The Magic Chord

A soft breeze danced through her open window, carrying with it the scent of fresh cut lawns and golden sunshine.
It was summer, and she wanted nothing more than to melt like mercury under the heat and glare that came with the season.
Relaxation was waiting. Nothing could stop her now.

A yellow bird lighted on her window sill and chirped merrily, adding to the pleasant atmosphere in her room.
The shock of color brought by the bird warmed Hermione on the inside and brought a smile to her lips.
This was definitely the best start of a summer she had ever had.
Slipping on a pair of flip flops, She grabbed one of her worn paper back books from her vast collection, and strutted merrily outside in the direction of the pool in her backyard.

Once there, Hermione kicked back on a lawn chair, basking in the glory of the golden sun, and engrossed herself in the book in her hands.
As she lay there, a gentle sleep began to lull over her. Without a fight, she allowed her lids to drop shut, and her breathing to even out.
Just as slumber began to claim her, the unthinkable happened.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a large dun colored barn owl swooped down, dropped what appeared to be a bit of paper in her lap, and just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone.

She lay there stunned, staring at the bit of paper. After a short while, she realized that the paper was actually an envelope.
On its face, very plainly in neat cursive, was a name: Hermione.

Unsure fingers reached for the envelope that was addressed to her.
Many possibilites about what could be inside were reeling in her head, but they all stopped short at the same dead end: why would a letter be sent to her by owl?

She had never in her life heard of such a silly occurence. Although completely brilliant, Hermione decided, was the person who had trained an owl to carry letters, what was the point? It completely unsettled her that for once, she was without an answer. Her comfort zone was left far behind.

Hermione opened the envelope and pulled out what she immediately recognized as thick, sturdy parchment, the kind that was used centuries ago. The parchment felt nice under her fingers as she undid the folds and discovered the same neat cursive inside, as was on the envelope. It was a letter, addressed to her, and she felt her head spinning. The letter read as follows:

Dear Miss Hermione Granger,

It has come to our attention that you have quite a knack for music.
You're piano prowess, combined with your magical abilities have earned you a place
At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under a Music scholarship.
Please send a reply as to whether or not you have accepted, and will give
us the pleasure of instructing you further in your journey through education.
Send your reply with the same owl from which you recieved this letter.

Best wishes,
Minerva Mcgonnagal
Deputy Headmistress

P.S. The owl has taken lodging in your bedroom until such time as you decide to reply.

Hermione felt particularly overwhelmed with the news.
A music scholarship? She knew her hard work on the piano would get her somewhere, but what was all of this rubbish about Magic?
Witchtcraft?
Wizardry?

Rushing through the door to her house and into the living room, Hermione stopped just short of trampling her mother, who was on her way to the laundry room with a new load.

"Mum... I'm not sure how to explain this, so... will you just have a look?", She rambled out rather quickly while shoving the parchment into her mother's already full hands. Her mother took the parchment and glanced over it once, and then read it more thouroughly a second time, with a smile.

"well, dear, this is lovely news. A music scholarship! Very fine indeed! Go show your father, and send a reply right away after you ask your father for permission," replied her mother very calmly.

Hermione was dumbfounded. She was sure her mother had read the letter all the way through.
Certainly she cant have taken the bit about magic so lightly. There was definitely something odd going on, but she trusted her mum's judgment.
She spoke to her father, and was very surprised to see that he had exactly the same reaction that her mother had.
Something was going on here, and she was determined to sort out this load of rubbish before she sent an owl ("A bloody freaking owl!") anywhere with anything.

lying on her bed, Mind full of tremendously outlandish possibities about being a witch, Hermione waited for Supper to roll around so she could have a decent conversation with her parents about this 'Hogwarts' buisness. She had never heard of it in all of her studies, or any books she had read, so it certainly couldnt be real...

could it?