Chapter Three

Welcome To Hogwarts

At number four, Privet Drive, in a town called Little Winging, sat a sixteen year old boy. He sat in his bedroom, and he was totally bored. In fact - it was probably the most bored he had ever been in his entire life - during the summer holidays anyway.

Harry reached under his bed and pulled out an old school book that he had been re-reading. It was his fifth year's book of potions. He longed to be back at hogwarts, and to see his friends again. It wasn't often someone wishes to go back to school, but when you're a wizard, things are different. Very different! He missed all his classes and wondered what he would be taking this year. He missed the ghosts that wondered the school corridors and he even missed his many fights with Draco Malfoy!

He hated to sit around and just do nothing - which was his only option as he had been told that this place was the only place he was truly safe from Voldemort. It was typical really - this being the place he hated most in the world, his Aunt and uncles house. They were terrible people.

He looked up in relief to see his pet owl, Hedwig, come flying through the window, carrying several parcels. Oh yes, in all the gloom that he had been living in since the tragic end of last year, he had forgotten that today was his birthday. You wouldn't have guessed it from the way the Dursley's were treating him - like he didn't exist.

He gave hedwig some food and petted her affectionately and then he reached for the first present. It was from one of his best friends, Hermoine Granger. He opened it in a hurry and nodded with satisfaction. It was just the sort of thing she'd get him, but it was cool too. It was a crystal globe with a map of the solar system inside it. He gazed at it for a moment, and he could see all the planets and constellations just with a single thought. He smiled at the note attached.

"This is to help you out in Divinations class - hopefully! I don't know why you still take it! Happy 16th birthday, from Hermoine".

He turned to the next parcel. It was from Ron. It was a collector's edition of photos of different quidditch teams around the world. Harry smiled ruefully. Hopefully he'd be back on the team this year. Ron's note said "Hopefully this year will be better then last years, but I doubt it! Something always happens! Hope the Dursley's aren't being too nasty, from Ron".

There was one more left to go. It was from Hagrid. Hagrid had sent him a new school book - Harry noticed it was about Care of magical creatures, the class Hagrid now taught. His smile broadened when he noted that hehad written it himself! There were also some exotic sweets. "Dear harry. Bet you can't wait to get back to school can you? By the way, thought you might want to know this bit of gossip that's been floating around the Order of the Phoenix for a while. It's top secret - so I thought I'd tell you. You're bound to find out soon enough anyway. A few new teachers are starting at Hogwarts this term. Stay on their good side and it could be a very interesting year! Better go now Harry. Happy birthday"

Harry frowned slightly. What on earth did that mean?

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"Ok," said Buffy, surveying the group and the scene before them. "This is where we're supposed to be, right?" she looked at Giles to confirm it.

It was the following week since the arrival of the letters and they were standing inside Kings Cross Station, London, England. It had been decided that Anya, Tara, and Spike would stay behind to look after Sunnydale.

Giles nodded. "Yes, this is it".

"And it definitely said nine and three quarters?" asked Xander, his eyes wide.

Giles nodded again. "Yes. And we get a normal train up to the school, once we get there, as the Hogwarts express doesn't arrive until next week to pick up the children. We are arriving a week in advance for a purpose. To get settled in and everything".

"Right, that makes sense!" answered Willow, checking her watch.

For a moment, they all stared at the wall between platforms nine and ten expectantly. Then there was a cough behind them. They all turned around as one.. A very strict looking woman stood in front of them. She was dressed in casual clothes, jeans and a jumper. Although she looked a little scary, there was a sparkle in her eyes and a slight smile on her lips.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall. It's best if you approach the wall in two's, to avoid suspicion. Just walk on through and I will explain everything. And you're friends are waiting on the other side".

"Did you just say walk through the wall?" asked Xander, slightly bewildered.

"And what did you mean by our friends?" put in Buffy.

"The vampire with a soul claimed to know you," Minerva replied. She then walked passed them - and disappeared.

Buffy glanced at Dawn. "Of course. What other friend could she have been talking about?"

