"Muggleborn," Emma corrects automatically. Then, to Miranda, "Is that... why you haven't mentioned him? Did you think we'd care...?"

"I didn't think you'd care after the first while, but I didn't know if you'd gossip," says Miranda. "And I don't want everyone to know. But yes, my dad's a Muggle - not like you, Jenny, you're a Muggleborn, like my mum, which I do tell everyone because it'd be much more inconvenient not to mention and because I don't want anyone to think I would mind it in somebody else and it's complicated and - anyway. He's easy not to mention, I don't see him nearly so often and he's quiet anyway. He's going to pick me up at King's Cross in a car, is the plan, but if necessary Mum can get me and she can Side-Along me to his house."

"I expect you will have some trouble on the platform," McGonagall warns. "If your mother can take you in a rather less traceable fashion, it will be less of a concern for everyone."

"Hah, who would I even tell?" Alli snorts. "I only hang out with you lot. No gossip. Promise."

Jenny-

-and Emma nod in agreement.

"It can be a secret if you want," Karen agrees.

"Not exactly a secret. I haven't been saying he's dead or an untraceable foreign wizard, I just haven't been bringing him up, yeah? Anyway, I'll owl Mum and Dad both and tell them Mum should fetch me."

"He's a po- he's like a Muggle Auror," says Miranda. "I don't know if it would help if he threatened to arrest wix reporters..."

"It... might be best not to try," McGonagall sighs. "What with the remnants of the war. If a wizard thought a Muggle was threatening him..."

"So I guess we just won't... answer the door."

"You can stay with us, if it gets bad," Jenny offers. "My family's not going to be any easier to find, and then your dad could come and not be confused by wizards and stuff. It, er, miiight be sorta crowded though."

"That might be nice," says Miranda. "I think we'll see if they find my dad's house first but we can keep that in mind for if they do."

"Thoooough, as the only person with siblings here, you are duly warned. My family is sorta crazy."

"Like how?"

"I mean, you know how I have a sister and three brothers and they're all younger than me? That just sorta comes with... chaos attached."

"But what do they actually do?"

"There is a lot of running around, or... projects, of various types, cooking or coloring or building. Starting a rock band with pots and pans, or making a pillow fort in the middle of the hall, or trying to climb a tree and getting stuck because apparently they're cats and forget how to get down, or digging up the neighbor's yard to try to find buried treasure... trust me. I have stories."

"Heh. Well, maybe I won't have to come stay with you. At least not for Easter hols, they can get a little older first..."

"You could stay with me too if you want, my parents aren't Muggles either of them but the house has wards on it so if someone found it they couldn't just walk right up to the door if they weren't expected. Mum and Dad wouldn't mind."

Emma will be being silent over here. They have wards as well- rather well done expensive ones, in fact- but she doesn't trust either of her parents not to just let the reporters in, if they thought it would get them a spot in an article. So, she'll be over here being quiet.

"I am a terrible person to stay with," Alli says matter of factly. "I mean, I wish I could help, but- yeah. Go with those two, if you have to. If we have wards, I'd be shocked, and even if we do Mum will have forgotten a step or meet a friendly stranger and decide they must be harmless or something else equally airheaded. For the love of Merlin, do not entrust her with your peace and quiet for the hols. Guaranteed, she will fail."

"Understood. With any luck I won't need two houses and if they track me down at both of those and are too much of a nuisance I will just - see about staying with one of Mum's Australian friends or something."

"Um, if they follow you to Australia wouldn't- whatever Australia calls their Aurors, are they Aurors there- wouldn't they help? That's... a lot." She looks towards McGonagall for confirmation.