Author's Note:

Thank you soooooooo much everyone who review my past five chapters! I really love the support and feedback. (I also would greatly appreciate some more reviews!) I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!

The blinding sunlight streaming through the tower windows woke Bianca up the next morning bright and early at 6:00. She sat up and stretched before stepping onto the plush blue carpeting around the giant four-poster bed. It felt soft and squishy beneath her bare feet, and for once, she was glad to have come to England. The tempting aroma of freshly baked sweet rolls beckoned, and after slipping into her robe, she went down the spiral stair case.

Passing the closed door of the mysterious storage room, Bianca opened the door to the kitchen. However, she immediately closed it again and quickly hid behind a sofa. Aunt Heather was on the phone, and Bianca was positive it was a conversation that was supposed to be private. Her conscience told her to go back up to bed, but curiosity got the better of her and she leaned in and listened.

"Oh, no, it's not too early, I get up at 5:30 to play with the cats...What? ... I don't know, we haven't gotten anything... you got it?! ... And...? Oh my gosh, no I won't tell her... who does that now... well I guess Professor Bones was getting a little old for that job... did it come by... yeah that's what I thought, owls were always the best. No, I'm sure they won't make her go if that's what you want... are you sure, she probably inherited some natural ability from you... well, whatever you want Carlo..."

Carlo. That was her dad her aunt was talking too.

"I don't know, I always thought Hogwarts was the best place for kids like her... Oh well, guess this is good bye... yeah..."

Bianca quickly backed away from the door and careful not to wake the sleeping cats, dashed back up the staircase. All the while, she was thinking hard. Hogwarts? What was Hogwarts? It sounded like a special school for gifted children. Why would she go to a gifted school? She was horrible at school, well, she was sure she would be great but she never applied herself. However, it didn't matter if she wanted to go to the gifted school or not, her dad had decided that she would not. Her aunt must really want her to go thought. And what did owls always do best?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the kitchen door creaking open. She faked a yawn as she strolled down the stairs innocently.

"Good morning sunshine, how did you sleep? Is the tower comfortable enough for you?"

"Hello Heather. Yes, I slept fine, the tower is wonderful... are those morning buns I smell?"

"Why yes, I baked them especially for you dear," she replied. "You can come and eat breakfast anytime you want." She turned around the leave.

"Heather?"

She turned back around. "Yes Bianca?"

Bianca stopped, unsure why she had said anything. She was about to ask Aunt Heather about the phone call. Thinking quickly, she said, "Um, nothing, I was just wondering what... we are going to do today."

Aunt Heather smiled at her. "I was just thinking I could take you around town for a little while. And I'm sure you have to get situated after your long journey." With that, she turned around to walk back into the kitchen. Over her shoulder she called, "Oh, while you're standing there doing nothing, be a dear and go grab the mail, won't you sweetie?"

With a sigh, Bianca pulled on her slippers and walked out the door and down the long driveway to the Aunt Heather's dark green mailbox. Opening the letter box, she found a few pieces of mail. She closed the flap and flipped through the envelopes. Bills, bills, advertisements, more bills, the morning paper, bills... and a letter.

It was a cream colored envelope with a wax stamp on the back. The address of the recipient was written in elaborate cursive using purple ink. It was addressed to 'Miss Bianca De Luca, 7364 Stoney Creek Lane, Lincolnshire, England.' The return address was to Hogwarts.

Bianca's heart quickened. She was right. Hogwarts did want her to come to their school! She rarely ever got letters, and each time she did, it was extremely special as a result. It looked very official, and she resisted the urge to rip it open then and there on Aunt Heather's driveway. However, she grabbed the rest of her aunt's mail and ran back up the driveway in her slippers.

Slamming the front door open, she dashed into the kitchen. "Auntie, I mean Heather, I got a letter!" she screamed. She slapped the mail down on the kitchen counter and held the letter in front of her startled aunt's face. "I never ever get mail!" she said excitedly.

Aunt Heather was skimming the front of the letter, her eyes widening as she got further and further down the page. Finally, when she read the return address up the the top left corner, her face turned pale. Her hands were shaking as she set it carefully on the countertop.

"Well, Bianca, what a, um, pleasant surprise. So, honey, what do you know about... Hogwarts. Have you heard of it at all before?"

Deciding on the spot to play dumb, she said, "No, what is it?"

"It's... sort of a school for... gifted children. I'm, well, just a little startled. I hadn't expected a letter from them for... quite some time yet."

"So you knew I was going to get a letter?"

"Yes, well, I was pretty sure you would, because your father went there as a child." she replied. "We will... have to think about it a little. For now though, let's forget about Hogwarts and have some breakfast." She grabbed the tray of morning buns and carried them out into the dinning room. Bianca followed suit and sat down at the round wooden dining table. Heather poured her some orange juice and put a bun onto her plate, along with some strawberries and a banana.

"I'm going to go set the juice back in the kitchen Bianca, ok?" she asked.

Bianca couldn't reply because her mouth was full of sticky, sweet, morning bun. However, she gave Heather a thumbs up and smiled. Her aunt returned immediately to the kitchen and shut the door. Bianca chewed happily on her breakfast. A few seconds later, Aunt Heather came back into the room, a very fake looking smile on her face.

"When you're finished, I was thinking we could take a trip into town, maybe look in some shops or something like that, stretch your legs and stuff." she said. "Ok?"

"Yeah that sounds great," she replied unenthusiastically. What about opening her very important letter?

"Lovely," Aunt Heather replied, visibly brightening. "I'll go grab my purse." She turned on her heels and walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

Quickly, and careful not the bump the table, Bianca jumped up and dashed into the kitchen to retrieve her letter. However, when she opened the door, a sorry sight awaited her. The letter was lying on the counter, soaking wet and curling at the edges. The beautiful penmanship and purple ink was smeared so she could read none of the word she could before. The pitcher of orange juice was laying on it's side next to the letter, one edge on cutting board. The juice was leaking out of the side and running down the countertops.

Bianca's eyes opened wide, unsure what to think. Aunt Heather had gone into the kitchen to put the juice away, she must have bumped the pitcher on her way out the door. How could she have not noticed?

Slowly and quietly, Bianca snuck out of the kitchen. She left her half finished morning bun on the kitchen table and sulked back into her tower.

"Bianca, where are you sweetie!? We're leaving for town right now!" screamed a voice from downstairs. Bianca sighed as she put on her coat and stomped down the stairs. To think that that morning she was happy to have come to England: It was the worst place on earth.