2

Moira awoke the next morning with the smell of another large breakfast filling the air. She looked around the room, realizing she was alone. Sitting up immediately, she threw her hair up in a quick pony-tail and rushed down the stairs, knowing that with that many teenage boys in the house, the food wouldn't last long. She hoped that the Weasleys wouldn't mind her coming to breakfast in her pajamas: her brother's undershirt and a pair of sweats.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she was relieved to see most of the Weasleys in their pajamas as well. Ginny ushered her over to the table, pulling out an empty chair beside her.

"Good morning!" Moira said brightly, a wide grin on her face.

"Looks like someone decided to sleep in! It's a good thing we stopped George from taking the last of the French toast!" Fred laughed.

"It's okay!" Moira beamed, "I'm almost done anyway." She quickly swallowed up the last of her toast and chugged down her orange juice. Mr. Weasley looked up from the Daily Prophet to tell Ron to clear the table, and Moira felt a mixture of amusement and surprise at seeing Ron's pajamas: Chudley Cannon pants that were almost an inch too short. He still wouldn't look her in the eye as he picked up her plate.

Ginny must have noticed the disappointed expression on Moira's face, because she leaned over and whispered quietly in her ear, "Don't mind him. It's not that he doesn't like you; it's just that when he gets embarrassed, it takes a while for him to bounce back."

"Hogwarts letters arrive today!" Hermione chimed after breakfast, "Which means a trip to Diagon Alley! We're meeting Harry there, right, Mrs. Weasley?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded as she continued cleaning breakfast.

"What's Diagon Alley?" asked Mandy.

Hermione explained to Moira and Mandy that Diagon Alley was the wizarding equivalent to the United States' "Mall of the Americas". In America, Moira usually got all of her supplies at the school bookstores, so she was really excited. Mandy was particularly excited, as this was her first trip to any place where magic was a norm other than the Weasley's, but when no Hogwarts letters didn't arrive by dinner, everyone began to get worried.

"I hope that nothing's happened!" Ginny said, her brow furrowing. The whole family was in the sitting room, waiting impatiently for any sign of an owl. Then, at precisely ten o' clock, the doorbell rang.

Everyone huddled around as Mrs. Weasley opened the door. Moira was surprised to see an old man with long white hair and long white beard smiling at them gaily. He has half-moon glasses perched on, what looked like, a broken nose, and behind the glasses, Moira could see his blue eyes sparkling. She immediately felt as though this was a man she could trust.

"Hello, Molly!" the old man chuckled, as Mrs. Weasley ushered him into the house.

"As you've probably noticed," he said, now turning his attention to the children sitting on the couches, "you haven't received your Hogwarts letters." The room was suddenly very quiet, and Moira noticed the Weasley children exchange nervous looks.

The old man laughed heartily. "Don't worry! I have them right here. I was going to come to the Burrow anyway, so I decided to deliver the letters personally. I need to sort your dear cousins Moira and Niel!" the old man added in response to all the confused looks.

He pulled out a raggedy hat with patches all over it, and everyone but Moira, Mandy and Neil seemed to understand. Moira, however, was still confused about who this man was. The old man must have been able to read Moira's mind because he turned to the three of them and introduced himself.

"Oh my, I am so rude! I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He took a deep bow that made him seem very dignified. Moira saw Mandy's mouth from the shape of a circle as she finally understood who this old and wise looking man was. Moira silently compared him to her old headmaster as Neil grinned and stole a quick glance at Hermione before bowing as well.

"I am Neil Bunkly, brother of Mandy and Moira Bunkly and master of the CD player!" Hermione blushed and Ginny giggled loudly; Moira simply rolled her eyes, noticing that Ron was staring stoically at Neil, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Moira felt a pang of annoyance at her brother.

