Chapter One: A New Kind Of Student

Mercedes Hawthorne sat in her chair by the window, her head propped in her hands, staring out the window into the starry sky. She'd been in London with her family for two days now, but the Hogwarts headmaster had still not come up for a time or date to meet.

This was so weird. Mercedes had just gotten out of school, celebrated her Sweet Sixteen, and was getting ready for junior year in high school, when this happened. She was going to go on a beach trip for a week with her brother, sister, boyfriend Johnny, and her best group of girlfriends. Then her mother and father called her into the living room for some important news.

"Alright, guys, here's the thing," said Mr. Hawthorne. "Otto has finally been able to get through to Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry headmaster, and you're to start on the 1st of September."

At that, Mercedes felt a rush of anger. She was impulsive like that. She was always having major mood swings, and when she acted, she did on the spur of the moment. She never thought of the consequences, which were usually "dire."

"When did Otto think of consulting us?" growled Mercedes angrily.

"Now Cedy, pronounced "Sadie" don't get angry. Your powers have been more and more conspicuous, and if they were found out, you would become instant lab rats. Now, especially with Lord Voldemort back on the radar, and planning to conquer more than one country, you have to learn all the uses of your powers, and the use of a wand."

"We get a wand?" perked up Ezekiel Hawthorne.

"Shut up, bird brain," grumbled Quinnella Hawthorne.

"So you just expect us to up and leave our schools, our friends, our lives, AMERICA, just to go to some God-forsaken wizarding school across the ocean?!"

"Yes," said her mother.

"I'm not going," said Mercedes simply.

This is why, a week later, Mercedes called up Johnny, and her two best friends Jill and Nalia, to tell them she couldn't go to the beach house.

"What? Why? Did you do something wrong? How could you do that?" asked Nalia in a rush.

"Have twice as much fun for me, Nalia. I have a family affair I have to take part in," said Mercedes glumly.

Johnny wasn't home, but he came over the next day, and Mercedes explained it all. Except for the wizard-related parts.
Sorry guys, I gotta go, but I will be back!!!

Byness!!

Hello all! Umm…I have the rest of Chapter One, and I'll add some Chapter Two for all of your enjoyment. Please people, come visit my fic!!!

"I've gotta go to London," said Mercedes carefully.

"London?" repeated Johnny.

"Yeah, see, we're having this conflict within our family that needs resolving before the problem gets way out of hand." Mercedes wasn't lying. These powers have been going through stages since she was four. She only just went through another last month. It's just the way she said it that made it sound like a lie.

"When were you planning on telling us this, anyway?" asked Johnny.

"I just found out last week!" Mercedes declared indignantly.

Johnny sighed. "When will you be back from England?"

Mercedes really didn't have the heart to tell him she might not be back for another two years. So she said, "I don't know."

"You'll be back in time for school, right?"

"Yeah, duh," said Mercedes, feigning a cheerful smile.

"See, that's what I like about you Cedy," Johnny said, kissing Mercedes' cheek lightly. "You're always keeping an optimistic attitude during the worst of times."

'Ever heard of fake optimism?' said Mercedes inwardly.

Ezekiel and Quinnella (a.k.a. Zeke and Quinn) had their friends to tell this sad news, too.

A week later, they were off on an airplane to London, England. This brings us back to Mercedes, staring out her window at half past midnight, wishing she were back home, safe and snug in Revere, Massachusetts. She stared at the moon, and saw a face. 'The man on the moon must be pretty sad too, what with being away from earth for over 3000 years,' thought Cedy. She felt the same way.

Finally, Mercedes ripped her gaze away from the moon and got under the covers of her hotel bed.