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Chapter 3, The Letter

I must have passed out at some point because I woke up in a different hospital bed and the last thing I remember was flying through the air on a broomstick. Maybe I would have convinced myself that this was all still a hallucination if it hadn't been for the fact that the blonde girl was still here doodling in my sketchbook. 

"Oh you're awake, how do you feel?" 

"Fine

I shrugged, whatever that women gave me must have worked because I felt like I had most of my strength back. I looked down and saw that my leg was bandaged up where the snake had bitten me. Around me there were many other hospital beds but my bed was the only one occupied.  

"You're damn lucky, that lady was trying to kill you and her venom was extremely poisonous, that type of venom has killed loads of people before."

"So I heard" 

I said, but I was confused. Why out of all people would someone be trying to kill me, an anxious, awkward almost 11 year old that couldn't make a phone call or order from Dunkin Donuts without panicking. Surely there had to be better targets.  

"I suppose I should actually introduce myself. I'm Hailey, Hailey fucking Malfoy" 

She still seemed angry about something, and man did she have a potty mouth for someone around my age. 

"Why do you hate your name so much?

I asked 

"I only hate the Lucius Malfoy portion, my family has a very awful history of attacking people of your kind. My parents aren't as evil as the rest of my grandparents, they're just gits who were bullies during their school years. My middle name is named after my grandfather Lucius, he's very much alive and I reckon he's plotting something. As for me, I want nothing to do with my family so I ran away. I can't wait to get married and change my name so no one will associate me with them bunch of asses." 

"My kind? Do you mean my skin?"

My mom is a history professor, so naturally I learned all too much about racism from a very young age. 

"No your blood, you're parents are just normal, non magic folks aren't they? I mean they must be otherwise people wouldn't be trying to kill you." 

"So then I have magic powers and they're trying to kill me because my parents are just normal people?" 

What Hailey was describing didn't make sense to me, how could anyone be so obsessed with my blood that they'd be so desperate to kill me for it? But then again why do some folks try to kill each other over skin color, who they love, or what they believe in? My mom always said the qualities that make people unique can sometimes be fatal because society is afraid off difference, at least what they view as difference. 

"Essentially yes, you're a witch Amber. And your parents are what we call muggles or non magic folks. Many folks like my family are prejudice against muggle-born witches and wizards, they think they're better than them because they're what we call pure-blood or born from wizarding parents. It's all bullshit, and I left my family because of their bullshit. They haven't talked to me in a month." 

"So you're homeless then?" 

"Yup, it's fine though. Better homeless than with them."

She looked down at her white slippers and forcefully scuffed her feet against the floor.

"Gee I'm sorry Hailey that sounds terrible, if you want you can come live with my parents for the remainder of the summer. I'm sure they wouldn't mind unless you swear in front of them." 

"Really?" 

Her eyes widened and she smiled at me. I think it's the first time I've seen her smile yet. 

"I don't see why not" 

I pulled out my phone to let my mom know where I was and ask her if Hailey could stay with us. I bet she would be proud of me knowing I finally made a friend, a real human (well close enough to human) friend. Weirdly my phone wouldn't turn on. 

"It was fully charged when I left" 

"That won't work here"

I turned around to see an elderly lady with grey hair and nearly perfect posture in white apron and hair bonet. 

"You'll need to write to your parents to reach them, here drink up" 

The lady handed me a rather large glass of the purple stuff and watched me as I gagged on it, struggling to shove it down my throat. I have quite the sensitive gag reflex when I don't like something. The purple liquid was thick with a pudding like consistency and tasted like overly strong and sour fruit juice. I could feel a sensory overload coming on, my heart rate sped up, my hands got a little tingly and my head started pounding. I eventually managed to muddle my way through the rest off the drink. I instantly felt warmth float through my body from head to toe, my headache and fatigue disappeared and I felt strong again. 

"Who are you and what is this stuff?" 

I asked her as she took the glass away from me. 

"Dilitíro apokroustikós, it's greek for venom repellent. A very complicated potion that only few have mastered, with some ingredients that are hard to come across. You're mad lucky Mrs Hermione Weasley had some in her possession when her and a few aurors rescued you tonight, otherwise you'd be long dead." 

At this point I should just keep a mental tally of how many people I'd never meet before tell me I'd almost died tonight, just to you know, add a little bit of spice.

"I'm Madam Pomfrey, head matron of the hospital wing of Hogwarts. I help out here at St Mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries during the summer." 

"Excuse me mam, what's Hogwarts?" 

She raised an eyebrow at me curiously

"Oh I suppose you haven't gotten your letter yet, how old are you?"

"I'll be 11 tomorrow" 

I had a feeling my 11th birthday would be different than the rest, though I wasn't sure why. 

"Well then happy early brithday dear, I'd be expecting you'll be getting your acceptance letter to Hogwarts soon then. Hogwarts is the United Kingdom's main school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the finest out there. Now it's almost 2 in the morning so I'm going to have to have you stay the night and get some rest. I reckon you'll be fine to go home in the morning."

