The next morning, Audrey woke and found herself in the sitting room, laid
down on the couch with Marianne stretched out on the carpet next to her.
The drapes were still drawn and the light filtered through the cracks on
the edges of the long sheets of dark blue curtain, filling the room with a
dark, gloomy atmosphere. She sat up and lifted her arms up, reaching high
above her to relax her strained muscles. And then she remembered the night
before.
It had been glorious, absolutely wonderful. She had discovered that she had magic in her blood and that she would be learning how do use her magic. She was a witch, a full-blooded witch. And she'd be getting her own wand, which would help her. The best part was that she was part of a wizarding family. Everyone, even her mother, had magic. It was as if the most illogical ideas had come true. After her father had left, she and Marianne had stayed up for most of the night, chatting about the new world that Audrey would be discovering the next day when they would be visiting an alley that was entirely magical. It was very exciting, and Audrey felt like awaking her sister so they could move on. But, as she gazed at her sleeping sister, she knew she just couldn't wake her, owing to the fact that Marianne looked so peaceful and at ease.
Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes as she had on the night before. She yawned deeply and decided that she must go get changed. There would be much to do that day. But as she swung her legs over to the side of the plushy sofa, Stardust sprang into the room and called to her with alert.
'Hurry! In the kitchen!' He whisked away past the door and Audrey bolted up on her feet and quietly stepped over Marianne's resting body, as she didn't want to wake her.
'What is it?' she called out to Stardust in her mind. He didn't answer so Audrey ran through the halls and into the kitchen, where she was greatly surprised. Hovering outside the window over the sink was a large, fluffy, brown owl, its golden eyes flashing at her. She rushed over to the window, unlocked the latch and the owl drifted through the casting and perched on the back of one of the chairs. Tied to one of its small, wrinkly legs was a roll of paper which looked very similar to an edition of some newspaper. And held in its bright yellow-colored beak was a thick letter with green writing scrawled on the front of it.
'I wonder who's those are,' Audrey thought, staring intently at the strange creature that was placing the letter on kitchen table and attempting to untie the newspaper from his leg.
'Why, I believe one's for you, young witch,' a soft, whispery voice resounded in her mind. Audrey couldn't understand. She'd only been able to talk with Stardust.was it possible that she could talk to other creatures? She hadn't tried it before, so maybe she could keep on asking it questions.
'Really?' she smiled gracefully at the barn owl. 'I've never gotten mail this way.' Although it was a bit absurd, it was just wonderful knowing that this was the way real wizards communicated with each other (except for the other ways Marianne had tried to explain the night before, something about fireplaces. Audrey hadn't quite grasped the idea, though.).
'I think it's from Hogwarts, Audrey.' Stardust's velvety voice pierced her mind.
'Well, let me help you with that newspaper roll.' Audrey went over to the chair and gently outstretched her hands towards the owl. After reassuring herself that the owl wouldn't be harming her, she fingered the string, slipped the newspaper out of the owl's claw and placed it on top of the table.
As Audrey began to reach for the letter that the great owl still mangled, Marianne swept past the doorway, energetic and completely awake, and perfectly comfortable that an enormous winged creature was perched happily on the kitchen chair, leaning towards a plate jammed with scones.
"Help yourself, Moontrimmer," Marianne remarked while looking through the cabinets over the counters, clinking glass and shoving kitchen utensils aside.
Moontrimmer jumped over to the plate and tried to nip a bit off of the scone closest to her. 'Oh dear! They're chocolate chip! My favorite!' Audrey heard the owl chirp contently.
"Marianne, weren't you just sleeping? I didn't wake you, did I?" Audrey questioned, looking confusedly at the owl and then back to Marianne, who had stopped rummaging.
"No, you didn't," Marianne just looked at Audrey with an expressionless face. "Where did papa hide it!" she suddenly slammed her fist down on the counter top and her face was perplexed.
"Hide what?" Audrey was now really scared and confused beyond belief. She had no idea what was happening with her family. Not only was she a witch, her family was insane!
