Mother woke me up very early today, or I'd rather say, tonight. It was still very dark outside, I reckon it was two o'clock. But I guess it was just the right time, since it is a 3-hour trek down the mountain, and another two to the train station. It would take us more or less two hours to get to Scotland, mind we are in Russia, and that would make a total of eight hours, just enough to get there before ten o'clock.

We bid goodbye to my uncle, who was to take care of the house that day, and trekked down the mountain. To my surprise however, we didn't head toward the train station, but toward a remote shady area near a dark, black forest.

Mom looked at the ground, apparently searching for something. She finally found what she was looking for and she beckoned us to a small tree stump with a little matchbox on top of it.

"Now on count of three, touch the matchbox. Note that we must touch it at the exact same time." I thought it was a very weird thing to do, but decided to do as I was told nevertheless.

"One... Two... Three..."

We all touched the matchbox at the same time, and then a dizzy sensation came over me. I can see my body, swirling beneath me, like it was melting. My head was spinning round and round, it feels as if it was going to fall off, but I struggled to keep myself awake. A few moments later and I was standing upright again, in the middle of a village, leaning into my mother's arms.

" Are you okay, dear?"

"Yes mother. Although, I do feel a little dizzy. What- what was that?"

" That was a portkey. It’s used to transport people to different places, and now we’re in Hogsmeade.”

“See that castle over there?” she pointed up where tall towers stood. “That’s Hogwarts. But as we’re yet still very early, I suggest we get some breakfast first and shop a while before going to the headmaster, we have lots of time to spare."

Well the portkey wasn't such an exciting experience, I'd rather go by an eight-hour train ride rather than that to be honest. But the notion of breakfast made me feel alright in one second, and I happily skipped along them, waiting for some food to satisfy my rumbling stomach. We went to a shop called the Leaky Cauldron and ordered some sausages and pancakes. Then we went to Madame Puddifoot's tea shop to get some tea, and then walked down the other shops just to see what they have on for sale. We passed the time with all of this, I almost didn't realize that it was already time to go. The headmaster must be waiting.

We reached the gates of the grand, big castle. Mother knocked at it three times before the large bronze doors opened up, and an elderly lady in green robes greeted us.

"Ah. Andruida, we've been expecting you. And this is your daughter I suppose?"

"Yes, this is Alexandria. Alexa, this is Professor McGonagall, she's one of the teachers here and she will be your professor in Transfiguration."

"Good morning professor," I said.

Professor McGonagall simply smiled at me and said not a word more, but instead led us to a small passageway leading to a wall with two gargoyles.

" Lemondrops."

The wall opened up to admit us in, and professor led us to a small spiral staircase towards a second door. She knocked three times, turned the knob, before gesturing to my mother and then left us.

A tall man was standing in the room, obviously expecting our arrival. He has grey eyes, grey hair, a grey beard, and he's wearing greyish-white robes with half-moon spectacles.He stared lost-in-thought for a moment, but stared at us with delight the moment we entered.

"Andruida! It's so nice to see you again! And your husband as well, how are you Matthaias?"

"Professor Dumbledore, the pleasure is all ours."

He chuckled, all the while eyeing my mom and dad. It was then that he recognized me and greeted me in turn.

“This must be little Alexandria. How are you doing today?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

He beckoned us to the seats and began asking questions. The basic common ones at first- how my mother is, how we've been doing, etc. Then, he turned to me.

"How old are you, Alexandria?"

"I've just turned ten this fifteenth."

"Well, you're quite a big girl for your age."

"I guess so. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables."

"He chuckled. Well, is your magic quite in your control?"

I bit my lip, and turned face downwards to the floor. "No- not always."

"It's okay.” He smiled at me assuredly. “You can't expect to control it all in one go. That is why witches and wizard go to school - in order to harness their powers and control their magic. And we can help you with that. But for a start, can you show us what you can do?"

I looked at my mom and dad helplessly. I didn't expect that he would make me do magic. I don't really know a lot.

"Well, I can only do a few." I muttered.

The nodded at me approvingly. So I showed him.

"I can change the color of my hair," I pointed to the dark auburn that was changing into red, then into blonde, then black, and finally back to auburn. "I can also change my eye color, but I can't control that. It only changes whenever my feelings change."

