บท 4: Chapter 4 - Hogwarts Letters!
Morning.
"Come have a taste! Today's breakfast was made by Crow—I just helped a little," Mrs. Granger announced. "Who would've thought Crow could cook? It's hard to believe he's only ten! Hmm, delicious! His cooking is on par with yours," she said to Mr. Granger.
"I used to help Mrs. Wilson cook at the orphanage, so I picked up a few things over time. But I'm sure it's nothing compared to your cooking, Mrs. Granger," Crow replied humbly.
"I think yours is even better than Mom's!" Hermione chimed in.
[Detected two feelings of happiness!]
[Reward: Two Bronze Chests!]
Crow rubbed his nose in slight embarrassment. He was trying to impress his future mother-in-law, but his soon-to-be wife was undermining him. Fortunately, the Grangers seemed more amused than annoyed by Hermione's comment. Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged knowing glances, a bit resigned. It seemed that Hermione was already very attached to Crow, despite knowing him for such a short time.
Mr. Granger glanced out the window, hoping to clear his mind, but something caught his eye. He put his bread down in surprise.
"Hmm? Is that... a Scottish round-faced fat chicken?"
"Don't be ridiculous! One of them might be round-faced, but the other definitely isn't—its face isn't round at all!" Mrs. Granger countered.
The two owls outside: ...Are you serious?
Hearing the commotion, Crow and Hermione turned to look outside. Crow's eyes sparkled with anticipation. If he wasn't mistaken, these were the owls delivering their Hogwarts acceptance letters!
"Oh, come on! They're both owls, alright? When have you ever seen a chicken that could fly?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Wait, are those letters? Owls delivering letters—is this like the Eastern tradition of carrier pigeons?"
"Enough about that. Let's bring them inside. Looks like those letters are for us," Crow suggested.
Hermione set down her toast and opened the window, allowing the two owls—both glaring with a side-eye—to enter. After dropping off their letters, the owls flew away, leaving a parting gift in response to the Grangers' "compliments."
"If I see those two round-faced chickens again, they'll be Christmas dinner!" Mr. Granger grumbled as he cleaned up the mess left behind.
Once everything was sorted, the family gathered around to examine the letters.
"What's this crest? A lion, a badger, an eagle, and a snake?" Mr. Granger asked.
"One is addressed to Hermione Granger. What about the other one? Is it for Hermione too?"
"No, it's for Crow Wells," Mrs. Granger replied.
They exchanged curious looks, wondering who would send letters to two ten-year-olds. Still, they handed the letters to Hermione and Crow. Crow's heart raced at the sight of the emblem on the envelopes. Growing up, who hadn't dreamed of receiving a Hogwarts acceptance letter? And now, this wasn't just a toy; it was the real deal!
"Hogwarts acceptance letter? Is there a school like that around here? And the way they deliver letters is... magical?" Hermione wondered aloud, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Why don't you open it and see? It might be a wonderful school. If you and Crow both received letters, you won't have to be apart," Mrs. Granger suggested.
Hermione snuck a glance at Crow, noticing his excited expression. Her cheeks reddened slightly. Was Crow excited about going to school with her?
[Detected strong feelings of shyness!]
[Reward: Gold Chest!]
The system's alert drew Crow's attention away from the letter. Seeing Hermione's shy smile, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Was the treasure girl self-correcting? A treasure that needed no guidance to be unlocked? Perfect!
"Dear Ms. Granger: We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A list of required books and equipment is enclosed. Term begins on September 1. Please reply by July 31."
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
Deputy Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
After reading the letter, the Grangers exchanged glances. They had always noticed that Hermione could do things other children couldn't. If magic could explain these phenomena, everything suddenly made sense!
Hermione pulled out the supply list, her face scrunched in puzzlement. "Books like The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, A History of Magic, and Magical Drafts and Potions... a wand, a quill, and a Sorting Hat? I've never heard of these books, and where on earth is Diagon Alley?"
She looked up at her parents, who could only shrug.
"The letter mentioned that a professor from the school would take us to Diagon Alley, right? We'll find out everything then," Crow said, sitting back down at the breakfast table. "Let's finish breakfast first—this could just be a prank. Things like this happen all the time."
Hermione clutched her acceptance letter tightly, a spark of hope flickering in her heart. If this was real, it meant she was a witch, and Crow was a wizard too? They'd be going to the same school?
As she absentmindedly nibbled on her breakfast, her parents were equally distracted, curious to find out whether their daughter was indeed a witch.
The doorbell rang, interrupting their thoughts.
"I'll get it!" Hermione exclaimed, dropping her toast as she dashed to the door. Crow shook his head with a smile. He understood their skepticism—if he didn't already know this was the world of Harry Potter, he'd probably be just as doubtful.
"You are…?" Hermione asked, puzzled by the tall woman in a dark green robe and pointed hat standing before her.
"Miss Hermione Granger? I'm Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts. You may call me Professor McGonagall," she introduced herself. "I imagine you've already received your acceptance letter. I've timed my visit precisely."
Professor McGonagall sized up Hermione with a pleased expression. She knew of Hermione's reputation as a dedicated student, and there was nothing more a teacher liked than an eager learner.
"A professor from Hogwarts? So, magic is real? Apologies, it's just hard to believe," Mr. Granger said, only to receive a quick glare from his wife, who promptly invited McGonagall inside with a smile.
"Please, Professor McGonagall, come in. We're just having breakfast. Would you care to join us? Crow made it, and it's delicious—you might enjoy it," she offered.
Crow stood off to the side, curious as he took in McGonagall's presence. This was his first time seeing a character from the original story up close. And she was the one who had awarded him the Silver Chest, which contained his Beginner Transfiguration Talent.
"Thank you for the offer, but I've already had breakfast," McGonagall replied with a polite smile. She turned to Crow and Hermione, looking them over with a discerning eye.
"Crow Wells? You're quite fortunate. Had your magical awakening happened any later, you wouldn't have been able to attend Hogwarts this year."
"I'm here to take you both to Diagon Alley to purchase your school supplies. Are you ready? We can leave whenever you are."
Crow remained silent, simply holding Hermione's hand. At ten years old, it was best not to say too much, especially around McGonagall. As Dumbledore's right hand, she was a skilled witch who could easily pry into his mind if she wished. He needed to learn Occlumency from Snape soon to safeguard his secrets.
At that moment, Mr. and Mrs. Granger stepped forward, blocking Hermione and Crow. "Forgive our caution, Professor, but as parents, we can't let you take them without more assurance. We can't be certain magic is real or that this school exists," Mr. Granger said firmly.
Hermione peered around them, hope gleaming in her eyes. She desperately wanted magic and Hogwarts to be real. If they were, not only would she be a witch, but she'd also get to go to school with Crow.
McGonagall sat down calmly. "Explaining magic won't do much to convince you. You wouldn't believe it without seeing it." She raised her wand, and, before they could react, transformed into a tabby cat and leapt onto the table.
"Is this… magic? So, it's real! Does this mean Crow and I are wizards? This is amazing!" Hermione said, dragging Crow over to the table to get a closer look.
The Grangers also approached, marveling at the tabby cat that had been McGonagall. Crow's eyes sparkled as he witnessed real magic for the first time—an Animagus transformation.
McGonagall jumped down, returning to her human form. "There's nothing like seeing it with your own eyes, is there? If you're still uncertain, you're welcome to accompany us to Diagon Alley. You'll see the world your children are about to enter."
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