Chapter 16: Hogwarts Letter
After becoming an Animagus, Charles didn’t go to the Ministry of Magic to register, and instead, he had it left as his secret trump card. Knowing this, Julie had agreed as well.
A shared secret would allow the two to grow closer.
That night, Charles sat by his window and slowly drank a steaming cup of soothing tea. This tea had several magical herbs in it that helped drain away the fatigue. Every night before bed, Charles would drink a cup or two.
As per usual, he would look outside the windows to gaze at the stars in the sky. But today, there was something different. A single owl he had never seen before descended down onto Charles’ mailbox amidst the sounds of ruffling feathers and then stuffed a letter inside.
Whose family does this owl belong to? It can’t be the Abbotts, their family owl would have brought the mail straight to me for a snack.” Charles thought. No matter, he would have to look at the letter first to know.
Waiting until after the owl had flown away, Charles quickly ran out to check the mailbox.
“It’s my address for sure, looks like they didn’t deliver to the wrong place.” Charles muttered. Looking at it, the letter was made from a heavy type of parchment and was written with a jade green ink. No postage stamp either. Turning over the letter, he could only see a candle wax seal. On this seal was a shield coat of arms with the letter ‘H’ stamped on it. Around the ‘H’, the head of a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake could be seen.
“This is the invitation letter from Hogwarts.” Charles suddenly thought. “I can finally go to school!”
Taking in a deep breath, he began to calm himself. Then, opening up the letter, he took out the parchment inside 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 Mr. Goole:
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
Because it was already night time, Charles waited for the next day to give the letter to his parents.
“Hogwarts? I never heard of it. Did you sign up for something in secret?” David asked.
“Nope.” Then Charles began to explain Hogwarts to both David and Anna.
“I see!” Anna exclaimed, “So there’s such a thing like a magical school in this world! Did you want to go?”
“I was planning to go to Hogwarts, yes.”
“That works, that way, your mother and I won’t have to worry about you not going to school!” David spoke. “As a celebration for Charles being accepted into Hogwarts, today I’ll be making a feast!”
“Forget it, I’ll cook today!”
“That works too, I’ll help you.” Anna said.
Now that he was accepted into Hogwarts, Charles would take a break! No more researching magic, now he could accompany his parents.
One morning not too far away, a single woman could be seen standing outside the Gooles. She wore square-shaped glasses and had her hair tied up in a tight bunch. She wore a dark green Scottland dress with a stern expression and gave the expression that she was some sort of a stiff but fair lady.
Politely, she walked up the steps to the house and knocked. Half a moment later, David opened the door.
“Good afternoon, I am Minerva McGonagall, I am looking for a Mr. Charles Earl Goole. I believe he is home?”
“Are you the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts?”
“That I am, sir.”
“He’s home, please come in, miss.” David spoke. “He’s currently in the kitchen making some crispy cakes and will be out in a moment.”
“It’s a type of Chinese snack, miss. It’s quite good smelling, come and try a taste.”
Not too long, Charles could be heard calling out “Crispy cakes are done!” from the kitchen.
“The crispy cakes are ready.” David spoke to McGonagall before turning to look at Charles and Anna who had both just walked out the kitchen. “Come on over, this is the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.”
“Hello, Headmistress, I am Charles.” Charles spoke while loading up a tray of crispy cakes onto the table. “Please have a taste of my crispy cakes.”
Carefully taking a single crispy cake, McGonagall took a bite.
“Neither greasy and is quite delicate to the mouth, your cooking skills are quite decent, Mr. Goole.”
“Thank you!”
“Now that you know who I am, allow me to talk about Hogwarts.”
“That we already know, madame headmistress.” Anna spoke.
“Oh,” McGonagall was curious now, “How did you come to know of this?’
“Maybe I should say!” Charles replied. “One time when I had an accidental burst of magic, an adult witch saw me and we became friends after. After she knew that I got my acceptance letter, she explained to me a little about Hogwarts. That witch is someone you should know, her name is Julie Abbott, a Gryffindor.” Charles had pushed all that he knew of Hogwarts onto Julie.
“Julie of the Abbotts! I remember her, quite the lively child she was.” McGonagall reminisced, “Since it’s like that, then take your acceptance letter, and I’ll take you to Diagon Alley.”
“Thank you.”
After taking Charles through the Leaky Cauldron, McGonagall and Charles appeared in Diagon Alley.
“Take out your acceptance letter, inside will be the books and items you will need for your first year at Hogwarts.”
Charles flipped to the second page of the letter where it said:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require: Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 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
“I can buy these things myself!” Charles spoke. “Sis Julie already told me some stuff on Diagon Alley.”
“Hm!” McGonagall’s eyebrows knitted together, “I will accompany you lest that you forget about something.”
“It looks like today is very hot, you must be tired after walking all this time. I think you should go to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour and eat some ice cream. After I finish buying everything, I’ll come back to find you then you can check it over.”
Seeing that Charles was determined to buy his own stuff, McGonagall thought for a moment before nodding her head.
