March 2019

Alex woke up to her phone's alarm, she hated mondays she spent the night chatting with Martin about the new book she was reading.... Martin today's his birthday and she had Smelting jumpers for him she and Maria had worked hard to get into that school so their group of friends could be together for secondary school it would be the best gift ever. Vernie was always bragging about the "superior" education system he wouldn't have anything to brag about anymore.

Martin woke up quite tired, hearing Alex talk about her medieval book all night was definitely tiring, good thing it was his birthday. He went to check the mail on any birthday cards. He came across one card that stood out to him it looked old and had a weird wax stamp on the front, it was addressed to him. OH NO! 

This couldn't be happening he was having a nightmare, he pinched himself, nothing happened, this had to be some sort of mistake. Maybe the letter wasn't what he thought it was. But he kept thinking of the stories his dad told him about the letters to uncle Harry. 

He didn't want a wave of letters to arrive at his house. He opened the envelope slowly afraid to look inside, his worst fears came to life as he read

Dear Martin Dursley

You have been accepted into the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
Classes start September 1st
List of utensils will come later

Profesor Neville Longbottom

This wasn't happening what was he going to do, he had plans with his friends his parents while tolerant to his cousins had a disdain of magic, his grandparents would come home this afternoon to celebrate his birthday and they would definitely not like this at all. His friends, his life, he would loose all of that. 

He wasn't a wizard, he was a geek he liked technology and science fiction he liked logic, not the nonsense his cousins talking about all the time. He dreaded everytime that chimney whooshed and they came to his house. 

He heard the whoosh, they came, did they know or were they there just to whish him happy birthday? , but they were the only ones who could help him whether he liked it or not.
He went to the living room where he found his parents, a birthday cake, uncle Harry aunt Ginny and Lily.

"Birthday boy is here, your grandparents can't come today so we called uncle Harry and his family to give you a little surprise, I know we don't get along as much but I thought you could use some family members for your birthday Mart, as your brother is in school today sure his card and dad's card came on the mail today".

"Happy birthday Martin" they all said.

This couldn't be more awkward could it, he had no choice he had to tell them about the letter. All of them. 

"About the mail... I checked it when I came down stairs and I found this, when I heard uncle Harry come in I thought it was because of this". He said more nervous than he had ever been in his life. 

"Martie, we never saw any signs of this. Thank God mom and dad couldn't make it today, Harry I need you to take a look at this and talk to him, the three of you". Dad said. 

Uncle Harry looked at the letter. "This is unexpected, Martin I know this is shocking news for you and last christmas your father told me you had plans to go to Smeltings with your friends, but you'll see this is great news, unfortunately you can't talk to your friends about this but we'll help you in all that you could need, in August you can come with us to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies and Lily here will be in the same year as you so she can help you" Harry looked at Lily who was pretty excited. 

"This is just a lot to process, what will I tell my friends?" Martin asked. 

"Tell them uncle Harry got you a place in a very important boarding school outside the country where British phone signals don't work " his dad said. 

"I'm so happy you're coming, I kinda knew it even if you wouldn't admit it. I knew you had magic, when we were 5 and I liked to make the leaves follow me you and your friend came to see me the leaves followed you too. I thought I had imagined it, but it happened" Lily said happily.

Later that day in school
Alex saw Martin come into the classroom he had a strange look, there was something bothering him but what? It was his birthday.

"How's the birthday boy? Are you OK it doesn't seem like you are in your birthday". Alex said worried. 

"It is nothing, my grandparents could not come today so my uncles and Lily came and it was an interesting morning to say the least". Martin answered. 

"We have something to cheer you up" Alex said taking out the jumpers.

Oh no what could Martin say now he thought of waiting a little bit to break the news but he couldn't pretend this made him better as he could no longer go with them.

"I can't accept it, because... I won't be going with you to Smeltings ok that is the reason why I am off today, ok, my uncle told me he got an offer at a very private international school where my cousins go to study and my parents think it is a good opportunity for me ". Martin said crying.
" then tell him you don't want to go easy, right? Your dad loves you" Maria said .

"Is not so simple Maria, I wouldn't expect you to understand, I want to spend the rest of the school year and the holidays with you but I can't go to school with you next year, we'll see each other on christmas and summer".

There was something else bothering Martin but Alex couldn't put her finger on it, maybe his dad and his uncle fought or something and Martin was going to live with his uncle. Why couldn't he come to school with them? They had talked about it for years something was wrong with him.

But this put her in a bad mood too, her dad wasn't coming home soon and Martin would leave in a few months. Alex wasn't as close with her other friends. She wished she could go away to a magical world like the ones she read about even the plain old middle ages sounded better than her life right now.