Kurt was eleven when he found out he was not like other kids.

Wait, hang on…. That's wrong. Let's start anew.

Kurt was three when he found out he was not like other kids.

Yes, yes, good.

He preferred tea parties, dressing up, sewing and other “girl” things. The guys at school gave him a lot of crap for it. They called him “Kurtina” and always made high pitched noises when he passed them in hallways.

But yeah, Kurt's voice was still high as hell.

His parents didn't care. They wanted Kurt to be “just-Kurt.” If he wanted to do “girl” stuff, he could do “girl” stuff. That's basically how Kurt survived his almost-horrible childhood.

Well, that was until his mom died when he was eight.

His dad changed after that. Sure, he still loved Kurt till death and he played with him when he had the time, but they both knew it was different. It wasn't 24/7 sunshine and rainbows anymore.

Kurt didn't mind, because his dad was his only friend. He cherished the moments his dad had time.

God, let's skip ahead. So yeah, Kurt is nine: same story. Kurt is ten: same story. Kurt is eleven: different story.

Kurt's eleventh birthday.

Kurt woke up quite slowly. It was a beautiful Saturday and Kurt didn't bother to change. He shuffled downstairs, wearing his new pink rabbit slippers and holding “Fiyero,” the teddy bear his mother gave him for his seventh birthday after watching Wicked with him.

He opened the door and turned on the light.

He almost dropped Fiyero. He rubbed his eyes, and again, and again.

But it was still there.

A giant cake was placed on the table. He walked over to the table and to his surprise, there was something written on it.

‘HAPPY ELEVENTH BIRTHDAY, KURT'

“Happy eleventh birthday, Kurt,” he heard. He turned around and smiled when he saw his dad standing in the kitchen. He ran over to his dad and jumped to hug him. “Daddy!” he shrieked and his father spun him around, kissing his small round face. “Daddy! But I thought you had to work today and I-” “And I wanted to surprise you,” his father grinned and put him down.

“And guess what?” he opened a small cabinet.

Kurt eyes widened when he saw a big box with red paper wrapped around it and a big blue bow on top it.

“Presents?”

“Of course, presents! Why so surprised?” his dad raised an eyebrow. Kurt shrugged it away, but he knew why. He didn't expect too much for his eleventh birthday. He knew his dad's garage had some problems, but his dad never talked about it.

His dad handed him his present and Kurt started unwrapping like crazy. It was a box. He studied it with a puzzled expression on his face.

“You have to open it, dumbo,” he dad chuckled and Kurt blushed. “I knew that!” he said quickly and his dad chuckled even louder.

He opened the box and his jaw dropped. It was a sweater, but just not a sweater, it was the sweater.

It was the infamous, cuddly, beautiful Little Mermaid sweater. “Really, daddy?” he asked in disbelief. He'd been asking for this sweater since his mother… well.

His dad nodded proudly. “Put it on,” he suggested and Kurt's face lit up. “Oh, yes!”

He wore it for the rest of the day. A lot of people stepped by (mostly just family or his dad's friends, because Kurt still has no friends) to congratulate him and give him presents.

But nothing was better than his sweater. It had Ariel on it, but also Flounder, Sebastian and most important: prince Eric.

Kurt loved prince Eric.

It was almost eight and the last visitor left an hour ago. Kurt helped his dad cleaning the mess. “Had a good day?” his dad asked him. “Had the perfect day,” Kurt replied and his dad looked satisfied and happy.

Then, the bell rang.

His dad looked up, confused. Kurt eyed the door and looked back to his dad. He nodded and Kurt walked to the door.

When he opened it, all lights went out. “Kurt?!?” his dad shouted, sounding worried and for a split second, Kurt's perfect day was about to be ruined.

“Kurt?” his dad was closer now.

Someone grabbed Kurt's arm and pushed him back. Suddenly, the lights went on again and a man with a long beard, an – ugly – hat and a … dress, that was Kurt's best description, stood in the hallway. Kurt heard a small “meow” and a cat appeared next on his side.

“Who are you?” his dad shouted, “Watch out, I have a shotgun!”

To Kurt's surprise, the man smiled warmly and looked down to his cat. “Is this him?” he asked and to Kurt's bigger surprise, the cat talked back. “Yes, this is him.”

Kurt turned around to look at his dad. He looked as shocked as Kurt.

“Shall we go inside then?” the man said and made his way to the living room, passing Kurt and his dad and leaving them in a weird state of confusion.

“Hey, hang on!” his dad snapped out of his confusion and ran after them. Kurt, on the other hand, faced the door.

It was closed.

But he remembered opening it. The man was probably pushing him back, so who closed it?

“NO, I'LL CALL THE POLICE. YOU NEED TO LEAVE!”

His father's words woke him up. He turned around and also entered the living room.

The man was sitting on their couch, petting his cat and his dad was shouting at him. The man was waaay too relaxed, though.

“Muggles,” they heard.

Kurt looked around, but he saw no one.

“Human,” the cat continued, “Suit yourself and please sit down. Let professor Dumbledore speak for a moment.”

His dad looked at the cat with a horrified expression, but he followed her orders. The man smiled. “Thank you, Minerva, I'll take over now?” The cat nodded and Kurt's head was twisting.

A speaking cat?

“You must be Kurt Hummel,” Kurt looked up. The man was standing in front of him. He nodded reluctantly.

“Ah good, I was supposed to hand you a letter for your birthday, but I left it at Hogwarts.” “And that idiot isn't here yet,” the cat groaned. “Calm down, Minerva, he's on his way.”

