I finished the tea and set the cup in the sink. Miles came through the door. He was all bundled up from the cold and the wet, but his face was still red. "Rosa!" he said, as he shed his coat. He hung it up, and caught me in a hug.

"Hello." I said, smiling as his cold face touched mine. "Oh, you're frozen."

"Sorry." he whispered. "How long have you been back?" he asked. "I didn't miss much, did I?"

I shook my head. "Fifteen minutes." I said. "Let's go up to my room."

I went up to my room. My mum had put fresh flowers on my bureau, which made it look a little more cozy after four months of no use. I laid right down on my bed. Miles got on the end, my feet in his lap. Fi got on the bean bag chair in the corner.

"So how's life been?" I asked them.

"Good." Miles said. "I've already gotten accepted to one of my schools."

"Congratulations, baby brother." I taunted. "No, seriously, though, Miles. That's amazing."

He smiled. "Thanks."

"Which one?"

"Edinburgh." he said. "The only thing is I don't know if I could stand to go so far away. London's calling to me..."

"I know you will go where you need to end up." I told him.

"I know." he said, smiling.

"And how's life for you?" I asked Fiona.

"Fine." she said. "You know... lots of school work I've got to be doing."

"I know the feeling."

"Dad said you've done pretty well so far this term." Miles said.

Fiona coughed. "He won't shut up about you." she informed me. "He's so proud of his magic daughter."

There was a little jealousy there, I knew it. I shrugged. "I've been working with a tutor this term." I admitted to them. "It's been a really rough time."

"Who- that teacher Dad talks about a lot?"

I nodded. Geez, he must have really been talking about me a lot if Fiona had remembered.

"He's young, isn't he?" Miles asked.

"He's nineteen." I said. "If I tell you two something, you'll keep it a secret, right?"

Fiona nodded. Miles... didn't.

"Miles?" I asked. I was waiting for him to say yes.

"Leave the room if you can't keep a secret, then." Fiona said. "Because I want to know."

"Fine. I won't tell." he said.

"We're sort of... together." I said.

"You're dating your teacher?" Miles asked. I could tell he wouldn't approve, right away.

I nodded. "I know it's wrong." I told him. "But it's not like he's forty. He's only nineteen and he won't even be twenty until the summer. There's just a year and a half difference. Please try to understand."

I could see from his face that I might regret telling Miles. "It's not right."

"I know." I said. "We acknowledged that and it was really hard for us to get past that. But he's had such a terrible life already and I think he deserves to half a fun, frivolous relationship for once in his life."

"What's been wrong with his life?" Fiona asked.

"His girlfriend died." I said.

"So you sort of have then same story." she said. "With Colin, and all..." My siblings very rarely brought him up. They didn't know how to act about it. I accepted it, and sometimes I thought it might be easier to not have to talk about it.

"We understand each other a bit, yeah." I told her. "He's so lovely."

I was glad she was being supportive. "When can we meet him?" she asked. "You're not telling Mum or Dad?"

I shook my head. "And neither will either of you." I said. "Right, Miles?"

"I don't like it." he said.

"You don't have to." I told him. "I just don't want you to rat on me." I held his gaze, eyes so similar to my own. He folded first, nodding at the ground.

"Fine." he said.

"Thank you." I told him. "I know you don't like it but I'm doing it. It's safe, I promise. Everything is going to be fine."

"It better be." he said. "I may be younger than him, but I'm sure I could still mess him up if he hurts you."

I didn't like that, but I appreciated that, as my brother, he was concerned for me. "Thanks, Miles." I said. I held his hand in my lap.

"When can I meet him?" Fiona asked. "That's so exciting."

I nodded and smiled. "I think I'm going to go into the city on Monday and meet up with him." I said. "You're welcome to come along." I told her.

She nodded. "That sounds awesome." she said.

"Do you want to come, Miles?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "I've got plans." he said. "I was invited to an art gallery exhibit during the day."

"That sounds like fun." I told him. "I think he will come to visit when Mum and Dad are gone, though. You will have to meet him. I think you'll like him when you meet him."

He shrugged. I thought Miles would like him more when he was a real person.

"Any other exciting things?" Fiona asked.

"I don't think so."I said. "Other than my acceptance or rejection coming next week... how about you guys?"

They both shrugged and shook their heads. Miles went downstairs a few minutes later, but Fiona stayed to talk with me.

"I feel bad Miles is..." I gestured with my hands, not having a true word for it.

"I think he's just trying to be protective." she said. "And he will be more supportive once he meets him."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am. Plus, it's a weird situation." she pointed out. "I don't really care. You know what you're doing, I think. And you seem happy."

"I am happy." I told her. "Really happy." She smiled, and we chatted a little more. Then she left me alone for a little while. I had a short nap, and unpacked. I'd be home for nearly three weeks, so I figured it was worth it to unpack just a bit.

My personal phone rang, and I picked it up. "Hello?" I asked, unsure who it might be. Maybe dad was using his cell phone? He knew I was on my way home.

"Rosalin?" The voice seemed so familiar, but it took me a moment to place. It was Harry! He had called me.

"Harry!" I said. "Oh, it's great to hear your voice again. How are you?"

"I'm...fine. You know. Managing."

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yeah... I've gotten a good bit of correcting done." he told me.

"It's nice to hear your voice." I told him. "I wish we were together. I told my siblings..."

"Oh?" He said. "How did they react?"

"Well, Fiona's really happy for me and wants to meet you Monday. And Miles is... apprehensive."

"Rightfully so."

"Yeah... I mean, he won't tell my parents but I don't think he's going to come on Monday."

"Yeah... that's fine." he said. "I don't think we should push him."

"Nope."

"Anyways... I was just calling to make sure you got home safe."

