Ever since she was nine years old, Guinevere Montgomery had kept her hair perfectly died. She liked everything about her self to be defined and unusual without being weird. Therefore, when she had gone to the hairdresser for her annual trim, she had formed the idea that her naturally basic black hair would look better with white streaks in it. She had not anticipated, however, that the very bottle of dye she had been admiring would appear directly in front of her when the hairdresser was not looking. It was an event she chose to acknowledge as a trick of light and she had moved on, presented the bottle to the lady and watched as her boring shade transformed into a quirky, outward show of her personality. She quickly fell in love with her black and white fusion and had never looked back.

Her eyes, to her great pleasure, were naturally unique and had never required any altering by means of coloured contacts. They were large, round and wide and were a subtle grey colour that coincidentally matched her new hair perfectly.

She had pale skin that was the genetic curse of redheads and ravens. It was pale in a most delicate (and not sickly) way. Her face, legs and arms were covered with a multitude of tiny freckles. Her nose was the site of many of them and made the habit she had of scrunching her nose when she was angry or embarrassed even cuter. She also bore a distinct and odd birthmark shaped like a small triangle with a straight line running down the vertical center and a circle on the inside. (Some may know it as the Deathly Hallows Symbol)

She was of moderate height and was proud that she was not short. She was of the opinion that if she was short, she would be all too easily ignored. And attention was exactly what Gwen loved.

When she was six, she had been in the basement of her house cutting a birthday card for her mother. She had longed to put several hearts and stars of various sizes all over the paint splattered piece of cardboard. Gwen had grown frustrated after just ten minutes of uneven shapes and unsteady hands. She had set the scissors on the desk and pouted. To her wonder and amazement, the scissors had begun cutting the shapes of her imagination out of the construction paper all on their own. She had presented the card to her mother that afternoon and explained of the magic scissors. Her parents shared a doubtful and yet…. Somehow hopeful glance that she had missed.

When she was nine the dye bottle had appeared in front of her but only months after that, another wonder occurred. She had been walking home from her elementary school when it had started to pour. Normally Gwen quite enjoyed the rain but on this particular day, she was carrying home a very important project. As she raced against the storm, a sort of invisible bubble formed around her and all raindrops coming in her direction were diverted. She arrived home completely dry and her parents began their questioning.

"Has anything like this happened before?"

"You'll tell us if something strange happens again won't you?"

"You do remember your aunt Martha?"

"Do you suppose you would like Scotland?"

When the letter finally arrived on her eleventh birthday, Gwen had been too excited to notice that her parents didn't look completely surprised. Pleased, maybe, but most definitely not surprised. She had ripped it open and marvelled at the glorious and unbelievable contents:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Miss Montgomery,

We have been observing you for many years and have confirmed that you do indeed posses magical abilities. This is a talent that you will take far. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is an academy dedicated to nurturing and developing said abilities in young witches and wizards beginning at age eleven to age seventeen. We hope that you will give our school great consideration. Please await further letter(s) regarding Hogwarts.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Immediately her parents looked at her. She looked right back.

"Is this why I can do strange things? Things that the other kids can't"

"Yes dear" her mother pulled her into a gentle hug. She motioned for Gwen's father to join as well and soon the whole family was in a loving embrace, Gwen, her mother, her father and her sister, Ellen.

"I'm a witch then? How could you have known? I mean, you aren't. Are you?"

"No" her father answered, glancing at his wife. They were sure that it was not the time to explain the war to Gwen. Explain Martha's death. The awful truth of the evil of some magic's could upset Gwen and keep her from reaching her full potential. And so they hid the truth. "All those things you could do, did you think we didn't notice, dear. Of course we did. And what other explanation is there but magic. We also have this letter."

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Miss Montgomery,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall (Deputy Headmistress)

A long and emotional conversation ensued then, the length of which determined that as much as they would miss her and as scared as she was to go, Hogwarts would be the best place for Gwen. The family dried their tears and thought about how much longer they had. April 3rd. They had approximately five months left before she was off.

