Chapter 1: The Big White House

2017.

The temperature was still fresh for a summer morning and most of the people living in the calm city named Crymston Hall were on their way to work. But in one of the city's residential areas, some of the swanky houses with flawless lawns were still asleep, enjoying a flexible schedule. But in the residential street seen as the calmest one, which also had the reputation of only having "bourgeois" people living here, the biggest house of the street already had most of its shutters open. It was an elegant, perfectly maintained two floors white edifice with the most normal appearance, except for the fact that it looked more like a very small manor than a real house, which aroused the neighbors' jealousy and cruel stares. The garden and the lawn in front of the house also made the neighbors gossip, as some of them swore they saw one morning perfect groves and rosebushes but only saw grass at the same place the day before. The adults in the house were the subject of gossips as well, because they were rarely seen around – they left early for work, came back home late, and were often absent for several days. Their children were even less seen, apparently sent in a boarding school for "unstable" children according to some, while others thought that the mother sent them to this school simply to get rid of them. Even though the old lady that was taking care of the kids kept saying to those who dared asking the question – and there were not a lot of them – that it was a school for "gifted" children, this explanation didn't convince anyone in the neighborhood. But this one morning, the Hartley kids – most of them at least – were actually inside the family's house.

In her small bedroom upstairs, Mina Hartley woke up with a start, her heart pounding. It was the fifth time this week she had this kind of dream – the kind that felt real. She barely had time to check the time – 7:58 a.m. – that a deafening sound resonated from the first floor.

"Alice!"

Now perfectly awake, Mina cursed under her breath and quickly get out of bed. She stormed out of her room, walked through the dark corridor, and went down the stairs four at a time. She immediately arrived in the big living room where the noise came from. It was a big bright room with crème walls and large windows, with, to the stairs' right, three grey sofas and a large television, and to the left a large wooden table with six chairs, empty most of the time, and in a recess, a kitchen that almost felt too big considering the number of people that lived daily here. Ignoring the light that hurt her eyes, Mina walked in and stood in front of the sofa. Her sister Alice, six years her junior, was sitting there, sheepish, focusing on an animated series for kids, a stuffed animal under her arm. She had dark hair and malicious blue eyes, and some freckles on her nose. Mina grabbed the remote and put the sound down – bringing back a normal silence – which made Alice turn her head towards Mina and give her a satisfied smile.

"Alice", Mina said, "I already told you not to do that again! Next time I swear I will shove this damn remote so far up your butt that you-"

"Mina!" a voice started behind her. "Morning, dear."

Mina turned around, and saw Anne-Mary, her nanny, whom everybody affectionately called "Nan". With her nearly white hair, her calm grey eyes, and her sweet looks, Nan looked exactly like a kind, inoffensive grandma, but everyone who actually knew her knew it was just a façade.

"I'm glad to see you're awake," Nan continued.

"The contrary would have been a surprise, with that little-"

"You had to wake up early today!" Alice objected. "I did you a favor."

Most of the time, Mina and Alice got along wonderfully, but like all sisters, there were moments where Mina basically cursed her younger sister.

"Well, I will do everyone a favor when I'll cut your hands off, you little-"

"Mina!" Nan cut her off, a little bit annoyed. "I will talk about it with your sister later. Go get dressed up while I finish preparing breakfast. I think Max is getting dressed up in the blue bathroom, so you will have to use the white one."

"I don't mind. Max is already up?" Mina asked, sincerely surprised.

She went upstairs, and indeed saw light through the blue bathroom's door, which was in the middle of the corridor. Mina took her clothes in her room, and then went preparing herself in the second bathroom of the house, the one with white walls, at the end of the corridor. She put a simple jean on, a black shirt, and one of the school's grey blazers she would have to wear almost every day for the next few weeks to come. When she looked in the mirror, Mina only saw a young witch of nearly fifteen years old with a pale skin, big black bags under her eyes that no spell was able to make disappear, and slightly hollow cheeks which desperately needed some red. Though people kept telling her she was really pretty, she didn't buy it at all. The only thing Mina liked about her appearance was her long jet-black hair because it was, according to her, the physical proof that she was indeed a witch since it was how mortals – humans – had represented witches until very recently.

