Kari jerked back into reality, not realizing that she had been daydreaming, but then the daydream caught up with her again when she remembered what her life was life before she had gotten her letter. Her current parents, Lindsay and Alfred Marshall had adopted her, when she was seven years old. She had been overjoyed with their decision to adopt Jes as well. Her life had been normal before she got her letter. Every year, she went to Mrs. Blessitt's Boarding School for Girls. She had had many friends there, and it was there she not only discovered her amazing musical talent, and aptitude for languages, but also the beginning of her powers as well.
One day while in the dorm room alone, Kari said to herself, now where is my violin? Suddenly, as though it were magic, the violin, still inside its case, flew over and set itself on her bed. For a moment, all she could do was stare. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Then eyeing a rather large dictionary on the other side of the room wished that it would come to her. Soon enough, the heavy book flew into the air and landed on the bed beside her. Just then though, her roommates walked in and she was forced to play her violin, instead of further exploring her new powers.
Kari jerked once again as she returned to reality. She stood up and walked to the window. Even though the sun had risen, the small town of Silver Cliff, Colorado was still asleep. As Kari was examining the sky for clouds, two owls caught her by surprise. She opened the window wide enough so that the owls could fly in, then went over and sat down on the couch. The two birds flew inside and they made Jes nearly jump out of his seat. Kari recognized that the breed. There were two barn owls, one was a tarnished-brown color, and the other was a marble gray. The owls swooped around the living room and dropped their burdens at the twins' feet. Then, Kari and Jes, with trembling hands, opened the envelopes.
During their previous year at Salem's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the twins had applied for a foreign exchange program, where three students from their school would go to another country and stay there for the remainder of their education. Kari knew that they had finally received their answers.
Kari flicked open the letter and began to read, then she gasped. Kari had been accepted to Hogwarts, the most respected Wizarding School in Britain. Feeling intense joy rush into her heart, she looked over at Jes cautiously. His face showed neither joy nor sorrow.