The Hufflepuff Girl

Prologue

       The date was July 5th, 1987; it was the day after James and Emmanuel's eleventh birthday, I was nine. It was what began as a normal day; Kaitlyn, our loving mother, woke us up with shouts from the kitchen, calling us down for breakfast, the family gathered around the table and bickered and laughed while we ate, and all the while, the bright sun in the early morning sky was shining. Near one o'clock was when things turned strange. I remember it all clearly; Eponine, my younger sister by two years, and I were out in the backyard playing with Christine, who was eight at the time, and Cameron, the little five year old, when we heard the shouting. The four of us rushed indoors at the sound of our mother screaming. An owl had just flown in through the open kitchen window. Of course, we all laughed, but that laughter soon ceased when the owl dropped what it held in its beak into the sink. Andrew, my father, came running in the very next second carrying a broom much like how a Medieval Knight would hold a sword. He swung at the creature perched on top of the faucet, but it didn't budge. In fact, it cooed at Andrew as another owl joined it, dropping something else into the sink below.

       "What was that?" Andrew questioned the bird, cautiously stepping forward and peering into the sink. "Letters?" The owls ruffled their feathers and cooed once more, as if they understood the questions being asked. Andrew lowered his broom, reaching into and grabbing the letters. The two birds made sounds of enjoyment and seemed to nod before they took off out the kitchen window. I watched them go, eyes wide as their darkly colored feathers stretched out against the clear blue sky. They were beautiful...

       "What the hell..." I heard Andrew say, and I covered Eponine's young ears. "The hell is this, Kate!?" Andrew shoved the letters at his wife, face turning the color of ripe tomatoes. I cringed when Kaitlyn gasped, a hand flying up to her mouth. She took a glance at us and then was shoving the letters in the cupboard, having Andrew escort us back outside. The four of us stood in silence as we watched the adults inside argue, though about what, we didn't know.

                                                                                         ***

       It was around supper time when we were finally allowed back in, and it was also when James and Emmanuel arrived home from their adventurous day with friends. I sat at the kitchen table, hands folded neatly and patiently waited for my food as the two brother's came running in. They were the cheeriest boys I'd ever seen, and inseparable as well. Never would you see one without the other, unless they were going to the loo. James came in before Emmanuel, laughing as he dangled something high above his head that his brother couldn't reach. I heard Emmanuel's cry of "no! Give it here, man!" before I saw his annoyed face. "Boys!" Came Kaitlyn's shout of disapproval as she pushed at the slabs of chicken in the pan on the stove top. She glared at James, pointing towards the seat beside me as she ordered, "sit!"

        James followed the order with a snort, shoving whatever it was he was holding in the pocket of his jeans, whereas Emmanuel leaned against the wall, face twisted with a sour expression and arms crossed across his chest. Kaitlyn rolled her eyes at his behavior, repeating the word 'sit' once more as she began to plate the cooked chicken and macaroni and cheese which had been cooking in a pot on the next burner. When Emmanuel realized she wasn't going to do anything about James's stealing he sighed and came to sit in the seat opposite his brother. James giggled at Emmanuel's glare, raising a brow teasingly.

        "Andy, dear," called Kaitlyn, "help me serve, please."

        Andrew emerged sluggishly from the living room, feet dragging heavily across the floor. "Yes, my queen," he sighed sarcastically, planting a kiss on Kaitlyn's cheek before grabbing two plates. "Anything you ask."