Okay, I'll tell you this as Sarah Beth told me it happened, because I was asleep at the time.
It was 5 a.m. and Sarah Beth evidently woke up and was hungry. Jeff and Amy watched the store today while Cal and Paige talked to an advertizing company to get the Brew out there, so we had the day off. Too lazy to cook that morning, she got out some vanilla ice cream and ate it on the counter top. The doorbell rang and she opened it.
It was my mum and dad.
She told them that I was asleep, and that I was really tired from working overtime the day before and she did not wish to wake me up.
The problem is, she had no clue what to do. My parents made her nervous anyway, mostly because Muggles and magic have a hard time coexisting in her train of thought at the same time.
Especially with me not there.
And she was tired. And still hungry.
Thankfully, Mum and Dad had just eaten.
Anyway...
The two flew in from Edinburgh that morning to congratulate us in person on our engagement. The three made pleasant conversation (Or, at least my parents did because Sarah Beth just nodded. She was used to talking to them with me,
---
I woke up.
I left the bed to go to the restroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I hadn't shaved in about three days, and I- er, there was nearly-dried drool on my undershirt. Sarah Beth's, obviously.
I looked down at the sink and found Sarah Beth's wand. Where was she, anyway? She usually keeps it on her person, even at home. I could hear what I thought was the telly in the sitting room.
"I might as well give her wand to her," I thought.
I walked out out of the master bathroom and went to the sitting room and yelled:
"Sarah Beth, dear?! You left your wand on the sink!"
Looking into the room, I saw Mum and Dad sitting on the couch with Sarah Beth in a chair. At first, it did not quite register that I had just said that in front of my parents. Or that was holding the holding the wand out in the open for them to see.
No.
It was Sarah Beth's look of despair and shock that triggered this realization.
A letter flew in under the door.
And then about three more.
All of them floated up into the air and began speaking.
"Sarah Beth Cumberl- Sarah Be- Sar- Sarah Beth Cumberland, y- oken law o- eply- agic-" The four letters overlapped and became incomprehensible.
"Ashley?" My dad looked at me straight in the eyes. "What is going on?"
Sarah Beth jumped out of her seat like a tiger, grabbed me, and shoved me into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry please do not hurt me!" I whimpered.
"Why are those letters here?" She whispered angrily. "Oh! I... I will bet you my life that the Ministry has been waiting with those owls ready to fire at me!"
"Ashley?" Mum called. "You kids okay?"
"We're fine, Mum!" I took a deep breath. "Sarah Beth, we're going to have to tell them."
"What? No! Why?"
"Sarah Beth, I have been thinking about this. I want you to have a mutual trust with my family. This... I didn't want it to happen like this. Not this soon, but sometime later. Someday, at least."
