This is pretty awful (although I don't think I've written a good story yet)- it's just something my brain wanted to write at eleven o'clock? Anyways, I'm not JKR. Anything recognizable belongs to her.

Chapter One

'Twas The Night Before School

The month was August. It was a dry month, as always. In August, nothing exciting happened. There was no school, a fact that Anna Dill despised. Really, what normal young girl wanted to go to school?

Anna Dill, however, was not normal in the least. You see, Anna Dill was a witch. And on August 31, a dry summer day, Anna Dill could hardly contain her excitement for the next day. It turned out, neither could her younger siblings.

"Anna! Can you show us a spell? Brian says all the kids know some already." Anna sighed at the eager face of her younger sister.

"Brianna, not everybody knows spells. I'm not even of legal age. Besides, do I want to be known as the girl that got everybody at Ilvermorny's wands taken away like years ago?"

Brianna pouted. Her ever faithful sidekick spoke up. "But Anna, Brianna's right. Please?" Brian begged.

Anna pretended to think for a moment. "But it'll ruin the tradition," she lied. Her siblings looked curious. "What tradition?" questioned Brianna. Anna leaned forwards and lowered her voice.

"You see, every year, the older students hex the younger students. It doesn't hurt," she added hastily at the horrified looks on the duos faces, "It's just for a laugh. Don't worry." Brianna and Brian didn't look easily convinced.

"Why are you lowering your voice when there's nobody around? Even if there was, there's no witches or wizards," Brianna pointed out. Anna pressed her lips together. "You never know who could be listening," she said ominously.

Brian's lower lip quivered and Anna suddenly felt bad. The downside of being a Pukwudgie, she supposed.

"Don't cry, I was only joking," Anna backpedaled. "I wasn't going to cry!" Brian said defensively. Deciding she didn't feel like fighting, Anna went along with him.

"Of course you weren't," she said patronizingly. Luckily, Brian didn't pick up in that. Brianna chose to interrupt the conversation.

"Anna, can you please guess what houses we'll get?" Anna was surprised. "It took you all summer to ask that?" she asked. Brianna shrugged. "I was trying to refrain from it. Surprise and all. Hooray." Anna thought for a minute.

"Well, you have a pretty big vocabulary for being eleven and you're pretty bossy." Here, Brianna looked indignant. "I mean, you're not always bossy, you're just..." Anna trailed off, at loss for a word. "Anyways, I'd guess you get Horned Serpent." Brianna nodded seriously.

"That's a much better name than Pukwudgie. Isn't Pukwudgie for people who are nothing special? Brian, you'll be there, I bet."

It was pretty funny, Anna thought, that somebody could insult her and she'd trade quips back and forth. When somebody insulted her house, all hell broke loose.

"Oh, please. Being in Pukwudgie means that you possess many qualities of the houses. That's why us Pukwudgies are much better people than any other house- everybody wanted us."

Brianna rolled her eyes. "Or you just weren't special enough for any other place. But, Anna, you got an owl." Forgetting to kill Brianna, or at least seriously injure her, Anna crossed the room to open her window.

The only two people that communicated by owl would be Carmen or Marilyn, the pureblooded girls. Anna herself was, from documented points of you, the daughter of two nonmagical adults. Her mother, yes, didn't have an ounce of magic in her. Her father came from a line of Squibs. Anna supposed that herself and her siblings had won the genetic lottery.

The owl hooted impatiently. Taking the paper, Anna saw the name Carmen scrawled out on the front. She eagerly ripped it open. Since the girl's meeting over the summer, she hadn't seen anybody except Aubrey.

Anna,

Have you seen the news? I'm not sure if you have a subscription to that paper. You know, I'm beginning to think your other world has the right idea. Elektricitee, right? It sounds much faster than owls. Anyways, that's not why I'm writing this. Basically, you know that Wampus boy in the year above us? Of course you don't, that's too vague. Blonde hair, green eyes? Remember, Marilyn had a crush on him? Anyways, his family was killed. I know it sounds absurd and far-fetched, but isn't this how those wars over in England started? They're half, except his mother married a No-Ma-born. Nobody in the family had a problem with it, but I guess some other people did. Well, they murdered the family and spared her. There was a message that said something along the lines of, "Tainted blood shall not be tolerated". Very nineteenth century wording. Anyways, you know how I worry for your safety and I really hope you'll-

Anna crumpled the letter. Carmen was ridiculous. Things like these, little frights, happened all the time. Sure, it'd never gone as far as murder, but they weren't serious.

Carmen would always made some degrading comment about how she was "absolutely worried for your safety" and sat there, acting all superior that she, Carmen Hemmings, a pureblood, protected her little impure friends.

At school, Pukwudgies were categorized as just a little tight knit group that never really did anything fun and never fought. They were wrong. Dead wrong, Anna thought, glad that nobody was around to hear her twisted little joke.

