<BR><BR><B><I>Brenda McCartney <brenda.mccartney@gmail.com></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <div>> > Then she remembered the letter, now on the dark purple sheets of her bed.<BR>> > Green handwriting was scribbled on the front, in quick curvy hand writing.<BR>> > She slowly scooped up the letter, opened the door and shouted down the<BR>> > stairs,<BR>> ><BR>> > "Er... Grandma! An owl just gave me a letter!"<BR>><BR>> >From downstairs, Amber heard a cackle. "Ha HA! She got one!" her<BR>> grandfather exclaimed gleefully.<BR>><BR>> Sofia sputtered, horrified. "Not another... blasted owls... magic...<BR>> I WON'T have another..."<BR>><BR>> "Oh, stow it, love," he said in the nicest possible way as he climbed<BR>> the stairs two at a time. "Open the letter, dear," he called up the<BR>> stairs to Amber.<BR>><BR>>
She bolted down, and slid under her grandfather's kind arm.<BR>><BR>> When Amber opened it, she could see the letter had two pages. On the<BR>> first was written the following in a fine, flowing hand:<BR>><BR>> HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY<BR>><BR>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>><BR>> Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore<BR>> (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme<BR>> Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)<BR>><BR>> Dear Miss McFuller:<BR>><BR>> We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts<BR>> School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all<BR>> necessary books and equipment.<BR>><BR>> Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.<BR>><BR>> Yours sincerely,<BR>><BR>> Minerva McGonagall,<BR>> Deputy Headmistress<BR>><BR>><BR>> The second sheet contained a list:<BR>><BR>> HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY<BR>><BR>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>><BR>> UNIFORM:<BR>> First-year students will require:<BR>> 1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)<BR>> 2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear<BR>> 3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)<BR>> 4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)<BR>> Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.<BR>><BR>> COURSE BOOKS:<BR>> All sutdents should have a copy of each of the following:<BR>> The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk<BR>> A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot<BR>> Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling<BR>> A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch<BR>> One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phillida Spore<BR>> Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger<BR>> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander<BR>> The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by
Quentin Trimble<BR>><BR>> OTHER EQUIPMENT:<BR>> 1 wand<BR>> 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)<BR>> 1 set glass or crystal phials<BR>> 1 telescope<BR>> 1 set brass scales<BR>> Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad<BR>><BR>> PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.<BR>><BR>> "Witches... potions... Broomsticks!" said Amber as she read the letter<BR>> "What? How? Who? What?", millions of questions zoomed like bees inside her<BR>> head. With each word she said, the Irish bough she grew up with, got more<BR>> and more distinct. "Wait... does that mean... I'm a... what?".<BR><BR>"A witch, dear," Phil said quickly, cutting off his wife's less<BR>courteous response. He squeezed his granddaughter's shoulder. "Your<BR>father got one of those when he was your age. Didn't know what to<BR>make of it at the time, we didn't. But he went to the school. Done<BR>him good, that's a fact."<BR><BR>He
leaned over and said in a fake whisper, "He was quite the hellion<BR>before that. Not sure where I've seen another like him." He winked<BR>mischievously.<BR><BR>Sofia looked as if she were about to burst with frustration. "Fine.<BR>Just... fine! I can see I'll get no further now than I did twenty-odd<BR>years ago." She stomped back down the stairs. "You just be sure you<BR>take that blasted cat with you," she called back over her shoulder<BR>angrily.<BR><BR>"Cat hair..." she continued to mutter as she retreated down the hallway.<BR></div> <div>"This is a... good thing... right? I mean... am I... going to turn green, or - or dance around a glowing pot?" said Amber putting her hand to her nose, "I like the color I am. And I don't like to dance."<BR>______________________________________________<BR>HogwartsBetween mailing list<BR>HogwartsBetween@gamera.cc<BR>http://gamera.cc/mailman/listinfo/hogwartsbetween_gamera.cc<BR></div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 
<hr size=1>Luggage? GPS? Comic books? <br>
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