Written 2005, © Erica 2005

Profile for Aeternus Sapientia University. Site | Board

Player Information:
Name: Erica
Email address: wand _ light at hotmail dot com
AIM: N/A
MSN: Same as E-mail
ICQ: N/A
Yahoo: N/A
Other IM: N/A
Prior RPG Experience?: About five years, 4.5 being Harry Potter. DDNT, Thalia’s Hogwarts, Adventure at Hogwarts, An Adventure at Hogwarts, HSOD:2, Tria Ligare Academy, WHMB, and ASU most recently.
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Character Information
Canon or Original?: Original
Name: Annorah Paige MacKay
Age: 21 (b-day Sept 5)
Sex: Female
Place of Birth: London, England
Blood: Half-blood
Year: 3rd
House preference: Animus

Physical Appearance:
Standing at 5' 8", and weighing about 130 lbs, Annorah is a little on the tall side for her age. Very lean and wiry, Annorah has only slight curves. Her eyes are a somewhat unusual color, being a shade somewhere between blue and green Annorah likes to call sea green. Her short fine hair is a strawberry blonde, and is cut about halfway between her chin and her shoulders. Annorah likes to keep it free, as that's how her hair likes to be. It takes quite a bit to tame her wild tresses, but it can be done with some work. Annorah's face is heart shaped with a very defined chin and arching eyebrows. Her astoundingly clear skin is a light tan from being outside a lot, though it burns easily.

Annorah has some permanent bruises on her back and upper legs about two inches in diameter, and long scars on her right elbow and outer forearm, as well as some scars on knees. Annorah isn't accident-prone... she's just prone to getting hurt. As for her dress style... well, let's just say she's truly a half and half. She loves the muggle clothing she grew up with as a child, but she finds some wizarding fashions absolutely fascinating. While Annorah is quite athletic, she’s far from being a tomboy. Sure, she wears as little make-up as possible, but she does like to dress feminine.

Annorah can usually be found wearing a skirt in spring and summer and jeans in the fall and winter with either a nice blouse or a quidditch shirt of some nature, topped off by a pair of work robes. And no matted what, Annorah is almost always wearing her black, knee length, dragon skin boots. The only time she can be seen without them is when she’s doing something athletic, like Quidditch practice or jogging, or when she has to dress formal and wear proper dress shoes. But some things go everywhere with her, namely her wand and her set of star/sun/moon earrings and necklace.

Family:
Grandfather: Jerold Bayrd MacKay - Retired hit wizard (71)
Grandmother: Cerdwin Odile MacKay - Museum curator (71)
Aunt: Gaea Muriel MacKinnon - Obliviator (47)
Uncle: Brant MacKinnon - Invisibility Task Force (48)
Aunt (father’s twin): Sorcha Morainn MacLaughin -Teen Witch Co-Editor (46)
Uncle: Tobias MacLaughin - Pride of Portree Chaser (42)
Adopted uncle: Patrick Cunningham - Quidditch commentator (47)
Father: Elymas Aiden MacKay - Auror (46)
Mother: Susan Claire Pevensie - Nurse (45)

Personality:
Annorah is one of those rare people that is practically always cheerful. Annorah looks at life through a slightly rose colored glass. Perpetually cheerful, her friends call it. Annorah's optimism is one of her greatest strengths, and greatest weaknesses. She believes in the inherent good in everyone (even her parents, though maybe not You-Know-Who). She likes to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and because of that she's sometimes been hoodwinked two or three times by the same person before she learns her lesson.

Annorah's emotions are almost always in some extreme. If she's happy she's so positive she's almost giddy. When she'd sad she can bawl for hours, completely inconsolable. Annorah does have a temper, though it’s not really one to be frightened of. It’s her quidditch mania that more people are frightened by. Annorah does know when to be serious, but she's optimistic even then. At times her utter positive-ness can rub people the wrong way, but her friends usually find it difficult to remain in the bad mood around her. Annorah also believes in speaking her mind, whether good or bad, and it's sometimes gotten her in trouble.

