[Hogwarts Between] [HB] Owl Post - Amber

[Brenda McCartney]

> "Am-BER!" the short, elderly woman screamed up the stairs. "Am-BER!
> You come down here THIS INSTANT!"
>
> "What is it now, my dear," drawled her husband Phil from his chair in
> front of the TV.
>
> "Cat hair!" Sofia complained. "All over..."
>
> Amber could not hear the rest as her grandmother went off on another
> one of her tears, as usual. From her room with the door closed,
> Sofia's rants were muffled mercifully.
>
> Just as she was about to go downstairs and rescue her grandfather from
> whatever fluster Gramma was in this time, Amber heard a tapping at her
> window. When she looked, a sleek young owl was sitting on the sill
> outside, a parchment-colored envelope in its beak. It looked directly
> at her and pecked again insistently.
> She rubbed her eyes and looked again. It was still there. What would Sofia
> say if an owl came in my room and pooped on my bed? thought Amber.
>
> She looked from the door to the window. The owl nudged the letter against
> the sheet of glass blocking it's entry. Amber quietly opened the window and
> the owl came flying in, dropping the letter on her bed, then flew back out
> side. Amber ran to the open window and watched the bird as it flew into the
> clouds, and out of sight. "That was strange" she said to herself as she
> walked to her bed.
>
> Then she remembered the letter, now on the dark purple sheets of her bed.
> Green handwriting was scribbled on the front, in quick curvy hand writing.
> She slowly scooped up the letter, opened the door and shouted down the
> stairs,
>
> "Er... Grandma! An owl just gave me a letter!"

>From downstairs, Amber heard a cackle.  "Ha HA!  She got one!" her
grandfather exclaimed gleefully.

Sofia sputtered, horrified.  "Not another... blasted owls... magic...
I WON'T have another..."

"Oh, stow it, love," he said in the nicest possible way as he climbed
the stairs two at a time.  "Open the letter, dear," he called up the
stairs to Amber.

When Amber opened it, she could see the letter had two pages.  On the
first was written the following in a fine, flowing hand:

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 Miss McFuller:

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


The second sheet contained a list:

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, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS:
All sutdents 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 Phillida 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 an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.