FLAMES

ONE: Different People

Pop!......Pop!.......Pop!........Pop!......Pop!

"Ruby will you stop it! Just for once give it a break! Your Hogwarts letter is going to come no matter how many times you do that!"

"Do what?" Pop! "And how many times do I have to tell you!!!!" I can feel my hair turning bright red. "Don't." Pop! "Call." Pop! "Me." Pop! "Ruby!!!!! My name is Fox. Fox!! F. O. X!!" POP!

"Ugh! Ok so-ry, Fox. And for the last time STOP DOING THAT!!" she says, jabbing a finger at my mouth, where I am currently blowing very loud bubbles out of my muggle chewing gum.

"No can do, sis! A nervous habit, if I don't do this I'll explode!" I bring my hands apart from each other and widen my eyes, "BOOM!" I clap my hands together, "Just. Like. That." She rolls her eyes and continues searching through her patients' forms. She, my 27-year-old sister who I live with, is having a "soggy weekend" as she calls it, which is reasonable since she does tend to materialize a lot more water without noticing when she has extra work on the weekends. She works as a healer at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies (or something like that) so naturally, she has a lot of files to go through and papers to fill out.

"Delivery for you Mizzzz. RedFox." Lyle, my sister's boyfriend, says as he hands me a manilla envelope. Oh my gosh! This is it! This is the letter I've been blowing gum for, for the past hour!!! I yank the envelope out of Lyle's grip and tear it open.

To Miss. Ruby Roxanne Faller-Redfox, FaithHouse, second floor, third bedroom to the right.

Dear Miss. Faller-RedFox,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The start of term begins on September first. Please be at platform 9 ¾ precisely at 11:00 on that day, to board the Hogwarts express.

First years will need to collect all their robes, school supplies, and wand at Diagon Alley, prior to the start of term.

Students may also bring one owl, toad, or cat to school.

A reminder that first-years are not allowed their own brooms.

Yours Sincerely,

Deputy headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Wait.......

"Tomorrow is September first! Surely they wouldn't send the letters one day before term starts?! Care to explain?!" I say, my eyes are narrowed in suspicion and my arms are crossed over my chest, my eyebrow is raised and my hair is probably flaming red, I can feel my eyes changing color too. Lyle and Cam (my sister) look at each other and smile, a really, annoying smile.

"We thought it would be a little fun to deprive you of your letter for, say......a couple of weeks?" Cam says an evil smile playing on her lips. I fling a pillow at her head. She and Lyle are cracking up.

"Caaaam!!! How could you do this!!?? You're a Hufflepuff for god's sake!! And you two Lyle!!!!" I throw my arms up in frustration. "We need to go to Diagon Alley NOW! I'm going to get my sweatshirt!!" I hop off the couch and head to the stairs. "Ugh!! I hate you Camellia Bell Faller-BlueBird!!!" I call as I stomp up the stairs.

"Love you too," she calls after me.

***

We apparate to Diagon Alley, Lyle has work to do for the ministry (he's an Auror) so it's just Cam and me, but then she says, "I'm really sorry I wish I could shop with you, it is your first time, after all, but I do have to go home and finish filling out those forms. I really am sorry, Fox." My heart sinks a bit, I know Cam is a really busy person and she has already raised me since I was 1 and she was 17 all by herself, but I was kind of hoping she would shop with me. Cam and I definitely have more of a sister-sister relationship but with the 16 years apart thing it's a little odd. Sometimes I feel like she is my mother's younger sister, my aunt. Cam must have noticed the slight sorrow on my face because she adds, "Here, take this." she hands me a whole bag of extra money, "Get yourself an early birthday present, from Lyle and me. Will you be ok? The Alley really isn't that big, that's Gringotts the bank down there, here's your key; and not far from there is Flourish and Blots, get your books; Olivander's wand shop is just next to that; and Madam Malkins, for robes is just to our right. Once you're done go to the Leaky Cauldron and use the fireplace there, to come home. If you need any help finding anything ask any shopkeeper, they'll know. Okay? Have a great time, Fox. If you get hungry don't hesitate to buy yourself some lunch or ice cream." and in a POP! She's gone.