Two identicle girls embraced in a sisterly hug as they stood in the midst of King Cross Station.
"Alyxandra!" One of the burgandy haired twins squealed, hugging her twin tighter. Her brown hair bounced around her in catostrophic waves.
"Isabelle!" The other twin squeezed her sister tighter, too, her athymest eyes sparkling brighter than any star on a pitch black night. "I missed you so much! We didn't get to visit this year, so it's been... uh... two whole years! Can you believe that?"
"Ugh, no! It felt like two years and one day. Isn't that amazing?"
The one called Alyxandra burst into laughter. "Oh, we're going to have f~u~n this year!"
"I know!" Isabelle sighed dreamily. "Prank-twins back in buisness, baby!"
They chanted "Prank-Pair" and "Twin-Terror" until they noticed their parents standing akwardly. The twins straightened themselves out, staring up at their parents.
"It's nice to see you, father," Isabelle smiled softly, but her father cast her a single glance before grunting.
"Isabelle." He looked down at her with disrespect that made Isabelle recoil.
"Hello, mother," Alyxandra smiled feintly at her mother, who looked into Alyxandra's eyes.
"Alyxandra." Her mother spat lightly. "You seem to be faring well." It came out careless and with silent loathing. Alyxandra sighed sadly.
"We've got to go now," Alyxandra looked over at the train, which was loudly preparing for departation.
"But we'll send you letters and stuff!" Isabelle smiled back at their parents as they boarded the train. They made their way to the back of the train, assuming that's where all the empty compartments were. They were correct.
They slid into their compartment across from eachother, and looked out the window before exchanging grins.
"This is going to be so fun!" Alyxandra squealed.
"Alyxandra, we are going to have so much to do there!" Isabelle grinned as her sister gaped. "Oops, sorry. I mean Alyx."
"Oh, thank you Isabelle- oh, my bad, Izzy."
The twins burst into fresh laughter.
"Mother and father are still distant," Izzy said suddenly, looking out the window sadly. "They barely looked at eachother." She turned to her sister, a despreat sorrow in her eyes. "I hate seeing them like that. Did you see it? They acted like strangers. Plus, father still hates me and mother still hates you! Why does mother love me, even though I look exactly like you? And why does father love you, even though you look exactly like me?"
"Izzy, you know I hate it. But let's make this year amazing- we'll be remembered. That's our goal, right? To stand out! We're going to get to Hogwarts, look at it with confidence and say 'our names are Isabelle and Alyxandra Syaverie, and you'll remember us.' Okay?"
Izzy smiled, "yeah... Yeah! We're going to be different- not like we arent already, but there's always room for improvement!"
"That's the spirit," Alyx laughed.
They sat in their own compartment for most of the ride playing muggle card games. Once the trolly came around, the girls got out of their compartment and stared at the trolly in wonder.
"You come around with candy?" Izzy asked incredously.
"What does Hogwarts not have?" Alyx breathed in astonishment. They purchased a handful of chocolate and slid back into their compartment. A while later, their compartment door opened and a slightly angry looking girl and a boy stood in the doorway.
"Oh, hello," The girl smiled apologetically. "Can we sit here?"
"Sure," Alyx replied smiling. Alyx slipped out of her seat and sat next to her twin. The redheaded girl took the seat greatfully, the big nosed boy sitting next to her. The girl stuck out her hand with a genuine, polite smile.
"I'm Lily Evans."
"Nice to meet you, Lily," The twins said simultaniously, and laughed.
Lily smiled and turned to her friend, who didn't stick his hand out, but stared at the twins with peircing black eyes, "Severus Snape."
They didn't take his stare the wrong way- or any way at all. They simply grinned and sang, "Nice to meet you, Severus!"
The four chatted for about twenty minutes before a prefect came in and told them to get changed. They simply slipped their robes over their clothes.
"You said you like potions?" Alyx turned to Severus, and so did Izzy.
Snape nodded.
"That's so cool! I personally prefer transfiguration, but Potions would be my second choice, no doubt." Izzy grinned. Snape stared at the girls, thinking they aren't your average girls.
