that.
Darius' stomach swam as they landed from Apparition, they were in the Ministry for Magic, and he knew from when his father took him on the days he was feeling nice.
A sharp prick in his arm from the stranger's wand. All he could feel was that pain, he knew there was supposed to be something else, but there wasn't. The stranger shook his head.
"Nothing" he intoned in a deep voice
Darius felt frightened at his mother's horrified scream and his father's look of pure hatred and disgust.
"I'm sorry Mama, I'm sorry" Darius apologised, trembling even though he didn't know what for.
"Shut up you disgusting creature !" his mother screamed, pulling her wand from her robes "You'd be better off dead"
Darius backed away as the stranger who pricked him stepped in front of him and began to mutter to his parents.
They began to leave and Darius began to cry but the stranger had a death grip on his arm.
"I'm sorry Mama, come back, come back Mama, don't leave me, Papa, I'm sorry, I'll try again"
Cassie wiped her eyes at her dad's story, she had never heard anything about his childhood before and it seemed was horrifying but she still didn't really understand what it had to do with the letter.
And, she was completely confused about what on earth a squib was, it sounded like it belonged at the bottom of the ocean.
"I'm so sorry that happened to you Darius" said Professor Mcgongall, she looked like she understood everything but seemed to be warring with herself.
"Yeah " said Cassie's dad, voice breaking slightly "Better of without them"
"So Professor," said her Mum, looking slightly shaken but still in control "Are you like that then, magic ?"
"I am," replied Professor Mcgonnagal "and so is Cassie."
Cassie started, where did magic come into all of this? Cassie wondered if this was some big joke her parents were playing on her.
"I don't understand," said Cassie, "What do you mean magic ?"
"You're a witch Cassie," said Professor Mcgonnagal, smiling "It was about a one in a hundred million chance, but you are"
"Magic," scoffed Cassie "It's not real and if it was I wouldn't be"
Then, Professor Mcgonagall turned into a cat, a real, honest-to-God cat. Cassie gaped and turned to her parents but they just smiled back at her. Professor Mcgonagall turned back into a human and brushed herself off.
"Believe me now ?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye
"But..but…I can't do that." said Cassie, flabbergasted at the Proffeseur's awesome display
"I wouldn't expect you to be able to," replied Professor Mcgonnagal with a chuckle "But have a think of any weird things that happened that you couldn't explain, like when you were angry or frightened or the fact you rarely get ill with things like the flu or stomach bugs"
Cassie thought about how she hadn't been sick in like forever and how when she was angry, doors seemed to slam shut, and that one time when she accidentally broke her Mum's favourite vase and she worried about it for ages but when she checked in the morning, it had fixed itself.
"Are you sure?" Cassie asked, still slightly sceptical.
"More than anything" answered Professor Mcgongall, calming any worries Cassie had.
"That is so cool!" Cassie said, sinking back into the cushions "I'm a witch"
"You can never tell any muggles though," said Professor Mcgonagall seriously "It's incredibly important that you understand that"
"What on earth's a muggle?" questioned Cassie.
"Someone who's non-magical" responded Professor Mcgongall "You can't tell any of your non-magical friends or relatives, alright ?"
Cassie nodded, understanding how serious it was.
"Go on Cassie," said her Mum "Open your letter now"
Cassie eagerly reached out for the letter she'd abandoned on the coffee table and tore into it, quickly reading the contents,
Dear Miss Black,
You have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Term starts on the 1st of September.
Please catch the train from Kings Cross in London.
Enclosed is a list of all equipment needed.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva Mcgonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"What's Hogwarts ?" asked Cassie
"It's where all witches and wizards go for their magical education, it's the best school in the world," said Professor Mcgonagall, looking proud.
"A magical school, wow" Cassie thought, "That's a million times better than going to Pine Hill Academy where even the teachers were scared of the students"
"I must be going now," said Professor Mcgonagall, rising from the armchair "Make sure you check the equipment list and have a trip to Diagon Alley"
"Wait Professor," said Cassie's Dad "Did you..did you know my birth parents ?"
Professor Mcgongall halted in the doorway,
"I did, not closely and we certainly were not friends"
"And did they have any more children ?" asked Cassie's dad, both hope and fear flashing in his eyes.
Professor Mcgonagall took a deep breath and seemed to be having a deep discussion with herself.
"No," she said finally, although she looked slightly guilty and Cassie wondered if she was telling the truth.
Cassie's dad looked both relieved and disappointed as the family waved to Professor Mcgonagall as she walked out into the garden and disappeared without another word.
Well, Cassie thought at least life was going to be getting more exciting.