The start of my first year
I am sitting on the scratchy couch in our living room. My bare feet moving back and forth against the polished hardwood floor. The familiar sounds of my sister playing in the other room. I try not to focus on it, as I listen to the tv in front of me. Suddenly a loud knock startles me away from the tv. My mum comes running towards the door, her heels clicking against the floor. She opens it and the bells around the doorknob jingle softly. I smell the freshly mown grass as soon as the door opens. I look around my mum to see who’s here.
“Mum, who is that?” I ask, referring to the man in the doorway. He looks like he’s the same age as my dad. He has brown hair and dark eyes. He’s wearing a sweater vest and beams at me.
“Yes, hello. You must be the McMaster’s.” He speaks with a hearty chuckle.
“Yes. Who are you?” My mum asks as she blocks me from view, the door.
“No need to worry.” He chuckled again. “My name is Professor Longbottom. I teach at a very special school, for very special children like your daughter.”
“My daughters are perfectly normal, thank you very much,” my mum spats, emphasizing that I wasn’t her only one.
“You may think so, but the one on the couch is a bit more special. See, if you let me come inside I can explain it all to you and your husband.” An obvious grin was on his lips, but I could only guess by the lightness in his voice because my mum blocked my view of him.
I could feel the butterflies attacking my stomach. What did he mean, I was special? Where did he teach? What’s going on? My mum finally groaned and stepped aside, she called for my dad to come too.
I could hear my sister’s toys turn off right before she came running into the living room. “Mummy, who is that?” She asked gazing at the professor.
“Jolene, go upstairs and play. Ok?” My mum spoke sweetly to my 6-year-old sister. Jolene nodded and she clambered up the stairs.
My dad walked swiftly into the living room planting himself right in front of the professor. “What is going on here?” He demanded.
“Please, Mr.McMaster, sit down. I will explain the reason for my visit shortly.”
“You don’t tell me what to do in my own house,” he growled back.
“My apologies, Mister. I just think it’s best if this matter is good and solved so we can all return to our lives.”
My dad nodded and sat next to me causing the couch to dip slightly and me to lean to the left. I suddenly remembered the tv was on and pressed the soft button to turn it off. My mum sat down on the right side of me, dipping the couch that way, now I was sitting straight up.
“Alright,” the professor started. “Might as well dive right in. Miss McMaster,” he spoke directly to me. “You are a witch.”
My mum gasped and my dad growled. “What did you just call her?”
“A witch, Mr.McMaster. Magic exists and it runs through your daughter’s genes. Now the thing is, you didn’t know because you’ve descended from a squib.”
“A what?” My father asked.
“Now, Mr.McMaster. If you keep interrupting me, I cannot tell you,” the professor spoke cooly shutting my dad up. “A squib is when a child of Pureblood magic family that can’t perform magic. But because they are a descendant of magic, it still is in their genes. The squib is then exiled from the wizarding world and forced to live upon Muggles, like yourselves. Muggles,” Longbottom spoke to my father directly. “Are those who can’t perform magic and are not a descendant of magic family that they are aware of.” He turned his attention back to me. “You can do magic and I’ve come to present you your invitation to the school I work at, Hogwarts. It’s a school for witches and wizards to learn magic.”
“Magic isn’t real,” my mum muttered.
Having heard this, the professor pulled a stick, that must be a wand, from his pocket. “Reparo,” he muttered towards a broken vase my sister knocked over earlier. My stomach jumped in surprise as the vase pieces flew back together and repaired itself. “Now, Miss McMaster, do you accept my invitation?”
My dad stood up before I could respond. “How do we know she can do magic? How do we know you aren’t trying to induct her into a cult?”
Professor Longbottom looked at me. “Have you ever done something unexplainable? Have your emotions ever gotten so built up that something strange happened?”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Y...Yes,” I stuttered. “O...Once I was angry at Jolene, she was always barging into my room without knocking, and I yelled at her. All of her toys just f...floated. I got really scared and ran. I th...thought I was a f...freak.”
“You are no freak, Miss McMaster. Now, if you’ll follow me, we can get your belongings and get you set up for school in 2 days time.”
I stood up and my mum pulled me back down. “We don’t have money for her to go to school,” she spoke fast.
He chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure. There is a special vault at our bank for Muggleborns who can’t afford to go. See your daughter is special and we want to help her grow.”
My mum released me and pushed my small phone into my hands. “Call me as soon as you get there and tell me when you’re coming home,” she whispered.
I nodded and followed the professor out the door. Leaving behind the place I’ve called home for the past 11 years.
