Owl Post

           HarryPotterwasahighlyunusualboyinmanyways. Foronething,hehatedthesummerholidaysmorethananyothertimeofyear. Foranother,hereallywantedtodohishomeworkbutwasforcedtodoitinsecret,inthedeadofnight. Andhealsohappenedtobeawizard. 

           Itwasnearlymidnight,andhewaslyingonhisstomachinbed,theblanketsdrawnrightoverhisheadlikeatent,aflashlightinonehandandalargeleather-boundbook(AHistoryofMagicbyBathildaBagshot)proppedopenagainstthepillow. Harrymovedthetipofhiseagle-featherquilldownthepage,frowningashelookedforsomethingthatwouldhelphimwritehisessay,’WitchBurningintheFourteenthCenturyWasCompletelyPointless—discuss.’ 

           Thequillpausedatthetopofalikelylookingparagraph.Harrypushedhisroundglassesupthebridgeofhisnose,movedhisflashlightclosertothebook,andread: 

           Non-magicpeople(morecommonlyknownasMuggles)wereparticularlyafraidofmagicinmedievaltimes,butnotverygoodatrecognizingit. Ontherareoccasionthattheydidcatcharealwitchorwizard,burninghadnoeffectwhatsoever.ThewitchorwizardwouldperformabasicFlame-FreezingCharmandthenpretendtoshriekwithpainwhileenjoyingagentle,ticklingsensation. Indeed,WendelintheWeirdenjoyedbeingburnedsomuchthatsheallowedherselftobecaughtnolessthanforty-seventimesinvariousdisguises. 

           Harryputhisquillbetweenhisteethandreachedunderneathhispillowforhisinkbottleandarollofparchment.