Compared to the characteristic timescales of human perception, temporal transit occurs almost instantaneously. However, that was not the way I experienced it. To me, it felt like a slow morphing of everything around me – the control workstations and monitors, the transit pad, the people, the shower cubicle and the walls – into objects surrounding me in the remote time period. It was a strange, psychedelic experience, a kaleidoscope of colors blending. I knew that this was my brain messing with me, trying to make sense of something that was outside of its normal scope of perceptions. Nevertheless, I experienced a considerable sense of nausea and disorientation, and it took me some time to take in my new surroundings.

I was standing in a park, under a big oak tree, close to the gate of a huge building that resembled nothing so much as a medieval castle. The windows had glass panes, though. At least I had not accidentally been sent to the twelfth century or something.

My absurdly large suitcase was still positioned next to me. I seized its handle and slowly rolled it towards the gate. 'St. Albert's Boarding School for Girls' was engraved on a metal plate below the doorbell.

'We are not talking about Hogwarts here,' Karen had told me. She had been wrong. This place looked exactly like I would have imagined Hogwarts. A structure built like a castle, including four massive towers.

I rang the doorbell. When there was no immediate reply, I repeated the exercise.

The blond middle-aged woman who answered the door was eyeing me critically.

"What do you want?" she inquired. Then, after noticing my suitcase: "Why, you must be Catherine Hart. We did not expect you until tomorrow." She smiled and extended her right hand. "My name is Sandra Bale. I am the school secretary."

"Nice to meet you, Ms Bale." I took her hand and awkwardly shook it, wishing that I had practiced handshakes more diligently.

If there was anything wrong with my handshake, the school secretary did not mention it.

"Please follow me." She led me through long corridors to the headmistress's office.

Headmistress Laura Stuart was a tall imposing woman, perhaps in her late thirties, who for some reason I failed to understand at that point chose to address me by my last name only. It would take me some time to comprehend that this was just the usual way students at St. Albert's were addressed by the teachers and staff.

"You do realize that the current school year started almost two months ago, don't you, Hart?"

"Yes, I am aware of that," I began. "Unfortunately, my family ..."

"It is 'Yes, Miss, I am aware of that'," the headmistress corrected me.

I looked at her, bemused.

She sighed. "You are from the States, aren't you?"

I nodded, which caused her to frown.

"I am going to tell you this once, and only once, Hart. You are to address me and all female teachers as Miss, and all the male teachers as Sir. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Very well."

The headmistress proceeded to interview me about my background and my level of knowledge. She appeared to be satisfied with my sparse answers which had been painstakingly prepared by scholars specializing in the history of the twentieth century.

"How old are you, Hart?"

"I turned sixteen last month, Miss."

"You belong into the Upper Fifth, then."

The utter confusion that must have registered on my face stopped her short.

"You have no idea what I am talking about, do you? Very well. I shall explain." She cleared her throat. "St. Albert's Boarding School for Girls covers the final four years of higher education: lower fifth form, upper fifth, lower sixth and upper sixth. Which implies that you will start as a second-year student at St. Albert's. Does that clarify things for you, Hart?"

"Yes, Miss," I lied.

"In that case, let us proceed to the rules and regulations for students at St. Albert's. There are three important rules you should not even think about breaking." The Headmistress started to tick them off on her fingers.  "First of all, no smoking is permitted at St. Albert's. None at all. Neither in the dormitories nor the in hall, nor outside. Secondly, the same holds for any kind of alcoholic beverage. Thirdly, students are not allowed to leave the school premises unless they carry a written permit signed by myself or by one the teachers. The only exception from the latter rule concerns trips by bus to the nearby town of Arlesten in the afternoon, after classes. Note that all students must be in their dormitories after 9 p.m. Further rules and regulations can be found in this small booklet."

She handed me a booklet entitled 'The Complete St. Albert's Rules and Regulations'.

"Are you familiar with the concepts of a prefect and a tutor, Hart?"

"Not really," I admitted.

The headmistress frowned.

"I mean, not really, Miss," I hastily corrected myself.

"Prefects are certain sixth-form students who have been granted the privilege and the responsibility to support teachers and staff of our school in maintaining discipline and order among students. One particular sixth-form girl, your tutor, will be assigned to you and to two or three of your classmates, to counsel and guide you in your studies. Both prefects and tutors have disciplinary privileges, of course."

She addressed the secretary, who had been waiting patiently for us to conclude our conversation. "Now, where do we put her, Sandra?"

"Since she is getting enrolled on such short notice, we are left with hardly any options here." The school secretary frowned. "She could share a room with Fogg, of course. But that would be a bit harsh, don't you think?"

I looked at her, startled, wondering for a second if I might have misheard.

"Remind me, how many of Fogg's roommates did show up in your office in the past year and demand to be assigned a different roommate? Was it three, or even four?" Headmistress Stuart shrugged. "No matter. Harsh or not, there is no real alternative." She turned towards me. "You are going to share a room with your classmate Fogg."

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A / N :  So, what is your first impression of St. Albert's? Do you think Cathy can handle it, and keep up her false identity as a US girl only recently arrived in the UK? What will be in store for her, here?

As always, I would love to read your thoughts and comments, so please add them below.