"I'm sorry - but you're who?" Hermione had finally found the courage to speak up.

What was going on? What was her family keeping from her? And frankly, what was this woman wearing? She looked like she'd jumped straight of out the pages of a fairy tale. "I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry -"

"And what is Hogwarts in the first place?" asked Hermione curiously, anxious to know what was going on. 

"Hogwarts is a school of magic. For young witches and wizards. Your name has been down for it since birth. Go ahead and read your letter," advised Minerva McGonagall.

Hermione slowly and awkwardly pulled open the letter and began to read, feeling ominous. 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf, Warlock Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Granger,

   We are pleased to inform you that been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

    Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Hermione gasped, her face was red with joy! She knew it! She knew she was different! She was no normal child! She knew it! This information hit her hard! She would no long have to attend Lilac Fields Junior High School with all of those horrible children who absolutely hated her! She would be with people of her own kind - people who would understand and like her. 

She would have friends!

This was all she had ever dreamed of since stepping foot in Lilac Fields and now she was going to get it - going to get it all!

"How?" asked her mother, scrambling to get off of the letters.

"How is this possible? Our daughter is a - a witch?" 

Minerva nodded. "Indeed, Hermione is a Muggle-born witch."

"A what-born witch?!" exclaimed her father in confusion. Hermione was too stunned with happiness to participate in the conversation."A Muggle is a non-magical person, like yourselves. You come from a long line of Muggle ancestors but when you two got together for some reason your offspring became a witch, and that is where we come in."

"Who exactly is we?" asked Mrs. Granger.

"We are the Hogwarts community," answered Minerva. "You can't really expect Hermione to carry on with Muggle education."

Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at each other, both decifering what they should do in this particular situation. After about two minutes their faces both showed bright and cheerful smiles. 

"Hermione, you're going to Hogwarts!" exclaimed her parents in harmony.

The Grangers had decided before that if this was not a hoax they would let Hermione go to learn with her own kind - fellow wizards and witches. It would be best for her is what they'd both agreed. Now, that they had proof that Hogwarts was real they felt perfectly fine and safe with Hermione going away to Hogwarts for a year.

"Now, let us discuss the expenses for this," said Minerva McGonagall.

"Oh, please Minerva -"

"Professor McGonagall," Professor Mcgonagall corrected her.

"Professor McGonagall. I'd like to know too. May I please hear?!" begged Hermione. 

"Of course child, come along," encouraged Professor McGonagall.

"Evanesco!" shrieked Professor McGonagall. All the letters seemed to disappear into thin air. Hermione was amazed. She couldn't be happier. Real magic! "Was that - was that - magic?" Professor McGonagall nodded. 

"Amazing Professor!"

Professor McGonagall gave each of them a pamphlet reading: Everything You Need to Know About Wizards.

"We're going to go over the Hogwarts section," she told them, peering at their confused faces through her glasses. "Ma'am - er - Professor, why are these pictures moving?" Mrs. Granger asked, staring at students flying on broomsticks around a large castle Hermione believed to be what Hogwarts looked like.

"All pictures in the wizard world move," explained Professor McGonagall.

"All of them?" gasped Mr. Granger. 

Professor McGonagall did not answer, apparently annoyed at their curiosity. Perhaps she was on a tight schedule - dealing with other Muggle-borns or maybe she was tired of sitting perched stiffly on their sidewalk until Hermione got her letter.

"So as you can see if you just tap that particular brick three times you'll be allowed into Diagon Alley. Go down the street and into the large bank Gringotts and tell them you'd like to exchange your Muggle money for Galleons. After you have your money you will have to go get Hermione's school supplies with the list that was supplied in the letter."

"How much money do we need to bring?" asked Hermione excitedly.

"About 100, I get from your excitement to learn - but that's only if you want more than what's required -"  "Of course! Brilliant! Mum? Dad?" They looked a bit weary about giving away one hundred dollars that weren't actually required to spend in order for her Hogwarts things. But then Mr. Granger said, "Of course honey." Hermione grinned.

"Now - Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon, Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle. Is that understood?"

The Grangers nodded. "And lastly when you arrive at King's Cross Station go straight through the barrier between Platform Nine and Ten. Don't be afraid you'll crash. It's safe. Any questions?"

All three of the Grangers shook their heads. "Then, I shall be seeing Hermione Granger at Hogwarts then?" asked McGonagall.

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you for your time," Mrs Granger grinned and let Professor McGonagall out. 

Hermione jumped with joy.

"I love you Mum and Dad!" she rejoiced before running upstairs.

The next week Hermione was keen to hound her parents about taking her to Diagon Alley anytime she could - any day she could. 

"Mum - Dad - can we go to Diagon Alley today?" asked Hermione, who was barely able to contain her excitement or wait any moment longer.

"Actually darling, your mother and I discussed it - and yes, we'll go to Diagon Alley today."

Hermione could have jumped out of her skin.