"Whoa!" The twins synced, glancing around the Great Hall incredously. "This is amazing!"
The other students tried to look professional by hiding their astonishment, but the twins didn't even make an effort.
The first years grouped in front of a chair with an old, withered hat sitting upon it. Alyx and Izzy exchanged glances and tried not to let out a single giggle. Alyx noticed a group of four boys next to them. One was incredibly handsome, with stormy grey eyes and shady black hair. Another had messy hair and brown eyes framed with slim glasses. Another boy had light brown hair and hazel eyes, and looked slightly pale. The last one was pudgy with brown hair. (A/N: Can't remember Peter's description... But it's not like anyone liked him anyway...)
Alyx jumped when she heard her name called. "Huh?" She called dumbly. Her sister, despite the glances, burst into laughter.
"Go up for your sorting, idiot!" She hissed through giggles. Alyx didn't flush, but glared at her sister irritatedly. She hopped up and sat on the chair as the hat was placed upon her head.
"Hm... Let's see..." The hat murmured.
"Whoa!" Alyx exclaimed, peering up at the hat the best she could.
"What?" A student called curiously. She grinned.
"It talks!"
The students erupted into chatter, which was quickly silenced.
"You're very brave- you seem to outspeak people. You stand up for what you believe in... And it seems you don't care what you are to others- or, to be more specific, you don't care what you look like to the outside world. Your mind is advanced, but you do before you make poor descisions that somehow turn good."
"Am I supposed to take offense to that...?" Alyx murmured. The hat seemed to chuckle.
"Yes... I know exactly where to put you..." The hat sounded decided, then screamed out, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table errupted into cheers and cries of joy as Alyx sat upon the table, grinning widely. Her sister was called, next.
"Ah... you seem smart. Actually, you're just like your sister. Brave, you outspeak people, and your past is hard. Parents that loathe eachother. Your bad choices lead to great outcomes. I know where you belong..."
"Please, put me with Alyx..."
"GRYFFINDOR!!"
The Gryffindor table once again burst into chants and cheers as Izzy sat next to Alyx.
Soon after the ceremony, the feast began. Food piled up on plates endlessly and Alyx and Izzy exchanged glances. All the other girls at the table were trying to look classy and like they were used to it, but Alyx and Izzy didn't understand why.
"Dude, we're in heaven!" Alyx drooled at the roasted Turkey taking up the plate in front of them.
"I couldn't agree more!" Izzy dove into the Turkey just as her sister did, and they ate at least three quarters.
"Ooh..." Alyx moaned, clutching her stomach with a pleased smile on her face. "I can't eat anymore."
But right when the desserts appeared, Alyx and Izzy dove in. They stayed in the Great Hall until most of the students had cleared out, and they grinned at eachother.
"I think we're going to like it here," Izzy stated, and Alyx laughed.
"We should head up." Alyx murmured, looking around. She spotted the boys from before, and watched as they laughed togethor. She turned to her sister. "Okay?"
"Sure!" She paused, looking at her twin's face. "Hey- Alyx, you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Alyx chirped, grabbing Izzy's wrist and dragging her out of the Great Hall. They made their way into the common room after finding out the password and sat in a pair of chairs by a window. They grinned at eachother.
"Ready to start the pranking, sister dearest?" Izzy asked smilng like a maniac.
"I've been ready since the day I was born!" Alyx thrust a fist into the air, causing a few people to stare at them. Not like Alyx or Izzy actually cared, anyway.
"Oh, Alyxandra, Isabelle!" A slightly familiar voice called, sounding relieved. The twins turned and saw Lily Evans rushing up to them, away from the group of four boys from the Great Hall. Her red hair swished behind her, one of the boys –a glasses-wearing, messy haired boy- was watching her leave. "Hello! How was the feast for you two?"
"Fantastic!" Alyx cheered, jumping up and down. "Needless to say, the desserts got to me!"
Izzy laughed at Lily's expression, and then remembered something. "Oh- and Lily?"
Lily looked at Izzy curiously. "Hm?"
"Call me Izzy, not Isabelle. Isabelle is way too formal for me!"
