It was a really different sight from what Megan was used to. The people wore long cloaks, hats, there were owls everywhere, the shops were incredible. Books, glass vials, animals, all kinds of things no one would expect to see in a normal street.

“What is this place?” she asked in amazement.

“This, is where most of the wizarding folk come to get their magical supplies.”

“But I don't know what I need to get...”

“Oh, 'course, silly me!”

He produced a slightly crumpled piece of paper.

“Here yeh go, that's the list of stuff yeh need. But firs', we'll need to go to the Gringotts bank.”

“Bank? But I have no money...”

“Ah, then Gringotts is just the place.”

He led her up the streets. A few people greeted him along the way. Others just looked away.

“Ah, some people like their normality,” he'd shrugged when she'd asked about it. “Don't mind 'em.”

Gringotts was a tall white building that was surrounded by large white pillars. It was elegant, but in a snob way. Like it was trying to surpass everything else.

“Ah, they're very proud in Gringotts,” Hagrid had said when she'd expressed her feeling. “Best stay close to me.”

That, if it was supposed to reassure her, didn't. But she soon saw why. Like the outside, the inside of Gringotts was very pretentious. Gold and marble everywhere, a regal precision everywhere... and in the stalls on either side of the long hall, were... what were they?

“Hagrid...?” she asked in a whisper. “What are they...?”

She felt very uneasy and uncomfortable.

“Goblins. Brilliant with numbers, but not exactly the social type. Don't worry, though. They stay still most of the time. They love calculations.”

Somehow, that didn't make her feel any safer. They reached the final counter, straight ahead. Another elderly goblin sat there, his long wrinkled nose bent over papers. When he heard them reach him, he looked up.

“Hello there, Miss Potter here wishes to make a withdrawal.”

“You have your key, I trust?”

Key? What key? She was about to say no, when Hagrid said:

“Oh, I have it.”

He rummaged through his enormous pockets and pulled out a small gold key.

“Here. Oh, and there's the, uh... the business in the you know which vault."

He nodded.

“I'll have a goblin escort you.”

Soon, they were led to a cart that wobbled into an underground tunnel. After what felt like an eternity, they reached vault 515.

“Key, please.”

The goblin unlocked the vault. And Megan gasped.

“Wait... wha... what is...”

There were piles and piles of gold, silver and bronze coins.

“What is all this?!”

“That, is what your parents left yeh. Didn't think they'd leave yeh resourceless, did yeh?”

She was unable to speak.

“You mean... all this is mine?” She finally asked.

“Yep. Yeh should just take enough for your supplies, for now. Yeh never know when yeh might need it.”

She agreed completely. Having been used to living with little, she had become an expert in saving up for future needs. So she took a few handfuls of galleons, then a few sickles and Knuts. That way, she would probably still have a little to have on her if she needed any. Then, they went to another vault, much deeper into the ground. The vault 713.

“What's in there?"

“Can't tell you, it's confidential.” Hagrid apologised.

When the vault opened, she only had time to glimpse a small package before Hagrid reached in and pocketed it.

“You can't tell anyone about this at Hogwarts, okay?”

“Sure.” Megan agreed.

After another rather bumpy ride they left the bank. The streets were still bustling with activity.

“Let's see... you'll need robes, first of all.” Hagrid said, peering at her list over her shoulder. “And the best place for that is Madam Malkins.”

He led her to the shop. He was a little big to fit, so he said he'd go and do a few other things while she took care of her school robes.

“Ooh, you're a slim little thing, aren't you?” Madam Malkins said after measuring her.

Megan said nothing and glanced at Mira. She was sitting quietly in a corner of the room, a bowl of water by her. As she started clipping and cutting, waving her long wand, the pieces of cloth flew around her, tying themselves around her and under her arms, moving around like feathers.

“And there you go, lovey.”

She looked at herself in a large mirror. Her eyes were enhanced by the black materiel, and her hair slid gently along her shoulders.

“Oh, here, can't forget this...”

She placed a black pointed hat on her head. But it wasn't the huge kind you saw with the … what was the term Hagrid had used? Muggles? It was much more elegant and suited her outfit perfectly.

“You look like it was made for you,” Madam Malkins said.

“Thank you,” Megan said, slightly surprised.

