It was early morning on a Wednesday, and I was eating breakfast without a care in the world.

"Mom, I think I'm coming down with a cold!" I call.

"Oh, really sweetie? Is it bad?" My mom poked her head out of the living room and looks at me with concern.

"Not really... I just hope I'm not contagious." I say, acting concerned. Being an actor really helps when you're trying to get out of school.

"Oh, sweetie, I wouldn't worry about that." My mom looks relieved and her disappears, leaving me stomach full of disappointment. I guess school was still a go, then.

I here the creak-and-swish of the mail slot opening and set down my bagel. "I'm going to get the mail!" I yell, walking leisurely over to the pile. Probably bills and a newspaper, I guess. I grab the stack and start walking back to my mom, sorting through the mail to put the important stuff on the top when I'm stopped dead in my tracks.

An envelope, addressed to me, in green ink. My heart skips a beat. Who could it be from? My eyes travel to the address in the left-hand corner and my jaw drops open.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

"Are you kidding me?" The statement comes out in a whisper. I hurriedly flip the envelope over, and yes, there is the trademark seal. "Mom?" My voice is pitchy, emotions rushing through it.

"What is it sweetie?"

"I got my Hogwarts letter." It comes out in a croak.

"You what?" My mom runs down the hall, grabbing the envelope from my hands and looking at it herself.

"I got my letter." I'm shocked, jaw still hanging wide. "I finally got my letter!"

My mom crinkles her brow as she tears the seal, pulling out the letter enclosed.

"This is incredible! I'm going to Hogwarts! Mom, I'm going to Hogwarts!" I yell, jumping up in down. I'd apparently found my voice again.

"Calm down, sweetie." My mom is still looking suspiciously at the envelope, as though the ink could be poison. "We don't know if this is real."

"Of course it's real, mom!" I say. But doubt starts creeping through me. My knight of hope tries to fight it off.

"Well why is it coming now? Why so late?" She locks eyes with me.

I feel my knight losing the battle. "Have you read the letter? Maybe they explain it." My mom breaks eye contact and returns it to the page in front of her. Her lips mouth the words, and I watch as her eyes grow wide. "You're right."

"Really?" Apparently my knight has reinforcements. 

"Yes, it says at the bottom that there is a whole class of students who all missed their letters, too. Some weird error or something..." My mom stops and gives me a huge smile. "Looks like there are going to be some weird looking first years."

I give her a huge smile back, pumping my fists. Every shred of doubt has been sliced into nothing by my knight. I'm finally going to do it. My eleven year old self isn't going to sit by the door anymore! I'm free!

And as I take the letter from my mom and read it, I know I'm going to be alright.