"It's not fair!" My cousin, Rose Weasley, says petulantly as I sit down at the magically enlarged breakfast table.
"What isn't fair, Rosie?" Another cousin, Roxanne, asks while I began loading my plate with Grandma Molly's decadent cooking. After living off my mom's pitiful attempt at French food for almost fifteen years, I take advantage of my Grandma's skills whenever I get the chance.
"Victorie's just rolled out of bed, and no offense Vic, but your hair looks like something the cat dragged in, yet she still manages to look loads better than the rest of us!" Rose pouts.
Stifling a yawn I say "Sorry honey, but I'm a quarter Veela. It kinda comes with the territory." The rest of my cousins laugh at Rose's dismissive 'whatever' face. We all know she's only joking after all.
Everyone keeps talking and eating but I'm not really paying much attention. 'Cause just then, in walks Teddy Lupin, drop dead gorgeous metamorphmageous extraordinaire. I've been nursing a crush on him all summer. Well, okay, probably longer. At least since last summer, when he realized he could do more with his appearance changing powers than turn his nose into a pig snout. Like make himself incredibly hot. For example. It's a bit hopeless, really, this crush of mine. I mean, he's a year and a half older than me, and as of tomorrow we'll be going to different schools in different countries.
That's right. While the rest of my cousins and my little sister Dominique are boarding the Hogwarts express tomorrow, I'll be somewhere above France, in a carriage drawn by winged horses, on my way to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The land of blue silk and etiquette.
Don't get me wrong. I was happy, no, ecstatic, about being accepted into the International Wizengamot's foreign exchange program. It's just that I had been hoping to be sent somewhere a bit…different. I mean, really! Beauxbatons? I've already been to France! My mum still has family there, for crying out loud! And the school itself couldn't be farther from my first choice; the Salem School for Young Witches and Wizards in America.
I didn't realize that I had been spacing out until Roxanne's twin brother Fred was speaking directly to me.
"You coming, Vic?" He says from the foot of the staircase that leads to the upper floor of shell cottage.
"Huh?"
Fred rolls his eyes at my absentmindedness. "Swimming, you git. Now hurry up and get your suit on, the girls won't let us leave without you!"
"Thanks Fred," I say sarcastically "it's nice to know I'm loved."
He winks at me and quips "No prob, Vic," before dashing upstairs.
Smiling to myself, I stand up and quickly scrape my plate into the trash. Then I rush up to my bedroom and rap on the door. Tomorrow morning I'll be on my way to France, but for now, I'm determined to enjoy the last day of summer languor and having my family close.