When Gabriella returned, she had some envelopes, but she had set them aside to make breakfast with help from her husband, Jeffery. Michael and Mandy had gone to get dressed, leaving Hailey behind. She had tried to help Gabriella and Jeffery with the food, but they said that they had it handled and to go back to the living room. So she sat at the couch, to watch the television to distract herself from her scar hurting. However, she couldn't help but look at the pictures. There were a few pictures of generic landscapes and famous landmarks. The rest of the pictures were of Michael when he was younger, and there was one from when Michael and Eva were younger, with Michael's parents having a picnic and a few of them celebrating Christmas.

From what Michael had told her and Mandy, Eva's parents had originally been in the pictures with Eva, but Gabriella had used magic to erase Eva's parents out of the pictures. She did that right after Eva's parents kicked Eva out of their house, because Eva turned out to be a witch. Mandy had said that she didn't blame Gabriella for doing it and that Mandy would've done the same thing. From what Michael had told Hailey and Mandy during their second year; Eva's parents were very deeply religious and looked down at witchcraft as being unnatural.

When Eva showed signs of magic during an argument with her mother, causing all the dishes to shatter, Eva's parents freaked out and disowned, then, ten year old Eva, by kicking her out of her home. Eva was now starting her second year at Hogwarts that year, yet Eva still believed that her parents would take her back, once they got used to the idea of her being a witch. However, Mandy, Michael, and Hailey believed that Eva's parents won't take her back. Hailey figured that was the Hufflepuff loyalty trait that Eva had, shining through.

Mandy flopped down on couch, next to Hailey, taking her out of her thoughts. Mandy was holding three large tickets that was made out of parchment. "I wonder when Ron's invitation is going to arrive. Glinda already arrived with mine, Eva, and Michael's tickets." She waved the three tickets in the air and looked at them. "Hmm…Ireland versus Bulgaria…should be interesting. Huh, our seats happen to be in something called the Top Box…Wonder what that means, but we'll find out soon. I'm not sure who to root for, though. I'm not much of a Quidditch fan, but I think I'll root for Ireland since my mum's Irish, even though she grew up in England." Mandy explained, examining the tickets closely. "I'm actually excited because this is going to be my first World Cup. I wonder if I should pick something up for my mum as a souvenir."

Glinda was Mandy's horned owl, with black and tan speckled markings. Mandy named her owl after Glinda, from The Wizard of Oz. Mandy's mother, Tara, was a Muggle. Mandy's dad, Eric, was upfront about him being a wizard when he was dating Tara. Tara went to live with Eric in the wizard world and gave birth to Mandy. Despite Mandy being a witch, Tara introduced Mandy to the Muggle world, so Mandy wouldn't grow up looking down on Muggles.

Hailey couldn't help but think that Mandy and Michael's lives were flipped in a way.

Michael's mother came from a deeply religious Muggle family, so witchcraft was looked down on. Gabriella's sister, Temperance, was bitter and jealous about Gabriella being able to do magic, turned to religion hard. Gabriella was treated poorly for being a witch, which was why she never spoke about being a witch to her husband and son. When Michael got his acceptance letter, it sparked an argument between his parents about the wizard world and Gabriella being a witch, but Jeffery still loved his wife despite the huge secret.

Mandy nudged Hailey, "Come on. Breakfast is ready."

Hailey realized that she was probably staring blankly at the television, probably looking like Dudley.

She went in the kitchen and was handed a plate by Michael. She gathered some food and sat down at the table between Michael's grandparents, who must have walked in after their jog, when Hailey was too busy thinking.

Mandy with her plate, sat next to Adeline and Michael sat right across from Hailey. Eva stumbled in, still wearing her pajamas, and looking mostly asleep. She flopped down in a chair at the table and Gabriella placed a plate in front of Eva, who face-planted right into her scrabbled eggs.

Mandy laughed and then started coughing. Jeffery, sitting next to Mandy, started clapping her on the back, looking worried for the blonde.

