We're okay" muttered Maisie's Rachel as she stuffed her bag full to the brim, almost sounding as if she was trying to convince herself more than anybody else in the room.

Screams from the kitchen could still be heard with the occasional hiss from a wand being used against the people Maisie loved the most. At times it would fall completely silent, giving Maisie a false sense of hope that everything was going to be okay. But then more screaming would come, eliminating any feelings of reassurance she had felt. Shattering from glass and the roar from the open windows shook the house, heightening the sense of hostility from the one place she had once felt the safest in.

"Stand up, Mais", Spoke the 19-year-old as she tried her best to remain calm, the quiver in her voice giving her genuine feelings away instantly, "we need to go. It isn't safe here" She hushed as her backpack was slung haphazardly over her shoulder in a rush, clothes and necessities she had stuffed in there making it look as if it was about to burst at the seams.

"What about mum and dad? They're still here! We need to get them out too, we can't just leave without them!", exclaimed the brunette, too young to understand the severity of the situation.

"Mais, if you're going to be silent, now is the time. Please" urged Rachel, hoping Maisie's voice had been drowned out from the amount of chaos that was happening in the room just down the corridor from where the two currently were.

Maisie had always been quite a stubborn child, and her trait of curiosity certainly didn't help in this type of situation. She dug her heels into the ground as Rachel attempted to drag her out of the bedroom, determined not to leave without her parents in tow. Taking her by surprise, Maisie found herself being ushered against the wall with a gentle hand over her mouth, restricting her from making any noise. It had all of a sudden gone silent, too silent. So very silent that the only thing heard were the unsteady breaths from the two girls.

Using this as an opportunity to make their leave, the grip Rachel had around Maisie's hand tightened as she pulled her along, down the hallway and towards the door. They crept along the wooden floorboards towards the exit until they finally reached the very room where the scene had been taking place. Rachel tentatively pulled her wand out of the pocket of her jeans and peered her head in ever so slightly and fought back the scream with her entire strength, trying her best to shield Maisie from the view that was in front of her. This was of no avail as, by the time she had started to reach her hand out to push Maisie away from the door, the ten-year-old's eyes were practically bulging out of her head, she had gone as pale as a sheet of paper as she saw the same thing.

There sitting at the table was Maisie's mum, but it didn't look like her. She didn't have that same sparkle in her eyes that Maisie had always found comfort in. The rose on her cheeks was no more, tainted, covered by a deep gash that ran down to the bottom of her chin. Her colour had been completely drained, leaving her looking like a ghost despite the fact she was still very alive. Her eyes were fixated on a woman with unruly black hair which fell in front of her face, causing her to shake her head to remove them from her line of sight. Her face fell into a sick and twisted smile as she prodded the wand she held harder into the forehead of Maisie's mum. The hold Rachel had on Maisie's hand increased, very nearly restricting her blood flow. Maisie's mum was grasping onto something as if her life depended on it, a hand it seemed. The now very fragile-looking hand of a man, her dad. Dead by her side.

Crunch.

Both of the woman's eyes immediately snapped to the two girls. Maisie slowly looked down to see a piece of glass broken underneath her foot, sending sharp pains up her to the top of her leg leaving her silently seething in pain. The animalistic smile of the woman who was holding her mum hostage had grown even broader as she now noticed their presence, almost delighted to be in their company.

"Well would you look at that Jocelyn?", she spoke in a high-pitched tone as she glanced sideways at the petrified woman on the chair, "Look who's come to see the show! You're just in time for the second act" she spoke, gesturing to the lifeless body next to her mum. Rachel felt Maisie's body tense next to her as she stood firm in her place, her fists clenched.

'Go' Jocelyn mouthed to the two of them.

Rachel made no hesitation and sprinted to the door, yanking Maisie after her who was still standing motionless with shock. Beams of light illuminated the house as small explosions erupted around them, attempting to stop the two girls from making their exit. As they both ran, Maisie's leg started to give up on her, making it almost impossible to run with the pain of the cut still very much prominent.

Picking Maisie up in her sore arms, Rachel took one last stride until they had made it fully out of the house. She rushed forwards to her car and rapidly unlocked it, throwing open the doors for Maisie to clamber into. Darting to the driver's side, Rachel did the same as she turned the keys and started the car engine.

