If a blue police box appears in the countryside next to the ruins of an old castle and no one is around to see it, did it really appear?

If it did, it appeared (and not particularly silently) on a crisp September morning, with not a single soul to question how or why a blue police box would just show up unannounced. It stood silent for a moment before the door carefully opened a crack and a brunette head peaked itself out. The head belonged to a girl, her dark hair worn in loose curls tumbling down around her shoulders. She opened the doors wider and briefly glanced back into the box, hesitating before she could even take her first step. She turned again, her deep green eyes focused on the castle in the distance.

The girl was me, and I was staring at my new life.

"Oh, go on then," a voice behind me prodded, and a gentle hand was placed in the middle of my back. "It's just Scotland, we've been to stranger places than this."

I rested against the sturdy door frame, crossing my arms and looking down. My lips pouted into a frown and I tentatively put a foot to the grass.

"Can't I just stay with you?" I asked, picking my foot back up. I felt safer inside – my last bit of home. "Can't we keep traveling?"

"Lorelai-" he said slowly. "You know I have to keep you safe."

I snorted and glanced away. The thought was amusing to me after all I'd done. "Right, keep me safe."

"You know what I meant," he sighed, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I gave in, leaning into his body as I blinked back tears. I nestled my face into the worn, supple leather of his coat.

"I'm safest with you, aren't I?"

"Not anymore, it's too dangerous. You know they're not going to stop until they-"

"But wouldn't this be the first place they looked?"

"Exactly," he agreed, tightening his arm around me. "And they'll think I'm much too clever to put you in the most obvious place, so this will be the last place they look." He tilted his head down and gave me his goofy grin, the one he always gave me when he was terribly pleased with himself.

"Hiding in plain sight, then?"

"Well, I'd prefer you stay as out of sight as possible"

"But eventually," I said softly, looking back down, "They will look here."

"Enough. Listen." He paused, placing both hands on my shoulders and turning me toward him. I had to look up; he was so much taller than he had been before. Or I was so much shorter. "We're all the other one has now, yeah? You chose to save me and therefore I choose to save you."

I nodded, running a palm across my cheek. "I know."

He kissed my forehead before pulling me into a hug. "You'll be happy here. I know it. Hey, look at me," he commanded, taking a step back and cupping my chin. "Smile."

I attempted a halfhearted smile to which he rolled his eyes. "I know you can do better than that, Lorelai." Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Why do you insist on calling me that when we're alone? You know you can use my real name."

"What, the Valkyrie?"

"Shut up. You know that's not what I meant. And that's not very funny," I complained, pushing him.

"I know, I'm sorry," he replied seriously. "I've been calling you Lorelai because you need to get used to answering to Lorelai. Lorelai."

"I get it. Lorelai. Lorelai Smith," I sighed, rehashing the details of the past we'd invented. "And you are John Smith, my uncle. And I am a normal, average witch. And that's my story."

"And that's your story," he repeated, looking carefully at me again. "You have your mother's wand?" I nodded dully, glancing back at the castle. He softened, stepping up next to me. "You'll be okay. It'll be good to be around people your own age."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself? They are no more my age than you are." He gave me another look and I waved a hand at him, turning back toward the door. "So that's Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Founded around 990 AD. School motto: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus."

"Never tickle a sleeping dragon?" I asked, my brows knitting together in confusion. "What does that mean? Do they have dragons here?" Maybe all those fairy tales my mother told me weren't just stories.

"Guess that's for you to find out, isn't it?" He gave me a push out the door and I stumbled into the grass.

"Oy, watch it, Doctor!" I complained, spinning around. He laughed and took my hand; I instinctively curled my fingers around the familiar feel of his palm. I started to panic, dread settling into my chest.

"Let's go on, then, get you settled and then . . ." He trailed off, looking straight ahead.

"You'll be lonely without me," I pointed out, letting him drag me up the hillside.

"That I will. Maybe it's better this way." I frowned, but he merely shook his head. "You'll figure it out. They're waiting for you." I bit down on my lip hard, but nodded.

"Do me one more favor, will you, Lorelai?" he asked, finally glancing back at me.

"What's that?"

That goofy grin. How I'd miss it.

"Be fantastic."