The persistent voice followed me down the hall. I turned, exasperated. "Uli- "

My little sister whimpered, standing on the threshold of the bathroom. I couldn't see why tears were filling her eyes; she was the one, after all, who had utterly destroyed my brand-new bookbag, eaten (eaten???) some of my Potions ingredients, and would have splintered my brand-new wand had I not beaten her around the head with my Transfiguration book.

"Stop being a little git and help me with my suitcase."

"Tansy," my sister wailed, sitting down in the hall with an expression of despair, "it's not fair!"

"No, it isn't. You've ruined a third of my school supplies and YOU'RE the one crying."

"Tansy!" came a voice from downstairs. I hauled my suitcase a few more paces and stopped, panting.

"Uli, help me!"

She pouted, that nine-year-old grimace I had learned to hate. "I wanna go to a magic school too!"

Ye gods. She'd drive the teachers out in a day.

I bit my lip. "Is it MY fault I'm the older one, Uli?"

"You're not the oldest, though. Ricky's older than you. And you get to go to the school where he is and learn spells and stuff and when you get home you can't even show me because it's illegal!"

Smiling at the thought of my big brother Richard, I replied softly, "If I were you, I'd be GLAD that my older sister couldn't curse me to pieces over the holidays."

"I WANNA GO TO HOGWARTS!"

"Tansyyyyy," my mother yelled.

"Ulianna, are you going to help me or not?" I tugged vainly at the suitcase strap.

Perhaps I should explain. My mother had named both Richard and myself simple, common names (well, Tansy isn't usual, but it's better then Gwendolyn). When my little sister was born, though, she really let herself go; the poor child was cursed with the name of Ulianna Elizabeth Rowlist.

Sometimes I feel sorry for her.

Sometimes.

"No!" she shrieked, face puckered. "You can't make me! You-"

"I'll buy you wizard candy when we get to the train," I begged, yanking on the strap. "Chocolate frogs, too, like you got in Diagon Alley."

Considering this, she slowly got to her feet.

"TANSY!" A roar from downstairs startled me into dropping my pewter cauldron. It crashed into my toe.

"Ow!"

"Real chocolate frogs?"

My mother had started up the stairs, murder on her face. "If you miss your train, Tansy, I am NOT going to be the one shouting, and you had better get down here. . ."

"Coming!" I yelled at her, struggling to right the cauldron. "Yes, real chocolate frogs!" I added to Uli.

"Swear?"

"Good God, Ulianna!"

My little sister smirked, darted past me, righted my cauldron, lifted it easily, and trampled my mother on her way down the stairs. With less agility, I hauled again on my suitcase and managed to get it to the top of the stairs. Looking down, I flinched - it was a long way to drag something that weighed about the same as a young elephant.

"You'll miss your train!" Mrs. Rowlist hollered again, one hand on her bruised knee. Apparently my sister had not missed her spot of revenge.

"I said I'm coming!"

Laborously, I made my way down the stairs.

*

King's Cross was exceptionally crowded. We fought our way towards platforms 9 and 10, looking around for my older brother Ricky. He had taken the train with a friend, and we would meet him at the Hogwarts Express.

Uli was sulking at the back of our little procession. Even the tantalizing promise of chocolate frogs couldn't sustain her desire to board with me. Only the threat of severe punishment kept her behind Mum, who was scowling at her pessimism.

Ignoring both of them, I sprang ahead, sighting an old friend. "Ruby! Rubes, I didn't know you were accepted!"

The laughing blonde ran towards me. "Got the letter four days ago," she smirked. "Bit hectic, really."

We collided and hugged. "What House do you think you'll be in?"

"Slytherin," she giggled at my expression. "I'm kidding, Tansy! Honestly. Gryffindor."

"I hope not," I said with feeling. "My entire family has been in Ravenclaw, and I want you to be with me. Is anybody else we know here?"

"Angela, from school, and Olive from my church camp."

"Olive?" I grimaced. Ruby eyed me, and then we chorused, "Slytherin for sure!"

Ulianna, from where she was still pouting behind my mom, gave a loud sniff. "I don't think you're being nice to him."

Snickering, I mouthed, "He was the one who put cockroaches in your bed, Uli."

Face puckering as she remembered that fateful evening, my little sister dropped the subject with amusing speed. "Never mind, then." She had attended Ruby's church camp with me, and disliked Olive immediately. After a long feud, Olive finally snapped at "filthy little sod" and put roaches in Uli's sleeping bag.

There had been a long, anguished, and deafening scream reverberating through our cabin that night.

As Rubes laughed, remembering too, I raced ahead, calling back, "Think Angela will be in Hufflepuff?"

My best friend clutched her side. "THAT would bring some color to the House reputation. No, actually I think she'll be in Ravenclaw too, Tansy."

Ulianna, listening to every word, had started to whimper again. I rolled my eyes and passed through the magical platform of nine and three-quarters. Rubes appeared moments later, watching as I sped towards the train. "I have to get my sis some chocolate frogs for her to shut up," I yelled back.

"Ah?" She followed me onto the magical vehicle. "I detect bribery."

"You detect truth." Pushing my way into the front compartment, I asked hurriedly for a Chocolate Frog and fished for a handful of Knuts. "She wouldn't help me with my accursed suitcase."

"You, too? Mine wouldn't shut this morning."

"Totally." The woman in charge of the trolley handed me a generous packet of chocolate. I nodded my thanks and took off with Ruby, sprinting ahead of her. "Come on-"

Her shoelace snagged under a passerby's cart and she went sprawling into the owner. "Ouch!"

"Rubes?" I turned, and then laughed hysterically; my friend had toppled into a rather handsome third-year. Both were piled gracelessly on the station floor.

"Omigod!" Blushing, the girl righted herself. "I am so, so sorry!"

Still heartily snickering, I walked back towards them. "No flirting till we get to Hogwarts, Rubes!" She went even redder. "Tansyyy!" she wailed.

The third year was brushing himself off, eyebrows raised. I took a last look at my friend's crimson features and turned to him apologetically. "I'm really, really sorry; my friend has a tendency to single out boys. . ."

This time Ruby didn't bother to say anything; she merely leapt at me. "TANSY!!"

Biting back a grin, I turned and vanished into the crowds. Ruby stopped for a moment, looking after my retreating shape, before realizing I had left her alone with the mortified teenager. With a howl of vindictiveness, she plunged after me. "I am so, SO going to get you. . ."

The third year watched us go before turning back to his trolley. Only then did he notice that Ruby had broken his Potion weights, whose glass frame lay shattered on the ground.

With a grimace, he hauled it upright. Somewhere on the other side of platform Nine and Three-Quarters, our ringing laughter echoed under the brick arches of the platform roof.