Ohayo! Yep, I'm back with a new story. -sweatdrop- sorry, I know I haven't updated my others yet, but this one's been nagging at me for a while now!

Yes, Ms. Grosse was my 7th grade math teacher, and just as obsessed with Harry Potter as I am. Which is pretty bad.

(Disclaimer) -checks pockets. all sorts of stuff falls out as she empties them- nope no Harry Potter rights here.

"HA!" I yelled triumphantly, setting my book and bookmark down on my bed, "TWO DAYS! Beat THAT, Ms. Grosse!" I started doing a happy dance. "Oh yeah, two days, new record, uh huh, I'm good!" I chanted. Stopping my dance, I sat down at my computer and logged onto my computer.

I sent a quick email to my former math teacher, telling her that I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. After hitting sent, I leaned back in my chair, thinking about the book. Something on my computer screen caught my attention. My inbox window was blinking, signaling new mail. Curious, I opened the new email, since I knew Ms. Grosse couldn't type that fast. This is what I found:

Sender: theserpentheartsdesire.dream

Subject: a serpent's secret

Message: Hello, Arietta. Have you ever wanted Hogwarts to really exist? To be part of the story? To do magic? Don't deny it, I know you have. Isn't it your greatest wish, to just be taken away from your life? Well, this is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to do just that. Hit the link at the bottom of this message, and you'll be taken away. The choice is yours, I'm sure you'll make the right one. I mean, you know everything there is to know, don't you?

A new start, a new life

I reread the email several times. Who the hell sent me this! I looked around, searching for hidden cameras and tape recorders. I never told anyone about wanting to be taken away from my life, and now some weirdo sends me an email like this. I debated whether or not to hit the link. I was only 15, so it's not like I had any info stored on my computer that was theft-worthy. Getting up, I picked up my deck of Tarot cards. Shuffling them, I kept the question in my mind: 'What should I do?'

Drawing the top card, I sighed. Four of Cups, meaning reaching out for new friendships. I guess I'll hit the link then. Stashing my cards in my pocket, I sat down and hit the link. A pop-up appeared.

I knew you would hit the link. Very well, you will be taken from this life. You already have the item that you wish to bring in your pocket. Your heart yearns for new friends, so new friends you shall have. But be warned, the friendships shall come at a price…

As I read it, I started to feel light-headed. Once I had read the last word, I passed out.

I opened my eyes to see a bushy-haired brunette hovering over me, looking worried.

"Are you ok, Ari?" she asked me in a British accent. She sounded familiar...

"Yeah, fine..." I mumbled, holding my head in an attempt to make my head stop pounding.

"You sure I shouldn't go and get Mum?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Looking around, I tried to figure out where I was. Obviously, I wasn't home anymore. In fact... Nothing around me looked familiar at all. Looking up, I saw a bird ('An owl?' I thought) fly through the window of the house I was in front of, carrying two letters. Two seconds later, a woman called us.

"Hermione, Arietta, come inside for a second!" I jumped. Hermione! Wait, wasn't she from...! The girl, Hermione, I guessed, grabbed my hand.

"C'mon, let's go see what Mum wants!" she said, dragging me with her. Passing a window, I looked at my reflection and gasped. I looked like the girl and I was eleven!

'Holy shit, I'm a fifteen year old trapped in an eleven year olds body! And I look like Hermione Granger!'

Once inside, a nice-looking woman, presumably our 'mother' handed us parchment envelopes. I caught the sight of emerald green ink on the front.

Miss Arietta Granger

Second bedroom on the right

Bed by the north window

It said, with everything else that goes on a letter. I flipped it over to the back and saw the red wax sealing the parchment shut, with the Hogwarts Crest on the wax.

A feeling of confusion flowed into my mind, but it wasn't my own feeling. Looking over at Hermione, I saw that she looked confused and excited at the same time. I briefly wondered why I was feeling her emotion when the words twin bond crossed my mind. Shaking my head, I quickly opened my letter and read the first page.

Dear Ms. Granger,

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Looking over my book list, I saw many familiar titles, and a few that I didn't recognize, including a book titled The Future Lies in the Cards. I looked over the next sheet of parchment, and it had the supplies listed on it, such as the robes, wand, cauldron, etc. A slip on parchment fell out of the envelope. Curious, I picked it up. It had the words Hogwarts Express, platform 9 ¾ written on it in the same emerald ink as the rest of the sheets.

"I knew magic existed!" Hermione exclaimed. "I knew it did when that plate fixed itself…" her trailed off as she kept reading. "The Future Lies in the Cards? Ari, don't you read cards to tell fortunes?" she looked at me. My hand went to my pocket where my deck was.

"Yeah, I do…" I muttered, still trying to believe this was all real.

"Well, today is July 30, so we need to send the reply by tomorrow." Our mum said. "What do they mean by 'sent us your owl'?"

"I think we have to send the reply back with that owl that brought the letters." I said, pointing to the owl that was sitting patiently on the windowsill. Hermione ran and got a pen and paper from the table nearby and neatly wrote a note on it, saying that we accepted the invitation. The owl took it and flew off.

"Hey, look, it came with directions to some place that we have to go to!" Hermione held up a sheet of parchment with directions and a map on it.

"Then it's settled, we'll go and get your supplies tomorrow!" Mum said happily. Obviously, she was thrilled with the fact that we could do magic.

With that, Hermione grabbed my hand and pulled me to a staircase, which she proceeded to drag me up. She led me into a room that was pale lavender with two beds, one next to the window that faced north and the other bed near the window that faced south. It had a large dresser and a walk-in closet, along with two bookshelves. One bookshelf looked like it had text books on it, while the other had all sorts of books about magic and fairy-tales. There was a computer desk in the corner with two laptops on it, one that had an H on it and one that had an A on it.

Hermione let go of my hand and flopped onto the bed near the south window.

Taking the hint, I threw myself onto the other bed. Taking my cards out of my pocket, I started to shuffle them absently. Hermione sighed.

"So we're going to be witches, huh?" she asked. "I hope I'm good enough for the school…" she said a bit fearfully. I held out the deck to her. She took it and shuffled. Then she handed it back to me and I drew the top card.

"I'm sure you'll do fine. Success is in your future." I said, acting like a fortune teller, giggling a little at the World card in my hand. I shuffled the cards myself and drew one. The Fool stared back at me.

For those of you who are like me and can read cards, you know what the Fool means. For everyone else, the Fool means a new chapter of one's life opening up.

RR, please? I only got one review for my last chapter of A Blessing in Disguise. -hangs head- shows just how underappreciated I am...