The lady left. I looked up at the clock to see that the small hand was creeping closer and closer to the time I turn exactly 11, 2:30 am on July 7th. 

"How do I write to my parents considering my phone doesn't work here?" 

I asked Hailey as she laughed at me a little 

"Yeah most muggle technology doesn't work in the Wizarding world" 

She pulled out an old piece of parchment and a feather from her pajama pocket, it looked like something I would have used in the 18th century. 

"Like she said, you'll have to write" 

She handed me the parchment and the feather, I was expecting the feather to run out of ink a few words in but it didn't. It was like the feather was enchanted to never run out of ink. 

Dear mom and dad, 

I'm sorry I haven't been replying to your texts, I got moved to a new hospital where there is no signal. I'm sure you've been worried about me but I'm fine. I should be home soon to celebrate my birthday with you. I bet you won't believe that I made my first friend while I was gone, her name is Hailey and she currently has no place to stay. Can she stay with us, pretty please? 

Love you both,
Annie 

I was careful not to mention anything about magic, witches or wizards as I wasn't ready for them to know yet. Quite frankly, I think they'd freak out on me.

"Bubo come here boy" 

A fluffy brown owl flew through the window as I folded up the parchment I'd written on and put it in a spare envelope that was on the desk next to my bed.  I quickly addressed the letter to 7 Dunstan Road, Bristol. The owl hoooed at me. 

"He wants your letter, don't be shy give it to him"

I gave the bird my letter and watched him fly out the window. Hailey informed me that owls are the official messengers of the Wizarding world which I thought was fascinating. Hailey must have fallen asleep at some point and I tried to as well, as it was beyond past my bedtime. In my half sleep I heard two women talking, one sounded a whole lot like Madam Pomfrey. 

"This has been the 3rd attack this summer Minerva and all three victims have been young muggle-borns. Could this mean Hogwarts is once again not safe?" 

"It's still early on to make that call considering we still don't know who is behind these attacks. Hogwarts is generally the safest place on earth. However these few incidents are rather suspicious and take me back when you-know-who was in power, I supose we need to be extra alert this year and have aurors guarding the school until we figure out what's going on. We need to keep close tabs on our muggle-born students."

"But Minerva, who do you think is behind all this? You-know-who can't be back can he? Harry finished him 20 years ago." 

"No it's not you-know-who, he's been long defeated. But other dark wizards still remain to this day, hungry for power and willing to do whatever it takes to become the next you-know-who."

I fell fully asleep eventually. When I woke there was no sign of another lady in the room, just me, Hailey and Madam Pomfrey. Madam took the bandages off my leg which reveled my shinny, clear melanin skin tone with no sign of even a cut. 

"Looks like you've healed nicely miss, feeling alright?" 

"Yes I feel as good as new thank you!" 

"Then I expect you'd better pack up your things and I'll summon aurors to take you two home safely" 

Two of the same people that had rescued me from the evil nurse that turned into a snake arrived on broomsticks again. I giggled excitedly as nothing beat the freeing feeling of flying through the air, heart pumping and wind rushing through my face. There was something about it that I couldn't describe but I loved every minute of it, when I was in the air I never wanted to come down. A smile grew on my face from ear to ear as we were racing through the sky, I felt unstoppable. 

My mum and dad were waiting for me and Hailey on the front porch. I ran up to give them each a hug as Hailey introduced herself. I'd assumed they'd gotten my letter because they acted like they were expecting to see her, both of them delighted that I'd made a new friend and seemed to like her. Thankfully Hailey seemed to listen to my warnings not to swear in front of my parents and was on her best behavior. My parents are old school, they linger on proper manors and etiquette, still read newspapers, are strict about family dinners, make me complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service every year, and have a set of daily chores for me to complete. I don't mind it of course, I like to help out where I can. Last year I spent my 10 hours with my parents picking up trash that people threw on the sides of a nearby highway. 

"Come in I made you two breakfast, and oh there's a letter on the table addressed to Annie" 

My mom didn't say anything else about the letter but I had a feeling of where it might have come from, and I was right. Next to my freshly cooked plate of pancakes and bacon was a white envelope with a Hogwarts envelope seal, addressed to Miss A. Reinwood, 7 Dunstan Road, Bristol. The letter crinkled in my hands as I opened it. 

To: Miss Amber Reinwood,
7 Dunstan Road 
Bristol. 
Dear Miss Reinwood, 

             We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Students shall be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival. The dates for which shall be duly advised.

Please ensure that the utmost attention be made to the list of requirements attached herewith. 

We very much look forward to receiving you as part of the new generation of Hogwarts heritage 

Yours Sincerely, 
 Professor McGonagall 

My hands were shaking, this wasn't an episode. This was real. I am a witch.

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