Under the Moonlight

The Surprise Visitor

      I woke up to darkness in my bedroom, my stomach grumbling as well. My book lay forgotten beside me, the pages crinkled. I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and placing a hand on my stomach to try to cease the grumbling. I threw my blankets off of me, throwing my legs over the side of my bed. Grumbling incoherent words under my breath, I launched myself onto the floor, goosebumps rising on my arms as cold raced towards the warmth. Walking towards the door, I yawned, and stretched, cracking my back and shoulders. I gripped the handle and pulled the door open, before stepping out into the hallway that seemed to stretch forever in the darkness. Making my way towards the stairs, I yawned once again, stumbling over my own feet, and gripping onto the railing for balance. Continuing to hold on the railing, I made my way down the stairs, slowly but surely. Trudging into the family room, I saw my mum and father sitting together on the love seat, talking to each other animatedly. I walked closer to them, only to have my mum look up and smile widely at me. She motioned to me, wanting me to come and sit down. I did, sitting Indian-style on the ground in front of them. I stared up at my parents through my eyelashes, gray and orange replacing the original brown color of my eyes.

      "Hello. Roselina, sweetie. How are you feeling?" my mum asked, cocking her head to the side while looking at me. I shrugged, another stubborn yawn escaping my lips. My mother just smiled in response, smiling even wider when my stomach grumbled once again, against my protests. "Would you like some food, Roselina? You missed dinner," she questioned, already knowing my answer. My father still sat there, a small smile on his face as he looked between my mum and I. I stood up, following my mother into the kitchen, where a bowl with tin foil was wrapped over the edge. Five minutes later, I sat on the floor again, a bowl of macaroni on my lap, happily eating as I stared up at my parents. I glanced back and forth between my mother and father, who smiled at me as I ate, which began to creep me out. When i finished eating, I set my bowl to the side.

      "We have a surprise for you, Roselina," my father exclaimed, making me cast a curious glance at the both of them. My eyes turned yellow with curiosity, resulting in making myself stand up and walk around the room, looking for clues. I stopped in front of the mirror, staring at my eyes, which made me seem feline-like, the yellowness popping out like a light in the darkness. I smiled, reaching out to trace my eyes in the mirror, smiling wider. I heard a loud popping sound, sounds of footsteps following quickly afterward. I looked back at my parents, only to gasp at the sight of a bearded man in robes. "Roselina, dear. Come here please," my father begged, which wasn't really begging, but asking. I walked towards my parents, my jaw wide in awe as I stared at the magical man. I sat down in between my parents, the eyes following the mysterious man's every move. He sat down in one of the plush lounge chairs that suddenly seemed to appear. I had not noticed it before. This man had long nimble hands, which were wrinkled over. He had white long hair, and a enormously long beard of the same color. He had a nose which looked like he had been broken a few times. This man was dressed in purple robes, the stretched from his shoulders all the way down to his feet, with sleeves that hid his hands from view. What shocked me most of all was his startling blue eyes, which were hidden behind crescent moon spectacles. He smiled at me, taking in my wandering gaze.

      "Hello Ms. Fernando, how are you today?" the mysterious man questioned me, seeming extremely nice. I already trusted this mysterious man, yet I had no idea who he was. I looked at him even more curiously, wondering how he knew my name. I just nodded, still speechless. He smiled even wider. "Well, that's good. You may be wondering who I am," he proclaimed, making me nod, because answered my unsaid question. "I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts," he spoke softly, smiling when my eyes widened. "I'm here to answer any questions you might have before term starts. I am also here to take you Diagon Alley"

      "Excuse me, sir, but what is Diagon Alley?" I asked, curiosity filling my voice. I stared up at the man, peering into his eyes, that seemed to look behind my face and into my soul. He smiled slightly, making him look a little bit more boyish than before.

