“We’ll just have to try our best to stop her no matter what. I don’t want her to go through what you are going through now. We just can’t risk it. She’s our only daughter; I couldn’t bear to see her suffer,” Mrs. Hayden said, as her eyes began to water.
“I don’t want this to happen to her too. We’ll try our best to stop her then,” said Mr Hayden with certain firmness in his voice.
It wasn’t long until the sun sets, and there was a soft knock on Janet’s door with her mother’s voice telling her that’s it’s almost dinner time.
Janet has been reading and re-reading the letter she received this afternoon, she realized that the letter was not written in ordinary paper but in some kind of rough yellowish paper which she never seen before and its written in green ink instead of the usual computer-typed black and white letters. Everything is weird about this letter; in fact it looked like those parchments that Janet used to see in history books where agreements were made.
Janet helped her dad down the stairs. David Hayden was tall and gangly but looked very sickly as he walked into the living room slowly as if he’s going to collapse anytime.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Janet, could you get the door?” Mrs. Hayden yelled from the kitchen.
“Ok.” Janet answered the door thinking that it’s the pizza delivery boy but however the man standing in front of the doorway is not holding any pizzas, he’s not wearing a usual pizza boy uniform but long robes and a long purple cloak which looks kind of weird for Janet. And, there was no cap; instead the man was wearing a long pointed hat like the one which were worn by wizards in fairy tales. He has light blue eyes, a long crooked nose, long silvery hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.
“Hi.” Janet greeted politely. “May I help you?”
“I’m Albus Dumbledore. I’m here to meet the Haydens. I believe you must be Janet,” answered the man.
“Er… Yes.” Janet nodded suspiciously because how could this man know her name, where as they have never met before.
“I assume that you are going to invite me in,”
“Uh? Er… Ok. Please come in.” Janet said uncertainly and showed him into the living room.
“Who is that at the door, Janet?” Mr Hayden who was reading the daily newspaper asked without looking up from he’s newspaper.
“Dad, this is Mr. Dumbledore. He said he’s here to meet us.”
Mr Hayden looked up immediately after he heard the name and quickly jerked up and asked nervously as if he did something wrong waiting to be scold because of that, “Professor Dumbledore, what brings you here?”
“Professor?” Janet eyed Dumbledore uncertainly.
“Nice to see you again, David,” greeted Dumbledore.
“Janet, go get your mother.” Mr Hayden whispered a little too loudly to Janet which obviously was overheard by Dumbledore.
Janet ran into the kitchen, “Mom, there’s a man called Dumbledore says that he is here to meet us and dad’s calling him professor.”
Mrs. Hayden dropped the plate she was washing with a loud “clank” into the basin. “What did you say his name was again?”
“Dumbledore. Who is he?”
Mrs. Hayden wiped her hands quickly on her jeans and rushed out of the kitchen into the living room.
“Ahh… Here’s Emily. I believe everything is going well.” Dumbledore greeted as Mrs. Hayden walked into the living room.
Mrs. Hayden stopped so suddenly that Janet almost bumped into her.
“Good evening, professor,” Mrs. Hayden greeted, her voice trembling.
“It’s a very pleasant evening indeed. Let’s all be seated,” spotting Janet moving towards the stairs. “And you too, Janet.
Janet moved nervously towards the sofa furthest from Dumbledore and sat lightly on it as though she was ready to run for it whenever anything happens.
“I believe you got my letter,” Dumbledore said politely, “I’m here to listen to your answers.”
“I’m not letting Janet go to Hogwarts. It’s just not safe. Look at what happen to David, I don’t want the same thing happening to my daughter.” Emily Hayden replied firmly.
“So this whole Hogwarts thing is real?” Janet thought to herself. “Then why are mum and dad hiding this from me? What is that that I have to know but they are not telling me?”
“I understand your concerns, Emily. But I suggest Janet deserves to make her own choice in this matter?” said Dumbledore.
“But you don’t understand, professor. Janet has been crying painfully when that incident happened. There’s no doubt that Janet is just like her father.” Emily protested Dumbledore’s idea.
Meanwhile, Janet was sitting at the far end trying hard to resist the urge of asking questions as it will be rude if she just simply open her mouth and ask a dozen of questions at once.
“Professor, I understand that everybody who is a witch or wizard must pursue his or her education in Hogwarts but can’t we just give up that opportunity? We prefer living like what we are now.” David explained.
Dumbledore caught Janet’s eye and nodded as though he could read Janet’s mind which is full of curiosity, “I believe Janet would like to say a few words before we continue this issue.”
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