All The Houses

Christmas Day

I woke early to still and quite morning. A blanket of snow covered the ground. Well not actually. It hardly ever snows in Ireland, but I imagined it was. I ran down the stairs to smell of Christmas. I love the smell of Christmas. It smells like pine cones and cookies. My parents had not woken yet so I sat down in the living room to read my book. Just As I had settled a loud crash startled me. I looked up from my book and saw a dizzy looking owl outside the window. The poor thing must have crashed. I opened the window and let it inside. It settled on the ledge of the couch. It held out its leg so I could untie the package on it's leg. It was from Teresita. I gave the owl a bit of ham and it flew of. I had sent of all my packages a few days ago, because I wasn't sure how long it takes an owl to get to England. I realised I had left the window open when another couple of owls flew in. A package from Rose and Ren and a package from Justin. I gave the owls some ham and they flew off. I sat on the couch to open the packages. I had sent Teresita a muggle story book. She was always asking me about the muggle world. I had sent Rose a necklace with a rose charm and a Ren a poster of his favourite soccer team, Arsenal. I had sent Justin a book on qudditch. I carefully opened the package from Teresita. It was a charm bracelet. It had two charms in it. I friendship charm and a lark bird, because that's what my name means. Rose gave me a painting of a hippogriff. She knows that they are my favourite type of magical creature. Ren had sent me a snow globe. One with Hogwarts inside it. I opened Justin's present last. It was a small bottle with a potion inside it. The label read Felix Felicis (liquid luck). When my parents finally woke we sat around the Christmas tree and exchanged gifts. Then I had to get changed in a dress because my auntie, uncle and cousins were coming over for Christmas dinner. I hate my cousins. Ben was the oldest and he was a nasty piece of work. He is two years older then me. His little sister Belle is my age and she's just a spoiled little brat. I slipped my dress overt head. It was a new red one. It dropped down to my knees. It puffed out a little, but not too much. I was admiring it in the mirror when a heard a car drive up to our house. They had a arrived. I stayed in my room hoping I could avoid them for a bit, but I heard my moms voice call my name and telling me to come downstairs.
"Be nice" said my Dad.
"Be polite" said my Mom
"And don't fight with them" I said finishing their sentence. They say that to me every year. I hugged my auntie and my uncle when they came. They are so nice. Nothing like their children. Sometimes I think that they adopted Ben and Belle. Belle walks through the door acting all sweet and polite, wearing a dark blue dress with her long black hair in a French plait.
"Hello auntie Ann, Hello uncle John" she said to my parents "Merry Christmas". She adds hugging them. Then he walk through the door. Ben. Belle is a spoilt brat, but Ben is the devils child. He nods hello, but says nothing.
"Why don't you go hang out with your cousins" says my Mom she leads my auntie Kate and uncle Jerry into the living room while my dad checks on the turkey.
"Fine" I say as I stomp outside. My cousins follow me. It's cold outside so I put on my jacket.
"So what do you want to do?" I ask trying to be polite.
"I dunno. Something fun" says Ben as if I'm stupid.
"Well obviously" I snap. "Why don't we explore the forest next to my house"
"No. My dress will get ruined" says Belle sourly.
"Well I was gonna change if we going in there, so I guess you borrow some my old clothes" I say
"Yeah that sounds fun" says Ben. I see the evil glint in his eye and suddenly I wish I suggested we play cards or something. I take Belle up to my room and we change and go back to garden where Ben was waiting. It has gotten colder in the ten minutes that it took us to change so I put on my hat and my Huffledor scarf.
"Nice scarf. Where did you get? A homeless guys trash can?" remarks Ben. How dare he insult my houses. I was about to say something mean and witty back, but I was interrupted by Belle
"Homeless guys don't have trash you dimwit. They use everything because they have nothing" I snigger.
"What you laughing at you little twerp" says Ben angrily.
