The Unsolved Riddle

One hot night during the summer of 2018 a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy was awakened by the sound of fluttering wings out side of his window. Half-sleepwalking and half-staggering to the window, Alexander Miller opened the window to allow in a large, tawny owl clutching a letter in his claws. Although most eleven-year-old boys would probably be slightly frightened by the intruder, Alex was used to owls flying in and out of his home. Alex's father, Timothy Miller, was very well connected in the magical world. What surprised Alex was that the letter the owl carried was addressed to him instead of his father and that it held the crest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alex was aware of the existence of wizards and witches and other magical beings because of his father. However, he had not realized that there was a school that taught one how to be a witch or wizard. He always figured that it just came naturally. His father, for one, was not a wizard, though he dealt daily with the magical community through his work. Timothy Miller prided himself in being one of the few muggles, and possibly the only one, who had relations with the Ministry of Magic and the rest of the magical world. One could say he was a kind of spy. He held a non-important secretarial job inside of the Muggle Ministry for show. His real job was keeping the Ministry of Magic informed of muggle activity that directly affected the magical world. Therefore, Alex knew quite a lot more than an ordinary muggle was supposed to know about magical folk.

Why am I getting wizarding mail? wondered Alex Nothing ever comes for me. The owls are always addressed to dad. I am not even really supposed to know about dad's other job. Maybe it is a mistake and it actually should have been delivered to him. Then again, it is addressed to me...With those thoughts Alex ripped open the envelope to find the standard welcoming letter from Hogwarts saying that he had been accepted into the school. He read and reread the letter, making sure that only wizards were allowed to study at Hogwarts. If he were receiving this letter, did that mean he was a wizard? How can that be possible? Both my parents are muggles. How can I possibly be a wizard? There must be some mistake. Finally, Alex decided that he would show the letter to his father as soon as he got back from his business trip. Mr. Miller would definitely know what to do. In the meantime, Alex allowed himself to fantasize. What if he actually was a wizard? He thought of all the cool things that he would be able to do while his friends just tried stupid card tricks. I could fly on a broomstick. What's that sport called that Dad always talks about? Quidditch! That's it. Maybe I'll get a chance to play it. Zooming around on a broomstick. Flying through the air. Wow! He shoots and scores! Alex Miller, the new wizard, scores once again winning the game.

"Maybe if I behave, Dad will let me go with him on his next trip to the wizard Ministry. That would be awesome. I could see some real magic tricks. But then again, after what I did today, dad will probably never speak to me again." Rocky, Alex's beagle, cocked his head and looked at Alex with his tongue hanging out while slobber slowly dribbled down his chin. "No, stupid dog, I am not talking to you, I'm talking to myself. And no, I am not going to play with you. It's 1:00 in the morning. Go back to sleep and stop drooling on my covers. You're getting them all wet."

"You know the dog doesn't understand you," came a voice from the doorway.

"Oh hi, mom, I didn't see you there," Alex said as he hurriedly stuck the letter and envelope under his pillow. Meanwhile, Rebecca Miller knew that the Miller males were very sound sleepers unless something was bothering them.

"As you politely told your dog, it is 1:00 in the morning. Why are you awake?"

Not wanting to tell his mom about the owl that had just left or the letter under his pillow, he instead told her the reason why he had been awake enough in order to hear the owl in the first place.

"I got into a fight with Will down the street today--well it would be yesterday now. He said that dad was a stupid lazy git who would never get promoted out of the secretarial pool. I got so mad and I blurted out that dad's ummmm, well, I told him about dad's real job." Saying this Alex could have sworn that Rocky rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Oh Alex, you know that you and I aren't even supposed to know about your father's real job. You must try to be more careful. This is the second time you've done this. Your father has a tough job. Please try a little harder."

"Yes, mom," Alex said hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

"Well, don't worry about it. Your father gets back tomorrow he'll know how to take care of this. Now get some sleep; tomorrow is my birthday and I don't want you snoring in the middle of 'Happy Birthday'."

"Yes mom." Just as Alex began to snuggle back into his covers, and Mrs. Miller was already on her way out of her son's room, Alex thought about asking his mom's opinion of the owl. "Hey mom. What would you think if there ever were a wizard in our family. That would be cool, wouldn't it?"

