Bright light hit my face. It felt like the sun was stabbing my eyes or trying to peel open my eye lids. I lay there on my bed for a moment and immediately started wishing and hoping for my 11th birthday. That was when I realized. Today was May 6th. Today was the day!
"Maddy! Maddy, wake up!" I rolled over and hopped out of bed, climbing up the ladder to the top bunk. "Maddy! Maddy, it's morning! We're eleven! Finally! Hurry, wake up!" Maddy's eyes popped open and she stared at me silently with wide eyes before both of us squealed before running out of our room and down the stairs.
"MUM! MUM!" We chorused together as we ran into the kitchen. Mum stood in front of the stove waving her wand directing the items being cooked as well as the dishes being scrubbed in the sink. Oh how I couldn't wait till I could do magic. She turned and smiled with that lovely warm smile mum always wore and pulled us both into a big hug.
"Maddy! Ellie! Happy birthday, my darling sweethearts! Are you excited? Today is a big day. Now go on upstairs and change into your clothes for the day. Percy promised he would be here… Now off you go!" We ran back up the stairs and changed out of our pajamas. I couldn't believe I was finally 11. Finally it was happening! All my dreams were about to come true! I would be able to enroll at Hogwarts! I could learn magic, get my own wand, learn spells and be sorted into a house! And I would be able to do it all with my best friend: Maddy. This was going to be the best year of my life. I just knew it.
Together, Maddy and I ran back to the kitchen and plopped into chairs around our dining table. Fidgeting with excitement, we awaited the arrival of the rest of our family. Percy, who almost never showed up to anything, had promised to come today according to Mum and I really hoped he would. We barely ever saw him and I just seemed to have this feeling around him that something was different about him. Maybe the reason I felt drawn to him was because deep down, I knew something was different about me, even though I never wanted to admit it. Just then, footsteps could be heard stomping up the steps and in walked Bill, our eldest brother. Maddy jumped up and ran over and hugged while I slowly made my way over. I liked Bill okay, but he always just seemed so much older and scary to me; Maddy on the other hand loved him. Mum, open-armed and teary-eyed, walked over to her eldest and gave him a big hug. I knew she must miss him and the others who had already moved out dearly. I always looked up to Mum for that. She loved all her children no matter how many she had or how long it had been since she had seen them.
A few minutes later, Fred and George, Ginny, and Ron came downstairs; Ron rubbing his eyes and complaining about how early it was.
"Oh, c'mon Ron," I teased," it's already noon, you lazy bum."
"Hey, watch what you're saying there you little—"
"Don't, Ronald Weasley." Mum butted in, "Just stop while you're behind. Treat them right, it's their big day."
"Yeah, yeah…" I giggled to myself at Ron's mumbling. He always got on my nerves.
Everyone assembled downstairs and yet we were still missing Charlie and Percy. Mum started fretting and worrying about them not showing up—especially Percy. She pulled dad away from all of kids babbling on and on and about Hogwarts, but I noticed her go and listened in.
"Oh, Arthur, what if Percy doesn't show? And Charlie should be here by now. Where could he be?"
"Molly, everything will be okay. Just trust that your sons will show. I know Percy has been having some…issues as of late but don't completely give up on him yet. And I'm sure Charlie has a very good reason for being late. So don't worry. It'll all be okay." He hugged her and then both of them returned to the table where we were all loudly discussing what the purpose could possibly be for the Slytherin House. I quickly turned my eyes back to the conversation and reinserted myself. But I continued to wonder what Dad could have meant about Percy having issues. What could they be about? I thought he was just busy and couldn't make it down to see us. Was there some reason other being busy for his absence at all of our family functions? Was there something wrong with our family? I continued to wonder but tried not to let it upset me too much. After all, it was my big day; mine and Maddy's biggest and most important day yet.
A few hours later, after "'Happy Birthday' had been sung and cake had been cut, we were all settling down open up presents. Neither Percy nor Charlie had shown, but, we all moved on and hoped that nothing had happened. Right as Maddy and I were about to open our first present, a scuffle was heard outside and as we all turned towards the door, in walked Charlie with a rough hand on none other than the elbow of Percy.
"Charlie! Percy!" Mum gasped out loud as we all jumped up. I stood with my mouth open-wide before I jumped over the small coffee table and threw my arms around Percy's waist, burying my face in his chest.
"Percy! I'm so glad you showed up. Thank you for coming!" I heard him grunt and reply, "You...you are welcome Eleanor." He gave me a quick hug before pulling away and walking over to Mum. "Sorry I'm late. I was…held up at the office."
"Yeah," butted in Charlie. "You were held up at the office for sure. I had to drag you away."
"Oh, be quiet you two. I'm just happy you both showed." Mum hugged them both and then waved them over to the living room where everyone was waiting for us to open our presents.
"I'm sorry we were late, Mum. I would have come and brought Perce sooner, but I've been busy working on things for the Tournament." I whipped around and stared at Charlie.
"What tournament, Charlie? Some special dragon tournament happening in Romania? Can I come? Please?"
"Whoa, slow your horses little lady. No it's not happening in Romania actually. But, it is a special tournament. It only happens every—"
"Charlie, don't you know you're not supposed to reveeeal information about The Tournament to anyone? Not even your family? I thought you of all people would know better." I was astonished at how abruptly Percy had cut off Charlie. Why was he so angry and uptight about this? Was it really that big a secret?
"Oh come off it, Weatherby. Don't be such an uptight—"
"Boys…" Mum's commanding voice interrupted Fred before he went too far and started an all out war with Percy. "Not today." She glared at both Fred and George before turning to Charlie and Percy, "Well I'm glad you both could make it. Now let's enjoy the rest of the girls' day shall we?" Mum could always end a fight before it began. She was good at that.