**Disclaimer: I don't own anything 'cept for the character Gwen. She's mine. And the plot. J.K.R. Owns all things harry potter. (drat!) Emma belongs to my friend Ashley. I don't own the Internet, and-contrary to what he believes-Al Gore doesn't either.**
**A/N** This is my first FF so please review! I'd love to hear what could improve my otherwise lame writing. I'll probably end up posting it again once I revise it.

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Gwen let out a contented sigh as she read the last lines of the book in front of her and closed it. She loved all the books, of course, but the third one was, in her opinion, the best. She never understood why. Maybe it was because Lupin was one of her favorite characters, or maybe it was because Voldemort wasn't in it. She shuddered at the name, gave a mental shrug and continued her musing. What adventures were in store for her little dark-haired, green-eyed friend in his fifth year at school?? Suddenly, a voice from behind Gwen pulled her away from her daydreams.

"So you've finally finished it??" Gwen turned around smiling. She saw her friend Emma, typing furiously at her computer. "I can't believe it took you so long." she continued.

Gwen stood up, still holding the book. "I can't believe you stayed here the whole time." she retorted.

"I've been having fun on your computer." Emma said with a devilish grin on her face.

"What? More websites??" said Gwen as she walked over to see Emma's latest creation. That girl's always on the computer, she thought to herself. Gwen looked at the screen. On it was a very large, very unflattering picture of herself with a small drawing of Harry Potter running away from it. Emma had obviously drawn it and scanned it in while Gwen was reading. Emma laughed at the look on Gwen's face. It was a mixture of horror and anger.

"I knew you'd like it!!" she said, clapping her hands in joy. "And it's up for the whole world to see!!"

"Take--it--down," said Gwen through clenched teeth. "Now!"

Emma put up her hands in mock defense. "OK, OK! No need to go postal on me!" She clicked the 'delete' button on the screen and everything disappeared.

Gwen nodded and threw the book she was holding onto the bed and flopped down next to it. Something fluttered out from between the pages. Gwen picked it up in curiosity. During all this, Emma had been talking to her, but noticing that her friend wasn't responding walked over and punched Gwen playfully on the shoulder. "Miss Gwendolyn Evans, I'm speaking to you." she put her hands on her hips, then she noticed what Gwen was holding. "Wassat?" she asked.

To be honest, Gwen had no idea what it was. It looked like an ordinary piece of paper, except for the fact that it was slightly yellow and heavier than normal paper. It was almost like it was--

"Parchment." she said aloud.
"Excuse me?"
"Parchment." Gwen repeated. "This is a piece of parchment."
She held it up for Emma to see. The girl flipped it over.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "There's something written on here!"
Gwen gave her a disbelieving look and shook her head. "No there's not. I just looked."
"Well I guess you weren't looking hard enough."
Emma sat down on the bed and pointed to the words appearing on the paper in green ink. Gwen gasped as she read the writing:

The Magic Meter 2000


"What the--" Emma said as a small black box appeared on the paper on the exact spot where her thumb was resting. Right beside it a small picture resembling a thermometer was scrawled out as if by invisible hands. But instead of numbers, words were placed at irregular intervals.

"Muggle. Ancestral. Muggle-born. Halfling. Pureblood." she read aloud. Next to the thermometer the words 'Emma Darling Fall:' were written out. She let out a gasp as the thermometer began to fill with silver ink. It continued to fill up until it stopped halfway between 'Ancestral' and 'Muggle-born'. Next to her name appeared the words 'Great-Great Uncle: Wizard'

Emma let the paper fall to the floor. "I'm a what? No, this isn't right. It's all in books. It's not happening." mumbled Emma. She was a white as a ghost. Gwen, on the other hand, looked as though she were about to burst.

"Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh!! How come you never told me you were magic!?" she said excitedly.

"Because I'm not!!" yelled Emma in a state of panic.

Gwen ignored her and bent down to pick up the Magic Meter 2000. She placed her thumb on the black box. Emma's name was replaced with her own. As it did with her friend, the thermometer began to fill up, only this time it stopped at the line marked 'Muggle-born'. She let out a squeal of glee.