The professor took me to a place called Diagon Alley to get my school supplies. The whole time, I could feel my stomach in my throat. I knew
this was going to be hard.
Once all my supplies were collected, we stayed in a place called The Leaky Cauldron until it was time for school to start.
On the day I was supposed to leave, the professor gave me a small wrinkled piece of paper. “This was a very different way of going about collecting you. The Headmistress wanted to try something different. Typically we just brought your letter, that usually would arrive by owl for Pureblooded children. But we were losing so many children at the train station and we aren’t getting a whole lot of Muggleborns anymore, so I was told to just deliver you myself."
I nodded and we found a cab to drive us to the train station. I got out, butterflies attacking my stomach and the stench of mud and old newspaper filling my nose. How could they lose people at the train station? The platforms were quite simple. I looked at the paper and it read Platform 9 ¾. “Um, professor?”
“What is it?” He asked looking around them at the people walking around.
“Well, it’s just that my ticket says Platform 9 ¾, but that platform doesn’t exist.”
He stopped looking around and smiled at me. “Get your trunk and you’ll see.”
I pulled my trunk from the cab and hoisted it onto a cart. I pushed it through the crowd following the professor. He suddenly stopped in front of Platform 9 and Platform 10. He then turned around to face me. “Alright, this is where I leave you. You’re going to go straight through the wall between Platforms 9 and 10. Best to do it at a run if you’re nervous.”
My stomach lurched forward, the taste of throw-up in my mouth. “Come again?”
“Go on, the train waits for no one.” With that said he turned around and just walks right through the wall. I stared at the wall dumbfounded.
I started pushing my cart and running into the wall. My throat started to close up as I neared the wall, nerves were piling up. I just kept moving and when I was supposed to hit the wall, didn’t crash, I was still moving. I finally stopped and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
Inside I was screaming with glee. I saw a bright red shining train on my left and everywhere else there were families crowding around the train hugging their children goodbye. I imagined my family was there too and I felt the gentle squeeze that came with my mum hugging me, the strong grip of my dad’s hand on my shoulder, and Jolene wrapping her arms around my middle, her head rested on my stomach. At that moment I felt happy, but then remembered they weren’t here. A single tear fell from my eye and slid down my cheek into my mouth. A salty taste came with those memories.
I decided to be strong and push past all the people. Anxious to get on the train. Once on the train, I fiddled with the small device in my pocket. I pulled it out and decided to text my mum, not wanting to cry on the phone.
Just got on the train. I’ll see you at Christmas.
I then turned it off and shoved it away. I slowly found a place to sit, thankfully it was empty because tears were still dropping from my eyes. My face was flush with sadness.
No one ever came into the compartment I sat in the entire way to the school and the tears never stopped.
I finally brought myself to look out the window and saw a giant castle. I assumed it was Hogwarts, so I dried the tears away and changed into my uniform. The scratchy material didn’t agree with my skin and the skirt, don’t even get me started on the skirt.
Once the train stopped, I followed all the other first years to the lake where we were supposed to get into boats. Boats? Are you serious? I looked around a bit clammy from my nerves. I’ve never been a fan of boats. But nonetheless, I got in one with a couple of other students.
As we rode to the castle I could feel the swish swish of my stomach. Man, I with I didn’t eat anything this morning. I could feel my breakfast creeping back up my throat, so I tried to push it back down.
We finally got to the shore and I managed to not throw up, the entire way there. I followed the students toward a door that led to a small room. Professor Longbottom came in the room and before he started speaking, he gave me a small smile. “Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.” He paused for a breath and looked like he was trying to remember a script.
“Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” With this comment my hands flew to my hair to flatten the frizz. I was so nervous that I felt as though I’d fall over soon.
“I shall return when we are ready for you,” He said. “Please wait quietly.” He turned around and left.
I looked up and gasped, along with some other first years, suddenly 2 ghosts floated through the wall. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance..."
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost. I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed all of us.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at us. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"
Me and a few others nodded silently.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" Yelled the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony Is about to start."
Professor Longbottom had returned. The ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. “Now, form a line and follow me."
We all gathered behind the professor and followed him into the large room. The anxiety was building up in the pit of my stomach as I stood in front of hundreds of other students. My hands started to sweat and I couldn’t hear anything anyone was saying, until I heard my name called.
“MCMASTER!”
I walked slowly to the stool in front of everyone. I suddenly felt smaller than I was. The old worn hat was placed on my head, it smelt of old socks and dirt. I sighed slightly, feeling invaded as the hat dug through my brain. After a few minutes, it finally came to a decision.