As the vehicle reversed out of the Heart resident's driveway, Maisie peered out of the car window, her eyes glued to the hole which was now made in the kitchen window, allowing her to see their silhouettes through the sheer curtain. She watched as the woman raised her wand. She watched her mum lean back in defence, attempting to shield her face.

Snap went the thunder, bringing along with it a gust of wind which blew the two sides of the curtains apart, opening the gap between them both.

Time froze as Maisie could now fully look into the inside of the room, she could not only see the outline of their bodies but could now see everything in detail. Even down to the emotions on their faces. She could see the raw fear and the panic on the face of her mum as she braced herself for what was about to happen to her, accepting that there was no way out of it. She could see the glee and pleasure on the other woman's face as she pulled back her wand and uttered the two words she had only ever heard in make-believe horror stories.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" screeched the woman as a blast of blinding green light filled the room.

"NO!" yelled Maisie from the inside of the car, tears now rapidly falling down her cheeks, knowing that her meaningless screams were not going to change the outcome of the situation at all. Unable to process what she had just witnessed, Maisie sat in silence. For the first time in her life, completely lost for words.

They both sat in silence as they drove into the unfamiliarity of the cold, unwelcoming night.

, the letter that Maisie had been excitedly anticipating had finally arrived.

"Maisie!" Rachel sang as she made her way to the door, lifting the light brown-coloured envelope that had just dropped through the letterbox with a smile across her face, knowing that it would make Maisie's day. She walked towards the dining room table where she placed the letter down so the back of it was facing up to the ceiling and examined the familiar crimson wax seal which held the letter together.

Maisie, who had been sitting on her bed, jumped up instantly at the call of her name, hoping it was what she thought it would be. Since having turned 11 during the summer, the only thing she could think about was the invitation to 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Skipping down the stairs, she quickly ran to the dining room table where Rachel was sitting with a beige letter.

"Is that..?" Maisie asked, fidgeting in her spot.

Rachel replied to the young brunette by nodding her head with a smile.

Leaving no room for hesitation, Maisie snatched the letter from the table and flipped it over to the side with the wax seal. Ripping over the letter, she feverishly turned it in her fingers, her eyes dancing around the page as it read:

.

Yours sincerely,

Maisie looked up at Rachel with wide eyes, thrilled the day was finally here.

"Read the back of it, Mais, there's more" she instructed, amused at Maisie's expression.

.

(Grade 1)

the standard book of spells by Miranda goshawk

history of magic by Bathilda Bagshot

magical theory by Adalbert wafflinga

beginners guide to transfiguration by emeric switchone

thousand magical herbs and fungi by phyllida spore

magical drafts and potions by arsenius jigger

fantastic beasts and where to find them by newt scamander

dark forces: a guide to self protection by quentin trimble

"You know what that means", spoke Rachel as she moved to the kitchen counter, picking up her keys, "let's get your stuff sorted, shall we?"

Maisie's face lit up even more as she rushed to the front door of the apartment, eager to get going.

"Maisie! Don't forget your coat, it's windy out today and you wouldn't want to be starting your new school with the remainder of a cold, would you?" she reminded her with a playful tone. Maisie merely shrugged this comment off with a wave of her hand.

"I'll be fine" she concluded, crossing her arms over her chest, trying her best to seem grown up. Rachel raised her eyebrows, finding the tone Maisie was using quite amusing.

"If you say so young lady", Rachel said to her as she leaned against the front door, "Don't complain when you regret not warming up".

Opening the door, both of them walked out into the 3rd floor of the apartment complex, the wind from the open windows flowing through. Rachel wrapped her jacket around her, attempting to keep out the chill in the air. She turned to see Maisie who was clearly cold, goosebumps littering her arms.

"I think I'll get my coat now" she spoke quietly as she dashed back through the front door that was still open. Chuckling to herself, Rachel shook her head slightly at the young girl. After a couple of minutes, out walked Maisie once again with a bright yellow jacket on.

"What are you waiting for?", commented Maisie who had already begun to walk down the hallway, "come on, those shops won't empty themselves".