About a month ago I got to visit Harry Potter world in Orlando. Needless to say it was one of the most spectacular days of my life. Every Potterhead should make a pilgrimage there at some point. Things are about to get veryyyyy interesting with the Marauders!;)

"Hey, Amber!" Charlie said amicably, grinning down at me from his considerable height of 6'5. "Fourteen now, eh? Now's when the real fun begins!"

"Don't listen to him." Ryan, his younger brother, advised. "He was a bit of wild child in his day at Hogwarts."

I took in the sight of three of my male cousins, all brothers. Charlie, the eldest, had graduated Hogwarts four years ago and was now working in the mountains, studying magical wildlife. Connor had graduated a year behind and found work with the Ministry as a member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. Ryan and Connor were twins; thus, they had graduated together. Both had left Hogwarts before I'd arrived. All had been in Hufflepuff, like everyone else in the Harkstone family who had gone to Hogwarts.

"We finally got a black sheep." Charlie said loudly, ruffling my hair. I scowled at him as I tried to tame the wild locks.

"Oi, would you leave her alone?" Ryan sighed. "It's not every generation the family sees some variety in the Sorting."

"Happy birthday, Amber." Connor called, rushing forward to hug me.

Dazed, I watched as my three large cousins lumbered in the kitchen. Mum's cheerful voice carried back to me, and I knew they were grabbing food before setting up the marquee outdoors. The small house was in no shape to hold all of the members of the family. I traipsed nervously outside, hoping I had more time before other family members arrived.

I was mistaken.

The boys' parents, Uncle Jasper and Aunt Hannah, were deep in conversation with Aunt Mia, who was tugging along my cousin Jed, who looked surly, dressed completely in black and with a silver ring pierced through his nose. Almost instantly after that, Uncle Henry and Aunt Imogen Disapparated in front of the mailbox, their young daughters Opal and Ruby clutching their hands. I watched, stunned, as more family members arrived, all of them parading past, talking loudly and scaring the chickens and horses, who ran for cover in the pastures. I counted over twenty-five before retreating to the inside of the house, scampering up the stairs as the house swelled and filled with family members.

Some of them I had not seen since before I began my education at Hogwarts. Pressing my face against the glass of my bedroom window, I watched as Charlie, Ryan, and Connor raised their wands and the white marquee tent floated gracefully into the air and erected itself into the backyard. A few tables was conjured out of the air by Charlie and countless chairs popped into being by his brother's help. Voices drifted up from the stairs, the loud, raucous laughter and cheerful shouts of my Scottish family crowded in the house.

I groaned and collapsed on my bed, hiding my face. What would Remus and Lily say? Remus had a small family, with only one cousin, and no siblings. Both his grandparents were long-dead. Lily had a larger family, but all were Muggles. What would they say or think when they saw my loud, magical family cavorting all over 404 Highland Road, Bellinghall, Scotland?

It was too late to send out an owl to call off the plans to have them join my birthday party/family gathering. Hopelessly, I gazed in despair at the grandfather clock in the hallway. Ten minutes to noon. The train would arriving soon.

I didn't want them to have to walk themselves home, so taking a deep breath, I charged down the stairs, wishing that I had James' cloak of invisibility to hide from my family. The moment I came into view, cheers and applause overwhelmed me.

"The birthday girl's here!" Aunt Mia shrieked, grabbing me off the last step of the stairs and crushing my ribs in a Harkstone-hug. My eyes watered from the pain as Uncle Robert did the honors next. I was passed off like a hot potato until I reached the back door, where I was accidentally pushed out by the considerable backside of Uncle Billy.

Gasping for air, trying to gather my bearings, I hustled across the backyard and into the barn. My cousin Harry was inside, petting the nose of one of our horses, Thunder. He looked at me as I entered, smiling. He was handsome, dark blonde like Dad and our grandfather, with dark blue eyes. Harry alone of my family members shared my preference for quiet and didn't like the claustrophobia of clustering, like the other Harkstones did.

"Ah, found my hiding place." Harry said affectionately as he shook my hand. He grimaced. "Still shake hands like a prizefighter, you."

I laughed once, relieved to be away from the hustle and bustle of the family. "I need to go pick up Granny, Dey and my friends from the train station. Fancy a carriage ride?"

