My birthday is in April, wrote Pansy Parkinson, and that was when I got my hogwarts letter. Father was very proud and Mother said Draco was in my year. I knew we would both be in Slytherin because our parents were too. I visited Draco last summer and he showed me his new nimbus Streek of Glory that cost 250 galeons. I don’t like quidditch so much but Draco does and I watch him play. When I’m married I’ll buy my sons the newest brooms on the market.

Hogwarts is a very big castle and there is a forest with all kinds of dangerous animals in it, although some aren’t really animals. I sat next to Draco at breakfast and he told me his father has a lot of rare birds at the manor. When I’m married I’ll have white peacoks in my garden.

My expectations are that I make my family proud and learn a lot of useful spells. Mother says a girl needs an education even though she gets married because she must be able to support her husband.

I really like the dormitory because it’s fun having other girls to talk to.

The century of feminism, Snape mused as he put Pansy’s essay aside, seemed to have gone straight past the old pureblood families.

He picked up the next scroll.

My name’s Greg (Goyle) and I’m 11 years old. My dad gave me a Neezle before I came to Hoggwats. The neezle is called Mifisto and he has black and white fur and a long tail. He catches rats and eats them and leavs their tails on the rug but mum doesn’t like that. Draco says that owls are better because but my dad has a neezl and they are usefull too.

Hogwats is my new school my dad went to Hoggwats too in sli slystherin all my familys in slyterin. Draco and vince are in slytherinn, too. My neezle Mifisto sleeps in my bed and he takes up a lot of room and I cant move my Feet bcause he bites my toes.

I like Horgwats because we play Quiditch and there’s  saussag for breakfast Mifisto likes bacon and I bring him some back when I remember.

Sincerly,

Greg (Goyle)

Snape had asked the tutors not to correct any mistakes, as he wanted to see where his first-years stood and where remedial tutoring might be in order. Goyle was definitely on that list, although Snape was glad that the boy sounded reasonably happy. With two older brothers in Azkaban and his father a relapsing alcoholic, the boy was definitely better off here.

Underneath his essay, Goyle had drawn a surprisingly good picture of a sleeping Kneazle and a boy curled up next to it. Knowing that no one would ever see it except for Goyle, Snape wrote “well done” under the picture before he set about correcting the spelling mistakes.

Draco’s essay was next, and Snape picked it up with a certain curiosity.

My name is Draco Malfoy, I’m eleven years old and about to begin my education at Hogwarts, one of the most prestigious schools in wizarding Europe. My family can trace their ancestry back to Brutus Malfoy, who was a close relation of Salazar Slytherin’s wife. The Malfoy name is renowned for influence and status in the wizarding world. Back home, I have two Nimbus brooms, one Streak of Glory and one 1990 XXL. Father had them brought from Italy, and they cost more than all the school brooms put together. I wish first-years at Hogwarts could have their own brooms. When I grow up, I want to be a Healer, but Father says there’s been a post waiting for me at the Ministry since I was born. Malfoys have always had good connections to the ministry. My best friends are Vince Crabbe and Greg Goyle.

Hogwarts is one of the most prestigious schools in wizarding Europe. They have a huge Quidditch pitch and I’m going to be on the House team when I’m older. Hogwart’s Headmaster is Albus Dumbledore, but Father says and our Head of House is my godfather Severus Snape, who is the youngest Potions Master in Britain. Slytherin is the best House because it has a proud and noble history. I’m in Slytherin like my mother and father. One of my classmates is Harry Potter, who is famous because and well-known in the wizarding world.

Father says he expects top grades from a Malfoy, and he will come to watch me play Quidditch when I’m on the team. I want to learn all about Quidditch and spells and maybe something about Healing; that is useful even if you have a post at the Ministry. I expect to receive the magical education that befits a Malfoy and have a good time, like last night when we had a cockroach cluster fight in the dormitory. That was a lot of fun.

Snape could see that Draco had written this essay before, most likely with the assistance of the expensive tutor Lucius had hired. His godson was fluent in French and Italian, he could ride, fence and hold his own in any dinner conversation, he knew the Malfoy lineage by heart back to the Middle Ages and owned more official dress robes than most high-ranking Ministry employees.

Snape thought of Malfoy Manor with its luxurious suites, sprawling gardens and cowed house elves. He still remembered the dinner party two years ago; he’d been the only half-blood invited, and the only one who didn’t arrive in their very own carriage. Draco had come into the dining salon in his expensive robes, paler than usual, his eyes red-rimmed and swollen. He’d stood in a corner during the entire six-hour dinner ceremony. An hour after midnight, Lucius had flicked his wand at his son, who flinched as if he’d been struck. He’d slowly crept over to the table and thanked the guests for their attendance, then left without a look back. When Snape quietly asked about Draco, Lucius merely responded that his son needed to learn his duties and responsibilities as a Malfoy.

Cockroach cluster fight, indeed. Visits from children Draco’s age had been few and far between at the manor.

He reached for the next essay.

Hogwarts is a school for Witchcraft and wizardry, wrote Theodore Nott. I’m glad I’m going to Hogwarts and not Durmstrang because durmstrang is high up North and I prefer milder climates you can go swimming in the lake my Pa told me. I do swimming for sports. Some people think swimming isn’t a wizarding sport but it is because there are many spells and magical plants that help you breathe underwater when Muggles would drown my Pa told me.

