It was eight o'clock. Alex took in her appearance in the full-length mirror on the door of the walk-in closet in her apartment. Mindful of Naomi's warning about the conservative ways of British wizards, she had chosen a long green gown. She wasn't sure which of the Hogwarts houses was represented by green, if any of them were, but the color was one of her favorites. It enhanced the hint of green in her grey eyes. The gown's style hadn't been seen in the muggle world since the late fifteenth century, but for Hogwarts, it seemed just right. The American frowned at her reflection. She looked too young to be a teacher. Not for the first time, she wished for a few extra inches of height. Just three little inches, is that too much to ask ? she appealed to the imaginary being she had named the Long-Legs Fairy. Then I could at least be average. Unfortunately the Long-Legs Fairy, like her sister the Big-Boobs Fairy, apparently did not make deliveries, at least not to Alex. At least the Tooth Fairy was real, for a while, she consoled herself, chuckling silently at the thought.
She picked up a brush and began to work through the snarls in her hair. Thick and wavy, it fell nearly to her waist. There were a lot of tangles; she must have tossed and turned in the night. She had had the nightmare about the stairs again. Alex considered for a moment, then put down the brush and took out her wand. Better to wear her hair up, it made her look older. She pointed the wand at her own head. "Tonsoria plicare." She closed her eyes as strands of hair whipped about her face, forming themselves into a complicated crown of braids. She scrutinized herself once more when the braiding spell was completed. Other than the small silver hoops in her ears, she decided not to wear any jewelry. Satisfied with her appearance at last, she tucked the wand into a concealed pocket in the full skirt of her gown.
Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress, rapped on the door precisely at eight-thirty. She shook Alex's hand in a firm grip. "Good morning, Miss Rose," she said warmly in the most charming accent Alex had ever heard. "Professor Dumbledore and the rest of the staff are eager to meet you. Please come with me."
Alex liked McGonagall right away. As the tall witch led her through the labyrinth of halls and passageways of the old castle, she pointed out turns and landmarks in a matter-of-fact way. With a bit of luck, I may just be able to learn my way around before the term starts, Alex thought.
"Now, the stairs do tend to change every now and then," Professor McGonagall remarked as they approached yet another flight.
"You're kidding, right ?" Alex laughed nervously. She looked suspiciously at the stairs as they started down them. They were stone, with a carved banister. It was impossible to imagine them moving.
"Oh, no," replied her companion seriously. "Sometimes they change while one is actually on them. It can be a bit disconcerting but -"
As though on cue, the entire staircase suddenly began to rise. Alex screamed and clung to the railing. McGonagall quickly took her arm. "My dear, it's quite safe," she reassured her. Alex's eyes were shut tightly. Her heart pounded in her ears. "They've stopped. Come, Miss Rose, it's all right." She sounded concerned.
Tentatively, Alex opened her eyes. They were one level up from the floor they had just left, facing a different corridor from where they had started. "Oh, dear gods," she muttered. She realized the deputy headmistress was looking at her with deep concern. "I'm sorry," Alex said. "I have a terrible fear of heights." McGonagall raised her eyebrows. Great. She thinks I'm a total nitwit. "I'm fine, really," she insisted, prying her fingers off the banister and forcing her feet to continue down the stairs. "I was just...startled. We don't have roaming staircases in the United States," she added, a bit defensively.
Alex was embarrassed, but McGonagall seemed to take the incident in stride. After a detour made necessary by the rogue stairs, they arrived in the main hall. "Now, these are the student's dining tables," she explained. "You see the banners with the house colors – Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I am head of Gryffindor house," the tall witch said with pride. "Professor Snape, who you will be assisting, is head of Slytherin." Slytherin's colors were green and silver, Alex noted. Hope Snape doesn't think I'm trying to suck up.
They reached the head table where a number of teachers and staff were already seated. Hagrid waved from one end of the table. An elderly wizard rose from his seat and held out his hand to her. "Miss Rose. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I hope that your time at Hogwarts will be both productive and enjoyable," he said in a voice like Kentucky bourbon. With his long, flowing hair and beard and elaborate robes, Albus Dumbledore was as unlike John Chavez in appearance as two people could possibly be, but looking into his eyes, Alex felt as though she were seeing her old mentor's twin. Dumbledore instantly won her heart.
"Thank you, sir," she said, dropping a deep curtsy. Hope that's formal enough, she thought. Out loud she said, "I'm sure I'm going to love it here." Smiling, Alex Rose took her seat beside the headmaster of Hogwarts. I almost believe that, too.