The summer trip to New York. ((Sapphire))

[Zara Phoenix]

Zara hummed to herself as she shoved the last of her bags into the car. She turned back and faced the house. "Come on Sapphire. Don't wanna be late now." She called. She climbed into the backseat of the car and waited for her sister to show. Sapphire appeared shortly after and after having put her bags away and gotten into the car they were off. It was a short drive to the airport and they got out and loaded their bags onto some trolleys and entered the airport. They picked up their tickets and got through security just fine and loaded their bags up and sooner than she thought she was sitting in the airplane staring out of the window.

Zara fell asleep during the flight and woke up just as the plane was about to start landing. Zara stretched. "Are we there yet?" She asked groggily as the plane landed. Gathering her things she exited the plane and began to look through the crowd to see if she could spot their dad. "Hey Sapphire, do you see dad anywhere?" No sooner has she said the words than she spotted him. "hey, there he is!" Zara ran over to her father. "Hey dad!" She called and through a hug around him as she reached him.

[Sapphire Phoenix R7]

Sapphire groaned at the sound of the alarm clock and rolled over, groping on her bedside table for her earplugs. The alarm clock must be for Zara, because she certainly couldn't remember setting it. As if she'd set an alarm clock! She could get up at whatever time of the morning she wanted to, but she wasn't one for annoying beeping noises in her ear. She'd have to get Zara an alarm clock which sounded nicer. Maybe one which played a lullaby. The first bars of Beethoven's Fifth might be appropriate. The waking world knocking on the doors of blissful sleep. That concluded her thoughts as she finally managed to fumble her earplugs in, and after glancing over at Zara, wondering how long it would take for her to get ready, she thankfully managed to get back to slumbering peacefully.

She awoke at a slightly more decent time and was quickly dressed in the jeans, t-shirt and jumper she'd laid out for herself the night before. She'd packed her trunk and rucksack the night before too and they were already residing at the door to the B&B room near Diagon Alley. Her handsome tawny Ruffles sat in his cage which she'd left open for him. She gave him a couple of Owl Treats and then gave him the postcard for her dad in America. She couldn't very well take an owl on the aeroplane and he was used to finding the apartment in New York. Sapphire gave him another letter for a friend so he could have a stop off point along the way. He hooted and spread his wings, taking off out of the window as Sapphire watched him go fondly. She lugged her trunk downstairs, annoyed at not being able to assist herself with a levitating charm. Physical labour was not for her. The owner of the B&B, a middle aged wizard, came round to assist her as she managed to get down into the area where she usually breakfasted. He carried the trunk outside with ease to the waiting taxi Sapphire had booked to come. It was from the magical world. After all, she had to take Ruffles' cage. Even that would get questions asked at the airport too. It was tricky, but she'd done it all before.

Sapphire was sipping a cup of hot chocolate as she heard Zara calling to her from outside. She smiled and waved at her from the window before carrying on drinking her hot chocolate at exactly the same pace as she had been doing before. There were some things that couldn't be hurried, and anyway, they were in plenty of time. Once she'd finished, which didn't take too much longer, she made her way outside and put her rucksack and Ruffles' cage in the back of the taxi, stepping in beside Zara. "I'd remind you my trunk was in the car before yours," she said with some amusement to her sister. With that the taxi driver pulled off and they were soon at the airport, and through it without too much difficulty.

Zara slept on the flight to New York while Sapphire read her way through a novel and a book on the Sirens. Be fully packed the night before, sleep in the morning, be quick to get ready in the morning and stay awake on the plane - the best course of action possible. It took a long time to get there as always but there weren't any delays landing on the runway and Zara woke up just as the plane jolted onto the ground. "We're there," she confirmed. Having got through customs (with the owl cage) and collected their baggage they went out to search for their dad. Zara, with her eyes which were keen from playing Quidditch as opposed to Sapphire's which were more accustomed to doing lots of reading, was the first to spot him. Zara ran ahead while Sapphire trundled her luggage towards the two of them. After a hug for her dad and a short conversation, they were on their way to their dad's car and his city apartment, him having covertly performed a featherweight charm on their luggage first.