"I really don't think you should go, Linea." Lucy said from her desk. "We're starting school again in a week, you really need to study your notes from last year."

"It's just one last night of fun, promise." I swore, standing in the doorway. Lucy always did this. The last few weeks of summer were filled with books, notes, and studying, to 'prepare' for the new school year. I disagreed with this, believing the next ten months would be filled with more work than we could handle, and we should value our freedom while we had it.

"I just keep remembering the party we went to last year." She said, looking down at her desk, embarrassed.

"Oh, Luce. It's in the past. I have Mace, I'll be fine."

"You think that. Just remember," she looked at me, her green eyes piercing mine. "You can't get it back once you've lost it. It was stolen from me. I can never have it back. You, you have a choice."

I stared back at her. "I know. I really have to go now, Lucy. I love you." I turned to leave. My parents were in the kitchen when I entered to tell them I was leaving.

"Abigail is meeting me at the park, I'm going to head off now."

"Alright. Please be safe. I can't even believe I'm letting you go, after what happened last year..." Ginevra Potter trailed off, remember the horrible night when her other daughter came home covered in dirt and blood.

"I'll be fine, mum. Don't worry." She leaned over to her father, Harry, a hug before she left. She usually skipped hugging her mum, though tonight Ginny insisted on it. She rolled her eyes behind her mother's back.

"I'm out, see you at twelve." She left through the front door of the their suburban house, headed east towards the park. It was about a ten minute walk, and from the start she wished she had brought her iPod to listen to while she made the journey. She soon got to the park and saw her friend leaning against the park the fence. She headed over to her, tripping once on some loose stones, and greeted her grinning friend.

"About time you got here, I was wondering if you chickened out." Abigail sneered. She reached her arm out and looped it around my arm. She started skipping over to the party with me, it was block away. I didn't know the owners of the house well, but a party is a party. Sometimes you get people arriving that you don't know. It was an eerie night, and I had a small fear of the dark.

Finally they could hear music blasting and then turned the corner to see a house with a few people sprawled over the front lawn. I was starting to feel a little wiry about this whole party. But never-the-less I headed inside and said hi to a couple friends.

"Linea! I'm so glad you could make it! I haven't hung out with you in so long, girl! I missed you, give your best friend a hug." Shelby crooned, alcohol apparent on her breath. She leaned towards me and gave me a loose hug.

"Yeah, It's been too long." I forced a smile on my face. I really didn't like this girl. She tried too hard to look good for guys and smoked all the time. It was a disgusting habit. Shelby was the biggest slut in this town.

She headed over to a cooler and pulled out a beer for me. I didn't have time to say no, she just popped off the top and shoved in my hand. "I can tell you're a little tense," she shouted over the music. "This'll help."

At this point I was feeling overwhelmed, so I decided I would try it. It couldn't hurt, could it? Just one wouldn't get me drunk. I took a swig, and immediately regretted it. It tasted gross. I didn't want to look uncool, however, so I stopped grimacing and took another drink. Abigail had left me to mingle, so I took off around the party on my own. I was about to settle down on one of the couches when I heard my name.

"Linea! Hey!" I turned around and immediately felt sick. Before me I saw Henriette, and her boyfriend, Tyler. Tyler, the boy who had raped my sister. I felt rage like I had never felt before. I hadn't seen him since that night, and for months I had been planning what I would do when this moment arrived.

I did nothing. I just stood, blankly staring ahead to the couple who approached me. Henriette hated my guts. She was dating Tyler at the time of the rape, and she was convinced that Lucy had seduced and drugged her boyfriend, forcing him to have sex with her. This was the story Tyler had told everyone, of course. For some reason they'd stayed together. For the record, I hated them both.

"Hey, how is Lucy?" She said, her tone fake.

"She's doing great." I said, my voice unwavering. There must be some truth behind the saying "liquid courage".

"Where is she tonight, anyway? Fucking someone else's boyfriend?" She said with a laugh.

"You know that's not what happened." I said, getting angrier by the minute.

"Tyler is the victim in all this, not Lucy. That bitch drugged him! I hope she rots in hell."

