The sun rose above the small town on the Irish coast. The residents of Bray slept peacefully on this cool August morning unaware of a young boy about to awake and find his world changed forever. A strange man walked down a quite street and looked at each house apparently searching for the right one. A slight smile reached his face as he opened the small white washed gate and proceeded up the lane to the front door. He reached out his hand and knocked on the door three times. It was less then a minute before a young boy opened the door and quickly called for his mother. His mother came to the door with an apron covered in what looked like flour.
"Hello Norah" said the man with a slight smile on his face.
"Ted" She said surprised, "What are you....what are you doing here?"
"May I come in, I've had a long journey"
"Where are my manners Ted, I'm sorry, please, please come in."
Norah stood out of the way as she ushered Ted into her home. "Please sit down" she said as she went to the kitchen and returned later with a tray full of biscuits and two steaming cups of tea. She placed the tray down and sat beside Ted, an uneasy silence filled the room. It was Ted who broke it.
"Norah, look, I know I came because I have something important to tell you, you know I would come back if I didn't have to."
"For the last time Ted, I've told you before, I don't blame you for what happened that day, It wasn't your fault."
Ted simply nodded his head, he knew she did not blame him, but he couldn't help but feel responsible. Norah seemed to sense his thought because she soon began to speak once more.
"Listen Ted, I know you think you could have stopped it, but we all knew Paul, we knew he couldn't rest until he knew the rumours weren't true. We all hoped that they weren't but Paul, Paul had to be sure they weren't."
"But...but...I could have stopped it, I could have..."
"There was nothing you could do Ted. Now what was it you came to say, I know that this can't be it."
Ted looked at Norah, she was smiling at him and he knew she was changing the subject not because she was mad but because she didn't want Ted to linger in the past.
"You're right Norah, I didn't come her for that...I came here because I found it, or at least I know where it might be."
"No!" Norah looked surprised, her jaw dropped and she waited for Ted to go on.
"Yes, I'm afraid so, but that's not all, I've tried to get in"
"You did? and...what happened?"
"It didn't work...I couldn't get in...it seems like the stories are true after all, there is only on that can enter."
"but...who?"
"There will be signs, or so it says."
They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Norah broke the silence.
"Is that all Ted, is that all you came to tell me?"
He could tell Norah was shaken with the news that what he husband had set out to look for really did exist.
"Norah you know...you know that he would be happy we found it"
"Oh, I know Ted, I Know, its just...I wish it wasn't, this means it was all true, all of it."
"It's not as bad as you think we still don't know if..."
"Ted, we haven't seen anything like this for forty years, all of it, every ones work, all this peace could all fall apart if the wrong people find out."
"Norah, we can't worry about that now. We need to go on with our lives, we will find a way to destroy it, in time."
Norah sobbed and Ted knew it was time for him to go.
"Norah I have to go, I've over stayed my welcome."
"No Ted really its fine, don't..."
"No, I should go, but before I do, I believe it is your sons birthday tomorrow, please give him this letter, we will look forward to seeing him at Hogwarts soon. I have a feeling Tom will do great."
Ted then hugged Norah and made his way out of the house and back onto the street where he turned and then with a crack was gone. Norah saw her neighbours light turn on, apparently they were alarmed by the noise. Norah closed the door and walked to the kitchen where she poured herself another cup of tea then sat at the table. She stared into space, not thinking of anything for hours before she decided to go upstairs and get some rest, tomorrow after all would be a long day."
*
Thomas tossed and turned in his bed, he could hardly sleep, the combined excitement of his birthday and his acceptance into Hogwarts was keeping him up. He just knew that his letter would come tomorrow, and then he would be off to Hogwarts, the greatest of all wizarding schools. He finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep, unaware that outside his window a large crow was watching him, checking to see if this was the one.
*
Thomas awoke early the next morning, he laid in bed staring at the ceiling. Slowly the smell of bacon greeted him and he decided to get up. He got dressed quickly and made his way down stairs where he found his mom in the kitchen.
"Happy Birthday Tom" she said to him with a huge smile on his face, "you have some presents on the table."
Thomas turned and indeed see a quite large stack of presents on top of with was a envelope with a familiar crest. He ripped open the envelop and read the letter inside aloud.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Ted Lupin
Dear Mr O'Brien,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will find enclosed a list of all books and equipment that will be necessary.
Term will begin on September 1st please do not be late.
Yours Truly,
Neville Longbottem
Deputy Headmaster
Thomas smiled as he looked up at his mother. He couldn't believe that finally he could go to Hogwarts, finally go to the school his parents did. He quickly unwrapped all his other presents and he found most of them were school books and supplies. Thomas was disappointed by this because he was looking forward to a rare trip to Diagon Alley. His mother placed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him and joined him at the table.
"Tom, I hope you enjoyed your presents, I see you got most of your Hogwarts stuff"
"Yeah" Tom replied "Only thing I need is..."
"A Wand." His mother finished his sentence with a smile on her face.
