Olivia, a clever girl whose only desire was a book, had long, smooth, straight black hair with a curtain fringe. She had eyes as green as emeralds but was quite skinny with small hips. Olivia had an aunt and uncle that were… terrible, awful, horrible and the list of adjectives could keep going on. They were the worst aunt and uncle any child could ever have. On the days of Olivia’s birthdays, her uncle and aunt never got her any presents. Instead, she would be locked up and never even got to celebrate her birthday in any way possible. It was her birthday that day, while she was peering through the window in the attic, which was where she slept. It was meant to be her room. A brown owl zoomed towards the house. It barely landed on Olivia’s window, which she immediately opened. On the owl’s leg was a piece of parchment stamped with a red symbol that represented: a lion, a badger, a serpent and an eagle. Olivia went for it as she untied the parchment from the owl. The letter said:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore 

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Cf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards.)

Dear Ms. Olivia Dragonheart,

We are pleased to inform you that as you have turned eleven years of age, you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You can get the necessary items needed for school in Diagon Alley. There is an enclosed list of all the necessary books and items.

The train to Hogwarts leaves on the 1st of September 11:00, platform 9 and 3/4. 

We await your confirmation owl by no later than September the 2nd.

Yours sincerely, 

Minerva McGonagall - Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor house.

‘Witchcraft and Wizardry? Hogwarts? Diagon Alley? Confirmation owl?’ whispered Olivia, her eyes wide.

She just couldn’t believe it. Olivia, a human who wasn’t a witch neither was her whole family, maybe her parents, uncles and aunts, cousins. But there she was, accepted into a magic school. Maybe it was a mistake. Or a prank. Yet again, Olivia always believed that there was some sort of magic in this big world she lived in. 

She rushed out of the small attic, which was thankfully unlocked, to her uncle.

‘Um… Uncle Wat-’ Olivia began.

‘GET AWAY YOU RUDDY KID, NO ONE EVER CARED ABOUT YOU!’ yelled her uncle. ‘THAT IS WHY YOUR PARENTS HATED YOU!

Olivia was used to this kind of treatment that her uncle did by now, though she still wanted to tell him about the letter. 

‘W-well, I just wanted to say… I was accepted to a magic school. I think it’s true and-’

‘There is no such thing as magic, is there sweetie pie?’ her uncle cooed sarcastically.  

‘There isn’t,’ Olivia’s aunt slurred, who appeared from the kitchen.

Her uncle had a bushy brown moustache, beady brown eyes and a short beard. He had an enlarged belly. Olivia wondered how he could even walk around with such a grand belly like that. Olivia’s aunt was a brunette and her hair was a curly bob. She had the habit of always stroking her hair. It seemed that she cared about her hair more than anything else, even more than her own husband. When one strand of hair would fall, her aunt would shriek, as though the worst thing had happened in her life. She had forest green eyes. 

Olivia’s uncle and aunt both had their usual, terrible smirks. 

‘Well, here’s proof-’ but before Olivia could finish her sentence, her little cousin, Hailey, grabbed the letter Olivia had held.

Hailey had long straight brown hair and brown eyes, the same smirk as her parents gracing her thin lips. 

‘You can’t get me, freak girl,’ she chuckled as she shoved Olivia out of the way.

Usually, it was expected of a parent to yell or lecture a child for taking people’s belongings without permission, but the situation was entirely different for Olivia.

‘Good girl, Hailey!’ grinned Uncle Watson.

‘HEY!’ shouted Olivia angrily. ‘It’s my letter! Come back, Hailey!’ 

Hailey blew a raspberry at Olivia and she gave the letter to Mr. Watson.

‘Dear blah blah blah, more blah blah blah, aha! “You have been accepted to Hogwarts…” Hogwarts… Doesn’t ring a bell...’ he looked at Olivia, then the parchment, then at Olivia again. 

A grin formed on his chubby red face.

‘I think you should go, if that means you will be long gone!’ shrieked Mr. Watson, as he threw the letter in Olivia’s surprised face. 

Mrs. Watson jumped up and down and Hailey sang and swung around the house, resembling an overgrown monkey.

‘We won’t have to pay for feeding her or buy her some filthy clothes!’ Mrs. Watson said, looking at her nails. ‘I could finally use that money we wasted on her to go to the Royal Salon!’

Mrs. Watson looked at Mr. Watson then began telling him all about the salon she wanted to go to.

‘...oh, it is the most expensive salon in Britain,’ Mrs. Watson was saying quite loudly. ‘And I can’t afford it because of these extremely expensive clothes I’m getting this-this unworthy child (she pointed at Olivia, who was about to yell in protest. Olivia was wearing a shirt that was much too large for her, and pants that were much too small for her, which she wore for five years of her miserable life.). Oh, well, she’ll be gone in a few. And I can finally dye my hair blonde like I always wanted to. Hailey, dear, would you like to dye your hair with me? I could always ask for a little discount.’

Mrs. Watson winked as Hailey smiled thinly, making Olivia roll her eyes.

But Olivia couldn’t deny it, she felt happy for the first time in eleven years. She thought she was special but never in a million years, did she think that she could’ve been a magical person! Olivia always believed that one day she would be appreciated and now she was accepted in the school of magic. Hogwarts! Witchcraft and Wizardry! 

Mr. and Mrs. Watson continued celebrating, as though they had won a lottery. Hailey’s terrible singing voice echoed around the empty living room. Olivia grinned widely, her hands clutching on to the letter tightly, not wanting to let go of it as though it was the greatest treasure she ever received.