"I can also make things float." I pointed my hand to a cup in his desk, and it floated right in front of him.

"Sometimes, flowers sprout from the ground I tread on, and I can jump from the top of the trees unharmed. I can also change or camouflage according to my surroundings, and my body lights up in the dark."

Professor Dumbledore was still smiling at me, just sitting there and watching me display what I do. He looked at my mother.

"There doesn't seem to be any problem with her. I'm sure she can fit in perfectly with the other kids, even if she is an age behind. There's only one problem - you see we cannot just accept a kid if her name isn't written in the Book of Admittance. Since she is born in Russia, she is not recorded in our book. Moreover, we only accept transferees which have recommendations from their former school, but since she didn't go to one, there is no means by which we can accept her into Hogwarts."

It was now my turn to look at my mother doubtfully.

"Except-" he added. "Except for one."

That one exception gave me all the hope I needed. I'm willing to do anything, anything just to go to Hogwarts. On cue, it was me the professor turned an eye to.

"You see, the only way we can accept you Alexa, is if the Book of Admittance bears your name in it. Therefore, you must write your name in the book. The book however is a magical one as well. It can only be written on with the Quill of acceptance and the quill will not move on anyone's account but it's own. So if you can write your name in it, we will accept you. But if not, then there must be no other way. Do you think you can do it?"

"I will try to." I answered.

The headmaster led us out of his office and into a tall remote tower. There was a small door that looks very ancient, and with a very ancient lock and key. He unlocked it and showed us in. In the middle of the room sits a glass-covered stand with a leather bound book and a quill beside it.

"That is the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance.” He looks at me expectantly. I know what I should do, but my hands are shaking. There are just too many doubts spinning in my head. What if it won’t let me write my name?

I went to the door of the glass case and opened it. The book was closed. I looked back at my mother. They all nodded in my way as encouragement.

A strange warmth came to me as I put my hand over the book. It was locked, but it trembled beneath my palm, then the lock came out. I was able to open it, but then the pages ruffled, like it was being blown over by the wind, and it stopped on the first page. At the very top of the book, the first in the list, was a name in green ink. It was faded out, so I couldn't see the name clearly. I was tempted to investigate it, but I knew that I would arouse suspicion, so I decided to just skip it and go to the last page that bears a name.

I didn't have any trouble with shifting pages; for a moment I thought it's going to keep on coming back to the first page, but it stayed just where I put it. There it is- the last name written. Neville Longbottom. I reached out for the quill, my hand shaking from nervousness. But I have nothing to fear after all, it went with me as easy as a normal quill would and I wrote my name at the bottom of Longbottom's.

As soon as I had written my name, the black inked letters glowed golden and a strong light radiated from the book, glowing all about the tower and out the window. A strong wind like a tornado whipped around the book, whipping my hair with it; and then it-shut.

The book just shut, and the light, the wind also went out as it did so. The lock fastened on itself, and the quill I've left hanging went back to the ink case of its own accord. I tried to open it again and to lift the quill but it wouldn't budge. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up.

"Congratulations Alexa!” He said, beaming down at me with a smile from ear to ear.

“For a moment, I was afraid it wasn’t going to let you. But I am just so glad to be wrong. Here is your acceptance letter; it contains all the things you're going to need for school, and all your instructions."

He kept that smile as he gives an envelope to me, and bid us goodbye at the castle gates with the same manner.

We weren’t a few paces from the gates when my mother suddenly spoke up. Mom reached out for her pocket and took out some golden coins.

"Well, should we celebrate this wonderful occasion?" she asked, looking at me and throwing a sideway glance at father.

I looked up at them. Both my parents had grins on their faces, something like the grin of joy and pride. I felt glad too, that for once I finally did something right that made them proud, but I couldn’t make any answer to her question.

Instead I simply smiled and hugged them both, my heart filled with pure joy for knowing I’ll finally be part of a world I always longed for.

"Oh mom, it's so nice to be part of your world at last."

Mom and dad looked at me, still clutching me in their arms, tucking my auburn hair behind my ear.

“Oh Alexa! You always have dear, and you always will be."