She looked at the fire. No screams. No cries for help. She gazed, spell bounded at the flames. What on earth? Then she looked to Anju, who smiled again.

"Floo powder."

"Floo wha?" Kat gave her a questioning look.

"Floo powder. It's a form of transportation. You walk straight into the flames and shout where you want to go. Most wizarding family's fireplaces are connected, and you usually say the last name. When you say it, it will connect you to the nearest fireplace. When you enter the fire, shout 'Brookshire!'

as loud, and as clear as you can. It's simple. You'll get it."

She gave her a slight eye movement signaling her to go. She gulped hard. She looked into the burning flames. Taking a very deep breath and closing her eyes, she began to walk toward the fire. The flames seemed to be getting not hotter, but cooler as she approached them.

She neared the fire and took a step in, soon followed by the other foot. She felt a strange, sensational icy breeze climb her spine.

"BROOKSHIRE!" She screamed.

She felt everything move. Seconds later, she found herself, in a average looking home, with beautiful drapes and artwork everywhere. Mrs. Brookshire was waiting for them, and had some cookies and tea ready for them. She smiled and showed her ivy eyes again. Seconds after she arrived, Anju appeared in front of the fireplace.



"Mom, this is Katarina."



"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance my dear." She held out her hand and Kat shook it.



"Why don't you go and give her a tour, Anju? We don't want her to be lost looking for the bathroom." Anju nodded.

She took Kat's hand and ran upstairs, leading her to a small room, also pointing to a bathroom as they passed. The walls were decked in beautiful paintings; Anju's father is a painter. They walked into the room, apparently Anju's. Anju snapped her idea as like she sparked a light bulb.

"Mom! We need the bed!"

Footsteps indicated her mother coming up. She pulled out a thin piece of wood, apparently her wand, and muttered a few quick words, and walked back downstairs.

A large, twin size bed, sprang out of thin air. Kat blinked. The sheets were there. The pillows were perfect. Kat sat on the bed. It was a normal bed, very soft and springy. She was all of a sudden feeling sort of sick. This magic world was overwhelming her with questions. he was very surprised that she could keep her mouth closed for as long as she has.

"So... Tell me more about Hogwarts. "She looked at Anju, who looked excited and honored to be explaining all of this to her.

"Well, the headmaster there is Professor Dumbeldore, he is an old guy with a really long beard, he is a really nice guy... and then there is Professor McGonnagal, head of Gryffindor, she-"

"Gryffindor! Tell me about Gryffindor!" Kat interrupted.

"Well, its one of the four houses. We all get sorted into different houses with people, where we sleep, have classes with, and have house points for. "

Kat looked really excited at every word that popped out of Anju's mouth.

" I want to be in Gryffindor! It sounds like fun. "

"The other houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and... Slytherin." She paused for a moment. " All the dark wizards and witches have all come from Slytherin, if you ask me, all the evil people go to that house. They are strange..." Her voice faded like she wanted to change the subject.

"So...Gryffindor... Professor McGonnagal is the head?"

"Yes, she teaches Transfiguration..."

"Who is head of um...? Slytherin?" She was catching on quickly.

"Professor Snape... I haven't heard good about that man, evil, in fact. He is mean to the Gryffindors and loads people with homework, I'm not looking forward to having him this year. "

Kat looked down at the floor like she hated the man already. She glanced out the window at the skyline. The sunset was remarkable.

A voice came from outside.

"Anju! Kat! Dinner outside! "

Anju darted to the door, closely followed by Kat. They ran down the flight of stairs, made of beautiful pine which was very aromatic. She could spend hours looking at the beautiful landscape paints hung everywhere, but Anju hurried her up. She led her down a wide hall, and down a small staircase, and out a sliding glass door, to a wonderful patio, made of a dark wood that shined beautifully. Kat followed Anju to a table where her mother sat, placing plates on the table, while her father, with shining black hair, set the forks and knives out.

"Well, this must be Kat I have been hearing so much about!" he smiled at Kat.

"Hello Mr. Brookshire, thank you very much for having me here, and helping me out, that is so incredibly kind of everyone."

Anju and Kat sat down next to one another and looked at their plates.

"What are we having tonight, mom?"

"How about... roast beef, peas and carrots, and... Kat, what's your favorite? "

Kat asked herself the exact same question. She had always had a very small salad and a hard and old roll each night. Every Saturday, they would get these burnt hamburgers that looked like leftovers from a fair. Kat cleared her throat.

"I really don't...have a favorite food. Whatever everyone else likes is good with me."

"Is French bread okay, then?"