She had never really been complimented before.

She paid and then joined Hagrid who was waiting for her with two ice creams. They walked over to a bench.

“You all right? You've been really quiet.”

Megan licked her chocolate and raspberry ice cream and looked ahead.

“It's just... Part of me's really excited to go to Hogwarts. I mean, ever since I found the book about it I fell in love with the place... But another part of me's... terrified. What if I'm no good, what if I'm not meant for Hogwarts...?”

“I'm sure you'll be fine.” he assured her.

“But I've never even done any magic!”

“You have, instinctively. And besides, that's what yeh're goin' there for, to learn how to do magic.”

Megan wanted to believe him, but she was so hoping it wouldn't turn out to be like her other schools...

“What house you want to be in?”

“Sorry?”

“Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, 'course.”

“Oh, of course, the four founders of Hogwarts...”

“Yep, that's 'em.”

“... I guess I'd be happy with either one... except Slytherin.”

“Aye, not the most popular one, that. No good wizard comes out of Slytherin. Their founder, Salazar Slytherin was a bad'un. Never liked bonding with the others, he didn't.”

He got to his feet.

“C'mon then, still got lots ter do.”

“D'you have everything?”

They had been going around the shops for the past two hours.

“Except for the wand,” she replied, Mira trotting happily beside her.

“You'll need a wand. Can't go to Hogwarts without that,” he'd said.

“I have my mother's..."

“Have yeh touched it?”

“No, not yet... I had a feeling I shouldn't. Why?”

“Because you can still be chosen by it. D'you have it on you?”

“I don't, but... can I really use her wand?”

“Well, generally, each wizard has their wand, but it can happen that they use their parents' wand, if they have died by cause of magic. Like yours. But you can still choose your own.”

Megan thought about it a moment.

“... I wouldn't want to get it damaged. I think I'd prefer to have my own.”

“You want Ollivanders, then.”

He left her outside, saying he had to take care of something. Megan, suspecting animals wouldn't be allowed, sent Mira off with Hagrid. So, she took a deep breath and pushed the door.

The bell above her head tinkled. She glanced around at the dusty bookshelves and small tattered armchair in a corner. An elderly man sat behind the desk.

“How can I help you, miss?” He asked her, looking up. “Ah, I was hoping I would get to see you, young miss Potter,” he said, recognising her.

“Uh... I need a wand, please...” she said shyly.

“Ah, you've come to right place then. First year, I presume?”

“Yes,” she agreed.

“Let me see, then...”

He got up and looked up and down the long rows of shelves with small flat dark boxes sat.

“Let's try... this one.”

He held it out to her.

“Just give it a wave.”

She looked at it first. It was different from her mother's. Its handle was slightly less finely carved, but it was still a fine design. But it had a very dark wood she wasn't sure she liked. Looking around for some place that didn't have too many fragile items, she flicked her wrist slightly. The book shelf in front of her lost a few of its books.

“Oops... sorry, sir.”

“That's quite all right. It's just not quite the right wand, that's all.”

He handed her another and this time, nothing happened at all. So, she waved it again, and this time several more books fell and the shelves wobbled dangerously.

“Oh, no, no, that one just won't do, now, will it.”

He took it back and looked up his shelves. After a few seconds, he paused.

“Hm... would it be even possible...? I wonder... maybe...”

He held out another to her.

“Try this one.”

She took it and before she could even look at it, she felt a warm glow through her fingers and her hand. And she had the feeling it was different than the other wands. The lights around her glowed.

“Well, I'll be...”

“What, sir?” Megan asked.

“Well... your wand is quite unique, Miss Potter. You see, the phoenix’s feather that was used for that wand in your hand gave one other feather from which was created another wand... making them intimately connected.”

“Who owned that wand?” Megan asked but she had a feeling she knew the answer. And it wasn't pretty.

“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”

Yeah. She'd figured as much. So that meant she had the same wand as the person who had killed her parents. Yippee.

“I know this sounds unpleasant,” he said, catching her expression. “But the wand chooses the wizard. And I'm sure that yours will be different from his.”

She paid and was about to leave when she heard a tap on the window.

“Happy Birthday; Megan!”

She looked out and her eyes widened. Sitting on top of her pile of supplies, was a large cage. And inside the cage was a snowy white owl.