Like her father and his twin, Annorah has a mischievous streak a mile wide. While Annorah doesn't pull pranks as often (or as noticeably) as her father did, her sense of humor is well known among her friends. They know they have to be careful around April 1st. Annorah also has an insatiable curiosity, which has gotten her in [i]quite[/i] a bit of trouble through her lifetime.

Unlike most young people, Annorah does not procrastinate. She gets whatever she needs done, done, and then goes and does what she really wants to do. Problem is, this can sometimes cause her schoolwork to be somewhat -- rushed, which accounts for her grades, which are usually a bit below what she really can achieve.

When it comes to Quidditch, Annorah is almost obsessed with the sport. She can prattle on about the subject for hours on end, barely breathing in between sentences. She is particularly fond of the Pride of Portree as her uncle plays on the team, and she has entertained the idea of trying out for the team if university doesn’t work out for her. Her appointment as Quidditch Captain for the Animus house team at ASU brought out a side of her quidditch fanaticism that few were familiar with. When it comes to practices, Annorah is all business and no non-sense. She pushes her players to and past their limits if she can. She doesn’t ask a single thing from her team that she won’t do herself. In fact, she won’t ask anything of anyone that she wouldn’t do herself, if she could.

History:
Elymas Aiden MacKay was born to Jerold Bayrd MacKay and Cerdwin Odile MacLeod in Fort William, Scotland. Jerold and Cerdwin met at Hogwarts. Both were in Gryffindor and in the same year. So on would assume the two got along rather well. Wrong. The two detested each other from the start, mainly because their two clans were in the middle of a feud. So, they naturally hated each other and would go out of the way to either avoid or torment the other person. Jerold dipped Cerdwin's braids in inkpots and she in turn put bugs and other creatures in the boy's bed.

But at the end of their sixth year, Jerold realized something. He wasn't tormenting Cerdwin anymore because he disliked her. In fact it was quite the opposite. Over the years he's grudgingly come to admire and respect the hot-tempered Scots girl. Cerdwin did not take this news well and Jerold was careful to stay out of her way for the rest of the year. But by Halloween of their seventh year, Cerdwin was ready to call a truce with Jerold. The two started dating and by the end of the year, Jerold had fallen in love with Cerdwin, the feisty girl that had once been his foe.

But their families were still feuding, so after graduating, Jerold and Cerdwin eloped and quickly moved down to Fort William to start a new life. By the time the MacKays and MacLeods found out about the marriage, it was too late and the couple had disappeared. After a few years, the two clans realized they'd have to put aside their differences if they ever wanted to see Jerold or Cerdwin again, who had both been favorites with their clan chiefs. So a meeting was called between the two clan and it was discovered that neither clan remembered what they'd been feuding over for so long. The two clans asked that Jerold and Cerdwin come back to the Upper Highlands, but by that time the couple had already established themselves in Fort William and didn't really want to move. After all, there was still Apparating and the Floo Network, so visiting wasn't that time consuming.

Jerold was now a hit wizard and Cerdwin was working at the Inverlochy Castle museum. About five years after their marriage, Jerold and Cerdwin decided it was time to start a family. A year later, Gaea Muriel was born. She was followed the year after that by Elymas Aiden and Sorcha Morainn. After dealing with the twins, Cerdwin decided that three children were enough. Gaea was more of the inquisitive type, but both Elymas and Sorcha took after their parents with their mischievous and odd sense of humor. While Sorcha was just a chaotic as her twin, it was Elymas that was constantly being hauled to the headmaster's office at Hogwarts. Despite his rather hefty file, Elymas still managed to pass his OWLS and NEWTS well enough to be accepted into Auror training. Sorcha became the fashion editor for Teen Witch magazine and married a chaser for the Pride of Portree, Tobias MacLaughin. Gaea went to work in the Department of Magical Catastrophes and eventually married a wizard in the department, Brant MacKinnon.