Kat had never actually had French bread. She nodded to not sound so poor and inexperienced. Everyone began to dig in. French bread, apparently, is a long skinny bread, and on top was covered with sesame seeds. The roast beef was all ready sliced to perfection, and the peas and carrots were in a small bowl with a spoon in it. Kat had never seen so much food. She gazed at it all for a second, then Anju held the roast beef plate to her, and she took a big piece, not wanting to miss anything.

It was wonderful. The meat was moist, the bread was soft and warm, she had never had anything like this before. Absence makes the heart grow fonder... she thought. The meal was over in about an hour, and Kat had completely cleaned her plate. She was very thankful for everything they had given her.

"Hey Kat, want to head up to my room? I want to show you something."

"Sure..." She put her napkin on her plate and followed Anju back inside. She smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Brookshire as she left.

Anju led her back up to her room again. She got onto her knees and pulled out a large trunk from under her bed. She opened it up, revealing long blue and black clothes.

"Robes, you don't have to wear the silly muggle clothes anymore. I was just wearing them for disguise," She pulled out a long dark navy cloak and handed it to Kat. "You can borrow some of my robes to wear until the term starts."

Kat took the robes while Anju grabbed another and shoved the trunk under her bed again. She slipped her long and old jeans off and put the long robes over her. Kat did the same. When they both finished, Anju looked at her.



"You really are very pretty in that color!"

Kat smiled and looked into the mirror at her. She felt like she fit in, she looked really in place wearing the long cloths. She smiled and turned back to Anju.

"This is really nice of you to lend me these pretty robes."

Anju let out a small grin and sat on her bed. She laid down and put her head on her pillow, Kat now doing the same. She was talking with Anju for a few minutes until a soft snore came from her side of the room.

Kat pulled the covers over her and looked out the window at the skyline. She was finally fitting in... she was getting a new family...

September first rolled around quicker than they could imagine. Mrs. Brookshire ran up the stairs to wake up the girls.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

Anju tossed and Kat sprang right up, already dressed. She was very excited.

"Up! Up I said!" She rustled Anju's blankets and she yawned.

"All right, all right, I am up..." She pulled off her covers and quickly got dressed in her robes. Anju then realized what day it was and ran down the stairs, and Kat carried her trunk down and tried to keep up with her. Mrs. Brookshire stood in front of the fireplace, and smiled at the two girls as they came down. She handed them some toast and helped them with their trunks.

Mrs. Brookshire looked at the two excited girls and smiled. "Ready?"

Anju and Kat looked at each other and said in unison. "Ready!"

"When you enter the flames, shout "King's Cross!"

"There is a fireplace at the train station?" Kat asked curiously.

"There is a terminal at the train station to a bathroom, muggles have never opened it, you must use the alohomora spell to open it."

Mrs. Brookshire walked into the flames. Seconds later, Kat walked into the flames.

"KING'S CROSS!" She screamed. Moments later, she found herself in a damp and dark room. Mrs. Brookshire had already opened the door and was waiting for her. Anju came running out of the flames just as Kat got out. They rolled their trunks down a narrow hallway, and Mrs. Brookshire stopped and handed them tickets.

"Do not drop these, or we could be in big trouble." She looked serious.

They continued to walk along, passing very busy "muggles", or non- magic people, as they headed to their platform. Kat glanced at her ticket.

"Platform 9 and 3/4? Is there such a place?"

"You will see." Mrs. Brookshire smiled.

They approached platforms nine and ten, but no sign of 9 and 3/4. Kat looked around. She almost ran into Mrs. Brookshire as she stopped in front of a brick wall.

"Here we are, platform 9 and 3/4... Anju you first, dear."

Anju sped off running to the wall. As she was about to collide, she disappeared into thin air. Kat's eyes widened.

"Now, what you do, is you run straight at the wall, don't look back, just run straight at the wall to get onto the platform."

Kat steered her cart toward the wall, now looking slightly sick and dizzy. She closed her eyes and took off running. She was about to hit the wall, when all of a sudden, she disappeared. The wall was gone. No door, no passageway, nothing. Kat turned a corner and saw a huge steam engine, and Anju waiting for her. Kat didn't waste time looking at the train or the wall. She wanted to look normal.

"Come on Kat! Give your trunk to the man over there and he will put in the back."

Kat walked casually over to the man and handed him the handle to her cart, which almost instantly, disappeared. Kat blinked for a second and turned back to Anju, who was boarding the train. She ran over to her. They boarded together and sat in an empty car. Kat looked out the window to see a tall man yelling and whistling at other students to get on the train. The train rattled a little and before they knew it, the large passenger train began to move along.