Chapter 2

Welcome to Harry Potter Land

"One…two…THREE!"

We both pushed hard. We heard a great big "BOOM!" and "Bloody hell! What was that?"

We climbed the stairs out of the trapdoor. A very good-looking red-headed boy was spread-eagle on the floor.

"Whoa, where did you two come from?"

"Uh…uh…uh…," I was very taken with him. I have to admit he was very cute.

"Kentucky!" Alice piped up.

"Good Lord. America? I've read all about it! Tell me everything."

"Wait, Hermione. Let's meet them first, Miss Know-It-All!" the red-head said as he walked up to me and reached out his hand. "I'm…"

"Ron!" I interrupted, "You're Ron Weasley!"

"How'd you know that?"

"I've read all about you," I said looking at Hermione.

"Look, Hermy, it's your best friend," Ron said with a happy look on his face.

"I told you to never call me that, Ronald." Hermione said. Ron flinched like Harry said "Voldemort".

"It's better than what Krum calls you."

"Shut up or I'll send an owl to your mum when we get…"

"Don't!" Ron interrupted. "I'll shut up. I promise."

"Where's Alley?" I asked.

"Here," said a short, black-headed boy. It was Neville Longbottom. Alley had passed out and Neville was holding her in his lap. What a perfect couple. Aww. "I asked her name and she just passed out," he said to Harry, "I tried to catch her, but you know me. And your name is?" he looked at me very suspiciously.

"Call me Sandy."

"Hi, Sandy," said a voice from behind me. I slowly turned around. It was Potter himself. (Hallelujah chorus here.)

"Glad to meetcha, Harry!" I violently shook his hand. I reminded myself of Colin Creevey, really.

"How do you know our names?" Hermione asked very curiously.

"In our world…land…whatever, a lady named J.K. Rowling is writing about your life story, Harry." I was still a little in shock. "And I do love to read."

I continued to tell them the story. Alley woke up, saw Neville, and went out again.

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When I got to about the third year, I asked what year that they were in.

"We're goin' into our 6th year this week," Ron said.

(Yes! I think he likes me too,) I thought very happily. "Good, I can continue making sure I know what's goin' on."

"Where am I?" Alley asked. She finally woke up.

"Flourish and Blotts," Neville said, "the book store."

"Whoa, are we in Harry Potter Land?" she asked in complete amazement.

"'Harry Potter Land'? It's not an amusement park," I laughed.

"Yeah, then what do you call it?"

"Diagon Alley," Neville told her.

"Diagonally?"

"No," Harry said remembering, "Diagon Alley. How far has she read in the books?"

"First two years."

"You've got to be kidding me," he said back.

"Don't worry," I smiled at him and looked back to everyone else, "you'll understand Alley very quickly."

"Ah, I see someone finally found our way to the bluegrass state," said another red-headed boy coming out of the trapdoor. My God, T'was Fred Weasley. He climbed out and his twin came right behind him.

"Dude, you made this?" I asked them.

"Got that right, Dudette," said George this time, questioning his use of the word "Dudette". I nodded and giggled. "we had some help from ol' Moony and Padfoot, though."

"Oh," Fred sighed, "where would we be without them?"

I laughed, "You guys are great. I'm Sandy. She's Alley."

"Nice to meet you," the said in their normal unison.

"Hey, can you guys fill me in on some of your tricks some time?" I asked them, "You know, in case we have another Umbridge situation? You've been my idol's since I was, like, 12 or something."

They didn't ask how I knew about that. I think they probably knew. Their Fred and George, I don't doubt it.

"Why not? Later though, we gotta find Mum." -POOF-

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to apparate early," said Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, from behind Harry. "maybe I could scare them sometime." She was as equally red-headed.

"Hey, do you guys know how they are doin' with their joke shop?" I ask all my knew and longley waited for friends.

"Great!" Harry smiled

"Their sales are good but I still don't approve," said Miss Know-It-All. AKA: Hermione Granger.

"They give away free stuff to new kids," Ron whispered in my ear.

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We were all sitting on the benches lined up in front of Flourish and Blotts. A short, plump lady walked up to us.

"Oh, no," Ron said, "it's Mum."

"Ronald," she squeaked, "I got an owl today! Dumbledore wrote and told me all about your new friends."