"Anything to get away from the brood." Harry remarked fervently. Because he was seventeen, he could use magic, and within seconds, we had Thunder strapped up to the open-air carriage. I sat in the coach seat, reigns in my hands, urging the large Belgian draft horse onward. Obedient and docile, the chestnut horse walked briskly along the rutted path and onto the lonely road that would lead into town.

It was a half-mile to the village, and everything was clustered together in a small hamlet of livelihood in Bellinghall. The ride was spent in blissful silence, broken only by the jingling of Thunder and the steady clomp-clomp of his massive hooves. We passed a few shops and stores and the library before the long rectangular roof of the Bellinghall train station came into view. Thunder halted just as the blue-and-silver locomotive chugged into the platform. The doors slid open and disgorged a dozen passengers, including my grandparents and my two best friends.

Filled with sudden excitement, I thrust the reins into my cousin's hands and jumped down from the coach seat, circling around the carriage and sprinting to close the distance. Lily shrieked and slammed into me with the force of a train; she hugged me even tighter than Aunt Mia. Laughing, I pulled back, my ribs aching, and came face-to-face with Remus.

We hadn't seen each other since June. He'd grown taller and his hair was longer; he looked like he hadn't brushed it since the last time we'd seen each other. Even though we'd agreed to remain friends, it didn't stop the rush of heat from coursing through my veins like firewhiskey. The heat flooded my face as I accepted a hug from him as well, careful to keep it quick and perfunctory.

"Excuse me, young lady," Dey chuckled. Grateful to escape the confusing swirl of emotions, I turned away from Remus and embraced my grandfather and my grandmother, who had lost the power of speech a few years ago after she'd suffered a stroke.

"Hi, Granny." I said warmly, pecking her cheek. She smiled, touching my face tenderly.

"So, how does it feel to be fourteen?" Lily asked excitedly as we made our way to the carriage. "Merlin's beard, this feels just like the carriages at Hogwarts, doesn't it, Remus?"

"Yeah," Remus agreed, climbing up.

"Hi," Harry said, smiling down at Lily. "I'm Harry, Harry Harkstone. I'm Amber's cousin."

Lily froze. Her green eyes widened as her cheeks filled with pink. "Pleasure to meet you." She managed as she took his proferred hand and he helped her up. She shot me an intense look that said we-are-going-to-talk-later! as she squeezed in beside Remus. The carriage was circular and offered double seats that faced each other in the passenger area, similar to the train compartments on the Hogwarts Express. My grandparents sat facing the back, so that I could feel Remus' eyes boring into the back of my skull as I reclaimed my seat beside Harry.

"So, what do you think of Bellinghall?" Dey asked my friends in his friendly rasping tone. "My daughter Lena chose it after visiting it during summer vacation in her final year at Hogwarts. She and Walter liked it so much they decided to move here after graduating."

"Yeah, it's beautiful." Lily agreed, but I had the feeling she was still gawking at Harry, who was completely unaware of the attention as we ambled back to the house.

I half-listened to Dey and Lily conversing behind me as I steered Thunder homeward. I was trying my best not to think about Remus and how he was mere feet behind me. I could feel the unspoken thoughts and feelings crowding the space between us, and I wondered if he was mired in the same confusing array of emotions as I was, or if he was fighting as hard to keep them at bay.

Just friends. I reminded myself sternly. That's what he wants. You can't force him. You've still got your friendship. That's more than enough.

I tried to convince myself of this argument as we pulled into the driveway of 404 Highland Road. In the forty-five minutes that we had been gone, even more family members had arrived - Harkstones from Dad's side, Dunbroch's from Mum's - and populated the property like a flock of migrating starlings. The cackles and laughter mixed together in a cacophony that made Thunder stamp his hoof nervously. I guided him into the barn, waving half-heartedly at my family members, who were greeting us enthusiastically from their places on the lawn.

"Merlin's beard, Amber." Lily breathed. "How big is your family?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Quite big. Dad's mum is a Muggle, but the rest of his family are magical."

"I thought he was Muggle-born?" Remus inquired.

I shrugged, not wanting to look at him with my heart fluttering at the sound of his voice. "I mixed up my terms. Besides, everyone thinks Gampy is a Squib; he hardly uses magic and he isn't very good at it."

"Amber!" Lily gasped. I shrugged again and brought Thunder into the barn. Remus helped Granny down while Lily cooed at the baby chicks skittering by outside, a mother hen leading the way to safety away from my relatives. While Granny and Dey meandered their way to the crowd, Harry, Remus, and Lily remained with me as I untied Thunder and brushed his coat off.

