Raya Moon was not the girl to be easily frightened. But when she woke up after an extremely pleasant dream and saw an owl perched on her chest, she screamed. Jumping up and brushing off her torn clothes, she eyed the owl sourly. Then curiously, she held out an arm. The tawny owl flitted to her and dug his claws into her skin, a bit painfully. Peering closer, Raya realized that a bit of paper was tied to the owl's foot. Excitedly, she wondered if this was a-message-in-a-bottle-thing-except-on-an-owl's-leg. Hesitantly, she snatched the paper. The owl eyed her wearily, slightly amused, and then fluttered off.

Dear Miss Moon,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to attend a unique boarding school that will improve your life. Please meet us for more information on July 23, at noon, at the Legal Corner Store. We have included bus fare.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress

Raya stared down at the limp five-dollar bill in her hand. Being an orphan, she was extraordinarily cautious, but she also longed for adventure. Ignoring the dangerous possibilities, Raya decided that, indeed, she would go.  After all, she thought, her eyes still fixed on the money, there might be more from where that came from.

~*~

Early in the morning, July 23, Raya headed towards the bus station, ignoring the stares people gave her. She would simply brush off her clothes, pat down her hair, stick up her nose, and continue on her way. Reaching the bus stop she approached the ticket clerk.

"Hello. I need to get to the Legal Corner Store. Which bus do I need to take?"

"You're at the wrong place then, miss. These buses go further than around Legal, they travel to other countries in fact. There's a bus stop down the road, take bus number three. It travels downtown, and when you reach a bus stop that is around the corner store area, get off. Here's a map."

The man took a pink highlighter and drew a circle in the general area of the corner store.

"Hope that helps." He looked at her wearily.

Cheerfully, Raya took the paper map, thanked the man, and ran outside. She sprinted to the bus stop, cursing herself for being so clueless.

After running for a couple of seconds, Raya spotted the bus stop the man had told her about.

Just as she approached the stop, bus 3 pulled up and opened its doors.

She climbed up the steps and deposited the five dollars, not even bothering to ask for change; she felt that bus driver would say no. Staying as far away from people as possible, Raya headed towards a deserted corner, studied her map, and then looked out the window.

After about fifteen minutes, Raya could tell that she was in "the general area of the corner store" as the clerk had said. When a bus stop was in sight, Raya pulled a cord, telling the bus driver that she needed to get off. Once he pulled over, she got up and ran off the bus, much to the amusement of some people.

Sure enough, once she was back in open air, Raya could see the corner store. She wondered why she had even bothered to come, she had spent all her money and had no way of getting back, but she continued onwards.

As she approached the corner store, she saw a man. He happened to be a very large man. She stared up at him, and he returned her gaze, somewhat cheerfully. 

"You Raya Moon?" he asked her.

Raya eyed him. "And I suppose that you're not Minerva Mc-what's her name?"

"It's Minerva McGonagall. And nope, that's not me. I'm Hagrid, Rubeus Hagrid."