Honor Without Glory (book 2)

Chapter 1

BOOM! CRASH! Willow heard from the next room.

"Olaf?" Willow called out, running into the spare bedroom, where she found Olaf had knocked over a bookshelf. "Olaf!" She laughed. "What'd you do?" She teased. Olaf flew out from under the bookshelf, and perched on Willow's shoulder.

"Still no letter huh?" Willow asked Olaf rhetorically. She had been waiting on her Hogwarts letter for 2 weeks. Sage and Cedric had received their letters already, and were planning to meet up with Willow to buy their new school supplies- but if Willow's letter didn't come... that meant she wouldn't be attending Hogwarts this year. "I guess we're gonna have to consult the expert then. Come on Olaf we gotta go."

Willow snapped her fingers, and the bookshelf righted itself, and everything floated back to its place on the shelves. She proceeded to change, and get ready for the day, dressing herself in a cute unbuttoned flannel top with a tank underneath, and a pair of gray sweatpants. She slipped on her shoes, stuck her wand in the waistband of her pants, and headed out to the portkey.

A portkey is a random everyday object that has been turned into a transporter to a specific place. This specific one, was a 15 minute walk from the Dumbledore residence, and led straight to Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts, where the headmaster was preparing for the new school year, and was how Dumbledore had easily traveled back and forth between the school and his home when Autumn was a young girl.

When they reached the portkey, Willow kneeled down, tightly grasping Olaf's foot in one hand, and the portkey in the other, and was quickly transported to her father's office, where she found him in a meeting with Professor Sprout. Luckily the portkey was located out of sight behind Dumbledore's desk, so she was careful to stay hidden so as no one would see her- after all, she technically wasn't supposed to be on campus until the school year started.

She heard Professor Sprout leave the room, and began to emerge from her hiding place, but at that exact moment, Professor Snape barged in- shouting at Professor Quirrel. Willow quickly dived back down to the floor, and covered her ears, knowing that if she was caught listening to any of this Snape would have her dead in a week (figuratively speaking- of course). She didn't hear much of the conversation, so she was thankful when the men quickly left the office again. Afterwards, she once more proceeded to stand up and make her way to her father's desk.

"What can I help you with, Willow?" Dumbledore asked, before she even got close to the steps- almost as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

He must have heard her enter through the portkey - she originally thought. Then she saw Olaf perched on top of Dumbledore's desk.

He didn't hear her enter through the portkey.

"Ummm so..." Willow stuttered. "Well, Cedric and Sage-"

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore interrupted, "They received their letters haven't they?" He guessed. Willow's face flushed, and she nodded. "Yours will come. You must be patient, Willow."

"Yes, I know. But-"

"No, Willow. You have to wait. Just like all the others." He insisted.

"I know that." She said angrily, "But who else hasn't gotten theirs yet? I know you know, and I guarantee I'm the only one in the school who hasn't received their letter yet, aren't I?" Her temper began to slip, as it does now and then.

"Yes." Dumbledore said calmly. "Yes; I do know who has, and hasn't received their letters. And no actually- you are not the only one in the school who hasn't received their letter. But they will, and so will you."

"That's stupid. I know you're lyi-"

"Bela Riddle." Dumbledore said randomly.

"I'm sorry-?" Willow asked.

"Bela Riddle has not received her letter yet."

"Y-you're kidding?" Willow said in shock. She hadn't heard from Bela all summer. Both her and Sage had tried writing to her, but they never heard back.

"Bela's letter will arrive by the end of the week. And yours-"

"I thought you couldn't tell me." Willow said mockingly.

"I'm not telling you." Her father said, confusing her. "But I may or may not be implying that your letter could have already arrived for all you know." Dumbledore smirked.

"It hasn't, I'd know." She disputed.

"Willow, honey, when was the last time you checked the mailbox?"

"Uhhh... never? We never get mail. And when we do Olaf always brings it right to me."

"Oh we always get mail- probably more than any other wizarding family. But since I've taken you in, our mail doesn't come like any other piece of mail anywhere else. We have a mailbox for a reason, Willow, it's where our mail goes." He laughed internally at his daughter, his heart swelling at her reaction.

"You've got to be kidding-" She said angrily.

A knock was heard at the door. "Willow, go hide by the portkey. It's just Hagrid, but I can't risk having him know you were here. We're going down to the gardens, so when you hear the door close, take the portkey and go home, I'll be there as soon as I can." Dumbledore instructed.

Willow did as she was told, and hid behind the wall where the portkey was. When she heard Dumbledore close the door behind him, she grabbed Olaf's foot with one hand, and the portkey with the other, and went home.