January 7, 1999
From: Thomas Bell Franklin, Ph.D. E.E. Dean, Nikola Tesla Institute for Electro-Magical Studies, Franklin & Banneker College of Thaumaturgy, Stanford University, Pacific Territory, Constitutional Commonwealth of Magic of the United States of America
To: Draco Ares Abraxas Malfoy, The Priory, Wiltshire, England
Dear Mr. Malfoy,
We have received your application for enrollment within our storied institution. Thank you for your interest in our school. I must, however, confess to some surprise. Based on the reports of the troubles that have beset your Ministry of late, I was under the impression that the magical community in Great Britain supports a more…traditionalist view of the practice of magic. In fact, in my 15 years here, I cannot recall more than 5 foreign exchange students originating from your home country. All of them were from Hogwarts of course, more specifically Ravenclaw House, which has a reputation for fostering the kind of mental discipline and abstract thinking required to successfully complete our program. You, as I understand it, were educated in Slytherin House – which carries a distinctly different reputation.
I’m sure you understand that, in light of all the unrest that has plagued your country, we remain undecided as to whether to accept you. The Electromancy Engineering program is quite rigorous. Stanford, as I’m sure you know, is one of, if not the most, prestigious universities in the Commonwealth and indeed around the world. The College of Thaumaturgy is held to the same high standard. Students who cannot meet it once admitted are summarily dismissed and not invited back.
In your favor, your NEWTS are excellent. Moreover, your grades in Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Charms, Astronomy and Potions, all of which you would use here, are all outstanding. I see you’ve also made up for your deficit in formal Wand Crafting classwork with an internship at Ollivander’s – whose reputation is as prestigious as Stanford’s as I’m sure you know. Were you to be accepted, I’m sure you would adapt quite well academically.
However, as I’m sure you’re also aware, our Commonwealth has recently imposed strict quotas on the immigration of citizens from your country as a matter of national security. The escape of several war criminals from your shores has left our government quite wary of any kind immigration from your region of the world. Hence, before any permanent decision can be made, you are required to undergo a multi-level background check. In addition, you will be required to obtain a residential sponsor who is also a Commonwealth citizen who is willing to liaison with your embassy and accept legal responsibility for your conduct within our borders.
I apologize for these atypical requirements. I do understand that hostilities have since been quelled and your Ministry has re-assumed control. But our Executive Secretary has been unable to convince either our College of Electors or our Council of Governors to rescind these restrictions.
Therefore, please complete and return the enclosed documents authorizing a background check. When you return them please also submit a letter of sponsorship from a Commonwealth citizen. Additionally, the letter must be certified by your embassy. Meanwhile, I shall submit your academic record and collateral materials to our admissions board for review.
Wishing you best of luck and once again thanking you for your interest,
Dean Thomas Bell Franklin
Attached handwritten note
Your Potions Master Horace Slughorn is a longtime colleague who’s been an invaluable resource to myself and our institute here. Not only did he write you a glowing recommendation he also took the time to visit our campus so that he could make the case for you personally. Prof. Slughorn is a creature of his comforts, so the fact that he bestirred himself to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the continental Commonwealth just to put in a good word for you is irrefutable testimony of just how highly he thinks of you. So it behooves me to honor his faith in you by penning this word of advice.
While I understand your reluctance to recount your wartime experiences in your submitted essay, I strongly advise you to reconsider. I have read the transcripts of the Death Eater trials. A personal statement from you would go a long way towards swaying the admissions committee. Although your academic record is exemplary, our committee members see similar applications every day. What they do not see is someone with the character to survive a war propagated by a madman who destroyed your father, hijacked your home, and blackmailed you into his personal political cult. While you may wish to minimize your history, I suggest you be forthright and withhold nothing. The courage and strength of will it took for you to survive such an ordeal – especially the carnage at the last battle – with your sanity and academic ambition intact will make the admissions board eager to meet you.
It also indicates the kind of character we seek in our students. Our students tend to make their mark on the world, Mr. Malfoy. And I cannot believe you have overcome such an ordeal for nothing. I suspect you have much more to do. You simply have to convince the admissions committee of the same. You have shown so much courage so far, don’t be afraid to use your personal story to get your foot in the door Mr. Malfoy. If you do, whatever happens, you will have won half the battle.
Sincerely
Dr. Franklin
For the sequel, see Hogwarts - Help Wanted, Ch. 17
To learn more about wizard tech, see my series Hogwarts Digital...