I laid on my bed, staring up at my paint-splattered ceiling. Still three weeks until school started. I was so bored around the house, doing nothing. Mum was at work a lot these days, trying to keep the Harbingers under control. I never said it, but I was a bit scared for her. She seemed to be the biggest target, and I think that was because she'd foiled their plans so many times. Already, I'd heard about the death of a man named Christopher Peters. He'd been a friend of Mum's, and also of Al and me. It had been hard to take.

"Argh!"

I shot off the bed and ran out of my room, following the grunting sounds of my brother. "Al!" I called. "What's the matter?"

"Your b-bloody bird is th-the matter!" he exclaimed as I entered the kitchen. I had to keep myself from laughing. He was covered in milk from his flipped cereal bowl, and he was trying in vain to push an excited owl away.

I shook my head, chunky earrings jangling. I was five feet, four inches tall, freckled, had deep red hair like my mum, and she told me I had gray eyes like my dad. I liked to wear headbands and chunky jewelry, and I had a habit of slipping into a cockney way of speaking sometimes, which I received from my best friend, Mickey.

My brother and fraternal twin, Alastor Troy, had red hair, some freckles, and brown eyes. He took to wearing casual button-up shirts with the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms, along with Converse shoes and the occasional tie wrapped around his head. He stuttered badly, but he wasn't very shy, and he liked to laugh. We looked a lot alike, but not enough for some people to guess we were twins.

I whistled. "Come here, Leo!"

The owl happily flew in my direction. I let him land on my shoulder and nuzzle me a bit, then I took the letter from his leg. "What've you got for me, Leo?"

Leo was my very own tawny owl. He was named for the artist Leonardo Da Vinci, because I liked him. Al, on the other hand, had been given an odd animal. The family pet, a shape-shifter named Merlin, had run off with some cat or dog or some such animal, and we were left with him and his shape-shifting spawn. She wasn't purple, like Merlin. She was brown with black spots. She could transform into any animal, as long as it had fur. Merlin could be any animal, but his daughter was only part shape-shifter, so it made sense. Al had named her Panacea, the goddess of healing.

"See, m-my pet doesn't d-do that!" he said in irritation, wiping milk off his face.

"Hush a moment, I'm reading." I told him, scanning the letter. "Well, what do you know. It's an invitation."

"To what?"

"Vacation." I said. "The Weasleys and the Potters are going on a family trip, and they've invited us."

"W-what about Mickey?" he asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Hang on." I said, reading more carefully this time. "Yep. Grandma says Mickey can come, too." I smirked. "I'm sure she thinks it's for our sake. But James will be plenty pleased."

"H-how can you b-be so sure he likes her?" Al asked.

"It's obvious." I said. "Just because they haven't seen it doesn't mean no one else has. Don't tell me you haven't, either, I know you have."

He didn't answer, so I took Leo into my room and picked up my phone to invite Mickey. I could have sent her a letter using Leo, but it freaked her family out less when I called.

But, just as I was flipping through the contacts, she called me.

"Great timing, Mick." I said. "I was just about to call you."

"That's great. Erm... Can I come over?"

I was a bit taken aback. "Why?"

"Things at my place... aren't too good right now. If I could maybe..."

I found myself nodding, then I realized she couldn't see that. "Yeah, of course. Do you remember how to use the Floo Powder?"

She snorted. "Was I supposed to forget? After last year? Not bloody likely."

I grinned. "Good. Come over, then."

I hung up and went into the living room to wait. "Al!" I called. "Can you get the dustbin?"

"Why?"

"We're going to need it."

A few moments later, a tall black teenager with crazy black curls came tumbling out of the fireplace, her jeans and violet vest covered in soot. "Wotcher, Arty." she said brightly, dusting herself off as she stood.

"Teddy's not here, Mick, it's no good." I said, helping her up. Mickey had a sort of crush on Teddy Lupin, who was in seventh year. He said 'wotcher' all the time, which was weird, since it was really old slang for, "What are you doing?" Mickey had, unfortunately, decided this was a good way to get his attention, so she said it whenever he was around.

"Hi, M-Mickey." said Al, starting to sweep up the ashes.

"Al!" she exclaimed, giving him a hug. He grinned, not bothering to dust off his clothes afterward. "I've got a present for you! Well, actually, one for both of you, but his is cool."

"Oh, thanks, Mickey." I said, rolling my eyes and grinning as we all sat on the couch. She produced two small boxes from her pockets and, after checking the tags, handed one to each of us. I wasted no time in ripping off the wrapping paper and opening the box. Inside were two large, colorful hoop earrings; just the way I liked them.

"Mick, these are fabulous!" I exclaimed, hugging her. "Thank you!"

"Do you like yours, Al?" she asked, looking over at my brother on her other side.

He was staring into his own shallow box, looking surprised. "Th-thank you, Mickey." he said.

"Well, what is it, then?" I asked, leaning over.

He reached in and pulled out a necklace. I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, now that's beautiful."

The chain was thick and spirally, and it was gold. The pendant on the end was a caduceus, the symbol of doctors. It was shiny, not too big, and not too feminine. Perfect for Al.

We both had figured out what we want to be. Well, mostly. I was still between a professor at Hogwarts and an artist. But Al was dead set on being a Healer at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Ever since he watched them heal Uncle Harry after a Harbinger attack, he wanted to be the one to make people well again.

"How much did this cost?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" Mickey replied. "Happy birthday."

I grinned at my earrings for another moment before I remembered what I had been calling Mickey for in the first place. "Oh, right. You want to go on vacation with us, the Weasleys, and the Potters?"

She bit her lip. "I don't know..."

"Please?" said Al.

"It depends." she said. "Like, on my mum. If she lets me. I don't know if I can convince her..."

"Teddy's gonna be there," I sang.

"Where's your phone?"