Sitting outside on the street was a yellow punch buggy. The trunk and other things were packed into the back. She had expected the car to be magical but she was apparently disappointed in that area. She sat in the passenger seat, for a moment looking back at her house. Coming to grips with the fact that, if all went well, she wouldn't be back for several months. She'd definitely need to figure out a way to call or send mail.
Then the car shot off down the street, whizzing around the other cars. Judging by the lack of angry honking and cussing, they were not visible. There was the magic Virginia had been waiting for. They tore through the poor towns until they reached the large rich neighborhoods. Once those were left behind there were only expansive fields. The car screeched to a halt without warning and Virginia was thrown forward into the dashboard.
"Get out please dear," the witch said. She did as she was told.
"Yes Miss."
"Professor," the witch corrected, "Professor McGonagall if you want to be truly formal."
"I apologize Professor McGonagall," she said, bowing her head. Professor McGonagall didn't notice this as she was busy transferring her luggage to large carriage. One that had a large Pegasi hooked to the front. Virginia didn't think she liked where this was going.
"Come, come," Professor McGonagall said sharply, Virginia muttered another apology and scrambled to get on. The carriage was large, made of velvet and trimmed with gold. The inside was more grand and magically expanded. On the outside it was roughly the size and shape of a gazebo, but on the inside it was the size of her the Cafeteria at her old school. It was mostly empty, just a few random people scattered around and occupying single seats at different tables.
Professor McGonagall took a seat and Virginia automatically sat next to her. She folded her hands on the table and fell back into the old habit of perfect posture.
"Professor Kunlo," Professor McGonagall said sharply, lifting up one pale hand and waving it. The man in question stood and hastily made his way over. He had an incredibly prominent limp but, oddly enough, not a cane in sight. His platinum blonde hair fell in great swoops on his head. His face was covered in brown freckles which gave him a boyish look, like he could pass as an 18 year old.
"In need of a wand, I'd reckon," he winked at Virginia.
"I had made that quite clear, after all there would be no other purpose to canceling your classes for the day," Professor McGonagall snapped.
Professor Kunlo ignored the comment and limped back over to his table. He got a few sleek boxes out and hobbled them back. He pulled out one with little care and shoved it at Virginia. It was chunky and black, shiny as beetles and incredibly heavy. She copied what Professor McGonagall had done while casting her spells and gave it a little swish. A few tables clattered over. She made to apologize profusely but when she looked at the area where the tables had been downed, any inkling of disorder had been rectified. There were only a few disgruntled looking patrons. She took another wand from the Professor. This one was barely existent, incredibly thin like one flick would snap it. This knocked over some tables too.
"How about..." Professor Kunlo pawed through the wand boxes that were sitting on the table, "this one?" He lifted open the lid, wiggled his brows and brandished it towards Virginia. She took it and silently prayed that this one be it. Not only because she was embarrassing herself but also because it was incredibly comfortable to hold. It was about a foot long with a dancing pattern of moons and stars trailing up the side. She waved it a bit and felt a warm glow fill her stomach.
"This is the one," she said with certainty. The Professor nodded and collected the rest of his wares, returning to his seat.
"Have I got to pay for that?" Virginia asked, brows furrowed with confusion.
"The school will take care of it," Professor McGonagall assured the girl, "now rest, we have a few hours left on our journey."
After following Professor McGonagall's orders to relax, she found herself awaking from a three hour long nap. Her neck was a bit cramped from laying on her folded arms so she massaged the back of it lightly. She vaguely remembered choosing her extra classes before nodding off.
Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. They sounded the easiest and she didn't particularly want more on her plate.
She looked at the other inhabitants of the ride, they all seemed to be businessmen or employees of the carriage service, save of course Professor Kunlo. Most of them were walking about, washing unused tables, probably just for something to do.
Virginia could only look around for a few moments before the Carriage slammed into the ground. Everything rocked. Professor McGonagall was the only thing that didn't move. "Now leave your luggage here, the House Elves will come to collect it. Oh! And I had almost forgotten," she opened a great green carpet bag and picked out a ratty old hat. Virginia looked at it with trepidation. When the Professor handed it to her she awkwardly grabbed it and placed it on her head slowly. Her eyes filled with utter terror, what on earth was this?