“Thank you, Mr Ollivander, bye!” she said and darted out.

She pushed the door open and hurried to look at the owl. He chuckled and said:

“You're welcome, dear.” he said.

Megan was already staring at the owl.

“Hagrid, she's beautiful!”

“Good eye, how d'you know it's a female?”

“I looked into owls a few times.” she explained.

“Thought I'd get ye a little birthday present. Don't look like ye've had that many, eh?”

“Thanks, Hagrid.”

Then something hit her.

“My list says you can bring an owl, a cat or a toad, but what about a dog?”

Mira barked, as if to say “Yeah, what about me?!”

“Oh, Mira will be all right. She can keep my ol' boy Fang company while you're in class.”

She smiled, relieved.

That afternoon, Hagrid left her at the station back to Privet Drive. in such a short time. The Dursleys didn't speak to her, but that wasn't so different from the rest of the time. She went up to her room, stroked Mira and dropped her bags on her bed. And she spent the rest of the evening looking at her books, reading them as thoroughly as she could. And they were all fascinating. Aftera while, she drew a calender and ticked off her birthday. One month to go. But she eventually realised there would be a problem as the days wore on. Her aunt and uncle wouldn't even hear the word “magic”, so she doubted they'd give her a ride to the station. But that was no matter, she could take a bus or the train she'd taken to get back. And after a little digging, she found a simple way to get there by herself. That only left the problem of the trunk. It was huge. A dark red leather with her initials carved on it (the shopkeeper had insisted), it was heavy enough empty, so loaded with books and everything else... but she was too fascinated by all that the books contained that she couldn't pack it yet. And eventually, the last day of August, she packed all her things. Vernon hadn't even mentioned the school, but the positive outcome was that they hadn't dared ask her to do anything around the house. She set her alarm, that evening, and went down to tell the Dursleys she would be leaving the next morning.

“Fine.” was all Vernon had said.

Not that Megan had expected anything else. So the next morning, she got up early, gathered her things, and went off. Lugging her big trunk around was difficult, but she eventually reached King's Cross Station. It was bustling with people. She glanced at the ticket Hagrid had given her. It said platform 9 and ¾, but she had looked up and down and no sign of it. She thought about asking a conductor, but they would probably just look at her with concerned eyes. Just then, she spotted a group of people pushing trolleys similar to her own and one of them had an owl on it. She decided to follow them.

“Come on, hurry, the train will be leaving soon. Hurry, now, dear.”

They all had vivid red hair. One of them was her age, a boy. A small girl a little younger walked with two tall twins, followed by their mother with a taller boy again behind her. They paused at one point.

“Oh, here it is.”

It was the pillar separating platforms 9 and 10. Megan frowned, confused.

“Excuse me...?” she said, coming up to them.

“Oh, hello, there,” the mother said kindly. “Is it your first year?”

She had spotted Hedwig and the large trunk.

“Yes... could you please tell me how to get to platform 9 and ¾?”

“Of course, nothing easier, not to worry, dear.”

The red head mother took her shoulder and pointed to the pillar.

“You walk straight ahead into the wall, and you'll be there.”

“... Into the wall?” Megan asked uncertainly.

“Fred and George will show you.”

The two twins stepped forwards and stood side by side. Then, the first pushed his trolley towards the wall, gathering speed as he went. Afraid of the crash, Megan closed her eyes and looked away. But the crash didn't come. She looked up, and gasped.

“He's gone...!”

“Watch George.” the mother said.

He did the same. And sure enough, he went through the wall!

“Oh, my...!”

“My turn, now!” the freckled boy Megan's age said.

And soon, he had vanished too.

“You next, Ginny, dear,” her mother said.

The young redhead girl shied away from the wall.

“You scared to go?” Megan asked.

“A little...”

“Then, let's go together, okay? C'mon, Mira, up you get.”

She climbed on top of the trunk and sat there. They locked the two trolleys together, then Megan put her hand over Ginny's shoulder. Then, they pushed it forward. Gathering speed as they went, Megan started thinking “What am I doing, I'm just going to hit that wall and knock Ginny over!”. But it was too late to stop now. So, she took a deep breath and waited for the hit. But there was just the sensation of going through water without the wetness. Then, she opened her eyes.