Dream Flight

When the one sitting next to you turns out to be none other than ... himself!

Sunita was excited. It was the first time she was going to be taking a flight by herself, without Mom or Dad accompanying her. In all her eleven years, this is the most independent she had ever felt. Mom had even let her do most of her packing herself, picking what she thought she'd need at the handicrafts museum.

That's right. Sunita was flying all the way from London, England to Gujarat, India, to apprentice with her grandparents who encouraged artisans to market their products. They had just inaugurated a handicrafts museum and needed volunteers. Sunita looked forward to learning embroidery and pottery and helping out at the front desk sometimes. She was certainly getting very grown up and responsible.

Mom and Dad came to the airport and helped her check in. They signed the 'unaccompanied minor form' and then the stewardess suddenly said, "Oh, you're going all by yourself?"

"Yes," Sunita replied, her eyes shining.

"Then we must make this a special occasion. I'll upgrade you to first class."

Both parents signed on the form again - across the sticker that said 'upgraded' - and a very proud 11 year old was escorted right to her seat before any of the other passengers embarked.

When they did embark, she peered at each one closely, watching to see who occupied the seat next to her. It was a tall, thin man with a slightly crooked nose. He had a long beard, and his eyes twinkled at her through half-moon spectacles.

"Good morning, young lady," he said, as he sat down. "What's that you're holding?"

Sunita was clutching the brochure of the handicrafts museum in her hand, meaning to learn it by heart during the flight so that she could answer any questions that came up when she volunteered there.

Before she knew it, she was chattering away to the man - telling him all about her grandparents and the great work they did in India, how they had adapted traditional craft forms to suit the modern market - like getting embroidered mobile phone covers made - and how much she was going to enjoy her three month stay there.

The man listened quietly, nodding occasionally and asking pertinent questions on one or two occasions. Nobody, not her parents, not her teachers, not her aunts, uncles, cousins or friends had ever listened quite this closely to Sunita ... she was a known chatterbox and people mostly switched off before she had finished saying half of what she wanted to.

But this man listened, paid attention and clarified when he hadn't understood properly.

As the hours went on, Sunita felt she had known him all her life. She had felt a sense of familiarity upon setting eyes on him as he took his seat, but now she felt she knew him well.

"So that - Mr —" she began, concluding a long explanation of the range of textiles on display at the museum -- when she suddenly realised she didn't even know his name. She blushed.

"Mr. Dumbledore," the man replied, softly. "But you may call me Albus."

Albus Dumbledore!?!?

For the first time in about half a day, Sunita was speechless. She gazed at her seat companion, sputtering.

"Are you - are you -"

"Yes, I'm the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Young lady, would you do me a favour?"

"Any - any -- oh my goodness - do you a favour? Anything!"

"Would you take that brochure you're holding, choose one of the items shown on it, and put your right-index finger on that picture?"

Sunita picked the little copper statuette of a girl reading and put her finger on it as instructed.

"Now say 'Appearum Beforeme'" Dumbledore whispered.

"Appearum Beforeme" Sunita whispered.

Then she almost shrieked, but stopped herself. In her palm there was a copper statuette of a girl reading!

"I thought as much," Dumbledore twinkled. "I thought you're the girl this letter is meant for. I was going to take a Thestral to Gujarat, but Arthur Weasley begged me to take an airplane, so here I am. And I can hand your Hogwarts letter to you in person."

Sunita gulped and put her hand out for the letter.

"I don't know what to say!" she uttered.

Dumbledore laughed. "That's a change for you, isn't it? But I'm going to ask you to do something for me."

"Anything!"

"When you are at the museum, take a lot of videos of Muggles doing things the Muggle way. Then we'll arrange for Arthur and all the Weasleys to visit Hogwarts and watch it. Arthur will be thrilled!"

"Oh yes, I'll do that!"

You, dear reader, may view Sunita's videos too, if you're her friend on the Muggle platform called Facebook!