"Anna? What happened?" asked Brianna in a small voice. Anna plastered a bright smile on her face. She had forgotten all about her younger siblings.

"Nothing. My friends are fighting again. Here, I'll tell you more about Ilvermorny." Brianna grinned back widely as Brian spoke up. "Anna, you never guessed my house!" Anna sighed. Yes, she needed to get back to school and escape the boring nothingness of August.

Aubrey Blem was bored.

School started tomorrow, and she half-dreaded going back. She didn't want to do the essays and get interfere with Delilah's and Carmen's arguments. She didn't want to put up with Marilyn's moods and the tests she'd have to study for. She was tired of Anna trying to make Carmen and Delilah to get along and was dreading the sleepless astronomy nights.

Really, she was tired of everything except the food.

Of course, Aubrey wouldn't admit any of this to her friends. When Aubrey looked at her friends, she saw fierce but sweet girls. She saw girls who got up and looked pretty. One may say Aubrey was jealous of her friends. They wouldn't be wrong.

But despite all of this, Aubrey would rather be at school than go to some random school in the city. She never fit in to begin with, and was even more of an outsider now. None of the neighbors had asked, but they all assumed she went to some special school.

Well, at least nobody picked on her anymore.

An owl on her window interrupted Aubrey's depressing thoughts. Eager for any news, she jumped up and retrieved the owl. Tearing open the letter, she scanned the bottom.

That always made more sense to Aubrey. Why read all of the book when you could know in an instant? Why read the whole letter when you could find out right away?

Aubrey's face crinkled up in disgust. How dare she? How dare Carmen, one of her best friends, act like she was doing them a favor? Like Aubrey wasn't capable enough? Like, in the less than twenty-four hours until she was back in her world, she'd be murdered? She threw the letter in her trash can and picked up a piece of lined paper that drove Carmen crazy.

Dear Carmen,

Thank you for your warning, but it confused me. I don't think I'll be murdered in the next twenty-four hours. I also don't think this is serious. Now, if it was multiple murders in a row, I'd be concerned. Or maybe it was something more that you just couldn't fit on one sheet? If you get the chance, may you please send a newspaper clipping of the incident back?

Much love,

Aubrey

Aubrey nodded, satisfied. That seemed... passive-aggressive. But still, it sounded a little sassy. Really, why was she still trying to make a statement when she sounded like a mouse? There's a reason she wasn't a Wampus, after all.

"Aubrey!" she heard her mother call. "Have you packed yet? You know there's school tomorrow?" Aubrey stuck her head out of the door and tested waters.

"Yeah. I'd find it concerning if I didn't know there was school tomorrow." Her mother was getting over yet another breakup. Really, you'd think she wouldn't be as sad after the first few times. "Don't you take cheek with me. I'm going to watch some TV, don't disrupt me."

As far as Aubrey was concerned, that was code for, "I'm going to go drink and watch some sad movies. You'll manage without me." Her mother could be great, but then she'd get like this.

Like depression, kind of, but it lasted less than two days. At least Aubrey was at school for most of her mom's moods.

Aubrey glanced at her empty suitcase. Really, it would do her good to pack before the morning. Maybe she should start her summer homework too.

Delilah was worried. Her brother joked she worried over nothing, but even he couldn't sugarcoat this.

The open window drifted in a scarce breeze when Delilah Leurasies work up. Frowning, she glanced at her clock. Her father, a No-Maj-born, had somehow made alarm clocks and other electricity work in the Leurasies's household.

The clock announced that it was fifteen minutes after one. Wondering why her family let her sleep that late, Delilah wandered downstairs.

At first, she though nobody was home. Really, she had noted with amusement, it was like that No-Maj "Night Before Christmas" book. She then heard hushed tones coming from her living room. Delilah pressed her ear against the door to listen. She caught bits and pieces.

"But Sherry, it might not... I know that but... it could start again." Delilah wondered what would start again. "This killing of... I knew him from Illvermorny... bent in destroying... Sherry, if a lot... I will..."

Delilah went to move closer when she tripped over a table and fell with a loud bang. The living room grew silent. Footsteps approached the door.

"What do you think you're doing?" her mother asked. "Well, Mom, I was just wondering why nobody decided to wake me up and thought you all had been murdered on this fine morning. I see that somebody did get murdered though," she remarked dryly. "Delilah! You don't joke about those things." Delilah chose to ignore this comment.

"What's starting again?" Nobody answered. Delilah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'll ask somebody else," she said. Delilah's father shrugged. "We didn't tell them either. Fine by me," he retorted. Delilah's mouth fell open. "I'm being cut off from civilization! This is a crime," she said dramatically. "Cut the dramatics, Delilah," her mother said tiredly.