Hailey looked at Eva and at Michael, who was busy shaking pepper on his scrambled eggs. Hailey looked at Michael's parents and grandparents, who seemed to be acting like Eva falling asleep in her food happened a lot. She asked, "Um…does that—"

"Yes," the Corner family said at the same.

Mandy was now drinking milk and wiped her mouth off on a napkin. "Why doesn't she sleep in, then?"

"When it's time to eat, she wants to be at the table. To her, its time to be a family," Jeffery said. "She'll wake up in a few minutes."

Adeline grabbed Hailey's shoulder with her index and thumb. "You should get more food, you're too thin." She grabbed Mandy's arm. "You need to be like Mandy here. Not as bony."

"Mum!" Jeffery replied looking at his mother in slight horror or from embarrassment.

"It's true," Adeline replied, shrugging. "It's like they're starving Hailey. I would go anywhere; do anything just to meet her aunt and uncle. Oh, if I met them, there would be stern words on if they're feeding her properly."

"I'll join you by giving them impolite words, Adeline," Mandy said.

"I'll like to do more than give them stern words," Gabriella said, sounding wistful.

"I'll be there, but I'll let all of you to do the work," Jeffery said.

Hailey and Michael looked at each other from across the table. There was silence for a few minutes

"I wonder what my life would be like if I married Corinne instead," Everett suddenly said, sounding wistful. "My toes would probably be whole if I didn't end up in that predicament."

"What predicament?" Michael asked confused.

"It was a really freaky gardening accident," Everett said. Michael looked at Hailey, confused.

"What are we talking about?" Eva asked. She picked up her fork and examined her plate, oblivious to the fact she had pieces of fried egg on her face.

"We're wondering what my life would've been like if I joined the nunnery instead of working as showgirl in Vegas that one year," Adeline said.

Michael stared at his grandmother, the fork clanging to the plate, he was looking scandalized. Mandy looked like she was trying not to picture it.

"Actually I take that back, that was fun," Adeline said. "I have pictures at home."

"I've seen them," Jeffery said. "The kids don't need to see those. Bad enough you showed them to me when I got in trouble."

"What did you do to get in trouble? Sneak out of the house?" Michael asked.

"No," Jeffery said in a deadpan sort of tone. "I was stealing and selling alcohol."

Everyone except Mandy and Hailey snorted at the same time. The two Ravenclaws looked at each other from behind Adeline, both confused. Hailey wasn't sure, but it could've been a family inside joke. She'll probably figure it out later.

There was another lapse of silence, and Mandy said, "You know, I probably would've had a boyfriend, if he didn't try to steal my dog and showed me some more damn respect."

Hailey remembered the Muggle boy, Cole, from down the street, who tried to steal the dog.

"He tried to steal your dog?" Michael asked confused.

"Yes. He also tried to tell me that he believed Sid Vicious killed his girlfriend. He got mad when I pointed out that there could've been many others who possibly did it," Mandy said. "He acted like I was stupid; therefore, he should've showed me some more damn respect."

"You don't need a guy like that in your life, when you share a different opinion," Jeffery said.

"I was getting frustrated with him and Hailey had to take my wand before I hexed him," Mandy said.

Hailey nodded and said, "It was…an interesting argument."

"I bet it was," Michael said.

"Who's Sid Vicious and why did he kill his girlfriend?" Eva asked confused.

"We'll explain that to you when we're not at the table," Gabriella said.

Eva nodded, finishing her breakfast. "May I be excused?"

"Sure," Jeffery said and Eva left the table.

After about two minutes of silence, there was a scream of surprise and then silence about a minute later.

At once, everyone left the table to run down the hallway to Michael's room. Jeffery threw the door open to see Eva standing in the middle of the room, looking embarrassed. Hedwig had returned from whatever adventure she was out having, but something in her amber eyes showed displeasure.

Hailey was confused and then she saw what looked like a small, grey tennis ball, flying around the room, like a whizzing firework. The tennis ball smacked Mandy right in the middle of her forehead. Mandy shouted, "Ouch!"