With a sigh, Mrs. Miller walked once again to her son's bed and sat down at the foot of it. "Honey, there will never be a wizard in our family. Your father would never allow it. He is too scared of them. He just feels like there is too great a chance of them using their magic for evil. It is just too much power. Your father is afraid of magic. He works for the Ministry of Magic not only as their spy, but kind of like his own personal spy as well. He feels that if he can stay close to them, he'll also be able to keep an eye on them and always know what is going on."

"Oh so if, hypothetically, I turned out to be a wizard, dad would never let me do magic?" Alex inquired.

"Right. Although, hypothetically, if you turned out to be a wizard you could always get your chores done faster. Now go to sleep." Mrs. Miller said as she kissed her son's forehead and walked out of his room closing the door behind her. As Alex fell back to sleep and Mrs. Miller walked back to her own room no one noticed that Rocky had mysteriously disappeared.

The next day, Alex woke up early in order to be the first one to welcome his dad back from his trip. Perhaps there is a chance that dad would let me. I mean mom is right. It would always come in helpful around the house. Alex thought as he flew down the stairs with Hogwarts letter and envelope in hand only to find his father seated in his favorite recliner in the living room.

"Alexander Jonathan Miller!!" Alex came to a skidding halt. His father never used his full name unless he was extremely angry. Once again, Alex hurriedly hid the letter behind his back. His father was obviously not in the mood.

"Yes dad."

"Alexander my job is very tough and very tiring. You are a muggle..." Alex gripped the letter tighter. "Muggle's are not supposed to know about wizards, witches, goblins, unicorns, and magic. AND THEY ARE ESPECIALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC!"

Tim Miller's face was redder than Alex had ever seen it before. This was the maddest he had ever seen his father, which means he was pretty mad.

"I'm sorry dad. I didn't mean too. It was an accident. It just came out. He made me so mad; he called you a name! It will never happen again. I promise."

"So you never think you'll get angry again? Obviously you can't control your temper at critical moments. You can not go telling the world critical information just because some stuck-up little kid got on your nerves. And you're right. It will never happen again because I just sent an owl to the Ministry and officials will be arriving shortly to erase your and your friend Will's memory of everything that has to do with magic."

Alex couldn't believe it. He had slipped once before and told his entire 5^th grade class. At that time his father had taken it rather well and Ministry officials came and erased the memory of 25 ten year olds. It was all cleared up in about ten minutes. Alex could still remember that day. It had been show-and-tell. Alex wanted to impress his classmates so he had brought in his dad's owl and proceeded to brag to his entire class that his father had an alternative identity. Kind of like Superman. For about a day Alex had basked in the glory of being Warren Elementary School's most popular kid in the 5^th grade. When his father had found out about five ministry wizards had appeared at Alex's school and altered all of his friend's memories. Alex had been grounded a month for that one. However, this time it was only one person. The biggest punishment Alex had expected this time was no cake for dessert. He never expected this.

"Dad, please, no. I promise it will never happen again. Will doesn't even believe me, really. Please, dad, please." Rocky, who had mysteriously reappeared, appeared just in time to see his 11-year-old master at the foot of his dad's chair, pleading desperately with his father, the Hogwarts letter tossed aside and forgotten for the moment.

"No, Alex. There will be no pleading or begging in this family. My word is final. Oh and Alex, you will not be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Tim said standing up from his chair. Being a very tall man, when he stood up to his full height he could be quite a terrifying figure, towering over his much smaller son.

"But, but how did you know?"

"Son, I work as a spy for the Ministry of Magic. There isn't much I don't know. You may be a wizard, but you will never study magic. I have my reasons for never wanting you to study magic. Magic is dangerous. Too many wizards use their power for evil. Believe me, I know. I know all too well," said Tim sinking back into his chair. He was beginning to remember much harder times.

"But dad..."

"My decision is final." Tim's voice was much more forceful than usual. "Now go help your mother with breakfast. It is her birthday and she will not see sad faces at all today. Is that understood?"

Leaving the living room much, much more confused than when he had entered Alex muttered a small "Yes sir," before carrying out his father's orders. Rocky strangely enough did not scamper after him as usual. Instead the small beagle sat staring at Tim Miller with an expression of sympathy, if that is even possible for a dog. Once Rocky made sure that Alex was no longer in the room or in hearing distance, something strange began to happen. Rocky began to change...

"What is going on? Who are you? What are you?" Tim questioned thoroughly surprised.

"Oh come now Timothy. You are a spy for the Ministry of Magic. There isn't much you don't know, remember. Please tell me that as one of the Ministry's finest spies you surely recognize a fellow employee," said the brown-haired wizard now standing in the middle of the Miller living room.