No, Mina didn't find herself pretty at all, but she had to admit that she liked the professional look that the school's blazer gave her a lot. She quickly brushed her long hair, once feeling satisfied, put the brush on the bathroom sink. She put her hair in two parts, as if she wanted to put it in two ponytails and grabbing each part in one hand by her ears, she focused and closed her eyes. She let her thin hands slide to the tips while making sure to stay focused, and when she opened her eyes, the top of hair – to her shoulders – didn't change, but the rest was now of a perfect blue, plus a perfect ombre. Adjusting her hair, Mina rapidly looked at the result, and now content, left the bathroom.

In the corridor, she stopped in front her room's door and with a hand's move towards the shutter, which opened slowly. Mina went downstairs and now saw that everyone was sitting around the table for breakfast. She sat next to Alice – the earlier loud awaking already forgotten – and face to Max, who went downstairs in the meantime. Max – short for Maxim used by everyone – and Mina were twins, and you just had to look at them to know it. Even though Mina, because of only being four foot tall and having a more childish face than she would have liked, looked slightly younger, their resemblance was more than striking, even more than some identical twins. They both have jet-black hair, the same nose, and the only difference was that Max's eyes were more brown than black – and also their height difference, but Mina would rather forget about it.

"Yo," Max said – he had put the school's jacket on as well.

"Woke up early?" Mina asked him.

"Because of that one over there", Max said grumpily, pointing at Alice. "She basically jumped on me."

"It would have been surprising if she didn't."

Nan then came in with a plate full of yummy smelling pancakes and put it in front of Mina.

"Thanks, Nan!"

"Of course, dear. Take some orange juice."

Mina then realized she was starving, and eat so fast that she finished her plate before Max and Alice, who for once were allowed to have some pancakes with her usual cereals. Nan sat at the head of the table, near them, and Mina knew that her nanny was appreciating this last moment where all four of them would be together until a long time. A nice atmosphere came in, rhythmed by Nan's last devices and Max trying to protest to each of them. Mina loved being in the family's house with her twin, their young sister and Nan, but she knew she would not miss that the big white house. Her fifth year at school was about to start, and she had never missed the house once when she was at school – she only missed Nan, Alice and their older sister Camille, who was now studying in England.

"Mina, are you sure you did take both your inhalers?"

Mina did her best not to roll her eyes, and putting her hand in one of her pockets, took a small blue thing which she had with her most of the time. Mina, adding to a health she considered poor, had asthma. A wizard's asthma was different from a mortal's one, and stronger, too. Wizarding doctors also had their mode their own methods to measure someone's asthma, and Mina's was high, often stopping her from fully participating in sport class. No one else in the family, Max included, had asthma, and Mina had often asked herself why her health was so poor in comparison of her siblings', and eventually came to think she was just unlucky. Once Alice finished her breakfast, Nan sent her prepare herself upstairs and told the twins to check their bags once again, assuring she would check it as well. They reluctantly obeyed, especially Max who mumbled some strong words, which made Mina giggle.

"Very well." Nan said after she inspected Mina's bags. "Take it downstairs so we can gain time. And use a spell for it, there is no need to hurt your back like you did last year, don't you think?"

"True", Mina laughed. "I'm on it."

Nan left the room, leaving Mina alone. She closes both bags, put the heaviest one on the floor and brought it towards the door. She was barely at the door that she turned heels and stared at her bedroom. It was the third biggest bedroom of the house, her parents' being the first and Camille's room, which was not unoccupied but intact, being second. The room had a blue wallpaper that was mostly covered by all the posters from Mina's favorites movies and TV shows. There were now some empty spaces were some posters should have been, because just like the three last years, Mina decided to take posters to school to put them in her room there. In the middle stood her bed with two nightstands on each side, and right by the door there was a clean desk – mostly thanks to Nan's directives – where Mina did her homework during the holidays she chose to spend at home. Next to the desk, in the middle of the wall, the window that overlooked the street, and on its right, a bookcase full of novels – except for one shelve which usually had all the novels that Mina was bringing to school with her, that was now nearly empty. For some reason, admiring her room before leaving for school had become some kind of ritual for Mina, as if she wanted so say goodbye to the room where she spent for most her time when her parents happened to be home. Mina closed the second bag, brought it in the corridor next to the first one. She had a hand gesture towards the bags, which lifted up thirty inches in the air. Mina took her school bag which contained most of the school stuff and, followed by the two big bags, went downstairs. She made the bags land by the front door, near Max's bags, and put her school bag on one of her baggage, and went to sit on the sofa facing the television. She took her phone, and saw that she had received a new message. It was Kenna, one of her best friends at school, who had written in the group chat both of them and all their friends were a part of. Now smiling, Mina opened the message.

