Millay awakened and noticed her body was covered in a cold sweat. She was shivering fiercely and decided to take a shower in attempt to let the warm water calm her strucken nerves. Millay picked through her dresser and picked out black ripped skinny jeans, a ‘Kiss’ cutoff, standard black lingerie, and a pair of black ankle socks.

She went down the eerily quiet hall and made sure to shut and lock the wooden door behind her, putting the pile of clothes on top of the porcelain toilet lid. Millay turned the hot water knob all the way to the left and then quickly began stripping herself of her clothes. Millay’s muscles ached and pained, exhausted from a frivolous night terror no doubt. She stepped into the shower and let out a low moan when the warm water made contact with her strained shoulders and back. She scrubbed at her skin till the grime came off, leaving a fierce pinkish red irritated  tint to her skin.

Ten or so minutes later, Millay pulled the towel hanging over the shower curtain rod down, and wrapped herself up in it’s soft warmth stepping out of the shower and into the steamy bathroom.  She grinned and drew a rose on the steam-filled mirror, cocking her head at the finishing result. It didn’t look so bad, except a couple of lines were a bit too pinched here and there. Millay dropped her towel and bravely admired her reflection. Her body was near perfect, everything a man could want, or so she thought a man would want.

Millay let out a breathy chuckle and threw on the apparel she had pulled out from her dresser. Millay looked into the mirror and admired her wardrobe. It fit her curves well, and it shown her shapely legs. Millay picked up her dirty clothing she had previously worn and threw them into the mid-way full laundry basket. Millay unlocked and opened the door, revealing a melancholy house full of emptiness. It’s been this way since Millay’s father passed away two years back. Her mother started working full-time in a sad attempt to rid herself of the memories of her husband, and now sadly had anytime left for Millay or her other children Corben or Destiny.

Millay’s smile faltered as she crept downstairs. The house was still disarray, but she hurriedly righted the furniture. It wasn’t till moments after she had done so that she noticed the square window was wide open. Millay’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She wondered why on earth it was open in the first place and went to shut it without haste. Before Millay could clasp the lock on the sill, two letters slipped in. Hogwarts, the Wizardly Academy her father often filled Millay and her sibling’s heads up with, popped into mind and Millay cackled up at the thought.

She broke open the seal that looked odd and mystical like from the first parchment page and quickly realized this was not directed towards her. But what laid inside written on old parchment papers, held Destiny and Millay’s future.

The first letter read;

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Anstren,

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.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Second page

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions

by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions”

The second letter was a little less formal, as though it was thought on countless times yet they didn’t mention everything they wanted to include. This letter was also addressed to a ‘Ms. Anstren’ and sent from Hogwarts.

The letter read:

‘HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Anstren,

It would be in our greatest honor if you would attend Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We do however, understand you have not completed your first or second year, so we do advise you will double your studies and hope to keep on track with your third year studies at the same time.

Ms. Anstren, you were either born for greatness or complete destruction, so take Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry into consideration to study your magic and learn how to harness it. You are the one who can unlock your future, along with a forlorn stripling whom has been through terribly much. I will not specify the young laddie, but I do hope you choose the right path. Uncover the mist around your future and destiny young one.

There are indeed many kinds of students here Ms. Anstren, and I believe you would make one of the fine ones indeed. Please accept this as a formal acceptance letter so you can then begin your third year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.

With haste,

Albus Dumbledore’

Millay closed her letter in awe. There was no way this could be real. Someone had to have been pranking her, thought Millay. Millay reread the letter that concerned her twice before she laid the letter down onto the oak end table next to her and waited for her mother  to return from work so she could press her mother for answers she wished to ask.

Later that morning, Millay’s mother came home from work early and Millay made her a quick breakfast while thinking up a way to bring up Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Millay hastily served her broad shouldered mother a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs, where her mother thanked her daughter kindly and Millay sat down at the table next to her mother. Millay decided now was the time to speak of Hogwarts.

“I received a letter in the window today mother, well two actually, but the other was not addressed to me. It was about Hogwarts, remember that silly magical made up academy father would always speak of? I believe that is what this prank originated and was based around. I mean if this was real, not that it is, it was be awesome of course. But what a prank! Price-”

Lucinda’s eyes widened and she choked on the bacon Millay her daughter, had cooked her cutting Millay off from further talk. Lucinda’s jaw tightened and her eyes were filled with fear and yet a deep sadness, as though she had known this day would come yet she spent all of her energy running away from it. It was true, though Millay had not known, that Lucinda had burned all the letters that came earlier this morning in sheer fear.

“What did it say? Let me see them.” Lucinda spoke as though she was on edge yet her voice was laced with despair.

