I remember waving at my parents as I boarded the small magical craft that would fly me across the ocean to England. We had opted against the Night Bus, so I was flying on Atlantiac Airlines for my student exchange program. This was what I had dreamed of ever since I saw the advertisement in Wizard World Weekly, a year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had been a lengthy application process and after several meetings with the school representative in New York, I had been accepted. Outside the clouds flew by so quickly and I was unsure of where I was going, or heading into. Another exchange student, headed for Pickworth's Academy of Witchcraft, an all female school, was just as nervous as I was.

Do you think they'll like me? Doreen asked me, she was a sweet girl with a round, pretty face and a becoming southern drawl.

Of course they will. After all, you were chosen to come out of a lot of applicants. I gave her as reassuring a smile as I could muster. After all, I was so nervous myself.

Do you really think so Linnea?Yes, I do. I unwrapped the sandwich my mother had given me for the flight. She never did trust airplane food, magical or not.

You're so lucky going to Hogwarts and all. I mean, you know what's been happening there, right?A few moderate problems with staff and students, nothing that any school doesn't have it's fair share of.

Doreen shook her head and smiled, And you know who goes there, right?Well, let me see. I know that the headmaster is Dumbledore, it's a family school, much like Harvard in fact, and that my Mother's old friend Mr. Weasley has children that go there.

I could tell there was something more she thought I should know. It has beautiful architecture from what I've heard.An incredible botany program. I finally took a bite out of my sandwich; alfalfa sprouts, boiled egg slices and cheese.

All the schools in England have incredible botany programs, that's just how they work. She gave me one last eager look before heaving an incredible sigh and looking at me with wondrous increduality. Harry Potter, the one and only, goes to Hogwarts.

I swallowed the bite of sandwich with some difficulty, Hello, Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world; defeated You-Know-Who.Like I said before, so what?You're going to be going to the same school as Potter and you don't even really care, do you?Not really, I'm going over because of the Anthropology program, not to meet famous witches and wizards.What I wouldn't give to be in your place.But why? Pickworth's is a well-established and respectable school.I know, but it doesn't have half the character of Hogwarts.Nor half the trouble. I'm already nervous about which house I'll end up in.

Doreen gave me a look over, Well, you're a nice gal and I'm sure where ever they put you, it'll be the right place. Just make sure you have a nice time there, okay? The seat belt sign blinked on as we started the descent into England.

You too Doreen. Don't forget to write me, okay? I don't think I'll have internet access at Hogwarts like they do at Pickworth's.Sounds good. And do try to get a good look at Harry Potter for me, even you really don't care yourself.I'll try Doreen, I'll try.

At the airport witches and wizards were bustling this way and that, flight boards changing every couple of seconds. A large man with red hair was staring at me, he looked awfully familiar. After a few more moments, he looked down at a picture in his hand, made a face at it, and walked over to me.

Linnea Runnersworth?Oh, thank heavens I found you. I was so scared I wouldn't be able to find you and wouldn't your mother be upset then. I'm Mr. Weasley, your mother's friend from the magic department.Nice to meet you Mr. Weasley. I smiled pleasantly.

Come along then, let's get your trunk and go home. I'm sure the family is dying to meet you and we have some visitors over right now who are just as anxious to find out what you're like.

I gave him a quizzical look as I hefted my traveling bag further up my shoulder.

The kids have never met an American before, at least not one their own age.Sounds like I'm going to be having an interesting two weeks at your house.Come along then! It looks like your trunk has already been unloaded.

We grabbed my school trunk off the moving belt and a trolley to carry it in. Within a half hour we were headed down the highway in a normal muggle car. I sat shotgun with my nose pressed to the glass. I already missed my owl, Silva. She was a small screech owl I had raised from a fledgling. But mother had insisted that Silva would not enjoy England as much I would. The English world whizzed by.

Why are we driving?Because there as no other safe way to get you home.Dissapperition, or floo powder, though my trunk would have been hard to deal with.You're too young to dissaperate according to the laws here.And in America too.

The car ride was long, but not too bad. Only an hours drive from the airport. At home it would have been nearly three days worth of driving.

Mr. Weasley pulled up in front of his house, Here we are.

I got out of the car and looked around uncertainly, the weight of what I had just undertaken sinking in. I was going to spend an entire academic year away from home. I didn't know anyone in England except Mr. Weasley, and I was going to a school completely populated by strangers. Riversmoke School of Magical Learning and all my friends suddenly seemed a world away.

