Turning on the light, she glanced around the room at everyone there. Her face showed complete and total surprise.
"Surprise!" everyone yelled. Becca rushed over and grabbed the suitcase in Mere's hand. She heaved it up the stairs and into Mere's bedroom then headed back to the party. While she was walking down the stairs, she heard someone call her name.
"Becca!" Mere shouted over everyone's heads. She walked over to her. "I can't believe this!"
"Welcome home!" Becca screamed back. She had to scream because the music was so loud. Mere had just come back from a two-month long vacation in Hawaii. Becca looked her friend over; Mere had changed a little. Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair was bleached from the sun. Her blue eyes sparkled under her long, curly eyelashes and her skin was tanned to a golden brown. They hugged and parted, so that they could go greet some of the other guests.
Becca walked over to a familiar blonde standing in the corner. Kelsey Moran was her name. Her curly golden blonde hair went down to her waste. It matched perfectly with her speckled blue eyes.
"Hi Kelsey!" she said walking over to stand in front of her. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Becca, this is a great party." Kelsey said. "I can't believe how many people showed up. I think the entire town is here." She paused and moved out of the way so that a tall, brown haired guy could pass from the living room to the kitchen. Then she continued.
"Mere really looked surprised didn't she? I wish I brought my camera, the picture would be priceless," Kelsey sniggered.
"Have you gotten a reply to you letter to Hogwarts yet?" Becca's voice was suddenly a whisper. Kelsey shook her head. She, Mere, and Kelsey had all sent letters to Hogwarts over the summer. They hoped to transfer there. Hogwarts was rumored to be the best Wizarding School in Britain. Kelsey changed the subject quickly.
"I'm going to go get something to drink. Do you want anything?" Her eyes showed a look of pure concern.
"No thanks, Kelsey." she said. "I'm gonna go outside and get some air." Becca walked out into the humid night air. Summer was coming to an end quickly. Sitting down on the porch, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Something big and black moved out of the shadows toward her.
The suddenly familiar black dog climbed up the porch steps and put his head on her lap. Somehow, he knew that something was troubling her.
"All right. All right. I'll tell you. I sent a letter to Hogwarts over the summer because I wanted to go there starting in my fifth year and I haven't gotten anything back yet. I guess that my friends and I will have to stay and go to school here." Sirius's ears perked up as he heard this and her lifted his head from her lap and ran off down the street. Becca sighed heavily and walked inside.
Three hours later, everyone was gone except Kelsey, Mere, and Becca. They picked up all the plastic cups and napkins they could find. Then they swept and vacuumed then they locked the door and went home. Kelsey turned left and Becca turned right.
The next few days went by very quickly. She spent much of her time with her father and even introduced him, in dog form, to Lucy. Cindy at first didn't approve, but then when she found how helpful he could be, she warmed up to him a bit. They fed him scraps from the table and let him inside the house at night.
On the week before school was going to start, Becca woke up to see an owl pecking on her window. She opened up the window, patted the owl on the head, picked up the letter, and opened it.
A sudden burst of emotion burst inside her. She had gotten in to Hogwarts! Her heart was in her throat. She ran over to Sirius and told him. He didn't look surprised, so she guessed that he had had something to do with it. Becca rushed to the phone and dialed Mere's number. It rang once. Twice. Three times. Then she heard a voice on the other end.
"Hello?" Mere said in a groggy voice. In the background Becca heard a tapping and guessed that she had gotten a letter too.
"Mere, read the letter!" Becca squealed. She could not hold in her excitement any longer. She heard a ripping of paper and a scream on the other end. Then, suddenly, she heard a beep. That must be Kelsey, she thought. She pushed the button and said:
"Hello?"
"Becca! I'm going to Hogwarts! I can't believe it!" Kelsey was screaming so loud that Becca had to hold the phone at arm's length. She pushed the connect button and all three friends started talking all at once. Never in her wildest dreams could Becca believe that this could happen to her.