Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers I really appreciate it

Ginny got off the train when it eventually reached Hogsmeade Station and got into one of the horseless carriages that were waiting for the students. She was closely followed by Harry, Hermione and Ron and she felt the carriage start to move. The carriage went through the black steel gates and through the school grounds. It was silent in the carriage and out. Finally it came to a stop and Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione all got out and went through the huge oak doors before arriving in the huge Entrance Hall. Ginny saw the beautiful stairs but went into the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table next to Neville and Hermione quickly sat down next to Ginny, Ron sat next to Hermione and Harry was at the very end of the table. They laughed and talked excitedly, anticipation filling them all. After what seemed like the hundredth time Ginny's stomach had rumbled Dumbledore stood up.

"Silence! I have very few announcements to make but first we will have the sorting."

Ginny saw the brim of the hat open and heard the song; it was a new one that summed up each of the houses in three words. After it had completed the song the hat fell silent and sat on the three legged stool awaiting the first student to be sorted.

"Ab-Had, Harrietta" Professor McGonagall said. A Girl with black pigtails walked up and put the hat on her head

"Ravenclaw" The hat shouted and Harrietta walked to the Ravenclaw table where the Grey Lady welcomed her.

The same process kept going until "Zymbino, Zachary" was sorted into Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall then got up and picked up the three-legged stool and hat and took her seat at the teachers' table.

Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat before saying, "I just have two words to say and they are "dig in"."

The empty golden plates down the centre of all the tables were suddenly overflowing with food. Ginny helped herself to some vegetables and roast and started eating. Next to her Hermione was eating daintily, her nose wrinkled slightly as Ron beside her sent crumbs flying as he stuffed his face. Ginny began to laugh and everyone looked at her. She shrugged and returned to her meal. She couldn't help but feel a sense of joy of being inside Hogwarts walls once more.

Eventually the golden plates emptied again and the hall fell silent as Dumbledore stood.

"Now I would like to remind people that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students." Ginny could've sworn that his eyes swept over their little group. "Also there is a list of items that are banned. I am sure that you all know what they are but I would like all prefects to make sure that the first years are informed by collecting a list from Mr Filch before returning to your respective common rooms tonight.

I would like to remind the few people about the meeting after for all students chosen for the trip to Australia but now we shall sing the Hogwarts song." Then with Dumbledore as conductor the school burst into song.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something, please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

The first years looked bewildered throughout the song and were relived to be lead out of the Great Hall by their prefects afterwards. As the hall began to empty of students and teachers Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione went to the front. Dumbledore smiled at them welcomingly before leading them into the room behind the teachers' table.

Once everyone was there Dumbledore read out a list of names to assure everyone was there. "Well everyone is here so we can get down to business. You all know that you will be leaving for Australia tomorrow at noon so you will not be attending any classes tomorrow. Also just remember that while you are over there you will be representing Hogwarts so don't fool around. Are there any questions?"

Padma Patil raised her hand and Dumbledore nodded. "Will they provide us with their uniform?"

"Yes they will provide you with all of your new school gear on your arrival. You will however be required to wear your Hogwarts uniform there and so you will be wearing that for your introduction ceremony," Dumbledore replied. "Anymore questions?"

"Will we be sorted into a house?" Blaise Zabini asked.

"You will all be going into one house and you will have your own dormitory but will share the common room with the rest of the students of that house," Dumbledore replied. "Any more questions?"

"Do they teach really differently at Rextrotter? I mean, we haven't really heard much about them," Hermione asked timidly.

"Ah," Dumbledore said. "A valid question. Indeed Rextrotter is a discreet school and is reasonably separated from the Wizarding world as we know it. That is the reason for this exchange. They do teach rather differently over in Australia and so this is a chance for all of you to experience a different type of magic and gain many new skills."

"Different magic, sir?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Indeed," was all he said. "Anymore questions?"

No one raised their hand so Dumbledore said "Meeting dismissed." Ginny left quickly and hurried to the Gryffindor Common room looking forward to sleeping in her nice four-poster bed.

