The Curse of the Osirians

House of Secrets

Layla's POV

"Nina and Layla Martin?" I heard a voice call out. I squeezed my sisters hand as I grabbed the handle on my suitcase. I glanced at the big American flag sticker my sister had put on hers. Could she be any subtler?!

"Yes! That's us!" Nina exclaimed.

"Ah, you're American then?" The taxi driver pointed out.

"Yeah how'd you know? Was it the accent?" Nina asked.

"No. It was the big American flag on your suitcase," the man said with a smile.

"See! I told you!" I teased as she hurried to remove it - finally.

"Oh, right, well. I guess that's a little obvious. Not the best way to blend in!"

"There you go. Jump in loves." The driver said as he helped us into the back of the car.

"I can't believe we're actually going to boarding school. I'm so excited! I feel like Harry Potter," Nina commented as I rolled my eyes at her. If anyone should feel like Harry Potter it was me, the baby who had been dropped off on her parents doorstep with nothing but a fancy gold bracelet of Isis. My sister turned to me and grinned and I couldn't help but smile back. Her excitement was infectious.

"Is that your parents checking up on you?" asked the driver as Nina's phone dinged.

"It's our gran. I think she misses us already. Our gran brought us up. I've. I've never been away from home before..." Nina explained, slowing down at the end. I reached over and grabbed her hand. It was nice change to be able to comfort her, seeing as she was usually the one reassuring me.

"You getting cold feet? Want me to turn this cab around?" The man asked.

"No way! I'm finally here. I'm off to my new school. I'm psyched. Naturally," Nina said, though I could tell she was mostly just trying to convince herself she wasn't nervous. To be honest, so was I. I hadn't had much luck getting along with students in the past. Because of my photographic memory most of them liked to bully me for not needing to study much. Nina always said it was because they were just jealous but I wasn't so sure. I did try to remain hopeful that maybe for once I could make some friends at this new school. I hated that I was so shy.

"And I guess I am a little scared. The last time I felt like this, I threw up on my kindergarten teacher," Nina added. I smiled as I remembered that day. It took the teacher almost ten minutes to stop me from laughing hysterically at my sister.

"Nah, that'll just be my driving," the man said with a smile. Ok Nina, Layla. We're here."

I stared out of the window at the buildings as we drove down the road.

"Oh wow It's a big place!" I squealed excitedly. "Look Nina! It really is like Hogwarts!" I giggled. Nina just shook her head at me and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Where do you need to be?" Asked the driver.

"Um, it says here we are in the "house of Anubis"," Nina read off her information packet. I couldn't help but feel like that would be the Gryffindor equivalent.

"I'll take your cases round," said our driver as he walked away with our luggage as Nina and I stepped out of the vehicle and looked around.

"Wow welcome to Hogwarts, Nina!" I exclaimed as I spun around in a circle. She shoved me playfully as we suddenly realized we hadn't tipped the driver yet.

"Hey, wait up!" Nina cried out as she took off running down the road. I chased after her. But before I could reach her I found myself colliding with a body and falling backwards onto the grass.