THERE WERE A lot of things Chloe Potter thought would happen to her in the future - finding out she's a witch who had been invited to a school of witchcraft and wizardry was certainly not one.
As a matter of fact, when Chloe woke up early the next morning, she thought it was all just a dream.
Although she could tell it was daylight, Chloe kept her eyes shut tight. "It was a dream. I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for witches and wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be in my cupboard." She told herself, firmly.
There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.
And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Chloe thought, her heart sinking. But she still didn't open her eyes. It had been such a good dream.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"All right," murmured Chloe, "I'm getting up."
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The Potter girl sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off her. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.
Chloe scrambled to her feet, so happy she felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside her. She went straight to the window and jerked it open.
The owl stooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. "Don't do that," said Chloe. She tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat. "Hagrid!" Chloe called. "There's an owl-"
"Pay him," said Hagrid, into the sofa. Chloe looked confused. "What?" She asked. "He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." Hagrid explained. His coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets. Bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags.. finally, Chloe pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins. "Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid, sleepily.
"Knuts?" Chloe questioned. "The little bronze ones." Hagrid clarified. Chloe got five little bronze coins and the owl held out its leg so Chloe could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.
Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched. "Best be off, Chloe, lots ter buy today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." He said.
Chloe was turning over the coins and looking at them. She had just thought of something that made her feel as though the happy balloon inside her just got punctured. "Erm.. Hagrid?" She asked.