"Mmhm. Peter dropped me off safe and sound. You're safe?"

"Yep." he said. "I've written you a letter for your parents to see, but I talked to Bill Weasley and he would love to meet with you tomorrow to talk about Curse Breaking."

"Oh, wow." I exclaimed. Tomorrow was so soon. What was I supposed to say? I didn't know! Would he want me to do anything magical? I hoped not.

"Yeah." he said. "I think it would be a great opportunity. At this point, they probably know who they're bringing in for further evaluation and I don't think he would waste any time if you weren't being called in."

"You think so?"

"Yeah." he said. "So look out for that letter later, all right?"

"Sure. Thank you so much for setting that up."

"Yeah." he said. "Anyways... I just sent it so Rex should get there... hopefully soon."

"I miss you." I admitted.

"Miss you too. But I should go." he said. "Good bye, Rosalin."

"Bye." I breathed, and hung up.

~.~

A few hours later I saw my dad's car pull into the driveway. I was so excited, so I ran downstairs. I had been upstairs, arranging my things like I liked them.

I opened the door and ran to the driveway, giving Dad a hug as he got out of his car. "Rosalin." he said. "So good to see you."

"You too!" I said. "I'm so glad to be home."

I helped him carry in bags. He had gone shopping, and I wondered which bags had stuff for me in them. He had told me not to look, though, so I didn't. "How have you been?" he asked.

"Pretty good." I told him. "Glad to have a bit of a break, nervous about what's to come."

He nodded. "I think everyone's nervous for you." he said. "Not far off, yeah?"

"Nine days." I told him.

"Ah."

I put the bags in his and Mum's closet, and we sat in the living room. Miles was in there too, so we all talked. Miles talked about his application and acceptance, I talked about tutoring and Choir and Curse Breaking, and Dad talked about his job. It was a really good conversation.

"Dinner's ready!" Mum called, and we all gathered in the kitchen. It was a delicious array of foods: mashed potatoes, a roast, a treacle tart, apple cider, and fresh bread. My mother's home cooking at it's finest.

I piled food high on my plate. "I've been wanting this for three months." I told her. I could tell she was happy I was home. We weren't always the closest, I was much closer to Dad. And she was a lot closer to Fiona and Miles. It had just happened that way. A lot of the time, I thought it was the magic that kept us apart. It made her nervous and worried her. I liked it.

Somehow, I'd just ended up the lucky one who got the magic. Most of the time I didn't regret it, but sometimes when I saw how close Mum was to Fi and Miles, I did.

I was in the middle of stuffing my face when an owl hit the window over the sink. Everyone jumped. Stupid Rex.

I got up to let him in.

"What is going on?" Mum asked.

"Mail." I said.

"During dinner?" she asked. "Rosalin, sit down and it can wait."

I paused, but could see Rex setting up for another dive-bomb. "It's from Harry Potter." I explained to Dad, and he nodded.

"Elisabeth, it's important." Dad explained. I opened the door to outside and let Rex come in. He hopped to me, and I took the letter from him. I fed him a small piece of bread, and he was content to play around in the bushes in the front yard. He was waiting for a response.

I returned to the dinner table, and opened the letter. Dad read it over my shoulder.

Rosalin,

Bill Weasley, the Curse Breaker, would like to meet with you tomorrow at your home. I realize it's short notice, but he seems very interested in meeting you as you didn't get to meet with him last month.

I believe you are well prepared for the meeting, and it would be beneficiary. I will accompany him, and we would arrive around two in the afternoon. The meeting will probably last about half an hour.

Please let me know if you are interested.

Harry Potter.

Dad took it when I was done. I could tell Mum was annoyed by the interruption of dinner. "This is great." he said.

"What's it say?" Mum asked.

"I've got a sort of... well, interview, I guess, tomorrow." I said.

"This is amazing." Dad said. "I'm not sure what you did to get in with him, but it sure looks like it's paying off."

Miles and I exchanged a glance that made my heart speed up. I seriously hoped he would not tell. I had dirt on him, though, so it would be a bad idea.

"Can I write him back and say I'm interested?" I asked.

"Of course." Dad said.

I had to use some of Dad's office paper, but I scrawled back I was looking forward to seeing them, and gave it to Rex.

He flew off in the night.

"Congratulations, I guess." Miles said when I sat back down to resume eating.

"This is amazing." Dad said again.

I just nodded, smiling. "Yeah, it is'" I said. "I'm nervous for it, though."

"You'll do fine." Dad tried to reassure me. "If Harry Potter thinks you're ready, you're ready."

I sort of believed him. Harry did have high standards. .

"Well, then I guess this is good news!" Mum said, trying to make the best of it, I guessed. "So I should clean the house tonight?"

"Definitely." Dad said. "And make some of those scones with the raspberry jam and I'll go get better tea and-"

My parents were lunatics. "They won't care." I said. "It doesn't matter. They'll only be here half an hour."

I finished dinner, then went up to my room to be anxious over tomorrow's meeting. I went over notes I'd taken on curse breaking. Then I went down to Dad's office, where he was doing some work. "Hello." he said. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I borrow your book on important people of the war?" I asked. Dad was a Squib. But he was definitely really into magical stuff. He had a whole bookshelf of books on magic, Squibs, and the War.

"Looking up Bill Weasley?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I know he was Ginny's older brother, but it might give me an advantage if I already know stuff about him."

"I agree completely." he said, and got up, walking to his bookshelf. He picked up the book I wanted and handed it to me.

I curled up in front of the fire, reading. I was so happy to be here.

Author's Note: Wow, everyone. You're really spoiling me with all the support I've gotten. So, the secret is finally out to Miles and Fiona, and Rosa gets to meet with Bill finally. I think a few people have mentioned wanting that, so I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think :)