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The Four Champions Chapter 1

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The Four Champions
Chapter 1
Birthday Owls
Claire Richards

They day that Claire Richards turned thirteen on July third, she was awoken to see three owls tapping on her window still. Sitting up and raising a pale hand to brush the dark brown, almost black hair from her eyes, she recognized one owl that was dark red and brown with sharp green eyes. The other was a small brown owl that she figured, was a school owl. The last owl was her own owl, Minerva. Excited, she jumped from her bed, and opened the window to let the three owls enter the room. Minerva, with a small parcel tied to her leg, flew over to her usual perch, while the school owl hopped onto her desk and held out his leg politely and the other flew in circles around her ceiling fan. She fed the school owl a piece of Minerva’s breadcrumbs after untying the letter from his leg and let him take off into the early morning. She set the letter on her desk and turned to the red and brown owl.

“Slow down, Nun Chuck.” She told him as she managed to catch him and untie the parcel from his leg. Without taking any breadcrumbs, Nun Chuck, the owl, flew out Claire’s window and crashed through the branches of a nearby tree and watched her from a distance with his sharp green eyes, as if he was excited for her reaction when she opened the parcel.

As if to irritate the owl by keeping him waiting, she set unopened parcel on her desk by her school letter and turned to Minerva. After untying the parcel from her leg, she stroked her beautiful light feathers.

“The triad is going to be happy to see you.” She told her.

Turing to her desk, she opened the parcel that was given to her by Nun Chuck. Inside there was a letter written in familiar handwriting.

Claire,
I’m so excited that you’re thirteen! You lasted thirteen years without dying! Way to go! I can’t wait to see you. I miss you so much. How have you been? Things are good here in Utah. My parents took me over to Salt Lake City to go shopping and I found this necklace. I figured that it would go well with that green shirt that you always wear. Plus, once we get back I could try out a charm that’ll make it change color!
Happy Birthday and I’ll see you soon!
Jennifer

Claire read the letter over again and took in Jennifer’s excitement through her writing. Jennifer was one of the first people she met when she first arrived at Newberry as well as the owner of Nun Chuck, the owl. They conversed while waiting in line to be sorted into their houses. Their personalities intertwined so perfectly, they were both confident that they would be sorted into the same house, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, their friendship did not recognize the separation of houses.

Claire opened the small parcel and pulled out a necklace with a pretty copper gem. She smiled at it as she looked it over and she heard the exciting rustling in the trees where Nun Chuck watched. It was when she draped it around her neck when she heard Nun Chuck let out an excited hoot and soar away from the tree. Claire turned to Minerva.

“That gets rid of him.” She commented.

Minerva stared at her with beautiful round eyes. Minerva was her older sister, Susan’s owl, but Claire named her. When Claire was smaller, she read stories about the Battle of Hogwarts in Scotland back in the 90’s and she loved the name of Minerva McGonagall. After Susan disappeared, Minerva was passed to Claire.

Minerva’s eyes landed on the second parcel on Claire’s desk. It came with two letters. The first was in a shaky handwriting that could only be the writing of Jackie Walms, the Quiddich captain of Claire’s house. Last year, before term ended, Claire tried out for the Quiddich team and just barely managed to play as a chaser, but her skills grew and she finally decided to start saving money for a Nimbus 2001, by working over the summer and saving her pay in a jar.

“It’s probably just Jackie telling me that I’m a chaser again.” She told Minerva, opening the letter.

Dear Claire,
I’m writing to tell you that since Steven graduated, and we had so many good people try out for Quiddich, you will no longer be playing as chaser.

Claire felt her heart sink. She loved playing as chaser. Did she save all that money for nothing? Shaking with anger, she read on.

Instead, I have appointed you seeker in Steven’s place. Your new Quiddich robes will be sent to you when you return to Newberry.

Best regards.
Jackie Walms.

Claire’s anger turned into disbelief. She was the Seeker. How? She considered herself lucky to even make the team. She turned to the next letter. It was contained in an envelope of gold parchment and sealed by the Newberry seal. Opening the parchment, she read the small writing of the Headmistress, Bernadette Bateau.

Miss Richards
Snitches after Quiddich matches are usually put in the procession of the Headmistress, but given the recent events, this one rightfully belongs to you.
Best wishes
Bernadette Bateau

Claire opened the parcel to reveal a small golden ball with a small label:

Delia: 4 L’Ours: 153

Seeker: Susan Richards.

Claire quickly folded the label and slammed the box shut.

****

Claire let Minerva perch on her hand retreated into the other bedrooms where her brothers, Rudy and Lewis, and her sister, Abrielle slept. Claire referred to them as “The Triad” because of them all being triplets. Lewis and Rudy almost looked identical in face structure, but Rudy had dark hair like Claire’s, while Lewis’s hair was lighter. Abrielle looked nothing like her brothers, with her long blonde hair (that always contained a bow) and grey eyes.

“Look at who’s back!” Claire called.

She heard disgruntled groans from Lewis’s room and the sound of rustling from Rudy’s.

“Minerva!” Abrielle called, running from her room to Claire and the owl. Claire let Abrielle take the owl and made her way into the main bedroom.

“Mother?” She asked.

Her mother lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Claire was about to tell her about her position on the Quiddich team, but her mother held up a finger to quiet her before she even started speaking. She recited what Claire’s chores were.

“Milk, eggs, cheese. Take your brother.” She muttered.

“Yes, Mother.” Claire said before exiting the room.

“Claire?”

Claire stopped walking and turned back to her mother.

“Happy birthday.” Her mother muttered and pointed to a small wrapped box on her dresser. Claire stared at her mother for a long moment before taking the box and stuffing it into her jacket pocket.

Claire understood that her mother has been through more than any parent should. She was a beautiful witch with long dark brown hair much liked Claire’s. Her muggle husband died when she was pregnant with Abrielle, Lewis, and Rudy. Soon, after Claire’s older sister Susan entered her fourth year at Newberry, she disappeared and never came home. Claire’s mother would retire to her bed early in the nights and stay there until late in the day. It was Claire who managed to retain the positive atmosphere. All the same, all of them missed Susan.

Claire and Lewis took their bikes to their supermarket. It was a beautiful sunny morning and they had a beautiful view of the coast. Portland, Maine always held its own unique beauty that Clare came to appreciating, but she longed for a different environment.

Claire and Lewis walked out of the supermarket and hung their bags on their bike handles. Claire looked over to Lewis who was looking upwards.

“What is that?” he asked.

Claire followed his gaze and saw four dark figures in the sky. As they quickly lost elevation, Claire saw the figures for what they were.

“Owls!”
After J.K. Rowling revealed that there was an American Hogwarts, it started giving me ideas. Ideas of:

Different School
Different Houses
Different Climate
Different time period
Different history
Different people
Different plots

I'm so excited about this and I hope others will be to. 

Next Chapter: sarahssoda.deviantart.com/art/…

Information for WriteRoomies or other groups: This is a fanfiction from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter.
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