Hugo plopped himself down on the bed against the farther wall. "Full size," he said approvingly. Maddie laughed quickly and moved her trunk in front of the closer bed. "Hugo, don't you think you should unpack?"

He sighed, "I guess." He unlatched his trunk. He tossed muggle clothing into the dresser by his bed carelessly. Maddie was neatly arranging her dresser by drawer. The top draw was tops, the second drawer was pajamas, the middle one was pants, the bottoms drawer was for her Hogwarts clothes and undergarments.

Just then, the door swung open, smacking the wall. The started kids looked up to see an urgent-faced Lena standing in the doorway, "Maddie I need to talk to you.""I'll be right back," Maddie told Hugo and stepped outside. Lena pulled her into the bathroom and with her wand she soundproofed the room.

"Lena, is everything okay?!" Maddie asked her sister once the charm had set. "Mum and dad wrote me a letter." She said, avoiding the question. Maddie shrugged, "So? They do that every week."

Lena was clearly irritated, "Let me finish. Just, well... read it." She thrust it at her twin. Maddie picked it up and read.

Lena,

Hey, sweetie. Hope all is well at Hogwarts. What's your favorite class? You said last time that you haven't decided yet so I was just wondering if there was an answer yet. Let us know if anything' going on.

Oh, now down to real business. Have you hear of Marvello? Well, if not, just know he's a villain. And your father and I have decided to join him. He made me realize how mudbloods are like an embarrassment to the wizarding world. Of course he thinks that squibs are bad, also, but Maddie isn't. Just... her kind. At least she's going to Hogwarts and getting a magical education. But, anyway... we want YOU, Lena, to join him. Not Maddie, she wouldn't. But we really want to you to join. You have to. Lena, please. If you say no that means you're just as bad as the mudbloods. Please join.
Love,
Mum and Dad.

Maddie's hands were shaking when she finally finished. "Lena?"
"Yes?" Lena made a move to take back the note. Maddie ripped the note in half. "Hey!" Lena shouted. "You're not going, right?" Maddie demanded. Lena got quiet and shut her eyes.

Maddie realized what was happening. Her sister was joining. "I'm scared not to." Lena finally said. She opened her eyes and the tears rolled down her cheeks. "Maddie, I'm not as brave as you. I can't face mum and dad. They clearly said that if I don't join they'll view me as... as..." Lena's voice trailed off. "They'll think your like me." Maddie understood. Tears were in her eyes now, "You're a coward." She said it flatly. Of course it was meant insultingly, but it was fact. Lena ducked her head, "Maddie, really? You think-"

Maddie cut her off. "I know. Lena you're nothing more than a coward. The sorting hat was right. It said I come from a long line of cowards. Our parents are nothing more than you, either. I don't think," Maddie's tears were coming faster now, "...I don't think I can ever, ever go back. Not to them. Lena I may never see you again." Lena nodded. "Good luck on your OWLs." Maddie furrowed her brow, "Huh?" Lena shook her head, "We shouldn't meet again before that, so... good luck." With that, Lena removed the charm from the bathroom and left Maddie. She didn't say anything else. She just walked out of her life.

Lena was curled up on the title of the bathroom floor, sobbing, when somebody knocked on the door. She didn't even look up, but the person stepped in anyways.

"Maddie, is that you?" Rose's voice cut through the sadness. Maddie looked up. "Hey, Rose."

Rose sat down next to Maddie. "Oh my gosh, Maddie, what happened?" Maddie really didn't want to talk about it, but knew that she had to tell someone. "Lena ran away. She's going to join Marvello." A look of complete horror swept over the Weasley's lightly freckled face. "No!" Then she thinks about it some more. "Wait! She knows where the safe house is! She might blab!"

Maddie looked at in that perspective and started to panic. "Tell Harry. Now." She and Rose stood up and dashed from the bathroom. "Uncle Harry!" Rose found her uncle in the kitchen. "Lena ran away to join Marvello! She knows the safe house's place!"

Harry Potter tossed aside the Daily Prophet. "We need to catch her! She can't apperate, so she's walking." He grabbed the keys to the muggle car and threw on his shoes. Rose and Lena did the same. "I'll be back soon!" Harry shouted as he and the two girls slipped out the door.

---

They'd been driving up and down the possible roads she could have taken for nearly an hour. "Ugh. Where is she?!" Maddie moaned. Rose gasped out of nowhere. "What?!" Her uncle said impatiently. "The knight bus! Remember you told us about it, Uncle Harry? They could have picked up Lena." Rose suggested. Harry stopped the car and looked back at Rose. "You are so brilliant. Now, we need somebody to be stranded. Maybe that'll attract them so we can find her."

Rose shook her head vigorously. "Not me. I'm too scared." Harry sighed, "Well it can't be me. I'm not leaving you two alone." Rose turned toward Maddie, "Please?" Maddie looked down at her lap. "It can't be me. I'm, uh, a squib." "Oh." Rose seemed shocked but tried to move past it. "So it has to be me?" Harry and Maddie nodded in unison.

Rose opens the door of the car and steps out. "Not to far." She says before closing the door. Harry waves at her and drives away. He only goes to the next street, then pulls over.

Rose kneels down on the sidewalk. I'm stranded. She thinks, hopping to boost the probability of a purple bus pulling up before her.