"But you were a gift from the ministry two years ago for my son. You are a dog!" Tim was unable to contain his surprise.

"No sir, I am not a dog. I am Mathew Francis, and I am an animagus. That means I can turn into an animal."

"I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. But what are you doing in my house? Are you spying on my family? Does the Ministry not trust this family?" Tim was now over his surprise at seeing the family pet turn into a human, and he was now furious with himself and his employers.

"On the contrary, the Ministry knows that you, unlike your father, are completely trustworthy and good. Although, it must be said that there are a few wizards who are still leery of you and your family, with good reason of course. When you were eleven, back in 1986, you received the very same letter that your son just received last night. You rejected it, and under the circumstances, we allowed it. We even gave you a job within the ministry without the usual requirements. Now your son is at the right age for Hogwarts and has received his letter. He wants to go. My job is to make sure that Alex Miller knows about our world and is introduced to it. In other words, the Ministry demands that he attend Hogwarts School."

"Do you know who his grandfather is?! Who my father is?" Tim screamed in frustration.

"Of course we know. Why else would we take such an interest in the Riddle-Miller family?" Mathew inquired.

"That name is not to be used in this house. I WILL NOT ALLOW IT. I disowned that name just as I disowned my father. I have also disowned magic. Alex will not be going to Hogwarts. I am not taking that kind of chance with this family. And the ministry shouldn't either."

"Why are you so frightened of letting Alex into our world? Are you afraid he will become like your father? You must give him a chance to prove himself. Of course, there is always a chance that he will go bad. But there is that same chance with any other wizard. There is also the chance that he could be great. He could do wonderful things for both the wizarding world and for the muggle one. Your lineage is strong. You come from a tradition of very powerful wizards.

"I know that!" Tim practically shouted, "Don't you see that's why I am so afraid?"

"You must give him a chance. If not, he will always wonder. Memory spells can take away his memory and knowledge of our world and your job, but he will still be a wizard. They can never take away who he is. He will never be like other muggles. You, of all people, must understand that. Give him a chance," Mathew explained.

"You don't understand. You don't have to live everyday with the fear that your family legacy will live on."

"Timothy, every wizarding family has skeletons in their closets."

Shaking his head in his hands Tim whispered, "Not like mine, not like mine."

"Listen, the Ministry would not have sent me if they didn't have faith in you and your son. Give Alex a chance."

"Yes, and what of Harry Potter? When he arrived at Hogwarts everyone knew who he was. He had a reputation before he even knew about Hogwarts."

"No one besides the Ministry knows whose descendent Alex is, and even within the Ministry it is top secret information. Alex Miller will not have to carry his reputation openly on his forehead like Potter did. He will not be like Harry Potter. Trust us."

"Did Harry Potter have a pet like you who watched over him and made sure he went to Hogwarts?" Asked Tim calming down a bit and accepting the situation.

"Are you joking?" Mathew laughed.

"Why would I be joking? Why would my son have a spy watching over him and Harry Potter not? Don't you see there will always be this kind of discrimination against Alex! This hate! This fear!" Tim was beginning to get fired up once again.

"Pull yourself together. Come now. Even you know about the Dursley's, right? They were terrible to Harry. They would have never let him have a pet. No, he didn't have an animagus watching over him but he did have an elderly neighbor. Mrs. Figg watched over him as best as she could."

"Well, it seems as if I really don't have a choice in the matter, do I? I do insist though that no one tell Alex about his family history. He must not ever know who his ancestors are. And I reserve the right to pull Alex out at anytime I deem necessary. I'll be keeping a close eye on him." Tim demanded standing up once again.

"Fine, but it will not be necessary. Good now that we have that settled. There are other matters that we must discuss. For one, don't worry about Alex's friend. He no longer remembers anything about the incident. Secondly, Alex will need supplies from Diagon Alley. Have you ever been there?" Tim shook his head.

"I have heard of it, of course, but I have never had the pleasure of actually going."

"Well, that is where Alex needs to go to get books and other such supplies for the upcoming school year. Supplies that can not be found anywhere else in London. I can leave you directions to get there. Muggles will never be able to find it alone, but as we know you are definitely not a muggle even though you choose to play one. All right, Alex has about a week and a half to get supplies. When it is time to catch the Hogwarts Express I will meet you here that morning and escort you to the platform. Many first-timers have trouble finding it. Now, should you go break the news to your son? Or should his dog?"