      "Diagon Alley, Ms. Fernando, is what you could call a wizard market, where you can buy supplies for anything. It is where we will be getting your school supplies, and, hopefully, if it is alright with your parents, where will be getting your pet," Dumbledore replied, staring down at me. Although a chair had been placed for him in front of my parents and I, he had yet to sit down. He used one hand to hold himself up, the other swinging at his side as he spoke to me. "We will be going tomorrow, if that is alright," Dumbledore said, looking, now, in between my parents, rather than at me, who was nodding enthusiastically. I looked up at my father, who was sitting to my right, my eyes turning back to my original brown color, begging him. My father looked down at me, smiling, eyes shining with pride, before nodding his head towards my mother. I, then, turned and looked up and my mother, who smiled immediately. I smiled widely with happiness, turning to look up at Dumbledore. "I must be leaving soon, but before I go, do you have any questions for me, Roselina?" Dumbledore questioned, looking at me. Now that I had thought about it, I actually did have questions.

     "Yes, sir, I actually have two questions," I answered, looking up at Dumbledore, before continuing with my questions. "Do I call you Headmaster, or something else?" I asked, looking down in shyness, redness rushing to cover my cheeks. "Also, do you know why my eyes change colors? They usually change colors with emotions. " I asked, still looking down, suddenly becoming extremely interested with my bare feet. I heard him chuckle, causing me look up at his through my eyelashes.

      "Professor Dumbledore will be alright. Everyone calls me that. As for your second question, Ms. Fernando, the only reasonable explanation would be that you are a metamorphagus," he answered, smiling. Hearing the word 'metamorphagus', I looked up, the foreign word confusing me greatly. "A metamorphagus is a person who can change their appearance at will. At the beginning, though, sometimes these changes can happen without warning. You will probably learn more about this in school," Professor Dumbledore spoke, answering my unsaid question again. I smiled up at him, becoming comfortable now that I knew the answers. He began walked towards my parents and I, extending his hand out to shake ours. Gripping my father's hand, he shook it sternly, telling my parents about the time time he would be here tomorrow to get me, seeing as it was already close to nine o'clock at night. Shaking my mother's hand, pulling her in, to place a chaste kiss on both of her cheeks, Dumbledore chuckled, along with my father, as my mother's dear-eyed expression. Stepping in front of me, I glanced up at him, taking in his looming figure, trying to memorize it. Trying to memorize the crookedness of his nose, and the startling blue of his eyes. He reached out his hand, grasping my tiny eleven year old hand in his tightly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Fernando. I will surely enjoy your company tomorrow." With that, he dropped my hand, resulting in it saying down to my side, and hit the love seat with a rather loud thud, shooting pain up through my nerves. I winced, but kept a smile on my face. Dumbledore turned around, walking for the living room entrance, only stopping to look back and give us a small wave. I saw him swoop up in a ball, and heard a loud pop. My eyes widened in shock, and a scrambled backward on the love seat, practically falling into my father's lap. I looked up at him with wide eyes, my own orange irises reflecting in his own brown ones. I jumped up, running around, looking for wear he had disappeared to.

      "He disappeared. Simply disappeared!" I screamed, excitement filling my voice to the brim of bursting. I twirled around in circles, my head thrown back, and my arms open wide, as I realized I had just witnessed magic. I was laughing like a maniac, transferring from looking between my parents, who were smiling widely, and twirling. I, then, noticed that the lounge chair was back in it's spot. My eyes widened even more once I realized Dumbledore had most likely used magic once again. My mother laughed along with me, kicking off her red high heels, and racing towards me, before grasping my tiny hands in her well-manicured ones, and twirling like I was. I heard my father's booming laughter resonate from throughout the room, only making me laugh even harder. Our feet slapped against the wooden flooring, echoing off the walls. Hearing my father ask who wanted dessert, I quickly stopped, causing my mother to crash into me, sending us both to the floor, giggling like school girls. We speedily jumped up, following father into the kitchen for chocolate cake that suddenly appeared in the refrigerator. It was the perfect way to end an amazing day.