"Mum, please, call me Ron. I'm begging you."

"Sorry," she said. She looked at me and Alley. "Hagrid should be here any moment with a shopping list and some more money."

"What, are we going to school with you guys?" Alley asked.

"Apparently," I said, "Mrs. Weasley, how can we be going to Hogwarts? I'm 16 years old and she's already graduated from high school."

"Come with me you two. The rest of you stay in Diagon Alley. We'll be back in 2 a couple hours. Meet us here."

After a few minutes of walking, Mrs. Weasley stopped and turned around to us. "Okay," she said, "ask me anything. But be quiet."

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"You and a few others have been chosen from the non-wizarding world to be with us."

"Why?" Alley asked.

"You know about us, believe in our existence and you have hidden magic abilities yourselves, but they have to be awakened."

"How do you know?" I asked her.

"The ministry has watched you since just after you were born. We've traced down your bloodlines and found your ancestors of not-too-long-ago were famous witches and wizards."

"No way!" me and Alley said together.

"Um…yes way. It's true."

"How are we going to catch up at school? We are 5 years…and more…behind," I ask Mrs. Weasley very seriously.

"After the sorting," she said sitting down on a smaller bench, "the dinner, and after the prefects lead the students to the respected common rooms, Dumbledore will send Minerva," she looked at both of us as if to ask if we knew who she was.

"Professor McGonagal," I told her assuring that I knew of whom she was talking about.

"Okay, just making sure." She said and smiled. "Professor McGonagal will lead you to Dumbledore's office. He will talk to you for a little while explaining some things. What, I don't know exactly. But I do know that he will put a specially made spell on you. This spell," she turned her head both ways, apparently looking for Hagrid, "this spell will enable you to remember…learn everything you should have learned during the years you missed."

"There's Hagrid, Mrs. Weasley," Alley said.

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"Hello there," Hagrid said. "Here's the money and the list, Molly."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Mrs. Weasley said. She put the money in one pocket and the list in another.

"Hi, Hagrid," I said. Both Alley and I looked up.

"You really are big, aren't you?" Alley said, about to pass out again.

"Well," Hagrid laughed, "got 'ter go get s'more Fleash-Eatin' Slug Repellen'. See yer tomorrow." As Hagrid turned toward Knockturn Alley, Mrs. Weasley asked if we had any more questions about the upcoming year.

"How will...?"

"I will be there, at Hogwarts," she interrupted, obviously knowing what I was about to ask, "as a new teacher to watch out for the new students and help them out as much as possible."

"Okay," I said.

"What are you gonna teach?" Alley asked, being serious. For once.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out sooner than later."

"Neat-o," Alley said. 'Neat-o' is one of her favorite, but seldom used, words.

"How did you...Dumbledore get the money?" I asked.

"It's Dumbledore's doing. Don't worry about it. It's nothing illegal...as if we care." She looked at Alley, "We don't usually worry about having to follow muggle laws." (I think Mrs. Weasley is getting the hang of being around Alley.) I struggled to hold back a laugh. It was very hard.

We finally went shopping and got all the supplies we needed. And candy. Mmm. Caaanndyy. We were hungry. And so was Mrs. Weasley. We got to go to Olivander's, past Eeylop's Owl Emporium and the broomstick shop. We met Madam Malkin and got our robes. Mrs. Weasley even took us on a short tour through Gringotts. We got to pretty much go every where. Except Weasley and Weasley's. Bummer.

After we were finished shopping, we went back to our spot in front of Flourish and Blotts and met up with the group. "Oh, I almost forgot! I'll be right back," Mrs. Weasley said and ran off.

"I don't know," said Ron before either of us could ask.

Mrs. Weasley came back with two beautiful barn owls.

"Why did you...?"

She did it again. "The ministry requires all special students to have and owl in case of emergency."

"Awesomeness!" said Alley. Another one of her special words.

"Thank you!" I said very happily. "I naturally have never owned an owl before. It's just so cool! Can we use them for non-emergency cases?"

"Well, sure. They're all yours."

"Thanks for all the help. Are you gonna ride the train?" Alley asked.

