The Untold Story Of Isabel Drew

The Letter

Surprisingly, when Isa opened her eyes again, it was shining morning light outside. The kind that gave Isa a satisfying feeling and just relaxed her while giving her energy at the same time. She smiled and mentally high-fived herself for the ability to finally fall asleep.

She looked in the mirror and remembered the conversation she had with herself last night. "I'm not giving up on our adventure." She told her reflection. "Something will happen. I'm sure of it."

Her reflection started back at her, and for once in her life, she couldn't imagine it giving her any answer. Shrugging it off, Isa got out of bed and got ready for the day. She didn't know why she bothered half the time. Her summers were boring and ordinary just like the rest of her life. But, somehow, even worse than normal boring and ordinary. She mainly did absolutely nothing. No summer camps or programs. No clubs or activities. Just staying at home, alone.

This didn't bother her anyway, she liked curling up in her room with a book, even if it were a book she had already read a million times before. As she got dressed and brushed her teeth and hair, she decided that today was good weather for a bike ride to the library. She loved being around so many books and in such a quite environment. She made a mental note to ask her mother and father at breakfast.

As she walked back into her room, she noticed just how many books she had. Her room wasn't messy, but it wasn't very neat either. Mainly, because every little open space had a pile of books on it. Ones she had started and intended to read or reread all the way through. She started to straighten another pile on her nightstand when her mother called up at her. "Isa, breakfast!"
"Coming!" Isa called back.

She descended down the stairs as the mail was pushed through the slot in the door. Smiling at how she had gotten everything down to clockwork, she scooped up the mail as she passed and started sifting through it. Isa didn't expect anything to come for her, but she always checked because it seemed like the perfect opportunity for something to come and change her life.

Isa flipped through bill after bill, coupon after coupon until she was almost at the end of the stack. It wasn't unnatural that Isa not get anything. In fact, only once or twice had she actually got a letter. Both were from her school saying she performed exceptionally that year. However, as Isa flipped to the last peice of mail, she stopped dead in her tracks.

The envelope read:

Miss I. Drew
3475 Qwerty Street,
Second Bedroom to the Right
Upstairs

Isa wondered how anyone knew where she was living to that exact degree and how any mailman could possibly make sense of that address. Something inside her stirred and said, This is it, Isa. Get ready.

Isa's realistic side told whatever that was to shut up. She walked to the table and sat between her mother and father. She handed the mail to her mother, keeping the letter for herself.

"Good morning, Isa." Her father mumbled opening the paper to the crossword.
"John, you would think you could give your daughter a little more attention in the morning." Isa's mother scolded.
"She's fine. She's too busy paying attention to that letter she's holding." Isa's father mumbled back. Isa's father was a loving father, but simply not a morning person. However, he was right. Isa was examining the letter too closely to even hear her parent's conversation.

Isa's mother then realized that her daughter was holding a letter. "What is that?" She asked. Even she knew that Isa getting a letter randomly had never happened.
Isa looked up, "I have no clue."
Isa's father finally looked up from the paper and soon, everyone was staring at the letter in confusion and wonder. "Opening it would probably help." Isa's father suggested.

The air was thick with curiousity that all three started laughing when they realized that none of them had thought that maybe opening the letter would help. "Yeah." Isa said.

She opened the letter and read aloud:
Dear Miss Drew,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall

Reading the letter had definately not answered any questions or helped. In fact, more questions were raised.
Hogwarts??, she thought to herself. What on earth is that?

Another thought stream talked back to her, The more pressing matter: Witchcraft and Wizardry??

I just thought the first question that came to our mind. I thought it was important.

Well not as important as this. Face it, this is it. The thing we've been waiting for.

Ok, but realistically speaking this stuff doesn't happen.

Oh but it's happening.

Well yeah bu-

Isa's thoughts were interrupted by an owl flying through an open window and her mother shrieking. The owl flew around and then landed on the table. Everyone screamed and ran from the table. The owl, unaffected by all the noise, stood entirely still and looked at Isa with an impatient expression. It glanced down at the letter it had dropped before landing itself.

Isa carefully approached the owl with her arms up. As she got closer the owl politely stepped away and let her take the letter. She opened it and read it aloud too.
Miss Drew,
We've also taken notice that you come from a non-magical family. Therefore, in addition to your acceptance letter, we have included instructions on how to purchase your books and equipment and where to purchase them.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall

Isa's father had approached the table now and took the left over papers in the envelope containing the instructions. The owl, clearly seeing the message had been sent, flew away.
"What on earth??" Isa questioned to no one in particular.

Her family looked at one another in surprise and all began to speak at once.
"Is all of this real? Is Hogwarts a real place?"
"This says to go to a bar called the Leaky Cauldron. I don't think that seems like the place I would buy schoolbooks."
"That owl just flew into our dining room! An owl! Our dining room!"

Finally, Isa's father calmed the room down. "What is going on?"
"Our daughter is a witch." Isa's mother replied with a look seemed like she had finally lost it.
"No, this can't be right. Magic isn't real, right? This all isn't real." Isa couldn't believe any of this. It didn't make sense.
"An owl just flew through our window and gave us a letter. What else am I supposed to believe?" Isa's mother hysterically asked.
"It sounds crazy." Isa's father admitted, "but it's too over the top to be fake."
Isa looked back and forth between her two parents. This couldn't be real. Stuff like this didn't just happen. But some part of her, a strong part, told her it was. "Am I a witch?"
Her family looked at each other.
"It would appear so," her mother said.