#i mean i did forget the bibliography this time but all the footnote references were there so he can make do ...

[a-sleepy-ginger]

22/5/24

✿❈✿❈✿

Did well on my exam I think? Managed to write everything I prepared at least

Mango and coconut ice cream

Steak pie and sweet potato chips

Saw lots of magpies

[glowstar826]

Self-Insert AU: Year 1, Chapter 1

NOTE: There are some words that are used that aren’t in English and are in Bangla (the language that Bangladeshi people use) since this is a self-insert and I normally talk to my parents in a mixture of Bangla and English. Translations will be provided in the footnote. Enjoy!

Doing writing assignments in England is like turning in an impeccably detailed three-page essay with REFERENCES and a BIBLIOGRAPHY only for it to be handed back to you because you refused to use the British spellings.

Because that’s EXACTLY what happened.

Don’t get me wrong; I love England, but come on!

Can’t you give a ten-year-old Texan girl who just moved to London only six months ago a break?

Right. It may sound like a lot of work for a person my age, but hear me out.

You see, I finished the first semester of fourth grade by the time I moved here in January, and I was immediately bumped into Year Six because of my age. I mean, what? They basically made me skip an entire grade! I think Year Six would be the equivalent of sixth grade in America, but I’m not too sure.

Well, at least I can say I skipped a grade just like my mom did as a kid, but my mom wasn’t too happy about it when she found out.

You may be wondering why my parents decided to uproot us from our good life in America and move us across the Atlantic. Feel free to get in contact with them because I’m wondering the same exact thing.

Now, it’s not like I’ve never been to England in my life, so don’t you dare call me a dumb American.

I will hunt you down and physically harm you if you do.

I’ve been to England twice in my short life: once when I was six and another time when I was eight. Both trips were super awesome! I even got a little taste of what living in England was like the last time since we rented out an apartment. We had to get our own food from Marks and Spencer and cook it ourselves. The apartment was somewhere in Earl’s Court. A walking distance from the station, actually. The place I’m at now is where I temporarily live.

I really love the neighborhood. The trees are a beautiful green and we live in front of a kind of road that I’ve always wanted to live by. The railings and the staircases all look positively perfect, and I just love the look of it all in general. It’s so scenic and beautiful, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I think we live in a townhouse if I’m not mistaken. It could also be a row house. I’m not too sure about the difference, but all I know is that people live above us. Which means we don’t have the area to ourselves.

We’re currently looking for other houses to live in since this place doesn’t have enough rooms. Daddy has to sleep on the couch, and I hate that. Mommy and I share the small bed in the singular bedroom. I told my parents many times in the past that I could sleep on the couch so Daddy could sleep comfortably, but neither of them had any of it. Daddy said that he’s used to it and that he used to sleep on the floor all the time. Mommy said that it’s too close to the door and anybody could come in and take me. After many arguments, I conceded defeat. Sometimes, I get the bed to myself whenever my parents need to have late-night talks after dinner.

The last day of school is tomorrow, June 30th, and I have to work hard to correct every color to colour and sanitize to sanitise. Ugh! It’s just so annoying! For some reason, though, I find it nice that school ends in June instead of May. It’s different, and I like different. The more variety in my life, the better.

“Ma,” Mommy calls softly from the sofa just as I add the last correction to my paper, “time for bed.”

I look at Mommy and reply, “Okay.”

“Jao. Go brush your teeth and I’ll come to tuck you in.”

“Okay, Mommy,” I say, feeling warm inside.

Smiling, I get up, put my papers into my folder, and put the folder into my backpack, which I then zip up and place in the chair I was sitting in just now so I won’t forget it before I go to school. Then, I walk up to Daddy, give him a hug and a kiss, and go down the small hallway to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

In the past months, I managed to make one friend. His name is Peter. He’s kind of skittish, and we’re total opposites, but we kind of bonded over the fact that we’re both outsiders, me being American and him being, well, him. He isn’t too popular in school and he’s not good at much of anything, but he has a good heart. He was very nice to me when I helped him with the homework he was clearly struggling with. My teacher had asked me to help him since she saw how intelligent I was through my work. After that day, Peter and I formed a tentative friendship.

Another good thing about school is Mrs. Lupin, who is my teacher. She’s such a lovely lady. She’s gentle but firm, and she wants us to succeed by the time the year’s through. When I was introduced to the class, she was very kind, caring, and compassionate. She even kept me after school for the first two weeks just so she could help me catch up with the other students and educate me on the norms of British education. She also helped me work on my spellings for words like encyclopedia and license which British versions are encyclopaedia and licence. Besides Peter, Mrs. Lupin was a huge help in regards to me settling into my new life in Britain.

