There's a little kid, probably around 7-8 years old, who was standing in front of a shelf at the Young Adults section of the bookstore—the Fantasy section, if we're being specific about it. His eyes scan the titles until it lights up when he finds what he's looking for. He struggles to get the said book, tiptoeing and reaching out with his short arms. You smile in amusement but still keep a close eye on him, just in case something unfavourable happens. He falls back on his feet and huffs, and you couldn't help but chuckle. He hears you and looks on with a contemplative look on his face. He smiles and suddenly, he's approaching you.
"Hey, miss. Can you help me reach for the book? I'm still growing, you see. And you're already so tall!", he says. You laugh and tell him, "No problem. Lead the way, sir."
He leads you back to the shelf where the book was located, and he points you to the book. You look and you see him pointing to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You feel a swell in your heart because it was the very same series that you often got lost in. You reach for the book and hand it to him. He looks so incredibly enthusiastic when he finally touched the hardbound cover, and you couldn't help but say, "You know, I read the first book a year before the first film came out." And he was so enthralled, he asked if you could tell him a story about you and the book.
And you agreed because you just can't say no to that adorable face. You wonder who he's with, but all that gets lost when the kid looks at you in anticipation.
So you started telling him how you read the book so diligently. You tell him how your parents scolded you before because when you got back from school, you blew off your homework to read the next chapter—they then resolved that before they gave you the book, you had to finish all your assignments. You tell him how you got Harry Potter merchandise for presents during your birthday and Christmas, because everyone saw how you couldn't let go of the book. You tell him how different your opinions were from most people because they hated Draco but you loved him. You tell him how you got into arguments with people because they kept saying that Slytherin was the House of Evil, when it really wasn't. You tell him how you always waited for an owl to show up and they never did—but one day, you found your acceptance letter and you literally jumped with glee. You tell him how you went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and experienced the magic, even for a little bit. You tell him how you always imagine yourself being part of their circle of friends, as you imagine them being part of yours. You tell him how you were brought to tears when JK Rowling said, "Hogwarts will always welcome you home." because you were so overwhelmed by so many emotions. You tell him how the book changed your life.
And he listens intently, soaking it all in. When you do finish, he goes quiet and looks at the book. You ask him, "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He looks at you again and answers, "I'm fine, miss. I'm just really happy I met you! My brother, you see, tells me to stop believing in Harry Potter because he's not real. That magic's not real. That it will do nothing in my life if I keep reading about him." Flabbergasted, you wanted to look for the boy's brother and give him a piece of your mind. But you calm down, and just tell the boy once more, "He's real when you want him to be. And between you and me, I think the wizards are actually here, pretending to be Muggles."
He smiles again and goes back to looking at his book. Then he whispers to you, "How do you know they're here?" You smile and whisper back, "Because I'm a witch myself. Take a look at my scarf." His eyes widen and darts to the scarf covering your neck. He looks at the ends and sees the Slytherin emblem stitched on. He gasps and touches it, wondering if it's the real thing. He looks at you again and smiles. You hear someone calling out a name, and the boy suddenly stands up. You see him walk to a man—his dad, you assume—and gives the book. His dad goes to the counter to pay for the book, when the boy looks back again. He waves and says, "See you soon, miss witch!" People are looking at you in confusion but you just chuckle and wave back to the boy.
When you get back home, you dart towards your shelf and take out Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, getting lost once more in the world of the Boy Who Lived.
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