Keep in mind that I know how overdone this storyline is. Thanks for your review, kamion.

Also, because I forgot it before:

Disclaimer: All rights go to J.K Rowling, I am simply borrowing her characters and storyline, and I read in an article that she (along with Stephenie Meyer) has given fanfiction authors express permission to use her characters. I do, however own Fern, who, by the way, isn't a self-insert.

Fern and her parents only went to get Fern's school supplies in early August, using the time to try to overcome the fact that their only daughter would be training to be a witch, and trying to learn everything they could about the world Fern would be entering.

One of the "difficulties" Fern had mentioned were how to get to Diagon Alley to buy her school supplies, including her wand. Another was getting wizard cash – gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts.

"Do you want to bring a pet, Fern?" her mom asked. "The letter said you could bring an owl, a cat or a toad."

"You'd let me have one?" Fern asked incredulously. Her parents had never been into animals, and no matter how much Fern begged for a dog or cat, the best she got were a couple of frogs in a glass box, who didn't interest her and ended up going to the SPCA.

"Well, as long as you take good care of it." her mom said. "We don't want you to have a cat, though."

Fern shrugged, pretending she didn't care. "I don't really want a cat. Or a toad. But if I had an owl, it would be that much easier to send things. Besides," she said, as they got to the shop, "They have the cutest faces."

Sure enough, Fern got a black owl, whose amber eyes stood out. She decided to name the owl Daly.

"Do I need a reason?" was her only justification.

During the time she and her parents bought her school supplies, she heard whispers, and knew that she and her parents in their casual clothes stood out from the other people in their robes. Even when Fern was being fitted for her Hogwarts robes, she felt like the other people there were looking at her, knowing she was from a non-magical family, what they called 'muggleborn'. Fern wasn't usually Miss Paranoia, but being the one person wearing jeans in a streetfull of robed men and women with pointed hats made her feel a little too conspicuious.

Still, she kept an eye out for kids her age, and occassionally caught the eye of one. She was relieved to see that one of the girls she passed was dressed like her, at least. One boy whose eye she caught gave her a timid smile, which made her grin back. Another boy raised an eyebrow when he saw her, although he didn't realize she noticed. But no matter how nervous she was while in Diagon Alley, she was bubbling over with excitement at home and telling all her friends.

"I'm so jealous!" exclaimed her best friend Jamie. "I mean, you even get your letters sent by owl. How cool is that?"

Fern grinned. "It's going to be, like, a whole new world from me. All I've done is flicked through my books. Plus, my parents decided to get me a Modern Magic History book so I'd know what was going on, and according to it, there's this kid who's about my age who's in it. That means he might be coming to Hogwarts this year, and he'll be the big deal." She frowned. "Bet he's conceited."

"Fern, lighten up!" said Jamie. "You're always saying how much you can't wait to be there and that you're going to have so much fun. So what if there's some big shot in your year? I'm the one going to high school on my own. Send me letters, will you?"

"By owl." Fern promised. "So what did you say about lightening up?" She smirked. "Let's go do something!"
"Like...play that barrel game on your trampoline or make up some new game?" Jamie suggested.

Fern even had a sleepover two days before she was due to leave. The five girls Fern had invited over were called Jessie, Nancy, Andrea, Rachel, and of course, Jamie. Most of them didn't really do much. Even though they had a Simpsons marathon with Fern's Season 6 DVDs, most of the time they just talked. There were only a few times they were silent, like during the time the Itchy and Stratchy robots advanced on the family, the courthouse scene at the end of Sideshow Bob Roberts, the end of the Halloween Special, and of course, when at the end of the first Who Shot Mr Burns, Dr Hibbert laughed and said to the camera, "Well, I couldn't possibly solve this mystery. Can you?"

All the girls did, really, was talk about about Fern's new school and what she'd be doing there.

"Well, I've had a look through my book about the history of Hogwarts." Fern explained while Bart Simpson broke his leg on the TV. "There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, and it sounds like people of each house stick together."

Andrea pretended to cough, while saying 'Exception to the rule!"

"You never stick with anyone, Fern." Nancy objected. "You flit around everywhere, talking to everyone."

"Not that I even know anyone there." Fern said. "There's one kid I've read about who might be there."

"Wait a second..." Jamie said, "What did you say he was famous for?"

"He evaded death." Fern said. "I forget the name of the wizard who tried to kill him, but people apparently think he was killed due to that. The boy escaped with a scar on his forehead. Possibly every kid who's grown up in the magic world knows of it. But," she lowevered her voice. "You know none of you can tell anyone? Non-magical people are what witches and wizards call 'muggles' and they aren't really supposed to know about us. OK? Cause if you can't keep secrets, I suggest you leave town. Plus, I won't continue."

That got her friends to swear they wouldn't tell. Fern smiled. "Knew that would get you." she said triumphantly. "The boy is called..not sure, Harry or something like that. His parents were both killed by the wizard who tried to kill him. I don't know much else, apart from the fact that he's our age, and that's why I think I might meet him.

"If you do see him, can you PLEASE get his autograph?" begged Rachel. "For me?"

"Not making any promises." Fern smirked. "He'll probably be too surrounded, Rach. But I'll try."

Another cliché chapter, but I like the train scene. Please review!