"The vault," Marianne answered mechanically. She had begun to search frantically for it once again, this time inside the cabinets under the counter, crouching on her knees and banging the doors open and closed. An "Aha!" was emitted and Marianne whipped out her wand from her jean pocket. Marianne's face glowed with victory. "Audrey, I need for you to keep a secret." She looked at Audrey with a begging plead. Her eyes bore into Audrey's depths and hit her in the stomach. "Please, Audrey."
"I might." Audrey couldn't just let Marianne walk all over her. Audrey wanted to find out what was going on, and if this was the only way, so be it. "First, you have to tell me what's going on. And then maybe I'll keep your secret." Audrey hated doing this to her older sister. But she sat down in a chair facing the one occupied by the owl Moontrimmer and folded her hands atop the table surface. She waited for Marianne's response with a small smile cracking her thin lips.
"Oh, all right!" Marianne gave in. "I'll tell you! Sheesh!" She sat down next to Audrey and dropped her wand on the table next to the scones.
'Could I have another bit of scone, do you think?' Moontrimmer politely asked while eying Audrey with expectancy.
"Of course you may. Help yourself, like Mari said," Audrey replied without taking her shinning grey eyes off of Marianne.
"What?" Marianne looked at her younger sister with the most questioning expression. "What did I say?"
"Oh!" Audrey giggled. "I said that aloud, didn't I?"
"Um, yes, dear sister," Marianne commented with a hint of deep sarcasm.
"Sorry," Audrey grinned. "Remember how I can talk to Stardust?" Marianne nodded knowingly, but here dark eyebrows were still furrowed in puzzlement.
"Well, it turns out I can kinda talk to Moontrimmer as well. She's really sweet! Where do you know her from?"
As Audrey revealed her newly discovered information, Marianne's features brightened with understanding. "You know? You know about your powers, then?" Marianne's smile reached from ear to ear and her bright green eyes were wide in fascination.
"Powers? I have powers?" The conversation about the vault was completely forgotten and thus emerged even more information.
"Uh huh!" Marianne got up and went to the refrigerator, where from up above it she reached and brought down a plant. It was a beautiful species; its leaves shone with a glossy gleam and flowering on one side was a pale cream- colored bloom. Marianne gently placed the pot in the middle of the kitchen table and shoved the plate packed with scones to the side. "Look," Marianne ordered.
Audrey shifted her gaze to the plant and curiously took in what she saw. Marianne was bent over, her chin resting on the table top, her playful green eyes glued to the plant. And then, in an instant, the miniture plant trembled with enthusiasm. "What was that?" Audrey gasped with excitement. "Did you do that, Mari?"
Marianne was now beaming with pleasure. "I did," she smirked. "See, that's my power. I can talk, or more like communicate, with all types of plants. You name it! Flowers, trees, grass..." she kept listing more until Audrey stopped her.
"Wait a minute!" Audrey shrieked with immense astonishment. "That means...why that means if you can talk - I mean communicate - with all plants, then I can probably do the same to all types of animals!" Audrey was so excited.
"Uh huh!" Marianne bounced on her feet and squashed Audrey to her in a quick embrace.
"Why didn't you tell me before? Audrey stood back and eyed her elder sister with wonder. "I mean, if you had some sort of power, why didn't papa tell me about it when you first found out about me and Stardust?"
"Well, I don't really know, actually," Marianne replied. "Papa just told me not to tell you about my powers until you knew most of yours. And I'm assuming that you do now, right?"
"Yes! I do! This is so awesome. I can talk to animals and you talk to plants! Who ever thought this would happen?" Audrey laughed gaily.
'Audrey dear.' A fluttery voice echoed in Audrey's mind.
"Yes Moontrimmer?" Audrey answered aloud so that Marianne would be able to hear part of the conversation.
'I need a response and I need to deliever it back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Here.' Moontrimmer scooped the thick letter into her beak and scuttled over to where Audrey sat.
"Moontrimmer says I should open it and send a response." Audrey said while looking at her sister. "Should I?"
"Of course you should! It's your letter from Hogwarts! See? The emblem on the back is our coat of arms. Go on, open it!" She smiled warmly and urged her on.
Audrey took the letter from Moontrimmer's beak and turned it over to look at the purple wax seal. It was divided into four sections, each one containing an image of a creature with their own background color. Above all the creatures was a small banner that read Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And on the bottom of the emblem was a ribbon that encircled the coat of arms, saying Draco Dormeins Nunquam Titillandus.
