Hogwarts: The Adventure Begins - BOOK 1 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

1: The Letter

My name is Molly Black. I am the daughter of Sirius Black, but because he has been locked up in Azkaban, his old friend Remus Lupin now looks after me. He is my godfather. My mum had abandoned me when I was born so I had never heard from her since.

Remus is a wizard! He had told me all about a Wizarding school named Hogwarts and that someday I would get to go there.

I went to a Muggle primary school because Remus believed it was important to get that sort of education as well. He was half-blood so it was the same way he was brought up. Remus was an exceptionally kind man, doting on me for as long as I could remember. We didn't have much, Remus struggled to find jobs because of a condition he had, but he tried his best for me. I was grateful for everything he provided for me, as his life would have been much easier without me. I promised myself that I would get good grades throughout Hogwarts and find myself a job that would make life great for both of us.

'This is for you!' he said, coming into the kitchen and handing me a letter.

I opened it up and it said:

Dear Miss Black,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.
We look forward to having you.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

I looked up at Remus, my eyes lighting up with wonder. Hogwarts? Was I really going to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? It couldn't be real.

'Well, let's go and buy your things!' he said but I stopped him.

'Seriously? I'm really going to Hogwarts?' I grinned, 'Genuinely?'

He laughed at my excitement, his tired face brightening. His scars had gotten more pronounced recently. Over the past few years, he seemed more tired than I could remember, as if something serious had happened. I didn't know what it could be, but I figured if it was that important, he would tell me.

We used Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley. When we got there I was shocked. Remus had never taken me to Diagon Alley before. I looked around, and couldn't believe what I saw. People with all kinds of robes and hats and other ridiculous things. It was super busy and I couldn't understand how so many people could fit in such a narrow street. Shops lined the edges but nothing seemed to quite fit with anything else. The buildings were strange sizes and colours and promised all sorts of strange goods within.

'Well, let's get you fitted for your robes!' said Remus as Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions loomed over us.

'Hogwarts, dear?' said the lady who must have been Madame Malkin.

I nodded nervously and she started measuring me. I tried hard not to move despite how uncomfortable it was. I was worried she'd stick me with a pin, but she clearly knew what she was doing.

About fifteen minutes later we left with my robes in a box. We then went and got all my school books, and some of the books in the shop looked very interesting. They were about hexing your enemies and stuff like that but Remus swiftly moved me away from them, frowning in concern. I didn't get why he was so concerned, the spells didn't seem that harmful. But if Remus didn't want me near them, I didn't want to upset him.

Next, we went to Ollivander's to get my wand. Mr Ollivander was a kind old man who smiled at us when we came in.

'Aah! Remus! Good to see you old friend!' he said, 'And I expect you, Molly, are here for a wand!'

We tried lots of different wands but Mr Ollivander snatched them all off of me as soon as I picked them up. One of them shot a burst of flames as soon as I touched it which narrowly avoided hitting Mr Ollivander in the face. I apologised sheepishly but he merely smiled and gently removed the wand from my hand.

He then picked up a beautiful looking wand and said, 'Try this!'

I took it from him and I felt that this was the wand for me! It seemed to call for me and just felt right in my hand, as though it belonged there.

'Yes, that is a very good wand!' He said smiling at me, 'Thirteen inches, dogwood, dragon heartstring core, slightly springy, the wand for you!'

We paid him seven galleons and Remus bought me a beautiful tawny owl as a present.

'Remus, you shouldn't have!' I said as he walked over with the cage, 'He must have been so expensive!'

'I didn't manage to buy you a birthday gift, so consider this your gift but months late,' he smiled, 'I've been saving money for it.'

'Thank you so much!' I hugged him tightly, 'This means so much to me!'

I decided to call him Zeus. He seemed pretty smart, picking the lock on his cage as soon as we returned home. Before I knew it he was in his feed.

'Zeus!' I grabbed him and gently put him back in his cage, 'If you eat that too quickly, we can't afford anymore. We spent too much today.'

The cost of all my gear for Hogwarts had almost wiped us out. Remus struggled to provide decent meals for us in a normal month, but the cost for this month made it even harder. It was annoying since I knew my family had too much money, but I couldn't access it as it was hidden away in a vault. My dad could give me access, but even if he had wanted to, he couldn't because of rules in Azkaban. All that money waiting for me, something that could give us a better life, but I couldn't get to it.

I was lucky to never have a very large appetite. Remus always tried to get me to eat more, said I was too skinny for my age, but it wasn't until about a year ago that I managed to stomach more than one meal a day. Even now, I barely ate anything at meal times. But I knew Remus needed it more than me, especially in the days surrounding a full moon.

I was exhausted after a day of shopping, so I had a slice of bread for dinner before heading to bed early. My mind was swimming with thoughts of Hogwarts and magic. I was excited for what lay in store, the stories Remus told me of his time there racing through my mind. I knew it would be a whole new experience and I couldn't wait.