This is a story about my OC Ivy Brown who is the much younger sister of Lavender Brown for Gamma's OC Boot Camp Challenge on HPFC. It also takes place in Uganda and I shall describe places and experiences to the best of my memory and ability.

Prompt: stars

My first view of Africa was of the stars.

I came out of the fireplace that was little more than a pile of bricks held together by clay and into a courtyard. I looked up into the huge expanse littered with unfamiliar constellations and breathed in the warm air which was filled with the fragrant scent of some tropical flower or other. The Ugandan Ministry official that was supervising the International Floo Network led me over to a small hut where I was to identify myself before being allowed to venture out.

I had to bend down so as not to hit my head on the door frame and after entering I came to stand before a small desk where a thin, older wizard was sitting. He did not even look up at me as he took down my information.

"Name?"

"Ivy Brown."

"Business?"

"Reporting as personal assistant to British Ministry Official Rolf Scamander."

"Length of stay?"

"No more than two months."

I hoped it would be no more than two months anyway. My instructions had been rather vague. I was simply to do as Mr. Scamander wished and hopefully I would get to do some writing. The promise of an adventure had first sparked my interest in going to Africa in the first place, but I was also advised by my mother that such an experience would surely give me a better chance at a position at the Daily Prophet. If not, at least there was the shock factor of having been to Africa. It was a win, win situation. At the very least, I would be interesting.

Besides, my sister Lavender had pulled some strings to get me the job. Being a werewolf on a mission for equality, she had quite a few connections in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. One of those connections was a stern woman by the name of Ingrid Kane, who had given me a list of instructions in a tone that made this assignment sound like serious business, and yet she hadn't given me any useful information about what was expected of me. With the prospect of adventure before me, however, I didn't think too much of it and eagerly accepted the job.

But now that I was here, I was scared shitless: an eighteen year old witch, fresh out of Hogwarts traveling alone to meet a complete stranger in a foreign country? What had I been thinking?

The wizard at the desk waved his hand to dismiss me and I walked back out of the hut and toward the gate that led out of the little courtyard and I familiarized myself with my surroundings. There were few streetlights to see by but underneath the closest one were a group of men next to a bunch of contraptions that I recognized as Muggle motorcycles. I went into my bag and pulled out a map and the list of instructions that I'd been given before my departure. My location was clearly marked as was the path to the hotel where Rolf Scamander was staying. I was to meet him there and my instructions stated that I was to get there by motorcycle or as the locals called them, boda boda. I was already beginning to regret my decision to come here. Why couldn't Mr. Scamander come get me?

I found myself asking that question over and over as I approached the group of men who were waiting for stranded pedestrians to hire them, and then again as I climbed on the back of one of their death traps and showed the driver where I wanted to go on the map, and then again as I held on for dear life while the boda boda man weaved in and out of cars and pedestrians and bicycles, never stopping as there seemed to be no rules of the road. Every pothole we hit on the dirt road was torture and I attempted to look about me and take in the view to distract myself but it was too dark.

When we finally stopped before a hotel on the outskirts of Kampala, I quickly got off the bike and I could have kissed the ground. The man held out his hand, expecting payment so I searched my bag for the stack of bills I'd been given before arriving in Uganda. I flipped through the paper money, unsure of how much each one was worth, when a large heavily scarred hand reached out from behind me and quickly leafed through the pile and paid the man, who nodded his thanks and left on his death-mobile.

I turned to find that the hand belonged to a tall middle-aged man with jet black hair, blue eyes and an unreadable expression. He half-bowed a little awkwardly and introduced himself. "I am Rolf Scamander, Miss Brown. It is good to finally meet you."

"It is good to meet you too, sir," I said.

"The rest of your things arrived yesterday and I've had a room prepared for you," he went on. "We shan't spend much time here in Kampala as my business is elsewhere. For now, I expect that you are weary from your travels. I find international floo-ing is rather exhausting."

I hummed my agreement and followed him up a little flight of stairs to a rather large apartment. He opened the heavy wooden door and led me into the living space and gestured to the various rooms. "I sleep in there," he pointed to a room off to the side. He then led me to another door on the far wall and opened it to reveal a huge bedroom that was beautifully furnished. My trunk with my belongings was in the corner already and the bed was turned out and oh, so inviting.

"I trust you'll be comfortable," Mr Scamander said and without waiting for my thanks was gone into his own bedroom.

I stood there confused by his behavior. His manner and inflections did not speak of irritation but his actions certainly did. Ingrid had warned me that he was eccentric but she hadn't given me any specifics. I didn't know what to make of him. I shrugged it off however, when I turned back and surveyed my room once again and weariness overcame my curiosity. I quickly put on my pajamas and got into bed, pulling the mosquito nets around it.

I had no clue what I had gotten myself into, but it was quite a beginning.

This is my first attempt at a multi-chap involving an OC as the main character. This first chapter is rather short but now that the scene is set, the next few will be much longer and more information regarding dates and events will be given. Feedback would be very much appreciated. Is it worth continuing?