"So, you're Harry?" Lily asked my cousin, her voice warbling slightly. I smirked, knowing she was trying (and failing) to be flirtatious.

"I am." Harry said amicably. "Walter's my father's brother."

"How come I never saw you at Hogwarts?" Lily fussed.

"I was homeschooled," Harry informed her, "most of our family was, after..."

He trailed off and cleared his throat. "Anyway, I'm from East Proctorshire. It's about thirty-five miles from here. We're a little ways over those mountains."

"I see." Lily said enthusiastically. I was grateful that Remus stayed with them as I released Thunder into the pasture with the other horses, giving me time to gather my defenses for the next time I'd have to speak with him. What would I say? Did I dare bring up the fact that I still very much fancied him? Or did I go on pretending everything was normal and alright?

"Lord, give me strength," I prayed aloud as I wandered back to the barn. I decided that our friendship was more valuable than risking its death and smiled brightly at Remus, daring to look at him directly. Even though it made butterflies swarm in my belly, I said, "did you three want to go walk around? I think they'll be serving lunch any minute."

"That sounds good." Remus agreed lightly, his hands in his pockets. Lily and Harry were deep in talk and didn't answer. They followed Remus and I as we led the way across the packed lawn. Some of my relatives were playing cornhole, butterbeers clutched in their hands. Others had set up a makeshift Quidditch pitch and were preparing to play.

Remus laughed softly as we passed. I shot him a quizzical look. "What? What's so funny?"

Remus smirked. "You."

Blushing, I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He pointed to the Quidditch pitch. Charlie was already dividing up teams. "The moment you saw the pitch, you perked up. Like a shark smelling blood in the water."

"That's a nice way of putting it." I said dryly as we entered the cool shade of the tent. A long white cloth had been draped over the table and a second table had been conjured, which held mountains of food. I spotted my own quiche, Mum's haggis, bowls of pasta and fruit salads, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, burgers, steamed vegetables, sushi…

"Your family really likes food." Remus observed.

"You have no idea." I muttered as we stood by the table, admiring the offerings.

"So," Remus said bracingly, bouncing slightly on his feet, "Happy birthday."

"Oh, thanks." I said brightly, overcompensating for the hippogriff in the room I was sure he felt too. "It feels good to be older. Fourteen, you know. Now I'm finally caught up with you and Lily."

"True," Remus agreed genially. "Where can I put your present?"

I felt heat creep afresh into my face. "Oh, Remus, you didn't have to get me anything. Just having you and Lily here is enough of a gift."

Remus laughed once. "Nice try, Amber. Oh, there it is." He set off to a third table nestled in the corner, already stacked with wrapped gifts. I stared at it in disbelief. I hadn't ever seen so many presents in one place - for me.

Harry and Lily reappeared at my side. Lily's cheeks were flushed as she tugged me away to look at the food. Or so I thought.

"Um, hello!" She whispered fiercely in my ear. "How come you never told me your cousin was a dreamboat?"

"Because you never asked?" I shot back.

"Well, you owe me." She hissed, tossing her dark red hair over her shoulder. "Harry Harkstone… he's only seventeen. And he's single!"

I watched her, bemused. "Don't get your hopes up. Remember what we talked about earlier this summer? About not getting hung up over boys?"

"Yeah, whatever," Lily said vaguely, and I desperately hoped that I had never appeared so smitten over Remus or Sean.

I watched my large family interacting with each other outside of the tent, grateful I was relatively well-hidden behind the mountains of untouched food, when Mum spotted me. She had braided the crown of her hair into her two customary braids, which framed her heart-shaped face nicely as she hurried across the lawn. Her sky-blue robes billowed out behind her as she entered the tent, fixing me with a firm look.

"Where have you been?" She demanded, giving Lily a quick smile as she trained her stare on me.

"I had to go pick my friends and your parents." I reminded her, arching a brow. And to get away from the craziness, I thought privately. "Remember?"

Mum gave a loud sigh. "We're throwing this party for you, Amber. Please try to enjoy it."

I couldn't help it - I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Mum."

She ignored this and clapped her hands. "Alright, I think it's time for food and then we can start on your cake and presents. Oh, and this is for you."

