Summer holidays always seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, it was the end of August, and the start of the Hogwarts term was just around the corner.
It would be a lie to say Albert wasn't looking forward to school. On the other hand, he would have been perfectly happy to stay home and slack off for a while longer.
But time waits for no one.
When it came to magic, fumbling around on his own was a bad idea. He was like a blind man with a cane, with no idea what lay ahead. Albert's understanding of magic was still hopelessly half-baked, even after reading all of his first-year books.
He maintained his "pen pal" relationship with Gabriel Truman, writing back and forth every three days. The Hufflepuff student's grades, however, were only average, and it didn't take long for Albert to pick his brain dry.
Truman was convinced Albert would be sorted into Ravenclaw, given his intense interest in magical theory, a fact which Truman seemed to find disappointing.
Albert didn't really care which House he was sorted into, as long as it wasn't Slytherin. They weren't exactly known for welcoming Muggle-borns, and as a Muggle-born, he doubted he'd get in anyway.
"Good work, Shera. Get some rest." Albert stroked the snowy owl's head and put some food in her cage. He was quite satisfied with his owl. After a few firm requests, Shera had finally stopped bringing home her prey. He was certain Daisy would not appreciate finding dead mice while cleaning.
Shera gave a tired hoot, hopped into her cage, and began to eat, completely ignoring the hissing Tom, who was glaring at her from the floor.
"Be nice, Tom," Albert said, scooping up the British Shorthair and heading downstairs for breakfast.
Herb was home today. He had recently taken a liking to the Daily Prophet and was endlessly fascinated by the moving photographs. Daisy often read it with him, hoping to glean more information about the magical world.
"Good morning. I made your favorite corn chowder," Daisy smiled, ladling a large bowl for her son.
"Does that mean I don't have to drink my milk?" Nia piped up, looking hopeful. She hated drinking milk every day.
"Of course you still have to drink it," Daisy said, placing a full glass in front of her.
"Has Albert learned any new magic?" Nia asked, glancing at the milk and expertly changing the subject. It was a trick she'd learned from her brother. She was planning to dump the milk into Tom's bowl when her mother wasn't looking.
"Nia." Daisy had appeared soundlessly behind her, arms crossed, staring.
"Mom! I was just getting breakfast for Tom! He likes milk," Nia lied frantically.
"That's fine, Nia. I can always pour more," Daisy said, refilling the glass and placing it back in front of her. "Drink up."
"I hate drinking milk every day," Nia grumbled.
"Albert drinks it every day," Daisy reminded her, "and he never complains."
"That's different! I've never seen Albert dislike any food. You can't compare me to him. He's a special case!"
"Oh, he used to," Daisy said, raising an eyebrow. "He didn't like cheese."
"Liar!" Nia shot back, pointing. "He's got a huge pile of cheese and ham on his potato pancakes right now!"
"It's true," Herb chimed in, amused. "There were some cheeses he wouldn't eat, especially the really strong ones. But now he eats everything. Your brother really isn't a picky eater."
"Kids who aren't picky eaters grow up tall," Albert said simply.
"Why do I need to be that tall?" Nia retorted.
"You'll be prettier," Albert said. "Mom is a perfect example."
Daisy, clearly pleased, beamed at him.
"Suck-up," Nia muttered. But under Daisy's "loving" gaze, she reluctantly finished the milk. She did, however, pour half of her next glass into Albert's, claiming it would help him grow "tall and handsome, like Dad."
Both Daisy and Herb were tall and, thanks to their professional careers, always well-dressed and in good shape.
Herb had originally planned to take the family to the zoo, as it would be their last chance for an outing before Albert left for Hogwarts. But when Albert said he'd rather not, and Nia agreed that zoos were boring, the plan was scrapped. The family decided to just stay home, chat, and watch television.
Nia begged to ride her toy broomstick, but Herb firmly refused. The last time, she had almost crashed straight into the television. The living room wasn't big enough, and riding it outside was not an option.
So, the new toy broomstick Luke had bought her remained locked in a cabinet.
Albert had tried it once. It didn't fly very high, and the whole experience made him feel like he was having some cringey, juvenile relapse. He'd never touched it again. But for Nia, the idea of flying was pure, irresistible magic.
After a while, Daisy went to the kitchen to prepare tea and cake. The family of four, plus one cat, settled in the living room to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
The wizarding fairy tales were quite different from the ones they knew.
Take "Sleeping Beauty," for example. The story was about a medieval hag who, jealous of a princess's beauty, coated a spindle with the Draught of Living Death. She tricked the princess into touching it, causing her to fall into an endless sleep. Later, a wizard coated his own lips with Wiggenweld Potion and woke her with a kiss.
It was... less romantic than the Muggle version, but the family was fascinated, even if they had no idea what the Draught of Living Death or Wiggenweld Potion actually were.
At the moment, the Andersons were reading "The Tale of the Three Brothers," with each person taking a turn to read a paragraph.
"Is the stone that brings people back... is it real?" Nia asked, her eyes wide.
The magical world seemed full of possibilities. If Nicolas Flamel could live for hundreds of years with the Philosopher's Stone, then a stone that could resurrect the dead didn't seem so impossible.
"Nia, there's no such thing," Herb said gently. "Besides, you heard the story. The second brother's love didn't really come back, did she?"
"It's a fairy tale," Albert added with a smile. "And fairy tales are meant to be deceptive."
"Albert, you're so annoying!" Nia complained. "Can't you just let me have some hope?"