The Letter

Chapter One

Trouble

The sound of rain striking the window panes and the hurried footsteps of five teenage girls were the only things that could be heard in the far halls of Majorika Academy for Wizards and Witches.

"Are you sure Sierra didn't see us?" The tallest, blond girl asked nervously as the five turned the corner. All the girls wore matching dark green robes with a blue crest on the left side of their chests. All was uniform, except for the curly names inscribed under each crest in gold embroidery. The blond girl's robe said Carly. "Because she will go tattle as soon as she runs into a professor.

"I don't know," said the shortest, red haired girl, who's robe had Jade sprinkled upon it, "We can't afford to have Cougarton lose anymore points! Serpentine is catching up! If they win, Sierra will have something to taunt us about!"

"Why was she even there?" asked the sporty brunette named Cameron. "Is there anything else that little weasel can do besides harass us?"

"Probably not," stated the shorter brunette girl named Laura, "her main focus is to run our lives." The group turned left down a windowless corridor.

"How did she know we'd be there?" said the black haired girl named Shayla.

"She probably spies on us." Carly maneuvered right to the large door that said "Cougarton"

"Carrot Stew." The door swung open to a blue decorated room. The five rushed in before it shut. The room was empty, except for a small, brunette girl, sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, reading.

"Where were you?" exclaimed the girl as she stood to meet them.

"Lydia, what are you doing up?" said Laura to her first year sister.

"I'm studying Defense Against the Dark Arts. Is that a crime? You, on the other hand, were out after hours, weren't you! Oh, you're in trouble!"

"Shut up, Lydia, please!" Laura whispered loudly.

"OK, where were you?" Lydia crossed her arms.

"Umm…we were…looking for Carly's wand," said Shayla. "Y-yeah…she left it in the lunch hall." All five girls nodded. Lydia squinted her eyes.

"Do you think I'm that stupid?" snarled Lydia, "If you don't tell me where you were, then I will tell a teacher, and, Laura, I will tell mom and dad." The five sighed.

"We used Floo Powder to go to Diagon Alley." said Carly.

"What!" Lydia was stunned, "You actually went? Why!"

"I needed a new Transfiguration book by tomorrow," said Jade pulling a large, red book from her robes, "Sierra put a spell on my old one. It won't stop trying to fly off."

"You couldn't have your parents send it with an owl?" Lydia gave Jade a look that clearly told Jade she was stupid.

"Well, it's kind of hard for my parents to do that considering I'm muggle-born."

"Oh, sorry," said a surprised Lydia.

"You can't tell anybody, Lydia," said Laura sternly, "Understand?"
"Yeah, I do, but did anybody who wouldn't understand, see you?"

"We're not sure." said Carly nervously.

"What do you mean you are not sure?"
"Well," Carly began, "We're not sure if…Sierra saw us."

"Sierra! Oh, if she saw you, you are dead."

"Of course, she'd be too, because she was out after hours also." said Jade

"True, but remember, Sierra is smart, pretty, and she's Professor Thorn's favorite student."

"Yeah," said Cameron, "how about we don't let it bother us, OK, then we won't look like we are up to something."

"Lets just go to bed, I'm about to doze off just standing here." Carly said as she made her way upstairs to the girl's dormitory to the door that said "5th year Girls", followed by Shayla, Laura, Cameron, Jade, and Lydia, who went into the 1st year dormitory.

The large room was decorated in blue and it had five single sized beds and five desks littered with numerous books and parchment. Carly made her way over to her corner by the large window and plopped down on the comfy bed. She looked out the window at the moonlight that glimmered beautifully across the school grounds. Smiling, she stood up to change into her pajamas, when something white caught her eye. Carly turned to her desk to find a small envelope with her name scribbled in gold ink.

"Umm….did somebody bring this earlier?" She held up the envelope.

"No, must of come while we were in London," said Cameron, "Who is it from?" Carly checked all over for a name.

"It doesn't say."
"Don't open it!" said Jade, "It could be jinxed, you can't be too careful nowadays with You-Know Who back!"

"Really, now, who would jinx Carly?" said Laura.

"Well, it can be something evil, or it could be Sierra pulling a prank."

"Please, Jade…"

"It's not Sierra," Carly interrupted Cameron.

"How do you know?"
"The handwriting is different, and it's not feminine."

"Oh, whatever, it wouldn't be jinxed or cursed. Just open it." said Shayla. All four girls stared attentively at Carly as she tore the seal and pulled out a folded piece of light blue parchment. She unfolded it to more golden writing.

"Who's if from?" asked Jade.

"It still doesn't say."

"Well, read it to us!" Cameron said eagerly. Carly moved over to the light. The ink shimmered across the page.

"Dearest Carly…."