Sasha Jackson & The Trials of the Pendragon

Chapter Two: A Letter From Hogwarts

Once Sasha was done resting from their last night's adventures, she had started to feel as if she had to go up into the attic and have a look around up there. Sasha looked up from her finished breakfast bowl when she heard a bit of banging from the attic. Her mother had to leave to help a woman give birth to a baby in the town and her father had left to take care of something at Gringotts.
Sasha sighed, getting over her fears and decided to check it out. It's probably just an pesky boggart that they had forgotten to check out again. Besides, Bella was taking a long nap from last night and she doesn't seemed too alarmed.
Sasha sighed again before she had went upstairs to see what's what. She went upstairs and touched the secret lever that had brought the attic's ladder down. As the ladder had came down, Sasha had started coughing up from the dust that came along with the ladder and started climbing up to the attic.
The attic was a shadowy and airy place. There was a small closet filled with furry coats and probably a sleeping boggart. Not to mention, there were also a lot of boxes filled with old books and other stuff from her family's time at Hogwarts scattered all over the attic. Sasha was a little confused to see red tapestries and cloaks with golden dragon insignias. But as Sasha continued forward, a strong wind had blew the round window opened and a box filled with some old scrapbooks had fell in front of her. A single, dusty red scrapbook had fell out of the box, it's pages were wide opened.
She crouched down to have a closer look at the albums. There in the pictures, she saw a boy around her age. He stood by a deep blue lake, Hogwarts castle loomed behind him. Sasha could see that she and the boy both have some similar physical features, but their coloring are both truly different. His eyes are dark brown. His black hair was wavy and windblown. His skin was a perfect copy of mother's, in the same shade of caramel. He seems awfully familiar, like an echo of the past or a piece of a missing memory of hers. She soon saw a bit of dried ink writing below the album, though Sasha could make out the name, "Jacob Jackson."
Jacob Jackson? wondered Sasha, trembling slightly. As in my... older brother?
It wasn't long till a long forgotten memory of the past had revealed itself to Sasha.
Sasha was a three year old girl, she was playing with her stuffed tiger in her crib when she heard screaming and yelling from downstairs.
She looked up to meet the clear golden eyes of a stunningly beautiful white dragon looking at her curiously. No anger nor vengeance, just open curiosity and humanly compassion.
The white dragon gently lowered one of its talons towards Sasha and she started to gently swat at the claws playfully, thinking it was a new game with a new friend. Sasha was giggling as she patted the peddle-like scales and continued playing with the dragon's swaying talons, making the dragon rumbled with amusement.
But that's when Jacob had arrived at the scene, startling the golden-eyed and white-scaled dragon into accidentally scarring Sasha on the right of her chin to her cheek.
Sasha started crying in pain and fear. Jacob looked at the white dragon with a horrified expression, while the dragon just glared at Jacob angrily.
"Well done idiot," spoke the dragon in an angry hiss. "Now she has to do the Trials of the Pendragon to reclaim your family's heritage."
"I-I will do them in Sasha's place, Athena," Jacob stammered, fear and guilt overwhelmed his gaze.
"I'm afraid that's not how things work child," said Athena, sounding sympathetic towards Jacob. "Everything has been sent into motion by the Triple Goddess."
Athena soon went towards the opened window and opened her white wings. She looked at Jacob over her shoulder with a sad expression, as if she knew what will become of Jacob, before Athena flew away into the night.
Jacob came over to the crib and looked down at Sasha. His dark brown eyes resolute as he looked down at her.
"I'll make this right," said Jacob. "For both of us."
But before she could go deeper into her thoughts, Sasha jumped at an unearthly sound from the sky. Sasha quickly ran outside and was glad to see Nicholas and Bella standing outside too. The three of them stood close to the porch and they jumped at the same unearthly sound again.
It was like a nearby avalanche, or a thousand giant tigers roaring all at once, it was enormous and terrifying that Sasha had never heard before. It had gave her goosebumps and made her want to go back indoors, but Sasha found that she truly didn't want to go back inside. Bella whimpered and ran back into the house. Poor girl. Her sensitive dog ears aren't cut for such a ruckus.
Sasha could hear the wingbeats coming from the stormy gray skies overhead. She couldn't resist and peeked out from her hiding place. Sasha, slowly and carefully, inched her head up towards the dark blueish-gray sky.
A flash of black scales soared overhead — wings tilting, a flicking tail, the soft breath of flame on the air.
It's there, thought Sasha in awe. It's a dragon.
It swooped around again. This time, she caught a glimpse of its face - not like the other dragons she had seen, but perfectly long and elegant, with the most intelligent and mysterious deep blue eyes she had ever seen. Instead of having just two legs, it has four legs. While his scales were more than just black; when its scales caught the pale white sun, the dragon's scales shimmered in the rich shades of deep blue like sapphires had been buried, and small star-like scales flashed underneath its wings.
But out of nowhere a huge net had flung out and it caught the dragon. The dragon roared, sounding quite terrified and shaken up. It soon dove towards the Shadow Forest, plummeting like an asteroid diving out of the sky. Nicholas started clutching Sasha's hand, making her jump in surprise. The dragon crashed into the trees of the distant mountains, smashing through the branches and disappearing from sight.
"My goodness," whispered Sasha.
"Sweet Merlin," Nicholas muttered.
"I've never seen that breed of Dragon before," said Sasha.
"Yeah, me neither." Nicholas looked at the mountains with a concerned expression.
The awkward silence soon stopped when Sasha looked down at their intertwined hands. They both flushed and they quickly drew back their hands, as if they both had accidentally touched fire. Their embarrassment had soon ended when they both saw a pair of owls flying towards their homes with what looks like mail being gently held in their talons.
"Whoop, looks like some mail are here," chuckled Nicholas with a smile as they both gazed at the owls.
"See you later Nick," said Sasha, smiling.
"Adios Sasha." She watched as Nicholas ran off towards his house to meet up with his mother and check the mail.
After the odd dragon sighting, Sasha waited for her parents to go through the mail after she paid the mail owl with some Knuts and a few mouse treats before the mail owl left. She was reading a book about dragons on the counter as she continued waiting for her parents.
She soon heard the front door being opened: her mom's soft, gentle voice filled the room with her dad's deep and earnest voice as they both spoke to each other as they both entered the house together.
"Hey Mum, hey Dad," greeted Sasha with a smile as both of her parents at her and stopped their discussion. "How was work?"
"Busy as always," Dad said after he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Doing those investigations isn't easy, but somebody has to do it."
"I managed to deliver the baby," said Mum with an amused smile and had also kissed her forehead. "Both the mother and the baby are doing fine. Though, her husband was a nervous wreck back there."
"Anyways, how was your day Sasha?" asked her Dad.
"Okay, me and Nick had both saw a black dragon fly off into the eastern mountains," Sasha said with a shrug. "Must be an endangered species: I've never seen any dragon like him before around here."
Her parents exchanged swift looks, that had gotten her more suspicious. Sasha raised an eyebrow when she saw the expression of fear and worry cross over their faces briefly. Sasha wondered if it had to do anything with her parents' discussion, they only speak that softly whenever her brother or his secret mission becomes the main topic of their discussion.
"Anyways, the mail owl had delivered some things." Her parents were soon going over the bills, newspaper, and magazines.
"Sasha, this letter is addressed to you. From Hogwarts." Mom soon gave a creamy envelope to Sasha and Sasha started reading it excitedly.
"HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY.
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore.
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards).
Dear Miss Jackson,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minvera McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress."
Sasha watched as her dad get his eagle-owl (named Jupiter) write down his own message for the council and sent the owl flying out of the window with the message.
"I-I've been accepted into Hogwarts," whispered Sasha in astonishment.
She felt herself jumped in place as her mum hugged her and her dad patted her on the shoulder with a proud smile. Sasha was so sure that she will be rejected, because of the craziness that her brother had left behind at the school and for being judged by her family's relationship with her brother.
"Come on," said Mum. "Let's hear your list of school supplies."
Sasha unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed before: "HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDY."
"Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black).
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastening).
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Course Books:
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Books of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.
Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

