Wow, two chapters in the same day! I must have a lot of time on my hands! Hope you enjoy!

"I think you will really enjoy this place up ahead darling, I come here often for a bite to eat, it's a bit of a sport's bar but they've got the best fish and chips in town." Aunt Heather exclaimed loudly over her shoulder to Bianca, who was sitting in the back of the Mini Cooper as they drove through the town. They had gone shopping for the past three hours, a very tiresome task for Bianca, who hated both shopping and her aunt. However, Heather didn't seem to notice, or she didn't care that Bianca was being extremely cold towards her. Bianca had still not told her that she had seen the orange-juice-soaked letter, but she had barely said one word to her aunt since they had left the cottage. She was an expert at shunning people: she had done it to her dad for two weeks after the divorce. She didn't have a problem doing it for a few hours.

They came to an abrupt stop in a parking lot at the side of the wooden cottage. There was a dark blue sign out front that read "The Great Dane Pub." A bell on the door jingled as they pulled open the front door. They took a seat at bar stool at the corner. Immediately, a waitress came over and filled their glasses with water. Aunt Heather ordered two fish and chips for both of them and they sat in silence. Bianca sipped her water coldly, and the only sound that could be heard in the awkward quiet was Top Gear playing on the television.

"Tonight: I wear a hat. James wears a hat. And Richard is behind a low wall."

"So, is there anything troubling you lately... Bianca?" asked Aunt Heather after a few moments in silence.

"Hm?"

"Well, you haven't said anything really since we left my place about three hours ago," she replied.

"No." she said.

"Just homesick honey?"

"Umhm."

"Good, well not good, but I'm glad there isn't a big problem or anything."

They drank in silence once more for a few minutes before Bianca spoke again.

"Are we staying here all day?"

"What honey, well, I was thinking that we would... why? Do you want to go home? There really isn't anything to do there."

However, Bianca was not given a chance to reply because at that moment, their food arrived. Fish and chips, steaming hot and extremely tasty looking were placed in front of two very hungry people. Suddenly, right as Bianca was about to dig into her fish, Aunt Heather reached under her plate and snatched away a piece of cream colored paper.

"Hey!" cried Bianca. Aunt Heather's eyes were skimming the paper behind her bag, so that Bianca could not see what it was. Aunt Heather's face grew pale, and suddenly grabbed her purse and the paper and stood up. She slapped some money down on the table and grabbed Bianca's arm.

"Come on Bianca, let's get out of this crazy place," she exclaimed, dragging her out the door. They jumped into the Mini and sped out of the parking lot.

"Why did we leave Heather? I was just about to eat my fish! I'm so hungry!" Bianca exclaimed.

Aunt Heather was silent, staring stonily ahead at the road.

"Is this about the paper that was stuck under my plate?"

Silence.

"What was it? It looked a little bit like the letter that I got in the mail this morning..."

"NO! You do not know what you are talking about! It was nothing like that letter! It was just... business advertising."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't know what you are getting into young lady."

"Why did we leave then?"

"That, Bianca Rosa De Luca, is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

Taken aback by her aunt's sudden outburst, Bianca was considering taking no for an answer. But she was a De Luca, and they were known for their stubbornness. She was also a Thompson, and they were known for their curiosity.

"Yes it is."

"What?!"

"That letter was addressed to me. It is my business."

"You stubborn little girl, no it isn't."

"Why?"

"It just isn't, Ok? Now, leave me alone!"

"Or?"

"Or what?"

"What will you do if I don't leave you alone?"

"Bianca, please, this has been a very hard day, I need a little break to catch up. Things are happening so fast, I need to make choices and you may not be happy with them. However, I don't care. You don't understand the magnitude of what you are involving yourself in. This means the world to your father and I don't want to be the one to mess it up."

"This involves my dad?"

"Yes. Please, honey, stop with the questions for now, I need to concentrate on the road."

Bianca was silent for a little while, trying to take in all that her aunt had told her. Or not told her. However...

"I have one more question."

"Just one please."

"Where are we going?"

"Away."

Away from what? Bianca was thinking. Who kept sending her letters, sneaking them into her food and stuffing them into her aunt's mailbox? They were very desperate for her to go to Hogwarts. Aunt Heather, well Aunt Heather and her father, really didn't want her to go, but she couldn't figure out why. Suddenly, a thought came to her that would explain the secrecy, the trip, and the letters. Her mom. What if this involved her mom?

Bianca never knew exactly why her mom and dad had gotten a divorce. After she had overheard the conversation from the top of the stairs, she had assumed that something horrible had happened while they went to dinner that night. However, she never had had the guts to ask her father exactly what. Something told her that he wouldn't tell her. Her mom had complicated everything from her and her dad's relationship to making friends at school. Why could she not be complicating this mess too?

They drove for hours into the deep countryside, where they sometimes did not see another car for a half and hour at a time. With each mile further from town they got, Aunt Heather seemed to relax a little more, until she was reclining in her seat, her hand hanging out the window and a smile on her face. The sun was beginning to set, and the cool breeze blew back through the window towards Bianca in the back seat.

Suddenly, Aunt Heather screamed and swerved over to the side of the road, a cream colored envelope sticking to her face. Bianca reached forward and peeled it off while Heather slammed on the brakes. Aunt Heather snatched it out of her hand and her face grew paler than it had in the restaurant.

"They found us." she muttered. Violently, she ripped the envelope into a thousand tiny pieces, which she threw outside the car.

"Roll up all the windows!" she screamed at Bianca, who did her bidding extremely quickly, her own fear growing with every passing second. They sat in dead silence for a few minutes, the forest casting eerie shadows in the setting sunlight.

Aunt Heather suddenly gave a scream, as the sunroof opened and thousands of cream colored envelopes poured into the car, flooding them in a sea of paper. Bianca grabbed at one and tore it open, while her Aunt opened the doors to sweep the letters out. She gave a gasp as Bianca unfolded it and reached towards her to grab it away, but sighed and sat back when she realized how hopeless her attempt would be.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Severus Potter (Order of Merlin Second Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump)

Dear Miss De Luca,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl no later than July 31st.

Yours Sincerely,

Rose Weasley

Deputy Headmistress

Bianca's mouth dropped open. Surely, this was a joke. A school for wizards and witches? If it was a prank, it was the most elaborate one she had ever seen. However, when she looked over at her aunt, she knew immediately that this was no hoax.

"I believe," began Aunt Heather, "That I have a story to tell you."