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Anticipation

Liesel was headed toward the kitchen to help her mother with supper when she looked on the floor in front of the fireplace and noticed a rather large envelope on the carpeted floor. It was addressed to her and when she read the return address and then saw the official red waxy seal of Hogwarts, she screamed. "IT'S HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE!" She ran through the house toward the kitchen where her parents were sitting at the table. With shaking hands, she handed the large envelope to her father. "I can't," she said weakly. "You do it?"

Liesel handed her letter to her father then sat in her kitchen chair, pulling her legs up as tightly as she could manage. She closed her eyes as her father examined the handwriting. "Ahh...well, it's about time! Minnie wrote this," he said. "I can tell!"

"Okay," Liesel responded curtly.

He flipped the large envelope over in his hands several times. "This is a fairly large envelope. It's rather thick too. I wonder if they're sending your time table already?"

"DAD!"

John chuckled as Laurie arched her brow toward her husband. "John, you're being positively obtuse! Open the damned letter already!"

"Alright, alright!" John broke the seal and opened the envelope then withdrew several sheets of parchment. He leafed through them all and placed them face down on the table, as well as another small envelope. When Laurie attempted to pick them up, he tapped on her hand, causing her to release them instantly. She scowled and rolled her eyes as she clicked her tongue.

"Alright," he said eyeing his daughter over the parchment. "Drum roll please...in Transfiguration Miss Rhodes scored....." He looked at his child who by this time was rocking in her seat and chewing on her thumbnail. "An O!"

Liesel nodded her head and took a breath finally and exhaled with a heavy sigh. She swallowed hard.

"There is a handwritten remark here from Minnie. It reads, 'Miss Rhodes, thank you for all of your hard work this year. It's been a pleasure working with you. I do hope that you will consider assisting with tutoring again next year. All of your students passed with outstanding marks on the exams!'" He pulled the parchment from his hand and passed it across the table to her. Liesel placed it face down on the table.

"Don't you want to see it Darling," Laurie asked.

"I'll look at it later," she said weakly.

Laurie looked toward her husband sternly and mouthed, 'hurry up!'

John nodded. "In Potions, you received an O. Professor Slughorn writes, 'I have applied for a patent for your Non-pepper UP Potion on your behalf. We still have to come up with a fitting name. The paperwork should be arriving any day now. Look for my owl and well done! I am very proud of you! I do hope you consider Remedial potions again next year!' What's he talking about, Bobby?"

"I came up with a cold remedy that doesn't make your ear steam. It has some basic antibiotic properties, so it not only treats the symptoms, but the cold bug itself. I hope he put Reggie's name on the patent too!"

Her mother leaned over to wipe at the tear that was threatening to spill from her eye. "When did you do that, Darling? In remedial potions?"

"First day of fifth year potions class," she muttered.

John beamed. "You went in strong like I told you! Excellent!"

Liesel nodded and chewed on her lip.

"Divination, you got an E." Liesel nodded and rolled her eyes. "Do you want to take that next year Bobbie?

Liesel shook her head.