Walking through a wall was a strange, if not uncomfortable sensation. It felt as if everything that made up Buffy Summers as a person separated for an instant. It seemed to happen slowly and everything else around her seemed to move at the speed of light. One minute she was in Kings cross with her friends, the next minute - she was somewhere else entirely.

"Head rush," she murmured when she could finally speak.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Dawn in amazement.

The next minute, Willow, Giles and Xander had joined them as well and they were all staring at the scene before them. Buffy knew instantly how Giles had felt when he had first entered Diagon alley.

They soon stepped on board the steam train. "

It's not as fancy as the Express," Minerva apologised.

"We understand," replied Willow.

"I'll let you sit down with your friends now and get reacquainted," Minerva went on. She seemed a bit nervous. "I'm sorry. You see - we've all heard all about you and all the good you've done. But because of the secrecy and strict laws - we've never been able to meet you until now. The slayer, the vampire with a soul and the charmed ones? I never thought I'd live to see this day!"

"The charmed ones? Who are they?" asked Dawn. But the next moment her question was answered.

They were soon split up into two groups, as they couldn't all fit into one carriage. Buffy found herself sitting with Angel, Wesley and Cordelia and Giles. Willow, Xander and Dawn found themselves sitting with three beautiful strangers.

The lady sitting in the middle with long dark brown hair and brown eyes looked up with a puzzled expression on her face.

"It's ok," said Dawn to reassure them. "We're Friends. My name is Dawn - and this is Willow and Xander".

The girl smiled. "I'm Piper, and these are my sisters Phoebe and Paige," Phoebe waved and Paige smile at them.

"Hi," said Paige. "Isn't this so cool? I don't know why we didn't know about this earlier! My sisters didn't want to come!"

"We were just talking about that! Why we haven't heard about this place until now," said Willow as she sat down.

"So you must be the charmed ones, right?" asked Xander. Phoebe nodded.

"Yes. So what's your deal? How come you guys know about magic? I guess you do".

As the Scooby gang and the charmed ones exchanged stories, Buffy sat in an awkward silence, listening to their excited chatter.

"So," she said hesitantly.

"So," said Wesley and Cordelia and the same time. They looked at each other sheepishly.

"So," murmured Angel.

Giles said nothing at all, but looked out of the window.

"Well, this is going to be so much fun," said Buffy eventually. She was suddenly glad that they had left Spike back at Sunnydale - but she wondered even now if a time would come soon when they might need him.

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It was getting dark by the time the train pulled to a stop. It had been raining in London, but now it was surprisingly warm.

In front of them was a large expanse of land with a large lake in the middle. The country side around them was beautiful from what they could see of it. It had a rugged and wild feel to it though. Lights sparkled in the distance - but even Angel couldn't see clearly what it was.

"Welcome," said a voice behind them. They all turned, and Dawn let out a gasp, which she hoped the rest hadn't heard.

"My name is Hagrid. Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. And now I'm the new teacher for Care of Magical Creatures!" He seemed proud of this fact. Dawn smiled nervously. "Anyway, we'd better move on now," continued Hagrid. "Into the boats ".

They turned to look, and several boats appeared before them.

"Are you serious?" asked Cordelia.

"Yes," said Minerva. If you had arrived with the children, you would have been taken to the castle by other means, but this is a much nicer way".

The Halliwells glanced at each other.

I wish that Leo had been here to see all this, thought Piper. It had been hard for them to say goodbye. Although he had been the one to persuade her to come all this way, she had known it was a hard thing for him to do. It was hard to send someone you love into danger, even if it was for the good of light. She sighed and shook away the dark thoughts that had suddenly filled her mind.

They all climbed into the boats, some more hesitantly then others. The boats seemed to move on their own across the water. When they stepped out on the other side, they all turned.

"Wow," whispered Buffy.

"It's amazing," agreed Paige.

"I never imagined it would look ….well, like this…" said Giles in awe.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizadry," said Hagrid.

"You can say that again!" said Xander to Willow.

TBC