Home solo

In Haslemere there is a simple, normal little house with a small vegetable garden near some woods, occupied by three people: Helene, Nott, and Reyn Dauhlberg. Mother and two sisters. Today is a special day for Nott, for though she does not know it, her eleventh birthday would solidify her eligibility to attend Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Birthdays are not a big affair at the Dauhlberg house, so instead of a party with many friends and games, they have a simple celebration. Mrs. Helene has baked a two layer vanilla cake and Reyn has made some simple white icing and frosted it. The result is a charmingly messy cake, for none of them have mastered the skill of applying icing properly. The day started like any other, with the exception of Nott waking in the morning with the satisfaction of being able to call herself one year older. Now it is the afternoon after school, and Mum has come home from work. The lights are dimmed, giving the old house a slightly eerie quality, but Nott ignores it in favor of lighting the eleven candles decorating her cake. They sing Happy birthday to Nott, and she sings along to me, and grins, blowing out the candles with one big souffle of air. I wish to remember these times...

Reyn disappears into another room for a moment before bouncing back, holding out a small gift bag to the birthday girl. "We know you don't like hats, so..."

Out of the bag she pulls a dark blue head scarf.

"Thank you both. It shall protect my head from the sun splendidly."


The next morning, Nott wakes and, after remembering her birthday, smiles. She stands up and walks to the small dresser beside the bed, taking the scarf from yesterday. She wraps it around her head, tying it in a knot below her chin. Then she readies herself, washing her face and dressing.

Her mother has already gone to work, and Reyn has gone to with some friends to a friend's house the note on the kitchen table says. The house feels empty and free of chaos today.

Nott eats an apple perched on the side of a sturdy chair. She reads a book. Then reads the latest news on the newspaper since her mother is old fashioned and won't allow her allow her a phone until she's 15. Oh well, she doesn't talk to the people at school much anyways.

At 12 hours Nott decides to take a walk down the street since the weather is nice. Technically she's not allowed to leave the viewing distance of the house unless her mother is home or her sister is with her because, well, Mum's a bit paranoid, but Mum's not here right now, so Nott's walk is a bit longer and farther than usual. On the way back she collects the mail and with surprise notices a letter addressed to her:

Dear Ms. Nott Dauhlberg,

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, and an inscription form which must be filled and sent back.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,
The Headmaster,
Solomon Lear

Nott thinks the letter funny. Witchcraft and Wizardry? She's eleven, not six. Perhaps it is a prank.
Or spam-mail. Oh well, she places the letter on her dresser to show her mum later.

The letter leaves her thoughts relatively easily as she then does the dishes. She wipes the counters and vacuums what might have fallen off them. After that she lies on her back and stares at the ceiling. Maybe next week she'll ask Mum if she can paint tiny dots on the ceiling. (She forgets)

Reyn comes home shortly before the evening, and Mum after that. In between the two arriving, Nott has already eaten since she prefers to eat a little, often. She brings out the letter, and Mum is perplexed. Obviously its claims are ridiculous, so Helene decides that her daughter's name must have somehow ended up on a prank list. Nott isn't sure she's heard of that before, but the letter doesn't seem like a scam (to what purpose would telling her she's a witch serve?), so she isn't sure. She keeps the letter anyway because it's neat.

A week later they all change their minds when a Hogwarts faculty member visits and quite clearly proves the existence of magic.