1

In a small house on a small street sat a small girl watching her big sister doing her magic homework. The big sister was a pretty girl who was tall for her age of sixteen; she had icy blue eyes and dark brown hair. She was always being courted by boys, but she never paid much attention; she had a taste for wizards which was never quite satisfied. She went to an all-girls magic school; there were only two on earth: hers and the Australian school, Linklesnaps.

She sat in her kitchen doing the homework she had been given for the summer holidays. Transfiguration was her worst subject and she loathed the teacher. She had no idea what the incantation was for turning an apple into a hedgehog, and she couldn't ask her parents for help because neither of them had any magical ability, and they weren't home anyway. They were out for her dad's office Christmas party and they had left her behind in their musty Manhattan home.

In fact, she was beginning to regret agreeing to take care of her sister while they were gone; her sister was beginning to get on her nerves. She kept on making irritating little side comments while her older sister was trying to work.

"You know I'm going to your school this year, Moira?" she chirped again. The girl called Moira bit her tongue in response. She wanted to tell her sister that they couldn't be sure because their parents were Muggles and there was a very small chance of them both being witches, but she knew it wasn't true. Her parents weren't both Muggles, but a Muggle and a squib. Her father's side of the family was a pureblood magical family, but he had the misfortune of not getting any magical power.

Yet, somehow the magic gene found its way to Moira, and most likely her sister Mandy. Moira had seen Mandy do little things that hinted that she was a witch. Once, during a game of hide-and-go-seek, Moira had seen someone come very close to finding Mandy, and then all of a sudden, they had wandered away. After interrogating that person curiously, Moira learned that the seeker had simply forgotten what she was doing, and so she went to grab a glass of orange juice. Another time, Mandy had spilled grape juice on the carpet and was made to scrub it clean, but after only a minute, the stain seemed to have disappeared completely.

"Can't you go bother Neil?" Moira sneered, referring to her twin brother. Mandy looked at her stubbornly.

"He locked himself in his room so he could blast his music," returned Mandy sharply. Neil did this regularly because his favorite music wasn't exactly their parents' first choice. "And anyway, I want to be ready for when I'm witch and I need to know this stuff."

"Then can't you be quiet? I'm trying to-"

Moira was cut off by the loud ring of the telephone. She walked across the kitchen to answer, annoyed at the second interruption.

"Hello. Bunkly residents," she answered politely, though she was eyeing her sister with the most impolite of looks. She a heard a strange noise on the other end. A second later, she realized what it was. A woman sobbing…she could hear a woman sobbing. And she knew just who it was…

"Mamma? Mamma, what's wrong?" She heard another loud bawl.

Mandy looked up from the book curiously.

"Mamma? Why are you crying?"

She saw Mandy's face turn to stone.

"Mamma? Mamma, where's Daddy? Mamma, please answer me – what's wrong?"

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The funeral was to be held the following Monday.

Moira didn't cry over her father - she was too busy to cry. Her whole family was falling apart, and she was the only support. Mandy refused to get in cars, Mamma would be in bed all day, and Neil would slink around the house, rarely talking.

Moira had taken over the cooking, cleaning and every thing else that her mother should have been doing. Their house was paid off, so mortgage wasn't a problem, but they ran through their savings, paying for everything else like electricity, utilities, food, and clothing.

The day Moira woke up to sour milk in a hot refrigerator, she knew they couldn't go on living like this. She walked quietly up the steps to her mother's room and pushed the door slowly open with a loud creek. She tiptoed over to the side of the bed and gently shook her mother.

"Mamma, wake up."

Her mother was already awake, though. She looked at Moira with a sad expression and leaned up to hug her tight.

"Honey, we need to talk," she said, pulling Moira down so she was sitting next to her. Moira nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we do," said Moira. "Look, the milk has gone sour, and the electricity just shut off. I know you feel bad, Mamma, but we need to fix this place up. It's falling apart without you. I'm doing my best, but –"

"Honey, I know."

"You do?"

"Yes, honey, I do. That's why I needed to talk to you. I've been real down lately and I don't think that's good for you three. Also, knowing you and your brother and possibly your sister have magic blood is very hard on me. At least your father knew a little bit about this stuff. Me? I'm clueless."

Moira was listening intently now. "Well, I've done some thinking and I think it'll be best if you go live with your aunt for a little while."

Moira didn't understand, and it showed on her face.

"Your aunt is a witch like you and she'll be able to help you out – all of you guys."

Moira didn't like this.

"Mamma I don't want to leave you!" she said loudly, standing up and looking furious. Her mother smiled weakly.

