Daily Life at Hogwarts - Chapter 2

Nobody moved. Everyone was rooted to the spot for what felt like half an hour… though in reality, it was probably just ten seconds.

Albert bent down to pick up the pale-yellow envelope. The envelope didn’t have any postage stamp, and there was an address written in emerald-green ink. He softly read out:

Mr. Albert Anderson, 19 Tibbett Avenue.

As Albert read these words, he realized he had triggered a task:

Path of the Wizard.

You possess the potential to be a wizard, though you are not yet qualified. You now have a precious opportunity: to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a student.

Rewards: 10,000 experience points, 2 skill points, Wizard Bloodline +1.

Wizard Bloodline?

Albert was taken aback.

What in Merlin’s beard was this?

While the 2 skill points were enticing — considering being accepted into Eton only earned him one — Albert had been saving for years and had managed to amass only three skill points, which he was reluctant to use.

More alarmingly, he seemed to be living in the world of a novel.

The Harry Potter series?

He flipped the envelope and, sure enough, saw the Hogwarts crest — a large letter “H” surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.

“Mum, do zoos now train owls to be postmen?” Nia asked, her gaze fixed on the lingering owl.

“I think no one uses owls for mail delivery, Nia. At least no normal person. Perhaps this is a prank,” Daisy said, noticing the worried look on Herbert’s face. “What’s wrong, dear? Shouldn’t we leave now?”

“Nothing, Albert, may I see the letter?” Herbert quietly asked.

“Oh, here,” Albert handed the envelope to his father.

“Darling!” Daisy sounded annoyed.

Ignoring his wife’s irritation, Herbert rapidly tore open the envelope, quickly scanning the parchment inside, and said, “Kids, it seems we’ll need to postpone our plans.”

“Dear Herbert, what happened, what’s in the letter?” Daisy felt that her husband was a little abnormal, and her tone couldn’t help but increase.

“What’s written inside, Dad?” Nia eagerly inquired. In contrast, Albert, the recipient, seemed mostly unfazed.

“Let’s discuss it in the living room,” Herbert said, leading his family back into the house.

After they closed the front door, the owl messenger showed no signs of leaving.

“Herbert, I want a proper explanation,” Daisy said sternly, clearly annoyed by the unexpected detour.

“Dad, what does the letter say? Who could possibly know where I would be and send me a letter?” Albert’s face was devoid of any major reaction, but of course, he knew what the letter was about. The previous shocks of transmigration and the task panel had prepared him for this revelation.

“But finding out I live in the world of a novel I’ve read? Oddly, it doesn’t feel that strange,” Albert thought, especially given that he had read the Harry Potter series and even wrote a fan fiction based on it.

“Let me read it out,” Herbert said, glancing at his unusually calm son, and began reading the parchment:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, President of the International Confederation of Wizards)

“Hogwarts… school?” Daisy said, her eyes wide with disbelief, for she had begun to guess the content of this mysterious parchment… an acceptance letter?

“Magic! Is magic real?” Nia exclaimed, excitement evident on her face. “I want to learn magic too, and go to Hogwarts!”

“Annoying Albert, let go of me!” Nia said with a frown, trying to get closer to the letter, only to be held back by her older brother.

“Nia, let Dad finish the letter,” Albert gestured for his father to continue, while guiding his infuriated mother to sit.

“Son, I absolutely will not let you go to this Hogw…” Daisy said heatedly, suspecting her husband might be privy to something.

Herbert cleared his throat and resumed reading:

“Dear Mr. Anderson,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 21st.

Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.”

Finishing, he handed the letter back to his son.

Albert glanced at it and then handed it to his curious sister, Nia, who ran to show their mother, Daisy.

After reading it closely, Daisy said, each word heavy with finality: “I will not agree to send Albert to such a school. No, someone is playing a trick on us. Perhaps we should call the police and catch these pranksters.”

“Mum, does ‘awaiting your owl’ mean they want us to write back?” Nia wondered aloud.

Daisy didn’t respond, instead casting a questioning gaze at her husband.

Albert asked, “Dad, do you know something about this?”

“Not exactly,” Herbert said, rubbing his temples as if summoning memories. “When I was about your age, my father—your grandfather—was disappointed that I didn’t receive a letter from Hogwarts. I once asked him what Hogwarts was, and he just said it was a school.”

“Another time, when he was drunk, I asked why he wanted me to go to Hogwarts.”

“He said he was a Squib, but I didn’t understand the term then,” Herbert’s voice was low, recalling how his father had cried that day. “Now, I guess I understand. If he knew his grandson had received a Hogwarts letter, he would’ve been overjoyed.”

Albert certainly understood what a Squib was, but he never thought it might be related to him. There were no hints of magic in his skill set, or he’d have noticed.

“Yes, I should write to him. No, I should call him! He’d be thrilled!” Herbert suddenly exclaimed, seemingly ready to call his father.

“Herbert Anderson!” Daisy shouted, “Albert is supposed to go to Eton, where he has potential for great achievements, not some unheard-of school. Do you understand? This is his future, and I will not allow…”

“Mum, we still haven’t confirmed if magic is real,” Albert interrupted, holding his mother gently, “The letter did say ‘awaiting your owl’, right? Maybe we should write back, asking them to send someone from Hogwarts to prove if magic exists. If they can’t, then we’ll know it’s a scam.”

“Alright, son, I agree with you,” Daisy said with a clenched fist, “We’ll let that damned school prove the authenticity of this letter. I’ll make sure to report this and ensure these frauds rot in jail if it’s a ruse.”