The Many Adventures of a Teenage Wizard

How can one moment change forever? How does a word ruin a life?

I was barely breathing the moment the sorting hat decided my fate. I couldn’t believe my ears, my eyes when the picture in front of me equalized the information I had just received. A table of Gryffindors cheering and screaming at me as they welcomed be to their house. I saw the other students clapping as well but not so excitedly. Still doubting my senses, I searched for the professor who was holding the hat, which barely had touched my hair when cried out my fate, up high as waited for me to leave and in those eyes I understood an urge for me to stand up and leave to the table, my table.

And so hesitantly I did. Getting up I brought one feet on front of the other and slowly made my way to the table where a couple of students made way for me and I sat down completely overwhelmed. How could I be a Gryffindor? All my family had went to Slytherin over the years and now I was sitting there is a complete different house. Was I so different? If so why haven’t I noticed that sooner?

What was going on?

The ceremony went on and soon I was dragged into the meal it was presented to me by my hunger. I haven’t eaten much that day ever since I had left the train station. I believe it had been the expectation of coming to Hogwarts sinking in me all at once. Ever since I have known of the Wizarding World, I wished to go to Hogwarts as my parents before me and I remember there was nothing more that I wanted than learning magic and all about this exciting world. I had read about so many great wizards that there had been, so many wonderful creatures that there were, so many spells, charms and potions I wanted to learn how to do! I wanted to know more. I wanted to learn how to fly on a broom as those quidditch players I had seen once and imagined so many times as I listened to the matches through the radio. I can still recall some of them, the most memorable, those which had caught my breath away.

Later I followed the other Gryffindors to our tower, hour room. I went to the bed and laid there not caring much of changing my clothes.

The truth was I was tired, for starters... And that was seen by how many memories from one single day I had gathered.

That morning I couldn’t wait to reach to King’s Cross. I couldn’t wait to head up to Hogwarts. And so I was taken there by my family.

I always lived with my family back in a house in the middle of London. No, life wasn’t going so hard for us... My father worked at the Ministry and my mother had a shop at Diagon Alley. Father always said she would be capable to go beyond that but she always loved to sew. She had a clothes shop, all occasion clothes. Ever since causal wizard robes to gowns and she even had a section of Muggle clothes. She was rather close to them as her mother, my grandmother, was a muggleborn. She was taught that culture as well as wizard and some skipped to me over the years. Father didn’t seem to be many interested about it but I always had the impression he was curious about it, if only a little. He worked at the Ministry, as I mentioned before. I never understood so well what he did there but I believe it has something to do with laws and rules and stuff like that. Then there was my sister. She is about six years younger than I am. Little Adriana, or I started calling her Gilly, as the flower, because of a book I had once read to her. She was by far the most unhappy to see me leave.

After we crossed the barrier to the hidden platform 9 ¾ they stopped and I turned to them. My mother was the first saying her farewells. I could still remember the scent of her perfume that morning; I could still feel the brushing of her hair against my nose which had almost made me sneeze. And most of all, I could still remember the strength of her grasp against my lungs. “Be nice and good to the other kids” she had told me. I remember nodding when she stepped back and she brushed my forehead with her lips. Good thing she didn’t wear lipstick. Then Adriana came and took my hand. “Write to us” she said using that huge eyes trick against me. He could never resist that... I nodded and bent down to say goodbye to her. As I got myself back on my feet I went to face my father. For a change he looked cold and distant from me. I looked for his eyes but was forced to look away when he looked back. Funny story, I was never sure of the colour of his eyes... In my mind they were brown, but I couldn’t tell for sure. He extended his hand towards me and I took it and shook it in the most impersonal and cold way of saying farewell.

With all done I turned heading to the train as I pushed my bags in front of me. There was no cage as there was in many other students’ belongings. I wanted an owl, but we didn’t have the time to find me one to take to Hogwarts. Mum told me, however, that there were owls in the school that I could use every time I wanted and they would send Willow (yes, a very strange name for a bird...) every week.

The riding was very smooth and sort of lonely. When I got in, I found myself an empty compartment in the back of the train. I settled myself there placing my belongings in the shelf above the benches and sat there waiting. As I did so I placed my forehead against the glass of the window and looked outside looking for them. Catching Adriana’s attention for one second I waved and she did the same back at me. I saw her calling mum by pushing her by a sleeve and this she did the same. Father was not even looking. It seemed that he had found someone from work and was most involved in a talk with that person. He didn’t even care to look back when the train started moving forward.

A few minutes later, a group of older students came in and took the empty seats in the compartment I was in. I didn’t mind them and I moved to my reading during most of the trip only stopping for a minute or so to take a bite of some food my mother had sent me.

The landscape changed as the urban looks of London gave place to green fields and later in time these darkened as the night came. Hogwarts was on sight and the rest is already known.

I fell asleep that night with my day clothes on as I tried to understand what I had done wrong.

I don't know when I started counting days.

It took one week after I arrived to Hogwarts, after I was sorted into Gryffindor, for the first letter from home to come. That morning, I was once again eating alone in the Great Hall. I didn't get to make much friends yet but maybe that was because they knew I was supposed to be in Slytherin instead. Maybe they knew the whole Meyers family had been to Slytherin. But not me. What would that make me? The black sheep of the family of course. And so I ate alone, I sat alone in classes only to have someone joining for just one day. I didn't get to know that person, whoever that was, very well. Even if I could remember the names and connect them to the faces when out off the classroom I doubted they would do the same. Everyone seemed already so into their friend groups that I was barely noticed when I walked alone; they should not even remember me...