"And call me Alyx! Alyxandra makes me sound so, like Izzy said, formal!"
"Oh, um, okay. Izzy and Alyx. Got it." Lily nodded, smiling embarressedly. The twins laughed loudly and leaned back in their chairs. They stood, looming over Lily. The twins were taller than average girls, standing at a height of 5'3! Lily noticed and gasped. "You two! You're... really tall!"
"Thanks!" They chorused happily. "We love being called tall!"
"How tall are you, exactly?" Lily's emrald eyes were flecked with interest.
"We stand at a mighty 5'3!" Alyx chirped happily. "Isn't it great? We could be basketball players! I've always loved basketball!"
"You know what basketball is?" Lily asked incredously.
"Even though we're purebloods, we still enjoy a good game of basketball. Alyx and I always beat anyone we play." Izzy grinned proudly.
"Really?" Lily smiled. "That's really cool that purebloods can appreciate stuff like that."
"Our parents are totally fine with it, too!" Alyx laughed, but her laughter cut off abruptly, and she looked over at Izzy, whose smile was fading. "Or rather... they don't really care..."
When Lily's eyebrows shot up, Izzy improvised. She yawned loudly, and stretched.
"Oh, God, I'm tired! We've got classes tomorrow, too!"
Alyx caught on, and took the chance to change the subject. "Sleeping would be smart... Aw, but I hate having to end the day! There's still so much to do!" Alyx sighed, but shrugged. "Oh well, I look forward to tomorrow!"
"G'night, Lily!" The twins simultaniously sang, ascending the staircase that lead up to the girls' dormitry.
The twin girls lay in their beds. They'd gotten a room without any other girls, which made the twins slightly happy for their privacy, but slightly lonely. At least they were in the same dorm, though.
The night air swept into the room as the window hung loosly open, and Izzy shivered. She remembered when their parents divorced. It was terrible. She couldn't keep that thought out of her head, so when she fell asleep, that very memory shone in her dreams like the brightest star on an inky black night.
"I've had it with you and your stupid 'job'!" Evangelene Syaverie screamed angrily, jabbing a finger at her husband, Johnathan Syaverie. "Take your bags and get out of my house! Oh- and take that brat Alyxandra with you! I'm keeping Isabelle. You can have the other brat."
"You can't just throw someone out of their own house!" Johnathan snarled menacingly. The five year old twin daughters of the pair sat on the top step of the staircase of their home, watching in agony. Both were crying and clinging to eachother. Their father went on, a feirce glare on his face as he proceeded to yell at their mother. "You are crazy! You're just going to throw your husband and daughter out of his own house? What do you think Alyxandra and Isabelle are going to think? I'm not going to expose Alyxandra to such a psycopath like you!"
"Me? Crazy? You're the one who is always late to home, claiming to be held up at work. You think I'm an idiot like your sister? I know you're cheating, Johnathan Syaverie! You can't pretend anymore! I'll sue you for all your worth if you don't get out of my house with that brat and never come back! If you don't, Johnathan, I swear to God, I will sue you and throw you in jail!"
"You can't throw me anywhere!" Johnathan roared. "This is my home! My money! My Alyxandra! If anything, you should be the one to leave!"
His wife's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh, I remember! Father gave me money in case I ever want to leave you! You know, I never agreed with that until now!" The mother cackled insanely and pointed to the door. "I've got more money than you'll ever have, so I don't need you! I'll go buy a marvelous mansion, I'm taking Isabelle, and maybe I'll even get married again! Good luck with whatever bimbo you're fooling around with, because I'm out of here!" Evangelene bounded up the stairs, taking Isabelle with her, to go pack.
"Daddy!" Alyxandra cried, running down the stairs and into her father's open arms. "Don't do this! Daddy! Don't let mommy take Izzy!"
"I'm sorry, Alyxandra," her father simply crooned, hugging her closer. Alyxandra beat her diminutive fists against his chest, sobbing endlessly. But the sobs sounded as if they were echoing, for her sister was sobbing, too.
Upstairs, Isabelle sat on her bed, crying loudly as she watched her mother finish packing. "Mommy! I want to stay with Alyx!"
