So there I was, drinking an iced latte and completely engrossed in my favorite Harry Potter, when it happened. I heard a scream and my head snapped up just in time for me to see a thug grabbing a purse from one of the many homeless people crowding around a man giving a speech on human rights. I was so caught up in my Harry Potter that I snatched the straw of my latte, pointed it at the ruffian and shouted “Petrificus Totalus!!!” (That’s the spell to completely paralyze someone). Of course, nothing happened. The people in front of me received drops of coffee and I was greeted with odd glances whenever I visited that café again.

That had been five years ago. Ever since then, I had gotten into the habit of shouting Harry Potter spells for almost everything. Much to my friends’ and family’s chagrin, I regularly used to shout “Lumos” in public for turning on lights, “Nox” for turning them off, and annoying siblings often received “Silencio” and “Crucio” to name a few.

In the morning, on my fourteenth birthday, my mom told me to grab an apple on my way out for school. Obviously, I pointed my pen at the kitchen table and yelled, “Accio apple!” Then the strangest thing happened. The apple actually flew into my hand! I looked at my mom. My mom looked at me. We both looked at the apple.

Suddenly, time stood still. Everything froze except for my mother and I. The curtains stopped mid-swing, as did my bewildered dog’s tail. The wall clock didn’t tick. I remember being relieved because I wouldn’t be late for school thanks to the time-freeze. There was a huge thump on the door. By that time, my mom had screamed for my dad, and he tentatively opened the door.

On the patio, stood a gigantic man. Apart from his snow white hair, he looked exactly like, “Hagrid!” I yelled, my eyes wider than the apple in my hand. He looked down at me. “ So you’re the new wizard, huh?”