Um...where should I put my things?Oh, yes! Let me see. There won't be enough room in Ginny's room, what with Hermione being here and all . . .I think we prepared Charlie's old room for you.Thank you Mr. Weasley.

He grinned and mopped his brow, The family should be home within the next hour or so, so you can get your things set up before they come. I'll help you get your things upstairs and then you can take a short nap, you look exhausted.

I fell down on the bed in the small room. The window was wide open, letting in a cooling breeze. And it rushed out through the open door. After nine hours of noise the solitude and quiet of this room was a blessing. My trunk was at the foot of the bed and my bag on a table nearby. I fell asleep wondering if my parents knew I had gotten to England all right.

Someone was knocking on my door, Linnea? Are you awake dear?

My room looked strange and the voice I heard was not a familiar one.

Mum, when'll she wake up?Quiet Ginny, she's had a long trip and is probably very tired. Go make noise someplace else.But Mum...No buts, go and play with Ronald or the twins.They're no fun... I could hear Ginny's voice fade away with the creaking of stairs and my door opened simultaneously.

Mrs. Weasley? I sat up groggily.

Did you have a good trip dear?Yes, the flight was smooth.How about we get you out of these clothes and into something clean.I'll get to that soon.I'm going to be downstairs fixing dinner if you need anything. Everyone's eager to meet you, so don't be shy about coming downstairs. Mrs. Weasley beamed at me in a motherly fashion before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. I was out of bed faster than I had thought possible and was quickly changed into a set of clean clothes that smelled more like home than travel. There was large commotion coming from downstairs that sounded like someone had just gotten back. I walked quietly down the stairs and looked around to see what it was all about.

Four people were sitting around the table, three of whom looked about my age, and a young girl with flaming red hair. Mrs. Weasley was carrying around a large basket of something and she smiled at me from across the kitchen.

There's Linnea. Come and take a seat at the table, I'm sure they'll let you join them.

Everyone turned to look at me and I smiled as boldly as I could, Hi, nice to meet you all.C'mon Linnea! Come and sit next to me! We're talking about next years classes! I pulled out a chair next to girl who had invited me to sit by her.

I'm Ginny Weasley. She held out a hand professionally and I shook it cordially. you must be the exchange student from America.Yes, that I am.We're awfully glad you've come so early, it gives us all a chance to get to know you better.So am I quite frankly. I looked around the table at the three other faces, only one of which looked familiar. You must be Ronald.

The red headed boy offered a grin, Ron'll do. You've been the talk of the house for the last week I'll say.

The girl sitting next to him smiled too, Hermione Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you.

Again I returned to smile. I barely knew these people, but I already liked them a lot. I turned towards the last boy who sat on my left. He had dark hair and a pair of glasses that had fallen down his nose a bit. And you would be?Harry Potter.

I held out my hand, A pleasure to meet you. My name's......Linnea Runnersworth. Ginny's been telling us as much as she can remember from the letters your parents sent. Harry took my hand and shook it politely.

I peered at Harry for a moment before it hit me, . . . Harry Potter . . . you wouldn't happen to be . . .Yes, that's me.I'd ask you how everything happened, but I have a feeling you wouldn't remember any of it, or want to tell the tale if you did. And it's not really my thing to go around asking for hero stories unless they pertain to Antiquity.What have you heard?Only what's written in every textbook on the history of magic.

Harry gave a look around the table at Ron and Hermione. I felt like I was intruding on something. Ron shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Harry, I told you she'd be different.What are you guys talking about?

Hermione looked across the table, I'm sorry, but we've never met an American before. You're very different from anyone we've ever met.And so are all of you to me.What do you think of England so far?

I paused before replying, You can feel the history here. It's everywhere. It's also very different, enough that I'm hoping I'll be able to complete my research on magic levels soon.

Everyone at the table gave me a quizzical look, Ron seemed somewhat disgusted.

For my thesis paper. I promised my friends back at Riversmoke I'd send them an e-owl with a few more numbers to complete our research. We'll be able to enter the National Scientific Magic Fair with these numbers. I'm hoping it'll be enough to win.

The quizzical look only increased.

