Mara is the daughter and only child of Laura and Lt. Michael Tannall. She was born on a military base in Germany. She has had the typical life of the military brat moving from base to base when the Airforce stationed her father some place new. She is a U.S. citizen, but has only been there a few times when her parents would travel back to visit their family.

Military life lead Mara to be a shy girl who liked her books more than people. It was a life of moving from base to base and never staying in anyone one place long enough to have close friends. The fact that she had very bright red hair, only helped to make her like people less as the other kids liked to tease her about it endlessly.

People it seemed didn't care for her much more than she them. Even her parents thought her a bit odd. It seemed that any time she became very emotional, things would happen. She didn't mean for them too, but they did. Like the day, Adam (a boy in her class in Italy) was teasing her about her hair. He was standing in front of her calling her carrot top when Mara pictured his nose growing longer. All of a sudden his nose really started to grow longer.

The year of Mara's 11th birthday was a special year, more special than she would have ever guessed. She had just moved to England with her parents. They had gone sight seeing and travelled all over the country. She got to see the home of William Shakespeare and the Tower of London. She had read about so many of these places.

On the day of her 11th birthday, she was home with her parents having a family party. They had given her the greatest gift, she was to have a private tutor. No more going to school and getting teased. They were gathered around the table having cake and punch when her father heard something at the door. When he opened it, he saw an owl flying away. He thought, "Odd seeing an owl about in the middle of the day." Then he looked down and found a letter addressed to his daughter.

It was a letter from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mara was as suprised as her parents. Never had she imagined that she was something like a witch, but her parents decided that this school might be a good idea with all the odd things that happened around her. So much to her discontent, Mara was off to "school" again.

Mara dreaded heading to Hogwarts. And after she arrived their she remained somewhat alone. Books and studies those were her best friends until she happened to meet Angelique and Evie.

Angel and Evie are helping Mara transform from a catepillar into a butterfly. Mara still has her moments of shyness, but she tends to be quite out going when in the company of those two. Her shy moments are becoming fewer and fewer. Mara has found friends in Lucian, Thomas, Aden and Jack as well.