The Web Wizard

Tara tried not to scream as she went through her journey. The first few times she had used floo powder to get to her mom's, she had screamed, but she got used to it in time. But this time was taking so long! It was 51 miles to her mom's house, and she guess-timated that the trip to Hogwarts' was more than 6000 miles. Henry and Heidi were strangely quiet; perhaps Dumbledore had explained things to them and they understood better than she, a mere muggle, did.

Finally, she tumbled out and did her best to land on her feet but she was not that agile. She landed on her right hip with a thunk, and was worried about her cats in their carriers. She had a firm grip on them but still came crashing to a stop.

A quick glance in each carrier revealed a wide-eyed cat (the sedative had worn off?) but each seemed okay. Tara rolled over on her back and closed her eyes. She was strangely exhausted; but that was a side effect of a muggle using floo powder. Dumbledore had explained that after her first journey to her mother's fireplace and back where she slept for several hours upon returning home.

She didn't know she had been asleep when she opened her eyes. She found herself in a room dimly lit by candles in sconces mounted to what looked like stone walls. Henry was in the crook of her arm, the way he always slept, and Heidi was on her feet. That was the only normal thing. She dropped off to sleep again and didn't wake up until it was light outside, and Heidi was nudging her. She sat straight up wondering where she was, and then instantly knew. She was in a large 4 poster bed with blue linens, and the walls were stone. A window overlooked a beautiful, green meadow and the sunlight streamed in. She got out of bed and realized someone had dressed her in a gown of some type. Her computer equipment was set up at the 'desk of her dreams' in the corner; and someone had laid out all of the network connectors and hubs but hadn't connected them.

The stone floor was cold under her bare feet as she glided out of bed and to the window to look out. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said.

A tall, thin woman with graying hair and flowing black robes came into the room.

"I'm Professor McGonagall, pleased to meet you, Miss Hall," she said, extending a hand.

"Call me Tara. Nice to meet you too. How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Call me Minerva," she said with a smile, "Oh, about a day and a half. Muggles and Floo powder don't mix, but I understand you have an aversion to common muggle air travel," she said, her eyes twinkling, and she smiled. Tara returned the smile.

"As you can see, your equipment is here, but hasn't been hooked up. None of us know how. But, the T1 line has been installed, and," she laughed a little bit, "we had to put a memory charm so the installers wouldn't remember what they saw here! But you have your broadband connection."

"Oh good. I can hook it all up, that isn't a problem, and I can communicate with my server over in the USA."

"Wonderful!"

"What's on tap for today?" Tara asked.

"The Hogwarts' Express, bringing the students will arrive two days from today. We will be bringing you up to speed until then. We'll need you to take photos of the different events which are coming up around the arrival - the Hogwarts' Express arrival, the sorting, and the banquet. All of that happens in two days. This all needs to be on the -- oh why can't I get this committed to memory?"

"Web site," Tara said, simply.

"Yes, web site! Oh, and who are these wonderful cats?" she asked, as Henry leaned against her leg.

"You haven't met them? They seem at home here already," Tara said, and sighed.

"You'll find that they adapt quickly," Minerva commented.

"Way more quickly than when I moved into my house! I didn't see Henry for a week!"

"Well, I'll leave you to get ready, and I'll come back in say, a half hour, to take you to the great hall for breakfast. You were in such a state, I know we couldn't show you anything when you arrived!"

Tara made a face as she wondered about that as Minerva turned to leave the room.

"How did I get into this room?"

Minerva turned to her again, "Well you were carried, of course, my dear! See you in a half hour," she said, and closed the door behind her.

Carried? By whom? Hopefully not by...Tara shivered. No, probably not. Who dressed her? Oh my GOD! she thought. No, they could do that by magic...she hoped...