Birds of a Feather

Hums

Back in New York City, a little girl was found hopping in puddles of water, returning home from what seemed like a day of wandering around the streets.

She hadn't had any luck with finding a school. Luckily, after she was orphaned by her step mother, she managed to find an orphanage to settle in.

Nobody knew the girl very much. They assumed that she was a typical eleven year old, jumping and skipping in puddles as she hummed a song.

"My momma, your momma, gonna catch a witch. My momma, your momma, flying on a switch. My momma, your momma, witches never cry. My momma your momma witches gonna die!" She sang the song quietly to herself.

It was a popular song, taught to her by her step mother and her sister, Chasisty. They taught her to embrace the fact that witches do live.

But she hated it. She hated that just because they're witches, that doesn't mean that they would have to cackle in front of a boiling cauldron of green potion.

Nevertheless she enjoyed the song and hopped back to the orphanage.

She didn't have many friends and generally people thought of her as a different person. She kept to herself, reading books and pretending to cast spells with a little handmade wand.

"Modesty, you're late" Miss Tibber, the woman who ran the orphanage said.

"Sorry" Modesty apologized.

"You skipped supper" Miss Tibber said, "That means you get to go to bed hungry".

"Can't I get a glass of milk?" Modesty asked.

"You should learn the concept of punctuality. You do realize that you're way behind schedule? Do you think this orphanage is a joke?" Miss Tibber said.

"No, ma'am" Modesty replied, "I'll go to bed".

"Good"

Miss Tibber was strict, of course but she was better than Mary Lou Barebone. She encouraged Modesty to appreciate magic even though it appeared as unrealistic.

Grabbing a cookie from the counter and a quick glass of milk, Modesty climbed up the stairs to her bedroom.

It was a small bedroom. Very narrow enough to squeeze in a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Modesty finished her milk and her cookie and dusted off the crumbs from her hands.

Just then, an owl swooped into her window, leaving her a letter before swiftly taking off. Modesty didn't have the time to scream for help.

"What the--" she retrieved the letter that the owl had dropped.

It wasn't ordinary at all. It was more eccentric than ever. Modesty hardly gets any mail. And even if she did, it would probably be junk mail like free coupons. And that too, were rare.

Why on Earth would she receive a suspicious mail like this?

Part of her wanted to run to Miss Tibber and tell her about this. But part of her wanted to keep this as a secret.

She remembered the strange man with Credence when she hid in the rubbles. The next day she read that the man was a murderer in the newspaper.

Maybe that strange man was a wizard. He did carry a wand with him. And he probably used owls too.

Nevertheless she opened the letter and a small piece of paper flew out. She gently picked it up and read.

Illvermorny School of Wizardry and Witchcraft

Dear Miss Barebone,

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