Millay was earnestly surprised by her mother’s sudden reaction, but she went over to the end table and pulled the letter off the top, revealing it to her mother netherless her reaction. Millay reread it for the fourth time today but even she cannot fathom how ridicule this prank was. For some reason Millay felt drawn to the words and the etiquette handwriting. Lucinda felt tears prick her dark and grey stormy eyes, for it was really happening. She thought Logan would be here to see it yet he isn’t, and he never would be.

Sadness filled Lucinda’s faces, her whole being consumed by rage of her husband’s murderer, He Who Cannot Be Named. Voldemort shall pay for this, for she loved her husband terribly and yet she could not let him go, not ever. Women from work would always urge Lucinda to go on at least one outing, but Lucinda simply couldn’t or she simply wouldn’t, she never knew which held her back and changed to a fragment of her husband.

The wind blew fiercely outside as Lucinda’s heart beat fiercely inside her chest, yet a fearsome pain ripped her heart in two. She yearned to run her fingers through Logan’s hair, to be in his warm embrace once again. Lucinda observed her daughter while Millay was collecting the note, for the first time in months, and noticed a thin spread of dark freckles had made their way across her daughters slightly pink-red button nose and briefly her pale cheeks. This girl, a simply sweet yet fairly aggressive dreamer, was either the saviour of the Wizardry World, or the destroyer. Lucinda prayed for her daughter to find hope and light, not darkness and that Millay will avoid the wrath of ‘He Who Shall Not Be Named’.

Lucinda kissed the bridge of her daughters nosed and set to explaining herself and the notorious, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“Millay dear, please call Destiny down from upstairs.” Lucinda said in a calm concerned voice. Millay complied to her mum’s request and questioningly called upstairs to her sister. Destiny soon came strutting down the stairs only slightly curious as to why her mum was back from work.

“Alright, I suppose I should explain some things. Destiny here.” Lucinda hesitantly passed her youngest daughter the First Year slip sent from an owl. Destiny’s brows furrowed in confusion but netherless read the parchment paper. Her eyelids opened fully, indicating her surprise at the contents of the letter.

“What in heaven’s name is this mother?” Destiny questioned while staring at her mum. Lucinda offered her daughter a sheepish smile and breathed deeply, knowing she would need to explain quite a bit.

“Alright, I will be honest. I had known this day would come for both of you. In the contents of your letter is a list, Destiny. A list of supplies for that certain, persay, academy. You both will begin attending Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry starting this up and coming year. Now, there will be some terms you are not aware of so I shall now explain as many as I possibly can.” The two girls stared at their mum awaiting her to continue on.

“Alright, first is muggle. A muggle is an average human who is completely unaware of the wizardly world, though there are some muggles who are an exception in which they are considered squibs. Now, when muggles and wizards or witches fall in love and decide to have children together, the offspring is considered a mudblood. Remember to treat them with utter kindness because Slytherins, who are mostly pure-bloods, have a seething hate for mudbloods.” Lucinda’s voice trailed off as her head began filling with memories of her time at Hogwarts.

“What are Slytherins and why do they loathe mudbloods?” Destiny inquired curiously, unsure of what to think. Millay pursed her slightly chapped lips and tilted her snowy head, curious as well.

Lucinda began to speak hushedly, “The Slytherins are are one of the four Hogwarts houses. Your father was a Hufflepuff, whereas I was a Gryffindor. The Slytherins believe themselves to be the greatest house and the most intelligent, though that is hardly true. Now be sure not repeat this for anyone’s ears to hear. Most Slytherin’s are in league with He Who Shall Not Be Named, a terrible and utterly horrible ‘man’.” Lucinda’s voice spit venom and distaste.

"This is not laughing matter you two, this man has harmed this family terribly in ways that do not go undiscovered. He Who Must Not Be Named murdered Logan, your father two years ago." As Lucinda spoke her voice broke and her face twisted into despair, a dry sob escaping her throat. Destiny's face contorted in sadness as warm salty tears flowed down her pasty cheeks. Millay's expression was in a mix of terrible anguish and an attempt to hold back her own waterworks.

"I need you two strong daughters to promise me one simple task." Lucinda gazed lovingly at her two girls with raw pain of her husband's passing, as her two daughters nodded meekly. "Remember to always cherish and love your life through your lifetime, for love is one of the only non-spells that can seemingly help protect you from He Who Should Not Be Named. That man was conceived by a mere love potion and cannot harness nor fathom love, for he is incapable." Lucinda scoffed at the matter of Voldemort's situation.

Millay spoke up in a barely audible whisper, "But why would he harm are family and kill father?" Millay inquired, her lip trembling slightly. Lucinda's face fell as she began to speak in a stern voice.

"His reason to attack this household was because of you, my dear Millay."