Hi guy, sorry for the really long wait, please don't kill me. You should all thank Xennon for yelling at me and making me write this up.

Enjoy!

It was 9:55 on a Saturday. As usual, Hermione Granger was sitting down comfortably with a book. However, today she wasn't reading. She did have a book spread open in front of her, and she was looking at it, but she wasn't reading. Her eyes were not moving, just staring blankly at the page, and every now and then she would glance up at either at the clock or in the direction of the front door. Hermione was waiting for someone.

That someone had just popped into existence in a back alley near the Granger's house. She then calmly walked towards their house, as if it were completely normal for her to pop out of thin air, which, of course, it was.

Reaching the Grangers house, she stood poised on the doorstep for a moment, recalling their last meeting. It had gone better than most meetings with Muggleborns usually did. The Grangers had accepted what she had to say almost immediately. Some stubborn people just would not believe it, even after she had showed them what she could do. From what she had seen at the meeting, the child herself was very intelligent, almost certainly a Ravenclaw. She sighed. She did hope that Miss Granger would be placed in her house, however unlikely it was.

Straightening, she rapped smartly on the door. She heard a rushed patter of feet, and then the door was yanked open by a breathless Hermione.

"You came, Professor!" She said excitedly. "Are we going to go now?"

"May I step inside first, Miss Granger?" McGonagall's lips curled up slightly at the edges. To anyone who knew her well enough, they would have known it was her own version of a smile. To anyone else, though, it was doubtful that they would notice anything. The stern Professor was known for being just that- stern.

"Oh… yes. Sorry Professor!" Hermione chirped. "Just come in then." She opened the door even wider and stepped back to let her Professor in. "I'll just tell my parents you're here." That said, she ran off down the hallway.

The Professor stepped inside, closing the door behind her as she did so. Her lips curled up into a slight smile again. For some reason this child was always able to make her smile.

Upstairs, she faintly heard the child enthusiastically telling her parents "The Professor's here! Can we go now?"

"Just wait a minute, alright, 'Mione?" her father asked, sounding a trifle exasperated. "Honestly, just calm, down, won't you?"

"Okay, Dad!" the child agreed, obviously only half paying attention. She bounced back down the stairs and around the corner. "Oof!" she exclaimed as she ran into something. She looked up, and a faint blush tinged her cheeks. "Oh… Sorry Professor. I didn't see you there."

"That is quite all right, Miss Granger. I would be grateful if you would calm down like your father just suggested, though." Her lips curled up a little at the corners again. What was wrong with her today? Smiling at a student. If the other Professors could see her now… She almost laughed at the thought, but caught herself. Really, what was wrong with her today?

Hermione looked down and shuffled her feet. "Okay. Sorry." She looked up apologetically. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, no. Certainly not. I was just a little surprised. Believe me, I've been hurt worse." Minerva was touched that such a young child would think of another's wellbeing. Most children she met were never as thoughtful as this young child.

Hermione's parents came down the stairs. "Hullo, Professor. Shall we go?" Dan greeted her jovially. "We're ready now."

"Alright. I was wondering if you would like to get there by Muggle or wizarding means? Whichever you'd prefer." She suspected this family would be rather interested in wizarding modes of transport and want to try that out.

"Muggle?" the Grangers asked simultaneously, before grinning at each other. "Sorry Professor, but what is Muggle?" Hermione then asked.

"Ah, yes, sorry. I forgot to tell you last time we met. Well, a Muggle is simply a non-magical. So I was asking if you would like to get to Diagon Alley on a bus or some other form of transport, or if you would like me to Apparate you." Professor McGonagall explained.

"Well, this… app…apparate? Sounds interesting, what is it exactly?" Dan inquired.

"Apparition is a way for wizards to travels, when we disappear from one place and appear in another. It would save us some time but the feeling is a little disorienting." Disorienting was an understatement, she thought, it was more than that – it was stomach-churning. The first time she Apparated… she pushed the thought away.