To show our gratitude, my parents and I got her a nice gift from Harrods that I’m going to give her tomorrow. I can’t wait to give her the scarf and the Chanel perfume. I also made her a card since she helped me so much, and I’m very grateful to her for being there for me when I needed it. I really hope she likes it. I chose the scarf myself. I also got something for her son, who she says is our age but homeschooled because he’s very sickly. After hearing that, I decided to make Daddy take me to the crafts shop so I could make her son a bracelet with some electric blue, coal black, lime green, and off-white beads. It doesn’t look very girlish, so I hope Mrs. Lupin will appreciate it. I also hope her son appreciates it. I worked extremely hard on it and put my best effort into the bracelet.

As I scrub my teeth and try to avoid getting the minty toothpaste on my tongue, I think about my friends back in America. I didn’t have many friends at my old school. None, actually. The friends I have are all family friends, so I won’t have to worry about drifting apart from them. I definitely plan to visit them during the summer if I can. I really miss Rafay and Hana. They’re siblings and the best friends I could ask for. We’re practically cousins. Our parents are all East Pakistani, and we look alike. Well, it’s now Bangladeshi since we finally gained independence from Pakistan back in March. We had a huge party here once we got the news.

Our moms were friends as kids (my mom was besties with Rafay and Hana’s mom’s older sister, who I know as Shabana Auntie; I know Rafay and Hana’s mom as Zooni Auntie), and they’re still really close. I hope Rafay and Hana miss me, but I don’t think they’ll miss me as much as I’m currently missing them. They, unlike me, have other friends that can take up their time. As of right now, I’ve only got Peter. I hope to make more friends in the future, of course, but it’s unlikely unless I get over my fear of talking to other people on my own without being prompted.

It’s weird. When I really get into a conversation with someone, it looks like I’m the most outgoing, confident person in the world. I can handle myself if I really like the topic. But, if I’m put on the spot and I have to single-handedly uphold a conversation about a topic I don’t know much about, I just simply cannot talk without my stomach tying itself into knots and my palms sweating a waterfall. I don’t think my friendship with Peter will last, though, since we’re so different. It’s like night and day. I’d like to think of myself as confident in certain things and scared in others. With Peter, he’s scared of everything and needs me to help him overcome different hurdles that come his way! But I’ll definitely try to keep in contact with him if I can unless we drift apart naturally.

My grades aren’t as high as I’d like them to be. I was an A-student back in America. Now, I’m making mostly B’s and C’s with the occasional A. I broke down when I got my first C. Mommy and Daddy held me that night until I felt better. On the subject of my grades, Mrs. Lupin, in an effort to raise my self-esteem, commended me on my art skills in class. When she saw some of my writing pieces, she told me that I reminded her a lot of her son, who was apparently very intelligent and bookish. I can tell she loves her child very much and is very proud of him.

We discussed different classic books together, and we bonded over our love of Little Women. I told her how my favorite character is Jo for her rambunctiousness and tomboyishness, and Mrs. Lupin told me that she loved Laurie and thought he and Jo should have married instead of him and Amy. Frankly, I quite agree. Amy and Laurie just don’t go well together in my opinion. They’re very different people. She also talked about Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. I already knew the plot of the first book, but I had a learning experience in regards to the second one. By the end of it all, I found that I loved Darcy. And Elizabeth, of course. But mostly Darcy. I wonder why.

Removing my glasses to splash water, I turn off the faucet and dab my face dry. As I exit the bathroom, I hear my parents talking with each other rapidly.

“Manizeh!” Daddy calls from the living room, evidently hearing my footsteps. “Ekhane asho!”

“Ami ashtesi!” I reply, and I pick up my pace. When I get to the main room, I see both my parents looking positively gleeful. A letter with a red wax seal lies in between them.

“Dekho,” Mommy tells me as she gestures to the letter. “This is the exact letter we’ve moved to England for.”

I raise an eyebrow, feeling skeptical. No, they couldn’t have possibly moved all the way across the Atlantic for a silly letter. No way!

“You’re kidding,” I say in disbelief, expecting either Mommy or Daddy to laugh, pat me on the back, and say, “No, we’re joking,” but they remain silent.

“So...no?”

“No, ma, it’s not,” Mommy answers.

“Asho,” says Daddy. “Amar shate bosho, tarpore ey letter khulo.”

“Okay,” I reply, and I take the letter and plop myself in between my parents. I open the envelope and take out the contents of it, handing the envelope to Mommy. Then, I unfold the paper and read what’s on it:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Rahman,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Then, I flip to the second page:

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK.