"She lives in England, honey! You'll get to go to Europe!"

"What about school? What do I do about school? And how will we get there? Ever since the accident, Moira will only walk places! What is she going to do, walk to England?" Her mother cast Moira a look of reassurance.

"Don't worry. Your Aunt Andromeda and I have it all worked out, and we'll let you know in time. She'll be here tomorrow to pick you up, so you better start getting ready. Remember, I love you."

Moira still didn't fully understand as she slowly crossed the hall to enter the room she shared with Mandy to explain what was going on. They both packed in silence until all of their clothes and belongings were safely tucked in boxes or crammed into trunks. Moira heard Mandy sniffle occasionally, and she knew Mandy was crying. Moira felt her own eyes fill with water, but she quickly blinked them back. She needed to be strong; her sister needed her.

When the room was but an empty space with two beds in the middle, Moira sat down on the bed next to Mandy and held her close. A slow tear crawled down her face.

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The next morning was a quiet one. At ten o' clock, Mandy, Moira and Neil each kissed their mother in turn and went outside to wait on the step for their aunt.

"I hope she doesn't come in a car," Mandy muttered.

Moira couldn't help but giggle. Her little sister gave her a disapproving glare, which only caused her laugh harder. Neil smiled tightly. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang like a gunshot. They both jumped and ran inside the house to find a pretty young women talking to their pale faced mother.

"What was that noise?" Moira gasped.

"Sorry," apologized the woman. "I forget how loud Apparition can be!"

She walked over and shook Moira's hand. "I'm Aunt Andromeda. I'm afraid there's been a change of plans. You won't be able to stay with me right now as I'm in a very tough spot with my job. So instead, I'm going take you to your other aunt, Molly's." Moira and Mandy looked at each other nervously.

"Don't worry!" said Aunt Andromeda gently. "She is very nice and has a daughter just about Moira's age and a son near Neil's. You'll have a lovely time!"

Moira nodded hesitantly. Andromeda smiled.

"Well, I sure hope you two know how to use floo powder, because I have to go back to work right now, and won't be able to drop you off."

Mandy looked at Moira with child-like eyes.

"Moira and I do, but not Mandy." Neil muttered. Moira shot him a quick surprised look; ever since the accident, Neil had stopped speaking in public.

A sweet smile spread across Andromeda's face. "Then I guess she'll have to learn."

Aunt Andromeda told them all that she was going to leave first so Mandy could see what it was like. Then Mandy should go so Moira could keep an eye on her. Then Moira should go, followed by Neil.

Aunt Andromeda stepped into the fireplace and said loudly, "The Ministry of Magic!"

Mandy gasped when she was immediately engulfed in green flames and disappeared.

"Now it's your turn," Moira said, nudging her sister into the fireplace. She handed her terrified little sister some floo powder and quickly gave her the ins and outs of traveling by fireplace. Then Moira stepped back to see her sister do the first intentional magic she had ever done. Mandy closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and repeated what Moira had told her to say a couple seconds ago.

"The Burrow!"

When it was finally Moira's turn, she turned to her mother and hugged her tightly, not wanting to forget the way her mother's hugs made her feel warm and safe. Then, without taking her eyes off of her mother, Moira stepped into the fireplace, and allowed herself to be swallowed by the great green fire that would take her to her new home.

As Moira spun through, what seemed like, a never-ending wave of green, she couldn't help but think about her father. Fireplaces whizzed by like little windows into other people's lives. She felt herself feeling jealous of the families with two happy parents in a nice home with smiles on their faces. She missed her old life so much.

Her thoughts carried her along, making the ride feel like ages. She wished it would end, but when it finally did, she missed the warm feeling of flames that reminded her of being held in her fathers arms.

When the flames began to disappear and her spinning slowed down, she came tumbling out of the fireplace onto a little purple rug. She stumbled as she stepped out, and was about to regain her balance when a stout women with bright red hair whisked her away, going on and on about how skinny she was.

"We need to get some meat on those bones!" she said with genuine concern in her voice. Moira was lead through a small but cozy house with magic going on everywhere into a tiny kitchen, perhaps even smaller than her own, where her sister Mandy looked like she was inhaling a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes, hash browns, and orange juice.

When Moira was seated with a full plate in front of her, the woman sat down in the chair opposite her and began to make conversation.

"You must be Moira! Well aren't you the pretty one?" the woman said, smiling. Moira gave an embarrassed smile. She had often heard she was pretty, but she didn't know what it was that made people think it. It was something about her, she figured, just as somebody else might be tall or thin.

"I was told there was another one of you," continued the woman.

