I walked out of my house, wrapped up in as many jackets and coats I could find. Turns out the moon isn't a full moon. Almost there though. A few more days.

Remus and Sirius were back. They wouldn't tell me what had happened so I'll have to wait until they decide what information to release. I feel like they are those big movie stars and I am the media, waiting to see what I can fish from them and send up in the headlines. They didn't say anything about Broadie – they just ran off with James.

Mum and Dad came back before dinner and bombarded me with questions. Apparently they are renovating my room when I leave for Hogwarts so when I move out it'll be a study or a nursery if they have any more children. Fancy that, my own parents throwing me out of the house. I'll go live with the garbage man. We'll collect bins by day and rummage through them to eat at night. Not very pleasant, but I'll meet a lot of new people.

For the next two weeks, Mum is taking Dad away on holidays and Aunty Hattie and Uncle Joe are coming to stay here, bringing with them Noah and Adam – my wonderfully annoying cousins. Noah is two years older than me and Adam is only about seven. But its okay, they can be really cool, most of the time.

Both Adam and Noah have brown hair like me. It's got the same curls and the same habit of getting tangled. But, unlike me, they have deep blue eyes where as I have jade eyes. Noah isn't particularly tall, but Adam has always been tall for his age. I am short, on the other hand. Adam and Noah are both magic, but Hattie and Joe (who really is John) are squibs.

I can remember one time, when I was twelve, Noah was fourteen and Adam was around five. We all decided to run around the front yard in only our undies, socks and tops. I can't remember why we did it. And I can remember even before that when we were making pancakes and our parents were all asleep. Let's just say, the fire brigade wasn't too happy and neither was the cat or our parents.

I kept walking until I came to the edge of the forest. I checked my watch. It was around nine. I shivered. The wind was really cold. I sat down for a while, scraping an ancient rock on a rotting log for entertainment. The moon went behind the clouds for a while and I stayed still. I could feel the ground vibrating. At first I thought it was an earthquake. Then I thought it was a stampede. My second guess was the closest. A bunch of deer came out into the clearing. The best thing to do at a time like this is to stay still. That's exactly what I did.

"Do you think she can see us?" one asked the other.

Wait a second. They can talk!

"Yes, now shut up, Dudley."

Dudley? That's a funny name!

"Greetings, young human," the tall one at the front said.

I dropped the rock and stared. Four does followed them out, wearing tutus. I gasped and stood up. This was weirder than anything that had ever happened to me before. Weirder than that time the hobo from the city came up to me, his dead cat draped over his shoulder and said, "Name my cat!"

"Get her!" one of the does yelled.

I ran away from the woods and across the bridge. I was almost halfway when a polar bear wearing a jumpsuit sprung up from the water and growled. I turned and sprinted back the other way. I was stopped by the deer. They slowly closed in on me. Three steps away...two steps away...

BANG!

I fell through the bridge and down into the water.

"Hey, Crazy locks!"

S.O.S! S.O.S, I say!

I opened my eyes to find Noah standing over my bed. It was all a dream. I must have fallen asleep out at the woods, but I'm not there anymore. I wonder how I got here. I pulled the covers over my head and groaned.

"Come on, Crazy locks!"

That's what he has been calling me since before I could remember. Have one bad hair day and already, the boys bug you for it.

"Breakfast!" he called, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of bed.

I fell painfully on my butt and was dragged out of the room on my back. I winced when the stairs came. It would not be very fun going down those. Noah put an arm under each of mine and dragged me down, my heals whacking against the stairs. It was still too early in the morning to respond with a witty comment so I just let out a kind of muffled scream and smacked him on the shoulder. He is so going to pay later.

"Torza McLorza!" Uncle Joe called, giving me a big hug. Another bad nickname. He always calls me that and I can't say I enjoy it much. Plus, he is about the size of a mini whale. Just when I thought I was going to be swallowed by his fat, Aunty Hattie pulled me out from under him and held my hands.

"Look at you!" she said, tears in her eyes. "You've grown so much!" She also wrapped me up in a hug. Aunties are very emotional. "I missed you so much, Toto!"

What is with this family and nicknames? Honestly.

"Tory!" Adam yelled, running up to me and jumping up. He wrapped his arms around my neck and I spun him around. He was cackling like a cartoon witch. My, he has certainly grown – My back gave way – And put on weight.

"Breakfast!" Aunty Hattie called, sitting down.

Noah, Adam and Joe all rushed over and sat down, digging in. I smiled to myself and plonked down in the spare chair next to Noah. On the table was an assortment of fruit, toast, eggs, bacon, juice and water. Trust Aunty Hattie to make a feast. We all started with the toast. It is a habit in the Cherri family to start with the toast, move onto the meat and dairy and finish up with a fruit or vegetable. It's like an unwritten law.

"Did your parents leave any directions or notes?" Hattie asked me.

I shrugged.

"Okay then, I'll give them a call after breakfast and see how the trip was."

I nodded, stuffing my face with bacon.

"Where are we going to sleep, Mum?" Noah asked, already onto the fruit.

