Finally Me ~

Chapter 1

**Alex’s POV**

“Move, Alex!”

I tumble to the floor as my older, James, shoves me out of the way. I run after him outside to the field behind our house where all my brothers are getting into two teams to play soccer.

“Can I play?” I call, pulling my soccer boots on.

“No Alex!”

“You’re too little!”

“Tyler, please?” I appeal to my oldest brother. He glances at his twin, Michael.

“Al, you’re too small,” he says, squatting down in front of me.

“No I’m not!” I protest, “Noah and Nick are only one year older than me! And I’ve had a growth spurt, Mum said so!”

“Al, go back to the house!” Jacob says, shoving me back into the mud. I jump to my feet, trying to hold my tears back.

“I can play just as well as you!” I yell angrily.

“Alex, not today,” Michael says gently, “after this game Ty and I will play with you, okay? We’ll train you up real good.”

“But I want to play now!”

“You’re a baby!” James says. He kicks the ball at me as hard as he can. It hits me in the stomach and knocks me into the mud again. Tyler grabs him by the scruff of the neck while Michael helps me up. I pull away from him and run back to the house.

“Sweetie?” Mum calls from the kitchen. I ignore her and sprint upstairs to the bathroom. I’m covered in mud. My bright green eyes are standing out in the mud and my medium brown hair is covered up by my cap. I have brown freckles scattered over my nose. I’m just a kid.

“Alex, sweetie! Can you come down here please?” Mum calls. With a sigh I stomp downstairs. Mum and Dad are standing with a woman with dark hair pulled into a tight bun. She’s wearing a plain, dark green dress and is observing me over her glasses. Mum puts her hands on my shoulders.

“Al, this is Professor McGonagall,” she says, “she’s here to talk to us about a special school.”

Professor McGonagall smiles, but looks up at Mum.

“I’m here to see your daughter,” she says quietly.

“Oh... Uh... Umm...” Mum glances at Dad who smiles slightly and pulls my cap off, letting my hair fall down to my waist.

“Ah...” Professor McGonagall says, blushing, “my apologies.”

“No problem, I get it all the time,” I reply with a sigh.

“Well, let’s sit down, shall we?” Mum asks quickly, “would you like a cup of tea?”

“No, thank you,” McGonagall says. She looks expectantly at Dad.

“Alex, Professor McGonagall has come to tell us about a school,” he says slowly, “it’s called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

“What?”

“It’s a school of magic,” McGonagall puts in, “you’re a witch.”

“Magic doesn’t exist.”

She raises her eyebrows and pulls a stick out from the inside of her dress. She waves it and a shower of petals shoots from the room. As they float to the floor they turn into bubbles and pop.

“Wow...”

McGonagall gives a small smile and tucks the stick – her wand, I guess- back in her dress.