Chapter 16: Hogwarts Letter
After becoming an Animagus, Charles didn’t go to the Ministry of Magic to register, and instead, he had it left as his secret trump card. Knowing this, Julie had agreed as well.
A shared secret would allow the two to grow closer.
That night, Charles sat by his window and slowly drank a steaming cup of soothing tea. This tea had several magical herbs in it that helped drain away the fatigue. Every night before bed, Charles would drink a cup or two.
As per usual, he would look outside the windows to gaze at the stars in the sky. But today, there was something different. A single owl he had never seen before descended down onto Charles’ mailbox amidst the sounds of ruffling feathers and then stuffed a letter inside.
Whose family does this owl belong to? It can’t be the Abbotts, their family owl would have brought the mail straight to me for a snack.” Charles thought. No matter, he would have to look at the letter first to know.
Waiting until after the owl had flown away, Charles quickly ran out to check the mailbox.
“It’s my address for sure, looks like they didn’t deliver to the wrong place.” Charles muttered. Looking at it, the letter was made from a heavy type of parchment and was written with a jade green ink. No postage stamp either. Turning over the letter, he could only see a candle wax seal. On this seal was a shield coat of arms with the letter ‘H’ stamped on it. Around the ‘H’, the head of a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake could be seen.
“This is the invitation letter from Hogwarts.” Charles suddenly thought. “I can finally go to school!”
Taking in a deep breath, he began to calm himself. Then, opening up the letter, he took out the parchment inside 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 Mr. Goole:
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
Because it was already night time, Charles waited for the next day to give the letter to his parents.
“Hogwarts? I never heard of it. Did you sign up for something in secret?” David asked.
“Nope.” Then Charles began to explain Hogwarts to both David and Anna.
“I see!” Anna exclaimed, “So there’s such a thing like a magical school in this world! Did you want to go?”
“I was planning to go to Hogwarts, yes.”
“That works, that way, your mother and I won’t have to worry about you not going to school!” David spoke. “As a celebration for Charles being accepted into Hogwarts, today I’ll be making a feast!”
“Forget it, I’ll cook today!”
“That works too, I’ll help you.” Anna said.
Now that he was accepted into Hogwarts, Charles would take a break! No more researching magic, now he could accompany his parents.
One morning not too far away, a single woman could be seen standing outside the Gooles. She wore square-shaped glasses and had her hair tied up in a tight bunch. She wore a dark green Scottland dress with a stern expression and gave the expression that she was some sort of a stiff but fair lady.
Politely, she walked up the steps to the house and knocked. Half a moment later, David opened the door.
“Good afternoon, I am Minerva McGonagall, I am looking for a Mr. Charles Earl Goole. I believe he is home?”
“Are you the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts?”
“That I am, sir.”
“He’s home, please come in, miss.” David spoke. “He’s currently in the kitchen making some crispy cakes and will be out in a moment.”
“It’s a type of Chinese snack, miss. It’s quite good smelling, come and try a taste.”
Not too long, Charles could be heard calling out “Crispy cakes are done!” from the kitchen.
“The crispy cakes are ready.” David spoke to McGonagall before turning to look at Charles and Anna who had both just walked out the kitchen. “Come on over, this is the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.”
“Hello, Headmistress, I am Charles.” Charles spoke while loading up a tray of crispy cakes onto the table. “Please have a taste of my crispy cakes.”
Carefully taking a single crispy cake, McGonagall took a bite.
“Neither greasy and is quite delicate to the mouth, your cooking skills are quite decent, Mr. Goole.”
“Thank you!”
“Now that you know who I am, allow me to talk about Hogwarts.”
“That we already know, madame headmistress.” Anna spoke.
“Oh,” McGonagall was curious now, “How did you come to know of this?’
“Maybe I should say!” Charles replied. “One time when I had an accidental burst of magic, an adult witch saw me and we became friends after. After she knew that I got my acceptance letter, she explained to me a little about Hogwarts. That witch is someone you should know, her name is Julie Abbott, a Gryffindor.” Charles had pushed all that he knew of Hogwarts onto Julie.
“Julie of the Abbotts! I remember her, quite the lively child she was.” McGonagall reminisced, “Since it’s like that, then take your acceptance letter, and I’ll take you to Diagon Alley.”
“Thank you.”
After taking Charles through the Leaky Cauldron, McGonagall and Charles appeared in Diagon Alley.
“Take out your acceptance letter, inside will be the books and items you will need for your first year at Hogwarts.”
Charles flipped to the second page of the letter where it said:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require: Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 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
“I can buy these things myself!” Charles spoke. “Sis Julie already told me some stuff on Diagon Alley.”
“Hm!” McGonagall’s eyebrows knitted together, “I will accompany you lest that you forget about something.”
“It looks like today is very hot, you must be tired after walking all this time. I think you should go to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour and eat some ice cream. After I finish buying everything, I’ll come back to find you then you can check it over.”
Seeing that Charles was determined to buy his own stuff, McGonagall thought for a moment before nodding her head.