Susan Claire Pevensie was born to Elizabeth Faith Scrubb and Robert Samuel Pevensie in Nottingham, England. Elizabeth was a math teacher and Robert was an architect. The two met through a mutual friend at Queen Mary University of London where they were both studying. They two started dating and married soon after they graduated. Susan was the second of four children: Peter Thomas, Susan Claire, Edmund John, Lucy Katherine. The four Pevensie children were very close, even as they grew older. Elizabeth had instilled a deep love of books in all her children, so most of their playing consisted of pretend. Growing up in a post-WWII era the children loved listening to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but like their mother loved reading Charles Dickens and Shakespeare.

Of the four Pevensie children, Susan was the practical and sensible one. She could sometimes be self-centered, but Susan could always be counted on to be sincere when it mattered most. But unlike her siblings, Susan was the only Pevensie child to go to a boarding school outside of Nottinghamshire; the other three went to public schools in close to home. But when Susan was fifteen, her world fell apart (in her eyes). Susan's parents and siblings were traveling to her school by train to bring her home at the end of the term, when they were involved in an accident. All of them were killed. When she heard the news, Susan was so distraught that she tried to throw herself out her dormitory window, but her roommates were able to restrain her until the headmistress arrived.

Susan spent the next two years with an aunt then moved out on her own once she graduated. Using part of the money she inherited from her grandparents and parents, Susan put herself through college and earned her nursing degree. The rest of the money, she left alone. After getting a job at Kingston Hospital in Surrey, Susan moved in with one of her classmates from college who had also gotten a job there. Susan dated on and off, but nothing really serious. It was about two years later when fate intervened.

After getting off work, each day, Elymas would often walk around Muggle London, just observing. This was how he first met Susan. Susan was coming off work herself and stopped by a book store to pick up a book she'd ordered the week before. Exiting the shop, she ran into a guy. The guy was Elymas. He quickly apologized and continued on his way. Susan on the other hand was completely gob-smacked. She had just run into the cutest guy she'd ever seen. But before she could work up the courage to stop him, he turned a corner and disappeared. A week later, the same thing happened, outside a coffee shop. Again, Elymas apologized and walked away before Susan could stop him.

It was month before Susan saw him again, but this time she was ready. This time they ran into each other outside the public library. Before Elymas could take another step, Susan introduced herself and shoved a piece of paper with her phone number into his hand. A little startled, Elymas told Susan his name. About that time, Susan lost her nerve and quickly left. Elymas and his best friend Patrick rented an apartment in a wizarding quadrant of Muggle London, not far from the Ministry of Magic, so they had a phone. Once Elymas got over the initial shock, he and Patrick reasoned it might be a little fun to go out with this muggle girl. So the following weekend, Elymas called Susan and invited her to a movie. After going out with Susan for about half a year, Elymas realized he was in love with her and asked Susan to marry him. Susan accepted and the two were married six months later.

But Susan still didn't know Elymas was a wizard. And it wasn't until Annorah was born that Elymas realized he had to tell Susan the truth. So he did... and Susan went ballistic. Susan had been raised a devout Christian and refused to believe that magic could be in the blood. She ordered Elymas to leave. Elymas warned her that Annorah would very likely be a witch and requested custody of Annorah. Susan refused to believe that her baby would be a witch, and stated that she was keeping her daughter. So, Elymas packed his things and moved back to Scotland.

Susan moved back to Nottingham, to be closer to her childhood home and friends, and so she could raise Annorah in what she felt was a better environment. The only thing that had kept Elymas and Susan both in London was each other and the proximity to their jobs. But Susan's job was in enough demand that moving back home didn't cause much of a problem. And Elymas had never really needed to live in London except him and Patrick had thought it would be fun. So they went their separate ways. Elymas sent Christmas and birthday presents each year, but Susan refused to let him see his daughter. Susan quickly forgot Elymas' warning, until eleven years later...