"Isabelle, no. We've got to leave. We'll start a better life! More money, a better house, a better school, everything!" Her mother took her in her arms, cradling her before letting go and gathering the suitcases.
Evangelene threw the suitcases in her car and went back into the house to fetch Isabelle. She picked Isabelle up easily, and carried her out the door with difficulty, because Isabelle was trying to get to Alyxandra.
"ALYX!" She screamed, crying and reaching for her sister.
"IZZY!" Alyxandra roared, also crying, but trying to beat her father away, reaching for her twin.
The last image in Isabelle's mind before her mother shut the car door was Alyxandra freeing herself of her father's grasp long enough to run after the car. Alyxandra screamed, "IZZY! IZZY!" into the night as her sister was taken away.
"Ouch!" A voice yelped, which woke Izzy up immediately. Her sister stood over her, clutching her eye.
"Alyx! What happened?" Izzy gasped.
"You hit me! I tried to wake you up and you hit me!" Alyx breathed. "I can't believe you managed to hit me without being actually awake!"
Uncontrolably, Izzy began laughing, and Alyx glared. "Oh, you are going to pay!"
Alyx chased Izzy out of the Dorm, and down the stairs. Both girls were wearing flannel pajamas, so it looked quite weird. Alyx cornered Izzy and grabbed her arm, tugging her close.
"You will pay...!" She said in a low, Hungarian accent.
Izzy couldn't help but laugh. Alyx soon began giggling, too, and went into full blown laughter.
"Wait..." Izzy murmured to herself. "Wasn't there something we were supposed to be doing today?"
A group of four boys, the ones from the other day, spoke up. It didn't matter they were across the room- everyone in the common room was staring at the twins. The sandy haired, golden eyed pale boy spoke up, "We have classes today, if that's what you're talking about."
The twins exchanged glances. "OH CRAP!" They turned to the boy. "How many more minutes?"
The boy looked at his watch, then back up at the girls, "three minutes."
"OH CRAP!"
The girls made it just in time for Transfiguration. The teacher wasn't in the classroom, yet, but all the other students were. They looked at the tired girls that had burst into the classroom, and tried to contain their giggles.
The twins collapsed in their seats and let their heads fall onto the desks.
"Thank God... we made it...!" Alyx breathed. Izzy laughed chokily.
"Ouch~!" She rubbed her throat. "I would kill for some water right now..."
Just then the teacher walked in and begun class. Thankfully, the first few days would just be taking notes. That was extremely easy for the two girls. They decided to write notes to eachother while taking notes.
Hey, Alyx. What class do we have next?
Uh... Charms, I think.
"You think"? Why not check? You have the paper in your bag, right?
Uh... Yes. Gimme a second.
Alyx shifted through her bag in search of her schedule, and finally found it. She quickly checked what their schedule was, and replied on the note quickly.
We don't have CHARMS next. We have POTIONS. Then we've got Care of Magical Creatures (OOH! THAT SOUNDS FUN!!!). Here, lemme show you the schedule:
Breakfast
Transfiguration
Potions
Care of Magical Creatures
Lunch
Arithmancy
Divination
Charms
AND LOOK AT THIS! WE'VE GOT MUGGLE STUDIES!! We'll ++A this class
Ancient Runes
Dinner
That's the schedule. Ha ha, Charms was last! You were WAY off!
What do you mean? You were the one who said it was going to be Charms.
Oh... Well... FINE! Maybe I said that, but you didn't know what we had in the first place.
The twins exchanged grins, which wasn't missed by their teacher.
McGonagall called the twins names. "Are you listening?"
The twins grinned. "Yes, yes we are!"
She didn't look fooled. She walked over, muttering about them having to have the correct notes, and looked over their notes before frowning and walking back to the front; shooting a suspicious glance at the girls she continued her speech. The twins grinned at eachother again when she had her back turned and high-fived.
The class slowly ended, which lead the twin girls to Potions.
"Hey, do you think Lily and Severus will be in this class, too? Severus said he liked Potions." Izzy remembered as they made their way through the crowded halls toward Potions.