Yes! She'd finally be going to Diagon Alley and would see so many other wizards and witches who were just like her and some that even had more magical knowledge than she did! She couldn't wait! This would be such an amazing time!

Hermione got dressed and met her family out in the car.

Her father drove while her mother roamed the radio for the perfect station, finally settling for a calming country music station.

It seemed like forever to Hermione to reach London but they finally got there and finding the Leaky Cauldron afterwards seemed to take even longer.

"What can I get you three?" asked the old bartender.

Hermione looked over at the place. Her excitement faded somewhat when she saw how shabby and horrible the place looked. It was grimy and disgusting. This place was famous!

Mrs. Granger took it into her hands to go up to the man and whisper to him, "We're going to Diagon Alley." The bartender pointed towards the wall and Mrs. Granger tapped the brick three times. A hole began to form in the wall and got bigger and bigger and bigger. She could barely keep herself was squealing and let a little peep slip by accident.

"I don't see anything," said Mrs. Granger.

"Me either," sighed Mr. Granger, scratching his head with confusion.

But Hermione saw something. She saw it all and it was the most amazing thing she's ever seen.

"Of course you don't! You won't see anything 'til you come through! There's an enchantment that stops Muggles from seeing Diagon Alley! It's all there! Just come on through and don't worry about hitting the wall!"

"You mean you see things?" asked Mr. Granger. Hermione nodded and they decided to trust their daughter.

Her and her family steeped through into the large archway and out. Hermione watched as the wall sealed behind them She beamed at the Alley. Stores of all kinds! Cauldrons for sale of all kinds. There was an Apothecary and a sign saying: Eeylops Owl Emporium.

Hermione wanted an owl last. What she really wanted were books from here.

"Gringotts!" she said, pointing to the large bronze doors.

"It's a goblin!" she gasped and ran, with her parents racing close behind her, trying to keep up.

Hermione stopped to read the second pair of doors in silver with words engraved into them.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

Hermione understood immediately. You'd have to be mad to try and rob this place. You'd die under there trying to steal!

Hermione and the Grangers entered, and walked straight up to the goblin at the front.

"Yes?" he asked. "We're Muggles! Well, we are. Not our daughter," Mr. Granger explained. "Money?" the goblin asked, hand outstretched. Jean scrambled through her purse and pulled out one hundred Muggle dollars. The goblin looked at it all and made sure it was all in order before handing them a bag of gold, silver, and bronze coins in a bag.

"Oh, thank you so much!" responded Hermione, and took off with the bag of money.

"Let's go to -" She looked around the place and smiled. "Flourish and Blotts!"

Hermione took off running, not able to contain herself any longer at all. Entering Flourish and Blotts was like heaven to her. The smell of fresh new books entranced her. New knowledge! She got all the necessary school books (A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, Magical Drafts and Potions, The Dark Arts : A Guide to Self Protection, A History of Magic, Magical Theory, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them, and the Standard Book of Spells, Grade one) then shoveled books into her hands, somethings without even looking at a title.

When she felt like she had a decent amount school books she looked at the titles, finally before buying them.

Hogwarts: A History, Modern Magical History, Standard Book of Spells, Grade Two, Greatest Wizards of the Ages, Astronomy Through Time, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.

"This is what I want," Hermione informed her parents, then headed up to the manager to pay for it.

Hermione pulled out twelve Galleons and eight Sickles and gave the books over to have the price checked. 

"This all you want, little lady?" the worker asked.

"Actually, I'd quite like more, but I'm not sure I could afford it," explained Hermione, and she went off. Almost all the excitement in her had left. She know just wanted to get home and read it all then head to Hogwarts right away.

"Now you just need robes and a scale -"

"I know what I need Dad," interrupted Hermione. Her father shrugged off her interruption and walked off with her.

Hermione was barely awake when the rest of her shopping was done. It was late in the evening and she was starving, just dragging herself along, trying to keep going when her mother informed her, "We just have two more things. An owl and a wand."

"Uh oh," sighed Hermione when she checked her pockets.

"What honey?" asked her mother.

Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears, threatening to fall out of her red eyes.

"I only have enough money for my wand," cried Hermione, who sobbed but kept in the tears. "Don't cry, Hermione. We'll find a way," said her father, trying to console her, but Hermione knew very well by the time they got to Gringotts that she was going to have everything she wanted today - except an owl. 

She had really wanted one. She could use it to keep in touch with her paents.

But at the moment she felt like her parents could care less if she kept in touch while at Hogwarts.

The Granger's entered Ollivander's where there were many shelves of wands and even more wands. All over the place! The old man at the front gave her a bright smile. "What can I do for you, young lady?"

"I'm new to Hogwarts. I'm Muggle-born," she explained. "I needed a wand. I'm not sure how this works exactly."

Hermione had realized that the one thing this Professor McGonagall woman hadn't explained was how to get it a wand.