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

I set down the letter on my lap indignantly, feeling utterly betrayed and confused and upset all at once.

“You took me here,” I begin slowly after a minute, “just so I can have a joke played on me?” I don’t feel ten any longer; I feel older, stronger, and angrier.

“You TOOK me here,” I repeat, “because of THIS?!” I jump up and wave the old-looking parchment at my parents’ faces. “Please tell me this is some kind of joke!”

“If you want proof that magic exists, I’ll show you,” Mommy offers.

“I can, too,” Daddy adds.

“Wait—what? So you’re not joking? Magic is...real?” I ask blankly.

“Yeah!” says Daddy excitedly. “We’ve been waiting for this moment since the day you were born.”

With that, my parents practically run out of the room and return literally seconds later with what I presume to be their wands. No, I’m not calling them sticks like a dumb American would. I refuse to have that label affixed to my name.

“Scarf thau,” says Mommy. Daddy throws her a scarf.

“Watch. Wingardium Leviosa,” she murmurs, and I watch, mesmerized as she makes a very specific swish-and-flick movement. My jaw drops when I see the scarf rise slowly into the air. A feeling of excitement overtakes my body and senses, realizing that, if the letter is real, it means I can do the thing Mommy’s doing right now with the scarf.

“Accio scarf!” exclaims Daddy, and the scarf flies right into his hand.

“Serpensortia!” Mommy says a second later as she points her wand at Daddy, and I scream when a snake is shot out of it.

“Relax, ma! Calm down!” Daddy tells me, chuckling as if that snake was the most harmless thing in the world. Pointing his wand, Daddy cries, “Evanesco!” and the snake disappears.

After a long moment, I sigh. Looking at my parents, I ask defeatedly, “I’m dreaming, right?”

“Of course not, Sumani,” Mommy replies. “In September, you’ll be going to Hogwarts, just like I did when I was eleven.”

“What about you, Daddy? Did you go to Hogwarts, too?” Daddy shakes his head.

“No, I went to Ilvermorny in America.”

“Then?” I ask, frowning. “Why’d you take me here? Why didn’t we remain in America? Wouldn’t I have gotten my Ilvermorny letter?”

“Yes,” Mommy admits, “you would have.”

“But Hogwarts is a better school,” Daddy adds, “and you’ll be closer to us.”

“We talked about it with each other,” Mommy continues, “and we compared our experiences. From that, we decided that it would be better fit for you if you went to Hogwarts. It’s smaller, and there aren't as many people and not as many twists and turns.”

“But I’ve never been anywhere without you before,” I reply a bit harshly. “I’ve never been to a sleepover. I’ve never been away. You see, this is why you should’ve let me go to a sleepover! You couldn’t even have let me go to Sophia and Natasha’s house?” Sophia and Natasha are another pair of siblings I’m friends with.

“Ma,” Daddy says warningly. “Ghoomatay jao. Like Mommy said, we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

Groaning, I nod, and I walk up to my parents and give each of them a hug. Then, I walk back to our room and pull the blanket over my head, making sure to take off my glasses and turning off the lamp.

Who knew my existence could get so interesting with the help of a single letter?

…

I read my well-worn copy of Brave New World as Daddy drives through the streets of London to get me to school. It’s an interesting book with an interesting, more comforting dystopian future. I remember stealing Mommy’s copy of 1984 behind her back soon after my birthday and vowing never to pick up that book again once I finished it. Apparently, being two digits doesn’t mean that I’m ready and willing to take whatever the world throws at me, as reading the book has scarred my mind for life. Soon after we moved here, I finally came clean to Mommy about what I did after a slew of nightmares involving Big Brother shooting my head, the Party unpersoning Daddy, and O’Brien releasing rats to eat me alive. To my surprise, she wasn’t angry at all. Instead, she comforted me and said she shouldn’t have left the book lying around. That was when I discovered Brave New World, and it has since helped me see a much kinder picture of what our future world could possibly look like.

My parents told me about blood status this morning. Mommy and Daddy are Muggle-borns, so that apparently makes me a half-blood. Speaking of Muggles, Muggles are apparently what witches and wizards call non-magical folk.

My parents also told me about the four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Mommy told me she was a Ravenclaw when she went to Hogwarts but that it didn’t matter what House I got Sorted into. She also warned me to watch my back if I got Sorted into Slytherin, as that House got the most hate from the other Houses especially after some evil wizard named Voldemort (who was a Slytherin himself) started terrorizing the Wizarding world. When I asked about Shabana Auntie and Zooni Auntie, Mommy said that they knew about her magic but they weren’t magical themselves. Otherwise, her status as a witch was kept under wraps.