"Well, I thought it would be fun for you all to camp out in the tree house just like when you were young."

"Cool!" Adam said, pouring some juice. He was having a bit of trouble so Noah helped him out a bit.

Hattie sighed. "I can remember when you were all tiny little things..."

Noah, Adam and I groaned. Here come the stories.

"I can distinctly remember when you all used to have baths together, with the little rubber ducky and all the bubbles."

"Aww...Mum! I'm eating!" Noah said, throwing his cutlery down. "My appetite is ruined."

"No it isn't!" Joe said. "You're always hungry."

After breakfast, I had a shower and got dressed. I think I'll get my hair cut – I keep sitting on my hair which is down to my hips now. I'll see what my friends think. Oh, that's right. They aren't talking to me anymore. I walked out of the house and looked back to the tree house.

"Oi, Crazy locks! Get up here."

I skipped over to the tree and climbed up to the branch that Noah was on.

"Are you talking again?" he asked, quite rudely.

I nodded.

"Well...speak!"

I shook my head.

"Why not?"

I shrugged.

"Please?"

I blinked. Ooh! He was getting mad now. Just wait till I've finished with my revenge.

"Pretty please?"

I raised an eyebrow in, what I hope was, an attractive fashion.

"Oh, so I have to give you something in return?"

I nodded.

"Errmm...a pony?"

Yuck! Horses! Yuck! I can't deal with the things. Yes, they are beautiful, but I don't want one! I shook my head. As if he could afford one anyway.

"Apple bubblegum?"

So he did remember my one weakness. Still not going to work. I shook my head again.

"I'll tell you a secret! A really really juicy one!"

Okay, he has me there. I nodded, smirked and tossed my hair.

"Okay, here is a really really big secret..." he leaned forward to my ear. Just when I thought I was going to hear the scandal of the century, he burped. Loudly. In my ear. Spit and everything.

I frowned, pushing him backwards. Now, to every girl out there, listen to what I have to say: Boys are disgusting, smelly, socially unacceptable, rude, arrogant, big-headed, aggressive, and foul and yet they make for great arm candy and we can't live without them. How can this be? Who on earth decided to make them like that? When I find them, I will give them a talking to, mark my words.

"Yuck!" I groaned, wiping my ear on my shoulder. "You are disgusting!"

"But I got you to talk at least!"

True. He did have a point.

"God, it's good to hear your voice again." I'm touched, really.

"Yeah, but did you have to do it that way?"

"No, but this was the funner way!"

"There is no such word as funner."

"Yes there is!"

"No there isn't!"

"Yeah!"

"Nah!"

"Yeah!"

"Nah!"

"Yeah!"

"Nah!"

"Ya-ha!"

"Na-ha!"

"Don't you Na-ha my Ya-ha!"

Noah smiled and I growled. Well, my stomach growled. I gave Noah one more dirty look before jumping out of the tree and walking back towards the house. Today was cloudy and I didn't feel like doing much so I emptied the fridge into a bag and locked myself in my room for the day. Noah, Adam and Hattie all bashed on the door, but I didn't answer. I could hear Hattie telling Joe that is was 'a teenage girl phase' and 'Noah never got one because he is a boy'. I sniggered to myself and continued lounging out.

There were only three days to go...only three. Then Hattie, Joe, Noah and Adam would be out of my hair. So far, I had hidden away from everyone for the past ten days, but I'm not so sure how much longer I can go without Hattie taking me to see a doctor – she is that worried. Today I am going to go see Remus. I might be able to find out what happened with Sirius and Broadie. I haven't heard anything about the poor guy and I am becoming increasingly paranoid about it. I still have no clue as to who punched Broadie.

"Hey, Torza!" Mr Merry said as I walked past his yard. He was watering the plants and trimming some of the hedges.

"Good morning, Mr Merry."

He didn't notice my new vocabulary. Tough.

I walked out over to the little cottage Remus lives in. It reminds me of a Barbie accessory pack on that H-Mart advertisement. I knocked on the door and waited patiently. I had brought with me a basket with special jam that my mother had told me to give Remus' mum next time I saw her. I felt like little red riding hood.

"Hello Tory!" Susan said, coming to the door.

"Hello!" I replied, handing her the basket.

She took it gratefully with a small gasp and a beam. Remus must have told them I was speaking again. I guess it is okay with me. She pulled me into the house and gave me a hug.

"It's good to have you back, Tor!"

Good to have me back? Whatever.

I smiled and she started putting the jam into her orderly cupboard. "Remus is in his room if you want to say hello," she added as an afterthought.

I nodded. "Thank you, Susan. I'll just go say hi now."

I walked out of the kitchen and into the hall. I tried to remember which room was his. I'm pretty sure it was the one at the end. I opened it.

"Oh my..."

And that is the end of the chapter. I am SO sorry that I haven't updated. You can send as much hate mail as you want! This chapter actually worked out like I wanted it, but if you have any complaints, you know where to find me! I promise I'll update more often, I've been pretty busy with my other fics and school work. Don't forget to review! I really appreciate it!

The first four reviewers get a special virtual cookie!

RG

xoxoxox