Faith walked into the kitchen with the smell of fresh muffins filling her nose.

"Morning, Daddy," she said, smiling and settling down at the kitchen table, where a large platter of chocolate chip muffins sat waiting for her alongside a tall glass of milk.

Her father peered over the top of his morning Daily Prophet and smiled benignly at his daughter. "Happy birthday, sweetie. You look pretty today."

Faith bit into a muffin and felt the sweet taste of the partly melted chocolate rush into her mouth. An automatic flicker of a grin crossed her face and she closed her eyes, savoring the taste. Finally she chewed, swallowed, and said, "Thanks. It's a new shirt, I found it in my closet this morning."

Mr. Alexander nodded. "Your mother put it there last night. She knew you'd like it."

Faith raised her eyebrows. "She was in my room last night? I figured... I mean, I thought... that is..."

"Don't worry, I was in there too," Mr. Alexander said quickly, saving his daughter from her frantic stammering. "She was okay, nothing could have happened."

There was a bit of an awkward silence; finally Faith broke it. "Are you going into work today?"

Mr. Alexander set down his paper, picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and nodded. "Only for a few hours. I've got a report to finish about a recent upscale in Dark magic."

"Recent Dark magic? What kind of Dark magic?" Faith asked quickly, scanning her father's face. Mr. Alexander looked regretful that he had mentioned anything.

"It's nothing, really," he said hastily. "Just a few nasty accidents happening in a few old Muggle towns. It may not even be Dark magic, our Head is just being cautious. Faith, would you like to go into Diagon Alley today when I get home?"

"Yes!" Faith exclaimed, all thoughts of faraway Dark magic forgotten as she imagined Hogwarts. Then she remembered something that had been on her mind for a while. "Dad, what House were you in?"

"Me? I was a Gryffindor," Mr. Alexander said, looking quite proud of himself.

"Oh," Faith said. Would her father expect her to get into Gryffindor? She didn't exactly think that Gryffindor would be right for her. But if she didn't get in, what would her father think? Faith was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely heard her father say he'd be back by lunch. Suddenly Hogwarts didn't seem as great as she had first thought.

"Edith! Where's my coffee?" Kaici's father shouted, pushing roughly past his daughter as though she was just a piece of furniture and settling down at the kitchen table.

"It's coming, Ben. Just a moment," Mrs. Golden said sweetly, while making frantic motions at Kaici to leave the kitchen. Kaici set her dishes in the sink and tried to stroll nonchalantly out of the room, but Ben Golden, a formidable and angry-looking man, looked up from his paper and snarled, "And where are you going, then?"

Kaici turned slowly, swallowing down the sudden fear that had washed over her. "I'm just about to brush my teeth, Daddy," she said.

Ben Golden snorted. "I'm surprised you even feel the need to," he snapped. "I didn't think witches cared about their appearance." He put as much contempt as possible into the word witches, as though being a witch was the worst possible thing anyone could be.

Mrs. Golden was mouthing Don't rise, Kaici, just go, looking terrified, but a wave of anger had replaced Kaici's fear and she crossed her arms, a frightening glare forming on her face.

"That's a stereotype. Most witches care very much about their appearances. I know I care about mine more than you do about yours," she added scathingly, her gaze raking over her father's clothes, which were stained, ripped, and looked as though they hadn't been washed in a month.

Mr. Golden stood up and stepped forward until he was right in front of Kaici, towering over his daughter. "I don't like your cheek, girl," he bellowed, spraying everything in the vicinity with spit.

"I don't like your attitude," Kaici replied calmly. "I am a witch and there is nothing you can do about it. And what's more, I'm proud of being one."

Mr. Golden grabbed his daughter's arm and shook her hard. "Proud? Proud, are you? What about your brother, then, are you proud about that, huh, missy?" he roared, a half- crazed look in his eyes.

"Ben, you let her go right now," Mrs. Golden snapped firmly, one hand going to her pocket.

"Don't you take that thing out," Ben warned, squeezing Kaici's arm tighter, so that she had to bite her lip to keep from whimpering in pain. "I want her to answer my question. Well?"

"That- wasn't- my- fault!" Kaici cried, struggling furiously against her father's grip. With an inarticulate roar, Mr. Golden flung Kaici from him. She flew backward several feet and plowed into the table, sending splintered wood and her father's breakfast things crashing into the wall. Her mother's screech of rage was the last thing she heard.