The tennis ball flew and smacked Hailey in the side of her head, "Hey!" Hailey squinted and noticed that it was an owl. It was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.

"It dropped this," Eva said, holding a letter up. "I only screamed because it hit me in the back."

Adeline, Everett, Gabriella, and Jeffery left the room after making sure that they were okay.

Hailey took the letter to look at it as Eva gathered some clothes and left the room. Hailey recognized Ron's handwriting and hastily opened it. There was a hastily scribbled note.

Hailey—DAD GOT THE TICKETS—Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. Thought I'd send this with Pig anyway.

Hailey stared at the word "Pig" confused and then wondered if Ron wrote it correctly. She looked up at the tiny owl, which was zooming around the light fixture on the slightly cracked ceiling. She wasn't sure why Ron named the owl "Pig" considering that it obviously didn't have any characteristics of a pig, that she knew of anyway. Did the owl eat a lot of food and that's why he named it Pig? She looked back at the note, deciding that she'll ask him about it later.

Hermione's arriving this afternoon. Percy's started work—the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Don't mention anything about Abroad while you're here unless you want the pants bored off you.
Did Mandy get her tickets, yet?
You, Mandy, and Michael should come tomorrow on the Knight Bus.
See you soon—

Ron

"Percy must be pleased that he's a part of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I wonder what division he's in," Mandy said, sounding curious.

Hailey passed the note to Michael, and went to grab a fresh piece of parchment and her eagle-feather quill.

"Calm down, Pig," Mandy said. "She's going to need you to send a reply back."

Hailey wrote a reply back:

Mandy did get her tickets. See you tomorrow. Can't wait.
Hailey

Hailey folded up her note as small as it can get and had difficulty tying it to Pig's leg, because he kept hopping on the spot, as if it was excited to make a delivery.

"Cute owl," Mandy said as the owl zoomed out of the window and out of sight. "A little hyperactive though."

Hailey looked at Hedwig. "Are you up for a long journey?"

Hedwig hooted as if offended that Hailey asked her that. Hailey held up the letter to Sirius. "Can you deliver this to Sirius?" She realized something. "Hang on…I think I need to finish it." She wrote down a hasty post script:

If you want to contact me, I'll be at my friend Ron Weasley's for the rest of the summer. His dad got us tickets for the World Quidditch Cup!

She folded the letter and tied to Hedwig's leg, stayed unnaturally still, as if showing Hailey how real post owls should act. Hailey told the owl, "I'll be at Ron's when you get back, all right?"

Hedwig nipped Hailey's fingers in an affectionate way, before flying out the window with a whooshing sound.

"I hope this time around, hot chocolate won't nearly get poured onto my head," Mandy grumbled, crossing her arms. "If that happens again, oh, there will be stern words with Shunpike." She winced, "I already feel sick thinking of going back onto the Knight Bus."

"What is riding the Knight Bus like, anyway?" Michael asked.

Hailey looked at him, "You'll find out tomorrow."

"Do I even want to know?" Michael wondered.

"You do not," Mandy responded, trying to sound mysterious.

Eva returned holding her pajamas and frowned. "What are you guys talking about?"

"The Knight Bus," the three Ravenclaws responded at the same time.


The next day at twelve o'clock, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff were racing around, trying to pack up as best as they can. Hailey was trying to double-check that she had everything. She knew that the Corners' would be able to send her what was accidentally left behind, but she didn't want to feel like a burden to them. They already allowed her and Mandy to stay with them for a week.

"Aunt Gabby, have you seen my messenger bag?" Eva shouted.

"I think it's in the fridge," Gabriella said, rushing around, giving everyone sandwiches.

"Why is it in the fridge?" Mandy asked Michael, as Eva ran out of the room.

Michael just shrugged, "I can't find my ties."

"I think that lamp is wearing a few," Jeffery said, thumbing over to a lamp. Hailey couldn't help but look. Sure enough, around the lampshade, there were two ties tied around it.

"How did they get there?" Michael asked, confused.

"Aunt Gabby, I can't find my bracelets!" Eva shouted from somewhere in the flat.

