This story might be darker than the last two, and there will be more raw emotions because it's seen from the POV of an artist. There will be a scene that I'll give you instructions for, just so you can get the full extent of the mood. Also, I dare you to listen to music while reading this. Everything is better with a soundtrack.
This also may be a lot like the original Harry Potter books. That's because the stories share similarities. I think it's cool this way, but you can think what you want. You don't even have to read.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. Also, yes, I know I'm screwing with the ages just a little. It works to my benefit, trust me. We'll call it artistic license, or magic, since that's the answer to everything.
. . .
"Be good." said Ember, kissing her children goodbye as the train whistled. "Al, don't let anyone tease you for your stutter, okay? Arty, same goes for you and your height. Just box them like I told you."
"You're such a bad influence." Ginny laughed, hugging her own son.
"She's right, though." Ron said, who had opted to come purely to see if Ember would be teary-eyed and, if so, so he could poke fun at her. "And don't let Parkinson get under your skin. She's only full of hot air."
Unfortunately, Ember remained as collected as ever, as though the twins were leaving for a sleepover rather than for a year. She hugged each of them, hoping they had as good a time at Hogwarts as she did. Or, perhaps the word was memorable.
"And look out for Zabini." James put in. "He's a git."
"James! Language!" Ginny scolded.
"On the train, you two." Ember said. "Go on."
"Bye, Mum." said Arty, hugging her round the waist. "I love you."
"I love you, too, sweetie."
"L-love you too, Mum." Al said, giving her a hug as well. The twins boarded the train with James and waved out the window as the scarlet Hogwarts Express pulled away.
"James!" called a few students, waving him over. "Come on, we've got a compartment!"
He looked slightly uncomfortable. "Er... sorry. They want me to go-"
"It's okay." said Arty, shrugging. "We'll be fine. Come on, Al, let's find a place to sit.
. . .
Teddy Lupin wandered down the train, looking for a few of his friends to hang out with for a while, when he spotted a familiar first year with lots of freckles and long red hair. "Hey, Arty." he said, walking up to her and her brother. "Need any help?"
"His trunk is stuck." she said, gesturing to Al's luggage.
"First years," he sighed playfully, rolling his eyes as he bent to help out. "Always mucking things up."
"Oi! Not fair!" Arty laughed. "You muck things up, too!"
"Hey, sh!" he said quickly, straightening up. "Er, hey, Victoire. Got anywhere to sit?"
Arty rolled her eyes. "Come on, he's with his girlfriend." she said to Al, heading into the nearest empty compartment.
"Sh-shouldn't we have sat w-with James?" Al asked.
"He's off with his friends. It's all right, we can sit in here." she told him, putting her trunk up into the luggage rack. "At least we won't be alone."
A few minutes after this statement, there was a knock at the compartment door. Behind it stood a black girl with crazy black curls surrounding her head. Her clothes were brightly colored, and she had an air of confidence about her not unlike Arty's. She raised a dark eyebrow in a silent question. Arty nodded, and the girl entered.
"Hope you don't mind." she said in a cockney accent. "I'm Mickey. Mickey Turnley."
"I'm Arty. Arty Malfoy." said Arty, sticking out a hand for Mickey to shake.
"I-I'm A-Al." Al said quietly, also going to shake her hand.
Mickey looked a little taken aback. "Hey... I know I might look scary, but I won't hurt you."
"He's not scared." Arty said calmly. "He just has a stutter."
She blinked. "Oh. Well, then, pleased to meet you, A-Al."
He grinned. The twins figured they were going to like this girl.
"Where do you come from?" Arty asked.
"Liverpool." Mickey answered. "Bloody glad to leave the place, mind you. Far too much going on."
"Don't you like your family?" Arty asked.
Mickey snorted. "Well, yeah, they're my family. I like 'em. But, you know, with eleven kids and only a mum, it can get pretty chaotic. Not that chaos isn't alright in it's own way, but..."
Arty looked at her. "Eleven kids? You have ten siblings?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Arty looked at her brother with big eyes. "And I thought spending a week at the Burrow was crazy!"
"What's the Burrow?" Mickey asked.
"It's where our Grandma and Grandpa Weasley live." she said. "Well, they're not really our grandparents, since we're not really related. But it's close enough. But we spend a lot of time there because it's sort of the unofficial meeting place for everyone, like the other Weasleys, Teddy, the Potters... But, still, at home, it's just Al, Mum, and I."
Mickey looked up through her eyelashes. "So you don't have a dad, either?"
Arty shook her head, trying not to feel too bad. "He was killed by Harbingers when we were only a few months old."
"What's a Harbinger?"
The twins looked at her as though she were insane. "A-are you s-serious?" Al asked.
"Merlin's pants, Mickey!" Arty said. "Where've you been? They've only been terrorizing the wizarding world since before we were born!"
"Oi! I'm new at this, okay?" she exclaimed, and for the first time, the other girl seemed insecure. "I didn't even know I was magic till I got my letter, to be honest."
Arty and Al's eyes both grew wide as they realized their mistake. "Oh..." Arty said quietly. "You're Muggle-born. I get it."
"What's a Muggle?"