She brought out a silver tiara. It was a cheap imitation of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, but it was still beautiful. I allowed her to place it upon my head, but protested when she tried to drape me in an obnoxious ribbon that read BIRTHDAY GIRL in blaring rhinestone letters.

"But it singles you out as the guest of honor!" Mum argued as she tried a second time to drop it over my shoulder.

"Exactly!" I snapped, ducking out of the way. "No, really, thanks though, Mum. The tiara's great, but I'm not wearing that thing."

"I will!" Lily said cheerfully. I shot her an annoyed look as she took the ribbon from Mum and tied it around her waist. Mum looked slightly mollified as she turned and shouted, "Time to eat!"

It was as if the Pied Piper had played his flute to the rats. Like a swarm, my family arose from their chairs or abandoned their games and charged en masse toward the marquee. Mum put me at the front of the line and organized the crowd into a haphazard line. Lily laughed into her palm.

"I told you," I muttered to her, taking a plate and choosing food from the table. She followed me after she'd taken her selections to the long table where we were supposed to sit, looking furtively around for Harry, who was near the middle of the line with Remus. Both boys were talking in subdued tones, but looked to be getting along well enough.

"Oh, Amber!" Mum called over the din of voices, "you sit at the head!"

Groaning, I shook my head. "No thanks, Mum!" I could only imagine the kind of attention I would receive from that kind of exposure and shuddered in response.

"So anti-social." Lily chuckled as we took seats near - but not at - the head of the table.

"I just prefer books to people." I responded airily. Lily rolled her eyes as we sat and awaited the arrival of others before starting to eat.

"Spoken like a true Ravenclaw." She said as she sipped gilly water. She dropped her voice down to conspiratorial tones and whispered, "so, how are you and Remus? I could practically feel the heat between you!"

I covered my face with my hands, embarrassed. "We're still just friends. That ship sailed. It's better this way."

"Alright, if you say so." Lily said in a voice that contradicted her gleeful expression. She brightened when Harry chose to sit next to her, Remus flanking me.

"Mind if I join you?" Remus asked politely as he pulled his chair out.

"Not at all." I replied, frowning. "It was never a problem for us to sit together at school. It won't be here."

"Right." Remus said, but I knew he was now testing the boundaries, making sure we were still on good enough terms to be able to cohabit personal space.

The table filled up quickly. The head of the table at the far end was occupied by Naomi, who looked delight to be in the spotlight of attention. The other end remained empty until a tiny, wiry old woman shuffled over and peered beadily at us. Her candyfloss-white hair gave her the appearance of an electrocution victim in the way it stuck up everywhere.

"Anyone sitting here?" She boomed, surprising us. Her voice carried, startling other members of the family down the table.

"No, of course not." Remus said graciously. The old woman harrumphed and glared at him. Remus looked confused.

"Well?" She said in a demanding tone. "Aren't you going to help an old woman sit down? I'm a hundred and twelve years old, young man!"

Blushing scarlet, Remus shoved back his chair and hastily pulled out the old woman's. She sniffed haughtily and pulled her plate closer to her. I noticed that she had chosen only soft foods: mashed turnips, limp steamed spinach, and applesauce. Remus poured her a glass of ice water, looking abashed.

"Remus, Lily, this is my great-grandmother, Minerva Dunbroch," I introduced casually. Lily's eyes widened.

"I heard there was a Mudblood here." Minnie barked, peering at Lily. "Is it you, Red?"

"Minnie, really!" Uncle Billy sighed from a chair nearby. "It isn't polite to say such vulgar words."

Lily had turned pink, her fists clenched. But Minnie cackled and took a mouthful of food, indifferent to the discomfort she'd caused. Remus was looking anywhere but at her, dutifully eating his juicy steak and his sweet potato.

"You!" Minnie barked at him, making Remus jump a second time. "What the hell happened to you? Did you fall in a thornbush or get attacked by a werewolf?"

"Minnie!" I said, outraged, but Remus merely waved a hand. "Childhood injury." He replied smoothly, and I wondered how many times he'd had to make an excuse for his scars.

Minnie grunted. "Careless parenting, I'll bet. When I was growing up, we were locked outside if we misbehaved. Even had a dementor skulking around our backyard once. Lucky for me I could cast a Patronus by age ten."

"Hogwash," I heard Uncle Billy mutter, but Minnie was either too old to hear him or wasn't listening.

