15

11 November 1990, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, home of the Wilson Family...

On this significant day, the whole family gathered at the festive table. Thomas Wilson, head of the Saddle family, is at the head of the table. He looked a little unkempt, perhaps due to the event that was happening at the moment. Now he watched his son holding the morning mail in his hands.

The second person was Sarah Wilson. The only woman in the family looked slightly worried, her brown eyes were filled with worry, and her brown hair was slightly tousled. Her gaze wandered between the faces of the people present here and the letter that the person in this house was holding in his hands.

The third and final person was a boy named Calder. He looked like an ordinary boy of 13 years of age, although in fact he had just turned 11. The only thing that stood out about the boy besides his height was his face. Undoubtedly beautiful, but without a drop of emotion. His brown hair was in disarray, the gaze of his brown eyes was calm, rather even without emotion, falling on the letter that he was holding in his hand. This letter was expected by them and did not cause the storm of feelings that was now seething in his parents

Outside, the weather itself seemed to match the family's mood. Clouds gathered in the sky, the wind seemed to be trying to tear off the last leaves from the already bare trees, and the sun did not indulge the attention of either the earth or the inhabitants of the city. On such a day, you need to sit in front of a lit fireplace, wrapped in a blanket, drink tea and read books, or tell stories to your friends and relatives. It is necessary, but definitely not in this house and not in this family at the moment. After all, this letter is a prerequisite for a new path in the life of the son of the family.

-Well, how long will we sit like this? - Tom asked, thereby breaking the silence that had formed after the previous part of the argument.

-Or maybe if we don't open it, then Calder won't have to go to study at this Hogwarts? - Sarah answered the question excitedly. She also began nervously fiddling with a lock of her beautiful hair.

Sarah, you know that we can't do that," the man answered with hidden pain. -You yourself remember the words of Lord Black, and you also read those books. It clearly states what will happen otherwise. Or do you want to forget Calder? Or maybe you want our son to die before the age of 30, and his death to be attributed to banal cancer? I don't want to, and I don't think so either.

-Well, what if he just decided to scare us? What if all this with the erasing of memories is a fiction? - the woman said in a whiny voice.

-Artifice? – Tom, rummaging in his pocket, took out a glass figurine of a raven with ruby ​​eyes. -Is this a fiction? Or is your and your son's teleportation just a fiction? Or a dog attack?

From such a sharp rise in her voice, Sarah pressed her head into her shoulders. She doesn't often see her husband angry, usually it's for a good reason. When, for example, due to traffic jams, they do not have time to bring the patient to the surgical table. Yes, this happens rarely, but it doesn't happen.

Tears rolled from the corners of the woman's eyes. Seeing this, Tom suddenly fell silent and seemed to have aged at once, and tiredly sank into a chair, hiding the figurine.

-Sorry I…

A heavy sigh was heard from the boy. This squabble even tired him. This is the 5th time they are arguing about the same thing. 5th time, and none of them wants to give in to each other. Looking down at the envelope he read:

To Mr. K. Wilson, 2nd Floor Nursery, Wilson House, 32, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Having made up his mind, Calder opened the envelope. At the same moment, the couple looked away from each other and turned them to the boy. Tom got up at once, and Sarah wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and they got ready to listen.

Let's be honest, none of them wanted to let the boy go to no one knows where and no one knows why...

Having opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, Calder read aloud:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHRY AND WIZARDRY

Director: Albus Dumbledore

(Commander of the Order of Merlin, 1st class, Grand Wizard, Supreme Sorcerer, President of the International Confederation of Magicians)

Dear Mr. Wilson!

We are pleased to inform you that you have been granted a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please see the list of required books and items attached to this letter. Within 3 days, one of the teachers will arrive to you to accompany your son to the World of Magic to purchase everything necessary.

Classes start on September 1st.

Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress!

There was silence. Only the husband and wife looked at their son. After some time, Tom broke the silence:

-Does anything seem suspicious to you? -he asked. -Is this an advertisement? If not, then why list awards and director positions? As far as I understand from his posts, he is not deprived of power. Policy? Or is that the way it is with magicians?

