This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

House: Hufflepuff

Year: 4

Category: Standard

Prompt: [Setting] Uagadou School of Magic (Uganda)

Word Count: 1269

Au-Canon, OC/ Hermione

[Note: Some material has been referenced from Pottermore or Google, but inaccuracies could appear as I am not a native to the country, and have never been there. No offense intended to any of the native people of the country mentioned.]

Border Crossings

While the Golden Trio were getting ready for their second year of adventures, far way there was a girl. She lay sleeping in a hut, on a mattress on the floor. She was dreaming about growing up and being able to do anything she wanted. Then the eleven-year-old's dream suddenly changed.

She was being visited by a dream messenger. The messenger was an older girl, Caucasian, with straight blonde hair back in a ponytail. She was wearing a black cloak and emerald-green tie.

"Kaya, I am Christine. I'm here to inform you that you have been accepted to the Uagadou Magic School," The vision said.

Kaya chuckled in response "What an odd dream," she said to herself.

"This isn't a dream, Kaya. I have been entrusted as your dream messenger," Christine responded.

Within seconds they were flying until the vision changed. They were no longer in Kaya's hut, instead they were in mid-air. Kaya saw the school, a beautiful castle, surrounded in low hanging mist, making it appear like it was in the air and not just on the mountain top.

"This is Uagadou," Christine said with adoration clear in her voice. Then it seemed they were transported suddenly back into the hut, as if nothing strange had happened.

"Shouldn't you be giving me more information?" Kaya questioned, still sceptical.

"Patience, all will be explained in due time. Take this," she said, handing over a periwinkle pebble taken from Lake Victoria. "When you wake up, all will be revealed to you."

"What do I do with…" before Kaya could finish, the messenger was gone, and she went back to a dreamless sleep.

When Kaya woke up, she felt a calm peaceful presence. What the…? She was still grasping the periwinkle pebble in her small, dark hands. She ran outside with the stone, knowing it must be magic.

Perhaps it was best to ask Mammotswane in the morning, she thought to herself. She was the local witch doctor after all; she would know what to do. Her father would never understand this.

Uagadou was aware that many students lacked basic reading skills, so the pebble created a hologram of Headmaster Teferi explaining everything about the school, how to get there, and so forth.

Mammotswane said, "You will need to tell your Father you are going to be my new apprentice. Many traditional people do not believe in true witchcraft, that is why we hide among them as witch doctors, helping to ease the pain of the sick."

She had no need to worry; her father hardly paid her any attention anyway. Kaya was a small African girl, with a caramel complexion, curly black locks, and eyes the colour of liquorice. At age eleven, she was already more curious and open-minded than her peers. She didn't have any friends, she was also considered an oddball among the people in the tribe, and they were usually left her to her own devices. Her father wanted to marry her off to a local chief when she turned sixteen; which he realised would not be happening when she admitted to wanting to learn to be a witch doctor. Her father's wives often disregarded Kaya completely. Kaya's mother had died during childbirth, and some believed that Kaya was cursed because of this.

….TIME LAPSE….

The coach picked her up, transported by thestrals (which she would only learn about later in her life). This coach took her to her new school. As the coach approached the castle, she let out a sigh, perhaps this could be her new home? About fifty coaches stopped at the entrance to the castle, and witches and wizards of all ages emerged from them.

She heard a familiar voice, as if from a dream, Christine. "First years this way, please," She said loudly, her voice echoing over the babble of students. She introduced herself, and then winked at Kaya and a few of the other students.

She explained to the students that the pebble they had would change colour depending on which house they were placed in. At first it seemed random, but looking at her pebble, now emerald green like Christine's tie, she recognized that it probably had something to do with the personality type of the witch or wizard being sorted.

"This is it." She said to herself, excited. She then moved over to join the other few students also holding the green stones.

….TIME LAPSE….

Kaya grew into a beautiful woman. Her liquorice eyes now had a gentle sparkle; her hips had become fuller and her body more curvy. The males in the school had become aware of Kaya's unique beauty.

She soon noticed as her friends became interested in the opposite sex, the more she started becoming aware of her female classmates, especially those in the Herbology House. She kept this to herself, not wanting her friends to treat her differently because of an orientation that is frowned about in most African countries, and illegal in others.

That was until she met Hermione. The minute she saw the witch with brown windswept hair, hazel eyes and wonder in her eyes, Kaya knew she could deny it no longer. She was gay. The other witch was clearly not from the school, as she was holding a broom, her black cloak different from their school uniform, and she was wearing a tie of red and gold with a crest Kaya didn't recognize.

Hermione graduated from Hogwarts and decided she wanted to learn more about different wizarding schools. She and Ron had broken up when they had an honest discussion about her being demisexual and her developing relationship with Luna.

When Kaya locked eyes with Hermione, it felt like time stood still, and sparks flew between the two of them. When Hermione saw the young witch staring, she walked over to introduce herself. Kaya was now in her final year, a lot more comfortable in her own skin than she was when she started out as a young girl.

"I'm Kaya," she said, shaking hands with the brunette.

"Hermione, nice to meet you," Hermione responded with a smile.

The bond between the two witches was almost instant. They chatted about the differences between the schools, different customs and so on. Kaya found it curious that Hermione used a piece of wood to focus her magic, when all they were taught was to use their hands to direct the magic, as the magic came from within, it was an extension of their being.

….TIME LAPSE….

"I noticed you staring when we met," Hermione said boldly.

Kaya wanted to deny it; she didn't want to scare away her new friend. Hermione didn't want to accept that. She had seen that look before and she knew Kaya found her attractive.

"Let me guess; being gay is unnatural or something, is that it?" Hermione asked kindly, hitting the nail on the head. She didn't respond; looking down.

"Hey…" Hermione said, tilting her face up. "It's okay. My sexuality isn't exactly easy to explain, either."

"It isn't?" Kaya responded curiously, shyness forgotten.

"I'm demisexual," Hermione said.

"What? What does that mean?"

"I always thought I wasn't attracted to anyone, but pansexual means that I need to form an emotional bond before I have a physical one." She explained carefully.

Kaya nodded, this made sense. She knew she wasn't pan, she was absolutely smitten with the other witch; and this gave her some hope that perhaps her feelings would be returned.

"I like you," Kaya said with new bravery, Hermione's answering smile meant the world to her.

"I like you too, Kaya. I want to get to know you," Hermione responded. And get to know each other better, they sure did.