"Er… it might be interesting to try this Apparition, but where are we going in London?" Dan thought about it. "What do you think?" He asked Jean.

"Well, it does sound different…" Jean said thoughtfully, while Professor McGonagall waited patiently.

"Oh, please lets Apparate, Mum! It sounds fascinating." Hermione pleaded.

"I suppose we'll be Apparating then." Dan decided.

"Right, well if you would just…" The Professor held her arms out. Dan and Jean held on to one of her arms, while Hermione timidly grasped the other. "Try not to panic or be sick." She advised.

Hermione felt a horrible twisting sensation, and then felt like she was being compressed awfully tightly and squeezed. A moment later it was over. She leaned against a wall, shuddering.

"Well, that was Apparition." McGonagall remarked brightly.

"Eurgh, how can you stand that?" Hermione shuddered again. "It was horrible."

Her parents would have agreed, but they were too busy trying not to be sick, their faces a pale shade of green.

"You get used to it." McGonagall told Hermione. "The first time I Apparated, I was sick, so don't be embarrassed. It could be worse. Sometimes people Splinch."

"Splinch?" Hermione frowned. "It sounds painful."

"That would be because it is. Splinching is when part of your body is left behind. It could be a single hair, or an arm. But don't worry, I never Splinch." The Professor said this all very matter-of-factly.

Hermione stared at her in shock, horrified.

"The wizarding world isn't all perfect, you know." McGonagall informed her. "We have problems and dangers just like Muggles. Only our problems are usually magical, not like the problems in the Muggle world."

"So it's just like the Muggle world really, but with magic instead of technology." Jean said. Apparently Hermione's parents had recovered.

"Yes. So don't think that in our world, it is all perfect and safe. Magic is a wonderful thing, but horrible things can be done with it too, just like with technology." McGonagall said. "Well, we'd better be going." She led them down the road, stopping just outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"Is this where we're going?" Hermione seemed puzzled. "Isn't it a little…small?"

"This is the Leaky Cauldron." McGonagall said. "The most famous pub in wizarding England, and entrance to Diagon Alley."

"Sorry, but, I can't see anything. What's going on here?" Jean asked.

"I don't see anything here either. Is this some sort of magicky thing?" Dan wondered.

The Grangers looked towards the Professor for an answer. "Ah, yes. There are spells and wards on the area to ensure that Muggles do not accidentally wander in. Only witches and wizards can see and enter the Leaky Cauldron. You will be able to as you are with me. Do I have your permission to cast the counter-spell on you?" She took out her wand.

"Certainly, go ahead." Dan said, while Jean nodded.

The witch pointed her wand at them and flicked it, muttering under her breath. "There. Do you see it now?" She turned towards the pub.

"It does look a little…shabby, doesn't it? Are you sure it's safe?" Jean worried.

"Yes, this is the Leaky Cauldron. Now, if you would follow me?" Professor McGonagall made her way towards the dark pub, while the Grangers followed her.

Stepping into the pub, they saw that the inside was just as dim and faded as the outside. Several customers were sitting nursing their drinks in the dark corners. A lone barman wiped down the glasses. He looked up, seeing the stern Deputy with another family of Muggleborns. He bobbed his head to them in a friendly manner and waved them through.

Once they had filed into the back of the pub, the Grangers looked around. "Where is Diagon Alley, Professor?" Hermione asked. "Are there more spells on it? How do we get in?"

"Watch." The professor told them, as she tapped the wall with her wand. Once she found the right brick, she said. "Remember it is three up, two across." The wall quickly unfolded into the entrance to Diagon Alley.

McGonagall stepped through, and then realised the Grangers were no longer following her. She turned around, and saw them standing awestruck at the doorway.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

.oOo.

A few hours later they were standing in Flourish and Blotts. Hermione – and to an extension her parents – had roamed around Diagon Alley inspecting anything and everything, and asking countless questions. They just had to get Hermione's books, and then her wand.