And right after that, the glass door to the garden crashed open.

A giant entered the house.

“Sorry, bi' late,” he sounded hoarse “I go' the little one's letter her. Oh, Dumbledore, sir, may I?” The cat rolled her eyes and the man sighed. “Of course, Hagrid.”

The giant made his way to Kurt and Kurt was paralyzed from fear. His dad was about to get up, but to his surprise, the giant hugged him. Too tightly.

“Congrats, yer a wizard, Kurt,” he said and the cat yawned.

“Can't… breathe…” Kurt said, or he tried to, “Please… let… go.” “Hagrid, that is enough,” the man raised his hand and the giant, Hagrid, let's go instantly.

“Yer a wizard,” he said again and Kurt frowns. “I'm a what?”

Hagrid-who-is-a-giant gave him an envelope. His address was on the back. He looked over to his dad, who nodded, and opened it.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL 
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY 

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore 
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, 
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) 


Dear Mr. Hummel, 

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. 
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. 

Yours sincerely, 

Minerva McGonagall 
Deputy Headmistress 


The second page with requirements says: 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL 
of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY 

UNIFORM 
First-year students will require: 
1.Three sets of plain work robes (black) 
2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear 
3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 
4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings) 
Please note that all pupils clothes should carry name tags. 


COURSE BOOKS 
All students should have a copy of each of the following: 

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) 
by Miranda Goshawk 

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot 

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling 

A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch 

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi 
by Phyllida Spore 

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
by Newt Scamander 

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection 
by Quentin Trimble 


OTHER EQUIPMENT 

1 wand 
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) 
1 set glass or crystal phials 
1 telescope 
1 set brass scales 

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad. 


PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS 

His dad was the first to speak. He had read everything over Kurt's shoulder.

“What,” he simply exclaimed.

"I think it is time for us to have a long, long conversation," the man said and sat down again. The Giant Hagrid plopped next to him. 

“Luckily, this one is on a Saturday,” the cat said and- what. 

The cat jumped off the couch and suddenly, she went white and ghost-y (not like his dad. He just went white like he had seen a ghost, no pun intended).

The shape of the now-ghost-cat started changing and growing and suddenly, a woman in a emerald green dress was standing in the living room. 

Kurt remained frozen. 

“Well, this is going to be a long night,” the man smiled and the giant mumbled “Muggleborns” or something like that. 

“I guess we'll need some of these,” the man suddenly had a magic wand in his hand. Kurt had seen then in the shops. But this one seemed to work, because he waved with it and to Kurt's surprise, glasses of… something popped out of thin air. 

Kurt's dad fainted. 

“MAN DOWN, MAN DOWN!” Hagrid shouted.

The next day, Kurt woke up the same way he did every lazy Sunday, but this time, it was different. 
The man, Albus Dumbledore his name was, told him about the wizarding world.

About witches and wizards and magical beasts. About spells and enchantments and potions and feasts. 

There was a whole damn world out there with cities and people living in houses and a Ministry of Magic with all different departments. 

But most important: a school.

Kurt was going to attend Hogwarts next year. It was a boarding school for young wizards and witches in the wizarding world and the so called Muggle world.

Turns out a Muggle was a non-magical creature, like his dad.

There were three different kind of wizard children: pureblood, that meant children with two wizard parents. Halfblood. One parent was wizard or witch, the other was Muggle or a Muggleborn. A wizard or witch with two Muggle parents. 

That was what Kurt was in their world and he was about to attend a wizarding school.

It took Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid quite some time to convince his dad. But in the end, he believed them and gave in.

But before he could go to Hogwarts, he had to finish this year's Muggle school.

It was the best summer ever. Kurt spent this day shopping in the so called Diagon Alley with Hagrid and his dad. He bought all his stuff. Apparently you couldn't pay with dollars in the wizarding world. You needed wizard currency.

Luckily, Hagrid helped him and his dad with everything. 

Buying his unifo-uh, robes (“Yer robes, Kurt, robes!” Hagrid insisted) was kind of unpleasant. They are grey and boring, but then Hargid told him about the four houses.

Also buying his wand was amazing. He had to test several wands, without success, but then he found the one. Light appeared around him and it felt like electric shocks went through his body. It was mahogany with Veela hair and slightly bendy. Or something.

The other days were amazing too. His dad still couldn't afford a lot of free time, but it had been nice. It was their last week together before Kurt left for Hogwarts IN ‘BLOODY' ENGLAND.

September 1st

Finding platform 9 3/4 was hard, but here they are.

Kurt's dad was hugging Kurt tightly. “I love you, kiddo.” 

“Love you too, dad. I'm going to miss you so much.”

“You'll be home for Christmas and you'll write me every damn week, okay?”

“Okay.”

His dad finally let go. He grabbed Kurt by his shoulder. “About writing…” “No, dad, I swear I'll write you every week. Every day if I have too.”

His dad smiled and tears started to form in his eyes.

“I know you will, but I thought this would make it a little bit more easier. “

Out of nowhere, Hagrid was next to him, holding a cage.

It had an owl in it.

“Yeh, believe it or not, but they fly to America if you give them enough food.”

“Really, an owl?” Kurt asked excitedly. His dad nodded. “He's all yours,” he said and Hagrid handed him the cage.

The owl was black, but had beautiful eyes. “Eric…” Kurt whispered and Burt snorted.

“Yer callin' him Eric?” Hagrid asked and Kurt nodded. “Yeah,” he said, “He kinda reminds me of an Eric I know.”