Kenna: Today is the day! Girls, don't forget to bring your nails polish and your hair straighteners, we're gonna have so much during fun girls' nights! Boys, try to come back to school a bit less dumb that you were the last time we saw each other.

Mina shook her head but couldn't help but smile. She wanted to answer her to relax a bit but their friends had already took care of that. At this moment Alice came in, several disheveled dolls under one arm, and a pink box under the other.

"Do you want to play with me?" she asked pleadingly. "Before you leave."

"Alice, we're gonna hit the road soon-"

"Please! I won't be able to play with anyone when you and Max will be gone!"

Alice gave such a sad look that Mina had no choice but to sigh and give up. She didn't see why Alice just mentioned Max though, since he usually refused to play with her.

"Alright, give me the one with dark hair."

"Yay!"

An hour later, Nan announced that it was time to go. Mina put on black sneakers, her favorites, and handed Alice her jacket. Once Max was ready too, they left the house, led by Nan. When you saw the little car's truck, it was hard to believe that four big bags could fit in it. But an invisible extension spell by Nan later, the truck could easily handle two more bags – which had been really useful when Camille was still going to school with the twins.

"Let's go." Nan said.

"Nan," Alice asked, "can I sit in the front?"

"I don't know why you still ask that question, peanut."

Alice started to sulk and reluctantly sat in the back of the car, while Max sat in the front. Mina gave one last look that the family's house and got in the car. When her siblings started bickering over the choice of the radio, Mina took her phone again to pass time. She opened the group chat and wrote a message.

Mina: Can't wait to see you all!

An answer came almost instantly.

Sonia: Me too! 3

She closed the app, and then opened a social media. Unlike Kenna, Mina rarely posted on it, and mostly used it to follow her favorite celebrities' actuality. The road to the station – as most students took the train to go to the school, which always made Mina smile – went peacefully once Nan made Alice and Max quiet. At this moment Mina received a message, this one not on the app. Supposing it was Kenna asking her if she did bring her nail file, Mina prepared herself to tell her friend off – which Kenna would take well – but quicky realized it was not a message from Kenna, but from Camille.

Have a nice first day at school, little monsters! And be good. I'm so sorry I can't be with you guys this year, but we'll see each other during the holidays! I miss you guys so much. Send my love to Nan and Alice. Much love. – Your older sister who loves you.

Mina couldn't help but smile when she saw the message, which Max probably got as well. Camille, older than the twins by six years, was currently studying ballet in London. She left the school three years prior, but she had managed to come with Max and Mina for their first day, but this year, her college year started the same day as the twins' year, making her visit impossible.

"It's sad that Camille couldn't come this year." Mina started.

"True" Nan answered, and Max nodded. "But understand, her studying takes all of her time."

"When is she coming back?" Alice asked, also greatly saddened by Camille's absence.

"The next holidays." Mina said. "That's what she is saying in her text."

"It's not soon." Alice grumbled.

"Indeed."

A silence – the "not nice but not awkward either" kind – fell in the car. Nan started a conversation about the future twins' sweets consummation, and Mina decided to answer her sister immediately.

Have a good first day too, sis! It's so sad you can't be with us today. We miss you very much too. Much love – your little sister that worships you.

Mina sent the message, knowing the last sentence would make Camille smile. Yes, she was indeed missing her sister a lot. Feeling a headache coming, Mina put her head on the car's window and closed her eyes, trying to think of this year that was about to start.