Alex looked out of the doorway of the passenger carriage into a steady downpour. There were a few other passengers on the train, but she seemed to be the only one getting off at Hogwarts' station. Before she could step off the train, a grizzly bear holding a pink umbrella lumbered forward and greeted her.

"Yeh must be th' new teachin' assistant from America," he said, smiling broadly at her through a tangled hedge of beard. Alex blinked up at him. Wow, she thought. A man the size of a bear.

"Um, uh, hi," she responded intelligently. Alex shook her head. "Sorry, it's been a long trip. I'm Alex. It's a pleasure to meet you, uh, mister - "

"Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts," the giant replied, shaking her hand enthusiastically. His immense paw engulfed her hand and arm nearly up to the elbow. He held the umbrella, pink and frilly, over her head as she stepped down to the platform. "Jus' let me get yer bags," he looked behind her expectantly.

Alex hefted the briefcase holding her laptop. "This is it," she said cheerfully. Hagrid's shaggy eyebrows rose.

"Well, let's get yeh settled in," he said, giving her another smile and offering her his arm. "Welcome t' Hogwarts."

A short ride in a carriage brought them to the castle, which mercifully had only a normal amount of stairs leading up to it. The gigantic gamekeeper left her in the entrance hall after introducing her to a tall, surly man with mossy green teeth, one Argus Filch.

"I'll be showin' ye to yer rooms," Filch grated in a voice like metal scraping over stone. He turned and strode away without looking back.

Walk this way, Alex thought to herself. She hustled to keep up with her guide. The castle seemed deserted. They passed through a long gallery where the rain beat in through stone arches. "Nice weather we're having, isn't it," the young woman remarked. Filch grunted and quickened his pace.

They continued down hallways and up staircases lined with antique portraits, some of which Alex was certain were looking at her as she passed. Statues lurked in corners. Torches sputtered and flared on the ancient stone walls, casting flickering shadows. Nearly jogging to keep up with the longer strides of her taciturn companion, the American was sure she would never remember how to find her way back to the entrance.

Finally Filch stopped at a nondescript wooden doorway set in an arched stone nook. Pulling out an immense ring of keys, he opened the door unceremoniously. Taking the key off the ring, he handed it to Alex and stepped back. "This will be yer apartment. I'm sure it ain't up to yer standards, bein' an American and all," he said flatly, "but ye'll have to make do."

"Oh, I'm sure this will be way better than what I'm - " Alex began to reply. She realized she was speaking to Filch's back.

"Ring when ye get hungry," he added as he stalked away. "The house elves will bring up yer dinner."

"- used to," she concluded lamely. "Ok, thank you," she called after the custodian. "Thanks for the warm welcome," she murmured ruefully.

A tour of the suite of rooms revealed that they were indeed, far better than she was used to. The furnishings all appeared to be priceless antiques. The tapestries on the walls alone must be worth thousands of dollars. Or rather, pounds. No, wait - galleons, Alex mentally corrected herself. A marble bathtub the size of a child's wading pool beckoned. Alex decided to unpack and try out the British plumbing with a long soak in the tub.

She pulled out her wand and opened her briefcase on the table in the sitting room. Tucked in a zippered compartment was a tiny box, no bigger than a matchbox. It looked like a miniature replica of an antique steamer trunk, complete with tiny wheels. Alex wnet into the bedroom, where she set the little box on the floor, placing it carefully upright. She stepped back and pointed her wand. "Engorgio," she commanded. There was a rush of displaced air as the trunk's dimensions abruptly multiplied. It stood on end, about four feet tall by three feet wide. She unlatched it and swung it open. One side was fitted with drawers, while clothes hung on hangers from a bar on the other side. The entire trunk was lined with cedar.

Alex rummaged in the trunk, looking for toiletries and a bathrobe. Most of the drawers were stuffed with paper-wrapped packets of herbs and other botanicals. Alex grinned. Best present daddy ever gave me, she thought. The materials for her research would have undoubtedly been considered contraband by the customs agents. Passing through customs on arrival in London, however, the mini trunk had gone completely unnoticed. The trunk had been a gift from her father when she left for college years before.