Tom's mother took a package from behind his back and handed it to Tom. He quickly unwrapped it and opened the velvet box. Inside he saw a wand, but not just any wand, his fathers, his father's old wand. He picked it out of the box and as he held it red sparks flew out from the end, as if it was silently agreeing that this new owner was acceptable. Tom gave his mother, who was now standing, a huge hug.
"This is the best present I have ever got. How did you...I thought it was lost when..."
"Shhhh, Tom don't ask questions, I got it that's all the matters" and with that the room went silent as mother and child embraced.
Last edited by the_spins on July 23, 2007 12:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
Thomas always knew one day he would be going to Hogwarts, he always knew he was a wizard. His family was one of the few pure blood families left in Ireland, Thomas however did not have very much contact with the wizarding world. While other young wizards would be cheering for their favourite quidditch teams Thomas would be watching Rugby. While young kids would be hearing about the legendary Harry Potter Thomas would be hearing the usual muggle fairy tails. This was all because Thomas' mother had cut herself off from their world when his father had gone.
Thomas stood at about five feet and was very wide for his age. He already had quite broad shoulders and was very clumsy when he walked. He had dark brown hair, which he got from his father, and blue eyes, blue like the ocean. He had attended muggle school for all his life and the idea of finally joining the world he longed for left him full of joy. Thomas would finally be where he belonged, finally in his world.
Over the next few weeks Thomas was unable to sleep, hardly able to eat and could think of nothing else besides his first day at Hogwarts. He has already read most of his text books and was started to re-read the ones he found most interesting. He went to bed every night with his father's old wand under his pillow and carried it around with him where ever he went. He could hardly believe it when he woke up on the first of September to his mother's voice calling for him to get up. He jumped out of bed and was dressed and down stairs in a matter of seconds.
"Are we leaving mum?"
"Soon, Tom, soon, but first we need to have a talk"
Thomas sat down at the kitchen table and gazed into his mothers eyes
"Tom, I know I haven't been fair to you, keeping you from the world you belong in..."
"Mum, it's okay I understand" lied Thomas he never knew why his mother had chose to pull out from the magical world and live a life among muggles.
"No, Tom its not okay, it was wrong, I shouldn't have done that to you, I just hope that you can forgive me for it"
"I do mum, its okay"
"It's just after your father..."
Those were the last words she was able to say before she broke out in tears. Thomas held his mothers hand and then sat it silence for a long time, only the sound of his mothers sobs breaking it.
*
Thomas was looking out the window of the car, he was finally on his way to King's Cross station. The plane ride was quite quick, it was the first time he ever was on a plane and he quite enjoyed it. His mother seemed to be fine, as if nothing had happened in the last few hours. Tom occupied himself by looking out the window at the people of London, its high rise buildings and its great scenery. It seemed like quite a short time before they parked outside King Cross station and were loading Thomas' trunk on a trolley. They walked into the station, his mother with a tear running down her face and Thomas with a big smile on his.
Thomas looked around, trying to find this platform 9 and 3/4 but the space between 9 and ten was filled with a solid wall.
"Mum, how are we going to get to the platform?"
At this his mother smiled. "Tom, we have to walk through the wall, here I will first, just don't be scared.
His mother walked straight into the wall and vanished, Thomas looked around and saw that no one had seemed to notice this. He took a deep breath and walked towards the wall, before he hit it he closed his eyes, when he opened them he saw he had entered the Platform.
"Wow, how did they manage to do that?" he asked his mother
"Magic" said his mother smiling
"Well I know that but..."
"Come on Tom, you are going to be late"
"Mom the train isn't even here yet"
As if on cue there was a loud whistle and a puff of smoke and the large scarlet engine pulled into King's Cross Station.
"That" his mother said "is the Hogwarts Express."
Thomas beamed, Hogwarts never seemed closer to him, it was finally time to enter the world he longed for.
The Hogwarts Express' doors swung open people started to rush onto the beautiful train. Thomas took his trunk of the trolley and handed it to a man that seemed to be loading the train with his wand.
"Well...mum, I guess I should get going"
Thomas just then realised how much he would miss his mother, she was all she had ever had. Sure he had muggle friends, but she had been the only person he really had a connection with. His mother seemed to know just how much he would miss her because she gave him a big hug.
"Tom, I will write you twice a month, okay?"
"Okay mum"
"you will be fine believe me, you are ready for this"
Thomas left his mothers grip and smiled at her. He was just about to board the train before his mother called out.
"Tom, remember stay out of the forest!"
Thomas entered the train and found himself a compartment. he shut the door and took a seat close to the window. He could hear countless people boarding the train and then her heard an argument break out, just outside his door.
"MUDBLOOD!"
"Don't call me that. That isn't very nice!"
"SHUT UP MUDBLOOD"
The compartment door opened and a girl, the same age as Thomas entered, she was crying and she sat down
"Can-I-sit-hear" she said between sobs
Thomas simply smiled at her and nodded his head.
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