It rested on top of brown hair, which was pulled back into a tight bun. 'Hmm... a ready mind indeed... very reserved however there is a lion's spirit that longs to be free.' Virginia didn't think the mother would have liked to hear that. 'So I do think...' "GRYFFINDOR!" Only when the hat called out its decision did Virginia realize it'd been only in her head before. She jumped a bit at the sudden scream, no one else seemed to mind.
"Good good," Professor McGonagall said sharply, returning the hat to the bag, "now... hurry along, we want to make it in time for introductions before dinner." She started off and Virginia hastened to follow. She smoothed her hair out, after the nap she hoped she still looked presentable. "And we'll want you out of your muggle clothes..." They stepped out of the carriage. They were in a small clearing, bushes surrounded them and then tall, sparsely placed oaks beyond that. Without pausing, they quickly made their way through the little wood. When they reached the end of it, Virginia saw an incredibly cute little town. Shops lined the cobblestone street, glass windows displaying their wares. Various witches and wizards trundled through the little street, carrying bags bearing several different logos.
Next to the town was a set of train tracks. She wondered if that's how students arrived on normal occasions or if they all took the odd carriage.
"Where's the castle?" she asked, dearly hoping she was going to say it wouldn't be much longer. Her brain was overloaded with information and emotion, it made her feel weaker. Besides that she had some things she needed to thank god for.
"Right up here... I think the Thestrals are gone though. Maybe Professor Dumbledore sent one down." It was abundantly clear that she was talking to herself so Virginia kept quiet. After maybe a quarter of a mile they came to a huge lake and across that, Hogwarts. Virginia couldn't form words. It was magnificent. Huge pointed turrets stretched to the sky, attached to a patchwork maze of variously sized buildings. The most imposing of which was the one with huge windows running down the side, Virginia guessed it was the dining hall.
There was a tittering sound and Virginia directed her attention to the pathway surrounded by a sprinkling of trees. She jumped a bit when she saw what had made the sound. There was a large black, skeletal horse pawing the ground.
"Is that a- uh- Thestral..." she said, trying to compose herself and pointing towards it.
"You can see it?" Professor McGonagall said, looking down at her with the most interest she'd displayed during all their interactions. Virginia nodded slowly. The Professor made a little 'hm' sound but didn't explain anything, "I think the carriages are being polished..." She sighed with a little shake of her head, pulling herself up onto the Thestral. "Come, come." Virginia swallowed but did as she was told. While the Thestral turned itself around, she looked back to see all her luggage sitting next to where the carriage had been. And then they were shooting off down the path towards the castle.
She squeezed her legs around the house and crossed her arms tightly, as if either of those things would protect her. The scenery flew past her rapidly. When the Thestral finally clattered to a stop she felt like she might puke all over the flagstones. She was ushered up a small set of stairs and into the Entrance Hall. Another marvelous place which she wasn't given nearly enough time to take. Professor McGonagall then rushed her off into a side room. This room was presumably made of concrete and stones, it was rather plain. The other thing of note were a few bags in the corner and a collection of House Elves. At least, that's what Virginia assumed they were. They were funny little creatures, fiddling with their long fingered hands, their ears flapping about even though there was no wind.
"Your robes are in these bags Miss," one of them said, it had large yellow eyes and stretched skin. He pointed a finger to three puffed up bags. Professor McGonagall urged her to change before making her debut as probably the first ever late arrival. She pulled out a set of clothes from one of the bags hurriedly. She fiddled with the dark fabric, staring down at it. She barely believed where she was.
"She's in Gryffindor. The rest of her things are down by Hogsmeade," the Professor said, which caused two of the house elves to snap and disappear with a small popping sound. "And then the rest of this should go to her Dormitory." The remaining elves complied immediately. Professor McGonagall left her in privacy, and she changed quickly. Exiting the room to see one last house elf waiting for her, it raised its scrawny little arms up at her. Taking the hint she passed down the clothes she had been wearing. She watched it scurry off and she desperately hoped they'd be nicely folded on her bed.