The Trick

First Year - Off to Diagon Alley with a Professor

Mariah's POV

“You are not going to that school!” Mariah’s mom said, shaking with rage. Ever since the letter that told her she was a witch and could attend Hogwarts arrived, her mom and dad had been on edge. 

“This is just some cruel prank from the neighborhood kids. In fact, I’ve heard from other neighbors that they’ve had many pranks pulled on them, and they are pretty positive it’s those kids,” Her dad said. Mariah wanted to scream and yell at them.

“You saw for yourself! Professor McGonagall came to deliver the letter. She told us everything, and not to mention she was a cat when we opened the door.” Mariah got up from the couch she was sitting on and started pacing. “You can not tell me that some prank teenage boys pulled on us. They don’t have the brains to pull that off.” Mariah was practically fuming right along with her mom. 

“This is ridiculous, Mariah! I mean the next thing you’ll be telling me is that there is a unicorn going to pick you up in a carriage made of rainbows!” Her mom said, throwing her hands up in frustration. Mariah considered the possibility, but shook the thought out of her head.  

Her dad cleared his throat and began talking to Mariah, “I thought you wanted to be a doctor?” 

“I do, dad,” Mariah sighed and sat back down on the couch. “I’m sure the wizarding world needs doctors too.” 

Her mom laughed a little and put her hand onto her forehead in frustration. “The wizarding world. Sounds like a loony bin to me.” Mariah looked at her dad desperately for help, but he just started at the shiny wooden floor. Much like Mariah, he knew not to get on her mom’s bad side, but Mariah was about to blow a fuse. Instead of trying to fight an endless battle with her mom and dad, Mariah stood up without another word and went to her bedroom. She was going to Hogwarts whether they liked it or not. 

Mariah sat on the edge of her bed thinking if her decision was the best. She had just written a letter to the professor who delivered her Hogwarts letter, Minerva McGonagall, to help her with her situation. She was still baffled by the fact that magic was real. Her mind raced with thoughts of all the things she was going to learn and discover at her new school. Mariah’s stomach felt like it was in a knot. Doing something reckless, like doing drugs to defy your parents was one thing, but literally running away to a mysterious school to learn magic was on another level. 

It was about seven in the morning when she heard a whooshing noise from behind her . Mariah jumped and quickly turned around to see that very professor standing straight with dark green robes and a pointy hat. Her face was stern, but also loving as she looked at Mariah’s gaping mouth. Mariah was still trying to get used to all the magic stuff, so it still amazed her when she saw it being used. 

“Are you alright, Mariah?” Professor McGonagall asked with a soft expression. The truth was Mariah was not alright. She felt like she would crumble at any second, or break out into tears. She would be leaving the two most important people in her life without saying goodbye. But she knew that if she didn’t go to Hogwarts she would regret it for the rest of her life. 

“I’ll be okay,” she said with a smile. “Let's just get going before my parents wake up.” Professor McGonagall held her hand out, as she grabbed her bags. Mariah took her hand, looking back at her room for the last time, or until she returned. She then looked at her desk where the letter she wrote sat, telling her parents that she would be staying at a friend's house for a while. Right as she turned around to face McGonagall, they weren’t in her bedroom anymore. 

Mariah of all things was confused. She let go of the professor’s hand and stepped forward. The floorboards creaked as she took a few steps forward, looking around the dimly lit room. There were a few men and women sitting quietly at the bar, drinking away. Mariah didn’t understand. She thought Diagon Alley would have been more… extraordinary. But all she saw was a place where people came to escape reality and drink their sorrows away. 

Mariah looked up at Professor McGonagall and said softly, “Not to be rude, but are you sure we’re in the right place? It looks a little…” 

“I know, dear. But, yes, I’m sure we’re in the correct place.” McGonagall said, looking towards the back door with a little bit of a smirk. She started to walk forward, towards the back door. Mariah swiftly followed, still not sure what was happening. McGonagall opened the door and walked through it without checking to see if Mariah was following her. As Mariah walked through, a big brick wall greeted her. Mariah wanted to believe that the professor knew what she was doing, but she was starting to think that she was just leading her on a wild goose chase. 

Before Mariah could finish her thought, Professor McGonagall tapped her wand on the bricks, slowly. The bricks suddenly started to move briskly, back and forth. Mariah’s eyes were wide open. Once again the unpredictable strangeness of magic surprised Mariah. 

Finally, all the bricks moved to the side, making an opening for them to walk through. Professor McGonagall looked down to see Mariah walking slowly through the brick opening. Mariah saw people dressed in strange colored clothes and tall, black hats. Kids and parents shopped in stores with unique items displayed. Even though Mariah was scared to join the wizarding community, she couldn’t wait to get her hands on all the bizarre items. 

Written by: Cass