Vid Gray lay by the window, noticing a gray owl perched on the fence outside. It stared at him with stern, amber eyes, suddenly bowed its head, spread its wings, and let out a "hoo-hoo" sound.
Vid's face had a hint of peculiarity.
If he hadn't seen wrong earlier, that owl seemed to have dropped a letter into his mailbox?
But...
It's only 1991, the "Harry Potter" series hasn't been published yet, right?
Reborn into this world for eleven years, he grew from a babbling baby to an eleven-year-old, always believing he had just been reborn into the UK of the original world, for which he had planned his life's development...
He never thought...he would receive a letter from an owl.
Isn't this a materialistic world?
But...since people can be reborn, if magic exists...it seems quite reasonable...
—right?
—could also just be a nasty joke.
Vid, feeling a bit uncertain, opened the door and walked out. He instinctively looked at that owl, whose gaze followed him, slightly turning its head.
Whether it was psychological effect or not, Vid only felt its eyes were full of spirit.
He held his breath, opened the mailbox, and took out the mysterious letter. Upon seeing the envelope clearly, his pupils shrank abruptly, and his heart skipped a beat.
On the envelope, clearly written was the full address and "Mr. Vid Gray." The parchment felt particularly heavy, and the jade-green ink was not commonly used.
Turning the envelope over, the back revealed a deep red wax seal and a coat of arms, surrounding the capital letter "H" were the four animals: lion, eagle, badger, and snake.
No stamp.
—Ah yes! An owl as a messenger! Of course no stamp is needed.
Vid took a deep breath, opened the envelope with slightly trembling fingers.
[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore]
Vid eagerly skipped the long list of titles behind, directly looked at the following text: [Dear Mr. Gray: We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry… Vice Principal (female) Minerva McGonagall cordially]
Vid read and reread the letter several times, still finding it hard to believe—was this really the world of "Harry Potter"?
He unconsciously whispered: "Is this real? Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
The owl glared at him with wise eyes, waited for a while, then bowed its head to groom its feathers, tucked one foot up, turned its head 180 degrees to look at the scenery behind.
Vid stayed stunned for a moment, turned around and quickly rushed back inside, into his father's study, found the finest envelope, embossed and sprinkled with gold powder paper, with a quill of considerable classical beauty and fragrant ink, wrote solemnly:
"Dear Ms. Minerva McGonagall: It is a great honor to receive your letter. If this isn't a prank, I am very willing to attend your esteemed school, but I'm not sure how to purchase the study materials mentioned in the letter, looking forward to your guidance…
With the most sincere regards, wish you all the best!
Vid Gray"
The ink seeped into the paper, quickly drying. Vid folded it up and tucked it into the envelope, writing on the cover [Vice Principal Minerva McGonagall (recipient)].
After stepping out, he saw the owl patiently waiting on the fence.
Vid approached, holding up the letter: "Uh…this is my reply, please take it to Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall."
The owl extended a claw to catch the letter, then tilted its head, looking at him expectantly.
"Anything else…oh, please wait!"
Vid had a moment of inspiration, returned inside, grabbed a handful of nuts at random. Once handed to the owl, it merely glanced at them, quickly dislikefully brushed them aside with its wing, and soared off.
Vid: "..."
Not hungry?
Luckily, it didn't drop the letter.
Returning inside, Vid sat at the table, unfolded the acceptance letter and read it again, heart pounding.
Only then did he start to feel he might be truly admitted to Hogwarts.
But...
In the eleven years since rebirth to this world, he never found he had any extraordinary abilities—
He hadn't mysteriously flown to the top of a tree, nor bent a spoon by thought or made a pen levitate.
Does his body truly contain magical energy?
Or—because an adult's thinking is too logical and objective, invisibly suppressed the innate powers within his body?
Vid held his fist, then spread it, still failing to feel a sensation of "invisible magic flowing through the body."
He stared intently at the teacup before him, focusing all his thoughts.
"Bang!"
The teacup suddenly, without external force, shook in place, then toppled, rolled a circle on the table, and slowly wobbled to a stop.
Magic power…was actually real…
Vid stared at his palm, stunned.
Gradually calming down, he dialed a deeply memorized phone number.
"Mom… do you believe… magic exists?"
...
In less than half an hour, a car screeched to a halt outside. The Greys rushed down in haste, forgetting to pull the key from the ignition.
Vid went out to greet them, yet before he could say a word, he was hugged so tightly he almost couldn't breathe.
"My god! Oh, my god! Vid, darling, you've honestly been accepted to Hogwarts—I am so happy! Really… I've waited so long for this day—I thought—I thought you were just like us, without—that chance—"
His mother Fiona sobbed, smudging her makeup without caring. Vid's father Ferdinand held them close, equally teary though silent.
Vid listened, feeling increasingly off: "Wait, what do you mean? You—" Freeing himself from his parents' suffocating embrace: "You both knew about Hogwarts?"
"Of course!" Fiona replied, wiping her tears with a handkerchief: "My mother, your grandparents were all wizards. I've longed to go to Hogwarts since I was young. However…"
Ferdinand wrapped his arms around his wife and son, nudging them inside: "Let's discuss inside—avoid others seeing."
After an explanation, Vid understood the story.
It turned out his grandparents and maternal grandmother were all wizards, the two families were close. But amidst the chaos of wars, Fiona and Ferdinand, born into turmoil, were both duds—possessing magical genes, yet unable to perform magic.
During warfare, even wizards could barely protect themselves, let alone two duds? Confirmed lacking magical ability, they were sent to Muggle homes for upbringing.
Years passed, adapting fully to Muggle life, yet keeping a secret longing for the Magic World deep within.
However, since Vid was born, he never showed any magical ability, and the couple assumed he was another dud. To spare their child from the same cycle of hope followed by despair, they had hidden magic's existence.
"I never imagined—couldn't imagine you are truly a wizard…I mean—I have been waiting during this period, but with July 30th arriving and no letter…I thought…"
Fiona, half crying, half laughing, finally was comforted by her two men, and left to wash up.
Once quiet returned, Ferdinand gazed at his eleven-year-old son, his eyes revealing concerns he couldn't hide:
"Hogwarts…oh, Vid…I'm genuinely unsure, with your identity, attending that school…whether it's a good thing or not…"