3 The cat lady

Felix stood up from the table and started running towards Sister Martha's office, his face filled with excitement.

"Knock, knock, Sister. It's me, Felix. Can I come in? I need to talk to you," Felix said eagerly.

"Come in," Sister Martha replied.

Felix walked in and placed the letter in front of Martha.

"Sister, look! I've been accepted to a school of wizards. I can become a wizard," Felix exclaimed.

"What? What kind of joke is this?" Martha picked up the letter and began reading it. After a while, she looked at Felix and said, "This can't be real. I think someone is playing a prank on you. There's no such thing as wizards."

"But Sister, it was delivered by an owl, and what happened last night wasn't a dream. I think... I think it's true," Felix said, his voice growing softer under Sister Martha's gaze. He lowered his head, avoiding eye contact, realizing he might have made a mistake.

"What happened last night, Felix?" Martha inquired, her tone serious.

Under Martha's penetrating gaze, Felix confessed everything, explaining what had occurred.

"Oh my God. I need some time to think about this and find out if this school even exists," Martha said, trying to process the information.

"Meow."

Both Martha and Felix turned their attention to the sudden transformation of the cat into an old lady wearing a large hat.

"That was so cool! How did you do that? Can you teach me, please? Please?" Felix circled around the cat lady, bombarding her with questions and a thirst for knowledge.

"Mr. Scarletwound, can you please stop for a moment? Let me introduce myself to Sister Martha. I am Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts," Minerva said, raising her hand.

"Welcome, Lady Minerva. I am Martha Trelawney, the head nun of this orphanage," Martha replied, shaking Minerva's hand.

"And I'm Felix Scarletwound. Can you teach me how to do that now?" Felix eagerly asked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm here to explain to you all about wizards and make everything clear," Minerva responded, focusing her attention on Martha and ignoring Felix.

"First of all, I'd like to tell you that wizards live hidden from the eyes of Muggles because it's safer that way. Most Muggles are unaware of the existence of wizards. However, in some rare cases, Muggle children awaken magical abilities because they are descended from wizards, like Mr. Scarletwound here," Minerva explained.

"Muggle?" Martha asked, seeking clarification.

"That's what we call non-wizard people in general. Don't worry; it's not an insult," Minerva reassured her.

"I don't care about all of that. I just want to know why Felix should go to your school and live hidden for the rest of his life. I think a normal life would be better for Felix's future," Martha expressed her concerns.

"But I want to be a wizard, Sister," Felix interjected, his eyes pleading with Martha.

"Shut up, kid," Martha retorted, fixing Felix with a stern glare.

"I understand your concerns, Sister Martha. However, when a child awakens magic, they become unable to control it, and it can become dangerous for them and those around them. " Minerva explained.

"So, I should go, right? Sister, please," Felix pleaded with his puppy-dog eyes.

"What about the expenses of the school? I don't think the orphanage has a budget for a private school," Martha asked, brushing Felix's plea aside.

"You don't have to worry about expenses. The Minister of Magic has a charity foundation for cases like this. I believe I've explained everything. Mr. Scarletwound, I will be back in July to take you shopping for your school needs. Have a good day," Minerva concluded before disappearing.

"That was so cool! I can't wait to go to my new school," Felix exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

Martha sat in her office, deep in thought, contemplating the situation that had unfolded before her. The idea of wizards and a magical school seemed far-fetched and almost impossible to comprehend. Yet, the events of the previous night and the appearance of Minerva McGonagall had shaken her skepticism to its core.

"Felix," Martha began, her voice tinged with a mixture of concern and uncertainty, "are you sure about this? Going to a school for wizards means leaving behind everything you've known and embarking on a path filled with uncertainties."

Felix's face lit up with determination. "Sister, I've always felt different, like there was something more to me. This is my chance to explore who I truly am and discover the extent of my abilities. I understand your concerns, but I have to follow this path. It's calling to me."

Martha sighed, realizing that she couldn't deny Felix this opportunity. As much as it pained her to see him leave the safety and familiarity of the orphanage, she knew that suppressing his magical abilities would only lead to greater problems in the future.

"I will support your decision, Felix. If this is truly your calling, then I trust that it's for the best," Martha said, her voice filled with a mix of resignation and love.

Felix beamed with gratitude, rushing over to Martha and embracing her tightly. "Thank you, Sister. You won't regret it. I promise to make you proud."