"Salem Witches Institute"
Volume 7
Written by Lauren Eby Edited by Samantha Frank
Chapter 1 "Send It By Owl"
In a room of a small home, of a small town called Westfield, a girl about the age of 17 with long wavy brown hair and equally brown eyes looked over the letter that had come via owl from her cousin over seas. She sighed reading the words over again:
Dear Tabitha,
Hello. It's been a while since I've written you hasn't it? Having the chance to spend time with you at the tournament last year was quite interesting. I really enjoyed it. Your friend Rory was really nice, a bit competitive though. How are things back in America? Here at home I'm getting my things ready for another year at Hogwarts, I can hardly wait to go back to school. From what Ron had told me, there is to be another tournament sometime this year, a rematch. But I have no idea of all the details, so if I am incorrect, I apologize. Anyway, even if there is no tournament you will have to come visit. I miss you, and hope you will have a great year at school!
Hermione
Tabitha smiled; it was nice to get a letter from her younger cousin once in a while. She picked up a pen and prepared to write back but was interrupted by the sound of her mother, Annah Granger, calling up the stairs, "Have you got your things all packed? Rory is going to be picking you up any time now!"
Tabitha didn't move from her chair, but yelled back. "Yes mother, I just have a few things left to do!" Her mother did not reply, so Tabitha assumed she had gone off fretting about how unprepared Tabitha was for the school year. She turned back to the blank paper in front of her, glancing momentarily at the owl perched on the back of a chair ready to return to Hermione. Tabitha began to scribble a message back to her cousin:
Dear Hermione,
I'm actually getting ready to leave now; Rory is going to be picking me up for school. This year we are going to be traveling by car, how boring. I think I'd much rather enjoy taking a train, but since the school is within driving distance, the train isn't worth it. You are going to have to say Hello from me to everyone at Hogwarts. I wish I could come back for a visit, but I do not know, this is an important year, since it's coming so close to my final year. I was thinking of teaching, maybe even at Hogwarts, wouldn't that be funny? Anyways, I really have to be going, some things left to pack. Tabitha
The doorbell rang downstairs and she jumped in surprise, accidentally smearing a bit of the letter. Her pet fruit bat Malakai gave a squeal and flapped his wings rapidly, shaking the bars of his cage. She looked over at the bat, "Shush, it's probably just Rory."
The bat squeaked even more. Tabitha laughed "You naughty thing you," She stepped over to the cage, reaching her hand in and picking up a piece of mango that had fallen to the cage floor. Tabitha offered it to the brown bat. It sniffed at the fruit, and after taking delicate nibbles, was satisfied.
There came the sound of footsteps on the stairs drawing near her room. She looked over to her door, chocolate brown eyes shining with anticipation. The door burst open and there stood a familiar figure. It was Rory McCullech, Tabitha's oldest and dearest friend. The 17 year old was tall and thin, with blue eyes that matched the sky outside the window. Her auburn hair, which was usually tied up in a ponytail, hung loose around her shoulders, framing her pretty face, tanned by the summer sun.
"Hey!" Rory yelled as she practically tackled Tabitha to the ground in a hug. Tabitha laughed. Her friend was always so full of energy.
"Hey to you too," she replied, "It's been a while."
"It sure has." Rory picked herself up and offered a hand to her friend. "But we can catch up on the way to school. So are you all ready?"
"I just need to send a letter to Hermione," Tabitha said, gesturing towards her desk, where the owl was still waiting.
Rory grinned. "Alright," she paused a moment, sitting down on the bed, "I've written a buncha letters to Wood over the break. He's doing really well from what he says. He even came to visit me! Did I tell you?"
Tabitha smiled gently, and began to attach the letter to the owl's foot, "Only 500 times." she said teasingly.
Rory gave a sheepish grin and looked towards Tabitha's trunk. "Should I take it down?"
"No, gimme a minute. I'll help," Tabitha replied, finishing with the owl, and opening the window. The bird took off out the open window, soon disappearing over the neighborhood. Tabitha closed the window and picked up Malakai's cage, setting it atop the trunk. "Ready?" Rory nodded, and the two of them began to carry the trunk downstairs.
Tabitha's parents were waiting for them as the reached the bottom of the stairs. Her father, Nicholas, a muggle, was a tall, lanky man with thinning brown hair and friendly green eyes. Her mother, a witch, was a few inches shorter than her husband, with curly blonde hair and brown eyes like her daughter's.
Nicholas put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, smiling at her warmly, "You know you can call on us anytime, right?" he said.