(T)(H)(E) (N)(E)(X)(T) (M)(O)(R)(N)(I)(N)(G)

Ginny awoke the next morning by being gently shaken. She opened her eyes and even through her blurry vision she recognised the bushy hair.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Hermione said.

Ginny grunted and got out of bed shooing Hermione out of the dormitory before getting dressed into her uniform and cloak. She made sure that her trunk was packed before joining Hermione downstairs and hurrying to the Entrance Hall where everyone else was waiting.

"Nice of you to join us Miss Weasley and Miss Granger," Dumbledore said indifferently. Hermione looked slightly annoyed. "Come the Thestrals are waiting."

"The what are waiting?" Ginny asked the question popping out before she could think.

"The Thestrals pull the carriages." Harry explained and Draco smirked at Harry's explanation. Then they all went out the oak doors and saw only two of the horseless carriages. Ginny's trunk along with everyone else's was already strapped to the top of them. Ginny got in the first one as did Harry, Ron, Hermione and Luna. Blaise, Draco, Pansy, Padma and Hannah got in the other one. Finally they were off and Ginny could barely hide her excitement. She looked back at the giant castle and Dumbledore waving from the entrance and waved back. Goodbye Hogwarts, she thought sadly. I will see you soon.

"Bloody Hell, it is really happening!" Ron said sounding extremely excited.

"Yep," Ginny agreed.

The rest of the trip was silent until suddenly there was a strange sensation and carriage left the ground.

"Ahh!" Ginny screamed as she was tossed sideways when the Thestrals turned and the carriage tipped sideways in the air.

"Dumbledore didn't mention that we would be flying there," Hermione said anxiously clutching the pole next to her.

"How else were we going to get there?" Ron asked

"I thought we'd just floo or something," Harry said looking slightly pale.

"I didn't even think," Hermione said. "I just figured that we would take and aeroplane or something."

"An aeroplane?" Ron questioned.

"A huge muggle aircraft that can fly," Hermione explained.

Ron just looked at her with a blank expression on his freckly face.

Soon they adjusted to the strange feeling and began to relax. Soon both Luna and Harry had fallen asleep and Hermione was teaching Ron a muggle game named Snap. Ginny looked out the window amazed at how high they were. They couldn't even see the ground through the thick blanket of white cloud. Soon Ron stopped playing and complained of hunger. Hermione rolled her eyes and began to play a single game of Solitaire. Ron began staring out the opposite window and the carriage fell into silence. Ginny could feel her eyelids begin to droop when a loud snore erupted from Harry. Ginny, Ron and Hermione cracked up laughing and spent the rest of trip joking together and occasionally poking Harry and Luna who didn't seem to notice. Soon Ginny could feel the carriage begin to descend finally they hit the ground.

"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed when she got out of the carriage. They were in a clearing surrounded by gum trees and bushes. The ground was a reddish colour and a slight breeze played with the dust.

"It's beautiful," Hermione said clambering out.

"Ah, you must be the Hogwarts students," a lady's voice said. She was a middle-aged woman with flyaway brown hair. Her eyes sparkled similarly to Dumbledore's. Behind her was a similar carriage to theirs except it was red and next to her was a male teacher. He didn't look so kind with his dark and frizzy comb-over and tiny button eyes. Both of them were dressed in robes of a deep purple but with brown boots on their feet that looked out of place.

"Yeah that's us" Ginny said.

"Nice to meet you all," she said with a smile. "I am Professor Smith and I am headmaster of Rextrotter Wizarding School. This is Professor Bruce and he is our Potions Teacher as well as groundskeeper." Professor Bruce glared at them while patting down a stray wisp of hair.

Ginny shivered. Suitable that the potions teacher should be so creepy.

The Hogwarts students all proceeded to introduce themselves and Professor Smith shook each of their hands.

"Pleasure to meet you all," Professor Smith said. "How about you come to our castle."

A/N: I would like to thank my wonderful Beta Kittyluvr for her help!