First Impressions

Karen and Lindsay withdrew their heads from the window and set off down the corridor. They walked for a good way until they spotted an empty compartment and made for it. However, just as they reached for the handle, a boy shot from nowhere and blocked their path. He sneered at them and said, "Compartment's taken."

Karen stepped forward and put her hands on her hips. "No it's not. There's no one in there unless both they and their luggage have invisibility cloaks on." Lindsay clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

The boy glared at Karen as she looked steadily back. "Maybe you didn't understand me; you are first years and I'm a third year."

"So what?" Karen replied.

"Yeah, we got here first so it's our compartment," Lindsay added.

"Wrong," snarled the boy. "Seniority wins; now move before I make you!"

Karen took another step forward and planted herself in front of the door. "No, we will not move," she said simply.

The boy reached a hand into his back pocket and whipped out his wand then pointed it at the two girls and cried, "Flipendo!" and the girls flew down the hall where they crashed into two boys who had been walking down the hall.

"Whoa!" one of the boys yelled as Karen landed on top of him. "And for today's weather," he continued in a joking tone, "cloudy with a chance of falling twins!"

"You know, Fred," said the other boy while he helped Lindsay to her feet. "I always said that we were attractive, but I never thought it'd happen this fast. You both alright?"

"I think so," Lindsay replied, shakily. "We had a bit of a run in with an older student over a compartment."

"Really?" said the boy named Fred raising an eyebrow. "George, I think we should have a word with this boy about how to treat a lady."

"Fred," returned the other boy, "I completely agree. Let's go!"

The two boys set off down the hall and knocked at the compartment door of the boy who had attacked Karen and Lindsay. Lindsay shot her sister an anxious look to which Karen responded with a nod, and the two of them came running after the boys. The boy that had jinxed them came to the door and smirked at the group. Now that she had a chance to really look at him, Karen thought he closely resembled a troll; he had the same kind of face and smell.

"What d'you losers want?" he sneered at the boys.

"We would like to pay you back for a certain attack on two young ladies that happened a few minutes ago."

"Yes. If you would kindly step out here, please; it won't take very long."

"This boy has to be the most stupid person to ever breathe air," Karen thought to herself as he actually left the compartment and faced the two boys who instantly began to beat him up. After about ten seconds, the twin boys stood up and beckoned the girls back down the hall.

"Thank you for your time!" one of the boys called over his shoulder to the boy who was still attempting to rouse himself from the floor. "Well," he continued in a normal voice, "now that that's been taken care of, care to introduce yourselves, ladies?"

"I'm Karen Bennet and this is my twin sister, Lindsay. Nice to meet you!"

"Very nice," Lindsay added. "Thanks so much for your help. Who are you two anyway?"

Karen caught the boys sending a sly grin to each other before the one replied, "Well, all I'm gonna say is that one of us is Fred and the other is George; you figure out which is which."

"Do you greet all of your new acquaintances this way?" Lindsay asked grinning.

"Almost," one of the twins replied. "It's an interesting test, especially on the girls."

"Yep," the other agreed, heartily. "It lets us know what we can and can't get away with around them. So, which is which?"

Karen and Lindsay stopped and looked the boys up and down, looking for any differences, but they couldn't find any. Then, Karen had an idea and looked directly at them saying, "Fred." While neither boy made any obvious movements, the boy on the left's eyes brightened just enough to give Karen her answer. She pointed at him and repeated his name, and to her delight, the boys' jaws dropped in response.

"How the bloody Hell did you do that?" they yelled in unison as Karen and Lindsay both burst out laughing. "Not even our own mother can tell us apart!" Fred added, incredulously.

"It's an old twin test!" Karen exclaimed with glee. "It's how our mom used to tell us apart when we were little. We used to try and drive her crazy by switching names until one day, she realized that calling one name will get a tiny response from the right person. It's human nature to perk up at the sound of your name, and so it's a fail save test, even on twins." Fred and George looked at her very impressed as she concluded her explanation. "So, you're Fred and you're George; never try to switch on us cause we will know…just fair warning. Anyway, I appreciate your help with Troll-face back there, but won't you be in trouble for beating him up? And I don't just mean from teachers, either."

Fred shrugged as he said, "Probably. Not that it matters to us; he deserved it."

"He's too stupid to do anything too bad, anyway," George added nonchalantly. "His name's Marcus Flint: Slytherin 3rd year."

