DISCLAIMER: OK, you know the deal...Harry and Co. belong to J.K. Rowling, Terri McNally and any other characters you don't know are mine....yadda, yadda, yadda...

A/N: Ok, I'm PROMISING that this isn't going to be the same hot American chick who goes off to Hogwarts and all the guys fight over her, bla, bla, bla….(you know the rest b/c I'm sure you've read a fanfic like that) Anyway, this is my first fanfic...please tell me what you think!!! The beginning is a little slow but you need to read it if you want to understand the rest of the story...

The Gifted

Terri read the letter again. Then again and again until she memorized the damn thing. She couldn't believe her luck! This was actually happening! She smirked at the thought of what those losers from Larsendelle would think. She, Terri McNally, was going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England - the BEST school of magic around!

Sure, Larsendelle wasn't that bad. It was pretty small though, situated in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. And compared to Hogwarts, Larsendelle was second rate! Terri had the absolute privilege of attending Hogwarts, not just for any reason, but because she was "GIFTED". She smiled and looked down at the letter again.

Dear Ms. McNally,

We are pleased to inform you that next term you may attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry if you choose. (" If you choose!" Ha, of course she would. She wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world!) You have been chosen to attend Hogwarts because we feel you are a very gifted student who would perform much better there, considering it is a first rate school. Please note that any trouble you may cause will result in your possible expulsion, since you are only attending Hogwarts as a privilege. We have arranged for you to reside in London, a week prior to the first day of school. You will be staying at the Leaky Cauldron and it would be best to get there by means of Floo Powder. If you or your parents have any more questions, please feel free to contact me via owl. Congratulations and good luck!

Your Headmistress,

Professor Walken

PS - Enclosed is a list of supplies needed for 4th years at Hogwarts.

Thoughts and questions began racing through her mind. It seemed pretty straightforward. She would arrive at the Leaky Cauldron (whatever that was...probably some sort of hotel) on August 25th. There must be some sort of shop around where she could purchase her books and other necessities. Of course, she would have to exchange her Muggle money for the Wizard coins, which meant she would have to ask her parents to drive her to Clivents Bank...

Terri brushed her long curly brown hair out of her face and reached for a quill. "No, she would not think of that now", she thought as she dipped the quill into a small bottle of ink at the side of her desk. She hastily searched for a scrap of parchment and then scribbled down her reply. Yes, of course she'd go! She was going whether her parents permitted it or not. She tied the parchment tightly onto the foot of the Larsendelle owl and watched with a sense of ease and excitement as it flew into the sunset. Her own owl, Salem, a beautiful gray bird with large black eyes, began hooting loudly at her as if resentful she had sent out another owl instead of using him.

"Oh, don't be such a baby", Terri sighed as she let Salem nip her finger through the bars of his cage. "You know I needed to use that owl to go back to the school!".

Terri flopped down on her bed, as her small feet dangled over the edge. She had always been small for her age, which she hated about herself. Even though she was 14, Terri was only 5 feet. Letting her thoughts wander for a moment, she began to wonder what would happen to her in the next few months. "Go to Hogwarts...in England...a whole new country! Didn't someone important go there...someone famous...no, not movie star famous. Oh, who was it, again?" She paused, racking her brain to figure out who this unknown person was.

"Oh, of course! Harry Potter! How could I be so stupid to forget!". She said this aloud, startling Salem who seemed to have been drifting off in sleep as well. "Imagine if I met him?", she continued. "Wouldn't that be something! I wonder if he remembers anything about his past...his parents..." And there she was, back on the thought of parents. Her parents. Well, she was going to have to break the news to them somehow...

Terri walked slowly down the stairs of her country home. She loved her house. Settled in the mountains of Upstate NY, she couldn't think of a better place to live. Her parents loved it too. They thought it was a perfect place to raise a child. They picked out the perfect top rate private school for their daughter, which would guarantee her a successful future. Maybe that's why they were so upset when she got "the letter"...

Terri could remember it like yesterday. It was a bright and sunny day in early summer. The mail came and there was a letter - a letter just for her! A letter written on parchment with ruby red ink that glistened in the summer sun. And everything in that particular letter came as an absolute shock. She was a witch and would be attending Larsendelle Academy for the Magically Gifted this fall. Her parents did not take the news quietly. They were obviously Muggles and never have and probably never will accept her decision to practice magic and attend a school where she could study it. This was exactly the reason why Terri was not exactly looking forward to explaining to her parents the recent news that had arrived about an hour earlier.

Terri found her parents in the living room. Her mother seemed to be engrossed in some novel while her father, eyes glued to the TV screen watching a baseball game, screamed with joy as the NY Mets gained the lead thanks to Mike Piazza's grand slam.

"What's the score?", Terri asked calmly, figuring the best way to break the news to her parents was to start off casually.

"5-4, us", Mr. McNally replied excitedly. "We were losing, but luckily Piazza...". He suddenly broke off, then a frown crossed his face as if he was remembering something he shouldn't be doing. "But, why do you want to know? Shouldn't you be following what's going on with Quiddle or whatever you call it?".