"You" I say straight out. Sometimes I like Belle. Especially when she makes fun of Ben.
"Whatever let's go" he says as he shoves me and Belle into the woods. We walk around the woods for a while, but it begins to get dark so we start to make our way back home for dinner. I can't see where I'm going and it's taking ages to get back. I begin to worry, thinking I've gone the wrong way.
"Where are? I'm hungry" complains Belle.
"We're lost aren't we?" Says Ben in snarky manner.
"No" I say agitated. Them complaining wasn't helping. I lose my footing and stumble on a rock, I fall to the ground. I'm not hurt, but I'm happy, because I'm thinking about the time I fell into Justin's arms. I relies my wand had fallen out of my pocket and was lying beside me. I picked it up, with Justin still in my thoughts. Suddenly a silvery light appears from my wand. It was like the one I made in the wand shop. It began to take the form of something, but it disappeared, just like last time. I stand up with my wand still in my hand.
"W..what was that?" Stuttered Belle.
"Did you do that? Is that a wand? Give it to me you freak" says Ben as he snatches at my wand.
"No!" I screech as I take a step back. Ben stumbles forward and lands on the ground with a thud. He immediately gets up and makes another lunge for my wand.
"I said no!" I yell and suddenly Ben is dangling in the air by his ankles. I didn't mean to that, but it must have been me. I do my best with my wand to let him down gently. He lands safely.
"You freak! What are you? Some kind of witch?!" He yells.
"Cool. I want a go" say Belle.
"No." I say firmly.
"That's not fair" she pouts.
"This isn't a game Belle" I say frustrated.
"I want to go now! Lead us back with your magic, freak" says Ben
"Stop calling me freak!" I snap
"You are one though" he retorts.
"Stop yelling it's Christmas and you guys are ruining it!" Whines Belle.
"Fine" I say. "Lumos". A light flickers to life. It's not bright enough though. Then I get an idea.
"What were the words?" I mutter to myself. "expecto patronum" I say filling my head with thoughts of my friends and Justin. The silvery light appears again. It's brighter this time, and it doesn't disappear. I finally see it's form. It's a wolf. A proud looking one. I begins to walk on a familiar path. It's guiding us home. Ben and Belle follow reluctantly. Finally we're home, in my back garden. The warm smell of food fills my nose.
"Where have you been? I was getting worried!" exclaimed my Mom.
"It's all this freaks fault!" Yelled Ben.
"That's not very nice" says my auntie sternly.
"She is a freak though! She's a witch! She had me dangling by my legs!" he shouts.
"Is this true, Belle?" Asked auntie Kate.
"Well yes, but Ben was being a bit of jerk about. He tried to take her wand." Answers Belle
"Wait, so she really has a wand?" asks uncle Jerry.
"I think we have some explaining to do" says Dad, looking over at Mom.
"Or can I do a memory charm. I'll start with Ben." I say just so I can scare Ben. It works because Ben takes a step back.
"Relax. I don't know how to do a memory charm yet".
"Everyone sit down" my Dad says calmly "and we'll explain everything". After my parents told them everything about me being a witch they was silence and tension in the room. My aunt and uncle were in shock. They were speechless. My parents looked nervous waiting for them to say something. Ben looked angry and smug and frightened all at the same time. Belle had no expression. In fact she looked kind of bored.
"I still want a go with your wand" whined Belle. She is such a brat. You'd swear she was only ten years old.
"No" I say annoyed.
"Well this is all very... overwhelming" says aunt Kate.
"Why don't we just sit down and enjoy Christmas dinner as a family" suggests uncle Jerry. He trying to pretend everything is normal, but it's not. He looks like he doesn't completely believe. They all must think we're crazy, but I don't care. Their opinion makes no difference to my life. The rest of the dinner is awkward. Everyone is being too polite and shifty. Ben is shooting me evil glare from the other side of the table. I pick my wand to scare him and he immediately stops. They leave earlier than they normally would.