Daddy told me he was a Thunderbird in Ilvermorny and quite popular when he was in school, but he never cared for the attention and only cared about passing classes and Quidditch. When I asked him what that was, he told me that it’s a magical sport played on flying brooms. That’s when I immediately decided I’d try out for it as soon I could. Daddy was apparently the Quidditch captain during his last two years at Ilvermorny, and that made me even more excited to learn. Daddy also told me about Quodpot, which is another sport he played frequently, but not as frequently as Quidditch.

Mommy told me about the prefect system and I learned that she was a prefect herself in her fifth year and Head Girl in her seventh year at Hogwarts. She told me that prefects were appointed in their fifth year and that you needed to have a good track record to become one. When I asked if I could be Quidditch captain and prefect at the same time, my parents answered yes but that it would be a lot of responsibilities to undertake.

I wonder what I’ll tell Peter about all this. I know Mommy told me that I have to uphold some sort of Magical Statute of Secrecy as Daddy and I were leaving the house, but I have to tell him! He’s my only friend in all of England! Who else would I talk about it with?

I hear Daddy start to park the car, and I’m snapped out of my musings. I get up and take Mrs. Lupin’s gift in my hand as Daddy stops the car and takes out the key.

As soon as I’m out, I smooth out my black plaid pleated skirt, adjust my black and gold tie, and button up my dark gray blazer. Back in America, I never needed a uniform, so it was harder to get ready in the morning what with all the decisions I had to make. Now, I don’t need to worry about what outfit would impress my classmates because we all look the same. At that thought, I unbutton one of my buttons on my blazer. Then I reach inside my blazer pocket and feel the bracelet safely tucked away. Oh, I really hope Mrs. Lupin likes it.

As I’m about to go inside, Daddy ruffles my hair once more.

“Have a good day, ma,” he says, planting a kiss on my head.

“You too, Daddy,” I reply, smiling, feeling as if I was five all over again. After giving him a kiss on his cheek and a quick hug, I go inside the school and look for Peter in the courtyard.

“Manizeh!” I hear, and I lift my head up at the sound. I look around, and I find Peter waving to me from the swings. Waving back, I run over to the swingset.

“I saved one for you,” he says.

“Thanks,” I reply, sitting on the vacant swing.

“So, I’ve got something to tell you,” Peter begins uncertainly, as if I might stop being friends with him for what he’ll say. If he does think that, then he doesn’t really know me now, does he?

“What is it?” I ask, knowing I’ve got something to tell him, too.

“I’m not returning next year,” he reveals sadly, and that’s when I get confused.

“You’re leaving?” I reply, feeling a pang of sadness all of a sudden. “Where are you going?”

“It’s not like I’m leaving London or anything, but I won’t be going here any longer.” Then, Peter looks excited as he says, “I’m going to boarding school!”

“Ooh, nice!” I respond, feeling genuinely excited for my friend now. “Which one? I’m afraid I don’t know many.”

“The school has a very funny name, and it was yesterday that an old, stern lady came to give me my acceptance letter. I forget her name. McGona-something.”

I start swinging on the swingset, needing to feel some air.

“When did you apply?” I ask conversationally as I go up and down.

“That’s the thing. I didn’t!” Peter replies incredulously. “She just comes over randomly and says that I’m accepted at this school...what’s its name...Wogharts, I think. No! No. Hogwarts. Hogwarts is the name of the school.”

I stop moving. “Hogwarts?”

“That’s what I said.”

Now, I feel positively ecstatic.

“Then, you don’t have to worry about leaving me behind, because I’m coming with you!” I announce, flashing a warm smile.

Peter gets up from his swing as the bell rings for us to go inside and starts walking back into the building.

“What? You don’t understand—you can’t!” he sputters.

I laugh and say, “Of course I can.”

“No...you really don’t understand—”

“Peter—”

“It’s not a normal boarding school—”

“Peter—”

“And they don’t just accept anybody—”

“PETER!”

“What?” he asks sharply, his rambling coming to a sudden halt. We’re almost inside the building.

“I’m magical, too,” I reveal with a wry smile. “I got my Hogwarts acceptance letter yesterday.”

“What? No—really? We’ll be studying magic—together?”

“Yes,” I reply. “I turn eleven in August. Apparently, my parents kept my magical status a secret from me, wanting to expose me to the wonders of Muggle life. They’re both Muggle-borns, so I’m a half-blood.”

“Wow,” Peter breathes out. “You know I turned eleven in May, so we’ll be in the same year. I’m apparently what you call a Muggle-born, since none of my parents know magic or use it.”

“So, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall came to your house last night?”

Peter nods as he holds the door open for me.