Caya sobbed brokenly into her pillow, glasses askew on her face. Before, no matter how much her mother loved Marlene, she had always had time for Caya's birthday. But now...

"Caya?"

Caya raised her tear-streaked face and looked at her sister. "What?"

Marlene sat down on the end of the bed, leaned forward, and straightened her sister's glasses. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Caya replied shortly.

"No, you're not," Marlene said, annoyingly. "You're upset. And you have every right to be. Caya, I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's not your fault," Caya said quickly.

"Yes, it is," Marlene protested. "If I wasn't so perfect..."

"No, it's not that," Caya began slowly, voicing something that she had been thinking for a while. "Mother's the kind of person who thinks her first-born can do no wrong. It's not your fault you're the oldest."

"Whatever the case, I'm still sorry," Marlene said. "And I've got a surprise for your birthday."

Caya perked up immediately. "What is it?"

"Mother said you and I can go to Diagon Alley alone to get your school things. We'll go out for ice cream at Fortescue's and I'll help you pick out a good owl. How does that sound?"

Caya grinned and hugged her older sister tightly. "Thanks, Marlene."

Marlene got up to leave; Caya stopped her. "Marlene?"

"Yes?"

"What if I end up like Uncle Dilius? What do you think'll happen?"

"You won't end up like Uncle Dilius," Marlene said firmly. "You aren't Slytherin material."

"But what if I end up in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?" Caya persisted. "Will I get kicked out like he did?"

"No, Caya," Marlene snapped testily. "Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are perfectly good and noble Houses to be in. You have nothing to worry about."

But Caya saw a look of unease and worry on her older sister's face as Marlene left the room, and wasn't altogether sure she believed her.

"Happy birthday, Sev, Oleander!"

Oleander resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Lily Evan's early morning cheerfulness. She had been competing with Lily for Sev's attention for years and so far was losing. Ever since Severus had become close friends with Lily, Oleander had hated the red-headed Muggleborn with a bitter hatred. She had desperately hoped, despite the constant evidence to the contrary, that Lily was pure Muggle like her older sister, but the hopes that Lily would not be joining them at Hogwarts had been dashed the week earlier when the Hogwarts letters had been sent out.

"Thanks, Lil," Severus said, grinning. He nudged Oleander pointedly.

"Oh- er- thanks, Lily," Oleander said absently, looking around at the decorations covering Lily's kitchen. Streamers hung from the ceiling, confetti was all over the table, and a huge banner over the refrigerator read, "HAPPY ELEVENTH BIRTHDAY TO SEVERUS AND OLEANDER!" Overdone, exactly the way Oleander hated things. She didn't like attention. She liked to be left alone. Unfortunately, Lily Evans enjoyed going all out. And therefore, so did Severus. Oleander was only restrained from placing her head in her hands and screaming by the fact that she had promised herself not to upset Severus today.

"Let's see... oh, cake!" Lily said brightly. She bustled over to the table and busied herself with cutting a large chocolate cake into lavish slices.

"And... how long are we going to be here?" Oleander muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

"I thinks she wants us here all day," Severus whispered back.

"Correction, she wants you here all day," Oleander flashed back. She wouldn't have me here if she could help it."

Severus opened his mouth to respond heatedly, but Lily turned back and came over with the slices of cake and he contented himself with a glare. Oleander accepted her slice with a large and very false smile and tucked in. It was surprisingly good and she found she didn't have to act as if she enjoyed it. Lily and Severus began a spirited conversation about Hogwarts, and Oleander left them to it, pretending to be listening politely while really letting her mind wander.

"Oleander!"

Oleander jerked. "What?"

"I've said your name three times," Lily said, giggling. "You don't listen very well, do you?"

Oleander readied herself to fling something back, but Severus interrupted hastily. "Lily wanted to know what House you think you'll be in, Olli."

"I- I'm not sure..." Oleander stammered, caught off-guard by the question. She had never taken any serious thought on the matter. "I haven't really-"

"Mum was a Slytherin," Severus said, coming to her rescue. "It usually goes in families."

Lily nodded. "Well, since no one in my family's magic at all, I'll have to wait and be surprised, won't I?"

Oleander heard Severus say something in agreement, but once again wasn't paying much attention. She was too wound up in thoughts about Houses to pay attention to them. Which House would she be in? Would she be Slytherin, like her mother, or would she be placed in a different House? Would she be put in the same House as her brother, or would they be separated? Oleander couldn't stand the thought. She made up her mind that she would never let that happen, ever.