The envelope contained a piece of paper that was made out of the same stiff, yellow-coloured material. Eagerly, Dean pulled the folded paper out and placed it gently on his desk.
It had been creased for a very long time and opened rather reluctantly, but Dean was extraordinarily careful not to tear it. Once it had been unfolded, he very cautiously smoothed it out.
It was filled with writing that was in the same hand as the front of the envelope. The letters were rather blocky, but were small and neat.
To Dean, it began:
I realize that this letter may come as a bit of a shock for you. In fact, I very sincerely wish that you weren’t reading it at all. You see, if you are, I am long dead.
It is strange to see those words on paper, despite the fact that death looms ever closer. I am currently working to save the world (doesn’t that sound impressive? I’m sure every boy wishes his father were a hero. If so, your wish may come true). Although your mother doesn’t know, I am embroiled in a battle against one of the biggest threats the world has ever seen. Most of the world, however, can’t see what I’m doing. If I lose, though, they will feel the effects greatly. There will be suffering beyond what we can comprehend, Dean. And I promise you, fighting to save others from suffering is the only reason that I would ever leave you and your mother.
I hope you’re sitting down, Dean. I’m sure you’ll doubt what I’m going to say, but it has to be said.
The reason that the world can’t see what I’m fighting against is because I am a Wizard.
That’s right. I have a wand and I can brew potions. I even have a pointed hat and a broomstick, though I much prefer Apparition. (You’ll soon learn what that is, I promise!) I and a band of like-minded individuals are fighting what can only be termed Dark Magic. There is an evil wizard threatening to take over the world, and we are doing our best to stop it.
Dean, because I am a Wizard, there is a great chance your are a wizard as well, in fact, I’m sure you are. Have you ever had something extraordinarily lucky happen to you? Perhaps something saved you from a rather nasty injury? That would be magic.
You are eleven years old this summer. I’m sorry that I haven’t been there for your birthdays “ you’ll never know how deeply I regret leaving you and your mother. But this was a choice that had to be made, and I hope you understand that. My death, should it happen, will be one of many, but mine is freely given, as long as it serves a purpose. I am not, per se, afraid of death “ I will only regret that you will have known me for one short month. However, this summer is a very special one for you. Soon, you will receive an invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry “ the finest school for young Witches and Wizards in the entire world.
What I’m about to say will sound like babble, but you‘ll come to understand in due course. I’m a Half-Blood and a proud member of the noble house of Ravenclaw. I wish that I could share my name with you, but that is too dangerous in case this letter is intercepted.
But that is beside the point. Dean, whatever happens, you must attend Hogwarts. The world needs Wizards and I’m sure that you’ll grow up to be a mighty fine one.
Again, I sincerely wish that I could have been there to tell you this myself, but I fear that if I do not join in on this fight, there may not be a Wizarding world by the time you come of age. Therefore, this letter is a necessity.
Please give your Mum a hug and a kiss for me,
Your father
Dean could only stare at the letter, wide-eyed. His father was a Wizard? Those only existed in the fantasy novels that Stella read. Witches and Wizards weren’t real! And the wands, the potions, the school “ those weren’t real either!
Dean shook his head, feeling rather disappointed. He’d had such high hopes for finding out about his father, but all he’d discovered was a load of fantasy. Someone had played a good joke on him, but Dean wasn’t laughing.
His father didn’t even have a name, for goodness sake! How believable was that? And Dean knew for a fact that there hadn’t been a war recently for anyone to fight in “ he surely would have studied that in school.
This story about his father was impossible, and Dean knew it. Rather angrily, he shoved the heavy and yellowed paper to the back of his cluttered desk and stormed downstairs. His father “ no, his stepfather “ had already left for his office and his mother was in the yard, trying to salvage some of her flowering vines. Dean didn’t see Stella or Jay anywhere, and suddenly he felt lonely.
Most of his family seemed angry with him, someone was playing an elaborate hoax about his parentage, and no one was currently paying him any attention.
Frustration bubbled up inside of him, and Dean tore towards the front door in a sprint. Making sure to slam the door on his way out, he went up several blocks to the one thing that might distract him “ football.
--
Dean played as hard as he possibly could. He ran up the field and back again. It was a bit mindless, chasing the ball, but it felt as if he was running away from his problems. Away from the turmoil that he had somehow fallen into yesterday afternoon.
If only he hadn’t been late…
After the other team scored a goal, Dean made a point of checking a teammate’s watch. With fifteen minutes until curfew, he said his goodbyes to the team and began to walk home.
He was determined not to be late this time. He would be home, on time, clean, and sitting down for dinner. Just the way his family wanted it.
There was a cool breeze blowing and it played through Dean’s hair and felt refreshing on his flushed face. Scuffing the ground slightly, he turned the corner onto his block.
It was quiet. There was no one outside and no cars were driving up the street. Dean quickened his rather slow pace slightly, just in case he had wasted more time than he had thought. As he reached the front gate, he could see that the dining room table in his house was empty. By squinting through the window, he was able to see that his mother was at the stove, giving some pan a stir.
