"Aurora Bethany Lynx!" my uncle, Romulus, bellowed. "Get down here now!"

I was currently sleeping off a headache, which I had gotten from falling off a fence. I had been challenged by Argius to do so. He thought now that he was fifteen and "older" than me that he was also more able than me. I walked along the top of the fence to shut him up. I had done similar stunts to shut up other students who thought they were really ace. Many of the Durmstrang boys can be that way.

What, you ask, is a girl doing at Durmstrang? I am living with my Uncle Romulus, the Herbology teacher. I board in a small room off his office. It was only slightly larger than a broom closet. Thank God I am not claustrophobic. I am usually not there anyway.

"Rory!" my uncle yelled once more.

I kicked my long pale legs off the bench I was lying on. I stood up lazily. I was on the third level of the Herbology green house where there was a little sanctuary. I pulled my dark blond hair back. It had some dark brown in it too. It went a couple inches past my shoulder and was quite thick. It was pin straight. Sometimes I wish I had curly hair. My uncle says my mother's hair was curly. I fixed my navy sweater and denim pants. I went down the stairs slowly.

"Hurry or we'll miss the first Quidditch match," Uncle Romulus urged.

I grunted a response. My uncle was tall and broad shouldered. I had his height but a slender frame. Do not let that fool you. I can hold my own in a fight very well. I crossed my arms as we walked to the pitch. It was warm for this far up North for September. I still pulled the sleeves of my sweater over my hands to keep them warm.

I sat next to my uncle in the stands. He was waving his blue flag with a star on it for the North house. The South house had a polar bear on a red flag. The West house had a beaver on a pale yellow flag. The East house had a gray eye on a forest green flag. Professor Swarvosk sat next to us in the yellow and brown colors of the West house.

I watched the match half-heartedly. I am usually very excited about Quidditch, but today was different. All day I had been feeling anxious. It was not a good type of anxiousness though. My muscles had been getting tenser every hour. I played with a button on my sweater. The next time my uncle spoke I jumped.

"A nice match, wouldn't you agree, Rory?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, it was very nice," I responded. "Very fair, too."

"Fair? Those bloody West Beaters knocked our Keeper off his broom with their bats!"

"Really?"

"Yes. Were you even paying attention? It is not like you to be so out of it."

"Don't act like you know me you foul liar!" I suddenly screamed. Even I had no idea where that came from. "I heard the Howler you got the other day! Gram yelled at you for selling our home! That was my mother's house! That was the only thing I had of her besides this stupid necklace!"

I ripped off the necklace with the lion claw. I threw it at my uncle. I ran down the stands. I watched the ground as I ran. I opened the door without looking up. I went down the stone steps to the kitchen. I had lived on campus during the school year since I was five. I knew my way around very well. I slid into the kitchen unnoticed by everyone but the head chef, Hilda. She was short and squat but kind and caring.

"Dear child, what's wrong?" she asked. She still had a little bit of her Irish brogue. She had moved here almost thirty-five years ago to marry a man up here.

"Uncle Romulus sold my mother's house," I said.

She clicked her tongue. "For a fourth year you act so childish sometimes."

"But it was my mother's-"

"I was not talking about that, dear. I meant that bruise on your head. I heard about your tumble." She winked. "But that boy learned his lesson. I heard you gave him a box in the ear."
I blushed a little. Sometimes I act a little bit too much on impulse. I do not realize how rash my actions are until later. "I shouldn't have."

"Well, you can't go changing the past, can you? Take a seat, sweets, I just finished some corn bread. You can taste test it."

I sat at the counter. Hilda gave me a piece of cornbread. I tore some off bit by bit. Crumbs fell all over me. Every now and then I brushed them away. I recounted the whole Quidditch episode to Hilda. At the end she patted my hand.

"You have every right to be narked," she approved. "Your uncle should buy the house back. I can't imagine why he would sell it. It was his sister's house."

"Exactly!" I took another bite of corn bread. "I don't get how he could-"

"Ms. Lynx."

I got up to face the door. I smiled when I saw Professor Swarvosk in the doorway. She was wearing a purple robe. She was the astronomy teacher. Her brown hair was in a braid, making her appear younger than she really was. She was short but slight. She walked right into the kitchen. She hugged Hilda.

"Hello, Ma," she said. She turned to me. "Rory, we need to talk about your little outburst."

"You're right on time. We just started talking about it."

"Not just you and me. Your uncle, too."

"No. I refuse to speak to him."

"You need to know why he is renting the house out to others."

"Renting? But Gram said he sold it."

"No. He's renting it out for extra money. You know how your grandmother exaggerates everything."

"Yes, I know. But what does he need extra money for?"

"Your tuition."

"Durmstrang doesn't have tuition."

She twirled her braid. "I know." She checked her watch. "Come with me. I I'll help you get ready. Your grandmother is coming to visit."

"I hate this," I complained to Professor Swarvosk.

"I know, but you'll only have to put up with it for a few hours," she assured. She leaned on my uncle's desk. "How about we go to the pitch after this? I want to show you this new move I came up with."

"Sure."

"Brilliant. Have fun."

Professor Swarvosk left. I was now alone in my uncle's office. I tugged on the end of my blue dress. It came to my knees. I clicked the heels of my flats together. The dress was short sleeve so I wore a purple sweater. I pulled it tight around myself. I fixed the headband in my hair. I swung my legs back and forth. There was a paper on the desk. I leaned forward to see if it had anything to do with who was renting my home. The door opened before I saw anything.

Gram gave me a hug. She went through all the usual niceties. I stayed quiet. She sat in the chair next to mine. My uncle sat at his desk.

"Have you told her yet?" Gram asked Uncle Romulus.

"Told me what?" I asked anxiously.

"No, not yet," Uncle Romulus said. He took a deep breath. "Rory, you are transferring to Beaxbaton Academy."

I actually laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"Of course not!" Gram exclaimed. "Everything has been arranged. We leave at dawn tomorrow."

"Dawn?"

"Yes, dawn. I swear you're worse than your mother when it comes to waking up early."

I crossed my arms resolutely. "I won't go."

"You will get the finest education at Beaxbaton."

"I'm already getting the finest education here."

"For what price? You are the most unladylike young woman I know. You are nothing more than a dirty little tomboy!"

"I mind my manners when I both need to and want to."

"That is not proper."

"What is not proper is taking someone from their home," I shot back.

She stood up. Gram is a small woman, but when she wants to she can look like a giant. "You are going to Beaxbaton Academy and that is final!" She sat back down. She fixed her skirt. "So, dear," she said to my uncle, "how was the Quidditch match this morning?"