"How do you know?" Lindsay asked skeptically.

"Our older brother, Percy, gave us a list of people to stay away from and one of them was that git. You're gonna want to avoid him, especially after this," Fred advised.

"Why's that?" Karen asked. "You just said he was too stupid to do anything too bad, so why would it matter if he did?"

"Cause he's too stupid to do anything to us, but you're girls. He could really hurt you and it's better safe than sorry where a Slytherin is concerned."

"Well, thanks for your concern, but I don't think that's very likely just yet, right Linds?"

"Right," agreed Lindsay. "He deserves a bit of payback from us first. The question is: what do we do?"

"Well, I was thinking getting a month's worth of detentions ought to be just about right, you agree?"

"Sounds fair to me," replied Lindsay.

"You're gonna prank him after he's been beaten up? You two are my kind of girls!" George said, impressed.

"Hold up a minute," said Fred stepping forward. "It sounds like you're planning a prank that involves using a teacher. You're gonna need some help to pull this one off."

"Any ideas on who we should go to?" Karen asked.

"Yeah," replied Fred.

"Us!" cried George. "We're the masters of practical jokes and we're at your service ladies."

Karen shot a look at Lindsay who nodded eagerly. "Alright then," Karen said. "We accept your help."

"Great!" Fred smiled. "Come on in here and we'll figure it all out. This is gonna be great!"

Several hours later found the four jokesters sitting in the compartment surrounded by crumpled pieces of parchment. Fred finished writing on a fresh sheet then threw his quill down triumphantly and said to his companions: "Got it! This one'll work, I'm sure of it!"

"I hope so," said Lindsay. "I don't fancy being the ones getting in trouble."

"Trust us, it'll work," dismissed George.

"Besides," added Karen, "this plan leaves a window of opportunity to run if we have to. We'll be fine, just relax. And even if we do get in trouble, Mum won't mind."

"It's not Mum I'm worried about," said Lindsay darkly.

"Don't be stupid," said Karen. "How would he find out?"

"Umm…excuse us, we're still here," chimed Fred. "Who's the problem besides Troll-face down the hall?"

Lindsay shot a terrified look at Karen who said simply: "It's just our father. He's a bit strict so we like to be careful around him. Anyway, now you know a bit about us, why don't you repay the favor?"

"Yeah, what's your family like? I know I've heard the name Weasley before but I can't remember any details."

"Well," said Fred, "the only reason I can think of for you hearing the name would be because we're pureblood."

"Of course, we're not exactly the most highly regarded, mind you," added George. "We don't quite fall under the typical parameters."

"So you're not jerks," said Karen. "Doesn't your dad work at the Ministry?"

"Yep, but don't get too excited about it," Fred responded.

"Dad works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office so it's not very interesting," George explained.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by an old witch in the hall pushing a cart-load of sweets. She stopped in front of their compartment and asked kindly, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Karen and Lindsay sprang to their feet at once and hurriedly crossed to the woman. While Lindsay perused the woman's wares, Karen turned questioningly to the boys and asked, "Aren't you getting anything?"

Fred and George exchanged looks. "Uh…not this time," said Fred. "Our mum made us sandwiches so we're set."

Karen eyed them suspiciously then turned to the woman and made her request. Lindsay reentered the compartment and began eating her candy. Several minutes later, Karen reentered carrying an armful of sweets which she tipped onto the seat next to her. Fred, George, and Lindsay all stared at her in amazement. "You bought all of that?" Lindsay cried.

"Mhmm," replied Karen through a Chocolate Frog, "but it's not all for me. Some of it's for those two," she pointed at Fred and George who looked thunderstruck. "There's no need to look so surprised; I know liars when I see them. Your mum may have made you sandwiches but that's not why you weren't going to buy any candy."

"Alright you got us," laughed Fred. "The truth is, with nine people to take care of, one low profile Ministry job doesn't exactly cut it."

"We're not complaining, mind," added George quickly.

"Not at all," agreed Fred. "We wouldn't trade our lives for anything."

"Please help yourselves to that candy; I honestly did buy it to share," Karen said and Fred and George each helped themselves to the pile. "Nine people, really?" Karen continued in amazement.

"Oh yeah," said Fred. "Our family's huge."

"Who all lives in your house?" asked Lindsay.

