Team Machine goes to Hogwarts

John Reese Recieves His Letter

It was beautiful.

John Reese thought this every time he saw his best friend.

Burying his face in the majestic beast's neck and nuzzling the soft fur John dropped to his knees as he threw his arms around it and hugged the animal close to his chest. Wrapping his small body over the proud yet young Belgian Malinois - which tipped its head down calmly and rubbed the boys shoulder gently in a gesture of affection - "I love you Bear," whispered John. Boots crunched on the gravel behind him. "Hey there son" came his father's voice just as he appeared crouching at his side.

"How's Bear?" he asked. John grinned, "Happy!" He exclaimed.

"And are you happy too?"

"Very," John nodded vigorously. "Bear makes me happy." John's dad smiled good-naturedly.

"I've got something else that might make you happy" John waited expectantly till he was almost bursting with anticipation and smiling so hard and wide his cheek muscles were getting sore. "This came for you in the mail." John gasped as out from behind his back his father produced an envelope.

A very fancy envelope thought John. John leapt up and away from Bear and reached out to grab at the envelope. "Aha, say please first," came his father's reminder.

"Please, please, please, pretty please. Pleeeeeeeeeaaasseeeeee!"

"Okay, okay. I think that's enough"

John grasped the letter and clutching it tightly retreated back to Bear where he crawled up besides the protective dog and curled into his new guard's side. With desperate fumbling hands John tore open the letter in his rush to read the contents of this brilliant and mysterious gift.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of  WITCHCRAFT and  WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

(Order of Merlin, First Class)

Dear Mr. Reese,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no less than 31 July.

Yours Sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

Deputy Headmaster

John pursed his lips and focused his forehead crinkling slightly as he read, taking in the information. School: that didn't seem an incredibly exciting thing, but this did seem like a special school. His eyes didn't lift from the parchment as he digested this new-found knowledge. Before he suddenly sprung to life, papers clenched in his fist, and sprinted across the front garden to the front door.

"Daaaaaaaa!" He yelled out as he swung round through the empty entryway and raced up the stairs. "It's about school. What does it mean?" He reached the top breathless and panting thrusting the letter towards his father's open palm. His father frowned slightly as he read.

"Huh" he said.