The hours passed, and Alex began to worry. She really thought someone else would have at least checked on her by now. The rain beat relentlessly on the mullioned windows. She rang the bell that she found on the table and plates of food magically appeared, then disappeared when she was finished. The house elves didn't show themselves. Bored and nervous at the same time, she turned on the laptop and tried to compose an email to John Chavez.

Dear John,

Arrived here safely. This has got to be the creepiest castle in all of Britain. I haven't seen a living soul since arriving except the gamekeeper, who must be part giant. He's cool. And then there's the custodian, who I swear is a cross between Igor and Hannibal Lecter. I'm pretty sure he's gonna come back and murder me in my sleep. It has rained more in the eight hours I've been here than it has in the past eight years in New Mexico.

Whoa, she stopped herself, that sounds just a bit negative, doesn't it ? She deleted everything she had just typed except the greeting and the first sentence.

Too busy to write much now. More later, I promise.

Love to all,

Alex

That's better, she thought, clicking on the 'send' option. No sense worrying them back home just because I'm being a baby about starting a new job. Just then a knock sounded at the door. Alex jumped up and nearly ran to answer it. I just hope it's not Filch.

To her relief, a matronly woman stood in the hallway. She was dressed in a Victorian-style nurse's uniform, complete with voluminous apron, winged cap, and wimple. "Poppy Pomfrey, school nurse," she greeted Alex. "I'm so sorry we haven't been able to give you a proper welcome. You must have thought we'd all forgotten you."

"Oh, no, not at all," Alex lied. "Please, come in."

"Many of the staff are still on leave," Madame Pomfrey explained, "and I'm afraid the headmaster has been called to London, along with the deputy headmistress and Professor Snape. They're attending a very important meeting," the nurse said, with a significant look. "You've come to Hogwarts at a dark time, my dear. You-Know-Who returning to power..." the woman's voice trailed off.

The return of "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" had barely been mentioned in the American press, but Alex didn't think it would be very diplomatic to say so to the British woman. "Well, our State Department hasn't issued any warnings against wizards traveling to Great Britain," she remarked. "They must feel your Ministry of Magic has the situation under control."

Madam Pomfrey sniffed disapprovingly. She seemed about to give the American her opinion of the Ministry of Magic.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Alex said, changing the subject. She really did not want to talk about Dark wizards or politics tonight. She rummaged in her briefcase and pulled out some papers. "Since you're the school nurse, you'll be needing these. My emergency medical forms."

"Ah, good," the nurse said with a nod, taking the papers and scanning them. "I must say, I appreciate getting these so promptly." She looked up. "Two of these are Muggle medications ? I'm not familiar with them."

"Yeah, I haven't found a potion yet that I can take for very long. I seem to build up an immunity," Alex replied. "Same thing happens with Muggle prescriptions, but I've done pretty well switching back and forth. I'll be seeing one of the doctors at St. Mungo's every two weeks for medication management," she added. Madam Pomfrey seemed unperturbed.

"Dr. Salubria ?" she asked. "He's supposed to be very good."

"I haven't met him yet," Alex replied. "My doctor back home recommended him."

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "Professor McGonagall said to be sure to welcome you and tell you that she will meet you at breakfast tomorrow morning. You do remember how to get to the main hall, don't you, dear ?"

"Um, no, actually," said Alex. "But it's only about a mile or two away, right ?"

She laughed. "I'm sorry, the castle must seem difficult to navigate when you aren't used to it. I'll tell Minerva to meet you right here. Eight-thirty too early ?"

"That'll be great," Alex said with relief. Madame Pomfrey said goodnight and took her leave. I like her, Alex reflected. She hadn't treated her any differently after reading her medical forms. Things may work out after all. Positive thinking, she reminded herself. Things will work out just fine.