Albus Potter woke to the sound of something tapping on his window. As he blinked open his eyes, he noticed a small tawny owl with an envelope clutched tightly in its beak. Albus hopped out of bed and opened the window to let the little bird inside. The owl dropped the envelope in Albus’ hand and, its package delivered, flew off into the morning sky.
Albus stared excitedly at the envelope; he was pretty sure he knew what this was. Flipping it over and seeing the school’s crest on the seal confirmed his hopes. “But what if they send letters saying you can’t come? They probably do; they have to let the Squibs know somehow,” thought Albus. “I’d better read it to make sure.”
Inside the envelope was a letter from Deputy Headmaster Flitwick. Albus had been accepted! He was going to Hogwarts! Albus rushed downstairs to tell his parents the good news. Bumping into his older brother James in the hall, Albus yelled, “See, I told you I’m not a Squib!” while brandishing the letter in James’ face.
“Mum! Dad! I got my letter!” exclaimed Albus, bursting into the living room. His mother Ginny whipped around to face him, causing her long red hair to hit his father in the face and knock off his round glasses. As Harry stooped down to pick up his glasses, Ginny hugged her son and said “That’s great Al!”
“What’s great?” yawned Lily, who had just wandered downstairs, still dressed in her pink pajamas.
“Your brother just got his letter from Hogwarts,” Harry answered, standing up and straightening his glasses.
“Ooh I wanna go too Daddy!” exclaimed Lily, her red pigtails bouncing with excitement.
“You’ll get your turn to go to school soon enough, Lily. Right now you get to stay home and be my little girl,” Harry smiled.
Albus noticed his mother muttering something as her favorite enchanted quill began writing on the nearest piece of parchment.
“Whatcha doing, Mum?”
“I’m making a shopping list for when we go into Diagon Alley,” she answered. “We’re running low on Floo Powder and I’m all out of dittany, and Merlin knows we need it in this family, so I thought I’d pick some up when we get your school supplies and wand.”
“I wonder what kind of wand I’ll get. I hope it has a phoenix feather like Dad’s!” Albus said excitedly.
“Ya know Al, it’s the wand that chooses the wizard,” interjected James, who had now joined the rest of the family in the living room, “and the only wand that would choose you is a 7- inch pine with a fairy wing core.”
“Mum! Tell James to quit it!”
“James, if you don’t stop pestering your brother, you won’t get to go with us to Uncle George’s shop,” Ginny said sternly.
James agreed to behave, at least for the rest of the day, and the Potter family gathered around the table to eat breakfast.
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The next day Albus was admiring his new wand. Contrary to James’ prediction, it was 10 ¼ inches long, springy and made of birch. Most importantly to Albus, it contained the phoenix feather he wanted. Albus decided it would be a good idea to take a look at his new textbooks before school started; he was sure his cousin Rose was already halfway through hers. Albus was walking down the hall to his room where his books were when he heard a voice coming from his brother’s room.
“…up to no good.”
Albus entered the room and saw James sitting with what appeared to be an old piece of parchment in his lap. Albus thought his brother was paying an unwarranted amount of attention to the aged paper, but then James noticed who had entered his room.
“Hey Al! Come ‘ere! Take a look at this.”
“I’m not interested in one of Dad’s old essays,” said Albus. “I only came in here because I heard you say you were up to no good.”
“Aren’t I always?” smirked James. “And it’s not an essay, dimwit. It’s a map.”
“Ooh a map,” said Albus sarcastically. “I didn’t realize my brother was so fascinated with geography.”
“It’s a map of Hogwarts, troll-brain. It has secret passages on it and even shows where everyone is in the castle!”
Now Albus was interested. “But how can it do that?” he asked.
“Well ya see bro, there’s this thing called magic and …”
“Shut up,” glared Albus. “So where did this map come from anyway?”
“I found it in Dad’s desk a couple weeks ago,” James explained. “I knew it was something important because, well…Dad had some enchantments on the drawer.”
“So that’s why you had those green spots on your…”
“Anyway,” James interrupted, “I asked Uncle George about it yesterday. At first he just got this big grin on his face, but then he showed me how to work it. All you have to do is tap it with your wand and say ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.’ When you’re done, just tap it again and say ‘Mischief managed!’ It’s going to be a fun year at Hogwarts,” he grinned.