"Well, there's Mum and Dad," began George, counting on his fingers, "Bill who's in seventh year, Charlie who's in sixth year, Percy who's in third, the two of us, our younger brother Ron, and our little sister Ginny."

"It must be so nice having such a big family," said Lindsay wistfully.

"It's just us and Mum and Dad with our family," Karen added. "We've always wished we had other people to go to older than us besides our parents."

"Mum and Dad go at it a lot and…well, it's just hard being in the middle all the time, so we get a bit lonely."

"That's why we're so close," Karen said with a small smile. "We're all we have most of the time."

"Not anymore," said Fred.

"What d'you mean?" asked Karen, confused.

"Now you've got us too!" Fred explained beaming.

"Yeah, no matter what happens, you've got us on your side now too," added George.

"But you've only known us for a few hours," whispered Lindsay. "How can you say something like that so quickly?"

"Dunno," said Fred, "it's just a feeling we have. You can't outwit a Slytherin third year on your first day of school without becoming friends. Besides, we trust you; is that so wrong?"

"No, it isn't," breathed Karen. "Not wrong, just…a bit strange for us. We've never had real friends before."

"Well then allow us to be the first," Fred grinned. Both he and George stood as one and bowed low to the girls as they said together: "Fred and George Weasley, original pranksters and jokers at your service ladies."

Karen and Lindsay both laughed but stood and shook hands with their newfound friends just as a voice echoed magically through the train saying: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

The four friends looked at each other with a mixture of apprehension and excitement then turned to their trunks and pulled out their robes. "Mum said we get sorted when we first get there: how do they do that?" Karen asked the twins.

"Dunno," said Fred as he pulled on his roves. "Mum and Dad just called it The Sorting Ceremony and Charlie and Percy refused to tell us."

"What houses have your family been in?" Lindsay asked as she sat back down.

"Gryffindor," answered George. "You could say there's a lot of pressure for us to be the same. What about you?"

"Mum was in Gryffindor but she's a lot like a Ravenclaw too," Karen said sitting down beside her sister. "Dad didn't go to Hogwarts, though. I think he went to Durmstrang."

"You think?" Fred repeated raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah," Karen said casually. "It's not like he sits down to talk to us ever. He's always busy with something or other."

Fred stared at her in disbelief. "You mean he never even finds time to…"

At that moment, a long piercing whistle sounded, cutting across Fred's words. "We're here!" Lindsay squealed running to the window. Karen breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.

Suddenly the sound of compartment doors opening was heard echoing all over the train as hundreds of students began pushing their way into the hall. "Guess we should go then," George said as he stood and opened the door.

The four of them forced their way out into the corridor and followed the crowd out onto the platform. They were standing in what appeared to be a village built in the shadows of the surrounding mountains. "This must be Hogsmeade," Karen said excitedly. "Mum told us about it, remember Linds?"

"Oh yeah!" said Lindsay. "It's the only entire wizarding village in Britain, right?"

"Yep," said Fred looking around wistfully. "But we don't get to come here till third year!"

"Don't worry," said Karen bracingly. "I'm sure there's a load to do inside the school until then."

Just then, a voice rang out above all the din calling, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years this way!"

Fred grabbed Karen by the wrist just as George did the same to Lindsay and together they fought their way over to the voice. Karen and Lindsay both gasped in disbelief at the source. The voice belonged to a giant of a man who towered over the entire scene. His face was mostly hidden by a mass of tangled black hair and beard, but his beetle black eyes smiled down gently. "'Ello!" said the giant. "Name's Hagrid: Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Nice to meet you," Fred grinned. "I'm Fred Weasley, that's my twin brother George, and these are our friends: Karen and Lindsay Bennet."

"More Weasleys, 'eh? Just head right over there to them boats. The four of ya'll fit in one and we'll be off ter Hogwarts in a minute."

Fred, George, Karen, and Lindsay clambered into one of the remaining boats and waited for Hagrid and the rest of the first years. "You alright?" Fred asked Karen as they waited. "You look like something's bothering you."

"I'm alright," Karen whispered. "It's just…I've waited so long to come here and now I'm so happy; I feel like my life's finally beginning after all these years."

Fred nodded and smiled, "It is! All of our lives are. That's what's so great about Hogwarts; it's a place to start over."

Karen beamed at Fred as Hagrid climbed into the last boat and shouted, "Forward!", and the boats shot off from the shore into the night.