“RAVENCLAW!” It called out. I sighed with relief when the table filled with blue and bronze exploded in applause. I quickly made my way over to my new family for the next 7 years of my life.
“Mum, who is that?” I ask, referring to the man in the doorway. He looks like he’s the same age as my dad. He has brown hair and dark eyes. He’s wearing a sweater vest and beams at me.
“Yes, hello. You must be the McMaster’s.” He speaks with a hearty chuckle.
“Yes. Who are you?” My mum asks as she blocks me from view, the door.
“No need to worry.” He chuckled again. “My name is Professor Longbottom. I teach at a very special school, for very special children like your daughter.”
“My daughters are perfectly normal, thank you very much,” my mum spats, emphasizing that I wasn’t her only one.
“You may think so, but the one on the couch is a bit more special. See, if you let me come inside I can explain it all to you and your husband.” An obvious grin was on his lips, but I could only guess by the lightness in his voice because my mum blocked my view of him.
I could feel the butterflies attacking my stomach. What did he mean, I was special? Where did he teach? What’s going on? My mum finally groaned and stepped aside, she called for my dad to come too.
I could hear my sister’s toys turn off right before she came running into the living room. “Mummy, who is that?” She asked gazing at the professor.
“Jolene, go upstairs and play. Ok?” My mum spoke sweetly to my 6-year-old sister. Jolene nodded and she clambered up the stairs.
My dad walked swiftly into the living room planting himself right in front of the professor. “What is going on here?” He demanded.
“Please, Mr.McMaster, sit down. I will explain the reason for my visit shortly.”
“You don’t tell me what to do in my own house,” he growled back.
“My apologies, Mister. I just think it’s best if this matter is good and solved so we can all return to our lives.”
My dad nodded and sat next to me causing the couch to dip slightly and me to lean to the left. I suddenly remembered the tv was on and pressed the soft button to turn it off. My mum sat down on the right side of me, dipping the couch that way, now I was sitting straight up.
“Alright,” the professor started. “Might as well dive right in. Miss McMaster,” he spoke directly to me. “You are a witch.”
My mum gasped and my dad growled. “What did you just call her?”
“A witch, Mr.McMaster. Magic exists and it runs through your daughter’s genes. Now the thing is, you didn’t know because you’ve descended from a squib.”
“A what?” My father asked.
“Now, Mr.McMaster. If you keep interrupting me, I cannot tell you,” the professor spoke cooly shutting my dad up. “A squib is when a child of Pureblood magic family that can’t perform magic. But because they are a descendant of magic, it still is in their genes. The squib is then exiled from the wizarding world and forced to live upon Muggles, like yourselves. Muggles,” Longbottom spoke to my father directly. “Are those who can’t perform magic and are not a descendant of magic family that they are aware of.” He turned his attention back to me. “You can do magic and I’ve come to present you your invitation to the school I work at, Hogwarts. It’s a school for witches and wizards to learn magic.”
“Magic isn’t real,” my mum muttered.
Having heard this, the professor pulled a stick, that must be a wand, from his pocket. “Reparo,” he muttered towards a broken vase my sister knocked over earlier. My stomach jumped in surprise as the vase pieces flew back together and repaired itself. “Now, Miss McMaster, do you accept my invitation?”
My dad stood up before I could respond. “How do we know she can do magic? How do we know you aren’t trying to induct her into a cult?”
Professor Longbottom looked at me. “Have you ever done something unexplainable? Have your emotions ever gotten so built up that something strange happened?”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Y...Yes,” I stuttered. “O...Once I was angry at Jolene, she was always barging into my room without knocking, and I yelled at her. All of her toys just f...floated. I got really scared and ran. I th...thought I was a f...freak.”
“You are no freak, Miss McMaster. Now, if you’ll follow me, we can get your belongings and get you set up for school in 2 days time.”
I stood up and my mum pulled me back down. “We don’t have money for her to go to school,” she spoke fast.
He chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure. There is a special vault at our bank for Muggleborns who can’t afford to go. See your daughter is special and we want to help her grow.”
My mum released me and pushed my small phone into my hands. “Call me as soon as you get there and tell me when you’re coming home,” she whispered.
I nodded and followed the professor out the door. Leaving behind the place I’ve called home for the past 11 years.
The professor took me to a place called Diagon Alley to get my school supplies. The whole time, I could feel my stomach in my throat. I knew
this was going to be hard.
Once all my supplies were collected, we stayed in a place called The Leaky Cauldron until it was time for school to start.