Dean was right on time.
Opening the door, Dean stepped over the threshold and took his dirty shoes off so that they would soil the clean carpet. He shut the door with a quiet snap and walked into the bathroom.
Dean turned the faucet on and splashed the cold water on to his hands and face. It felt good to clean up after a long game. Just as he was towelling his face off, he heard his mother shout, “Dinner!”
Dean hung the towel neatly on the rack and walked into the dining room. Jay and Stella were already seated, his father was just sitting down, and his mother was bringing a fragrant dish in from the kitchen. It seemed as if it would be a peaceful family meal.
Dean’s father smiled and turned to his youngest son, “So, Jay, what did you do today?”
“I found a worm!” Jay said eagerly. He spread his thumb and finger a few inches out, “And it was this big!”
His father nodded and picked up his fork. Slowly, he took a bite of his steaming dinner. The silence at the table felt heavy and oppressive. Dean’s mother noticed, and said rather quickly, “Good news. It looks like my plants will survive their little tumble.” Seeing her husband nod, she continued, “I cleared away most of the fallen wood and replanted just about everything.”
His father grunted noncommittally while keeping his eyes on his plate.
The table fell back into the awkward silence. Dean took a bite of dinner, only to realize that it was much too hot. He picked up his glass of water and took a very quick swallow.
The seconds dragged on through dinner. The uncomfortable silence seemed to make the time spent eating stretch into infinity. And then…
Tap, tap!
“What the…?” Dean’s father took his eyes off of his dinner and looked around the room.
The curious tapping sound came again, slightly more persistently this time.
Jay looked beneath the table to see if he could locate the source of the noise, while his father was looking at the china on the table suspiciously.
Then Stella exclaimed, “There’s a bird at the window!”
“What?” Dean, his mother, and his father all said the one word simultaneously.
His father stood up and strode towards the window. He opened it with a small clicking noise and a bird “ an owl “ flew in. Stella squealed as the bird dropped something that landed very close to her plate. And just as suddenly as the owl had flown in, it zoomed right back out of the window.
The room fell into silence once again, but this time shock emanated throughout the occupants. An owl had never flown into the house before. Much less during dinnertime! Dean automatically reached for whatever it was that the owl had dropped.
It was a rather thick rectangle. As Dean picked it up, he felt his heartbeat start to race “ it was made out of the same material that his previous envelope had been made of.
Bringing it closer to his face, Dean was able to read the rather slanted script:
Dean Thomas
The Dinner Table
Rochford, Essex
“It’s mine.” Dean’s voice was a combination of amazement and curiosity.
His father spoke to him for the first time since the previous day. “Nonsense!” he scoffed. “How on earth could a scrap of paper that an owl dropped be yours?”
Dean looked up and met his father’s eyes. “It’s got my name on it.”
His mother, feeling the tension level beginning to rise, said softly, “Then why don’t you open it, dear?”
Dean nodded and picked up his dinner knife. He very carefully slit the thick paper, being careful not to cut through the curious wax seal on the back.
Once the envelope was open, Dean gingerly pulled out what appeared to be three pieces of the same heavy paper. He carefully unfolded them and read the one on top:
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grad Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Thomas,
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 September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Dean’s eyes grew wide as he scanned the short letter. Hogwarts was real. He was invited to a school that taught Witches and Wizards. Just like his father had said in the letter!
But that meant that his father had actually been a Wizard.
His father was a wizard!
Dean’s sat grappling this thought. It seemed so real now that he held proof that his real father had been right. And the best part was that he, Dean Thomas, was a wizard too.
The clink of china as his mother placed her coffee cup back on the saucer broke Dean’s reverie. He looked down at the other two sheets of paper that he held in his hand.
One was a list of all of the supplies that he would need. He was quite intrigued by the fact that broomsticks actually existed (and rather saddened by the fact that he wouldn’t be allowed to buy one). And he would need a wand!
The other sheet of paper was another letter, addressed to him. It read:
Dear Mr. Thomas,
As you are a Muggle-born wizard (one who does not have any experience with magic as of yet), you will need assistance in order to purchase your school supplies. On Saturday, July 28, please present yourself at the Leaky Cauldron in London promptly at two o’clock. You will find a map enclosed.
Tom, the barman at the Leaky Cauldron, will assist you in obtaining your school supplies. Your parents will not be able to see the Leaky Cauldron yet (we will enable you to take them there later in your magical education). Due to this, your parents will simply have to leave you at the location in London which you specify.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
At the bottom of the letter, there was a map of London with a small, flashing, red dot that was labeled “The Leaky Cauldron.”
Dean stared once again in shock. Despite the fact that he now believed that there were Wizards (and he was one of them), it was difficult to grasp that there was an entire world that had existed without his knowledge.
“Dean?” His mother broke his train of thought with the question.
“Yes?” Dean looked up from the small stack of paperwork in his lap.
“What’s going on, dear?”
Dean felt his face break into an enormous grin before he shouted for all to hear, “I’m a Wizard, Mum!”