The Hogwarts Letter

Chapter 5

When her parents got home, they decided to go out to eat. Hermione fidgeted in the back seat of the car as she wondered how to tell her parents about the mysterious letter.
They got to the fancy Italian restaurant that Hermione loved. She and her parents ordered food and then she cleared her throat.
"Umm . . . I wanted to tell you about a letter I got today."
Her parents sat forward, looking slightly concerned.
"It was addressed to me. Not only that, but exactly to me. My bedroom and everything."
Her mother opened her mouth to speak, looking worried and angry, but her father laid a calming hand on her shoulder. "Finish, sweetie."
"It was an invitation to a magic school," Hermione blurted.
"Darling, I know you dream about this stuff all the time," said her mother, looking relieved, "but it's probably just a hoax."
Hermione pulled the letter out of her pocket. "Look!"
They looked at it. Hermione had looked at the other pieces of paper earlier today. One was a list of school supplies needed, but they were the strangest school supplies she'd ever seen. Robes, potion ingredients, a cauldron, a wand! The other was a letter of introduction from the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. It said he would come by to explain everything. It said he would come by tomorrow.
Her parents read all the pieces of paper, and then looked at her.
"Honey . . ." started her father. "I'm surprised. It actually looks real. But then again, all good scams do. Let's see what this man who is supposed to come tomorrow says."
They ate their meal in a peaceful, anticipatory silence. When the family got home, Hermione settled down to read. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Tomorrow she would find out if this magic school was real or not. She hoped with all her heart that it was, but what if it wasn't? What if she'd been tricked?
It took a long time for Hermione to get to sleep that night.