Other Equipment:
1 wand.
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2).
1 set glass or crystal phials.
1 telescope.
1 set brass scales.
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS."
Sasha looked at her parents with amazement, still unsure how to wrap this piece of news around her mind. She was going to Hogwarts. SHE WAS GOING TO HOGWARTS!!!
"I'm going to Hogwarts!" Sasha cried out, feeling both stunned and overjoyed.
"Well done Sasha!" Mom cheered and started hugging Sasha, she kissed Sasha's forehead.
"That's my girl!" Dad laughed with both pride and joy as he also hugged Sasha.
Bella started barking and jumping around like a overexcited puppy, Bella tried to join the hug by getting ready to jump on them.
"Wait Bella! Don't—" Sasha's warning was soon cut off when the sandy-furred dog had jumped on top of them, making them all laugh and tried to get the hilarious dog off of them. But they had quickly became disgusted as Bella started licking them. "Oh, come on girl. You have dog breath."
In the midst of playful groaning and complaining, they had finally managed to shove Bella off of them. Sasha helped her parents get and they started wiping off the dog slobber and loose dog hair from their clothes.
"At least we know what we're doing this week," said Dad, chuckling still.
"Yup, shopping." Sasha gave her Mom a teasing glare. "Mom's favorite thing to do."
"Wait till we get Diagon Alley," Mom said with a smile. "Then maybe you'll change your mind."
"If you say so." Sasha smiled when she saw Nicholas and Aunt Maya come into the house. "Hi Nick, hi Aunt Maya."
"We've heard the news," said Nicholas as they both embraced each other. "Congratulations cousin."
"Thanks Nick." The duo both pulled away from their embrace and Sasha turned to look at Aunt Maya.
"Well done Sasha," said Aunt Maya with a warm smile as she hugged Sasha. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks Aunt Maya." Sasha suddenly remembered that Nicholas will be heading towards a different school in Egypt. "You'll come and visit, right?"
"Oh course we will cuz." Nicholas grinned at Sasha, in which she returns. The two cousins both hugged each other, Sasha was a little sad that Nicholas will be at Egypt, but happy to see that he's following his path. "It'll won't be long now, you'll start following your own path as I had."
"Thanks Nick," said Sasha as they both broke up the hug.
Sasha couldn't wait to start school that most of her family has been in for years. But with any luck, Sasha might actually meet some friends and make sure she doesn't accidentally disappear to who-knows-where like her older brother. But Sasha secretly knew that she was ready for her incoming destiny.