Tatiana happily skipped up to her room. She was going to Hogwarts to learn from the best on the British Isles. The girl sat down in front of her elaborately carved maple desk and gazed into the large mirror that hung above it. Tatiana sighed. She was happy to be going to the school but would miss her lavender room and antique sleigh bed.
'Oh, well,' she thought. 'I'll be home next summer.' Tatiana took her brush and carefully ran it through her golden tresses. Then, she gently twisted then into a halo around her head and let the ends hang down. Although her hair was pinned up on top of her head, it hung down to her mid back. The young Russian smiled at her reflection and turned to her closet to pick an outfit.
"What shall I wear today?" mused Tatiana. Already knowing what she would choose, the girl reached into her closet and pulled out a sky blue sundress that perfectly matched her eyes. Tatiana slipped on the dress and turned back to her closet. She looked at what was in there and tried to decide what to bring to Hogwarts with her.
'Actually, I'll probably get all new outfits for school anyway,' Tatiana reasoned, 'so why even examine these clothes if I won't need them?'
"Tatiana!" Natasha, the nursemaid, called, "Come down for breakfast!"
"Coming!" Tatiana hurried down the stairs. When she got to the table, she smelled the warm fragrance of homemade latkes and grinned. Latkes were her favorite food.
"Ana," said her mother, "After breakfast, run back upstairs and pack a few clothes. Tomorrow, your father and I are going to take you to Diagon Alley. We're going to stay there for 5 days, and leave the 2nd of August."
"Thank you, Mama! Is Papa really coming with us?" Tatiana asked.
Marya nodded. "Your father is very proud of you and is taking time off work to stay with us and help us get the supplies you need."
Feeling even better than before, Tatiana silently ate her latkes and thought of what she and her parents would do. She was so excited that her father would be coming with them. Nicholas was usually away on business trips to the Continent and to Russia talking to important customers about his wonderful eggs. Tatiana and her father were very close and always had fun when they were together.
Just as Tatiana was finishing her breakfast, her father walked into the dining room.
"Ah! There's my little мышь! "(A/N: мышь is mouse in Russian) he said.
"Papa! I just heard you're coming with us!" cried Tatiana as she ran to him.
"Of course I am, mouse. Why wouldn't I? It's not every day my little girl goes to school is it? Now then, run along and pack up."
Tatiana did just that.