Tabitha nodded, "Yes, Dad. I know. But I'll be fine, really."
"Don't worry, sir," Rory said, putting an arm around her friend, "I'll keep an eye on her."
"Just behave yourselves this year," Annah said, looking worried, "We don't need any bad news coming to us by owl this year."
There was an awkward silence, broken at last by Rory's nervous laughter, "Ok, well, we really gotta get going!" she said, pushing Tabitha towards the door, "We'll send an owl back as soon as we get there, ok?"
Mr. Granger helped the girls with loading the car, while Mrs. Granger forced the girls to take some of the cookies she had just baked. They were mint, one of her specialties. Tabitha smiled, said goodbye again and hopped into the car, Rory took her place in the driver's seat and started the engine, slowly backing out of the driveway.
"Be careful! Don't forget to write me when you get there!" Annah called out. Tabitha gave a nod and leaned back into the seat, ready for the trip ahead of them to the Salem Witches Institute.
Rory looked over at Tabitha who was idly watching the scenery pass, "Are you okay? It's just a year, we've done this before."
Tabitha looked back, giving a quick smile. "Oh, I'm not homesick, I'm thinking Mom and Dad are gonna be the ones who miss having me home the most."
There was a hiss and a squeal from the back of the car. Tabitha turned around, to see Caleum, Rory's black cat. He was eyeing Malakai and hissing. The two had never really gotten along before. Rory called back to her pet "Knock it off back there!" After one last defiant hiss, Caleum gave a single meow and settled down for the ride.
Rory grinned "I can't wait to get back to school for some Quidditch, ya know?" Tabitha nodded and continued to stare out the window. "I wonder how the team's been. I haven't really received many letters from them at all."
Tabitha spoke up, "Hermione mentioned something about a possible tournament again this year."
Rory gripped the wheel of the car, her eyes flashing excitedly, "Are you serious?!"
Tabitha smiled "Yeah, it's a maybe though, depends on how things go this year I guess."
Rory got a competitive look in her eyes, "Well if there is going to be a chance of a tournament, we have definitely got to practice, practice, practice so that we can get first this year!"
Tabitha gave a soft smile and returned her gaze to the trees and landscape passing them by quickly. It wouldn't be long until they arrived at the Institute.
Written by Lauren Eby Edited by Samantha Frank
Chapter 1 "Send It By Owl"
In a room of a small home, of a small town called Westfield, a girl about the age of 17 with long wavy brown hair and equally brown eyes looked over the letter that had come via owl from her cousin over seas. She sighed reading the words over again:
Dear Tabitha,
Hello. It's been a while since I've written you hasn't it? Having the chance to spend time with you at the tournament last year was quite interesting. I really enjoyed it. Your friend Rory was really nice, a bit competitive though. How are things back in America? Here at home I'm getting my things ready for another year at Hogwarts, I can hardly wait to go back to school. From what Ron had told me, there is to be another tournament sometime this year, a rematch. But I have no idea of all the details, so if I am incorrect, I apologize. Anyway, even if there is no tournament you will have to come visit. I miss you, and hope you will have a great year at school!
Hermione
Tabitha smiled; it was nice to get a letter from her younger cousin once in a while. She picked up a pen and prepared to write back but was interrupted by the sound of her mother, Annah Granger, calling up the stairs, "Have you got your things all packed? Rory is going to be picking you up any time now!"
Tabitha didn't move from her chair, but yelled back. "Yes mother, I just have a few things left to do!" Her mother did not reply, so Tabitha assumed she had gone off fretting about how unprepared Tabitha was for the school year. She turned back to the blank paper in front of her, glancing momentarily at the owl perched on the back of a chair ready to return to Hermione. Tabitha began to scribble a message back to her cousin:
Dear Hermione,
I'm actually getting ready to leave now; Rory is going to be picking me up for school. This year we are going to be traveling by car, how boring. I think I'd much rather enjoy taking a train, but since the school is within driving distance, the train isn't worth it. You are going to have to say Hello from me to everyone at Hogwarts. I wish I could come back for a visit, but I do not know, this is an important year, since it's coming so close to my final year. I was thinking of teaching, maybe even at Hogwarts, wouldn't that be funny? Anyways, I really have to be going, some things left to pack. Tabitha
The doorbell rang downstairs and she jumped in surprise, accidentally smearing a bit of the letter. Her pet fruit bat Malakai gave a squeal and flapped his wings rapidly, shaking the bars of his cage. She looked over at the bat, "Shush, it's probably just Rory."
