The Withered Huffle

1

It was ten in the morning when you were violently shaken awake. A couple hours too early. The bright, yellow sun that had usually calmed down by afternoon was now harsh and pricked your eyes, causing them to drift open to see your disheveled mother standing by your bedside.

"Darling, you need to get up." There was a sense of urgency in her voice, and you furrowed your eyebrows at her pressing tone.

"Hm? What?" You groggily responded as best you could even though you couldn't make sense of what was happening.

Your mother sighed, "There's someone in the living room wanting to see you. I think she'll be able to explain this situation better than I ever could."

You pulled yourself into a sitting position and stretched your arms over your head, letting out a wide yawn. "Who's in the living room?"

"Oh, stop asking so many questions and just come see for yourself!" She patted your arm hastily and bounded out of your bedroom with a hop to her step. Whether she was anxious or excited, you couldn't tell. What you could understand was that there was a surprise waiting for you, and you wouldn't keep it waiting any longer than you had to. You whipped the cozy comforters off of your body and hastily used the bathroom and brushed your teeth. Remaining in your pajama pants and oversized t-shirt, you left your room and dragged yourself down the stairs to see your father and mother sitting with another woman in the living room.

Her features were stern and sharp and her grey hair was wrapped into a tight bun - even with her aged appearance, you could tell she was probably quite the beauty back in her day. She pushed her wireframe glasses up her tall nose as she took a sip of her tea. She would have seemed like a completely normal lady if not for the pointed hat and long, loose, emerald green robes that hung off her frame.

When you stepped into the room, the three of them turned their gazes toward you, and you swear you had never seen your parents with such bright smiles. Their beaming expressions matched even the sun's early rays.

"Ah, you must be Ms. Y/N L/N. Pleasure to meet you." The unfamiliar woman set her teacup down on the coffee table and stood up to shake your hand. "I'm Professor McGonagall, and I've come here to inform you that you're a witch."

There were a million things running through your mind as she continued speaking about magic and wizards and witches - firstly, what? A witch? You? Secondly, what was this Hogworms she kept mentioning? And thirdly, why were your parents nodding along to everything she said?

"Wait, sorry, I'm a what now?" You quietly asked after she was done with her speech. Frankly, you blanked out after the word witch and couldn't piece together what she was saying.

Professor McGonagall didn't seem to mind your curiosity and absentmindedness as she offered you a warm smile. "Ms. L/N, magic is real, and you're a witch. You've been accepted to the esteemed institution, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest school of magic in all the lands. I know this can be a lot to take in seeing as you've been raised a muggle and haven't been exposed to any of this, but it's true."

To further demonstrate her point, she took out an object that was representative of a wand and pointed it towards some sugar cubes in a bowl. With a flick and a wave of the apparently charmed stick, the bowl started levitating in mid-air.

You were shocked and couldn't close your mouth that had dropped open. Your parents were laughing at your expression.

"Isn't it amazing? Our daughter, a witch?" Your father looked proud as he clasped a hand over his chest.

"Y-you just..." You started, unable to find the right words, "It started floating."

"Yes, it did," McGonagall nodded.