"It seems so important and, well, very important," Audrey said hesitantly. "What will it say?" she asked her sister.
"Oh, it's not awful. It's really neat! Just open it already!" Marianne giggled. Audrey slid her finger underneath the emblem of Hogwarts, trying not to break the seal. Inside was a wad of parchment, which she promptly unfolded and laid down on the table top. She leaned over, with Marianne bent beside her, both of them reading the letter.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Moon,
We are please to imform 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 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
"Wow!" Audrey exclaimed after reading everything, from the acceptance to the supply list to the broomsticks rule. "This is so great! Are they serious about the broomsticks? You never told me real witches fly broomsticks!"
"I didn't?" Marianne shrugged. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you don't know much about our world. But yeah, we have broomsticks. Papa has one, but he never uses it. I've always wanted one."
"Cool! Well, I guess I have lots to learn, don't I? Audrey grinned.
"Yup," Marianne agreed. "Hey, now that you've received your supply list, we can go to London," Marianne added as she grabbed her wand. "Ok, here's the part you have to keep secret."
Audrey nodded and watched her sister squat down and stick her head into the cabinet. "Adaperio" was Marianne's muffled remark. She fumbled with some unseen object for a moment and then she back out, straightened up and handed Audrey a little sack with a dark blue velvet drawstring.
"What's this?" Audrey weighed the little brown pouch with her hands and tried to fell through the suede for the contents.
"Well, it's wizard money. We have a different type that muggles." Audrey looked confusedly at Marianne. "Oh, um, muggles - meaning non-magic folk." Audrey's eyes widened. "And we neeed some to get our supplies."
"Wait, are you telling me that the wizarding world even has its own money?" Audrey asked incredulously.
Yes, but Audrey, you're not to tell anyone about the vault, understood?" Marianne's features became grave and her eyes narrowed at Audrey.
"I understand, but-"
"Don't ask, ok? You'll figure it out later. Just accept it for now."
Marianne suddenly noticed that Moontrimmer was still waiting on Audrey. "Oh, you'd better write a quick note to Professor McGonagall to tell her that you'll be at school next semester."
"Right." Audrey grabbed some paper and a ballpoint pen. As she began to write the date, Marianne interrupted her.
"Um, Audrey," Marianne began with a smirk on her face.
"Yeah?"
"Well, in our world, we use parchment and quills. I'll lend you some. And sorry, but paper just looks so strange."
"Oh, ok," Audrey smiled. "You know, Mari, this wizarding thing just keeps getting better and better."
"Well, it does. But you've got to remember that this isn't a thing. It's our world, our way of life. But don't worry, you'll get used to it in no time, I promise." Marianne left the kitchen and in a few moments returned with a bit of parchment as well as a dark red-feathered-quill and some ink. "Here you go," she huffed.
"This is going to sound so stupid, but I've never done this before," Audrey stammered.
"That's ok. You'd be doing it someday, why not now?" Marianne pushed the ink bottle over to Audrey and Audrey made up her mind and began to write.
Professor McGonagall,
I gladly accept entrance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Audrey Moon
"Is that good enough?" Audrey glanced at Marianne.
"Yup, that's just fine. Tie it to Moontrimmer's leg. But wait...let's send Papa a note telling him about your letter. We can also let him know that we'll be out for most of today," Marianne said as she scrawled on another piece of parchment. "Ok, there." She stood back to look at her work.
Audrey gently patted Moontrimmer on the head while Marianne prepared the owl for the delivery.
'Thank you both,' Audrey heard Moontrimmer's rustling voice. 'And it was a pleasure to finally meet you.'
"Same here," Audrey grinned. "Make sure you come back again, ok?"
'Of course I'll come back, my dear! Why, I live here!' And with that, the great fluffy owl lifted off the table and soared through the open window.
"She lives here? I've never seen her," Audrey remarked with surprise.
"Of course she lives here! She's our owl; we've had her for ages, but she's not allowed in the house because of you...so nevermind." Marianne cleared the table, swiped the counter clean and turned to Audrey. "Well, let's get ready. We have a long day ahead of us!"
