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"JACI? BREAKFAST time!"

I jerked upwards as the sound of my mother's voice sliced through the terror and pain. It was all imaginary, my now-conscious brain reassured itself. Now that I was awake, I could no longer remember what I'd been dreaming of but I could still feel the lingering fear, something I couldn't shake as I called back. "I'm up, coming!"

I reached up to caress my face, having to again reassure myself that it hadn't been real. My fingers came away clean, no sign of mud or dirt on them. I breathed a sigh of relief and dropped back onto my pillows, waiting for my heartbeat to return to its normal, steady pace.

Once I was calm, I sat back up and pushed off my comforter. I brushed sleep from my eyes as I left my room, pulling my door closed behind me with a soft click. I yawned as I descended the stairs, already hearing Elora crying over whatever had been done wrong this time.

I entered the small kitchen and dining space and, sure enough, Dad was wrestling Elora into a chair while she flailed and screamed her head off. Mum stood off to the side at the counter, stacking slices of toast onto a plate.

Our family owl, Astrid, hopped from the back of a chair onto the counter and shuffled over to the plate of toast, clicking her beak at Mum. She blinked up at Mum with wide, sad eyes until Mum sighed and relented, placing a slice of toast into her beak.

She hooted happily around the toast before spreading her wings and fluttering over to her perch by the window with it, nibbling at the corners while she watched the rest of us.

I slid into my chair and Dad greeted me with a smile. "Morning, Jaci."

"Good morning," I reached for the glass he'd set out for me and took a long sip, watching Elora over the rim.

She had puffed out her cheeks, which were a bright, furious red, and was kicking Dad's knee with as much force as she could muster which, admittedly, was not much. She had tears rolling down her face, which increased as Dad continued to ignore her.

She threw fits often, believing she was the most important, but my parents didn't allow most of her behavior. She eventually gave up and, swiping the tears away from her face with the back of her hand, she pointed to the carton of milk with a serious stare on her face directed at me.

I poured her a glass and slid it over to her while Mum brought the last few dishes over to the table and took her seat next to Dad. They served Elora and I before themselves and we all started to eat.

Mum looked more fidgety than usual and I caught onto it, frowning. I glanced over at Dad then back to Mum before pressing. "Mum? What's wrong?"

"Darling," she sighed, setting her fork down.

She hesitated and, growing impatient, I whined. "What? Tell me!"

She sighed again, something she did far too often, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a crip, slightly yellowed envelope. Her eyes scanned the front of it before she handed it off to me, looking away as she did.

I took it eagerly and read the front of it, pausing as the words started to register. It couldn't be true, clearly, I argued with myself. I didn't dare to look up at my parents, in the fear that, behind their eyes, I would see the joke.

I read the words inked in sapphire once, twice, then a third time, though they didn't seem any more real the more I read them. I never thought I'd see them scrawled with my name and I found myself clutching the envelope in my hands as if it were the only thing keeping me alive.

I loosened my hold and let my fingers slide over the wax seal, ready to break it, but I paused and flipped it over to read the words one last time.

Ms. J. Thompson

The medium-sized bedroom

952 Mahogany Lane

Godric's Hollow

I turned it back over and broke the scarlet wax seal. A sense of giddiness descended upon me as the seconds passed. I risked a look at my parents and they smiled back, small tight-lipped smiles but smiles all the same.

I was about to slide out the letter when I paused, reasoning coming back to me. I shouldn't accept the letter, no matter how excited I was. I'd seen the fear and anger of other parents when I'd accidently let it slip, once, and I knew for sure I'd be kicked out of school within days as soon as word got out.

I started to shake as the fear of doing something I couldn't control at school took over me. It would end up on the Daily Prophet, surely, and everyone would know. Everyone would stare until I looked back then their gazes would drop and they'd shuffle past, ignoring my existence.

I looked back at my parents, my face now crestfallen, and they gestured back to the letter. Dad gave me a reassuring look. "Just read it, we'll talk afterwards."

I nodded and blew a strand of hair out of my face away before reaching in and pulling the letter out, running my fingertips over the smooth parchment as I unfolded it and took in the words inside, slowly so they'd sink in properly.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Thompson,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

I let it drop to the table and slid the envelope after it, back towards Mum. She took it as I turned to Dad and demanded. "How?"

Mum turned away and Dad leaned forward on his elbows. "I spoke to Professor Dumbledore." He smiled a small smile again. "You'll be fine."

"She is fine," Elora butted in, tiring of the conversation. "Isn't she?"

I ignored her and kept my gaze steady on Dad as I asked, again. "How?"

"He's made arrangements." He paused, thinking, then continued. "He said that they'd build a house and it'll be closed off enough to keep you safe during the full moon."

Under his words, we all knew that he really meant it was to keep others safe from me during the full moon. I wasn't much of a danger to myself but I couldn't fathom the damage I would do to another if I wasn't locked away during the night.

"Am I really going, then?" I asked, hesitantly with a hint of hope daring to enter my voice.

They both smiled and agreed. "You really are."

"Going where?" Elora insisted, raising her voice with a distinct whine.

My smile lost its hesitation and I smile deliriously, pure excitement taking over in a rush as the fear lost its battle and faded into the back of my mind.

I was going over the stories my parents had told me of their school experiences, wondering what my own would be like, when Dad leaned over to me and whispered quietly so Mum wouldn't hear. "You'd better be in Slytherin. I'll take you on a shopping trip in Diagon Alley if you are, sound good?"

"What if I'm a Ravenclaw?" I whispered back, laughing quietly to match his volume.

Dad's offer would've been pretty tempting but Mum, who had leaned over and heard, chimed in, "Then we'll go on a trip to Italy or something."

Her offer beat his.

"That sounds quite appealing," I grinned at her and she smiled back, winking.

Elora huffed loudly and crossed her arms. "I want to go to Italy!"

"Too bad, the offer's only for me," I sang with a smug smile.

She glared at me and I stuck out my tongue while Mum and Dad started to bicker about who I was most like. My attention bounced back and forth between the two of them as they shot down each other's points and brought up their own. I finished up my breakfast while stealing glances at my acceptance letter, sitting on the counter behind Mum as if it were nothing.

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