The Muggle Intruder

Chapter 1: The Ride

"Oh, my gosh. The wait is forty-five minutes," my little sister, Apple, whined. "I don't want to wait that long. Let's go in the Owl Post and go ahead and send Nanny and Poppy a postcard."

"No. I've waited five years to ride this ride, so forty-five minutes ain't gonna hurt you," I told her.

Mom and Dad were already tired and it was only our second day at Universal Studios, so they said they'd wait for us outside the exit. We'd spent the entire day yesterday on the other side of the park, most of it in Diagon Alley, and today we'd come to Islands of Adventure, where Hogsmeade was. Even though it was October, it was really warm in Orlando, unlike it had been back home in Tennessee; I'd take eighty degree temperatures over sixty any day. But even so, as you look around, all the buildings are covered in fake snow, and I was in complete awe of the detail that was put into everything. Moaning Myrtle could even be heard in the bathroom, for goodness sakes. And now, here I was, getting ready to go into Hogwarts. Well, not really Hogwarts, but as close as I'd ever get-Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

"Oh, cool," I heard Apple say as she walked ahead of me. "Look!"

When I looked up, I saw that we were entering the part of the line that was now inside, where statues lined the walls. At the end of the hall was the entrance to Dumbeldore's study, but the line cut to the left and we had to go around it. As we made our way through the line, past moving portraits and the Fat Lady, not to mention getting to see Dumbledore's study, after all, I knew right away that this was going to be the best ride ever. Little did I know, my prediction wouldn't even come close.

"Come on, Willow!" Apple yelled. "You're holding up the line."

I looked up to see that, in fact, I was holding up the line. It was hard not to, though, as we walked through Hogwarts; well, what appeared to be Hogwarts. To be honest, it was actually more like Heaven to me. I'd been what they call a potterhead for so long, it was like I was in some kind of dream. When we finally made it to get on the ride, which was in a room filled with floating candles, it was like the dream came to life right in front of me.

We stepped onto a moving walkway, which led to a moving car with four seats all facing the same direction, and I almost fell, since I was looking up at the beautiful ceiling and not at where I was going. "Get on, Willow, or you'll have to get on the next one." Apple pulled me out of my dream and into the seat next to her, causing me to hit the seat hard, since I was already losing my balance. I hurried and pulled the restraints down, mashing it tightly against my legs.

The attendant came by and yanked on the bar in front of me. "All good," she said before walking away, leaving us facing a shiny wall, anticipating what was coming next.

The first thing we saw was Hermione, who whisked us away to the observatory. Before I knew it, we were outside, or what appeared to be outside, flying with Harry Potter over Hogwarts. I literally felt my eyes tearing up, like what was happening was real and not just a simulation. I was flying over Hogwarts with Harry!

"This is great!" I yelled to whoever could hear me, and then realized that Hagrid was in front of me. I was smiling so wide I felt the corners of my mouth crack, but couldn't have cared less. My mouth could've split in two and it wouldn't have mattered; I was at Hogwarts.