“Yeah. She proper terrified me! Taller than both my parents, she was, and she never smiled during her visit. Ever. Her glasses were sharp, and her hair was tightly pulled back in a bun. She could probably kill someone with her stare!”

I laugh as I take my seat at the back of the classroom next to Peter.

“I’m kind of nervous, really. What if I’m not good?”

I pat Peter’s shoulder as I reply, “That’s silly. I think you’ll do awesome as a wizard!”

“I don’t know…”

“C’mon, Peter! Don’t worry. If you fail, I’ll be there to pull you right back up!”

Peter smiles tentatively. “Thanks. You’re a good friend, you know.”

“Thank you! I’m glad to hear it.”

The class quiets down as Mrs. Lupin calls us to her attention.

“Morning, everyone! As you know, today’s the very last day of primary school for you all, so we’re going to celebrate by going on a trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach!”

Murmurs of excitement are heard throughout the room as Peter turns to me.

“That’s brilliant!” he says excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to go on Big Dipper!”

“Big Dipper?” I ask blankly.

“Only the most wicked roller coaster out there! My sister and her boyfriend went last year after they graduated from uni, and they came back and told me all about it! Ooh, I’m so excited!”

I gulp as I say, “Well, I’m not too much of a fan of roller coasters. It doesn’t go upside down, right?”

“‘Course not!” Peter answers gleefully. “It’s wooden! Why would it?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I’m not the one who’s from England.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m just joking.” Mrs. Lupin’s voice pulls me from my conversation.

“Mr. Jenkins and I are going to load the buses with you lot at seven-fifteen, so for now, you can either talk to each other, turn in missing assignments, or play one of the board games.”

I perk up at “missing assignments,” immediately pulling my backpack onto my lap and pulling out my folder.

“You’ve got ten minutes to kill, so I suggest you get to it!” Mrs. Lupin says, and just like that, there’s a dull roar in the classroom as other kids get up and do things as they push their chairs in and start talking. I seize my opportunity to turn in my essay and take the paper up to my teacher, not forgetting to take her gift as well.

“You’ve corrected all the spellings on it?” Mrs. Lupin asks kindly as I approach her, her chin-length light brown hair and bangs looking a bit puffier than usual as she sits down and looks at the paper I’ve placed on her desk.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good, good.” I remain standing there.

“Is there anything else that you need?” she asks after she sees my unmoving body.

“Y-yes,” I stutter, feeling somewhat nervous now.  “I...I got something for you.” I hold out the gift bag. I notice her eyes widen, and that encourages me to go on.

“I’m very grateful for your help this year. Without you, I don’t think I would’ve been able to settle in London as well as I did.”

Mrs. Lupin gasps a bit as she takes the blue bag from my hand.

“Oh, goodness...thank you so much!”

“It’s a perfume and a scarf,” I continue. “I chose the scarf myself, and I also wrote you a card.”

I grin as I see a huge smile growing on my teacher’s face.

“Manizeh, can I hug you?” Mrs. Lupin asks after she’s viewed all the contents, including the card. “This gift is absolutely wonderful. You’ve honestly made my day.”

I nod, and Mrs. Lupin reaches over from her chair and gives me a tight hug.

Suddenly, I remember the bracelet, and I pull it out from my blazer pocket after Mrs. Lupin lets go of me.

“I also made something for your son. I hope you like it.” I hold out the bracelet for Mrs. Lupin to see. “I just thought it would be nice if he got something since you told me he was sickly and...and didn’t have many friends.” This is when I lose the confidence I had gained for that short amount of time.

“Oh, I hope it isn’t too much,” I garble. “I...I….”

Mrs. Lupin chuckles and says, “Come here.”

I step a bit closer and I’m suddenly wrapped in a warm hug again.

“My son will love it,” Mrs. Lupin assures me as she pats my shoulder. “He’ll definitely be happy to know someone out there is thinking of him. Thank you so much for the wonderful thought.”

I grin once more as I reply, “You’re welcome.” Then, I nod respectfully and return to my table, feeling absolutely elated at my success.

As Mrs. Lupin calls our class to line up at the door to board the bus, I can’t help but feel that nothing will go wrong today.

...

TRANSLATIONS:

Ma - “Mother.” Can be and is often used to address one’s daughter affectionately.

Jao - “Go.”

Ekhane asho! - “Come here!”

Ami ashtesi - “I’m coming.”

Dekho - “Look.”

Asho - “Come.”

Amar shate bosho - “Sit with me...”

Tarpore ey letter khulo - “...then open the letter.”

Thau - “Give it to me.”

Ghoomatay jao - “Go to sleep.”