"You're right about one thing, father," said the boy. -All of his positions in which he holds leadership positions are the High Court of Magical England, as well as the Main Association of Magicians of Europe. All other countries of the world take into account this association. Each position implies a lot of power. The very post of director of the only School of Magic in England is the same power, only in profile.

- It turns out that your director is a very successful politician.

- It turns out that it is so. Perhaps not only a politician, but also a leader? No idea. The important thing is that I will study under him for at least 5 years...

-Okay, that's it. "Enough of your politeness," Sarah intervened in the conversation. -Better continue reading the letter.

Hogwarts SCHOOL OF WITCHRY AND WIZARDRY

Form

First-year students are required to:

Three simple work robes (black).

One simple pointy hat (black) for every day.

One pair of protective gloves (made of dragon skin or similar material).

One winter coat (black, silver clasps).

Please remember that clothing must be labeled with the student's first and last name.

Books

Each student is required to have the following books:

"Course book of conspiracies and spells" (first course) Miranda Gussokl,

"History of Magic". Bathilda Bagshot,

"Theory of Magic". Adalbert Waffling,

"A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration." Emeric Switch,

"A thousand magical plants and mushrooms." Phyllida Spora,

"Magical decoctions and potions." Zhig Arsenicoff,

"Fantastic Beasts: Where to Find It." Newt Scamander(Scamander),

"Dark forces: a guide to self-defense." Quentin Trimble

You are also required to have: 1 magic wand,

1 boiler (tin, standard size No. 2),

1 set of glass or crystal bottles,

1 telescope,

1 copper scale.

Students can also bring an owl, or a cat, or a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FRESHMAN STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OWN BROOM.

-They could also write: Brooms are definitely prohibited. It's like a red rag for a bull. Don't they understand this? Who works there? – the woman had already clearly started to wear out.

- It doesn't matter who works there, the important thing is that I need to spend 5 years of my life there. And I can only come for the holidays. Aren't you going crazy?

"We'll be fine, son," Tom answered. -The main thing is that everything is fine with you.

-You know me, quieter than water. I also have one idea. An accompanying person will arrive to us within a few days. Remember you talked about the non-distribution of my acquired status. So, I propose not to talk about not only the status, but also about our knowledge about the World of Magicians.

-But why, son? - asked the father.

-You see, we don't know who will come to us. We don't know about his attitude towards us. What if he is the same as Lord Black? If yes, then we should not even mention our knowledge. Who knows how he will react to our knowledge? What if we steal THEIR knowledge? We definitely don't need this. Well, if not, then we won't lose anything.

-I understand you son. I think that's what we'll do. Sarah, we know how much you don't like politics, even if it's such a microscopic phenomenon. So Calder and I are talking.

-That is great. So we're playing a family of ordinary "Muggles," said the boy, making quotation marks with his hands.

-Well, why do we need all this? Why can't we live normally?

"Calm down, dear, calm down," the man said, getting up from the table and hugging Sarah. -Everything will be fine. You yourself know our son. He's a responsible guy. Nothing will happen to him.

"I understand that, but how can I imagine that he won't be with us for a whole year." He will be completely alone, in a world alien to himself. What if something happens to him?

"Mom," Calder intervened in the conversation. -Everything will be OK. Moreover, if I had remained in this world, I would still have gone somewhere to study, you yourself know. I wouldn't miss a chance to learn something new. How about just sitting at home? If you please. I've already re-read our entire library, even the stuff that you hid from me. So don't worry, everything will be fine.

-Oh, Calder. Why are you so grown up? How I wish you were an ordinary child. He walked, laughed, made friends, cursed.

-You know, mom. I am who I am, I cannot be changed. And what am I going to talk about with these little children?

"How I wish you were so small," Sarah sighed sadly.

-What's the problem? - asked the boy. -Give birth to someone else. I always wanted a brother or sister. Maybe it's time? You will be distracted, and when I arrive, I will try on the role of an older brother.

After this question, Tom and Sarah thought for a long time. And Calder was glad that he managed to distract them. In the end, it's his problem. And he himself will solve them. There is no need to bring your parents here. It would be better if they moved somewhere else altogether. Somewhere in 2-3 years. That's when the heat will begin. Well, that's a matter for the future. There are other problems now, aren't there?