9 Mar 2020, 17:01
With Much Trepidation
One week after Oliver's 11th Birthday, London
It was real. Not just a myth or an idea, a fantasy. Oliver's world had in an instant, changed. Excitement had gripped at him first but as he began to process his new reality. That letter had changed his life, or at least - it would. The conversation had been a strange one, his parents far removed from the world of witchcraft and wizardry. They all had questions that couldn't be answered but the most pressing of them all was the question of acceptance.
Oliver couldn't have been more excited at the thought of attending a school of magic. The mere reception of the letter confirmed for him things he'd wondered about for months, years even. It was only after the initial excitement that he began to realize what it would mean. Oliver was by no means a social butterfly but at the age of 11 he wasn't friendless. Concerns such as what his friends would think and what his teachers would think fluttered about in his mind. The moment that letter had been received Oliver realized the truth: he no longer had much in common with anyone he knew. Or at least, that's how it felt. It was fortunate for Ollie that he had grown up in a supportive family.
Initially they thought it was a hoax, nothing more than an ill attempt at a joke aimed at their son. On a whim however, his mother mentioned the occurrence to another nurse - one who'd married into magic. It was after this discussion that the letter was presented to Oliver, mother and father seated opposite the small dinner table. To Constance it seemed unfair if they were to withhold the opportunity from their son. To Bram, it awakened his childhood wonder. An electronics repairman, often times what he was able to repair was considered magic among muggles - this was an opportunity for his son to actually learn magic. To say their support came easily for the parents would be disingenuous, there were so many implications, considerations, concerns. What did this mean for Oliver? How would they keep in touch? Could they visit? Would Oliver be safe? The list went on. Sending their child to a boarding school was no small thing, especially one as mysterious and foreign to them as Hogwarts.
In the end, the decision had been made - by parents and child alike. An exciting moment, one Oliver wouldn't forget but also one filled with trepidation. Afraid of the future, uncertain in his own identity, Oliver was about to embark upon a life-long adventure into the world of magic.
It was real. Not just a myth or an idea, a fantasy. Oliver's world had in an instant, changed. Excitement had gripped at him first but as he began to process his new reality. That letter had changed his life, or at least - it would. The conversation had been a strange one, his parents far removed from the world of witchcraft and wizardry. They all had questions that couldn't be answered but the most pressing of them all was the question of acceptance.
Oliver couldn't have been more excited at the thought of attending a school of magic. The mere reception of the letter confirmed for him things he'd wondered about for months, years even. It was only after the initial excitement that he began to realize what it would mean. Oliver was by no means a social butterfly but at the age of 11 he wasn't friendless. Concerns such as what his friends would think and what his teachers would think fluttered about in his mind. The moment that letter had been received Oliver realized the truth: he no longer had much in common with anyone he knew. Or at least, that's how it felt. It was fortunate for Ollie that he had grown up in a supportive family.
Initially they thought it was a hoax, nothing more than an ill attempt at a joke aimed at their son. On a whim however, his mother mentioned the occurrence to another nurse - one who'd married into magic. It was after this discussion that the letter was presented to Oliver, mother and father seated opposite the small dinner table. To Constance it seemed unfair if they were to withhold the opportunity from their son. To Bram, it awakened his childhood wonder. An electronics repairman, often times what he was able to repair was considered magic among muggles - this was an opportunity for his son to actually learn magic. To say their support came easily for the parents would be disingenuous, there were so many implications, considerations, concerns. What did this mean for Oliver? How would they keep in touch? Could they visit? Would Oliver be safe? The list went on. Sending their child to a boarding school was no small thing, especially one as mysterious and foreign to them as Hogwarts.
In the end, the decision had been made - by parents and child alike. An exciting moment, one Oliver wouldn't forget but also one filled with trepidation. Afraid of the future, uncertain in his own identity, Oliver was about to embark upon a life-long adventure into the world of magic.