This man, Dumbledore, was obviously a very important man and Neil was making fun of him? Dumbledore didn't seem to mind though, He merely smiled and said, "Well Neil, Master of the CD player, I am very sorry to tell you that your CD player will be of no use to you at Hogwarts, as Muggle trinkets and toys do not work there. There is just too much magic interfering." Neil's wide grin disappeared at once as he stared at the man blankly.

"T-then what do I do all day?" he managed to stutter, "I'm not going."

Mandy exploded into a fit of giggles, and Hermione smiled shyly. In fact, Moira began laughing so hard that she could barely walk. Fred had to carry her into the sitting room with everyone else. When everyone sat down, Dumbledore explained to Neil that there would be plenty of homework to keep him occupied, and he also told him that if Neil was willing to do the research, he could find ways to make his CD player work. Finally, Neil agreed to go, though he still seemed slightly unnerved. He clung to his CD player the rest of the night.

"Now to the sorting," Dumbledore said in a very business-like tone. "Mandy, you will have yours with the other first years, but Moira and Neil, I feel it would be best if you did it now." He motioned toward Neil, "Over here if you please."

Neil walked up cautiously before sitting down in the chair that Dumbledore implied. The headmaster placed the ragged hat on top of Neil's head, and almost immediately, Neil's face lit up with surprise. Moira couldn't imagine why; all Dumbledore had done was place a hat on his head, but Neil seemed to be nodding, as if some inaudible voice was speaking to him. Moira was just about to ask what was going on, when the hat suddenly sprang to life and screamed,

"Gryffindor!"

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. "You'll be in my house! Ginny is a Gryffindor as well!"

"I am, too!" Hermione added. Neil smiled at her before Ron grabbed his attention again.

"Yeah, hers too," he said quickly, as though brushing her off. "Anyway, I'll introduce you to the guys!"

But before Ron could finish his thought, Molly hugged Neil tightly. "Oh," she said, "I knew it! Everyone in our family has been in Gryffindor. Are you excited?"

"I...can't...breathe..." Neil barely managed to get out, and Molly quickly let go of him. Fred and George snickered. Dumbledore motioned to Moira next.

As she sat down, her heart started to race. She didn't know why, but she was growing more nervous by the second. When Dumbledore set that hat on her head, Moira held her breath, but oddly, nothing happened. Moira started panicking.

Why isn't anything happening? Shouldn't something be happening?

Suddenly, Moira understood what had made her brother look so confused. A loud voice had rung through her head. It wasn't like a thought necessarily. It was more like a dream, but one that seems real.

"Ah, another American! Well, this is new!" Moira shot a quick glance at Neil. "You are much like your brother…a very tough choice! Hm, let's see. You're extremely clever and smart. I guess that places you in Ravenclaw, and yet, you have been through many hardships and have not crumbled..that shows extreme courage!" Moira held her breath. "And because of your past, I choose..." The hat paused, leaving Moira with a cliffhanger feeling. "Gryffindor!"

Moira breathed a sigh of relief, which she soon regretted when Hermione and Ginny sandwiched her with their hugs that made breathing a difficult task.

"I'm so excited!" Hermione exclaimed, releasing Moira so she could talk to her properly. "We're going to be in the same dorm!" No one noticed that Dumbledore had stood up and begun to gather his things.

"Um...sir?" Mandy squeaked, looking in Dumbledore's direction.

"Yes, dear?" he replied, looking down at the tiny girl through his glasses. "Oh, yes, your letters! Here you are." He pulled a stack of envelopes out of his robes. "These are for you," he added, handing each Hogwarts student a letter. Then he pulled out a golden key from his breast pocket and handed it to Moira.

"This is the key to your vault at Gringotts. Your aunts have made sure there was enough money inside to last you years!" He smiled warmly, and barely tilted his head in Mrs. Weasley's direction who blushed. Moira took this as a hint that Aunt Andromeda was not the only one who contributed. She smiled gratefully at Mrs. Weasley, before safely pocketing the key.

The whole Weasley family then followed Dumbledore out of the house. He flashed a big smile to them all and disappeared into a mass of swirling robes.