Annorah Paige was the only child of her parents. Susan never remarried, and raised Annorah on her own with a somewhat rigid set of morals, even though she was completely dotting. Annorah never knew her father as she grew up; to her Elymas MacKay was a nice man that sent her birthday and Christmas presents. And for most of her childhood she accepted that. Like her mother, Annorah had a love for reading, especially fantasy books. Susan tried to encourage her daughter to read other books as well, and because of that and where they were living, Annorah also fell in love with history. As a child, she would sneak off into the woods not far from her house and read in a tree, dreaming she was in the time of Robin Hood and Maid Marion and that she was one of Robin Hood's merry band robbing the rich to give to the poor. And while Susan certainly appreciated Annorah developing a good sense of right and wrong she cautioned her daughter that things weren't always black and white.

Despite her reading habits, Annorah was still a sociable child. Everyone in her grammar school knew of her (mainly because she was the only student that went around the school skipping and humming), and though only a small handful of children were actually friends with her, she was at least acquainted with almost everyone. The few other children that disliked her founded their dislike on the grounds that she was annoying, and she was sometimes, though it was rarely intentional. Her teachers adored her, for despite her somewhat lacking work ethic and her sometimes silly behavior, it was obvious she was very bright; plus she respected her teachers to boot.

Annorah was the type of child that loved being the centre of attention. So it was only natural that when her school put on a musical that she try out for the lead part. Annorah won the part, despite her slightly off key singing, and mainly because of her enthusiasm and ability to get into the character. However on opening night, something odd happened. Annorah got cold feet. She almost had to be physically shoved onto the stage and the moment she was in spotlight, all of the spotlights burst. Annorah managed to escape injury but the show had to be delayed two more days while the lights were fixed and by then Annorah had gotten over her nervousness and was able to put on a charming performance.

Susan decided that Annorah needed more outlets than just singing. So she paid for her daughter to take gymnastic lessons. While it seemed like the perfect thing to go along with her bouncy personality, Annorah was very ungraceful. So they stopped the gymnastics. But Susan still wanted Annorah to find another hobby. And after a girl at school finally slapped Annorah because she was "too nosey" Susan settled on self-defense. While Annorah is usually a passive person when it comes to confrontations, self-defense was something she took to very well. She certainly had the energy level for it, and learning to channel that energy properly helped her gain some discipline over her bit too-outgoing personality.

However, the defense lessons also gave Annorah a way to deal with someone invading her personal space. After accidentally getting locked in an old wardrobe for several hours, she was completely claustrophobic for the rest of her life. And despite her very out-going personality, Annorah developed a stiff personal bubble. People breaching the bubble without permission or at least warning were very likely to get socked in whatever body part was closest.

It was a real shock for Annorah when an owl suddenly fluttered through her window the summer before she turned eleven. It was an even bigger shock when she read the letter addressed to her. This instigated a very long discussion between Annorah and her mother. Susan was almost ready to keep Annorah from attending Hogwarts when she remembered something Elymas had said before he left, that untrained magic was extremely dangerous to both the witch and those around her. Susan finally had to tell the truth to her daughter, that her father was a wizard and that she'd ordered Elymas to leave because of it. Annorah was quite indignant about that fact. With some difficulty Susan admitted she was wrong and wrote Elymas for help. She didn't know how to deal with a young witch. Elymas offered to take Annorah in for the rest of the summer and help her get ready for school. Susan agreed and Annorah was quite excited at the prospect of finally meeting her father.

Elymas was overjoyed to finally be able to get to know his daughter and was quite amused by how similar she was to him, though he could certainly see Susan in her. Annorah on the other hand was a little shocked when she met Elymas. She'd expected someone more like her mother, somewhat stern and overbearing. In fact, she found Elymas to be completely opposite of this. Annorah spent the rest of the summer getting to know the wizarding world, from her relatives on her father's side to her father's friends, like Patrick, and from the different candies to quidditch, especially quidditch; Uncle Patrick was especially fond of quidditch, as was Uncle Tobias. And once she got over the initial shock, Annorah was quite delighted with all the new things she encountered in the wizarding world as well as Scotland. All of a sudden, she went from just having a mother, to having a father, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Not to mention a whole new type of food.