"Quidditch", Terri replied gritting through her teeth. This is what annoyed her most about her parents. Not only do they not care about the magical world, but whenever they could, made a point of insulting it.

"Oh, well, excuse me", he said, turning back to the game. "Now, run along, I'm sure you've got some spells to memorize for your school next year."

She couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. "I'm not going to Larsendelle next year", she said firmly. At these words her mother put her book down and shut it, while her father but the game on mute.

"Did you hear that, Jason?", Mrs. McNally said to her husband. "Our little girl has finally come to her senses...". Her mother looked so thrilled, Terri almost wished she didn't have to finish telling them what she had begun to say. Almost.

"You're getting a little ahead of yourself there, mom. That's not what I meant". Mrs. McNally looked as if someone had just died. Ignoring the expression on her mother's face, Terri went on. "As I was trying to say, I will not be returning to Larsendelle because I have been asked to attend Hogwarts, another school of magic, in England. They want me to go because I'm gifted!". She paused here, hoping for some look of pride on her parents faces, which was, to no surprise, not there.

She could tell her parents were not at all thrilled by the idea and before they could object she continued. "Don't worry. You won't have to pay for an airplane ticket or anything. I have my own way of getting there and everything has been arranged. If you don't want me to go that's too bad because I've already responded and I'm leaving in about a month."

"You ungrateful little snot!", her mother yelled. Terri was not at all surprised by this response. She had a feeling of déjà vu as her parents complained about how unappreciative she is. Terri knew from previous experiences that this could go on for hours. She waited until they finished their list of horrible things about her. Now, it was her turn to contribute to the fight.

"Talk about ungratefulness!", Terri said, getting her parents full attention. "Ya know, I have the chance of a lifetime to go to the BEST school of witchcraft there is, and you can't even find it in your damn heart to be proud of me! I know I'm not the daughter you wanted and I am ever so sorry that I didn't live up to your full expectations, but can't you see I'm happy? Shouldn't that make you happy?"

"Honey, you don't under-"

"I understand pretty damn well!", Terri screamed as she stormed up the stairs back to her room. She flung herself onto her bed, while her face was streaming with tears. Her throat hurt so badly from choking back all her tears, so her parents wouldn't hear the sobs coming from her room. It was hard to understand. They were her parents. Why couldn't they be proud? Was it such a bad thing? To be a witch? Terri wiped away her tears and stared out the window. Her soft green eyes gazed down at the beautiful landscape which stretched miles and miles out to the horizon. Memories of picnics and hikes with her parents came rushing back to her. Everything had changed so suddenly with that letter. Absolutely everything.

But there was no point in crying. Terri had learned early enough that crying never gets you anywhere.

*************

Over the next few weeks, Terri and her parents made no attempt for conversation. Terri took the bus to Clivents Bank where she exchanged a few hundred American dollars for galleons, sickles and knuts. And if all the chaos over the past few weeks wasn't enough, there was still on thing on Terri's mind. What was it the letter had said? "Because of your gift in magic…" Your gift? She had always been a good student, but was she gifted? It seemed a little odd. Then again, if the professors at Larsendelle claimed she had this "gift", then who's to complain?

Finally after what seemed like forever, August 25th had arrived. Terri began lighting a fire in the kitchen when her parents entered the room. Terri looked into their stern, cold faces. Suprisingly, though, she found them not to be as stern looking as usual. In fact, they were almost, well, sympathetic - if that was even possible for her parents.

"Terri, before you go", her father began, "we, um, just wanted to wish you luck. And, um, if you don't like it, you can come home whenever you want."

Terri was shocked. Her parents never, ever, gave her little pep talks before she went off to school.

"Yea Dad. I know. You don't have to worry…"

At this, Mrs. McNally began sobbing.

"Oh, honey, don't leave! Please stay here in New York where it's safe! You can go to Larsendelle. Your father and I won't have a problem with that!"

"Mom?" Terri was at a loss for words.

"Your mother is just upset that you're being sent so far away. It's, um, a little too much for us to handle." Terri looked into her father's eyes, startled to find them filling with tears as well.

"But you guys should be happy. I mean, I'm finally going to visit your home country." Terri's parents were both born in England and even got married there. Terri, being born in NY, was a full-fledged American citizen unlike her folks and always wished she could have one of those enchanting accents they spoke with. It was the only thing she liked about them.

"Yes," began her mother struggling through tears, "but there are some things your father and I would like to forget about our pasts."

Terri was more confused than before. What a strange pep talk her parents were giving her. But, she couldn't worry about that now. She had to leave. For the first time, her parents gave her a real, true hug - the best going away present Terri had ever received - and kissed her gently on the forehead. Then, with her heavy trunk and Salem's cage beside her, she flung a handful of Floo Powder into the blazing fire. She watched with awe as it turned a brilliant emerald green and with one last look at her mother and father, Terri McNally stepped into the fire and set off, unknowingly, to her destiny that awaited her in England.