I awoke to the sounds of crashing pans and bolted upright. I swung my feet over the side of my bed, into my slippers and flew down the stairs into the kitchen.
"What's going on?" I asked, bewildered.
"Oh, there's a mouse, dearie," an old lady replied. She had short, white hair and was wearing a long, flowery nightgown. "Where's the cat?"
Her question was answered when a ginger cat with half lidded green eyes waltzed into the room.
"Harry," I ordered. "Get the mouse!"
He looked at me as if to say 'do I have to?' and curled up into a ball on top of the counter.
"Useless cat," I grumbled. I plucked a bit of cheese from the fridge and bent down. The mouse sniffed and walked towards me. "Here you go," I urged.
He grabbed the cheese with both of his front paws and nibbled on the corner. I scooped him up and brought him to the french doors leading off from the kitchen. I lay him down on the patio and he sat there, gazing up at me with his black, beady eyes.
"Go before my cat gets you," I giggled. He blinked twice and scampered off into a bush to finish his cheese. I walked back inside.
"Thank you, Alice," Tabitha replied. "I'm getting senile. Can't even take care of a mouse."
"Not at all," I replied. "It's probably because it's so early in the morning."
"I supposed. Why don't you go back to bed dear?" she smiled sweetly. "I'll clean up here."
I nodded and trooped back upstairs as a yawn stretched out of my mouth. I flopped onto my bed and Harry curled up on my stomach. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I fell asleep.
I woke again to the sounds of explosions and a baby's cry. Beside me lay a little boy with dark hair, bawling his eyes out.
"Shush," I heard a voice say. Above us was a beautiful lady with my ginger hair and the boy's green eyes. "Mommy's here. Mommy and Daddy will protect you."
Suddenly, a deep bellow was heard from somewhere in the house.
"James!" the lady shouted as the door blasted open and a cloaked figure walked in.
"Stand aside, Lily. I only want the children," the figure hissed menacingly. I felt shaken, surely she wouldn't let him kill us.
"Over my dead body," she spat.
"Very well. Avada Kedavra."
I saw a flash of green light and heard her scream the name of the boy beside me in a shrill voice. The figure walked up to us.
"Don't worry, children. You'll join your dear parents soon."
There was another flash of green light, I felt a searing pain in my neck and everything went black.
"Harry!" I screamed. I sat up with a cold sweat dripping off my face and my hand flew to the scar on my neck. My cat beside me mewled. I smiled. "Not you. The Harry in my dream."I sighed and heaved myself out of bed. I went to the bathroom to have a quick shower and get rid of the sweat from my body. Afterwards, I changed into a light blue tank top with dark blue jean shorts. I shrugged on a grey, zippy hoodie and slipped my feet into my silver gladiator sandals.
It was the nearing the end of June and was warm as ever in Godric's Hollow, where I live. I crept downstairs in case my guardian, Tabitha, was asleep on the couch again.
"Her letter, it came this morning Batty. Should I hide it?" I heard Tabitha ask. I stopped on the staircase to listen. It was obvious that they were talking about me.
"No, Tabby. This is what she's meant for. I don't know what happened to the other one the day Lily and James died but, I can guarantee he'll be at school as well," I heard a familiar voice reply. I resisted the urge to run into Auntie's arms.
"Bathilda! I won't have her going all the way to Scotland! She needs to be safe. She needs to be here," Tabitha argued.
"And here is the first place he'll look if he returns! I've been talking to Albus. He took Harry from Godric's Hollow for the exact reason you're keeping Alice here," Bathilda replied. I gasped. Harry...
"No, I won't let her go," Tabitha sounded like she was going to cry.
"You don't have a choice. I'm going to send and owl confirming her acceptance at Hogwarts and she'll be attending the school in September," Bathilda replied. I decide I'd eavesdropped enough and skipped down the steps into the kitchen.
"Aunt Batty!" I yelled as I jumped into the old lady's arms. "What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting my sister and niece," she smiled before glancing at her little sister. "She has something for you."
I looked at her with my head cocked to the side and my ginger hair fell to the side. I blinked my blue eyes curiously.
Tabitha reluctantly handed me a letter. The address was sprawled in an emerald green ink and the was no stamp in the corner. I turned over the yellowing envelope to see a wax seal with a crest on it. I looked at the odd address again.
Alice Potter,
The Front Bedroom,
Rose Cottage,
"England, Europe, Earth, Sol, Milky Way, The Universe," I finished. "Whoever sent this must be stalking me. They know where I sleep."
"Just open it," Tabitha sighed. I gazed at her weirdly. What was wrong with this letter?
I pulled off the wax seal and opened the envelope to find two identical sheets of yellow parchment. I pulled out the first one and began to 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. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you the you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerlely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
I looked up from the page waiting for someone to shout 'April Fool's!' but I just pulled out the second page when I saw their intense stares.
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
I looked up again and saw Bathilda and Tabitha staring at me.
"You're on my booklist," I stated monotonously. The tension in the air was dispelled as Bathilda laughed and Tabitha sighed.
"Yes, yes I am," Bathilda replied. "Aren't you more concerned about the school you're going to?"
I shook my head. "Because Harry will be there."
Both sisters froze. "Harry?" Tabitha breathed.
"Yup," I smiled. "It said I can bring a cat. Who did you think I meant?"
But I knew exactly who they thought I meant. Harry. They boy in my dream.
"Anyway," Tabitha smiled. "How about we go to the zoo today to celebrate?"
"Alright," I smiled. Little did I know, that trip to the zoo on June 25th 1991 would set the course for the rest of my life.