The moment Annorah was exposed to quidditch, her life was changed forever. Every summer and winter the MacKay and MacLeod clans have an independent quidditch tournament. Both clans are filled with talented amateur quidditch players, and a couple professional ones, and to attain a spot on the clan team was a great honor. Annorah never played quidditch while she was at Hogwarts, quite content to watch, but by the time she was 16, she had procured herself a spot on the MacKay clan team. Annorah preferred playing in the clan tournaments to playing at Hogwarts for two reasons. One, you knew everyone, and while the injuries might be intended, they were never malicious. And two, the official rules were a tad relaxed with the clans, and some acts that might be considered illegal at Hogwarts games weren’t in clan games. Like flaming bludgers.

Elymas gave Annorah two gifts before she got on the Hogwarts Express, a cat (whom she promptly named Findabar) and a celestial themed set of earrings. And with hope and excitement in her heart, Annorah went to Hogwarts. Like her father and Aunt Sorcha, she was sorted into Gryffindor. Since Annorah was in the same year as the infamous Weasley twins, the few pranks she did pull were often overshadowed by some hijinks of the Weasleys. So Annorah was never hauled into the Headmaster's office as often as her father was. But like in the muggle world, Annorah became known for her optimistic and sunny disposition, and the fact she'd had enough cheek to deck a couple Slytherin boys (one of the very few offensives she was hauled in for [bloody gits had it coming to them, talking about my mum like that]). And unlike most students, she did very well in History of Magic, simply because she could fish the interesting parts out of Binn's droning. One would think that a student that did well in History of Magic would do well in her other classes. Not the case with Annorah. Annorah enjoyed learning sure, but she didn't really like homework. She'd get the assignment done as quickly, and somewhat thoroughly, as possible then move on. This accounted for her less than achievable marks.

For her first through third years, life was pretty much normal, well, as normal as it was to be a witch and in the same year and house as the Weasley twins. She went to classes, made marks that were only a bit above passing, and was pretty much a normal pre-teen girl. Susan and Elymas worked it out to where Annorah stayed with one parent one holiday and the other parent the next. So for one Christmas she was with Susan, and for the next she was with Elymas.

However, as she got older, Annorah began to change slightly. At school she'd be her usual sunny self, but at when she went back home to her mother, they began to have fights. Annorah was becoming very frustrated with the differing parenting styles of Susan and Elymas, and Susan's was really starting to chafe. Elymas pretty much allowed her to do whatever she wanted, but when she was with Susan she still had to conform to the same rigid standards she had to as a child. Annorah was beginning to see she was more of a free spirit like her father, rash and slightly impulsive, and resented her mother's overbearing nature.

During the summer between her fourth and fifth year, Annorah ran into some old acquaintances from grammar school. They questioned Annorah where she'd been, she simply stated at boarding school. They made a rather negative comment about the boarding school being for hyper freaks and, having just had a fight with her mother and still extremely tense, Annorah punched them both. She was arrested for assault, though since she was a minor she was only taken to the youth detention center. Susan was quite horrified and by the end of the summer, Annorah had been hauled in again, this time for running away. Needless to say, Annorah was quite happy to go back to Hogwarts.

For Christmas that year, Elymas gave Annorah a set of Ever-sizing-No-wear dragon-hide boots, which soon became her signature clothing item along with the jewelry he'd give her before her first year. The boots never scuffed or wore down and they grew when she grew; if she wanted the heel shorter or tall, she could easily change it with a height charm. Annorah for once tried to stay out of trouble that year (mainly due to the tension surrounding the Sirius Black crisis) and wore the boots only when it wasn't against the dress code, like to Hogsmeade weekends. Fifth year also brought with it the OWLs. And for once Annorah actually applied herself. Most of her teachers were shocked when Annorah actually did very well on several of her OWLs.