As the two sisters climbed the stairs to their bedrooms, Audrey thought about what was to come. As hard as she tried, nothing in her dreams would ever live up to what she would experience later that day.
It had been glorious, absolutely wonderful. She had discovered that she had magic in her blood and that she would be learning how do use her magic. She was a witch, a full-blooded witch. And she'd be getting her own wand, which would help her. The best part was that she was part of a wizarding family. Everyone, even her mother, had magic. It was as if the most illogical ideas had come true. After her father had left, she and Marianne had stayed up for most of the night, chatting about the new world that Audrey would be discovering the next day when they would be visiting an alley that was entirely magical. It was very exciting, and Audrey felt like awaking her sister so they could move on. But, as she gazed at her sleeping sister, she knew she just couldn't wake her, owing to the fact that Marianne looked so peaceful and at ease.
Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes as she had on the night before. She yawned deeply and decided that she must go get changed. There would be much to do that day. But as she swung her legs over to the side of the plushy sofa, Stardust sprang into the room and called to her with alert.
'Hurry! In the kitchen!' He whisked away past the door and Audrey bolted up on her feet and quietly stepped over Marianne's resting body, as she didn't want to wake her.
'What is it?' she called out to Stardust in her mind. He didn't answer so Audrey ran through the halls and into the kitchen, where she was greatly surprised. Hovering outside the window over the sink was a large, fluffy, brown owl, its golden eyes flashing at her. She rushed over to the window, unlocked the latch and the owl drifted through the casting and perched on the back of one of the chairs. Tied to one of its small, wrinkly legs was a roll of paper which looked very similar to an edition of some newspaper. And held in its bright yellow-colored beak was a thick letter with green writing scrawled on the front of it.
'I wonder who's those are,' Audrey thought, staring intently at the strange creature that was placing the letter on kitchen table and attempting to untie the newspaper from his leg.
'Why, I believe one's for you, young witch,' a soft, whispery voice resounded in her mind. Audrey couldn't understand. She'd only been able to talk with Stardust.was it possible that she could talk to other creatures? She hadn't tried it before, so maybe she could keep on asking it questions.
'Really?' she smiled gracefully at the barn owl. 'I've never gotten mail this way.' Although it was a bit absurd, it was just wonderful knowing that this was the way real wizards communicated with each other (except for the other ways Marianne had tried to explain the night before, something about fireplaces. Audrey hadn't quite grasped the idea, though.).
'I think it's from Hogwarts, Audrey.' Stardust's velvety voice pierced her mind.
'Well, let me help you with that newspaper roll.' Audrey went over to the chair and gently outstretched her hands towards the owl. After reassuring herself that the owl wouldn't be harming her, she fingered the string, slipped the newspaper out of the owl's claw and placed it on top of the table.
As Audrey began to reach for the letter that the great owl still mangled, Marianne swept past the doorway, energetic and completely awake, and perfectly comfortable that an enormous winged creature was perched happily on the kitchen chair, leaning towards a plate jammed with scones.
"Help yourself, Moontrimmer," Marianne remarked while looking through the cabinets over the counters, clinking glass and shoving kitchen utensils aside.
Moontrimmer jumped over to the plate and tried to nip a bit off of the scone closest to her. 'Oh dear! They're chocolate chip! My favorite!' Audrey heard the owl chirp contently.
"Marianne, weren't you just sleeping? I didn't wake you, did I?" Audrey questioned, looking confusedly at the owl and then back to Marianne, who had stopped rummaging.
"No, you didn't," Marianne just looked at Audrey with an expressionless face. "Where did papa hide it!" she suddenly slammed her fist down on the counter top and her face was perplexed.
"Hide what?" Audrey was now really scared and confused beyond belief. She had no idea what was happening with her family. Not only was she a witch, her family was insane!
"The vault," Marianne answered mechanically. She had begun to search frantically for it once again, this time inside the cabinets under the counter, crouching on her knees and banging the doors open and closed. An "Aha!" was emitted and Marianne whipped out her wand from her jean pocket. Marianne's face glowed with victory. "Audrey, I need for you to keep a secret." She looked at Audrey with a begging plead. Her eyes bore into Audrey's depths and hit her in the stomach. "Please, Audrey."