"Oh, he did, didn't he?" Alyx remembered. "Well, we'll just have to see."
"Who teaches this class, again?" Izzy and Alyx entered Potions and sat in the front, excited.
"I think –do not say ANYTHING!- Slughorn does."
Izzy snickered and looked back to the front as class began. Surprisingly enough, they were staring out with making an actual potion. Izzy gathered what they needed while Alyx heaved the cauldron onto the table.
"That thing is heavy!" She breathed, wiping her brow. Izzy giggled, setting the ingredients on the counter.
"Okay, so I'll tell you what we need to do to and you'll just do it, okay?" Izzy smiled at Alyx, who huffed.
"Okaaaay." She sighed.
"So first we need two dragon scales."
Alyx gathered two bright –almost glowing- dragon scales and plopped them into the cauldron.
"Next- a single hair from a Banshee."
Alyx peered at the table, trying to find the small ingredient. When she did, she dropped it into the black pot.
"Next- you'll love this one." Izzy laughed quietly. "A dragon's eyeball."
"Oh, no way! Cool!" Alyx grasped the eyeball carefully, eyeing it curiously. The iris shone a crimson red, which sent a shiver up Alyx's back. She tossed it into the cauldron, causing a few drops of water to splash onto Izzy, who didn't cover herself like Alyx did.
"Did you just splash me with Banshee hair, dragon scale, and dragon eye infected water?" Izzy asked incredously.
Alyx shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey- its payback for you hitting me!" Alyx's eye still had the red outline from the blow.
Izzy sighed. "Fair enough." She looked back at the list of ingredients and continued. "Frog warts. Oh, EW!"
Alyx made a face at the clumped togethor pile of Frog warts. "Ugh." She quickly got it over with, swiftly tossing the glump into the cauldron.
"Uh... we're done, then. All there is left to do is stir." Izzy looked over at Alyx, who pouted.
"Izzy..." She pleaded. "Can you do it?"
Izzy rolled her eyes and nodded. "Ugh, fine."
She stirred slowly, boredly, and Alyx sat at the chair, doodling on a piece of paper.
"There... done!" She announced. Slughorn looked over and grinned brightly.
"Ah! Indeed you are!" He beamed. "You two just wait until everyone else is done, alright?"
The girls nodded, and looked around the room. A few seats back, Lily and Severus sat, stirring their potion.
"Let's go say hi!" Izzy grabbed Alyx's hand and dragged her to their seat. Alyx and Izzy smiled at the pair. "Hey!"
"Oh, hello Alyx, Izzy." Lily smiled at them, and Severus nodded at them.
"Oh, come on, Severus!" The twins whined. "Call us by our names. Please?"
Severus sighed heavily, and without looking at them, said, "Hello, Alyxandra, hello Isabelle."
"Call me Alyx!" Alyx grinned, and Izzy did the same.
"Call me Izzy. We're friends, right? Friends have nicknames!"
Severus looked up at them with coal black eyes that held surprise, and Lily giggled. "I told you- they're full of energy."
"You've been talking about us?" Izzy asked with mock embarressment.
"Oh, how flattering!" Alyx smiled. "So what class do you two have after this?"
"I have Care of Magical Creatures, but Severus has Divination." Lily replied simply, staring at her potion before turning to Severus. "Does this look right?"
"Yes," Severus nodded once, and Alyx and Izzy both saw the look in his eyes when Lily smiled proudly. He obviously had a crush on her.
"That's cute." Izzy whispered to Alyx as they made their way back to their seats.
"Yeah, but do you think he'll do anything about it anytime soon?" Alyx whispered back.
They were let out of that class and sent to Care of Magical Creatures. The teacher was a man named Silvanus Kettleburn. Kettleburn was reckless, to say the least. In the small amount of time they'd been there, he'd gotten bitten by the creature they'd been studying at least five times.
Alyx noticed something out in the forest behind their workspace and frowned. IT was a large, lanky horse-like figure, its skin pitch black. Wings like a bat's sprouted from its back, and once Alyx caught its stare, neither net go.