"Fourteen, are you?" Minnie hawked, pointing her spoonful of applesauce at me, spattering Remus. He wiped it away calmly as I nodded.

"What'd you say?" Minnie snapped.

"YES." I said clearly. She looked appeased.

"First girl to be firstborn in the entire history of our family, didn't you know?" Minnie informed no one in particular. "Usually it's all boys or girls last. That's how you know you're done. At least on my side." She gave Uncle Jasper, a Harkstone, a dark look. "I have the whole genealogy of our family, traced all the way back to Nicolas Flamel, up in my attic somewhere."

Resisting the strong urge to roll my eyes, I took a sip of water and tried to act polite around Minnie to avoid being yelled at.

"Nicolas Flamel?" Remus echoed. "The alchemist?"

"That's the one!" Minnie shouted, making Uncle Billy choke on his butterbeer. "He's still alive, too. Nearly seven hundred years old. Yes, we Dunbrochs can trace our line all the way back to him and his little wife Perenelle. You there!"

Jack, one of my cousins, jumped. "Yes, ma'am?"

She snapped her fingers. "Go and get my geneology book. That'll make a nice little gift for the birthday girl!"

Jack looked nervous. "I'm not old enough to Disapparate-"

"I'll go." Charlie volunteered from beside him. He gulped down the rest of his food and vanished with a pop from his chair, making my little cousins Opal and Ruby scream in fright. This made my half-intoxicated family members roar with laughter.

"Ah, anyway," Minnie grunted, "where's my necklace? The one I lost?"

"What are you talking about, you old bat?" Uncle Billy sighed. "You own plenty of jewelry. Why is one missing bauble so damn-"

He let out a yelp of pain. Minnie had wrenched off her sandal and thrown it at him, where it had clipped him in the jaw.

"That hurt!" He yelled.

"Good!" Minnie shot back, livid. Remus's eyes were huge; Lily was fighting back laughter.

"Minnie was an Auror in her day," I whispered to them. "I guess you can leave the Auror office, but the Auror never leaves you."

"I can see that." Remus whispered back, and we grinned at each other.

"I think it was stolen. Or maybe Liam sold it, God rest the old fool." Minnie rambled on. She glared at the tiara on my head, the replica of Rowena's diadem. "Is that mine?"

"I bought that at the boutique, Nana," Mum called reassuringly to her grandmother, and she relaxed slightly.

"Makes sense." Minnie said peevishly. "First Ravenclaw in the history of the family, too. All Hufflepuffs or homeschooled, every stinking one of them."

"Amber's brilliant." Lily said immediately, and I felt a rush of affection for my best friend. "She belongs in Ravenclaw."

"Brains will only get you so far!" Minnie barked. "You'd better learn how to use make-up if you ever want to get married. Liam had lots of money - famous historian, real friend of Bathilda Bagshot - and we got married a week after our first date."

"Romantic." Harry offered, and Lily fought very hard to keep her laughter contained now. Minnie apparently thought he was being genuine, because she settled down for a few minutes, eating her food with the pompous air of a former aristocrat gone to seed.

"Oh, look!" Lily said, pointing. "Your mum's bringing out the cake. Merlin's beard!"

Indeed, Mum had baked a magnificent multi-layered tier cake that she had enchanted to float behind her. Her prodigious skill as a baker was evident. It was striped with blue and bronze, Ravenclaw's colors, and even though it was beautiful, I couldn't help wondering why she was putting so much emphasis on the fact that I was in Ravenclaw House. Was it because she was proud, or because she wanted to remind me how much different I was from the family?

Naomi abandoned her chair and came to sit by me excitedly. Few things charmed my little sister more than sugar. I counted fourteen candles atop the huge blue and bronze cake, guttering in the late summer breeze. I cringed as my entire family chorused 'Happy Birthday", including Minnie, who belted it out as if she was singing it to me from across the valley, and who also happened to be extremely tone-deaf.

"And many more!" Mum and Naomi finished. A smattering of applause broke out as I prepared to blow out the candles.

"Wait!" Naomi yelled. "Did you make a wish?"

The table of relatives chuckled. I winked at her indulgently. "Why don't you make one for me?"

Naomi shut her eyes tightly for five seconds. Then she opened them and together we blew out the candles.