The bat squeaked even more. Tabitha laughed "You naughty thing you," She stepped over to the cage, reaching her hand in and picking up a piece of mango that had fallen to the cage floor. Tabitha offered it to the brown bat. It sniffed at the fruit, and after taking delicate nibbles, was satisfied.
There came the sound of footsteps on the stairs drawing near her room. She looked over to her door, chocolate brown eyes shining with anticipation. The door burst open and there stood a familiar figure. It was Rory McCullech, Tabitha's oldest and dearest friend. The 17 year old was tall and thin, with blue eyes that matched the sky outside the window. Her auburn hair, which was usually tied up in a ponytail, hung loose around her shoulders, framing her pretty face, tanned by the summer sun.
"Hey!" Rory yelled as she practically tackled Tabitha to the ground in a hug. Tabitha laughed. Her friend was always so full of energy.
"Hey to you too," she replied, "It's been a while."
"It sure has." Rory picked herself up and offered a hand to her friend. "But we can catch up on the way to school. So are you all ready?"
"I just need to send a letter to Hermione," Tabitha said, gesturing towards her desk, where the owl was still waiting.
Rory grinned. "Alright," she paused a moment, sitting down on the bed, "I've written a buncha letters to Wood over the break. He's doing really well from what he says. He even came to visit me! Did I tell you?"
Tabitha smiled gently, and began to attach the letter to the owl's foot, "Only 500 times." she said teasingly.
Rory gave a sheepish grin and looked towards Tabitha's trunk. "Should I take it down?"
"No, gimme a minute. I'll help," Tabitha replied, finishing with the owl, and opening the window. The bird took off out the open window, soon disappearing over the neighborhood. Tabitha closed the window and picked up Malakai's cage, setting it atop the trunk. "Ready?" Rory nodded, and the two of them began to carry the trunk downstairs.
Tabitha's parents were waiting for them as the reached the bottom of the stairs. Her father, Nicholas, a muggle, was a tall, lanky man with thinning brown hair and friendly green eyes. Her mother, a witch, was a few inches shorter than her husband, with curly blonde hair and brown eyes like her daughter's.
Nicholas put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, smiling at her warmly, "You know you can call on us anytime, right?" he said.
Tabitha nodded, "Yes, Dad. I know. But I'll be fine, really."
"Don't worry, sir," Rory said, putting an arm around her friend, "I'll keep an eye on her."
"Just behave yourselves this year," Annah said, looking worried, "We don't need any bad news coming to us by owl this year."
There was an awkward silence, broken at last by Rory's nervous laughter, "Ok, well, we really gotta get going!" she said, pushing Tabitha towards the door, "We'll send an owl back as soon as we get there, ok?"
Mr. Granger helped the girls with loading the car, while Mrs. Granger forced the girls to take some of the cookies she had just baked. They were mint, one of her specialties. Tabitha smiled, said goodbye again and hopped into the car, Rory took her place in the driver's seat and started the engine, slowly backing out of the driveway.
"Be careful! Don't forget to write me when you get there!" Annah called out. Tabitha gave a nod and leaned back into the seat, ready for the trip ahead of them to the Salem Witches Institute.
Rory looked over at Tabitha who was idly watching the scenery pass, "Are you okay? It's just a year, we've done this before."
Tabitha looked back, giving a quick smile. "Oh, I'm not homesick, I'm thinking Mom and Dad are gonna be the ones who miss having me home the most."
There was a hiss and a squeal from the back of the car. Tabitha turned around, to see Caleum, Rory's black cat. He was eyeing Malakai and hissing. The two had never really gotten along before. Rory called back to her pet "Knock it off back there!" After one last defiant hiss, Caleum gave a single meow and settled down for the ride.
Rory grinned "I can't wait to get back to school for some Quidditch, ya know?" Tabitha nodded and continued to stare out the window. "I wonder how the team's been. I haven't really received many letters from them at all."
Tabitha spoke up, "Hermione mentioned something about a possible tournament again this year."
Rory gripped the wheel of the car, her eyes flashing excitedly, "Are you serious?!"
Tabitha smiled "Yeah, it's a maybe though, depends on how things go this year I guess."
Rory got a competitive look in her eyes, "Well if there is going to be a chance of a tournament, we have definitely got to practice, practice, practice so that we can get first this year!"
Tabitha gave a soft smile and returned her gaze to the trees and landscape passing them by quickly. It wouldn't be long until they arrived at the Institute.