The liquid courage had worn off. I was close to tears by this point. My sister, who had gone through so much, was being called names and being blamed for a crime which was not her fault. I hardly thought about it when I raised my fist and brought it down on her nose.

The sound that came from her mouth could only be described as a squeal. Tyler, who was standing several feet away talking to someone, quickly rushed to her side as blood cascaded down her face.

"What the fuck? What did you do, Linea?"

"I punched your liar girlfriend." I said, and then not wanting to be in the situation another minute, fled towards the back door, rage pulsing through every vein in my body. I pushed the light screen door out to the patio and rushed out, hoping to find Abigail out here. She was. She sat around a glass table smoking a cigarette with a few others.

"Give me one of those." I demanded, feeling both drunk and pissed.

"What?"

"I need a cig!" I said louder, holding out my hand.

"Holy crap, chill." She said, reaching into her pocket and pulling one out.

"Please light it." I said, holding it out to her. She took out her tiny pink lighter and lit the cigarette. I sat down in a chair and inhaled deeply. I felt calmer in the first breath, however it resulted in a fit of coughing. It burned my throat and made me feel like I was going to suffocate, but I wasn't giving up there.

"What the hell happened?"

"Henriette came round and started talking about... the incident." I didn't elaborate, I knew that Abigail knew what I was talking about. She was the one who'd brought Lucy home that night.

"Do you want to bail?"

"Yeah, fuck this. Give me some water, I can't go home drunk."

"It's only ten, we can just walk around and get something to eat." Abigail stood, and I silently thanked her for not being upset. Abigail was the one muggle friend I could count on. She didn't know about Lucy and I being witches, or our father being the most famous wizard in the magical world. Frankly, I didn't mind. I was content with being a normal, nonmagical girl during the summer and on holidays. It gave me a much needed break.

We walked towards downtown as I sipped on the water bottle Abigail found for me. I had only had half a bottle, I was such a lightweight. I reminded myself to not drink again.

We slipped into a late night cafe and ordered coffees. We sat across from each other, and I slowly felt myself sobering up. I rubbed my eyes and stared into my cup.

"Lucy has changed so much. She used to be so much fun. Now it's just.. work and school. Its like she has no more life." I said, my inner concerns coming to the surface. The warmth of the caramel cappuccino made my worries seem more real.

"Give it time. She's still not over it yet. She should have gotten the police involved."

"She didn't want to talk to them. And my parents couldn't make her. I just wish she'd go back to the way she was." I sighed. I knew that she would never be the same.

"Just let it happen, it will, I promise." She said.

"I have to go home. It's almost twelve." I stood up.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

"No, I'm fine. It's just a few blocks."

"Be safe." She leaned in to give me a hug, and I hugged her back.

"I might not see you before I leave. So if I can't, I'll see you at Christmas." I gave her a peck goodbye on the cheek and turned to leave. The night was sweltering, and I was sweating by the time I got home. I stood on the stoop, checking the my breath and hair for the smell of beer. I smelt strongly like smoke, but if I was questioned I'd just say that people were smoking at the party.

I entered the house. There was no one on the ground floor. I went upstairs to my room, and found Lucy laying on her bed with a book. Not a textbook for once, or even a wizard book. A plain old muggle book. She looked up when I entered.

"How was the party?"

"Lame."

She wrinkled her nose. "You smell like beer and smoke."

"Do I? Well I was at a party."

Lucy leaned her head back against the headboard. "I was just asking."

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm just a little upset."

"What happened?"

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty head about. Let's just say I won't be going out again for a while." I sat down at the foot of the bed. We were silent as we stared at each other. Even though we were older now, I still marveled at how much Lucy and I looked like our father. We had the same raven hair and emerald eyes. My hair was shoulder length, however, and hers was a bit longer. The two of us loved fashion and makeup. We were very much alike in most ways.

"I'm going to make myself something to eat. You want anything?"

"There are some all dressed crisps on the counter, can you bring them up?"

"Sure." I left the room with a heavy heart. My sister was doing fine, she just wasn't progressing at the pace I hoped she would be.

But I was sure she, and we, would be there soon.