A.N. The beginning of this story takes place after "Ben 10 vs. Negative 10" and before "Goodbye and Good Riddance".

For the sake of this story, I'm going to change the ages slightly:

Ben and Gwen: 11


Chapter One


It was, oddly enough, an average day for the Tennysons. No Chaotic alien attacks since the 'Negative 10' incident. The most abnormal thing they'd seen since then was the food Grandpa Max cooked up for them. Frankly, Ben was close to cracking.

"I'm so bored!" he wailed from his position face down on the grass beside the RV.

Gwen walked over and kicked him in the side roughly. "If you're bored, why don't you do something useful like turn XLR8 and run to the nearest Take Out Restaurant? Grandpa's cooking dinner and we're going to need something edible to kick off the flavour later."

He sat up and put his hand on his side and glared at his cousin.

"I would, but the Omnitrix is still timed out from me going Wildmutt before."

"Whose fault is that?" she snapped, "You were the one who wanted to scare those little kids. It took the Fire Men three hours to get them out of that tree!"

Ben sniggered, "Yeah! That was fun!"

"It wasn't so fun for those kids!"

"They'll get over it." He shrugged.

Gwen rolled her eyes at him. There was a loud hoot in the distance but the two paid it no heed until the source of it decided to perch on Ben's head. He didn't notice his new guest and scratched the back of his head before yawning, while Gwen stifled a laugh at his obliviousness.

"As much as I'd like to leave you like this, I'd rather you weren't locking yourself in the bathroom later, wiping bird faeces off your head for the rest of the afternoon." She said.

"What are you talking about doofus?"

For a moment, she considered leaving him like that and taking the consequences, but then decided it wasn't worth it.

"There's an owl on your head." She explained, sighing.

"No there isn't!" Ben folded his arms stubbornly. The 'nonexistent' owl on his head decided its host was moving too much and dug her claws into the boy's brown-haired head.

Instantly, Ben leapt up and started running in circles, waving his arms around hysterically.

"GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF!"

After at least five minutes of this, Gwen had stopped laughing maniacally and had disappeared into the 'Rust Bucket'. Ben was still screaming. Then something clicked in his head, and his face broke into a grin. He looked down at the Omnitrix that was once again green, before he turned it to the hero he required.

He raised his arm. "Prepare to be singed."

He was about to slam his hand down on the watch and shout his signature phrase: "Goin' Hero!", but found that he could not move his arm. "What the-?"

Grandpa held Ben's wrist in a firm (but not crushing) grip.

"Benjamin Tennyson, how many times do I have to tell you not to misuse the Omnitrix?"

"But-" Ben argued, but was interrupted once again.

"No buts. You're still in trouble from last time."

He opened his mouth to complain, but instead, he settled for sulking. The owl fluttered off his head and landed on Max's outstretched arm and hooted contentedly as the old man untied the envelope (that neither of the younger two noticed) from her leg.

He unfolded the letter inside and scanned it quickly. A look of surprise covered his face before he called Ben and Gwen over.

"What is it Grandpa?" Gwen asked looking worried, he looked extremely serious. So much so that it scared her slightly. Max handed the two the letter silently and the two cousins scanned it.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Miss Tennyson,

We are pleased to inform you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerily,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

"What kind of stupid prank is this?" Ben and Gwen exclaimed, simultaneously.

Then, another owl appeared and joined the other at her perch on Max's arm, there was an envelope attached to its leg. This time, Gwen unattached it.

"This one's the same! But it's for Ben." She informed them, "Who would do this?"

"It's not a prank" Both sets of eyes turned to Grandpa Max.

"What are you talking about? It HAS to be!" Ben said.

Max sighed, but finally decided to explain things to them.

"Back when I was a 'plumber', mysterious happenings started showing. We investigated them, expecting to find Alien activity the cause. It wasn't."

"What was the cause?" Ben cut in.

Gwen elbowed him, "Let Grandpa finish, dweeb!"

"Instead," Max continued, "We found what is know as The Wizarding World. Apparently, this society has existed for years without anyone outside of it knowing. It's supposedly run by something called 'The Ministry Of Magic', a kind of Magical Government."

"And what about this Hogwarts thing?" Gwen asked, ignoring her earlier statement about interrupting.

"It is, as it says on the letter, a school that teaches witchcraft and wizardry to the youth of their society. Hogwarts isn't the only one; there are different magic schools all over the world. Hogwarts is in England." He finished.

"If this Warthogs thing-"

"Hogwarts," Gwen corrected her cousin.

"Whatever!" he snapped "If it's in England, why weren't we invited to an American one?"

Max frowned, "I'm not too sure why, actually."

At that moment, yet another owl appeared, this one dropping the letter on the three instead and perching on a nearby tree, joined swiftly by the other two. All three of them (the humans, not the owls) read the letter at the same time.

Dear Mr and Miss Tennyson,

We trust that you have already received your letters.

Due to your location being far from the school, there shall be someone sent to you that will apparate with you to Diagon Alley where you will collect your books and equipment listed in the previous letter.

Yours sincerily

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

"Well THIS isn't weird." Gwen remarked sarcastically.

"You should be used to stuff like this by now, doofus." The Omnitrix user pointed out.

"Aliens, yes. Worldwide wizard schools, no!" she glared back at him

He was about to reply when a loud cracking noise met their ears.

"Ew, Ben! Three times in one day? Gross!"

"That wasn't me!"

A tall figure appeared in front of them, and Ben took a step forward.

"Vilgax!?"