She glanced about her room, her eyes falling on the tattered bedspread, the old and weathered furniture. With a soft sigh, she let her gaze fall back to where it belonged. On the piece of parchment in front of her. They were returning to Hogwarts today, and she would be a 5th year. She was excited, yes, but nervous. After all, this was the year when she and her classmates would take their O.W.L.'s. Though the dark haired girl was smart, she tended to get a bit distracted when it came to actual class work. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts grades were terrible. She wasn't quite so bad when it came to Potions. In fact, that was her best class. But she just couldn't understand Defense, for some reason or another. It bored her.

Shaking her head, she attempted to focus on the parchment before her. Thankfully, it wasn't for school. It was a letter to her best friend, since they were two years old. Christina Brookes. Amy smiled affectionately. They'd been close all their lives, though it did tend to make things difficult that Christina was sent to Durmstrang, while Amy attended Hogwarts. However, they still kept in touch by owl, and saw one another as often as possible.

Dearest Chrissie,

Have you heard from Ben?

Amy always started her letters to Chrissie that way. Ben was Amy's twin brother. They hadn't seen each other in almost ten years now, due to some… circumstances. They were separated, each living with foster families. Chrissie was the only link between them, as neither Amy nor Ben knew where the other was living. They were forbidden to know.

The train leaves for Hogwarts today. Seems like summer only just began, doesn't it?

As was habit, the two girls had spent the first week of the summer together, before Chrissie was sent off to live with her father for the remainder of the summer. That left Amy alone with her foster brothers, which was never a good thing. Of the older of the two, mischief and trouble always seemed to follow. And the younger? Amy preferred to avoid him at all costs.

 How was your dad's house? Meet any cute boys? Of course you did. It's you. I swear, Chrissie, you're a guy magnet. And then there's me. You know how this year will turn out. The same as all the others. At least this year, he graduates. Then I'll have 2 years of emotional freedom.

Even as Amy wrote the words, she knew they were a lie. Amy was a hopeless romantic, believed that true love only came once in a lifetime. And she was certain she'd found her match. The problem was, he was a best friend of her foster brother. Not only that, he was two years older, popular, handsome… altogether out of her league.

 Someday, Chrissie. Someday I'll be happy. Someday I'll be with Ben again, the only guy I really need in my life. Although, Casanova and Romeo are fun to have around, when they're not being jerks. Hang on, that's never, isn't it?

Casanova was the girl's old nickname for Amy's oldest foster brother, and they had named his best friend growing up Romeo. They were both charmers, and incorrigible flirts.

 You know I love those two. It's kind of unavoidable. After all that Casanova's done for me… he's the only one who actually wanted me here. But you know that all as well as I do.

It was true. Casanova had been the only one to be even remotely civil to Amy when she first came to live with them. Amy could well remember that day. It had been raining. What irony. Weren't all bad days rainy? She had been 5 years old, and had spent the previous 19 hours at the police station while they found housing for the poor girl and her brother. And before that, the real nightmare had happened. Even just thinking about it now sent chills down Amy's spine.

 I'm excited for the new school year. I'll finally have the chance to get away from here again. Ever since Cas moved out, I've taken to staying in my room all of the time. I think it suits us all better.

Her foster parents had taken her in exchange for a Ministry of Magic official 'overlooking' a few objects of potential embarrassment in their home. However, mere days after Amy moved in with the family, the parents were loudly saying that they got the wrong end of the deal.

 Well, I can hear them talking downstairs. It sounds like it's time to go. Can't wait to hear from you soon! Love always,

 Amy

Amy sighed softly, setting her quill down, standing up. Sure enough, there was a pounding at the door. When she opened it, her foster father was there. All too soon, thankfully, they were standing on Platform 9 ¾.