Germination

Of Maggots and Worms - Book One - Germination

Prologue - In which an Owl arrives and People are relieved

The house was a quiet one. It had a comfortable feeling to it. The chairs and couches had all been sat upon. The tables were cluttered, but not overly so. The books on the shelves showed signs of use, but were not shabby. All in all, it looked like any other lived-in house that you might have visited.

Of course, having said all this, I must regret to inform you that this house is not normal, unless all houses that you frequent have books such as Magical Theory All Spelled Out lying around, or visitors of the spectral variety.

On the morning that we enter this house an important event is about to take place. The Pettigrews -- yes, they own the house -- were a happy family in their own way. Prof. Pettigrew lectured on Magical Theory at the University and Mrs. Pettigrew was involved in many charitable foundations. Their son, Peter, had been a late life child and they were at something of a loss about what to do with him, so he was often left alone with a book and a stern "Please, stay out of trouble." Professor Pettigrew, hoping that Peter would follow in his footsteps encouraged him to read at every turn.

"Peter! How many times do I have to tell you not to read your books at the breakfast table?" Muriel Pettigrew said as she set down his breakfast. "Anthony! Stop reading the Daily Prophet as well. You're setting a bad example for our son!" The two men in her life grumbled but followed her wishes, and stopped reading at the breakfast table. "Now, later today I will be going to the Teen Witches Center for my shift. Peter, your room should be cleaned by the time I get back. Tony, I expect you not to blow up the house just to prove that some wizard a century ago was wrong in his basic theory."

Prof. Pettigrew nodded at this but both his wife and his son could tell that he wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was looking out the window. "Owl Post should be here soon," he said. "My new list of students and classes should be about ready."

Mrs. Pettigrew sighed at this. Her husband always looked forward to the new semesters. Fresh blood he always laughed -- students he hadn't already bored into dropping out of his field. She shook her head. She supposed that this was one way of keeping his job secure.

Tabilus, the Pettigrew's owl, swooped in and deposited the day's mail on the table. "My student list and schedule!" Professor Pettigrew said, leaping to his feet and hurrying off to his study with his packet from the University.

Mrs. Pettigrew exchanged a glance with her son over this expected piece of behavior. She then glanced down at the remaining mail. "Oh Look! Witch Weekly is doing a story on the endangered dragons of Russia!" She exclaimed, sensing a new charity project. She scooped up the magazine and in her excitement nearly missed seeing the small letter underneath.

Meanwhile, Peter had finished breakfast and was heading back to his room for his new book Human Evolution and the Muggle Genome when his mother called him back into the kitchen. "It came!" She said shoving the letter into his hands. She then looked at him expectantly.

Peter stared at the letter in his hands in wonder. The paper was yellow and in emerald green lettering it gave his name and address. He flipped it over to see the red Hogwarts seal. He opened it carefully and pulled the hoped-for acceptance letter out. He read it through twice just to make sure, then looked up at his mother and smiled.

Mrs. Pettigrew smiled back and nodded to Peter to tell him that he could now go. She sighed in relief as soon as he was out of the room. She had been slightly worried about himh getting into Hogwarts. He didn't really like the normal course of study for young wizards, but now it all seemed in the distant past. She looked at her watch and quickly got up. She needed to be at the Center soon.

Diagon Alley was bustling with business the next day when Mrs. Pettigrew took Peter to get his school supplies. Their first stop was Olivander's for a wand -- Oak, 10" Inflexible, Unicorn hair. Then on to the robes shop, with a stop in at Flourish and Blotts for his books. The potion's ingredients, cauldron, and telescope were easily acquired and Mrs. Pettigrew was in a good enough mood that she even let Peter get the new book on Muggle drugs.