"No," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "I have to be at Hogwarts by tonight." She turned to look at the entire group, "Arthur will be getting you all safely on the train tomorrow. Remember, the train leaves at 9:00am sharp." She looked at us, "You two will be staying at the Leaky Cauldron until then. Ginny," she said turning to her daughter, "get them fixed up."

Ginny nodded, grabbed our hands and pulled us toward the Leaky Cauldron where Mrs. Weasley said we'd stay.

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Ginny took us to a dark, musky alleyway. She tapped a few bricks with her wand. The wall began to open in an arched doorway. "Yes! I finally got it right!" she said jumping up and down. "Ya know? I've been tryin' to figure that out for a real long time."

"Obviously," I giggled.

She smiled and said, "Here we are. The Leaky Cauldron."

The 'Cauldron' was as dark and musky as the alleyway, but when you walk in it seems much more a happy place than it looks.

"Tom!" Ginny waved at the bartender.

"Lil' miss Weasley! What can I do ya fer, lass?" an ever-other toothless man said cleaning out a mug with an equally dirty rag.

"Give me three Specials without and a room for these two." She pointed at us and gave us another quick smile.

"Right away, my beautiful miss," he said and grabbed two more mugs. "William!" he called up the stairs, "Room fer two!"

"In a flash of bloody light, sir!" another man called down the stairs.

"Specials without?" I asked Ginny, "What's that?"

"Oh, yeah," she smacked her forehead. "Specials without are whatever ol' Tommy boy here feels like slappin' together without alcohol." She looked over at him and back to us, "Once, he made me a Butterbeer with Raspberry seeds, Bananas, and Whip Crème. Talk about special!" She laughed, "And the really special thing about it is...they always taste good no matter what he throws together."
"Cool," Alley said.

"Really cool," I said more directly to Alley.

The man named William came down the stairs, "Room's ready," he said. "Where's you're bag's, misses?"

"Right here." Ginny pointed at our bags on a stool at the end of the bar.

"Yes, ma'am," he said and picked up the bags. "Come on up and I'll try to help getcha settled." He led us up the stairs. "This one right here."

"Thank you, sir," I told him.
"No, thank you, ma'am," he replied.

"Well, I gotta get a-goin. See you guys later!" Ginny said and closed the door.

"Oh...a bed!" Alley said falling on the first bed.

"Nice, isn't it, ladies?" the mirror between our beds said to us.

"What?" I said turning around.

"I said," said the mirror, "isn't it nice?"

"Yeah." Alley said, not knowing that it was a mirror talking to us.

"You talk?" I said to the mirror.

"Duh." Alley said.

"Not you stupid, the mirror." I pointed toward the talking piece of glass.

"Yep," the mirror said, looking at me. "Did you know you are staying in the same room Harry Potter did?"

"No." I said. "But I'm sure he only had one bed, right?"

"Yes, William just added another one for you."

"Oh."

Ka-nock. Ka-nock. Ka-nock.

"Come in, Tom." the mirror said.

Tom opened the door with two trays of food following behind him.

"How did you know it was him?" Alley asked the mirror.

"Only he knocks like that."

Both Alley and I just looked at each other.

"Supper time." Tom said, giving us our trays.

"Thanks, Tom!" Alley said, "I was really hungry."

"It's really good." I said, stuffing my face. "What is it?"

Tom opened his mouth to answer me, but I interrupted. "Wait, don't answer that." I was afraid to know in case it was another special something.

"Well, be going now." Tom said waving. "Good night, misses."

"Night Tom." Alley, the mirror, and I told him.

"You two need to get to bed. Big day in the morning." The mirror told us.

"Yeah." I agreed. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Don't have one, but you can call me Mirror, if you wish. Don't bother me none."

"Okay. Goodnight, Mirror." Alley said, "and Sandy."

"Night all." Mirror said.

William opened the door, we all screamed. "Sorry." He said, "Night."

I hope you wonderful people like my story. This chapter was titled by Raven Mirage (aka Apocalyptic Muse) because I totally went blank. Please review. I have no friends. Kidding. I have friends they just don't send me anything. Plus, I want to hear all of your opinions. Do you want to know what my mom says? No? Well, here goes anyways. "Opinions are like butt holes. They're all round and brown." I'm not like her. I want to know your 'round and browns'. Review my story, please. Now!