The morning light flooding Diana's bedroom was practically blinding. She tugged the blankets over her head, but they were too thin to block it out completely. With a small sigh of frustration, she got out of bed, stumbled to the window, and yanked the curtains shut.

On a second thought, she pulled open the curtains again, and peered outside. The sky was a wonderful cloudless blue, the sun shone brightly over the house, and there were ducks swimming in the small pond.

As Diana watched, one duck dove down to snatch a fish, and accidentally swam into the side of another. They began pecking at each other, and one opened its beak and sent a stream of golden sparkles at the other duck, which jumped to avoid them.

Diana hastily drew the curtains shut again. She turned to the mirror and glared at herself.

"Stop it," she said aloud, "it's pointless to get jealous of a couple of ducks."

Jealous. The word ran through her mind again. It was a feeling she knew well. How many times had she watched her younger siblings cast spells at each other, while she watched from the background, yearning to try it herself?

"Diana! Come downstairs for breakfast!" Her mother's voice jolted Diana out of her thoughts, and she rushed to get dressed.

Two minutes later Diana dashed into the kitchen, wearing a dark purple robe and matching boots. Her dark auburn hair was done in a single loose braid down her back. "Ready, mother!"

Diana's mother placed a stack of pancakes and a mug of orange juice on the table. Diana sat, and started to eat.

She enjoyed the few peaceful minutes she had before her younger brother and sister came in. Technically, she could sleep in because she didn't have to go to school. But Diana always enjoyed the feeling of being ready before them, just one skill she could hold over them.

The peace didn't last long. Ryan, Diana's eleven year old brother, ran in first, laughing wildly as he clutched what appeared to be a page of homework. He was followed by Alex, her little sister. The tiny eight-year-old was chasing him, brandishing her wand and threatening him. Eventually, Alex flicked her wand and the homework flew out of his hand and into hers. Alex held the paper up triumphantly. Diana averted her gaze.

Their mother crossed the room and gathered them in a hug. "Good morning. Why don't you both sit down and I'll get your breakfasts?" She released them, then noticed one of the paintings on the walls was crooked. She carefully tilted it, then stepped back and admired it.

"Why do you care so much about that painting anyway?" Diana asked. Her mother frowned as though the question offended her. "That is your great-grandfather!"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he defeated the evil Malistaire, didn't he?" her mother responded fondly.

Diana narrowed her eyes. So what? She thought. Big deal. He was just another famous wizard that she brought shame onto.

Dropping her fork onto her plate, Diana stood up suddenly. "I'm done eating."

"All right," said her mother, "but I'll need your help in a few minutes, to tend to the garden. Oh, my!" she added, glancing at the grandfather clock on the wall, "Ryan and Alex are late for school!"

Diana went back upstairs to her room. She was stuck playing housewife and helping her mother with pointless gardening, while her younger siblings got to attend Ravenwood. It just wasn't fair, but she couldn't help that.

Diana reached under her bed and pulled out a Ravenwood textbook that her friend Sage had taken for her. Reading it always helped to calm her. The strangest thing was, the book made perfect sense to her. She even felt that if she could try it out in a different way, she might be able to do magic. But that was against the law, for a non wizard to attempt magic.

And, of course, to rub it in, Diana had to be born into a family of famous, skilled wizards. Her stupid great-grandfather had to kill Malistaire when he was just 13, and the whole Spiral was talking about the mysterious new villain, Morganthe, and how Diana's little brother and sister might be the ones to defeat her.

Then there was Diama herself. She was just an average teen, but every single one of her years had been miserable. When she was two years old, she was tested for potential schools of magic. Nothing. At age five, she was admitted into Ravenwood only because of her family. She was randomly placed in the school of Fire. On her second day she was sent home, with a note telling her mother that Diana didn't have the potential required for their school. When she had a little brother, and then a little sister, who attended Ravenwood and actually skipped two grades each, Diana received a letter warning her that any attempt of magic would be breaking the law. This was how her life went.

Diana knew, though, that someday she would prove everyone wrong. She would find some form of magic that she could use, and amaze everyone with it. Or at least, that was what she hoped.