Right now, at the end of July, she was bringing the list of the students that were accepted into Hogwarts and will start their education there come September the first to the headmaster of this fine establishment for his approval. This list was actually generated every year by magic and, since the system had worked perfectly for decades if not centuries, no one really paid much attention to the names that appeared on this list. Well, not at this point, at least.
"Have we received answers to all of the invitation letters sent?" Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore – the man with more titles than he could remember himself – asked as he signed the list without bothering to read the names on it. The deputy headmistress gave him a nod in response. "Then, starting tomorrow, have the staff begin introducing muggleborn and muggle-raised to the magical world, Minerva." Dumbledore said.
"Of course, Albus." Professor McGonnagal replied, before taking the signed parchment from the headmaster's table and leaving his office: even during the summer months the man was very busy and she didn't want to take more of his valuable time than was absolutely necessary...
Seeing as this year there were no children coming from the muggle orphanages – those could only be handled either by the deputy headmistress or by the headmaster – professor McGonnagal simply made her colleagues draw the names of the children they will be introducing to the magical world from her hat. And since she too didn't suspect that the system had added an unexpected name to the list, she just cut the parchment into pieces without even bothering to read the names that were there.
Professor Filius Flitwick, a short man who had a goblin as one of his closer ancestors, squeaked and almost fell out of his chair when he read the names he drew from the hat. But since it was a common knowledge that he was easily excitable, no one really paid any attention to that. And Filius was secretly glad for that: it meant that he will have better chances of directing one Harry Potter, the son of Lily Potter nee Evans, to become one of this 'Claws. Of course, the Charms professor knew that Harry wasn't supposed to become a Hogwarts' student for another year, but stranger things happened in the magical world, so he decided not to think too much about this.
"Alright, boy, listen here and listen well." Uncle Vernon said as he walked the floor in front of Harry. "We were recently given an offer we couldn't possibly refuse. So, starting this autumn, you will be attending a special school for freaks just like you. It's a boarding school... ah... somewhere." Making a pause to take a breath, the walrus-like man continued: "And you will be staying there throughout the whole school year; I don't want to deal with your freakishness in my house any more than absolutely necessary. With me so far, boy?"
"Y-yes, uncle Vernon." Harry stammered automatically, his brain still trying to process what the man before him had just said.
"Next Tuesday, a ...professor from your new school will come to our house and take you... ah... to a freakish district so that you get whatever unnatural stuff you will need in your freakish school. And make sure you are on your best behavior, boy, or so help me if they refuse to accept you because of your rudeness! Got it?"
"Yes, uncle Vernon." The young Potter replied, still having no true idea of what was going on.
"Good." Vernon continued. "Also, we, in our infinite generosity, decided that it is about the time you move out of your cupboard. From now on you will be living in the attic. Cleaning it up and moving your things there is your job, boy. So, go get started before I change my mind and have you live under the stairs for the rest of your miserable freakish life."
"T-Thank you." Harry said, not yet believing what he had just heard... There was a long pause, which was broken by uncle Vernon:
"What are you waiting for, boy? Your new room will not clean itself!" Letting out an unintelligible sound, the green-eyed Potter bolted out of the kitchen and upstairs, intent on making the attic into a proper room – his room – as soon as possible.
Even now, several days after his talk with his relatives, Harry still could hardly believe that he wasn't just a freak. Magic was real and he was someone who could use it, a wizard. What's more, there actually was an entire school that taught magic to people like him! And he was going to attend it come September the first!
The young Potter still had troubles believing all this even as he sat impatiently in the kitchen, waiting for someone from that school to arrive – according to uncle Vernon, this person then would take him to a magical shopping district hidden somewhere in London so that he can get whatever weird stuff he will need for his magical classes.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doorbell rang. And being an eager ten years old, Harry immediately bolted to the door. He didn't open it right away, though. First, he tried his best to quickly preen his new clothes: the Dursleys had given those to him so that he would look really presentable and the wizards – or, the freaks, as his relatives usually called them – would have one less reason to stick their noses into their lives... That done, the green-eyed boy finally opened the door and... At first he thought that there was no one there, but a few moments later the young Potter finally noticed the professor that was supposed to guide to the magical shopping district.