We arrived at Hogwarts and the Groundskeeper took us across the lake in boats and then we had the sorting cerremony I was sorted into Slytherin I’m going to write to my pa he was a Ravenclaw but he says Slytherin is a good option too and gryfindor too only Hufflepuff isn’t so much but I shouldn’t tell anyone because all Houses are equally apreciated at hogwarts.

In my Dormitory there are 4 other boys the Girls have their own dorms and I’m glad because I wouldn’t want to live in a dorm with girls. In my dorm there are Vince and Greg and Draco who has a Nimbus Streke of Glory at home and Harry Potter who is the boy Who lived and has a big scar on his forehead Draco asked him if it hurt and he said no.

In Hogwarts were going to learn about tranfiguration and charms and Potions (our Head of house is the Potions master his name is Severus Snape and he is Draco’s Godfather) and History of magic and Defence against the dark Arts and herbology and Quidditch. I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up I like reading so maybe I’m going to be a teacher, but I’m not a Know it-all and I’m not telling Draco my Pa says I can always decide when I’m older. At Hogwarts I want to have friends and learn lots and I want to find out whats on the third floor only I’m going to be careful so I won’t die a painful Death like Headmaster professor Dumbeldor said.

T.N.

Snape sighed, silently cursing Dumbledore for bringing up the third floor at all. There were locking charms on the door, so there was really no need to alert a hall of inquisitive and potentially rule-breaking students to the mysteries hidden in a forbidden corridor. Snape had no doubts that the Headmaster’s kindly admonition would result in many a nightly stroll and subsequent detention.

He made a mental note to keep an eye on Nott and put the boy’s essay aside, reaching for the next one.

Myself: Blaise Zabini, 12 years old, 1,57 cm tall, black hair, brown eyes, look a bit like my Mum.

I like: Playing chess, going to the theatre with my Mum, going to Digonally, having my friends over, my owl Aphrodite, playing Quidditch.

I don’t like: Having dinner parties with my mum’s aquaintences, doing homework (sometimes), the caretaker Mr. Filch because he called my mum a XXX bad name.

Hogwarts: over a 1000 years old, inside there are many rooms, moving stairs, the great Hall and ghosts and students (and teachers), we had roasted chicken and many puddings for dinner.

My expectations: learn spells, charms, how to transfigure things, how to brew potions, join the drama group, join the chess club, play Quidditch (maybe)

(I didn’t write so much because we’ve only been here for a day and I don’t know if I like it here or not. I think I do and I’ll let you know in a week or so. Respectfully, B.Z.)

Snape remembered the incident with Filch only too well. Being an avid reader of Rita Skeeter, the caretaker knew all about Mrs. Zabini’s latest marriage (and the mysterious disappearance of her husband a few months ago), and had seen fit to make several choice comments about her as her son walked by. Furious and in tears, Zabini had drawn his wand on the caretaker, just when Minerva McGonagall appeared on the scene. Fortunately, she’d had the sense to call Zabini’s Head of House instead of giving the boy detention right away.

He’d have to keep an eye on Zabini, as well. His snakes had a long memory, and it wouldn’t do for the boy to start a vendetta against the caretaker.

The next scroll had a note from the tutor clipped to it, informing him that Crabbe had spilled his inkwell over the essay and had then refused to do it over, because “he didn’t do the same homework twice, and it wasn’t his fault his hand had slipped”.

All that could still be read was the first line: “My name’s Vincent Crabbe, and Hogwarts is one of the most prestigious schools in wizarding Europe.”

Well, Snape mused, at least Draco did as he’d been told and assisted his fellow Slytherins.

Now for the piece that piqued his curiosity most, if only because he had no idea what to expect. Snape picked up Harry Potter’s essay.

About myself: I’m 11 years old and my name’s Harry Potter. I’m small and I’ve an ugly scar on my head. They told me I’m a wizard thats why I’m here at Hogwats.

About Hogwats: Its a school for people who can do ma like me. We had rost potatos for dinner and chicken and sausige and lots of sweets. And vegetables too. Everybody sat at the tables and ate together. Then we went to the slytherin dorms (they are in the cellar which is called the dunshuns). I have a huge bed with green curtains and green sheets and a pillow with a snake on it. It’s a really big room and I have my own desk and a locker for my clothes and school things. My new owl Hedwig stayed with me but she’ll have to go to the owlry thats where all the owls live.

What I expect: I want to stay here and eat in the great Hall every day.

Snape lowered the scroll. It was splotched with ink, the tell-tale mark of a student who wasn’t used to quills. The handwriting was a mess, cramped and barely legible. Potter was another candidate for remedial tutoring, it seemed.

They told me I’m a wizard. Did Potter not believe that he had magical abilities? And all the rambling on about food, giving an inventory of the first-year dormitory… it was as if Potter was missing the point entirely. Not a word about his past, or his status as the savior of the wizarding world. Not a single comment on the fact that he’d ended up in Slytherin, of all Houses. And all the boy wanted was to eat in the Great Hall every day.

No, the essay hadn’t exactly solved the enigma that was James Potter’s son.