Chapter 1

His sister was the first one to start crying.

Up until now, she hadn't really known what was going on. She was only five after all, reasoned Alex. Now that she realised her brother wouldn't be going home with them… she didn't want to let go. She clung to his new grey blazer with sticky fingers, big blue eyes filled with tears.

"But you gotta come home!" she sobs. "Who gonna help me dress Dolly?"

He blushes, grateful that nobody was listening to their conversation. His father was sorting out his trunk, and his mother was gossiping with one of the other parents.

"I'm a big boy now, Lucy," he says confidently, pulling himself up to his full height. "And I need to grow up."

She clung to him desperately, and their father chuckled when he returned, their mother running forward to prize Lucy off him.

"Oh, my darling," she sighed, kissing his forehead. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, mother."

"No you won't," she laughed. "You're going to be far too busy having a simply splendid time."

She has tears in her eyes too now, and she ruffles his hair affectionately, giving him a final kiss.

"Have a marvellous term, darling, I'll see you at Christmas."

She leaves to return to the car, carrying a sobbing Lucy with her. Alex's father puts a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Now, I need you to be strong," he said. "It's a fine place this, I had a wonderful time. I know you will make me proud."

"Of course, Father."

"Anything you need, anything you've forgotten, you only have to write. Behave yourself, listen to the teachers, make lots of new friends…"

"Yes father."

"You're a good boy, Alexander. Have a good term."

His father gripped his shoulder a moment before letting go and turning away. Alex watched him go, getting into the car with his mother and sister and driving away. He did not cry.

He turned back to the large grey building, trudging up the steps into the formidable grey building of his new school. His lip wobbled but he still did not cry. He refused to cry.

He was seven now. He had to make his father proud.

XXX

It was strange really, that every time he went away to school, he would always look back on that one first time.

Of course, now it was different. This year he was stood on a platform that shouldn't exist, dressed in flowing black robes, with a wand in his pocket and an owl in a cage. His parents were staring around in amazement, his trunk already stowed in an empty compartment. He was going to Hogwarts, and he was still struggling to believe it.

The letter had arrived on the Monday before his eleventh birthday. He remembered being confused, because he never normally got any post until his mother's letter on Wednesdays, and it wasn't written in his father's handwriting.

He had thrown the letter onto his bed, and hurried to his first lesson, the strange letter being pushed out of his mind. They were in the middle of History when the call came, one of the matrons at the door to the classroom.

"Millington?" she called. "There's a man here to see you."

He looked to his teacher, and he nodded.

"Dismissed."

He rose and followed the matron through the hallways, to the little sitting room usually occupied by the headmaster. He knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

He entered nervously, and the headmaster stood up to greet him.

"Ah, Millington, how are you?"

"Good morning, sir."

"Now, this is professor Longbottom. He's been sent to talk to you about his school… I'll let you explain."

He backed out of the room, leaving Alex and the strange man alone.

"You must be Alex."

"Millington," corrected Alex, taking the Professor's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you, sir. Are you from Eton?"

"I… what?"

"Eton. I received your acceptance letter, and I am most grateful for the opportunity…"

"You read the letter from Hogwarts?"

Now it was Alex's turn to be confused.

"From what? A letter, oh, the letter! No, I'm afraid I left it in the dormitory when it was brought up…"

"Oh, in that case… hang on, dormitory? This is a boarding school?"

"Of course… what exactly did you want to talk about, sir?"

Alex sat quietly through Professor Longbottoms explanation of magic, Hogwarts, and the wizarding world. At the end, he nodded.

"Do you see?"

"Yes, thank you sir. It all makes a lot of sense now, actually."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, the Professor looking around curiously.

"So this is a muggle boarding school. I've never seen one before."

"Muggle?"

"Non-magic. Is this your first year here?"

"My third, actually?"

Professor Longbottom gaped at him. "How old were you when you first came here?"

"Seven."

"You went to boarding school at seven years old?" he gasped. "But… why?"

"Well I can't be tied to my mother's apron strings all my life."

"But seven!"

"You said this Hogwarts place was a boarding school. Surely lots of students have gone to Prep schools before it."

"None that I've met! Although, I think there was one boy in my year, he was down to go to Eton too…"

"They'll be quite disappointed, you know. They were very eager to have me. They wanted to offer me a full scholarship, but father earns more than enough money, and he told them to give the scholarship to some poor fellow who needs it… I don't know how I'm going to explain this to my parents."

"I will do that," said the Professor. "Normally we try to talk to the whole family together, but this is a special case… I will talk to them later today, but we'll still need to arrange a trip to buy your school supplies."

"There is an exeat weekend in two weeks. If that's not a good time then it will have to wait until the holidays."

"The summer holidays will probably be the best time," sighed the Professor. "Do you have any other questions?"

Eleven o'clock was approaching. Alec solemnly kissed his mother, hugged his sister, and shook his father's hand before boarding the train.

The guard blew his whistle.

It was time to go to Hogwarts.