There was another round of applause. Dad appeared behind Mum, waving his wand as she rested the giant cake on yet another table. The wand divvied the cake up into much smaller slices, and to my astonishment, floated over on paper plates to replace our empty settings, which had vanished into thin air.

"I love magic." I heard Lily sigh as she took a bite of the cake, which was filled with rich chocolate and airy vanilla swirls. Remus nodded in agreement, demolishing three slices in a surprisingly short amount of time.

"Ah, there you are!" Minnie cawed as Charlie finally reappeared, carrying an old leather-bound tome that was inscribed with an intricate border and embossed with a curious leaf-shaped symbol in the center. Whether or not Minnie was telling the the truth about it being a record of family history, I knew the book was extremely old.

"Sorry Minnie." Charlie said breezily as he reverently laid the large book out in front of her, careful to avoid the slice of cake. "It took me awhile to find it in your attic. You had a boggart up there in your hope chest."

"Probably Liam's ghost come back to haunt me." She cackled as she spread open the pages. Dust gathered in the air, making Remus cough. The pages were slightly water damaged and stained with age and blank.

"Is that supposed to be empty?" Lily couldn't help asking.

Minnie snorted. "So naive. Watch and learn, little girl."

Minnie drew out a short wand from the folds of her pink robes and tapped the first page. She closed her eyes and let out a gusty breath. I was surprised that dust didn't come out from her as it had done from the old book. But then, inexplicably, words and pictures spread in black and colored ink across the pages, revealing their true contents.

"Wow!" I said, impressed. "What kind of magic is that?"

"Very old, very secretive magic." Minnie said slyly. Even Uncle Billy was trying to glimpse the book, but was having a hard time due to the fact that there were several candlesticks and flower bouquets in his way.

"There is a special spell needed to reveal the contents of this book." She went on, dropping her voice low. Whether or not she meant to, it greatly added to the allure and mystery of the ancient book.

"What is it?" I asked, eyes roving over the pages, now filled with color and detail.

Minnie gave me a beady look that made me see the former Auror in her. "It's a secret. But I'll tell you later."

Remus and Lily exchanged a glance, but I didn't break my stare from Minnie's wasted face. Then she pushed the book toward me slowly, so that I could get a better look.

I had just started to make out the first page when she slammed it shut and pulled it away. I gaped at her, torn between anger and sadness that the book had been taken away so quickly.

"Just a taste for now." She said sweetly, stowing it underneath her bottom. "I'll give it to you later."

Grumbling, I pushed back my chair from the table, intending to go for a quiet, much-needed walk with Remus and Lily, but Mum flapped over, fixing me with that are-you-serious-Amber look I was so used to seeing.

"Where are you going?" Mum demanded, looking hassled. "We're about to open presents!"

I glanced out of the tent. The sun was notching lower in the sky. Sunset was only a few hours away. I shuffled on my feet, trying to devise a way to deliver the news to my mother as gently as possible.

"If it's alright, Mum, I'd like to spend some time with my friends. Without the family."

Mum rolled her eyes and predictably planted her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Amber, I don't know I bother going through all of the trouble I do for you. You never appreciate what I do for you!"

I fought to keep my temper in check. Indignant heat rushed to my face as I responded tartly, "I didn't ask for a family reunion, Mum. I said a nice quiet afternoon with a few people would have been more than enough. But you didn't listen, did you?"

Mum narrowed her eyes. "It always has to be your way, doesn't it? Always Amber's way, never anyone else's."

"Don't confuse me with yourself." I snapped, and Mum took a threatening step toward me, hand inching toward her wand.

"Hey!" Lily said, pushing between us. "I think presents would be wonderful. Then afterwards we can all visit or go for walks. How does that sound?"

Mum and I were glaring at each other like two hippogriffs sizing each other up. Then I remembered that the rest of the family was here, some of them probably watching, and I wrenched my gaze away.

"Fine." I conceded shortly. I marched over to the table stacked high with presents on stiff legs, still fighting to reign in my boiling anger.

"Calm down." Remus urged quietly. "Come on, breathe."

"Don't talk to me like I'm in labor!" I snapped, planting myself in a chair. Clearly, the long-held anger Mum and I had had not abated itself over the summer.

"Amber, what's going on between you and your mother?" Lily whispered as she pulled up a chair beside me.

I clenched and unclenched my hands. "I don't know."