On the day I was supposed to leave, the professor gave me a small wrinkled piece of paper. “This was a very different way of going about collecting you. The Headmistress wanted to try something different. Typically we just brought your letter, that usually would arrive by owl for Pureblooded children. But we were losing so many children at the train station and we aren’t getting a whole lot of Muggleborns anymore, so I was told to just deliver you myself."
I nodded and we found a cab to drive us to the train station. I got out, butterflies attacking my stomach and the stench of mud and old newspaper filling my nose. How could they lose people at the train station? The platforms were quite simple. I looked at the paper and it read Platform 9 ¾. “Um, professor?”
“What is it?” He asked looking around them at the people walking around.
“Well, it’s just that my ticket says Platform 9 ¾, but that platform doesn’t exist.”
He stopped looking around and smiled at me. “Get your trunk and you’ll see.”
I pulled my trunk from the cab and hoisted it onto a cart. I pushed it through the crowd following the professor. He suddenly stopped in front of Platform 9 and Platform 10. He then turned around to face me. “Alright, this is where I leave you. You’re going to go straight through the wall between Platforms 9 and 10. Best to do it at a run if you’re nervous.”
My stomach lurched forward, the taste of throw-up in my mouth. “Come again?”
“Go on, the train waits for no one.” With that said he turned around and just walks right through the wall. I stared at the wall dumbfounded.
I started pushing my cart and running into the wall. My throat started to close up as I neared the wall, nerves were piling up. I just kept moving and when I was supposed to hit the wall, didn’t crash, I was still moving. I finally stopped and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
Inside I was screaming with glee. I saw a bright red shining train on my left and everywhere else there were families crowding around the train hugging their children goodbye. I imagined my family was there too and I felt the gentle squeeze that came with my mum hugging me, the strong grip of my dad’s hand on my shoulder, and Jolene wrapping her arms around my middle, her head rested on my stomach. At that moment I felt happy, but then remembered they weren’t here. A single tear fell from my eye and slid down my cheek into my mouth. A salty taste came with those memories.
I decided to be strong and push past all the people. Anxious to get on the train. Once on the train, I fiddled with the small device in my pocket. I pulled it out and decided to text my mum, not wanting to cry on the phone.
Just got on the train. I’ll see you at Christmas.
I then turned it off and shoved it away. I slowly found a place to sit, thankfully it was empty because tears were still dropping from my eyes. My face was flush with sadness.
No one ever came into the compartment I sat in the entire way to the school and the tears never stopped.
I finally brought myself to look out the window and saw a giant castle. I assumed it was Hogwarts, so I dried the tears away and changed into my uniform. The scratchy material didn’t agree with my skin and the skirt, don’t even get me started on the skirt.
Once the train stopped, I followed all the other first years to the lake where we were supposed to get into boats. Boats? Are you serious? I looked around a bit clammy from my nerves. I’ve never been a fan of boats. But nonetheless, I got in one with a couple of other students.
As we rode to the castle I could feel the swish swish of my stomach. Man, I with I didn’t eat anything this morning. I could feel my breakfast creeping back up my throat, so I tried to push it back down.
We finally got to the shore and I managed to not throw up, the entire way there. I followed the students toward a door that led to a small room. Professor Longbottom came in the room and before he started speaking, he gave me a small smile. “Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.” He paused for a breath and looked like he was trying to remember a script.
“Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” With this comment my hands flew to my hair to flatten the frizz. I was so nervous that I felt as though I’d fall over soon.
“I shall return when we are ready for you,” He said. “Please wait quietly.” He turned around and left.
I looked up and gasped, along with some other first years, suddenly 2 ghosts floated through the wall. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance..."
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost. I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed all of us.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at us. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"
Me and a few others nodded silently.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" Yelled the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony Is about to start."
Professor Longbottom had returned. The ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. “Now, form a line and follow me."
We all gathered behind the professor and followed him into the large room. The anxiety was building up in the pit of my stomach as I stood in front of hundreds of other students. My hands started to sweat and I couldn’t hear anything anyone was saying, until I heard my name called.
“MCMASTER!”
I walked slowly to the stool in front of everyone. I suddenly felt smaller than I was. The old worn hat was placed on my head, it smelt of old socks and dirt. I sighed slightly, feeling invaded as the hat dug through my brain. After a few minutes, it finally came to a decision.
“RAVENCLAW!” It called out. I sighed with relief when the table filled with blue and bronze exploded in applause. I quickly made my way over to my new family for the next 7 years of my life.