Amanda rushed into the common room. "I know how we're going to get in," Amanda said excitedly that very evening. Damien and Aly looked up at Amanda in surprise.

"Where? Our house?" Damien asked.

"That's right," Amanda replied, sitting down at the table with them. "I sent a letter to Michael."

"I know where this is going!" Aly said excitedly.

"He made sure that he's watching the networks tomorrow and we'll get through unnoticed!"

"Awesome!" Damien grinned. "So, no one will be able to see where we're going or who we are?"

"Exactly."

"Brilliant!" Damien looked around excitedly. "I can't wait to tell Char and Hayden!"

"Where are they?" Amanda asked.

"Packing and getting everything ready for tomorrow."

Aly suddenly felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. Her smile drained a bit and she began to worry. Wonder if I should tell Mum? I haven't talked to her since...summer, I can't believe it. She needs to know...but she'd do exactly what any adult would do: say no. But if I don't...I feel like I'm disobeying her. But she never said I couldn't. And technically, she knows about what's happening. I sent her a letter the day before we went to see Adam, and...

"Aly?"

"Huh?" Aly snapped out of her thoughts. "Did you say something?"

"Yeah. I asked if we're doing the right thing," Amanda said.

"Why? Don't you think so?"

"Do you?"

Aly looked down at the carpeted ground for a moment. "Technically, I'm not sure," she admitted, looking up. "I mean, I want to do it. I really want to. But I feel like I should tell Mum."

"Then tell her," Damien shrugged.

"It's not that simple! I mean, she probably knows what's been going on by reading the Daily Prophet, but the fact that I'm leaving school for a day or two to see him is probably going too far."

"So," Amanda said carefully, "You don't think we're doing the right thing."

Aly sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I do think we're doing the right thing. I just wish there was a...easier way to do it. Without betraying our parents."

"Technically, we're not betraying them," Damien shrugged.

"You haven't spoken to your Mum since the start of school. Literally. I haven't spoken to my mum since the beginning of summer. Don't you think we should...?"

"No," Amanda replied firmly. "If we do, they'll try to stop us. They just won't understand."

"I feel like a rebellious teenager," Damien said, smiling weakly.

"It feels good," Amanda grinned. She looked over at Aly. She looked unconvinced, and Amanda leaned forward to rub her shoulder.

"Come on! It'll be fine. If we fail, I'll take the blame for the whole thing."

Aly sighed and smiled bleakly. "I'll hold you to that."

"Hold you to what?" Hayden asked as he and Char came downstairs.

Damien grinned evilly at Aly before turning to the others. "Aly thinks it's not a good idea."

"You must be kidding," Hayden exclaimed. "Aly, you're the one who wanted to visit him in the first place."

"But don't you think that the parents should...know?" Aly asked as they approached the table. They were all sitting down.

"Bloody...no!" Hayden said, raising an eyebrow. "Why would we want them to know? They'll just try to stop us anyway."

Aly sighed angrily and then turned to look outside the window. She perked up when she saw an owl flying in the distance. Squinting, she leaned forward and when she noticed the owl flying to the window, she stood up and walked over to it.

"Owl," Aly said, answering Damien's question. She untied the letter from the owl's leg and unrolled the message. Her eyes widened.

"Who's it from?" Amanda asked nervously.

Aly gulped as she reread the message. "My mum."

"What! What does she want?!" Damien exclaimed, turning around in his chair.

Aly was nervous. "She wants me to come home. She says we need to talk. She'll be expecting me by floo...tomorrow."

"Well, too bad you can't go!" Amanda said cheerfully, turning back around in her chair. "Because you'll be on the adventure of a lifetime!"

Aly didn't answer as she continued to stare at the letter.

Amanda turned around, frowning. "Aly?"

Aly looked at her sadly. "Amanda...I can't go. I have to visit mum."

"You can't just bail on us!" Amanda exclaimed. "You're all for this. Except for that one small part, but you're all for it! You can't just jump ship to go visit your mother."

"But...she's my mum," Aly said sadly, rolling the letter up and turning around the face them. "And on levels of importance, Mum ranks over Adam. Sorry."

Amanda huffed and turned around. "That's peachy. Well, looks like I'll be heading the mission, then."

"You were heading it all along," Char said, frowning. "So it's not a change in power." His eyes flickered to Aly. "You go visit your Mum, Aly. I think she knows, and she does sort of deserve to know."

"Thanks," Aly said gratefully, appreciating Char's support. "I'm really sorry. You'd know I'd go if I could." She unrolled the letter again and looked at it quickly. "I'll be back the next day."

"And we'll tell you how it goes," Damien said irritably. "What's the point of going?"

Hayden caught on. "Yeah, what is the point? He only wants to see you. We're coming along for the adventure."

Char frowned at the others, who were taking Amanda's side. "That's not true," he said skeptically. "He knows that where Aly goes, we go. He shouldn't have a big deal with us."

"Sure. I don't even see why we should go," Amanda agreed angrily, glaring at Aly. "It's a waste of my time."

"What happened to 'wanting an adventure' and 'being reckless?'" Aly shot back. "I thought that's what you wanted. And now that I'm not going, it all just dies down!"

Amanda pursed her lips angrily.

"Friends are my priority, but family comes first. And if Mum wants to know about Adam...she'll know." Aly smiled sadly at Amanda.

She walked over to the girls' staircase. "Of course, you're heading the mission, Amanda. You can decide to go or stay. I have to send a letter to Mum and Adam." She smirked inwardly.

"Adam, Adam, Adam," Amanda said snobbishly. "That's all we ever hear!" She turned to Char, smirking. "I bet Char's a right bit mad at you."

Aly looked at Char. Char looked at Amanda, who was still smiling smugly, and then looked at Aly.

I bet he's raging with jealousy! I bet he's thinking that she loves Adam more than him...come on, say it...Amanda thought smugly.

Char sighed. "Actually, I'm not mad. Truly, Aly's right. She does have to duty to her mother. And I know Aly will be talking about Adam a lot, but they're really close friends. Besides," he grinned, "They've already established boundary lines."

Amanda's smirk faded and her jaw dropped. Traitor!

Aly smiled at Char, who smiled half-heartedly.

Amanda stood up stiffly and walked over to the staircase. "I'm going to bed."

She climbed up the stairs without looking back at Aly. Aly sighed and turned to the others. She frowned at Damien. "Are you sure you didn't put anything in her drink? Because she's never acted like this before."

Damien glared at her. "I did nothing. Actually, I don't know what's wrong."

Aly turned to Char. "Thanks for sticking up for me, Char."

"Anytime," he winked. "That's what I do."

Aly smiled. "I'll go write my letters."

"You can borrow my owl if you need to," Char said quickly.

"Thank you."

She climbed up the stairs. Once she walked into her dormitory, her eyes adjusted to the dark. She noticed Amanda lieing on her bed, her back facing Aly. Aly sighed sadly and pulled out her wand. She summoned parchment, ink and quills. "Lumos," she whispered. She placed her wand near the paper and picked up her quill and started to write.