24 Aug
Oh goodness, Diary! I don't even know where to start! You would think that the school owls would know to be careful! I was sitting at home Thursday night, watching a movie with Lottie, when it arrived! The little brown barn owl flitted into the room and dropped a letter in my lap and dashed off without even giving me a moment to react! Luckily, Lottie was on the edge of her seat over the scene in the movie, (It was near the very end of the film - we were watching Ender's Game.) so she didn't see the owl. I managed to shove it in my pocket swiftly enough that she didn't see the letter, either.
BUT! That wasn't even the most revealing thing!
I opened it later that night, after dinner and Lottie had gone home. Unsurprisingly, it held my class and supply lists, as well as my test scores from last year's finals. I got all A's and E's. I hope I can get all E's or better this year. Mum and Dad are very proud of me. I think Amethyst is as well, she kept purring and rubbing my legs more than usual. We made plans to head to Diagon Alley on Friday, however, just as we were heading out, Lottie came running over with her mum trailing behind calling for her to wait up.
Apparently a local organization near her Uncle was hosting a Wizarding Weekend and he had invited Lottie to come and to bring a friend, knowing how much she loves the Harry Potter Franchise. I admit i was a bit surprised and didn't know how to react. An event made to play at being magical when I actually *am* magical? It sounded like it might have lost a bit of it's fun, but I couldn't let Lottie down and i turned to my parents, unsure what to do. Mum and Dad looked at each other, doing that silent communication thing that normally drives me nuts, but this time made me feel relieved. Dad ultimately shrugged and Mum told Lottie that it would be just fine for me to go with her. Lottie's mum caught up with her at about the same time and invited my parents to come as well. Dad begged off, commenting how it'd be nicer for us to have girl time without him, and told me that he'd go get the boring parts of our original plans out of the way. Soon, Lottie and I were in the backseat while her mum drove us to her Uncle's house. She was positively GUSHING with excitement about this event, telling me everything she hoped would be there (owls, games, crafts, maybe even movie stars!), that she never even noticed i was sitting there, apprehensive of how this would go.
THEN! The biggest shock of the day!!!
We arrived at her uncle's house and she grabbed my hand, dragging me to the door, which she pounded on then opened without waiting for a response. Don't worry, she told me, he won't mind. He is expecting us. She lead me into the sitting room, calling out to her uncle that we were there. Then he came out calling Lottie! How are you? and I just stared in shock. It was Professor Cauldwell! He turned to introduce himself to me, then paused, hand outstretched, obiously as surprised as me, then with a wide grin, greeted me. Why, what a small world Miss. Moore! Welcome to my home! Lottie. of course, turned and demanded to know how we knew each other. Professor Cauldwell answered for me, to my relief, telling her that he was my Academic Adviser at school.
My relief was very short lived, though, because Lottie Gasped, then looked back and forth between us with a very shocked expression. She also looked EXTREMELY upset. I looked at her and her uncle helplessly as she looked back and forth between us a few times and then she finally blurted out at me, in a very, VERY, jealous tone, You go to HOGWARTS?
My only consolation was that Professor Cauldwell looked as surprised as I felt that she had figured it out. What proceeded was a hushed conversation with him asking how she knew and her admitting sheepishly to snooping when she was younger and how she didn't want to ask him about because she was afraid he'd get in big trouble if anyone knew she knew. Eventually it boiled down to her sitting on the couch next to him, crying because last year she had thought maybe he was just working for the movie company or something since she hadn't gotten a letter and since she was his niece, surely if he really was a wizard, she'd be a witch, too, right? and how disappointed she had been and how much it frustrated her that I was going somewhere special and she couldn't but how she imagined that maybe I was going to Hogwarts, which of course made her jealous but then she started imagining my grand adventures and hoping i was having fun and so much more.
And I just stood there dumbstruck and unsure of what to do. I was afraid to say anything that might make her more jealous and upset when someone cleared their throat behind me. I looked to see both her mum and mine standing there in the doorway. Mum wrapped her arm around me comfortingly and commented about the cat being out of the bag. It was a while later, after lunch and some crazy conversation where Lottie peppered her uncle and I with so many questions (once she accepted the fact that her mother, his sister, was non-magical and commented that she thought it must be worse to be jealous of a sibling than to be jealous of a friend) about Hogwarts and magic, that we finally got up and went to the event that started all of this chaos.
Somehow it was made clear that all talk of real magic and Hogwarts had to be dropped, but Professor Cauldwell treated his niece to a little bit of magic by transfiguring her outfit and mine into proper robes. He even put a stylized Hufflepuff crest on mine and a stylized Gryffindor crest on Lottie's (because she was sure that's where she'd be sorted) so that we could play the part at the event today. Of course, that meant that Lottie was practically buzzing with excitement, wanting to ask me all about Hufflepuff. She didn't though, probably afraid that her Uncle would have to erase her memory if she said anything where anyone not in the know could hear.
We walked a few blocks from the Professor's house to find a large park filled with balloons and other things proclaiming the location of the community event. Once we got there, Lottie dragged us towards a booth made up to look like the Owl Emporium in the movies. There were several owls on perches, as well as a few snakes in tanks, a toad in a terrarium, and a cat sleeping in a basket. There were also homemade pixies, grindylows and other small magical creatures decorating the booth. There were two animal handlers there, giving presentations on the owls and snakes. some little kid asked if either of the ladies could speak to snakes like Harry Potter, which of course got the woman laughing softly while the man said that no, it was a very rare gift.
