All of a sudden, she found she could not let go of the portkey, and opening her eyes, she saw nothing more then swirling nothingness. Then her feet were touching solid ground, and she collapsed, trying very hard not to be sick.
"Are you alright?" McGonogall asked, still standing and apparently completely un-phased. "I'm sorry, I does take a bit of getting used to, and such a long journey first time… I understand you being a little woozy."
"I'm ok." Dawn said in a wobbly voice. She tried to stand, and swerved violently when she tried to walk. The professor caught her and righted her.
"Careful." She smiled. Just stand still a moment.
"I'm not moving!" Dawn retorted, "I swear, it's the ground that's moving!" McGonogall chuckled,
"You'll be fine in a moment." Sure enough, Dawn soon recovered and was able to look around. They were in a small, deserted back street, in, she presumed, London, England.
"Cool." She breathed. McGonogall smiled again. Anyone who knew her would be amazed at how much she'd done that in the last couple of days.
"Come." Was all she said. She took Dawn's suitcase, and led the girl into the bustling street. A little way down, they came across the entrance to a shabby looking inn. Dawn raised her eyebrows, and McGonogall nodded, the girl had noticed it without any prompting, she really was the one they'd been searching for.
Inside, Dawn looked round in amazement at the various magical people, from ghouls to hags. Several people greeted McGonogall, some just nodded, and all those who tried to start a conversation got a sharp,
"Sorry. On Hogwarts' business." The pair went straight through and out the back where there was a brick wall and a dustbin. McGonogall tapped one brick with her wand, and Dawn felt her jaw drop again as the wall folded out into an arch, revealing the most amazing street she'd ever seen. Witches and wizards in all colours and styles of long robes, much like McGonogall's wondered round, going in and out of shops, window shopping and talking about plenty of things Dawn didn't understand.
"Quidditch is back on this year!" a young boy said excitedly to his mother.
"Flippin' newts eyes, just not as good… what is the world coming to!" an old wizard grumbled.
"It's the end of us all, I'll tell you!" an elderly witch whispered to her friends. Mingling with the witches and wizards Dawn could see more of the slightly odder magical folk, now extending to dwarves, and… goblins!
"Come my dear." McGonogall urged her on. They went first to Gringrotts bank, where they opened an account for Dawn, exchanging the muggle money Buffy had given Dawn into wizarding money and depositing what she wouldn't need for the moment. Then they went to Madame Malkins robes for all occasions, where Dawn was fitted for her new uniform, which she realised wasn't quite as bad as she'd expected. Next, a wand. Dawn wrinkled her nose as they entered the dark shop, lined with thin boxes. It smelt mustier than Giles' books.
"Ah, Professor McGonogall! What can I do for you today?" asked the owner, "Who is this…" he trailed off, and raised his eyebrows at McGonogall, who nodded.
"That's right. And Miss Summer's needs a wand, if you please."
"Certainly, certainly, a pleasure to meet you, dear." He smiled, through a myriad of wrinkles. He searched through rows of boxes, then presented a wand to Dawn. She looked cluelessly at him. "Give it a wave!" he prompted. She did, to no avail. "Ah." He said, taking it back. "The wand chooses the witch, you see dear. So this may take a while." About tend wands later, he took down one stashed high up in a corner. Dawn had the feeling it hadn't been tried for a long time. "Maybe… hmm, lets see." He said, handing it to her. Dawn immediately felt a flow of energy through her. It was familiar… she waved the wand, trailing glittering sparkles in its path. The old man grinned widely. "Yes, yes, that's the one." Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he continued, "That wand was forged with the help of Wiccan power, it is connected in ways most wands are not; as you are in a way most people are not." Dawn nodding, she thought she understood. She stroked the surface of the beautiful thing. The wood was many different shades of deep green that all seemed to merge into one. "Lignum Vitae… the wood of life." The man told her- "with a core of one hair of a Wiccan: the witch I told you aided in it's making. The purest soul I ever did meet, I'll tell you." Dawn smiled, greatly comforted that in some way she was still connected to her friends in Sunnydale at all times. They paid for the wand, and moved on. They bought books, and a cauldron, and various herbs and potion ingredients, most of which Dawn had seen at one time in the magic shop. McGonogall glanced at the list they'd been working down, and nodded.
"Well, that's everything you need… but you may also have a pet. An owl, cat, rat or toad." Dawn grimaced at the last two.
"Ew." She said, and they entered the shop. She browsed through the cats and owls and eventually picked a gorgeous golden brown owl so that she'd be able to keep in touch with her Sunnydale friends and family. When they'd finished all the shopping, McGonogall took Dawn to lunch at one of the many cafes that lined the street, and they then headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, laden with everything Dawn would need for the coming school term. Inside, Dawn was lead to a back room, where there was nothing more than a fireplace that gave the impression of always being lit.
"Flue powder." McGonogall said, taking a pot from the mantel, as if this explained everything. She threw a handful into the fire, and it turned a vivid green. She then piled some of Dawn's things in, and motioned for Dawn to stand with them. The fire gave her a wonderful tingling sensation. "Now, say very clearly, 'Hogsmeade' and you'll be there in no time. Keep your arms in!"
"Hogsmeade." Dawn said, still confused, and found herself whizzing upwards. She saw blurred rooms speed past faster than she could look. Suddenly, she stopped, and tumbled out of the fireplace into a strange room. She stood up, and pulled her stuff out, wiping soot from her face and clothes. A minute later, McGonogall appeared, standing elegantly in the fireplace, and actually grinning when she saw her soot covered charge. "That was wicked." Dawn smiled. They gathered all Dawns things and walked together out of the room and through a pub, once more full of magical folk. They walked through Hogsmeade and up a long road leading to huge gates.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." McGonogall said as an enormous castle came into view.