She raised her hand, without taking her eyes off of the creature. Kettleburn paused his lecture of the troll... thing they were studying to call on Alyx. She kept staring at the creature, but asked her question. She pointed at the creature, "Professor Kettleburn... what's that?"
He looked where Alyx was pointing and frowned. He didn't see anything. "What are you seeing over there, Miss Syaverie?"
Alyx finally looked over at Kettleburn in astonishment. "That- that thing over there, just on the boarders of the Forbidden Forest! It's right there!"
Izzy suddenly nodded. "I see it, too, sir."
He looked around the class, and saw that all the other students looked confused. His heart felt icy. "W-would you describe this, ah, creature you see to me?"
"But its right there!"
He looked at loss. "Please, just describe it."
"Uh... okay," Alyx eyed him before looking back at the creature. "It looks like a horse- but its skin is black and looks stretched out over its bones. Bat-like wings are sprouted from its back, and its eyes are really, really hypnotizing. Like a whirlpool of black."
Kettleburn paled and looked like he was about to throw up.
"You okay, sir?" Alyx eyed him again, this time worridly instead of as if he were insane.
He gestured they come up to him, and when they did, he whispered hoarsly:
"No... No you two girls... can you go up and see the Headmaster for me? Tell him what you saw and hopefully... hopefully he can figure out what's going on."
"Uh... okay... but what's going on?" Izzy asked, suddenly worried for her sister and herself. "Is there something wrong with that creature?"
"The Headmaster will explain." He smiled briskly, looking pained as he watched the twin girls run up the hill to Hogwarts.
Kettleburn gulped down the lump in his throat before turning back to his class.
"Ahem," He cleared his throat, as if nothing had happened. "As I was saying..."
Alyx and Izzy reached Dumbledore's office, knocking lightly and hearing a breezy, "Come in."
The twins entered and looked around in wonderment. Knick-knacks were aligned all over the room, you couldn't look somewhere without finding a tinker somewhere. But what caught the girls eyes was a flaming red bird perched upon his bar-like throne, gazing down at them calmly with inky black eyes. He gave a low squak, as if aknowlaging their prescence. His wings spread apart slightly as his beat them, ruffling his feathers. They spread like a flame, different shades of red and orange dancing around the magnificent bird.
"I see you've taken a liking to Fawkes," an old, wise voice sounded from –yet another knick-knack- desk. "Not surprising- everyone does."
The girls looked over at him, and tried to stifle their gasps. He looked just like the Merlin in the muggle picture books they used to read, with a long, dark –almost violet- robe hanging around him, his long, snowy beard curling a tiny bit at the bottom. His eyes were a soft charcoal and the wrinkles on his face were slightly lifted in his soft smile.
"What sends you two girls here today?"
Izzy was the first to regain speech. "Um... sir. We were in Care of Magical Creatures, and we saw some kind of creature at the borders of the Forbidden Forest. No one else could see it, though, even when we pointed it out. Not even Professor Kettleburn. Plus, he seemed really freaked out when we described it. Is that bad, sir? He acted weird after we described the creature, and didn't seem... uh... at ease."
"Ah... a Thestral." Dumbledore looked up at the two girls through his half-circle spectacles. "Tell me... have you girls ever seen death?"
The girls' faces paled and their hands suddenly felt strangely clammy. Alyx muttered hoarsly, "... Once."
Dumbledore smiled politely and gestured for them to sit in a pair of chairs in front of his desk.
Were those there before? Izzy thought curiously before sitting down.
"Whose death did you witness?" Dumbledore asked softly. Alyx answered, for Izzy was too shaken up about remembering that day.
"Our best friends." Alyx replied, looking as if she were going to throw up right then and there.
"Professor Dumbledore..." Izzy whispered, trying to look him in the eyes but failing, looking down again.
"What is it, Miss Syaverie?"
Izzy bit her lip, and Alyx looked at her.
Izzy forced herself to look into Dumbledore's illuminated eyes. They were so... powerful. So knowing, as if displaying Dumbledore had seen the world's seven wonders. They were so knowlageable, Izzy's breath was taken away. She opened her dry mouth and asked her question. "What is a Thestral, sir?"
"A creature you can only see if you've seen death."