"I'm a witch!!! I'm a witch!!" yelled Gwen as she danced around the room.
Suddenly she stopped and turned to Emma.
"Does that mean--"


"NO!" Emma interrupted. "Harry Potter is not real. And we're not magic. Look at the paper again."

Gwen did. All it said now was: Congratulations! You have been accepted to Hogwarts! You will be arriving in 10...The numbers were counting down. 9-8-7-
"It is real Emm!! It is!"

Emma didn't say anything. All she could do was stare at the paper, which now had a large number 5 on it. Slowly, a small smile crept onto her face. "Wow." she breathed. She looked at Gwen, who was now jumping up and down vigorously as a number 1 materialized on the parchment. Then, everything around them seemed to melt to the ground and a new scenery took its place.

***


Gwen blinked her eyes a few times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Toto, she thought, we're not in Kansas anymore. They were in what appeared to be a cobbled street. There were hoards of people bustling in and out of shops. While the girls were looking at everything around them, two owls had appeared on their shoulders. "OH!" said Emma, startled by the screech owl nibbling on her collar. She pulled the letter, which was tied to the owl's leg off and began to read it.

Dear Ms. Fall,

I'm happy to say that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm sure that you are quite bewildered by your arrival here. But, be assured there is nothing to fear. Since you will be starting late in the year, I have all your basic school needs. I've sent Hagrid to take to Diagon Alley to help you buy your wands and school robes. I would be happy to answer all your questions when you arrive.

Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Hogwarts Headmaster


P.S. You are free to keep this owl; no doubt you will need it later.


After comparing letters, (Gwen had received one from a tawny owl) they saw that they were exactly alike. So, thought Emma, Dumbledore knew that they were coming. But how?? She didn't get much time to think because suddenly everything got a whole lot darker. Emma was sure that there was a solar eclipse or something but when she looked up to see the sun her eyes met two beetle-black ones. It was Hagrid.

"He's a lot bigger than JK described him," Gwen whispered in her ear. Emma could only nod.

"Welcome teh London!" Hagrid said jovially. "An' Dumbledore told me all about yeh." He gave them a wink. The two girls exchanged questioning looks. "Well, come on then!"

Hagrid led them to a corner of the street. There they found a book and record shop. Between the two, Gwen noticed, was a dark, grubby looking place. Above the door hung a sign.

"'Ere we are." Hagrid said, waving his hand in the direction of the store. "The Leaky Cauldron."

Emma tugged on Gwen's shirt but she ignored it. Gwen walked up to the Leaky Cauldron and traced the doorway with her fingers. Emma continued to pull at her shirt. In exasperation, Gwen turned around sharply to face her. "What do you want!?!?" she demanded. But the look on her friend's face wasn't at all what she expected. She expected to see a look of sheer joy, but instead Emma looked as if she was going to be sick.

"I-I-I can't see it!" she whimpered. Gwen looked at her disbelievingly.

"Don't be silly. Remember what the paper sa--"

"I CAN'T SEE IT!" Emma repeated, this time terror took over her features.

"Are you sure?" Emma nodded.

"Look harder." Gwen pushed the quivering girl up to where the Leaky Cauldron should be. "C'mon! I know you're a witch." said Gwen, smiling reassuringly. Emma gave her another terrified look then turned her head. A few tense seconds passed.

"Oh.." she said, as if it was there all along.

"I knew yeh could do it!!" Hagrid boomed, clapping Emma on the back, causing her to sprawl on the ground. They had forgotten he was there during the tense moment. After picking herself up off the ground, Emma gave him a smile.

"Shall we?" Hagrid said, opening the door for them to pass.

Both of them gasped when the walked inside. "This is nothing like the way JK described it." Gwen said aloud. "It's a lot nicer. I thought it was going to be some dingy, rundown, smoke-filled--OW!!" Emma had elbowed her sharply in the side. Rubbing her bruised ribs, Gwen looked up at Hagrid. He was giving her a very curious look. "I-er-um-nevermind." she mumbled. The wizarding world obviously hadn't heard, or didn't know, of J.K. Rowling and her books. Hagrid gave her one last questioning glance then ushered them out the back door.

When they reached the back wall, Hagrid pulled out his dirty, pink umbrella and tapped the brick to open the archway to Diagon Alley.

***