Chapter 1 (The Letter)

Sophie had just gotten back from the Owlery. This particular mission had to do with sending a certain pair of Weasley a particularly nasty Howler.

"What idiots! Why couldn't they have just handed them to us?" she grumbled to herself. Ella was in the hospital wing due to "those Weasleys" and Sophie had just gotten back from there herself.

What were they thinking sending us a box of fireworks at breakfast? The stupid thing exploded the second Ella opened it up! How were we supposed to know it contained the wet-start fireworks they promised us! The twins should've seen the danger in it, especially, sending it with Errol. Everyone knows that bloody bird can't fly straight to save his life! Why couldn't they have just waited until later? It's not that hard.

Sophie plopped down in the blue armchair next to the fire and opened her book with a crack.

Could this day have gotten any worse? First the fireworks, and then Filch caught her with a load of dungbombs. And now she had mounds of homework in every class! And that was on top of the detentions Filch gave her too! Can't a girl get a break?

Sophie felt a tug on her hair and looked up to see the family owl, Bert, holding a letter, her name hastily written in green ink on the front.

What now? she thought to herself.

She reached up and took the letter from Bert, who immediately flew off to the Owlery.

"Well, I guess your not getting those treats I had for you then!" she called after the bird.

She looked down at the letter.

What on earth could be happening?

It was in her Mum's hand, which was strange, Daddy was the letter writer in the family. And it was written in green ink, the family's code for important news. Ella ripped it open anxious to find out what was going on.

Dear Ella and Sophie,

Have we got news to tell you! Where to start? Where to start? Well, let's see, I'll save the big news for last. Yes, that's a marvelous idea. Now, where was I? Oh yes, of course! Now I remember.

Sophie laughed. That was her mother all right, always rambling, even in her letters. No wonder Daddy wrote them all!

You remember your cousin Isabelle, don't you? Well, of course you do! She was at your grandmother's for Christmas, so of course you'd remember her! Well, you'll never guess, what's going on this summer. She's getting married! I just knew it would happen someday! Her and that muggle boy, I think Frank's his name, no it's Joey . . . well at least I think it's Joey, or at least it's something like that. But that's not really important. The point is, they're getting married! June 20, I think. Well, you two know what that means, you'll need to go dress shopping, so you'll have something to wear! Oh, I'm so excited!

Sophie groaned. Dress shopping! She hated going dress shopping, her mother always fussing over how grown up her babies were. And of course she always has to bring Grandmother along.

She absolutely hated the way her Grandmother treated them, as if they were still three years old, interested in tea parties and the like. Oh and calling her and Ella by their full names. Sophia Lynn! Eleanor! She couldn't stand it!

She sighed and started reading again. Her Grandmother always made her feel agitated.

But I'm even more excited about our other news. Ella, Sophie? Are you sitting down? You two are going to be big sisters! Yes, I'm having a little girl! And, of course, we will send for you when she's born. I'm sure Dumbledore won't mind. Oh how nice it will be to have another baby in the house again! I am just overjoyed! Well, I have to go, we've got that party tonight and I still have to fix my hair. Hugs and kisses from all of us!

Mum

They were going to have a baby sister?! For once she wouldn't be the youngest! (Ella was older than her by a minute and 15 seconds). She had to go tell Ella!