Willow, the family owl, came that morning for my surprise. He flown in with the other owls and descended in my direction landing just in front of me with a scroll tied to his leg. I went forward and took it from him leaving it on the table while I gave him a treat as he expected. The owl stood there for a moment as I petted him a bit. A glimpse of home, if that was what that place was still. "Thank you" I told him and he bit my finger again in look for another treat. I gave it to him and so Willow flew away. I watched him go and vanish among the many owls that there were.

My attention was then directed to the scroll which I opened and almost immediately felt disappointed by how short that letter was. I recognized my mother's neat and very clean handwriting; unlike my own that was very messy. I was trying to change it then that I had time...

Dear Stephen, she wrote:

I can still remember the first day I walked into Hogwarts. I hope yours was as much memorable.

I've came to know you got into Gryffindor: I am so proud you did, it is a very nice house. Your father is glad as well.

Adriana told me to tell you that she misses you a lot and that she hopes you to become a great wizard.

Love, Mum

At the end of it, I was empty, even more than I was before I received anything. I wondered what mother meant with Your father is glad as well. If he really was happy for me he would have written that himself, wouldn't he? Or at least mother would develop that idea any further, as she would do if she was truly happy I had gotten into Gryffindor.

I stood up and turned to leave. I felt prickles in my cheeks as I walked away. Being ignored by those I never knew was one thing, but being put aside by my family was something completely different... They saw me the same way everyone else did here... The black sheep of the family, the one that was different from all the rest.

Perhaps father had noticed that fact already and that was why he was so distant from me...

Had I said one week? One week was what had brought be to counting days on the first place?

Well, that turned into two and then into a whole month before I received a letter from home.

And did I mention the first one was small? The ones that followed were even smaller if so was possible to the point of the last one had arrived this precise morning and had written on it two simple words: Merry Christmas! As simple and empty as that. That was even less than a common festivities card would carry... Most of them had drawings and have and a Happy New Year! following the previews wishes. But not this one...

I sat on my bed with the small piece of parchment in my hand and wrinkling it I tossed it aside from what Willow jumped away back to the windowsill.

Looking around through my blurred sight I could tell the wrappings of my roommates Christmas presents all around their beds. I was alone at the time since they should have already left for breakfast and looking at the bottom of my bed it was like admiring a bed of a student who went home for Christmas: there was nothing there, not even a single box.

Now that was something!

Willow hooted from the windowsill seeing I was not giving him much attention. I walked to him only being able to tell a round big brown blur as I did and extended my hand to him. He hastily started biting my fingers asking for food. "Sorry, Willow, I don't have anything for you here" I said, my voice breaking at every breath I took. "Go by the owls tower, there is something there for you." Willow retorted as he restarted to hoot again. "I'm sorry, alright!" I must have raised my voice to high because all I saw was Willow flying away from me as he turned into a tiny small dot of brown in the white of the horizon. "No... Come back, please. Don't go... Don't leave me alone" I muttered sniffing and sobbing as I watched the only one who could offer me some company in this day.

Perfect! Just perfect!

Now the only friend I had was gone as well as my family. They should be really proud of myself for not sending anything but a piece of parchment on Christmas day...

The year went by but in any way was it best than Christmas.

And now after my valiant effort on acing my finals, I was finally heading home. The place they say you miss when you aren't there. Yet I couldn't be more certain that missing where I was heading was not my specialty. After all, how can one miss a place that clearly doesn't miss you? They would send Willow every week, they said. They would send me letters, they said. And they did... Twice in a whole year.

"Stephen!" he heard a yell as soon as I stepped out off the train into the platform. For a moment I was surprised but looking around I noticed Adriana waving at him energetically. Well, at least she was happy to see me.

And behind her was grandpa Daniel. I smiled as I headed to them as I pulled bags still too big for the size of me in front of me. Adriana bounced where she was and tried to set herself free from grandpa's grasp. Finally she succeeded and ran to me stopping me from walking the rest of the distance as she launched her little arms around me.

I didn't notice when grandpa caught up with us but I looked up the moment I heard him talk. "She had been counting minutes for the past two hours" he smiled amused. "Is that so?" I chuckled. "You were not coming" she explained. "I asked the conductor of the train to hurry, but he said the train was already on its top speed" I answered.

Grandpa was smiling at us. "Ready to go?" he asked. "I am" he nodded and he went to take care of my bags himself. "You'll be staying with us for the week, if you don't mind" he claimed. "Your father had to go on business and your mother left with him. Gilly here have been staying with us ever since they left."

Adriana giggled as Stephen managed to pick her up since she was not letting go off him that soon. "Nice" I responded with a smile. At least I would not have to cross paths with my father for one more week...

"Now, I have to ask you" the man started again when we were out of the platform 9 ¾, "Why didn't you ever write back to us? Marian and I had gotten pretty worried about you."

My jaw literally fell in surprise. "Write back?" I asked. "Yes, we've written you every single month." Grandpa nodded. "I haven't received anything" I explained in a low tone. "That is odd..." the man commented. I agreed.

Either way, the subject didn't go farther than that. None of us had idea of what could be the reason of what was happening there. It seemed that Gillian arrived home safe and sound without the letters that were meant to me. And there was no way that owl she would mistake me for someone else, não would she? She knew me for years now...

We left King's Cross. And after that I was to spend a whole week in the company of grandpa and grandma. It didn't look like a awful beginning for a vacation, did it?