Darcie woke up straight away, as usual, sitting up and throwing back her curtains. Instinctively she knew something was wrong. She stared at the fresh blue sky and the small front garden of their cottage, her brain working furiously to work out what was wrong. Suddenly it clicked - the blue sky of course. It was over an hour later than when she normally got up, before the sun with the grey light of pre-dawn.

Again, panic! Why was she not up yet? Finally, her heart slowed as she remembered that she could have a lie in, even though she was going away that day. Realising this, she thought to herself how peculiar that was.

In her usual early - bird spirit, she thought she might as well get up now that she was awake. She threw back her quilt, leaving it crumpled on her bed, and lay her feet on the cold wooden floor. She crept across her room, over the landing and arms under her pure white nightie. She never got cold physically, however it was a habit she had when anxious or excited.

Darcie pushed open the kitchen door, a particularly squeaky one, to find her effort of being quiet had been wasted when she saw Libby laying some waffles on the table. When Libby saw her, she turned the radio down and wished her good mourning.

"I thought I'd let you have a lie in this mourning"

Libby smiled, running her hand through her brown hair,

"You did have an extraordinary late night last night"

"And I put extra effort into being quiet effort into being quiet so I wouldn't wake you. Oh well. Are those for me?" She asked, biting into the waffle without waiting for an answer.

"Why did you try be quiet, greedy guts? The number of times you've incorrectly crept up on me…"

Libby soon gave up her attempt to chat to Darcie. She saw she was immersed in eating, so instead turned up the radio an settled down with a mug of coffee in time for the hall past seven news.

"An important newsflash has just issued. The escaped convict, Sirius Black, a known supporter of He - Who - Should - not - be named, has broken out of the prison of Azkaban. Any sightings or information should be reported to the ministry of magic as soon as possible.

And now back to the main news …"

Libby's fingers loosened their grip on her mug of coffee; Darcie felt her muscles relax, and shot out her hand to catch the released drink. Already Libby had gathered her wits about her, taking the mug off Darcie and removing the spilt coffee with her wand. But Darcie had not moved.

"Why did drop your mug? Was it because they talked about Sirius Black?"

She looked intently at Libby; she didn't normally act like this.

"Uh, yes" replied Libby uneasily, "Well you recall the story of Harry Potter? Yes, of course you do. Anyway, he was their secret keeper, and apparently he handed them over to you - know - who. He blew up a whole street of muggles. I haven't heard his name in a long time, that is all. There's a picture in the paper if you must look, but I'm not to - keen - to discuss the subject."

Darcie, nodding, unfolded the newspaper, and got back to eating her waffles. Libby gazed hungrily at them.

"I wish I could eat like you - you always manage to stay so skinny!" Libby moaned, half enviously.

Darcie could only manage a smile, her mouth filled with waffle. Libby, who had educated her for the past fifteen years, was only fifteen years her senior, and now Darcie was much older, much of their tastes and ideas were similar. But slowly, her eyes turned from silver to yellow, inside to out as she remembered why she was so thin.

"You're not half elf, are you?" she said bitterly. Libby knew how sensitive Darcie was in knowing so little of her family. Quickly she changed the subject.

"Oh, I've forgotten to give you a list of what you'll need, it came from Hogwarts yesterday. Look, her it is - "

Darcie took out the paper and read the list.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT

AND WIZARDRY

Uniform

Third year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain robes (black)

2. One plain black pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils clothes should carry name tags.

Set books

Students should have a copy of the following:

The standard book of spells (grade 3) by Miranda Gehawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical theory by Adalbert Waffling

Intermediate Transfiguration by Emerie Switch

One thousand magical herbs and fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenuis Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces : A guide to self protection by Quentin Trimble

Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Verblatsky

A Study of Ancient Runes by Elanora Dolch

Other equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size z)

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an Owl or Cat or Toad.

Students above first year are also allowed their own broomsticks.

"Come now" Libby interrupted Darcie. "You'll have plenty of time to read that late. You need to get changed."

And she herded Darcie upstairs, leaving the strange picture of Sirius Black laughing maniacally on the table.