An . . .e-owl?On the w.w.w.w.It's the World Wide Wizarding Web. Haven't you heard of it?Must be an American thing.It's pretty new, but not that new. Satellite technology has allowed wide range transmission with minimal effort. You place a piece of parchment in a w.w.w.w. box with the serial number of the box you want it sent to in the lower left corner. Recite the incantation, tap the box on either side to complete the connection and voila . . . you've got mail. I managed to talk my parents into getting me a transportable box for Christmas last. It can't hold as much parchment, but it still serves.Cor, you Americans have the weirdest things. Why not just owl it?

Hermione butted in before I could reply, Ron, America is about forty times the size of Great Britain. 3000 miles across not including Hawaii and Alaska. Because of it's enormous size and climate variance, it is not practical to use owls over anything other than what we would consider long-distance here in England. Both Ron and Harry looked amazed, Ginny too.

Is America really that big? Harry seemed as though he could barely grasp the idea.

Well it takes three days of non-stop driving at about 60 miles per hour to get from L.A. to New York. That's what I love about this country, how small it is.Is that why you can get dissaperation liscences at a younger age?Well, when you're forty miles from the nearest real wizarding community, it is handy. We have a lot more wild parts to our country. National parks that are larger London. There are parts of the Americas that have never been seen before, especially in South America.

Ginny looked confused, Where are New York and L.A.?

I gave a small laugh, On opposite sides of the country. New York is on the East coast of, and L.A., Los Angeles, is on the West coast. You should come visit sometime, though I can't say much for the midwest. That's where I come from.Where exactly is Riversmoke? Hermione asked.

Where exactly is Hogwarts?How should I know? It's unmappable, Hermione was giving me the look I had often seen accompanied by eye-rolls and the word Exactly. You didn't think Americans would have mappable schools, did you?Well . . . I . . . Ron sniggered. Hermione shot him a look that quickly sileneced him.

Mrs. Weasley spoke over the violent chopping sounds issuing forth from the knife she was wielding against a few harmless vegetables, Ginny, would you be a dear and go nip into the pantry for some dragon spices. The non magical ones, if there are any left.Do I have to, Mum? Ginny's tone was whiny.

Don't complain in front of the guests, Ginny.

Ginny rose from her chair, leaving the older kids to their devices.

Harry leaned forward, mischevious curiousity glinting in his eye, What kind of magic do they teach over in America?

I smirked as plesantly as I could, You'll have to wait for the term to begin to learn about that.Not even a hint?Do I look like a fool to you?

Harry sat back in his chair, calm exterior belying nothing. The air crackled with the unspoken challenge. It was several mintues before anyone spoke.

Linnea, you said you come from the midwest'. What's it like there? Hermione was angling to start the conversation again.

I dunno, it's home. Lots and lots of fields of green plants during the summer stretching as far as the eye can see. Cities rise like a dirty oasis, their lights beaconing all the people to them during the day and back to their suburban homes at night. Urban sprawl is our curse in America. We get tornadoes during the summer sometimes. Big black nasty things that suck up trailer homes and roofs like they weigh nothing. I took a breath, The history there has been. . . destroyed. The forests are gone where I come from, replaced by farming. You might put it this way: We destroy to grow. We use the stones from our foundation to create our next story. I don't have a high opinion of where I come from. The muggles pretend they don't have a class system, and money is their life. Wizarding communities are more common than in Great Britain, but I can't say that it matters. Going to Riversmoke helped me see beyond the city where I was rasied on the mighty Miss, to where the filth we create gets discharged into the larger world.

Harry, Ron and Hermione gave a collective blink. I don't think I had quite given them the picture they expected to hear.

Like I said, my opinion of American society does not reach very high.My goodness, Hermione spoke first, regaining her composure the quickest. You can tell we don't hear much about the United States often. Ron piped in, Muggles aren't really the most reliable source of information.

Hermione rolled her eyes and gave a huff, And what's wrong with muggles, Ron?Nothing's wrong with em, it's just, they're pretty clueless y'know. I mean, your parents are okay, but others, they're. . . Ron groped fruitlessly to cover his mistake.

Harry placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, You know he didn't mean anything by it.Then he should watch his tongue.I can try, Ron stuck out his tongue and went cross eyed. Everyone laughed at this, the tension that had been building since I sat down flowing off. Nope, sorry. Can't really see most of it. He grinned.

All Harry Potter characters © JK Rowling