Disclaimer all characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing

The Grey haired old Lady

Chapter 11

Hogwarts

Just a week later with many untested spells in my head from the weeks of practice and I found myself taking a ride on the weirdest bus I ever saw. It had three decks and was painted in a lurid purple colour. The seats were Armchairs that rolled around as the bus swerved. We were hurtling through different parts of the country, jumping from town to countryside and then back in a flash. After just five minutes on the Knight bus I fervently wished I had never eaten breakfast as I felt absolutely sure I was about to lose mine.

The bus conductor a rather thin but pretty young woman finally called out my destination. "Hogsmeade! next stop." I rose to make toward the exit but fell back into my seat as the bus dodged down yet another country lane and appeared in a small village. The bus came to a screeching halt as though it was reluctant to actually stop in this village.

The bus stop was outside a really old and battered looking pub and I got off the purple torture machine on shaky legs and with a very delicate feeling stomach that wanted to part me from my breakfast, I was wondering what I was supposed to do next. Standing there at the bus stop I felt out of place, I was on my way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with no real idea of what to expect or how to get there once I got off the bus.

All I knew for sure was I would soon be with Ginny who hadn't a clue I was coming, mainly because I had no idea how to send a letter by owl, not that I had an owl. 'She is in for one heck of a shock' I told myself as I glanced around. Then of course my mind started to drift back to all the time we had spent together, I was soon in a daydream about all the kissing and cuddling we could do very soon. I suppose I had stood there for around five minutes when a quiet male voice bought me quickly out of my thoughts.

"Mr McAlwee?" the voice said. "Mr Andrew McAlwee?"

Turning around I saw a very young man, I supposed he was about seventeen. I had never been called Mister before and did not respond immediately. "Yes, that's me. Are you from Hogwarts?" I asked, then thought where else would he be from.

He introduced himself as Kieran Finnegan head boy, he had been sent to collect me by the headmaster. After what I thought was a rather long and tiring walk we reached the school gates. I don't know just what I was expecting but when I saw Hogwarts castle I was completely amazed. The place was enormous; it looked like some thing from a fairy tale, huge towers reached up high above the high walls. The gardens lay out in front of me. Huge finely cut lawns stretched all the way from the gates to the castle that stood several hundred yards away.

I was bursting with questions but the head boy had not said a word since introducing himself so I refrained from asking the torrent of questions that raced through my mind.

When we reached the main entrance I found myself thinking back to the stories I had read in Mr Weasley's book. Everything looked just as I had pictured it; it seemed to me that it had not changed from the days when the amazing Mr Potter and My friend Mrs Potter had been here.

I carried on following the head boy through the main hall and up a large stone stairway along a fairly long corridor and after climbing a spiralling staircase I arrived outside a large oak door.

After having knocked rather gently "The headmaster will call you in shortly," the Head boy said then left me waiting there feeling rather aprehensive.

I was feeling so nervous I could not decide if I needed to go to the little boys room (again), I never got the chance to make my mind up as the door opened and I was invited in by a very old man. He looked even older than Mr Weasley.

"Come in then Mr McAlwee, come in, take a seat. I am Professor Longbottom headmaster of this fine institution. Now there are just a few things we need to discuss before we get on with the sorting. I have spoken to Minister Weasley, he tells me you have just been released from a binding spell that prevented you from knowing about your abilities. I gathered from our discussion that you are a fast and willing learner. Tell me exactly how old are you?" the headmaster said as I sat feeling just a little more relaxed, his voice had a really friendly sound to it.

"I will be fifteen in four months Sir," I replied.

"So you are fourteen, nearly fifteen eh, well you have a lot to catch up on if you are to pass any of your exams next year, but more about them later. Tell me what do you know about the school?"

"Well sir, to be honest I only know a little, though Mrs Potter told me about a few things and I read Mr Weasley's book, and I have heard a few stories from my mother," I answered.

"There will be some extra lessons for you for the first six months, I have arranged for one of our Professors to teach you somewhat privately, in that six months you will not be attending classes with the other students. you have three years work to catch up on; you will not be studying history or divination unless you decide to do so in your free time. So if you are in agreement with this and willing to work hard we will get on with the sorting," the headmaster said as I listened carefully to every word.

The headmaster waved his wand at the door and it opened as a man reached the top of the stairs. "Ah, just in time Professor Lupin," the headmaster said as he caught a floppy old hat that drifted down from a shelf.

Passing the hat to the Professor who placed it on my head the headmaster leant back in his chair. Within a second or so I heard a voice call out "Gryffindor," and the hat was removed.

"Professor Lupin will take you to Gryffindor tower, as your house master he will be the one who will supply you with a time table." The headmaster told me as he quickly shook my hand "welcome to Hogwarts and good luck with your studies."

Professor Lupin led me through the castle toward the tower, as we walked my curiosity got the better of me and I asked him if it was possible he was the Remus Lupin from the book. His answer that he was the son of Remus reminded me about the girl I was so anxious to meet, I was so happy when he told me that she too had been sorted into Gryffindor.

I quite like professor Lupin; he seems to be exactly as I had pictured his father Remus, that and he is an excellent teacher.

I met Ginny in the common room that evening just before going down to eat at my first meal in the great hall. The look of joy and amazement on her face when she saw me made my toes curl, Ginny rushed up to me and kissed me while professor Lupin was still talking to me, she then blushed and apologised to us both, me I couldn't have cared if the roof fell in, Ginny had just kissed me and as usual I was in no state to think just then. I must say the meal we had when we reached the main hall that first night was a real surprise, Mr Weasley had mentioned it in his book saying how good the food at Hogwarts was, but it was beyond anything I had expected.

Ginny and I sat together holding hands under the table, My lessons started early the next day and went on all day every day of the week till around six p.m. for six long months, day after day I worked hard, looking forward to the day I would be in class with Ginny. I think I did rather well in charms and in transfiguration, as well as potions and defence, I wasn't any where near as good as some of the students but I managed to scrape a pass in my exams at the end of the term.

Ginny and I have been together almost every single day since, I asked her to marry me this morning and to my great joy she said yes. I had to work harder than I ever thought I could during those first six months here at Hogwarts but it was all worth every once of effort I put in to catch up. And now thanks to a lovely old witch I knew as the 'grey haired old lady', I am here today along with my fiancée Ginny and the rest of my class, graduating from Hogwarts as a fully qualified wizard. And my rather proud mum and dad are sitting out there in the great hall with the Potters and the rest of the guests watching as we receive our N.E.W.T results and certificates.

The end of the first adventure. please review and to those who already have I offer my thanks.