Chapter 1 – Invitation

On a street somewhere in England was a house. In that house lived a family, comprised of a mother, a father, and two daughters. The first one was Emma Smith. She was tall and proud with an upturned nose. Everything that wasn't exactly her way, she hated. The other had not originally belonged to this family; she had been adopted. She really couldn't look less like the other members of the family, with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and stature (or lack thereof). Her name was Elizabeth Potter.

Right now, inside that house, there was occurring a blazing row. Emma and Liz were really going at it this time, which was giving the matron of the household, Mrs. Smith, quite a headache. "Quiet down, girls, please," she begged.

"But Emma destroyed my Ancient Runes book!" Liz protested, red in the face. "I haven't finished that assignment yet! What am I supposed to do?"

"That's not a book! It's just pages full of symbols," said Emma. "No one can read that."

"Just because you're not magic doesn't mean you're the only one! If I go back to school without my summer work, Professor Stickler will kill me! Or worse, kick me out!"

"So you need a freak book to teach you how to be a freak?" Emma said coldly. "If you ask me, you've already got that part down."

Liz knew she couldn't curse Emma. It was against school rules, not to mention Ministry of Magic laws. But maybe she could use her powers and make it look like an accident. I wish my wand would put a spell on Emma, she thought. Her wand feebly rolled over on Emma's desk, nothing more. Darn.

Ever since the summer had started, these powers of hers had worked like a car with no engine. At the very beginning, it was as if they were completely used up. Gradually, they had gotten to this point, where she could get a weary wiggle out of some objects, but that didn't help when her adoptive sister was trying to ruin her academic career.

So Liz picked up her wand and pointed it threateningly at Emma, who gasped in unison with Mrs. Smith. Neither knew she was banned from doing magic over the summer. She pretended to rack her brains, trying to think of the perfect spell to use.

"Don't do it, Liz," said Mrs. Smith.

"Don't you dare," Emma added.

Liz stepped forward. Emma cried out and retreated.

"Pay me back for my book so I can get a new one," Liz demanded.

"But you don't use—"

"I can trade it in for wizard money at Gringotts," Liz replied calmly, not budging an inch.

"Why should I pay you for your book?"

"Because you spilled your black paint all over it!" Liz yelled. "It's ruined! You ruined it! Now pay me back!"

Emma sighed. "How much?"

Liz named a sum. Emma cried out in protest, looking to her mother for help. "Reasonable," said Mrs. Smith. "Pay her." Emma dug in her pocket for the money, and fished the rest out of her desk drawer.

"Happy?" she sneered.

"Let's stop this foolishness," said Mrs. Smith, her hands placed on her hips. "You two have been feuding ever since Liz became a witch."

Liz felt compelled to tell her adoptive mother that she hadn't just "become" a witch. She had possessed magic powers since she was born, but had only found out about them three years ago, when the headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, had shown up on her front doorstep to explain. However, she also felt it might not be prudent to correct one so angry, so she silenced her tongue before it could produce a sound.

"That's because magic is weird," said Emma.

"Stop that. Just because you aren't magic doesn't mean it's weird," said Mrs. Smith. Liz smiled. Finally she was on her side. Emma caught the grin and glared at her. "Liz, you may go to your room now," said Mrs. Smith.

Liz hurried out, glad to have won that round. Then she had to come back to get her wand. Emma was already on the phone, inviting one of her friends over. She eyed Liz when the latter slipped into and out of the room.

Once safely back in her bedroom, Liz cracked open her trunk. What assignment should she do next? Ancient Runes was out. She'd have to wait to go to Diagon Alley to finish that one, and she'd have to wait for her letter from Hogwarts to call her friend Michael Weasley so they could arrange for a time to go shopping. I wish the school owl would come, she thought. Nothing. This time last year she hadn't been able to stop her powers, and now she couldn't get them work. She reluctantly pulled out her Potions book, opened it up to a page near the middle, and set to work. Professor Snape had given them an impossible assignment, but Liz felt confident that she could do it. That's how she felt with most all of her work. It was an unspoken fact that Elizabeth Potter would be the fifth-year Gryffindor girl prefect next year Hogwarts. The others didn't stand a chance.

Liz briefly thought about the others. There was her other best friend, Rachel Yates, who goofed off too much and was more interested in her social life that academic career. There were also Desiree Armstrong, who was interested in boys in particular, and Alberta Monroe, who was neither good nor bad at schoolwork. And, of course, Bettie Hess. Bettie had been against Liz ever since Liz had ruined the Valentine's Day Dance their first year.

In half an hour, Liz was done with Potions and continued on to Transfiguration. Suddenly, outside her door, she heard distinct, high-pitched giggles. It was Emma and her friend. Liz refrained from opening the door so she could listen in.

"And," Emma said, trying and failing to stifle her laughter, "she goes to a school for people who have learning disabilities. Mum and Dad were so ashamed, they made sure it was a boarding school!"

The other girl laughed harder. Liz clenched her fists, angrier than she had ever been with Emma. She was distracted by two loud thuds from the direction of her window. It was two owls. Liz cringed. She had spent so much time cleaning her window that it probably looked like it had been opened. When she let the two owls in, she realized at once that one came from Hogwarts and one came from Michael. She opened the school letter first.

Dear Miss Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that your fourth-year is about to start. Term begins on September first. Enclosed are a supply list and your train ticket. We look forward to seeing you there.

Hermione Weasley

Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Liz was so excited about the oncoming school year that she forgot about Michael's letter until she saw his mother's signature. Mrs. Weasley was Deputy Headmistress and the Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. She hastily ripped the second letter open.

Dear Liz,

Did you get your school letter yet? I did, so I sent George straight over to you. Mum and Dad say I can invite you and Rachel (and the twins) over for the rest of the summer after we go to Diagon Alley. Please write back, as Dad broke the telephone.

Michael

Liz flew down the stairs to the living room, where Mr. and Mrs. Smith were watching television. She thrust the letter at them without explanation. "Well?" she said. "Can I go?"

"I suppose," said Mrs. Smith. "But we'll miss you. And I bet Emma will miss you too."

"Oh, I doubt it," said Liz under her breath. "Thanks, Mum, I'm going to write back." She returned upstairs, passing Emma and her friend on the way. They were still laughing. Ignoring them, she entered her room, wrote a reply, and sent it off with George, Michael's owl. Then she waved the Hogwarts owl out the window after it. She couldn't wait until term finally started.