West woke up early. Checking his wind-up watch (he had been warned that electronics would not work near the castle) he saw he had an hour to get to breakfast. In addition to getting tidy (he tended to put on his clothes in a way that looked like he'd slept in them), he took from his luggage a three by five card with a photo of a fantasy castle and wrote something on the back. Next to the message he wrote the address of his parents home and tucked it into his robe pocket.
He didn't have long to wait for Hermione to arrive, apparently she was also an early riser. A useful trait in an academic. She was smiling like sunshine on laying eyes on him and he felt the corners of his own mouth rising and his heart warming at the sight of her lovely face. He was on his feet a bit faster than he really intended and had to drag them a bit to slow to a proper indoor pace.
It may have seemed odd to the others for him to offer his hand to someone he had seen just eight hours ago and would be seeing all day, but he wanted to touch her hand again. She must have understood because her hand was rising right along. "Good morning, West. It's good to see you again."
He shook the hand. "Indeed, it's a lovely morning and just getting lovelier by the minute." He knew he was being transparent as space to the other students. He just hoped that his decorum would prove satisfactory when it reached the ears of the teachers.
West and Hermione were among the first Gryffindors down to breakfast. He was particularly delighted by the huge kettles of hot cereal. As he was scooping out his third bowl Ron asked, "Don't they have porridge in Texas?"
"Sure do, but you can't eat it but two or three days out of the year. Between the simple heat of the dish and the food energy a bowl of this stuff will raise your core temperature five degrees."
"Is that bad?"
"Bad? Around here it's essential. But in Texas it's deadly." He glanced over to Hermione. She now had a comfortable smile, like the smile his mother had when she saw him enjoy his food. But this, of course, was different in some very special way. Her eyes again had that magical glow when they lit on West. He felt a rise in core temperature beyond anything he could lay at the cereal.
During breakfast the heads of house delivered the class schedules. First period of that day would be with Professor Snape. West recalled the less than warm reception the potions master had given him during his visit to the castle and hoped they could learn to get along. This hope died aborning when the greasy-headed specter appeared at Gryffindor table and homed in on the boy.
"Mr. Westinghouse, I want you to know that I don't approve of you, your country or your presence here. I don't care how talented or brilliant you are or how much it means to international harmony. You will not pass any class I teach."
West was used to teachers who let their personal feelings interfere with their duty, but this was the first to come right out and say it. Maybe it wasn't proper, but if what the man said was true there was nothing to loose by speaking his mind. "Really Professor, aren't you being a little hasty? I'm sure the staff at Dragon Fang isn't giving Harry Potter as hard a time."
The cold, dark eyes shot open. "Potter did you say? Harry Potter? Would that be the son of James and Lily Potter?"
"I really don't know his parents or anything about him, only his name, the school he's going to and that we're taking each other's place. Professor McGonagall introduced us at the airport but there was no time for chat."
Snape left without a word and went to where Dumbledore still sat at the faculty table. "Professor Dumbledore, is it true that Harry Potter, the son of that no account, worthless James Potter, is the student we exchanged for the American?"
The old man could see what motivated Snape's question and saw the perfect handle to use on him to at least give West a fighting chance. "Yes, Severus, that is indeed the case. Harry Potter was scheduled from birth to come here to Hogwarts, but I convinced the Department of Magical Education that he would benefit most from the program. I certainly hope young Westinghouse works out so Harry doesn't have to come back and finish his education here."
Snape walked away muttering, resolving to do all he could to make the barbarian's career at Hogwarts successful.
As the students filed out, West stopped McGonagall. "Excuse me, Professor. Is there some way I can send a post to my parents in Texas?" holding the card.
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore can arrange something." she said taking the card.
Up in the headmaster's office Dumbledore examined the card. "Yes, yes, very clever. He's melded images of two or three fantasy castles using a computer. That's a Muggle device for manipulating images and numbers."
McGonagall wasn't interested in this information. "But what does it MEAN, Albus?" she said looking again at the lines on the back.
"I've no idea. It looks like part of a poem. No, it's a song. I remember it was playing on the Muggle wireless, when I visited. But what it means, I can't even guess. But I can think of no reason not to send it. Dorothy, please owl this to the Port Key Authority to be sent to The States."
"Right away, Headmaster." said a wizardess, working at a long ledger. She read the card too, on the way to the Owlery, but it meant no more to her than it had to Professor McGonagall.
And the all around cowboy fell head over heals
In love with the rodeo queen.*
*All Around Cowboy Marty Robbins