Mischief Managed

The News

May was upstairs playing Gobstones with her elder brother when she heard her mother's voice calling.

"May! Louis!" called Mrs. Evans. "Your letters are here!"

May shrieked with excitement. The letter she'd been waiting for since the day she turned eleven was finally here. She dashed down the stairs past her brother just in time to see a small tawny owl flutter out the kitchen window. Three crisp yellow envelopes with green lettering on them were lying on the kitchen table.

Fumbling, May managed to open her letter and read the green writing.

"We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Oh Mother!" said May, "I've been accepted!"

"Well isn't that lovely dear. We'll go to Diagon Alley in a few weeks to get your school things." said Mrs. Evans.

"Could I get an owl? Or perhaps a cat? Oh, Mother please!"

"Perhaps. We'll see, dear."

May thought about going to tell her best-friend, Virginia, about her letter. Then she remembered, Virginia is a muggle, she wouldn't have any idea what Hogwarts is! What was she going to tell her? She had to explain why she wouldn't be returning to Sherwood- the local private school. She couldn't leave Ginnie behind for a whole school year!

"Mother, what shall I tell Virginia?" asked May, dejectedly.

"We'll tell everyone you're going to the same school as your brothers in Italy." said Mrs. Evans, calmly. "But I think you'll be surprised at the news Virginia has for you."

"What do you mean, Mother?"

"Here she comes right now."

Virginia Clarke looked as ordinary as a muggle could look. She had light, brown brown hair that was stick-straight and fell just above her shoulders. She had golden-hazel eyes that, when they hit a certain light, gleamed brightly.

But, something about Virginia was strange. She could do things without meaning to. Strange things. And when those things happened, she could never explain how or why. They seemed to come about whenever she was angry, upset, or overjoyed. Virginia was no ordinary muggle at all.

"May!" said Virginia, coming through the kitchen door. "I have some delightful news!"

"Hello, Ginnie." said May.

"I've just got a letter! An owl delivered it just a few minutes ago. Gave my mother a fright. She nearly-" She was cut off by May.

"A letter? By owl?!" May was perplexed. She had never heard of muggles using owls for mail before.

"Yes! It's from a school called Hogwarts. I'm a witch!" said Virginia, who was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

It took May several seconds to comprehend this.

"Hogwarts? I'm going there too!" said May, "I trust my father explained that we were a whole family of witches and wizards."

"He did," laughed Virginia, "My mother wanted me to ask- would you take us to get my school things? We have no idea where to go!"

"Of course we can, dear. We're going to get May's things in two weeks." said Mrs. Evans

"Thank you Mrs. Evans!" said Virginia, excitedly.

"Oh, Ginnie, come up to my room- I can show you some wizarding games!" May said.

Virginia and May raced up the stairs to May's bedroom. There, they continued the game of Gobstones that had been going on. After Virginia beat May several times, they got out wizard's chess. Virginia was amazed my the moving chessmen.

Soon, the sun started to set. Virginia and May grabbed all the blankets and pillows in the house, and set out towards the woods. There was a small barn in a large clearing half a mile in. On summer nights, May and Virginia would walk down and spend the night there. It was their favorite activity.

They stayed up all night talking about magic, Hogwarts, broomsticks, and everything else in the Wizarding world. They were both so giddy that neither would have slept anyways.