Chapter 1: Moving?
Hi, my name is Ashley Rodriguez. I am seventeen years old, which means I am allowed to do magic anywhere without the Ministry (the people who make sure no one is using magic the wrong way) getting on my booty for it. Anyways I know exactly what you are thinking. Get to the story already. I only wanted to tell you a little about myself. Don't go and pull your hair out yet. I have dark brown eyes and dark brown wavy, shoulder length hair with blond tips. I am a true American and very southern witch. I say y'all instead of you all. Now that you know a little about me let's get to my story.
It all started when my extremely excited mother walked into the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. The huge smiles, that little kids get when they get ice cream. This goes to show that moms can act like five year olds, sometimes. Which embarrasses their older more mature kids. I love to laugh at how ridiculous my mom looks. Right now the smile on her face doesn't amuse me on bit.
"Oh no this is either going to be really good news or really. . ." I told my older sister Lauren.
We were playing exploding snap at the kitchen counter. I've lost this game so many times I don't see why I still enjoy playing it. Lauren is eighteen years old, just graduated from Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and working on becoming an auror. She is five feet ten inches, (me only five feet two inches, I'm puny) has long straight light brown hair and dark brown eyes. She is prettier with curves and tan skin. Compared to my skin, which is paler with freckles only on my nose and cheek, it's like I've never been in the sun.
I am pretty plain, just plain old Ashley. I don't have guys dropping at my feet for my beauty. That always happens with Lauren. Even the girls in my neighborhood envy her, and I don't count myself in that group. No, I learned that it's best not to have a broken heart at an early age. Though Lauren has never been in the least interested in those guys, who like you for your beauty instead of yourself. This causes her not to date very often because all those guys want to date her for her looks. It leaves a lot of these guys becoming sort of stalkerish, which makes Lauren even more self-conscience about her looks when she is drop dead gorgeous.
We were both wearing shorts and short sleeved shirts. Since it was in the 90's in Alabama it was necessary to be prepared before it got hotter as the day continues. You wouldn't catch me wearing pants or long sleeved shirts during the summer. I might wear a light sweater if our air conditioning actually worked. At times it would be awesome if I could get a fan to follow me everywhere I go. That would require magic and since my mom doesn't allow me to use magic in the house until I'm eighteen, I don't. Then again I could ask Lauren but then she would ask for something in return, not going to happen.
"Or really . . .what?" asked my brother Michael, walking into the kitchen with my little sister, Sydney.
Michael, is ten years old, has short straight dark brown hair and blue eyes. Sydney, is twelve years old, has short wavy dark brown hair and blue eyes like my dad and Michael.
"Or hopefully not really bad news to us, but to her it will be like an ice cream sundae." I rolled my eyes in my mom's direction. Deep inside I was hoping for good news, I was so wrong.
"Hey kids, I have some really exciting news to tell y'all. Why don't we go into the family room and talk." my mom said.
My mom, Minerva Rodriguez, is a retired but still famous chaser for the Fitchburg Finches of Massachusetts. She has short curly light brown hair and dark brown eyes. She has tan skin as everyone on her side is Spanish pureblood witches and wizards. She is now an auror for the American Ministry of Magic. She is also divorced.
My dad, Jonathan Stuart, on the other hand has wavy short dark brown hair and blue eyes. He lives in Oregon and works as a healer for the American Witch and Wizard Hospital that is secretly hidden in an abandon warehouse in Kansas. He is also from a pureblood family. Both my mom and dad's sides don't despise muggle borns (witches or wizards born from normal parents).
"I think it's going to be the bad news for us, but not for her news," whispered Sydney as we walked into the family room. I live in a mansion so the room was humungous for only five people.
Michael, Lauren, and I sniggered. Sydney, the jokester, smirked and sat on the couch beside us. Our mom sat on a chair across from us and put on a huge smile.
"Ok, well y'all know that I have promoted. Since I have been promoted I have been asked if I could work as an auror at the Ministry of Magic in Britain. I said yes and now we're going to be moving to a place called Little Whinging in England. What do you think?" she finished cheerfully as if she received a big present that didn't deal with us.
We stared at her trying to make sure this was still our mom. There is a chance that she could have been abducted by aliens and replaced by a clone. I stared at her happy face looking for any sign that this was a joke. Even though it was way past April Fools Day, I was waiting for her to go "Gothcha!" or "I'm just pulling your leg. Y'all should see your faces."
"WHAT?!" we yelled at the same time.
"I know y'all are upset but this is good. This change is going to be great. Y'all are going to like it there, I'm sure. I've heard the schools in Europe are fantastic." She was oblivious to our shocked faces.
You can't break my mom's good mood. I have tried countless times and she is hard boulder when it comes to being in a good mood. She would be in a good mood if a meteor were crashing to earth. Well that is at least what kind of mood I'm sure she would be in. The only time I've seen her not happy was when my dad left. Though I know that she is crazy the moment I said my first word, tomato (which is my favorite fruit). Funny story but hard to explain.
Back to the story… England!! My mind was screaming protests and some not so nice to say out loud. I started thinking about the few friends I have in Alabama, well one friend. He is my age and lives right across the street from me. His name is Elliot Scott. I never made any friends at Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Everyone thought I was strange with my southern accent and how I say y'all all the time. I'm going to miss Elliot. He's my best friend, well only friend, not that siblings can't count as friends.
"You've got to be joking!" I told my mom. I knew she wasn't joking.
"I'm not joking. Please kids give it a chance." She said calmly.
"But all my friends are here," Sydney protested. Of course, she had friends since she is popular at Salem and in Alabama. Everybody loves my siblings. I'm just simply there.
"Not buts. Y'all will thank me someday." She got off her chair and left the room.
"Someday like never," Sydney whispered so she wouldn't hear.
Moving? Great. Nice way to start a new school year, as a new student.