Upon seeing Hermione staring longingly at all the shelves piled high with books, her mother laughed. "Hermione dear, why don't you go find a few books you'd like to buy and we'll get your school books for you."

"Alright, thanks mum!" Hermione flashed them a grin before disappearing into the shelves. The adults smiled fondly after her.

As they were getting Hermione's books another family pushed past them. "Muggles." A tall blond man sniffed derisively. "Why they even allow your kind here…" he swept off. The Grangers looked after him angrily.

"Who was that?" Dan demanded.

"That was Lucius Malfoy." Professor McGonagall said coldly. "He is a part of our society that believes that Muggles and Muggleborns are inferior to so-called Purebloods like himself. They believe children like Hermione should not be allowed to learn magic. There was a war about that not so long ago."

"How horrible!" Jane exclaimed. "Will there be people like that at your school? Will they be rude to my Hermione?"

"There probably will be some, I'm afraid. We try to stop that sort of thing, but when they are brought up to believe that Muggleborns are inferior, there is not much that we can do." The Professor said sadly.

They purchased all the books Hermione would need, and then she returned with an armful of books. "Mum, can we get these? Please? They look so interesting! See, here's one about great wizarding events, and some further reading on some of the subjects, and one on wandlore and-"

"Hermione, breathe!" Her father cut in. She stopped and took a breath. "Alright, dear we can buy them." Her parents smiled fondly.

They then left to go to Ollivanders. Hermione now looked rather nervous. "Professor?" she asked.

"Yes?" McGonagall replied.

"How do we get a wand? I mean, is it just random or do we have to take a test?" Hermione was really curious.

"Well, I don't know very much about wandlore, I daresay that book would be much more help than I would be, but I know what Ollivander will get you to do. You just have to wave all the wands he tells you to try until you find one that is right for you. You'll see." For they were already there.

They walked into the dim shop. Hermione jumped when Ollivander appeared. " Professor McGonagall. 9 ½ inches, fir and dragon heartstring, wasn't it." He transferred his gaze to Hermione. "And you are?"

"Hermione, sir. Hermione Granger." She said nervously.

"A Muggleborn, I presume?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Now, which is your wand arm?"

Hermione stuck out her right arm, guessing that this was what he had meant. He started measuring her with a silver tape measure – no, the tape measuring was measuring her itself! "That's enough." He said. The tape measure crumpled to the ground, and Ollivander disappeared into the dusty shelves, returning with several thin boxes.

He opened a box and offered Hermione a wand. "Alder and unicorn hair, 11 inches, unyielding. " No sooner had she touched than he grabbed it back. "No, no…" he offered her another. " Walnut and dragon heartstring, 10 ½ inches." She picked it up. "No… but I wonder…" and he disappeared into the back of the shop, emerging a minute later with a rather dusty box. "Here you go, try this one… vine and dragon heartstring, 10 ¾ inches."

Hermione picked up the wand, and suddenly felt a sense of warmth, of togetherness, and of belonging. A warm, bright light filled the room, accompanied by a warm breeze.

"Yes, this is the wand… I'd like to see what you become in your later life, Miss Granger."

They paid 7 golden galleons for the wand, and exited the shop. Leaving Diagon Alley, Professor McGonagall Apparated them home. "Well, I should probably go now. I look forward to seeing you a Hogwarts, Miss Granger."

"Thanks for showing us Diagon Alley, Professor." Hermione said as they bade each other farewell and the Deputy Headmistress too her leave.

Hermione walked into her house, ready for her new life, her new life of magic.

Please review! Any mistakes, things that I could improve on? Review! :) Parts of this chapter felt kind of... off...

I would appreciate it if you have any ideas for any scenes that will come up, either soon or later in the series. I do have a few ideas written down, but I would hate to miss anything.

Hopefully I'll post sooner for the next chapter. Once again, sorry!

(review?)