Day of Judgement
As you might remember, attending a school of magic is compulsory in Germany for any child with magical ability, starting at the age of 11. Until then you need to have your child at some kind of primary school from the age of seven latest. Either have them attend the local Muggle primary school or have them attend a Ministry-approved preparation school for Schools of Magic like Merle does at Quedlinburg. Lir is not enrolled in either, and Seestern and me had to fill in lots of forms and hand it lots of documents about Mr. Harlott to convince everyone that he is taken care of in the best possible way until the age of elven. No idea what we’ll do then, for according to the law, he will have to attend one of Germany’s six Schools of Magic - there might be a loophole to continue having him home schooled, but luckily, we still have some years to find out about that.
By the way, the reason to have every child with magical talent at a boarding school is about safety. And about control, too. We don’t won’t any accidents, especially not in remote German Muggle villages somewhere in the countryside. Or even worse, in the middle of a major city.
To decide who is old enough to attend a School of Magic the important date is April 1st. If you are eleven when April comes around, you’ll have to start school September 1st, whether you like it or not. So they first step is to make sure that you get enrolled in one. If you don’t, the Ministry will find out about it and come and make you. There are tales about people from the departments in charge personally escorting children to school, with others keeping their parents at bay so they don’t interfere. Yes, people can be really strange.
Never mind. Merle is not eleven yet. She’ll turn eleven in June, so she has to wait another year. Wait for April 1st to come around and then wait anxiously all day to see if a raven will arrive and drop a letter. Most likely wait anxiously together with several family members - after all, both Seestern and me attended MA and loved it. My mother attended MA and loved it. MA is the most prestigious School of Magic of all. They get the first pick of the crop, and April 1st is when they sent their ravens to the chosen ones - a bit more than forty of them. MA accepts 48 students each year, of which about 5 are from Muggle families. The quota was set to make sure to give some gifted outsiders a change - after all, MA only accepts the best. You can’t expect a child from non-magical surroundings to fully develop their potential there. It’s about talent. Pat is one of those.
So, when next year’s April comes around, there for sure will be quite a deal of people waiting and hoping with Merle that this raven will come and invite her to Merseburg. Personally, I’m completely convinced that my bright daughter is among the most gifted forty of her year. But then, I guess every father is.
Of course we have a backup plan if the raven doesn’t come. Merle will be attending Arkona, for that’s the traditional school from her mother’s side of the family. It doesn’t matter that it’s the closest one to home, too. No extra visits during term time.
Still, of course we hope it’s going to be Merseburg. Because MA is the most prestigious one, because of or personal connections - and because Pixie is going to MA. Pixie turned eleven in January, so this year it’s her turn to start at a School of Magic. Of course Imme and Helgund sort of hoped for MA - everyone sort of does, even without a personal connection. And because they know that Seestern and me want Merle at MA, and of course we all want Merle and Pixie to be able to stay friends. But all of this was exactly in that way “sort of”. So when the raven actually came, it was a surprise and unexpected - Imme actually went to Grimmen to tell Seestern at once, and it seems she was so happy she was crying. Everything she hoped for for her daughter.
So, yes, another reason to hope for Merle to get into MA, too.
I only learned in the evening that Pixie was going, but when I picked up Merle at work, it learned at once that Flori was going to MA, too. Seems that his parents are very proud, too, but more in a justified way, for of course they knew all along. MA is their family’s traditionyl school as well, so no real surprise there, you know. Flori of course it very happy, too, and when he learned that Pixie is going, too, he was even happier. Having a friend come with you makes every new place easier to look forward to.
And of course Flori and Pixie both hope that Merle and Tomos will join them next year. As do both of them.
Pixie and Flori promised to write to Merle once the sorting is over to tell her which house they got, so she can prepare. The next months will be tough on our cheerful daughter. With two good friends making plans she can’t participate in, looking forward to an adventure she will have to wait for for another twelve long months… We need to make a decision how Merle is going to spent these twelve months. Quedlinburg offers projects, but there are other options, too… Need to talk to Seestern about it. Get as much information as possible, make a preliminary choice and then make the final one with Merle involved. After all, it’s her last year at home.
Current Mood:
thinking
By the way, the reason to have every child with magical talent at a boarding school is about safety. And about control, too. We don’t won’t any accidents, especially not in remote German Muggle villages somewhere in the countryside. Or even worse, in the middle of a major city.
To decide who is old enough to attend a School of Magic the important date is April 1st. If you are eleven when April comes around, you’ll have to start school September 1st, whether you like it or not. So they first step is to make sure that you get enrolled in one. If you don’t, the Ministry will find out about it and come and make you. There are tales about people from the departments in charge personally escorting children to school, with others keeping their parents at bay so they don’t interfere. Yes, people can be really strange.
Never mind. Merle is not eleven yet. She’ll turn eleven in June, so she has to wait another year. Wait for April 1st to come around and then wait anxiously all day to see if a raven will arrive and drop a letter. Most likely wait anxiously together with several family members - after all, both Seestern and me attended MA and loved it. My mother attended MA and loved it. MA is the most prestigious School of Magic of all. They get the first pick of the crop, and April 1st is when they sent their ravens to the chosen ones - a bit more than forty of them. MA accepts 48 students each year, of which about 5 are from Muggle families. The quota was set to make sure to give some gifted outsiders a change - after all, MA only accepts the best. You can’t expect a child from non-magical surroundings to fully develop their potential there. It’s about talent. Pat is one of those.
So, when next year’s April comes around, there for sure will be quite a deal of people waiting and hoping with Merle that this raven will come and invite her to Merseburg. Personally, I’m completely convinced that my bright daughter is among the most gifted forty of her year. But then, I guess every father is.
Of course we have a backup plan if the raven doesn’t come. Merle will be attending Arkona, for that’s the traditional school from her mother’s side of the family. It doesn’t matter that it’s the closest one to home, too. No extra visits during term time.
Still, of course we hope it’s going to be Merseburg. Because MA is the most prestigious one, because of or personal connections - and because Pixie is going to MA. Pixie turned eleven in January, so this year it’s her turn to start at a School of Magic. Of course Imme and Helgund sort of hoped for MA - everyone sort of does, even without a personal connection. And because they know that Seestern and me want Merle at MA, and of course we all want Merle and Pixie to be able to stay friends. But all of this was exactly in that way “sort of”. So when the raven actually came, it was a surprise and unexpected - Imme actually went to Grimmen to tell Seestern at once, and it seems she was so happy she was crying. Everything she hoped for for her daughter.
So, yes, another reason to hope for Merle to get into MA, too.
I only learned in the evening that Pixie was going, but when I picked up Merle at work, it learned at once that Flori was going to MA, too. Seems that his parents are very proud, too, but more in a justified way, for of course they knew all along. MA is their family’s traditionyl school as well, so no real surprise there, you know. Flori of course it very happy, too, and when he learned that Pixie is going, too, he was even happier. Having a friend come with you makes every new place easier to look forward to.
And of course Flori and Pixie both hope that Merle and Tomos will join them next year. As do both of them.
Pixie and Flori promised to write to Merle once the sorting is over to tell her which house they got, so she can prepare. The next months will be tough on our cheerful daughter. With two good friends making plans she can’t participate in, looking forward to an adventure she will have to wait for for another twelve long months… We need to make a decision how Merle is going to spent these twelve months. Quedlinburg offers projects, but there are other options, too… Need to talk to Seestern about it. Get as much information as possible, make a preliminary choice and then make the final one with Merle involved. After all, it’s her last year at home.
Current Mood:
thinking