March 20, 1848
When we hit solid ground again I looked down at my clothes to see that I was now wearing a shawl, long cotton dress, and brown leather boots. Not much of a fashion statement, but whatever. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were okay too, and we all congratulated Ron for getting us here safely.
"Not bad Ron," I said.
"Yeah, but where's Professor Alcott?" asked Harry, looking around.
We began looking for him, but after a minute or so Hermione ran into a woman wearing a long green dress and matching bonnet.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Hermione apologized quickly.
The woman turned around and we all stared, for there stood not Professor Alcott, but Professor McGonagall. She was looking quite annoyed and very stern.
"Oh no," moaned Ron, "I must have said the wrong number!"
"You certainly did Mr. Weasley," said McGonagall sternly, "and now would you mind telling me why the blazes I'm here?"
And so Ron began the whole story of the Muggle Studies assignment and how he planned to show Professor Alcott his theory. When he was done he actually looked a little scared, as if McGonagall might lock him up in the jail across the street.
But she didn't. Instead she just sighed and said, "Very well. This happened once before at Hogwarts when a young woman decided she wanted to live through World War II. Luckily it was Professor Flitwick and not I who got taken on that adventure. And correct me if I'm wrong, but in order to go back to the present we need to successfully travel the Oregon Trail all the way to the Willamette Valley?"
Ron nodded. "Yes ma'am. That's- that's right." Hermione, Harry, and I were all staring daggers at him.
"All right then. We'd better buy a few things. Follow me," said McGonagall, walking away.
We all stared after her, our mouths agape. One of the most strict teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was letting us off the hook just like that?!
Ron frowned. "Either I just got away with the worst thing I've done all year," he said, "or this is just a dream. Pinch me, someone."
I complied, reaching over and pinching him, hard, on the arm.
"Ow!" he yelped. I rolled my eyes.
Minerva looked back at us. "Come on children!" she called.
We hurried to catch up with her, Hermione and I hitching up our dresses, and all of us squinting in the bright afternoon sun.
Professor McGonagall turned a corner and we followed suit. We were in between two buildings, the general store and blacksmith's shop. McGonagall took out her wand and pointed it at her hand.
"Hiciencala," she whispered, and instantly a sack of gold appeared in her hand.
"Professor!" whispered Hermione urgently, "Isn't that illegal?"
McGonagall gave her a hard look. "Do you have any better idea Miss Granger?" she asked sharply. Hermione shrank back and said nothing.
"Let's go buy supplies," said McGonagall, and she lead the way into the store on our right with a sign out front that read MATT'S GENERAL STORE.
The person behind the counter (Matt, I assumed) looked up when we entered.
"May I help you?" he asked pleasantly, smiling.
"Do you sell supplies for the Oregon Trail?" asked Ron, stepping forward.
"Everything except the oxen, wagon wheels, axles, and tongues" said Matt, coming around the counter.
"Wonderful," said McGonagall, smiling back at Matt. "First we'll be needing clothes. Five sets, if you have them," she turned to Harry, Ron, and I and said, "That gives us ten sets of clothing in all, or two sets each."
"Right. Except we can do math," muttered Harry. I forced back a laugh.
After getting clothes, bullets, and a bit of food we left Matt's to buy a wagon. McGonagall wanted to wait until the day we left to but a lot of food. Good thinking. I'm exhausted; I'll write more tomorrow.
When we hit solid ground again I looked down at my clothes to see that I was now wearing a shawl, long cotton dress, and brown leather boots. Not much of a fashion statement, but whatever. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were okay too, and we all congratulated Ron for getting us here safely.
"Not bad Ron," I said.
"Yeah, but where's Professor Alcott?" asked Harry, looking around.
We began looking for him, but after a minute or so Hermione ran into a woman wearing a long green dress and matching bonnet.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Hermione apologized quickly.
The woman turned around and we all stared, for there stood not Professor Alcott, but Professor McGonagall. She was looking quite annoyed and very stern.
"Oh no," moaned Ron, "I must have said the wrong number!"
"You certainly did Mr. Weasley," said McGonagall sternly, "and now would you mind telling me why the blazes I'm here?"
And so Ron began the whole story of the Muggle Studies assignment and how he planned to show Professor Alcott his theory. When he was done he actually looked a little scared, as if McGonagall might lock him up in the jail across the street.
But she didn't. Instead she just sighed and said, "Very well. This happened once before at Hogwarts when a young woman decided she wanted to live through World War II. Luckily it was Professor Flitwick and not I who got taken on that adventure. And correct me if I'm wrong, but in order to go back to the present we need to successfully travel the Oregon Trail all the way to the Willamette Valley?"
Ron nodded. "Yes ma'am. That's- that's right." Hermione, Harry, and I were all staring daggers at him.
"All right then. We'd better buy a few things. Follow me," said McGonagall, walking away.
We all stared after her, our mouths agape. One of the most strict teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was letting us off the hook just like that?!
Ron frowned. "Either I just got away with the worst thing I've done all year," he said, "or this is just a dream. Pinch me, someone."
I complied, reaching over and pinching him, hard, on the arm.
"Ow!" he yelped. I rolled my eyes.
Minerva looked back at us. "Come on children!" she called.
We hurried to catch up with her, Hermione and I hitching up our dresses, and all of us squinting in the bright afternoon sun.
Professor McGonagall turned a corner and we followed suit. We were in between two buildings, the general store and blacksmith's shop. McGonagall took out her wand and pointed it at her hand.
"Hiciencala," she whispered, and instantly a sack of gold appeared in her hand.
"Professor!" whispered Hermione urgently, "Isn't that illegal?"
McGonagall gave her a hard look. "Do you have any better idea Miss Granger?" she asked sharply. Hermione shrank back and said nothing.
"Let's go buy supplies," said McGonagall, and she lead the way into the store on our right with a sign out front that read MATT'S GENERAL STORE.
The person behind the counter (Matt, I assumed) looked up when we entered.
"May I help you?" he asked pleasantly, smiling.
"Do you sell supplies for the Oregon Trail?" asked Ron, stepping forward.
"Everything except the oxen, wagon wheels, axles, and tongues" said Matt, coming around the counter.
"Wonderful," said McGonagall, smiling back at Matt. "First we'll be needing clothes. Five sets, if you have them," she turned to Harry, Ron, and I and said, "That gives us ten sets of clothing in all, or two sets each."
"Right. Except we can do math," muttered Harry. I forced back a laugh.
After getting clothes, bullets, and a bit of food we left Matt's to buy a wagon. McGonagall wanted to wait until the day we left to but a lot of food. Good thinking. I'm exhausted; I'll write more tomorrow.