"I think you do." Lily continued anxiously. "Maybe if you two tried talking about whatever it is-"

"Not the time or place, Lil," Remus advised as I threw her a furious look. Lily closed her mouth, relenting, but I knew she wasn't finished with the subject.

The rest of the family flocked over, making me feel even worse. I hated being the center of attention. I waved Naomi over and had her sit on the chair instead while I sat on the ground.

"Open mine first!" Naomi begged, handing me a poorly wrapped package. Obliging, I peeled back the wrappings and discovered a tiny clay statue of Hogwarts, painted with painstaking detail.

"Naomi, where did you get this?" I asked, stunned.

"I made it." She said, looking nervous. "Do you like it?"

Wordlessly, I threw my arms around her. She squeezed back, looking thrilled.

"It's perfect." I said, handing it reverently to Lily. Naomi handed me a second present, but I nodded to her. "You open it."

"But it's your birthday." She reminded me.

"I know," I said simply. "But I've had six more birthdays than you. You need to catch up."

Grinning and casting aside restraint, Naomi tore through the remainder of the presents with remarkable timing. In under ten minutes the hill of gifts was reduced to a mountain of torn wrapping paper and empty bags. She had unearthed several books, a Sneakoscope, three bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, a vegetarian cookbook filled with exotic recipes, and piles of clothes, both for school and for casual dress.

Mum was taking dutiful inventory of the gifts so we would know whom to write thank-you letters to. Lily leaned in my ear and whispered, "we'll give yours to you later."

Nodding, I watched as the family dispersed across the lawn and under the tent, refilling their plates as Minnie shuffled over as quickly as her rheumatism would allow. In spite of her sharp tongue and quick wit, the heat and longevity of the day seemed to have sapped the strength from her, and as she took Naomi's vacant seat, her eyes drifted shut and she took in several shallow breaths.

"Minnie?" Remus asked, concerned. "Are you alright? Do you need me to get you some water?"

"Get her some." I told him, while Minnie ignored him. Lily accompanied him after I gave her a meaningful look. For some reason, I felt that right now, it was crucial that I and I alone was with Minnie.

"I thought they'd never leave." Minnie grumbled, opening her eyes and fanning herself off. Her clever eyes slanted over to me, and I shocked at how intense they were. Despite the wasted skin and frail demeanor age had given her, I could see the sharp awareness of a former Auror staring at me from the paper-thin eyelids and old woman's body.

"Haven't you ever wondered why your father gave up a dream career in Quidditch to work at the Ministry of Magic?" Minnie rasped. "Or why your sister died of that strange illness?"

I stared at Minnie, feeling as if I'd just been punched in the stomach. I had managed not to think of Virginia as often as I once did. But now the memories of her came flooding back full-force, and I had to bit my lip to keep the reactive tears at bay. I nodded once, tightly.

Minnie produced the ancient maroon-leather book with the curiously intricate symbol of a leaf from her chair. She handed it to me with trembling hands, her blue veins standing out prominently on her timeworn skin. I could feel her gaze holding me captive, like a deer trapped in headlights.

"You'll find the answers you seek in here. In order to get this book to accept you as its new owner, you'll need my necklace."

I frowned at her. "The one you said you lost?"

She nodded, her hawk-like eyes piercing me. "It was made of fine gold and opals inside of a leaf-shaped mold. I lost it eighty-two years ago somewhere in Liverpool."

I jerked back, as if she'd electrocuted me. My mind was whirling very quickly. There was one necklace that fit that description precisely, one that I had loaned to Dumbledore over the summer. One that Virginia had given to me all those years ago, for Christmas.

I reeled back, dumbfounded. What were the chances that the necklace Virginia had purchased for me was our great-grandmother's long-lost pendant?

"Once you place that pendant in the center socket, you must turn it like so." She demonstrated with nothing but air. "And the incantation is not so much words, but meaning. You've got to want it to open for you. Say only this:"

She made a horrible rasping noise. I gaped at her.

"Do you recognize that language?" She said shrewdly.

It sounded like she had been having a brief but intense choking experience. I shook my head slowly.

She waved her hand. "Ah, well. You've got plenty of time to figure it out. Make that sound for me, so I know you've got it."

Blinking, I obliged. She grunted in approval. "Close enough. But remember, you must mean it. Understood?"

I nodded again, still feeling like I'd just been struck by lightning or missed several steps going down a flight of stairs. The old book was heavy in my small hands.

