Okay, so this is my first real attempt at anything other than one-shots so I really hope you like it and if not then please help me improve instead of just criticising this.

Lizzie's blonde, curly hair bounced against her shoulders as she bounded down the stairs to join her family for breakfast. She jumped the last two, stumbled on her landing and fell into her brother, Ernie.

He was her twin brother really, but just calling him her brother was less of a mouthful. They were the same age and obviously shared the same birthday which clearly indicated that they were twins.

This being said the only physical characteristics they really shared were the fact that they had blonde hair and were a similar height. But the fact was that they were only 10, so this could change over the years to come.

Luckily for Lizzie, Ernie caught her as she crashed into him to prevent her from falling to the floor.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, an amused look on his face.

"Going to breakfast, what does it look like I'm doing?" she replied.

"Well it looks like you're trying to see how quickly you can break something."

Lizzie laughed at that, "if I remember rightly, you're the only one who's broken a bone out of the two of us."

Ernie glared at her and shoved her lightly in the direction of the dining room. "I'm going, I'm going", Lizzie laughed as she skipped along the corridor to find food and her parents.

Upon entering the dining room, Lizzie glanced around and found both her parents already seated at either end of the long table. Her father appeared to be reading the Daily Prophet, whilst her mother was reading yet another novel.

"You can steal that once she's finished it", Lizzie heard Ernie whisper in her ear as he marched past her to take a seat at the dining table.

She rolled her eyes and followed him, walking round to the opposite side of the table, and sitting down before pulling some toast towards her and starting to nibble on the edge of it.

Breakfast continued in the same silence that it had started in, Ernie and Lizzie occasionally exchanging glances showing the confusion they both felt at their parent's lack of voice this morning. Even though their parents were never the most talkative at breakfast time, preferring to wait until dinner to discuss anything that passed during the day, they would normally politely ask how both children had slept which would then show Ernie and Lizzie that they were allowed to talk. The fact that this had not happened meant Lizzie was too nervous to speak, having grown up being told that she should not speak unless spoken to.

Lizzie had just finished her toast and was about to eat some egg when her father sighed and placed the newspaper down on the table.

Automatically Lizzie sat up straight and turned her head to face him, waiting for him to begin whatever he had to say. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Ernie had done the same.

Robert Macmillan glanced at both of his children before meeting his wife's eye and opening his mouth.

"As you are both aware, your mother and I are invited to the annual Malfoy summer ball every year."

Lizzie had to bite her lip to prevent herself from commenting on how annual parties do tend to happen every year.

Her father continued, "now that you are both going to be starting at Hogwarts come September, your mother and I felt that it would be appropriate for you to attend this year with us."

Lizzie risked a look at Ernie to see his reaction. He caught her eye and grinned at her, before looking back to their father.

"Your mother and I have a reputation to uphold. We are taking a huge risk with bringing you both to this event. Elizabeth, you will be expected to make a good pureblood marriage, the foundations of that begin this year."

Once more, Lizzie had to bite her lip to prevent herself from making a comment (or screaming) at her father.

"Ernest, you are also expected to make a good pureblood match but first and foremost we wish you to try and start a friendship with Draco Malfoy."

At this Lizzie rolled her eyes, of course, the precious little Malfoy boy.

"Making friends with him would put you in good stead for your life at Hogwarts and would give our family further elevation in the pureblood community."

"However," Lizzie's mother began, causing Lizzie to turn her head so quickly she almost cricked her neck, "this does not mean to say we want you to focus your entire evening on either of these things" she said with a glare at her husband.

"Well no, obviously not" Robert replied, rather sheepishly. "We just need you to both be aware of some of the expectations being placed on you now that you are old enough to be formally introduced into the community."

"Precisely", Lizzie's mother agreed.

"Now, I have work to do so you are all going to have to excuse me. Sophia, if you would join me in my office once you have finished breakfasting, I need to discuss some household matters with you."

Lizzie's father stood up from the table and walked out of the dining room, only to be followed by her mother a few minutes later.

Lizzie stilled and listened for both set of footsteps to die away before she began to speak about what had just happened.

"Ernie, we are going to the summer ball! Can you believe it? That's so exciting! I wonder what I'll get to wear. Do you think mother would be willing to persuade father to let me have new dress robes? Oh, and I'll get to make new friends. Now that you're not good enough, it would just be nice to have other friends."

But then it dawned on her what was being asked of her for the evening…

"Except I can't make new friends without it being seen as 'potential foundations for future marriages" she blew a raspberry, "I'm 10! What do I care about marriage?!"

Her brother laughed and shook his head at her, "you can make friends, you just need to know that at some point you will need to consider the fact that you need to get married."

Lizzie let out a noise of exasperation and stood up, "fine, I guess I'll just go start planning my marriage, and deciding what I'm going to call my kids."

"You're going to go read aren't you?"

"No, I'm going to go plan my marriage."

"Where?"

Lizzie paused, "the library…"

"Using what books?"

Another pause. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

"Thought so."

"Whatever", and with that Lizzie skipped out of the room.