"It's quite simple enough," said Mr. Ollivander and he took out a fancy looking wooden wand out of a black box behind him. He took it up in his and stood behind Hermione. He then took her right hand, held it up, then put the wand in it. Hermione looked up and smiled. 

She, Hermione Granger was finally holding a wand.

If she could go back in time and tell her past-person that she was a witch and would one day be holding a wand she would think she had grown up to be mad.

Ollivander let go of Hermione's hand, still smiling.

Hermione didn't know whether to let her arm down or to keep it there, but she did not want to stop holding the wand - her wand - her very own wand. . . . 

"When do I get to buy it?! I want this one!" beckoned Hermione.

"Oh, silly girl. The wand chooses an owner not the other way around."

Hermione's smile faded. 

She felt so stupid. This proves you need to do your studying Hermione! You're a wreck! Do you really expect to walk into Hogwarts without knowing anything?! You'll be the laughingstock of the place. Did you hear him? He called you silly girl! You need to prove him wrong! Honestly, Hermione. I worry about you sometimes. . . .

Hermione stared at the ground, dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.

How could she not know how to buy a wand. Of course! It all made sense. Everything in the Wizarding world must be different from the Muggle world. The pictures could move and talk for God's sake! Of course the wands chose the person!

"Don't be ashamed," said Ollivander warmly.

"Some Muggle-borns don't even know what wands do when they first get them."

This lightened Hermione's spirits. He didn't think badly of her. She smiled and asked, "So what do I have to do for it to choose me? Should I do a few spells?! I've been dying to try some out before I got to Hogwarts!" asked Hermione.

"Actually," began Ollivander, "you just give it a little... flick!" said Ollivander, demonstrating with his wand.

Hermione's eyes widened.

A flick?! A simple wave? The wand would decide if it liked her over a wave. This was dreadfully ignorant and ridiculous. She looked at her father with a annoyance, but her father wasn't going to start up a rant on how ridiculous this was no matter what. It was rude and they would tell her she knew better than it.

Hermione had barely made the wand move when Ollivander snatched it from out of her hands then gave her another one.

"Try this," said Ollivander.

Hermione made the wand move a bit but it just knocked over a few of the wands on the shelves. From that pile of wands Mr. Ollivander gave her another one quickly after swiftly snatching the wand. Hermione gave another bit of a wave but Ollivander took it before it could do anything.

He gave her another one from the original shelf he started her off on.

He snatched that one up before Hermione could even start to wave it.

Hermione was frustrated and wanted to ask him when exactly she would get her wand and what's the longest amount of time it has ever taken him to get someone a wand, but Ollivander was still searching for another wand.

He gave her a shining black one Hermione could see herself in clearly, and Hermione took it happily.

She gave it a wave, but nothing happened.

"I'm afraid that's not the one either," frowned Mr. Ollivander.

Hermion was very disappointed that this glittering wand was not meant to be hers.

At that moment a thought crossed her a mind - a very horrible thought - a very horrible, nasty thought.

Hermione began to worry she may never find a wand. Maybe all of this was a mistake. Maybe she was never a witch and they had wrongly informed her of this magical school when she was indeed a Muggle just like her other family members.

Just as these worries grew bigger and bigger Mr. Ollivander bent down to the pile of fallen wands once more.

He pulled it out of the box with a wide smile.

A light, tan-colored, wooden wand with what looked like wooden vines, wrapping around it beautifully. She loved this one!

"Vine wood, with a dragon heartstring cord, 10 3/4 inches. Now I think this one will suit you well."

As Hermione held this wand she felt a sudden warmth in her fingers and she smiled feeling the joy and happiness it brought on. Hermione raised her head, and waved her wand one final time. . . .

Red and golden sparks flew out of the tip of wand, bounced around the room, happily, making her parents duck, thinking they were in danger but Mr. Ollivander and Hermione watched in amazement. The Grangers slowly came up from the ground and looked at the sparks too.

Hermione had never seen anything more beautiful in her lifetime (but to be fair she'd only been alive eleven years). 

She was so proud.

That was the first bit of magic she had done purposely and knowingly. It was an amazing feeling.

This guaranteed her she was a witch. There was no mistake - not with magic like that. 

The sparks came back over to Hermione, danced before her eyes then disappeared in a puff of steam.

"That is your wand Hermione Granger. Seven Galleons please?"

Hermione gave him the money and realized that she still had at least twenty Knuts and seven Sickles, and two Galleons. She could buy candy on the Hogwarts Express. Not just any candy - wizard candy!

And her parents wouldn't hear one word of it. There'd be no "Hermione, go upstairs now and BRUSH YOUR TEETH!"

Hermione and her parents walked out of Diagon Alley, all smiling. Hermione was so happy! When she walked past the owls all begging to be bought, pecking all over the place as they walked back didn't bother Hermione. She was so happy she couldn't care less if she had an owl. There had to be tons of extras at Hogwarts.

No matter what though Hermione knew Hogwarts was going to be a blast!