"I might." Audrey couldn't just let Marianne walk all over her. Audrey wanted to find out what was going on, and if this was the only way, so be it. "First, you have to tell me what's going on. And then maybe I'll keep your secret." Audrey hated doing this to her older sister. But she sat down in a chair facing the one occupied by the owl Moontrimmer and folded her hands atop the table surface. She waited for Marianne's response with a small smile cracking her thin lips.
"Oh, all right!" Marianne gave in. "I'll tell you! Sheesh!" She sat down next to Audrey and dropped her wand on the table next to the scones.
'Could I have another bit of scone, do you think?' Moontrimmer politely asked while eying Audrey with expectancy.
"Of course you may. Help yourself, like Mari said," Audrey replied without taking her shinning grey eyes off of Marianne.
"What?" Marianne looked at her younger sister with the most questioning expression. "What did I say?"
"Oh!" Audrey giggled. "I said that aloud, didn't I?"
"Um, yes, dear sister," Marianne commented with a hint of deep sarcasm.
"Sorry," Audrey grinned. "Remember how I can talk to Stardust?" Marianne nodded knowingly, but here dark eyebrows were still furrowed in puzzlement.
"Well, it turns out I can kinda talk to Moontrimmer as well. She's really sweet! Where do you know her from?"
As Audrey revealed her newly discovered information, Marianne's features brightened with understanding. "You know? You know about your powers, then?" Marianne's smile reached from ear to ear and her bright green eyes were wide in fascination.
"Powers? I have powers?" The conversation about the vault was completely forgotten and thus emerged even more information.
"Uh huh!" Marianne got up and went to the refrigerator, where from up above it she reached and brought down a plant. It was a beautiful species; its leaves shone with a glossy gleam and flowering on one side was a pale cream- colored bloom. Marianne gently placed the pot in the middle of the kitchen table and shoved the plate packed with scones to the side. "Look," Marianne ordered.
Audrey shifted her gaze to the plant and curiously took in what she saw. Marianne was bent over, her chin resting on the table top, her playful green eyes glued to the plant. And then, in an instant, the miniture plant trembled with enthusiasm. "What was that?" Audrey gasped with excitement. "Did you do that, Mari?"
Marianne was now beaming with pleasure. "I did," she smirked. "See, that's my power. I can talk, or more like communicate, with all types of plants. You name it! Flowers, trees, grass..." she kept listing more until Audrey stopped her.
"Wait a minute!" Audrey shrieked with immense astonishment. "That means...why that means if you can talk - I mean communicate - with all plants, then I can probably do the same to all types of animals!" Audrey was so excited.
"Uh huh!" Marianne bounced on her feet and squashed Audrey to her in a quick embrace.
"Why didn't you tell me before? Audrey stood back and eyed her elder sister with wonder. "I mean, if you had some sort of power, why didn't papa tell me about it when you first found out about me and Stardust?"
"Well, I don't really know, actually," Marianne replied. "Papa just told me not to tell you about my powers until you knew most of yours. And I'm assuming that you do now, right?"
"Yes! I do! This is so awesome. I can talk to animals and you talk to plants! Who ever thought this would happen?" Audrey laughed gaily.
'Audrey dear.' A fluttery voice echoed in Audrey's mind.
"Yes Moontrimmer?" Audrey answered aloud so that Marianne would be able to hear part of the conversation.
'I need a response and I need to deliever it back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Here.' Moontrimmer scooped the thick letter into her beak and scuttled over to where Audrey sat.
"Moontrimmer says I should open it and send a response." Audrey said while looking at her sister. "Should I?"
"Of course you should! It's your letter from Hogwarts! See? The emblem on the back is our coat of arms. Go on, open it!" She smiled warmly and urged her on.
Audrey took the letter from Moontrimmer's beak and turned it over to look at the purple wax seal. It was divided into four sections, each one containing an image of a creature with their own background color. Above all the creatures was a small banner that read Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And on the bottom of the emblem was a ribbon that encircled the coat of arms, saying Draco Dormeins Nunquam Titillandus.
"It seems so important and, well, very important," Audrey said hesitantly. "What will it say?" she asked her sister.
