Harry Potter 'sTwin Brother

Chapter 19: Writing the Reply

The moon was high by the time the room quieted again. The letter from Hogwarts lay folded neatly on the desk, beside the supply list. Outside, the neighborhood was asleep—just the occasional hiss of wind brushing past the hedges and the dull click of the heater in the hallway.

Hardwin sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at the ceiling in thought.

Harry, who hadn't stopped fidgeting since they read the list, finally broke the silence. "We should write back."

Hardwin nodded. "Yeah… they said we need to reply before the end of July. If it's real, we have to show we're serious."

"But what do we even say?" Harry frowned. "What if it is a prank?"

"Exactly," Hardwin said, rising from the bed. "That's what we write."

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🖋️ A Late-Night Mission

Harry tiptoed out into the hallway, careful not to wake the Dursleys, and rummaged through a drawer in the sitting room. He returned with two sheets of lined paper from Dudley's school stash, a dull pencil, and a crumpled envelope.

Hardwin gave him a half-smile. "You're getting better at sneaking."

Harry grinned. "It's the slippers. Quiet feet."

They settled at the desk. The lamp now burned low, its golden circle just large enough to cover the paper.

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✍️ The Letter Draft

"What do we write?" Harry asked again, pencil poised.

Hardwin leaned closer, thinking aloud—his tone casual, curious. "Start with… 'Dear Professor McGonagall'... right? That's who signed the letter."

Harry scribbled quickly.

> Dear Professor McGonagall,

> We received your letter today about Hogwarts School.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

"Well," Hardwin said, voice steady, "say something like… we're not sure if it's real. Because, honestly… magic? It sounds mad."

Harry nodded and continued.

> It seems like a prank. We've never heard of such a school, and it's hard to believe that a real magical school exists.

"Good," Hardwin said. "Now ask for proof."

Harry hesitated. "Proof?"

"Yeah. Say… if this is real, could someone from the school come talk to us? Show us something."

Harry added the lines with furrowed brows.

> If this is a real school, maybe someone can visit us to explain more and show us that it's not a trick.

Hardwin gently took the pencil for a moment. "Also ask about the supplies."

He added a few lines:

> We also wanted to ask where we can buy the books and items on the list. We don't know what kind of shop sells a wand or cauldron.

Harry took back the pencil. "And money. I bet it's not pounds."

"Exactly." Hardwin nodded. "Ask if they take normal money, or if wizards use something else."

> Also, do we need special money to buy these things? Or do you take pounds?

Harry stared at what they had written, then smiled.

"Should I sign both our names?"

"Yeah," Hardwin said quietly. "Might as well."

Harry wrote:

> Sincerely,

Harry Potter

Hardwin Potter

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🕯️ Finishing Up

The two boys stared at the letter for a long moment. It felt strange—writing to a magical school. A school that might or might not exist. A world just outside their grasp.

Harry folded the letter and slipped it into the envelope, writing "HOGWARTS" across the front in large, unsure letters.

"Do you think it'll work?" he asked softly.

Hardwin leaned back, eyes half-lidded. "If they really have owls bringing mail... they'll get it."

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It was just past dawn. A pale blue light stretched across the sky as the sun began to warm the sleepy rooftops of Privet Drive. Inside the room, Harry sat cross-legged by the window, rubbing his eyes.

"Hardwin," he whispered suddenly, "there's an owl."

Still half-asleep, Hardwin blinked. "What?"

"An owl. Sitting right outside the window. I think it's the owl."

Hardwin sat up fast, the sheet sliding off his legs. He padded barefoot to the window. There, perched calmly on the edge of the sill, was a large tawny owl. Its feathers fluffed against the early breeze, golden eyes alert and wise beyond reason. It looked directly at them—as if it had been waiting.

"No normal owl sits this still," Harry whispered.

Hardwin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Definitely not a garden owl."

Without another word, Hardwin turned and slipped out of the room.

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🍲 In the Kitchen

The hallway creaked softly under his steps as he reached the kitchen. A faint scent of turmeric, toasted cumin, and curry leaves still lingered from last night's dinner. He scanned the counter and found a covered steel bowl with leftover aloo sabzi and some folded chapatis in foil.

Smiling faintly, he took a few pieces, broke them into smaller bits, and walked back upstairs with the plate balanced in one hand.

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🦉 The Owl Enters

Harry had opened the window wide. The owl hadn't flown away—instead, it tilted its head as if inspecting the two boys like a schoolteacher at roll call.

Hardwin raised the plate. "Let's see what you think of this."

The owl blinked once, then stepped forward—graceful and deliberate. It entered the room with a light hop and settled on the desk beside the lamp.

Harry watched, amazed. "Is… is it going to eat that?"

Hardwin shrugged. "Let's ask it politely."

He extended a few crumbled pieces of chapati with a little dab of potato on the edge.

The owl sniffed, then—surprisingly—nibbled.

Harry burst into quiet laughter. "You're feeding an owl Indian food?"

Hardwin grinned. "Not all owls eat mice. Maybe this one likes sabzi."

The owl gave a short, satisfied hoot—more like approval than protest.

Harry was still giggling. "What next, masala chai?"

Hardwin offered the owl a second bite. "If it stays for tea, I'll be impressed."

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✉️ Delivery Confirmed

As they fed the bird, it stretched one leg forward. A small cylindrical case was strapped to it with twine.

Harry gasped. "That's it. That's for the reply!"

Hardwin carefully untied their letter from the owl's leg. It gave a soft hoot and tapped the desk, then looked meaningfully at the window.

"Guess it's waiting for us to send it back."

Hardwin placed the reply gently into the case and secured it.

Harry opened the window again. "Ready?"

The owl stepped to the sill, looked back once—then launched into the morning air, wings stretched wide, vanishing into the soft clouds like a shadow into fog.

The boys stood frozen for a moment, just watching the sky.

Harry turned, eyes shining. "That just happened, right?"

Hardwin nodded slowly. "Yes… and now, there's no doubt anymore."

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