Chapter 3

DING-DONG

The doorbell rang. Sarah rolled over and peered at her clock. It was just after 8am.

She groaned and sat up slowly, wiping sleep from her eyes.

I swear if it is that Dumbell-door man again I am going to rip off his…..

The doorbell rang again.

Sarah stumbled down the stairs, bumping into walls and cursing inanimate objects. Her father walked down the stairs behind her, yawning loudly. Karen followed, carrying Toby into the kitchen for his breakfast. At the door stood the Dumblydore man, but this time he had company.

"What? Now there's two of you?" She cried, pointing at them, frozen at the bottom of the stairs.

"Good morning Miss Williams. I see your parents are now home. Mr Williams, I am Professor Albus Dumbledore."

"It's Robert" he croaked

"Robert" Dumbledore said. "This is my associate, Professor Minerva McGonagall."

McGonagall wore similar clothing to Dumbledore: long green robes with a high collar, her hair pinned back into a tight bun, topped with a black witches hat with a slight bend near the top. Sarah's mouth hung open in shock.

"We are from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Door-Man handed a letter to Robert Williams, who slowly opened it and began to read.

"This letter contains school book lists and some travel arrangements. Your daughter has been invited to attend our school, and we think it is pivotal that she do so."

It was then that Karen returned from the kitchen, having given Toby his bottle.

"Karen Laing? From Ravenclaw house, eleven years ago? What a pleasure it is to see you again!" Dumbledore exclaimed when he saw her. Sarah and her father turned to stare at her, both of their mouths hanging open now.

"Professors." She replied, smiling. "What a pleasure it is to see you again. What brings you here?"

"We were just explaining to Sarah and Robert how Sarah has been invited to attend our school." McGonagall replied.

"But isn't it a little late? She's already fifteen years old!" Karen exclaimed sarcastically, before composing herself. "But that's wonderful! I'm sure she will have the time of her life, just as I did all those years ago." There was an awkward silence. "Well I'm afraid you'll have to excuse us, we had best be getting ready to make our way over to London. A trip to Diagon Alley is indeed in order."

"Oh that won't be necessary dear." Dumbledore replied

"We have arranged a guide to pick Sarah up and prepare her for Hogwarts. He should be here in a few hours. You don't need to come all the way over to London to take Sarah on a shopping trip and drop her off at a train station."

"Well, that is most helpful indeed!" Karen cried happily. "Buh-bye now!" She said, closing the door. She turned and came face to face with her husband and stepdaughter.

"Uh… I was going to tell you… eventually…" she said.

"Well…" Sarah said, trying to find a positive to this turn of events. "At least we know he isn't crazy!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Her stepmother replied. "There have been a few debates about Dumbledore's state of mind. I know many students would not agree with you, but then there are always a few who are extremely loyal to him." She paused, then changed the subject. "So, Sarah, apparently you are now going to an English boarding school. You'd best start packing, though I don't know how you'll catch up with the rest of the students in your grade…" she left the room with Toby.

Sarah looked at her father and shrugged. If Karen said that this Dumbledore was telling the truth, then she wasn't going to miss the chance to go to a school for witches and wizards.

"I'm going to boarding school!" She exclaimed happily, running up the stairs to her room.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPH

When the car stopped at the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione jumped straight out, smoothing her hair and fixing her skirt. Her Dad honked the horn a couple of times, then got out as well, to pull her trunk out of the boot. Hermione's mother came running up to her and threw her arms around her only child.

"Oh, goodbye Hermione dear!" She said into her bushy hair tearfully. "I hope you have a wonderful year! Remember, if you need to, call us anytime on your phone, and if you need anything, anything at all, just let us know. If you want to come home, just call us, and we'll come straight up to the school!"

Her parents had gotten her a mobile phone over the summer break, something any normal girl her age would want… if they were a muggle. However, Hermione was anything but. Although she had resolved to magic her phone to stay charged all the time at school, just in case.

"Yes mum." She said, pulling away and fixing her hair again. "I promise. I love you! I'll miss you!" Hearing thumps coming from inside, Hermione's heart began to beat faster at the chance that it might be a certain dark haired, lightning bolt scarred, green eyed friend of hers.

3 red haired boys came out the door, followed by one red haired girl and their parents. Harry was nowhere in sight. Hermione exhaled, a strange sense of disappointment filled her. Instead of looking glum, she smiled for the redheads.

"Hello Hermione!" Ron cried when he saw her. Ginny came running over to give her a hug, the twins following suit, hiding a bag of something behind their backs.

"Whatever you two are planning, don't even think about it" Hermione said.

"Don't tell us you're a prefect too. Miss Priss just got even bossier Gred!" one of the twins said.

"Indubitably, Forge." The other twin said.

"Oh stop it you two. Lovely to see you again Hermione dear." Mrs Weasley said.

"Is that a car you drove in?" Mr Weasley said. "That honking sound was quite strange, indeed! Would it be possible for me to take a look at it?"

"Uh, sorry Mr Weasley. My parents have got to get going now. Sorry!" Hermione said, giving her father and mother one last squeeze before she pushed them into the car.

"Come along, up to the room dear." Mrs Weasley said. Mr Weasley magicked her trunk to follow them up to Hermione's room. "You'll be sharing with Ginny. Ron, Harry and the twins on one side, and we'll be on the other. I don't want any naughty business coming from your rooms, hear me? You know how lightly I sleep, if I hear the slightest peep from you, you'll be sent back home until the 1st of September." The last part was aimed mainly at the twins, who attempted to put innocent looks on their faces.

"Don't give me that look! I know what you have been planning, and I am going to confiscate those squirmy sheiks of yours if you don't put them away!"

"No Mum!" one of the twins said, Hermione suspected it was George.

"They're called Slippery Snakes." The other said.

"Whatever they're called, you'd best put them away! Lunch is in an hour, Harry should be here by then, and then we'll be off to Diagon Alley for your books."

Hermione's heart was thumping.

'Stop that!' she thought, then mentally scorned her self for trying to talk to her heart. She only had an hour to find some way to keep calm around him before Harry arrived. She hoped desperately that it wasn't noticeable. She wasn't getting any strange looks from the Weasley's, so she had to assume that it wasn't. She followed the pack of redheads into the inn, and up to her room with Ginny, trying to think of some way to make the next hour pass faster, without using her magic.

She trudged slowly up the stairs, a curious Ginny and oblivious Ron behind her.

"Hey Herms, you want to go play Exploding Snap?" said Ron, "I've been playing all summer. I've really gotten good."

"That's nice Ron." Hermione replied.

"I know isn't it?" He continued, completely unaware that Hermione had her mind on other matters as she trudged her way up to her room, shutting the door behind her.

"Ok, I'll see you at lunch" Ron said through the door

Hermione flopped onto her bed and closed her eyes. Slowly her breath became even and deep, as she slipped off into the world of dreams….

An hour later there came a knocking at the door…

"Hermione! Harry's here!" It was Ron

"I am going to kill that boy" Hermione muttered as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "He woke me from my dreams of Ha… oh god… He's here!"