Delilah turned on her heel and walked out of the room and into the hallway before doubling back. "I need my breakfast," she huffed with as much dignity as she could. Her parents faces had traces of amusement in them. She grabbed a muffin and stomped out. "Do you need a drink?" she heard her mother call. Delilah just remembered that she did, but chose to preserve some dignity. "No," she yelled. She heard laughter and a door closing.

She got up the stairs and smirked. They never said she couldn't use her owl, did they? Delilah went to go write a quick letter to somebody. Anna and Aubrey were basically cut off all summer, she hated Carmen, and Marilyn never answered anyone's letters. Really, she had no friends to write to. That is, unless she sacrificed some more dignity and wrote to Carmen. Delilah groaned and took out the paper that drove Carmen nuts.

My dear friend Carmen,

We both know that's a joke, seeing as we fight a lot. Anyways, I need information. My parents are torturing us by not telling us what's happening, but something's going on. Help a friend, or a friend of a friend, out and tell me? I'll buy you food. Just a bit.

From somebody who'd rather be writing to anybody else,

Delilah

There. It was much more civil than her last one. She beckoned her owl, Fortuitous, over and tied the letter to her leg. "Do you know where to find Carmen Hemmings?" Of course the owl didn't answer. It was an owl, not a human.

The owl flew out of Delilah's open window. In the backyard, her younger siblings squealed with glee. Her older brother played water balloons with them. Didn't they care? Didn't they, or at least the only one old enough to care, that something bad had happened? If it was bd enough to be kept in the dark on, it must've been a disaster.

While she waited her owl's return, Delilah decided to repack her suitcase. You could never be too prepared.

Carmen Hemmings hated mirrors. They made you closely inspect your every flaw. Her friends would all laugh and say that she was the prettiest of them all, but Carmen knew that couldn't be true. For example, that little annoying pimple on her nose. She needed some makeup. Should she change out of her pajamas before she put it on or not?

Her loathing for her appearance was disrupted by a crashing sound. Carmen looked around, distracted. She heard a scream from the street that was followed by many more. Carmen, on edge, ran outside and ignored her current state of dress.

"What's happening?" she shouted over the deafening sound to the girl, Penny, next door. Carmen lived in a wizarding neighborhood, which was one of the very few in the United States. No-Majs and their need for exploration made it difficult.

Penny gestured helplessly. Another loud noise shook the ground. Carmen screamed and squeezed her eyes shut. Was this how it would end? What was even happening?

Penny's fear became more pronounced. She ran over to Carmen's yard and said something. "I can't hear you!" Carmen yelled. Over all the commotion, Penny screamed, "It's the McClare's house! It's on fire or something! Somebody did something to it!"

Carmen's stomach twisted unpleasantly as Carmen ran back to her own yard. When the ground shook again, Carmen remembered what was happening. She sprinted across the yard and into the broom shed in the backyard. She sat in the dark room, cowering at every loud noise. Finally, the surrounding area becoming quieter and quieter.

When the only thing Carmen heard was sobbing, she cautiously left the shed. Peering across the yard, she saw a small woman with blonde hair sobbing by the foot of the McClare house. There wasn't much of a house left though. Carmen walked to the front of the yard, entranced by the destruction. What could've caused it? Yes, it was devastating, but it was so... interesting at the same time. Without realizing what she was doing, Carmen found herself walking across the street.

"Stay back, girl," her rude neighbor said when she reached the house. Carmen gained her senses and looked around, mystified. "What just happened?" she asked. The neighbor sniffed. "Nothing that a young girl should engage in."

Carmen held in an impolite retort, but failed. "Mrs. Abbey, but shouldn't you get back inside your house? A lady of your age really shouldn't expose herself to the dangers of outside."

Mrs. Abbey's eyes became slits. "Girl, you get your attitude in check. If you were my daughter, you wouldn't be heading to Ilvermorny tomorrow with that attitude of yours."

Mrs. Abbey rambled on, but Carmen wasn't listening. She was watching Mrs. McClare, the blonde woman. She had stopped crying and lay on the ground in a pitiful state. Somebody rushed over to her and helped her sit up.

She mumbled incoherently and yanked at her hair. How could one event do that to a person? It was mystifying yet incredible.

Somewhere far away, the government was sending people to fix this mess. She bet the newspapers had found out already.

People arrived. They put the neighborhood under security and forced everybody back into their homes. Carmen saw her parents, but she couldn't run through the mob of people to them.

As she tried to cut through the crowd to reach her house, she heard an Auror remark, "It was because he was a No-Maj-born. Look, the note." Another one nodded in confirmation before adding something. "Didn't they have a child who was a Squib or something?"

At that moment, a pimple seemed insignificant. She need to warn Aubrey and Anna. Her hands shook and she was scared, not to mention confused, but this could be one of them.

In short, Marilyn Connors was thought to be the perfect girl. She had good grades and was a sweet girl, the kind parents would secretly wish they had.

Well, nearly every parent. But more on that later. For it was the night before school, and Marilyn couldn't wait to go back.