After that, Annorah wasn't able to get away with shoddy school work. So she finally dug her nose in and started earning the marks she really was capable of achieving. Her sixth year passed almost too quickly with the excitement of the Triwizard Tournament, though the news that the Dark Lord had risen greatly unnerved her. She almost forgot about it during the summer, since she was staying with her mother and the articles in the Daily Prophet greatly confused her. She didn't like that the newspaper was discrediting the headmaster, who her father through very highly of, but it was the newspaper, and newspapers are usually right... aren't they?

Her seventh year became a blur of preparation for her NEWTs, until Umbridge took over. Annorah had felt gypped that her last year of Defense was so... theoretical and hands-offish. She'd always enjoyed the class, though not quite as much as History, but Umbridge's approach seemed too restrictive for them to really learn. If there was one really important thing she'd learned from her father, it was that to be able to cast a spell well, you had to practice it over and over and over and over and over... especially defense spells. So Annorah took to practicing Defense by herself in her dorm when her roommates weren't there. (Had she known about the DA she probably would have joined, but she wasn't privy to that knowledge so she studied alone.)

After her graduation from Hogwarts, Elymas treated Annorah to a two-week trip to Egypt, which she loved. Her Nimus X broom was a graduation gift from her grandparents. Being part of a large Scottish wizarding clan has its advantages. Annorah was showered with graduations gifts, including almost enough galleons to cover most of her university education.

Annorah did very well on her NEWTs and deciding she wanted to further her education, she applied to a wizarding university she'd heard about from her Aunt Gaea, Aeternus Sapientia (in fact Gaea attended ASU). Annorah is immensely interested in pursuing a profession that either deals with history or charming stuff, both if possible. Even though she's in her third year at ASU, she's still wavering between becoming a field archaeologist, museum curator, historian, or artificer.

During her first year at ASU, Annorah did well in her classes and joined the quidditch team. She loved the university atmosphere and for the most part managed to find the right balance between fun and study. Despite the fact she’s only half-Scottish, Annorah can hold her liquor better than most would suspect, though she’s careful to not become drunk.

The summer between her first and second, Annorah got a part-time job at Quality Quidditch Supplies and with that was able to begin renting a small apartment in Banavie, Scotland, a town not far from Fort William where her grandparents live. Her second year at ASU passed much like the first, and once again in the summer she took up a part-time job at Quality Quidditch Supplies to help pay her rent.

Annorah should have guessed that things would turn on their ear once the infamous Harry Potter came to ASU. While she was quite flattered to be appointed the Animus Quidditch captain, she still feels somewhat inadequate for the position. The betrayal of Marianne Harper was difficult for Annorah to accept. History of Magic was her primary course, and to have a professor she respected turn out to be so manipulative and power hungry was extremely disappointing and distressing. The Azkaban break-out was even more unnerving, and for the first time in months Annorah worried about her muggle mother.

Toward the end of the semester, Annorah received an offer she was unable to refuse, even though it would mean she’d be missing several weeks of class. A chance to go on an all-expenses-paid archeological dig in South America. She took her course books with her and attempted to study as much as possible and hopes to be able to catch herself back up in time for finals.

Special Magical attributes/added extras?: Apparation license; Corporeal Patronus: Bear

Pet?: An Abyssinian/Kneazle mix that answers to Findabar, or Fin for short.
Wand: Lignum Vitae with rosewood inlay, Dragon heartstring, 12 1/3 inches
Classes: History of Magic, Charms

Sample post: WOOSH! TWACK! PONG!

What some people would describe as an insane grin was plastered from check to check of Annorah Piage MacKay. A quaffle tucked under her right arm, she tore down the amateur quidditch pitch in the middle of the MacKay moorlands, headed straight for her rather frightened looking third cousin twice removed on her aunt’s side. Ah well, if the kid wanted to shape up and get on his house team at Hogwarts he’d have to at least be able to take it from his cousin.

