"Annalee

"Annalee! Annalee come down here! Your sister has something we want you to see! Its so exciting."

Not again. It's always about her. When your twin sister is amazing, and you're only above average you get left behind. It was different when she didn't like school, when she cared about sports and gossiping about me behind my back. Then our first grade teacher switched us. You know what happens with the twins a la Parent Trap? Yeah, I was seen as the smart one and was taking my aptitude test and she took my place. When they finally realized the mistake, I had to take my test. Guess what? She beat me. By ten points. Which in my family is enough to make her a god.

"Annalee, come down here now! I am not going to wait any longer." My sister's voice screeched up the stairs. I sighed as I got up to get her to shut up.

"I'm coming. Wait a second, gosh." I get so annoyed with her. Perfect little Hermione Granger.

What is it this time? I'm the reason she's at her level anyway. Not that I get credit. I do only slightly worse than her. She gets 155 compared to my 145. The thing is, people would kill for my grades let alone hers. But, according to my mother I'm the bad child. The stupid one. Oh, well.

"Annalee, look at this letter Hermione got!" My mother was always so happy when Hermione got something. Understandably, we're only 11 years old and she's alreadygotten requests to teach summer school and accept all kinds of awards already. I get similar requests, but not nearly as many.

I grabbed the letter a little rougher than necessary, especially since its made of parchment. It looks like it could be really old. It is penned in green ink, which is odd because it seems like a formal letter. It read as follows:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. H. Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Behind the letter was a list of books. Stuff like Standard Books of Spells Volume One and a wand. Are you serious? It must be another way to scam money off people. I couldn't believe it. Mother started screaming about how she just had to call Dad, even though we all knew he was performing emergency oral surgery on some poor soul. Thud. I looked at the parchment envelope now resting by my feet. My name was printed on the front in the same green ink as Hermione's letter. Yep, definitely a scam, especially if we both got one. I decided to open it though.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. A. Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

P.S.-We would never dream of scamming you, dear. We are above that.

Wow. How would they know I would think that. I reached for Hermione's letter again. Her's didn't have that message. This must have been written for me. That's…weird. Very weird. Who would know that I would think it was a scam? Something's up.

"George! Guess what our little Hermione did. No, guess. Oh, you're still in surgery, okay. Well, Hermione got accepted to a boarding school. Sounds pretty exciting and exclusive. Annalee, what is that second paper there? Just a second, George," she put her hand over the speaker, "Annalee, I asked what that second piece of paper there was. Answer me young lady." Mom started to look upset.

"Mom, she got a letter too…" Hermione had looked over my shoulder and started pouting like she always did. "I'm not special anymore. Annalee is just like me. They only accepted her because we're twins."

"Oh, 'Mione, baby, of course you are special. You're the smart one remember? Annalee was probably just a pity thing. Okay, I'm back George. Yes, Annalee got a letter too. I don't think we should let her go dear. It must be pity that Annalee has no friends at school so they're just trying to get her more friends. But, George, it's most important that Hermione have fun. No, I don't love Hermione more, but she's the smart one." Silence. "I guess we can let Annalee go too. We need to go shopping to get this stuff. Wands, books, pets, things like that. I can't wait!" More silence, and my mother started pouting. "Okay, you can go back to your surgery now. Sorry to bug you dear. Love you too. See you later!" and finally she hung up the phone.

"Mummy, can we go to get the supplies soon? I wanna get my pet soon. Please?" Hermione is such a whiner. Most people think she sounds bossy and usually she does, but when she's trying to weasel out of something it's anything but annoying.

"Mom, let's just get this over with. The sooner the better. Then, I can just read up on this. I'm curious." I'm so different from Hermione. Little obnoxious snot. At least I don't have those nasty buck-teeth or crazy bushy hair.

"Okay, Annalee. We're going to go as soon as we can. We wouldn't like Hermione to fall behind would we?" Mom loves her so much more than me. I can't stand it.