She freaked out.

Her house was sparkling. She went from room to room and sure enough the whole house was pristine. Never had she seen the place so clean; even the carpets had been shampooed. She walked around the kitchen; there on the counter was a slip of paper.

In green script were two words, "I'm Back."

*~*~*~*~*


She got to her car at a dead run. As she shoved the keys into the transmission, she used a word that would have turned her mothers face pale. Finally the car started and she raced down the street at two times the speed limit. Luckily there wasn't much traffic on the roads at this time. She pulled into St. Mary's Primary School small parking lot and catapulted out of the car. She ran into the main hall with out even bothering to shut the car door. When the secretary responded to her persistent pounding she looked flustered.

"Why Ms-"

"Where. Is. She."

"Who? Ms-"

"MIAKA!!!" she interrupted again.

"Oh, why with Mrs. Antilles of course."

The secretary watched in shock as the young woman rushed off a look of relief evident on her face.

*^*^*^*^*^

The door slammed open. Startled the whole class looked up.

"Mrs. Antilles!!" the woman in the door frame shouted. Seeing the faces in the room looking at her, her cheeks tinted and she straitened.

 "Mrs. Antilles," she repeated in a tightly controlled voice, "you'll excuse me, but Miaka has to leave now, thank you." With that she walked over to Miaka grabbed her hand and moved toward the door, adding another person to the list of those staring at her back in shock.

            Only when they were safely in the car did she release the girl's hand. Sighing she set off for her house at a much more relaxed pace than when she had left.

"Mom, what's this all about?" she looked over at her daughter to see a puzzled expression in her deep chocolate eyes, about the only thing she had inherited from her mother.

"Uh, nothing, sweetie, it's just… no it's nothing to be concerned about." She gave her daughter what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Mom! It is NOT nothing when you rush into school and pluck you're daughter out with no good reason. Tell me what's going on."

But they had pulled into the driveway, and she was spared from answering.

As Miaka stepped from the car you could see the full extent of her luminosity. She had a sheet of silver blond hair that cascaded down to her waist and stopped just after her waist. Somehow even simple green corduroy overalls looked good on her. The icing to the cake was her white ¾ length blouse with gold trimming and hoop earrings to match. She was a very pretty 11 year old.

 Miaka had never seen her mother so on edge; she had become to believe that it was impossible for her mother to lose her cool. Apparently she could. She wondered what or who could have this effect on her mom. She had no idea that her question was about to be answered.

~^-^~

She turned the key in the lock and swung the door open. Good, there was no one here; maybe she was over exaggerating all this. She hung up her coat and walked into the living room about ready to collapse on the sofa.

"Hello Hermione."