"Take good care of that book." Minnie ordered. "Do not lose it. And when you're ready, you will pass it down as I have done. Now go away, I'm tired."

And she leaned back and closed her eyes, apparently asleep.

Nonplussed, I rose slowly and made my way over to Remus and Lily, who were entertaining Naomi. They all looked up at me as I approached, the book clutched against my chest like a talisman.

"What's up?" Lily chirped. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I shook my head. "I need to put this in my room. Want to come?"

"Sure." Remus said. "If that's alright with your parents."

I slid a cursory look over at Mum and Dad, who were laughing gaily with their family over by the willow tree. Just barely, I could make out the gated-off garden beyond the party, where Virginia's body lay.

Haven't you ever wondered why your father gave up a dream career in Quidditch to work at the Ministry of Magic? Or why your sister died of that strange illness? Minnie's voice echoed in my mind.

Shaking my head, I sighed. "It doesn't matter. Come on."

The three of them tailed after me. The house was cool and quiet compared to the noisy relatives encamped outside on the property. Remus had never been in my bedroom before and I found myself gauging his reaction after we'd entered. My room was small but bright, the windows allowing sunshine to stream through and the ceilings vaulted to give it a bigger feeling. Posters and pictures hung on the walls, one of them including himself and my other Hogwarts friends. With a start, I realized Angelina was still in the moving black-and-white photograph.

Hastily, I placed the book on my desk and covered it with a large folder holding my summer homework. Then I turned and led my friends back out. Lily rose from the bed and took Naomi's hand, chattering back and forth like monkeys.

I tried to join in their upbeat mood, but I felt as if I had just jumped out of a plane and hadn't realized until after the fact that I had forgotten my parachute. I grabbed my Silver Arrow on the way out, not for the notion of playing Quidditch, but for the sense of security and reassurance it gave me.

"You alright?" Remus asked in a low voice as we entered the kitchen.

I filled a glass of water and drank deeply. Minnie's words swirled in my mind like fallen leaves in a hurricane; I couldn't get them to slow down or focus long enough on one to gather my bearings. Minnie was a rude, brash woman - not to mention very old - but she wasn't senile. As much as I tried to convince myself that she was, I knew from the penetrative gaze she fixed people with that even though her body was aged and frail, her mind was as sharp as ever - if not sharper than before.

"I've got a lot on my mind." I told him honestly. I could feel the wall between us, built by both our hands over the past few years, and I couldn't stand it. Facing him, I said, "I want us to be able to talk."

Remus' eyes changed. Instead of shuttering, they brightened and he put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll always be here for you. No matter what. I mean that, Amber."

Lip trembling, I felt the strongest impulse to walk into his arms, but after what had happened in June, I knew better. So instead I hugged my arms around my chest and took a step back, putting distance between us.

"Thanks, Remus." I said. "That means a lot. I'm glad we're friends."

The kitchen was deserted. Lily and Naomi had left us to go back outdoors and evidently hadn't noticed our absence. It was the first time we were alone since our talk, and I could feel the air growing heavy with unspoken words and feelings.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "Remus, I-"

"You don't have to say anything." Remus interrupted, his voice husky. "I know."

I closed my mouth. Was this how it was going to be between us from now on until one of us moved on? I opened my mouth to speak, but just then, Lily burst inside of the house. She was still wearing the banner around her waist that read BIRTHDAY GIRL. I jumped a foot, startled.

"Amber! You've got to come outside right now. You've got some last-minute guests!"

From her sly expression, I had a feeling who had just shown up. Sighing in defeat, I asked, "Would they happen to be in Gryffindor and hang around with Remus?"

Lily chortled. "Actually, no. They're Hufflepuffs and one of them is quite famous. Come on!"

She ran forward and grabbed my wrist, tugging me outside. Remus followed us. The sun was falling lower in the sun, creating long, golden rays of sunlight that gave a warm, reddish hue to everything it touched, including the three newcomers who were striding across the lawn to meet us.

I stopped dead, frozen where I stood. Coming towards me was a young woman with chestnut-brown hair who I didn't know, an older woman who looked strikingly like her with a long scar across her face, and a handsome young man I hadn't expected to see for a long time.

"Happy birthday, Amber," Professor Smith said warmly, looking amused at my dumbfounded expression, "You know my nephew Sean. I'd like you to meet my daughter, Mara Smith."