"N-non-magical p-person." Al said.
"It means you're the only witch in your family." Arty clarified.
"So you mean the others kids come from magical families?" Mickey asked.
"Most of them, yeah, but some others are Muggle-borns." Arty said casually. "It's just less common. Al and I are pure-bloods, but it doesn't really matter. As long as you can use magic, you'll be okay."
Mickey looked downright scared now. "But what if I get really behind? Like maybe my magic is defective?" She sucked in a breath. "What if I'm magically retarded?"
Al laughed and Arty snorted. "Relax, Mickey. There are loads of other kids who have Muggle parents. I know Uncle Harry lived with his Muggle aunt and uncle and didn't even know he was magic until he got his letter. Mind you, his parents were both magic, but still..."
"W-what ab-bout Aunt H-herminony?" Al said, struggling with the name, as always.
"Oh, right." said Arty, brightening even more. "Our Aunt Hermione was Muggle-born, and she was the top witch in her class and a prefect."
This caused Mickey to relax. "Oh, well, in that case, maybe it won't be so bad."
"You know, you're pretty cool." Arty said, leaning back and regarding the other girl. "I hope we're in the same House." She sighed good-naturedly at a look from Mickey. "There are four Houses at Hogwarts. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I'm aiming for Gryffindor, because that's what my mum was in. But Ravenclaw's good, too, and... well, I suppose Hufflepuff's alright. I've heard a lot of different things about Slytherin, though."
"Slytherin sounds evil." Mickey said.
"It used to be. Don't know if that's still the reputation, though." Arty said.
Just then, a woman came up to the compartment door. "Candy from the trolley?"
. . .
"Relax." said Arty, giving Mickey an encouraging squeeze of the hand as they waited to be sorted. "I've heard about Professor McGonagall. She's cool."
"Still." Mickey whispered back. "She's a bit scary-looking."
"Malfoy, Alastor!" Professor McGonagall called out.
The trembling red-head nervously walked up to the stool. The old, scary professor gave him an encouraging nod, so he sat down. She placed the Sorting Hat on his head and he sat quietly, waiting.
You're a bit young, aren't you?Only ten.
Al started a bit, having not expected the hat to talk. Erm... yes... Mum says we're very bright.
Indeed. Well, despite your timidity, I'd rather say GRYFFINDOR!
With a sigh of relief, Al jumped off the stool and headed over to the table, where all the Weasleys and Potters were already sitting. They clapped for him, excited for his acceptance.
"Malfoy, Cecelia!"
Arty walked confidently up to the sorting hat. She tossed her long red hair back and sat, allowing Professor McGonagall to place the old hat on her head.
Hello! She thought immediately. She could almost hear the hat chuckle.
Certainly more lively than your brother, I see.
Al's fun. You just need to get to know him.
I suppose there's no question. GRYFFINDOR!
The clapping ensued as Arty hopped off the stool and headed over to the table. She smiled at Teddy and James, excited for her first year at the famous Hogwarts. The train ride had, in her opinion, been much too long of a wait.
"Way to go, Ar-"
"Shush." she said, silencing Teddy with a finger. "I want to see where Mickey goes."
"Mickey?"
"Sh."
Arty fidgeted a little in her seat, waiting impatiently for Mickey's name to be called. Finally,
"Turnley, Mikayla!"
The girl walked up to the stool, looking around nervously as though for help. She sat down, and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. She sat there for a very long time, totally still and silent. The entire Hall was hushed, waiting as the hat debated. Then,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Arty and Al clapped hardest at their table. Mickey spotted them and sat next to Arty, looking relieved. "Glad that's over."
"What t-took so l-long?" Al asked.
"It wanted to put me in Hufflepuff." she admitted.
"My mum was in Hufflepuff." said Teddy, nudging her a little. "At least, that's what I've heard. Means you're loyal. But it put you in Gryffindor, which must mean you're brave, too."
"Why did she call you Cecelia?" Mickey asked, turning back to Arty.
"Oh, that's easy." she said casually, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. "My first name is Cecelia, but Al could never pronounce it, so everyone just started calling me Arty instead, since my middle name is Artemis."
Mickey was about to say something else when Professor McGonagall stepped up to the staff table and called for silence.
"Welcome, new students." she said. "We're very pleased to have you here. My name is Professor McGonagall, and I am headmistress here at Hogwarts.
"Before we eat, I must go over a few overall rules. One is that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds! That goes for everyone. Anyone caught in said forest will be given a detention. Secondly, no magic is to be used in corridors between classes. This is a rule for the safety of others. Quidditch try-outs will be held in the second week of term, as usual. That is all. Let us eat!"
"Don't worry." Arty said to Mickey. "There's loads of rules, but I'm sure Teddy can fill you in on them. It's possible he's broken them all."
"Twenty-two down, forty-seven to go." Teddy joked.
"I just hope I don't fail." Mickey said. "That's all I want."
"You won't." James said firmly. "It's a lot harder than you might think, failing. You'll be fine."
. . .
There. Huge-ass first chapter. This is really more of a prologue, since the rest of the story won't be their first year, it'll be their fifth. I hope this was a good start.
