Chapter 1: Receiving the Acceptance Letter

Wade Gray lay sprawled against the window, his eyes fixed on the garden fence where a gray owl perched with solemn intensity, its amber eyes locked onto him. Without warning, the bird lowered its head, spread its wings, and let out a soft, resonant hoot.

A strange expression flickered across Wade’s face.

Had he just seen that owl toss a letter into their mailbox?

But… this was 1991. Harry Potter hadn’t even been written yet, let alone published.

He’d been reborn into this world—this very British reality—for eleven years now, growing from a babbling infant into a curious eleven-year-old. For all that time, he’d assumed he’d simply been reincarnated into the real world, even going so far as to plan out his future in meticulous detail.

He’d never once imagined… that he’d receive a letter delivered by an owl.

This wasn’t a materialist world, was it?

But then again… if people could be reborn, then maybe magic existed too.

That… made a strange kind of sense.

Or maybe it was just a cruel joke.

Uncertain, Wade pushed open the door and stepped outside. He instinctively watched the owl, and the bird, in turn, followed him with its head tilting slowly, as if studying him.

Was it his imagination? He couldn’t shake the feeling that those eyes held something far beyond mere animal instinct.

Holding his breath, he approached the mailbox and pulled out the mysterious letter. His pupils contracted sharply when he saw the envelope.

Wade Gray, Esq. — the address was written in neat, flowing script.

The parchment felt unusually heavy. The ink was an unusual, vibrant emerald green — not something you’d find in a standard envelope.

On the back, a deep crimson wax seal bore a shield emblem. At its center stood a large capital H, encircled by four animals: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a serpent.

No stamp.

Of course not. Owls were messengers. No need for postage.

Wade took a deep breath, his fingers trembling as he carefully broke the seal.

> Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

> Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

He skipped past the long list of titles and jumped straight to the body of the letter:

> Dear Mr. Gray,

> We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of required books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by July 31st.

> Yours sincerely,

> Professor Minerva McGonagall,

> Deputy Headmistress

Wade read the letter again and again, his heart pounding.

This… this was Hogwarts?

He whispered under his breath, barely audible:

“Is this real? The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?”

The owl regarded him with ancient, knowing eyes. After a moment, it dipped its head, began preening its feathers, folded one foot, and turned its head a full 180 degrees to gaze at the distant trees.

Wade stared, stunned. Then, without a word, he turned and rushed back into the house.

He burst into his father’s study, grabbed the finest envelope — embossed with gold, sprinkled with glittering powder — and selected a beautifully carved feather quill. The ink smelled faintly of lavender.

With deliberate care, he wrote:

> Dear Professor Minerva McGonagall,

> I am deeply honored to receive your letter. If this is not a prank, I would be delighted to attend your esteemed school. However, I am uncertain how to purchase the required supplies. I would greatly appreciate your guidance.

> With the highest regards,

> Wade Gray

The ink soaked into the paper and dried quickly. He folded the letter, sealed it in the envelope, and wrote clearly on the front:

Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall (For Delivery)

When he stepped back outside, the owl was still waiting, perched patiently on the fence.

Wade approached cautiously and held out the letter.

“Um… this is my reply. Please deliver it to Professor McGonagall.”

The owl extended one claw, seized the letter, and tilted its head, staring at him with expectant eyes.

“Uh… is there anything else?” Wade asked, then snapped his fingers.

“Oh! Wait—”

He dashed back into the house, grabbed a handful of nuts from the kitchen counter, and returned.

The owl looked at the offering, gave a disdainful flick of its wing, and sent the nuts scattering across the grass before launching itself into the sky.

Wade stared after it, stunned.

“…It didn’t even eat them?”

He sighed.

At least it hadn’t dropped the letter.

Back inside, Wade sat at the table, staring at the acceptance letter again and again. His pulse thudded in his ears.

Only now did the reality begin to sink in.

But…

For eleven years, he’d never shown any sign of magical ability.

No floating up into trees for no reason. No bending spoons with his mind. No making pens levitate out of thin air.

Was magic really inside him?

Or was it possible… that his adult mind — so rational, so grounded in logic — was subconsciously suppressing the innate magic that should have been there?

Wade clenched his fist, then opened it again. Nothing. No surge of energy. No invisible current flowing through his veins.

He fixed his gaze on a teacup on the table, focusing with all his will.

Clatter!

The cup trembled in midair — then toppled over, skittering across the table before finally wobbling to a stop.

Magic… was real.

Wade stared at his own hands, frozen in disbelief.

After a few moments, he calmed down and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number he knew by heart.

“Mom… do you… believe in magic?”

Less than half an hour later, a car screeched to a halt outside. The Grays didn’t even bother to remove the keys before tumbling out.

Wade stepped forward to greet them — but was immediately crushed in a tight embrace so fierce he nearly gasped for air.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Wade, my darling! You’ve really been accepted to Hogwarts! I’m so happy—so, so happy! I’ve been waiting for this moment for years! I thought… I thought maybe you were just like us… that you didn’t have… that gift…”

His mother, Fiona, sobbed into his shoulder, tears smudging her makeup without a care.

Ferdinand, her husband, wrapped both arms around them, silent but with tears glistening in his eyes.

Wade finally managed to pull away, breathless.

“Wait… what? You knew about Hogwarts?”

Fiona wiped her face with her handkerchief, still sniffling.

“Of course we did! My mother, your grandmother — they were both witches. I’ve dreamed of going to Hogwarts since I was a child. But…”

Ferdinand gently guided them both into the house, closing the door behind them.

“Come in. We can’t risk being seen by Muggles.”

Once inside, the truth unfolded.

Wade learned that his grandparents and maternal grandmother had all been wizards. The families had been close — until war tore them apart.

During the chaos, Fiona and Ferdinand had been born into wizarding families… but neither could perform magic.

They were Muggle-borns in blood, but squibs in ability.

In the midst of war, wizards couldn’t protect their own, let alone two powerless children. Once their lack of magic was confirmed, they were sent to live with Muggle families.

Years passed. They adapted completely to the non-magical world — but deep inside, they’d never stopped dreaming of magic.

And so, when Wade was born, they assumed he was a squib too — just like them. To spare him the pain of hope followed by disappointment, they’d hidden the truth.

“I never thought… not in a million years… that you were actually a wizard. I’ve been waiting all summer. But it was already the 30th of July, and you hadn’t gotten a letter… I thought—”

Fiona burst into tears again, laughing and crying at once. Eventually, the family managed to calm her down, and she retreated to the bathroom to freshen up.

Silence settled.

Ferdinand looked at his son — eleven years old, eyes wide with wonder and fear — and his voice dropped to a low, strained whisper.

“Hogwarts… Wade… I don’t know… I truly don’t know… whether this is a blessing… or a burden… for someone like you.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end