Twice Chosen | Esmerelda Potter

1. The Unmistakable Green Letter

TEN YEARS LATER

Esmerelda's Point of View

"Esmerelda Lily Potter! Please come downstairs!" my guardian calls for the third time. 

"Coming, Dora! I'm just getting ready!" I yell down the stairs. I brush my shoulder-length auburn hair as quickly as I can before I dash down the stairs and saunter into the kitchen.

Once I get into the kitchen, I notice breakfast and the mail on the table. I sit down and rifle through the mail while eating.

Dora comes into the kitchen, her purple hair glowing, and glances at the mess on the table that I created.

"There's a letter in the pile for you," she says with a slight smile on her face. I notice her shoulder-length hair turning a shade of orange. Yes, that's another thing about Dora. She is a metamorphamagus, which I think is pretty awesome. A metamorphamagus is a person who can change their appearance at will. And no, I am not a metamorphamagus, although I wish I am.  

I rifle through the pile even faster, and pick up the last letter in the pile, which reads my name in green ink:

Miss Esmerelda Potter

The Smallest Bedroom 

403 Norwood Street

Ashford, Kent

I recognize the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Crest on the backside immediately. I start jumping up and down.

"I got my Hogwarts letter! I got my Hogwarts letter!" I scream. I tear it open and begin reading it.

Dear Miss Potter, 

 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 September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

"Also, one more thing," Dora interrupts. "Me and Professor Dumbledore have arranged for you and your twin brother to meet in Diagon Alley tomorrow on your birthday," Dora says, smiling.

I gasp, stunned into silence. "How did you ever manage that?" I ask. 

"A lot of owls," Dora replies matter-of-factly. 

This would be the first time that I've ever met my brother, Harry Potter, considering we were split up when we were young, for reasons I don't know. I was told a while ago that he lived with my mother's sister, her husband, and her son. 

Diagon Alley would be a great place to meet him.

Dora's hair turns back to her usual purple. The front door begins to open quietly.

"Hello, anyone home?" Remus Lupin, comes through the door. He seems to be in a good mood today, judging by the look of his brown hair. Dora and I can tell how he's feeling based on how his hair looks. Most of the time, his hair is combed over, which means he's in a good mood.

Dora and I met Remus when, at least, this is what Dora said, when Dumbledore sent him over to help us both get settled, as my adoption was a very big change in both our lives. Dora and Remus, and myself as well, have gotten close in the last two months. When he's not busy with work, he sometimes comes over and helps us.

"Remus!" Dora gets up and hugs him, her hair turning green. I then rise up to hug him.

"Guess who got her Hogwarts letter?" Dora brags to Remus.

"You did? That's great! I must have to take you out to eat!" Remus says.

I am thrilled about this idea and run upstairs to brush my teeth, since I'm already dressed.

"We leave in ten minutes, Esmerelda!" Dora calls up to me.

==========

After we get home, it is about ten after two and I am stuffed.

"Dora, I'm going to take a nap!" I say. Whenever I get really full, I usually also get tired. Plus, I need a chance to think about tomorrow.

"Don't stay up there too long. I'm making chicken noodle casserole!" Dora replies.

I read through my Hogwarts Letter over and over again, along with my supplies list, hardly believing that I'm going for the next seven years. Leaving this place forever. Dora went to Hogwarts and always tells me that they were the best years of her life. I'll never have to go to Muggle school ever again!

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life.

==========

I come downstairs and Dora already has dinner on the table. She has made my favorite, chicken noodle casserole for dinner and also because it is my birthday tomorrow.

We eat in silence until she says, "Are you excited about tomorrow?"

"Yes! I'm bloody excited! My life changes from this point on!" Dora giggles.

"I was just as excited as you. Except that I don't have a long-lost brother to meet." I nod and smile.

"Does he even know I exist?" I ask, putting down my fork.

"I'm not sure yet. But Dumbledore is getting him from your aunt and uncle tonight, so he will tell Harry everything. You know who Dumbledore is, right?"

I nod. "The headmaster of Hogwarts." Dora nods.

We finish dinner and she sends me up to bed early saying, "You need to be properly rested for tomorrow," even though I want to stay up for the whole night.

I close my door and get out an old shoebox and some markers. After I color a side of the box, I yawn loudly. After rubbing my eyes, I decide that I'm tired enough to go to bed, so I drop my markers and box on the ground and lay in bed, thinking deeply about tomorrow. 

I spend a while hoping that everything goes well tomorrow. My thoughts turn from excited to scary. What if I have no friends? What if Harry hates me? What if I die there? What if Harry doesn't know who I am?

I fall asleep eight minutes later. I guess those thoughts didn't bother me that much.

Side note: the picture above is a reference point for Esmerelda Potter.