"I suppose I should write my acceptance and… send it by owl?"

Her mother chuckled. "You could use the owl that delivered both of your letters. He's sitting on the front lawn."

"All right…."

Dear Ms. McGonagall,

I was pleased to receive your letters and would absolutely love to go to Hogwarts. I hope that this letter is sufficient acceptance and I will make sure to have all of the necessary items for September 1.

Guinevere Montgomery

Gwen sent the letter off with the owl that had delivered her acceptance and watched as the powerful creature soared through the sky, bearing the key to her now unsure future. Where would this magic take her? What sorts of people would she meet at her new school?

She glanced quickly at her list of equipment and was shocked to find that it contained things such as robes, wands and cauldrons. Where on earth, let alone London, was she to find these things? As if by, well, magic, the owl returned and deposited one final letter before leaving again.

After skimming the letter, Gwen reported back to her parents excitedly that she could shop for all of her magical items in London. And so, on July 31 they drove down many streets to get to the location of the gateway to the magical shopping hub known as Diagon Alley.

The Montgomery's got out of their car and began walking down the street. Suddenly, Gwen froze. She was standing facing the microscopic gap between the book store and the record store. "What are you looking at, sis?" Ellen ran up to stand beside her focused older sister.

"The Leaky Cauldron! Cauldron! That must be the gateway Ms. McGonagall was talking about. We have to go into that pub."

As she spoke, Gwen noticed the her family was looking at her with a strange and doubtful expression on their faces. With a gasp she realised that they couldn't see it, only she could. It must be my magic! she thought in horror.

"Honey, we can't see it. Can you?"

"Yeah Gwen. Is it really there?" Ellen looked up at her father when she asked the question, hoping to get a rational answer from him like she always did.

"Yes. Yes it is really there and I can see it. I suppose you can't because you're not magic. I-I think I have to go….alone. If you can't see it, maybe it isn't wise for you to try and enter. I can handle this, mum, dad, Ellen, I'm truly fine. Really!"

And so, with concerned and protective expressions, Moira and Jeffery Montgomery told their eldest daughter that they wouldn't leave the street and for her to wait by the Jeep when she came out.

Gwen shoved the door to The Leaky Cauldron open and stepped inside. She felt her eyes struggle to adjust to the dim light. The pub was very… unkempt. There was a man standing in the darkest corner of the room. He was pale and nervous looking, was wearing a turban and appeared to be stuttering a great deal as he muttered to himself.

A couple of witches sat on either side of a table on one side of the room, casting half-hearted spells over several empty sherry glasses. There was a group of several witches and wizards looking at their hands and whispering rapidly. Gwen caught only snatches of their conversation: "...shook my hand three times...sort of young maybe...you-know-who might stay away...Potter is back" She understood none of it.

The bartender was an old, bald man who was rubbing glasses that appeared as if they would never be clean. Along side him, several shot glasses of various sizes were putting themselves away above the counter. He looked up as she entered and quickly stopped what he was doing.

"Young lady, may I help you?" the bartender peered over the counter at Gwen.

"Um, yes. I'm Guinevere Montgomery. I'm, er, looking for Diagon Alley…?"

"Ah, a new Hogwarts student. I'm Tom. I run this here Leaky Cauldron. Do you know how to get to Diagon Alley on your own?"

"Um, no. Sorry."

"Alright, I'll get it."

Gwen followed Tom through the back of the pub and towards an ancient looking stone wall. Two stones near the middle were farther into the wall than the others. She watched as Tom pulled out what appeared to be a wand and tapped on the stones while reciting "Two up….three across….there we go Guinevere. Diagon Alley."

She stared in wonder as the brocks began to shift and move. They spun themselves around and opened up a huge doorway, big enough for even the tallest of wizards and wide enough for several people to walk side-by-side. Though she knew she should have expected something this amazing, it came as a wonderful surprise as she watched the bricks find their final places.

Blinking up at the bartender, Gwen smiled and then turned nervously to enter Diagon Alley as the wall closed up behind her.