Emily opened her eyes groggily. She rolled over and looked at the clock. 8 o'clock. Still too early for an August morning. She rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep. In the hall outside her bedroom, her older sisters, Elise and Nina, were yelling about something to her oldest sister Rachel. Her other sister, Anna, was, apparently, not up yet or she would have been arguing as well.

It didn't take very long before she heard her mother climbing up the stairs and, two minutes later, the girls had stopped yelling. But now, sleep was forgotten. Emily sighed and got out of bed. It was a typical morning. Her house was never quiet; not with seven kids around. Of course, Peter no longer lived with them. He had finished Hogwarts and was now working in the International Cooperation Office in the Ministry of Magic. He was highly important and had his own flat in London.

As for her sisters, she only saw them when they were on holidays. Rachel and Allison, the eldest, were out of Hogwarts, but Rachel lived in Oxford and Allison in Liverpool. Anna, Elise, and Nina were still in school. This would be Anna's last year at Hogwarts and Emily's first. Emily had gotten her letter only the day before (after days of worrying) and the family had celebrated. Rachel and Allison had flooed in and they had had a small party. Peter, however, could not make it to the party, though he did owl his congratulations.

Emily walked to her desk and picked up the letter. She read it once more to make sure it hadn't just been a dream:

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

Dear Miss Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September first. We await your owl by no later than July thirty-first

Yours Sincerely,

Helga Von Struddle.

(Deputy Headmistress)

No it hadn't been a dream. It was all very real. She placed the letter back on her desk and walked out of her room. Apparently her sisters had been arguing as now the doors to their rooms had been locked shut. Only Anna's door was still ajar. Walking downstairs to breakfast, Emily noticed the source of the fight. It was silly really. Emily picked up Rachel's letter and smoothed it out. It was an acceptance letter to the Salem Institute located in Salem, Oregon, USA. It had been the greatest cause for fights among the Potter household. Rachel was pleased to have been accepted. Extatic even. But Nina and Elise were appalled that she would accept to leave England to go to America. They claimed that there were perfectly fine universities in England and that they didn't see why she had to "desert her family and deny her roots". Emily suspected that they were just jealous not to be able to visit America. She placed the letter on the kitchen table and grabbed an apple from the refrigerator.

"Mum, tell Elise to keep out of my room!"

"I was NOT in her room! She stole my hairbrush and I was looking for it out in the HALL!"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

Elise and Nina stormed into the kitchen looking for their mother.

"Mum's not here, numbskulls," Emily yawned. She was not a morning person.

"Fine, doofus," Elise retorted. Elise and Emily were the closest in age and they were often down each other's throats.

"Don't call her a doofus, Elise. And don't call Elise and Nina numbskulls, Emmy," said a voice from the doorway. Mrs. Parvati Potter walked into the kitchen and the three girls quieted.

"Why aren't you dressed, girls? We're leaving for Diagon Alley with the Weasleys in ten minutes!" Mrs. Potter exclaimed as she walked over to the kitchen table and looked over the mail.

"Well, you see, Nina stole my hairbrush and I can't get ready" Elise sighed.

"Yeah well, Elise stole my jeans!" Nina added.

"Well Elise and Nina stole my Salem letter!" said Rachel as she walked into the kitchen, fully dressed and ready.

"Well, Rachel snored last night and I barely got any sleep," yelled Allison from upstairs.

"Well they all woke me up!" yelled Anna and Emily at the same time.

Mrs. Potter shook her head in resignation. She should have been used to it by now, but she found it hard to stay impartial with her daughters.

"Ok, I don't care who did what, but I want you all down here dressed, combed, and ready with your teeth brushed in ten minutes! NOW GO!" she exclaimed pointing to the door of the kitchen. All the girls ran out of the kitchen, pushing each other out of the way.

Emily walked back up to her room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a blue spaghetti-strap. She slipped her feet into her yellow flip flops and made a dash to the bathroom she shared with Elise, Nina, and Anna. Unfortunately, Elise had made it there first so it was another five minute wait.

Once the bathroom was free, she quickly brushed her teeth and combed her hair and put a swipe of lipgloss on before rushing out, being threatened by Nina (who still hadn't gotten to use the bathroom).

But ten minutes later, everyone was ready and downstairs, ready to floo to the Weasleys.