"He'll be here soon," Moira said, after swallowing a large piece of bacon.

"He probably just forgot something," Mandy added shyly from the other end of the table.

The woman laughed warmly. Moira smiled as she looked around. The house was such a comforting, friendly place.

"I'm your Aunt Molly, by the way."

"Hello," said Moira politely, in between bites of, what she thought, was the most delicious pancakes she'd ever tasted.

Mandy had just finished her plate and pushed in front of her as a silent statement. She turned and looked at Molly.

"Aunt Andromeda said you had kids?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, yes! I have six boys and a daughter. She's about a year younger than Mandy, and my youngest son is the same age. And their friend is here for the summer. Her name is Hermione, also about your age."

"Where are they?" Moira inquired, imitating her sister and pushing her plate in front her.

"Oh, they're picking up Fred and George. They're twins, you know, like Moira and Neil. I hope they..." She became silent and looked up at a large clock on the wall with pictures of what Moira assumed was the Weasley family. She noticed that they all had flaming red hair. The clock did not show times, though. Instead it had places. All the faces switched from Traveling to Home, except for Mr. Weasley's, which remained on Work.

"Oh, they're home!" she cried. Then she grabbed the two girls by the arms and pulled them toward the front door.

She stood by, smiling, and the boys came in, talking casually. They stopped as they noticed Mandy and Moira standing with their mother.

"Moira, Mandy, this is Fred, George – oh, sorry, dears - i> this /i> is Fred and i> this /i> is George, and this is Bill Charlie, Ginny, Hermione and Ron."

Moira shook hands with all of them until she got to Ron who was staring open-mouthed at her. Ginny snorted. "Yes, Ron, this i> is /i> the female species…"

Fred frowned. "Honestly, Ron!"

"…She's your cousin," George added, looking slightly bored. Ron turned the same color as his bright red hair and wandered nervously into the kitchen. Moira had to bite her tongue to stop from giggling.

Hermione was about to add something, but she fell silent when Neil finally came spinning out of the fireplace. He, like Moira and Mandy, was very good looking and judging by the strange look in Hermione's eyes, she had noticed. His recent lack of bathing and layer of soot from the hearth added to his usual torn blue jeans and shoulder length hair and gave him a somewhat rugged look. Hermione couldn't help but stare before she turned the same color as Ron, and hurriedly followed Ron into the kitchen.

Almost immediately, Mandy was in deep conversation with the twins and she didn't even notice when Ginny turned to Moira and offered to lead her up to the room she would be staying in.

"You'll be staying in my room!" she gushed, obviously happy to have another girl in the house. The more the merrier.

Hermione followed them slowly up the stairs. She was walking backwards, trying to see Neil for as long as she could, which was hard to do because he was in the dining room, eating a late breakfast. When Ginny noticed that Hermione hadn't joined them in her room yet, she trotted down the stairs so she could drag Hermione up. As she was pulling Hermione up the stairs, she saw Ron, who was sitting next to Neil, scowl at the scene almost jealously.

When all three were seated comfortably on Ginny's bed, Hermione finally spoke.

"He's gorgeous," she breathed, her eyes looking distant. Ginny had a look of envy on her face.

"He's my cousin," she muttered half to herself, as though reminding herself that Neil was strictly off limits due to the bloody fact that he was her cousin. "And I have a bloody boyfriend…"

"Poor you," said Hermione, but judging from her face, Hermione looked as if she didn't really care.

"You have a boyfriend?" asked Moira curiously. Ginny nodded, almost regretfully.

"His name is Dean. He's a year older than me," she replied. "But he's nowhere as cute as Neil."

"I'll say," agreed Hermione.

Moira laughed and shook her head as the two girls became engulfed in conversation about Neil. Since she couldn't really join in the conversation without it getting immensely awkward, she went downstairs to explore.

It was amazing! There were potatoes that were peeling themselves and self-washing dishes; Moira had rarely seen this much magic at once. Even though it wasn't her home, it felt like it could be. Moira was happier here than she thought she would.

Soon Mr. Weasley got home, and Moira was happy to see he was just as warm and welcoming as the rest of his family. He was a tall, slender, balding man with just enough hair left to tell that his, like the rest of his family, was red. It wasn't long before he began hounding Neil for information about the Muggle world. Neil was kindly rescued by Ron, who was inviting everyone outside for a game of Quidditch. Moira noticed, though, that Ron gave Neil a glare as he followed him out of the house.

The day was filled with more happiness than Moira had felt in a long time, and even though she should have been rejoicing with the rest of the family, she couldn't help but feel depressed. She had learned the hard way that happy moments in her life never lasted long…