"Oh, it's not awful. It's really neat! Just open it already!" Marianne giggled. Audrey slid her finger underneath the emblem of Hogwarts, trying not to break the seal. Inside was a wad of parchment, which she promptly unfolded and laid down on the table top. She leaned over, with Marianne bent beside her, both of them reading the letter.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Moon,
We are please to imform 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 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
"Wow!" Audrey exclaimed after reading everything, from the acceptance to the supply list to the broomsticks rule. "This is so great! Are they serious about the broomsticks? You never told me real witches fly broomsticks!"
"I didn't?" Marianne shrugged. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you don't know much about our world. But yeah, we have broomsticks. Papa has one, but he never uses it. I've always wanted one."
"Cool! Well, I guess I have lots to learn, don't I? Audrey grinned.
"Yup," Marianne agreed. "Hey, now that you've received your supply list, we can go to London," Marianne added as she grabbed her wand. "Ok, here's the part you have to keep secret."
Audrey nodded and watched her sister squat down and stick her head into the cabinet. "Adaperio" was Marianne's muffled remark. She fumbled with some unseen object for a moment and then she back out, straightened up and handed Audrey a little sack with a dark blue velvet drawstring.
"What's this?" Audrey weighed the little brown pouch with her hands and tried to fell through the suede for the contents.
"Well, it's wizard money. We have a different type that muggles." Audrey looked confusedly at Marianne. "Oh, um, muggles - meaning non-magic folk." Audrey's eyes widened. "And we neeed some to get our supplies."
"Wait, are you telling me that the wizarding world even has its own money?" Audrey asked incredulously.
Yes, but Audrey, you're not to tell anyone about the vault, understood?" Marianne's features became grave and her eyes narrowed at Audrey.
"I understand, but-"
"Don't ask, ok? You'll figure it out later. Just accept it for now."
Marianne suddenly noticed that Moontrimmer was still waiting on Audrey. "Oh, you'd better write a quick note to Professor McGonagall to tell her that you'll be at school next semester."
"Right." Audrey grabbed some paper and a ballpoint pen. As she began to write the date, Marianne interrupted her.
"Um, Audrey," Marianne began with a smirk on her face.
"Yeah?"
"Well, in our world, we use parchment and quills. I'll lend you some. And sorry, but paper just looks so strange."
"Oh, ok," Audrey smiled. "You know, Mari, this wizarding thing just keeps getting better and better."
"Well, it does. But you've got to remember that this isn't a thing. It's our world, our way of life. But don't worry, you'll get used to it in no time, I promise." Marianne left the kitchen and in a few moments returned with a bit of parchment as well as a dark red-feathered-quill and some ink. "Here you go," she huffed.
"This is going to sound so stupid, but I've never done this before," Audrey stammered.
"That's ok. You'd be doing it someday, why not now?" Marianne pushed the ink bottle over to Audrey and Audrey made up her mind and began to write.
Professor McGonagall,
I gladly accept entrance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Audrey Moon
"Is that good enough?" Audrey glanced at Marianne.
"Yup, that's just fine. Tie it to Moontrimmer's leg. But wait...let's send Papa a note telling him about your letter. We can also let him know that we'll be out for most of today," Marianne said as she scrawled on another piece of parchment. "Ok, there." She stood back to look at her work.
Audrey gently patted Moontrimmer on the head while Marianne prepared the owl for the delivery.
'Thank you both,' Audrey heard Moontrimmer's rustling voice. 'And it was a pleasure to finally meet you.'
"Same here," Audrey grinned. "Make sure you come back again, ok?"
'Of course I'll come back, my dear! Why, I live here!' And with that, the great fluffy owl lifted off the table and soared through the open window.
"She lives here? I've never seen her," Audrey remarked with surprise.
"Of course she lives here! She's our owl; we've had her for ages, but she's not allowed in the house because of you...so nevermind." Marianne cleared the table, swiped the counter clean and turned to Audrey. "Well, let's get ready. We have a long day ahead of us!"
As the two sisters climbed the stairs to their bedrooms, Audrey thought about what was to come. As hard as she tried, nothing in her dreams would ever live up to what she would experience later that day.