As she got closer she saw her cousin take a somewhat shaky breath then grasp the handle of his broom a little firmly as he flew in front of the goal posts. Good, he was going to at least try to stop her. When she got within scoring range, she feinted left then tossed the quaffle through the right goal post. Her younger cousin fell for the feint but threw his broom in the direction of the quaffle when he realized his mistake. His outstretched hand was about half a meter from the quaffle when it arced through the hoop.

PING!

A rousing cheer erupted from the younger cousins that were sitting clustered about on the stands. It was the middle of the summer, early afternoon; the tykes didn’t have anything else to do. Annorah could see her cousin was bummed that he’d missed the shot. In all honesty, he was doing quiet well for eleven. If he’d been sixteen, he probably would have been able to stop the shot, whether he had fallen for the feint or not.

“Aww, don’ feel so bad Davey. Yeh did a fine job. A lil’ more practice an’ yeh’ll make the Ravenclaw team.” Her acquired Scottish brogue always came out when she spent the summer or winter with the MacKays and MacLeods.

Davey lifted his bright blue eyes hopefully. “Really ‘Norah?”

“Would I lie to yeh?”

Davey shook his head vigorously as he blinked the almost-tears from his eyes.

“That’s better.” Annorah ruffled his gingery hair, only a few shades darker than her own, and waved up at the kids sitting in the stands. “Come on, I hear Grunny’s making tablet! First one to get me a piece can ride my broom first!”

Giggling and shrieking the children ran off, Annorah, Davey and the rest of the two teams followed at a more mature pace.

“ ‘Onestly Norah, yeh shouldn’t egg the bairns on so,” Uncle Tobey said, a smirk on his face. His two daughters had not only been in the throng of children, but had in fact led the pack toward the house.

“Tobey, bairns will be bairns, encouragement o’ not.” Uncle Patrick gave Uncle Tobey a light sock in the arm.

As they neared the house a small figure zoomed up to Annorah and stuffed a piece of tablet in her hand. “Oh, alrigh’ Moira, you win. Just make sure the other children get a chance to fly as well.” Annorah relinquished her broom to the child and took a step back as she and the other children ran off. “An if yeh crash it I’ll take it outta yer hide!”

“I’ll make sure they behave Norah,” Davey said and followed the children.

“Eh, I’ll make sure they all stay out of trouble,” Cousin Michael said with a small shake of his head. Michael had just finished his fifth year at Hogwarts, Hufflepuff house, and had quite good hand with the children, even large groups like the one that had just run off.

“Make sure yeh’re all back in time for dinner,” Uncle Tobay reminded him. Michael nodded and flew off in the direction the children had gone.

Suddenly a loud shriek emanated from the direction of the house. And somewhere in that shriek Annorah heard her name. Her FULL name. Annorah glanced a little nervously at her uncles and cousins then broke into a run toward the house. It was only on piece of tablet! Stuffing the incriminating evidence in the pocket of her quidditch robes, Annorah clattered up the stairs and into the front foyer of the MacKay ancestral home. Someone from the MacKay clan had lived in this house for the past four hundred years. Her grandparents had lived here for the past fifty years.

“Annorah Paige MacKay!”

“Coming Grandmuither!”

Coming to a halt in the doorway of the parlor, Annorah was surprised to find her grandmother beaming rather than glowering. Sure, that was definitely better than what she’d been expecting, but why was her grandmother so happy...

And then she spotted the thick envelope her grandmother was holding out toward her. Sea green eyes glowing with excitement, Annorah crossed the room in two bounds, took the envelope from her grandmother right hand, the letter opener from her left and ripped through the seal with one stroke. Handing the letter opener back to her grandmother, Annorah took a deep breath then gently slid the parchment from the envelope and unfolded it.

Dear Miss MacKay,

We are pleased to inform you that your application to Aeternus Sapientia University has been accepted…

The rest of the letter faded, to be read later once the initial excitement had worn off, as Annorah shrieked loudly. Yes! She’d been accepted.