After a bit, we wandered off to explore the other booths. One table had a craft. There were wooden sticks, paints, glitter and glue, and more. The activity was to make your very own wand. Lottie debated for a moment if she wanted to make one. Knowing that she was probably wishing she could get a real one, I encouraged her by saying I wanted to make one. It really was fun to make, though it has nothing on my real wand. From there we continued checking out each activity. There was an obstacle course, decorated to look like the Mauraders Map from the movies, and a photo booth with fun props. There was a table with books They of course had the Harry Potter Books there, but they also had other magically themed books. Both of us purchased a book since the money raised from the sales of the books was going to a local orphanage. Eventually, we realized we had lost Professor Cauldwell by finding him again. He was now dressed in the security outfit the event staff were wearing. When Lottie started to ask why he hadn't told her, he leaned down between us and whispered that he was one of several magical folk roaming around the event, keeping an eye out for any accidental magic or students like myself who needed support in such an environment. It seems to me that it is a good thing that there were experienced adult witches and wizards at the event.
I think my favorite activity though was the "potions class." There was a candy store, named The Peppermint Stick, with a booth. At their booth they had glass bottles with corks, stickers designed to look like labels for potions (with imagery and names that made you think of the movies and books), and tons of assorted candies. For a small fee, you got the "make a potion" by filling a bottle with the candies. The candies were shaped like eyes, frogs, worms, bones and other "gross ingredients." I was delighted and purchased several bottles. Lottie was surprised, and so were our Mums, but I enlisted their help and soon we had 2 dozen of the "potions" made up. The owner of the candy store said I was the star student for making so many. I explained that I was making extras as gifts for friends who couldn't come to the event. The woman seemed thrilled by this and handed me several business cards (so my friends could order more candy from her if they'd like) and then, after a glance at Lottie's Uncle, who had come over to see what we were up to as she handed them to me, she grinned widely at me and handed me a small box and told me to get my teacher to assist me in opening it later at school. I looked up at him in surprise while she asked Lottie if she was also attending school with me. I suppose she was able to hear Lottie's jealousy because she nodded sympathetically and handed her a small box too, telling her that surely I could get Lottie the help needed to open her box later. Professor Cauldwell put his hand on Lottie's shoulder and thanked the woman for taking such good care of his niece and her friend before dropping a little extra money in her jar. I wondered if she was one of the witches he had said were around but didn't dare ask then. (I learned later that she was a Squib, so she definitely knew where I was going to school.) Professor Cauldwell then led us towards other activities, pointing out that we had spent quite a while making the potions.
We played more games (A muggle version of Quidditch was one of Lottie's favorite activities!), made school banners to hang in our rooms, and even got to do a mock sorting at one of the booths. Lottie got Hufflepuff and I got Slytherin at that booth. We purchased little pins to match the houses we were "sorted" into there. At the end of the event, there was a little show. A Magician (the muggle kind) did magic tricks, then while a band (who had been playing music throughout the whole event) played Hedwig's Theme from the movies, some staff people were discussing some notes on paper. Finally they announced that the community had raised over 400 pounds for the local orphanage. Everyone cheered and then the kids from the orphanage sang the Frog Song from the movie, while holding gigantic stuffed frogs, for everyone as a thank you. It was spectacular! The kids were adorable. (I don't think any of them were any older than Lottie and I, most were probably between 5 and 8 years old.)
Later, after we were back at Professor Cauldwell's house, he unshrunk the two boxes the candy store lady had given us. Inside mine was a wide assortment of muggle candies my wizarding friends were sure to enjoy. Inside Lottie's was a selection of wizarding treats. She was ecstatic! He reminded her that she couldn't share with anyone but those in the know. She nodded, but i don't think she was paying attention. Hopefully she is cautious. She did share a few with me, but we didn't stay much after that. When we were saying goodbye and thank you to her uncle, he did pause to let us know that the orphanage we were supporting had been one of several around the country founded by the real Harry Potter. We both grinned in delight at that. That comment also spurred her on to asking me if I had met any of the real people in the books and what all I had learned about the true stories behind the books. I think she was disappointed that I didn't know much more than she did, but telling her that my Head of House is Professor Longbottom, that Professor Binns is really a ghost, And Professor Flitwick is real (though he's much more handsome than portrayed in the movies), and Madame Hooch is real too, and finally that Professor Malfoy is my Potions professor and looks exactly as I would have imagined the Draco Malfoy in the books, only older and nicer, had her squealing with delight and pelting me with MORE questions. She only stopped when we got home and my Mother apologetically informed Lottie that we had to get home for dinner with my dad.
We finally went to Diagon alley this afternoon (Mum and Dad had to work so it was the first day we could go) and got all of my school supplies. I also got a few small gifts for Lottie (that she could have in the muggle world safely) that I will give her before I leave for school next week. I have a feeling my letters from home will be more frequent this year. Hopefully I can keep up with the responses. I don't think she'll accept that I am too busy with homework to write THIS year. Maybe she will be too busy with HER studies, ha! I just hope she stays excited and doesn't get too jealous. I am glad I no longer have to lie to her, though. It will make things so much better. I wonder if there isn't a loophole for family so that the holidays aren't as awkward this year, or if I can't get someone to accidentally figure it out like Lottie did. That'd be nice. I don't think there's a loophole though, because Professor Cauldwell already had a chat with my mum, which she relayed to me, warning us away from "accidentally on purpose" telling anyone else. He doesn't want us in trouble with the Ministry. I don't want that either, so I won't drop any hints at Christmas time, but that doesn't mean I can't hope, right?
Ava