The Covenant invasion of Earth had been continuing for the past year. The humans had been in possession of great number of Forerunner artifacts. As the Covenant wished for no damage to come to the artifacts, their forces had made camp on the planet itself. From these bases, raiding parties would be sent out to kill humans and retrieve artifacts.

At one such base lived a Grunt named Kayat. Like all Grunts, Kayat was mistreated by all other races. Kayat, however, seemed to have a strange luck.

Once, an unfair Elite commander had ordered food-rationing of all his Grunts. While all the others were complaining of their empty stomachs, Kayat had found his food-nipple full.

Another time, he had been late to a training exercise. The commander had gone to whack Kayat for his transgression with his own plasma pistol. But as the Elite raised the weapon, the magnet field failed, spilling plasma all over the commander's arm. The Elite had been rushed to the medical facilities, and Kayat had gotten through the day without a mark.

Kayat didn't know what the source of the strange luck was but he thanked the Forerunners for it every day.

Kayat stepped into the airlock and shut the outer door. With a hiss, the poisonous oxygen left the room and was replaced with methane. When the transfer was complete, the inner door opened. Kayat removed his methane tank and entered his small quarters. He sighed as he prepared for sleep, and then froze in surprise.

There, in his quarters, was a folded piece of paper. Paper was a human invention, a precursor to holograms. It was a thin pale sheet, upon which words or pictures could be displayed using a dark liquid. Why, by the Prophets, was there one in his quarters?

Kayat hesitantly picked up the paper and examined it. It seemed to be a sheet of paper folded to hold something inside. From the weight, it would seem to be another piece of paper. How puzzling…

He turned it over and gasped. In the common written language of the Covenant, there was his name, Kayat. Below it was his quarter designation. Was this perhaps a test? Would he pass by turning it in to his superiors? But then, why would they care about a lowly Grunt?

After a moment, he decided that the curiosity was too great. He tore the paper holder open to reveal a folded sheet of paper inside as he had suspected. He unfolded the paper and saw a long message. He began reading with amazement.

Dear Kayat,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…