The Forgotten House

The Letter

I know what today is.
I know that it could change my life.
I know what could go wrong.

I've been sitting on the stairs for about two hours now and I'm still not out of my pyjamas.
"Ash! Are you coming for breakfast?"
"Dad can it wait? The post hasn't come yet."
"Ashley darling you know the post doesn't come until 11. Come, eat breakfast and we can watch the sky." Of course my mother has to say something to encourage me otherwise I probably would never leave this spot.
I walk over to the window seat in the kitchen as usual and watch the sky. I know the mail doesn't come until 11 but it's quater past and I'm getting impatient. That's when I hear it. That's when I hear the faint hooting of a faraway owl. It's here!!!

I sprint to the front door and open it to get a waft of the fresh summer air. I look down as the owl flies away and there it sits. The cream parchment envelope I've been waiting my whole life for at my feet. I can see the red wax seal on the back with the unmistakable Hogwarts Crest on it. I run back into the kitchen, "Mum! Dad! It's here!" I carefully peel the seal away from the paper trying hard not to rip the paper and I pull out my letter. It reads:

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙,
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 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩. 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙣 1𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙡 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 31𝙨𝙩 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙮.

My list of equipment is just on the next page and my train ticket in the envelope.
"Dad, is it time to go?"
"Yes Ashley. Let's go to Diagon Alley."

I have been to Diagon Alley before but only to The Leaky Cauldron and Mum was with us that time. It's hard for her sometimes. Dad doesn't  use magic often but we find our way.
We walk into the living room and up to the fireplace. Mum passes us the floo powder and we step into the fireplace. Dad holds my hand tightly as he speaks the words clearly: "Diagon Alley!"

We spin through green mists of shattered images until we pop up in he fireplace of The Leaky Cauldron.
As we step into the daylight we are surrounded by students, teachers, families, friends and all manner of witches, wizards and creatures alike. We walk past Ollivander's, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Flourish and Blotts and stand face to face with Gringotts.
We walk in and I see the huge crystal chandelier. As the light catches it makes the room glow. The quick movement of  the goblins as they stamp letters, the parents handing the children's keys upon the counter. Dad does the same with my tiny silver key and we head to the rickety old carts to my vault.
"Vault 318!" Perked the little goblin.
He slid the key inside the lock and it creaked open. I look at the glistening pile of money and I know that I will keep saving enough to get the most beautiful Yule ball dress for my sixth year.
Dad and I head back out to Diagon Alley after choosing the most beautiful barn owl named Lyra, gathering all my books, my cauldron and my robes and our last stop is Ollivander's. I try about 5 wands before I find the right one for me. It is 10 and three quarter inches extremely flexible and unicorn hair. It is of a medium brown tone in oak wood and has small leafy indentations in the handle. I give it a wave and it's perfect. Ollivander hands it back in a thin box lined with black velvet.
We head back into the Leaky Cauldron and grab a quick Butterbeer before we leave. We step back into the fireplace and spin back home.