"Try the cabinets!" Gabriella shouted.

There was a thumping sound from upstairs, "Stop shouting!" a woman yelled.

After checking that she had packed her most prized possession, the Invisibility Cloak that she inherited from her dad; the enchanted map of Hogwarts that George and Fred had given to her last term; and the Firebolt, a broomstick that Sirius had bought her after her Nimbus Two-Thousand had been smashed to pieces by the Whomping Willow last term.

Satisfied that she had everything, she went to the bathroom to put on eyeliner and red lip-gloss that she got last year on her birthday. Gabriella had to hug Mandy, Hailey, Eva, and Michael before they left the flat. Michael seemed more embarrassed over the fact that his mother hugged him, giving Hailey a strange look.

After Eva, Mandy, and Michael were all packed up, Gabriella ushered the four students down the hall with their luggage, which Hailey was sure must've looked odd if someone noticed. There was another person in the elevator, who balked at the sight, but hurried out, to give them more room.


When they got to the street, Gabriella held out her right arm.

Eva stared at her aunt, "What—"

BANG

A large, violently purple triple-decker bus appeared in front of them. Eva shrieked in surprise and jumped back.

A pimply youth, a little older than Hailey jumped down from the bus, and said, "Welcome to the—"

"We know," Hailey and Mandy said at the same time. They heaved their trunks onto the bus, Eva passing some Galleons to Stan as she passed, before closing her Hufflepuff coin purse, which was filled with Galleons.

Last term, Eva managed to get her hands on a lot of Galleons. Where and how she managed to get Galleons was a mystery and Eva wasn't saying. Not even Gabriella, Jeffery, Adeline, and Everett could get her to talk on where she got that much money. Apparently during the summer, Eva was still getting Galleons, and all Michael, Mandy, and Hailey could do was speculate on how Eva is getting that much money.

"The Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole," Gabriella told Stan before leaving.

Stan told Ernie, the driver of the Knight Bus, the address.

There was an assortment of mismatched chairs, that weren't bolted to the ground. They took some chairs and with a resounding BANG, the bus was on the move again. Eva was almost thrown to the ground, but Michael grabbed Eva's chair. Some other chairs had the misfortune of toppling to the ground.

"I hate this," Mandy said.

Stan was standing up, reading a newspaper oblivious to the choatic way Ern was driving the bus. Michael was staring out the window gaping, and Eva was holding onto her pet Puffskein, Eve, looking a little ill.

"I think she needs something to drink," Mandy said. "Mr Shunpike, can you give her some hot chocolate please?"

Stan set his newspaper down and went to go pour a mug of hot chocolate for Eva, but ended up pouring it all over the floor when the bus abruptly turned. Mandy fell over and Michael smacked his face into the window. Hailey had to dig her combat boots into the ground, to keep from tipping over. Somehow Eva didn't fall over, but she still looked ill.

With one last BANG, they stopped right outside the Burrow.

Hailey looked out the window.

It looked like it used to be a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there. It was several stories high and it was crooked, like all the other wizarding buildings that was in Diagon Alley. There were multiple chimneys perched on top of the red roof and a lopsided sign was stuck in the ground near the entrance that read: The Burrow. In front of the door was very rusty cauldron.

"This is where your friend, Ron, lives?" Eva asked, looking at the house and then back at Hailey.

"Yes," Hailey replied.

"I think it looks cozy," Eva said, looking back at the Burrow and smiling widely.


A/N: I couldn't figure out which argument that Mandy and a Muggle would get into, so I decided on an argument about where Sid Vicious killed his girlfriend in a drug induced high or if it was someone else could've done it. Also, acting like a Ravenclaw is stupid, would be insulting, especially over a difference of opinion.

I had to combine Chapter 2 and 3 together, because I figured that them going to the Burrow would've been very short, compared to the book's chapter on how Harry got to the Burrow.

Also, I realized that I never talked much about Mandy's family, only mentioning that her dad works at the Ministry of Magic and that her mother is a Muggle. So, I gave Mandy's mother a little bit more backstory.