Year 1 Chapter 1

Vanishing Glass

Warnings:

Harry Potter AU / PotterTwins AU / OCs Within / Sirius Black/OC / Manipulative!Dumbledore(leads to slight bashing) / past abuse / OOC / Different Names / Adopted Lily Potter

It had been nearly ten years since Petunia and Vernon Dursley awoke to find two young children, barely older than a year, bundled up on their doorstep with nothing more than a note addressing them as Apollo and Artemis Potter, their nephew and niece, and that Petunia Dursley's sister, Lily Potter and her husband James had been murdered by a Dark Wizard.

But life went on...The sun rose steadily on the horizon, dew sparkled on the tide front lawn and the brass number 4 on the Dursleys' front door caught the golden rays.

Looking once, you would never be able to tell that ten years had passed since that fateful day; only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets - but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy enjoying his life.

Nothing about this house held any sign that two other children lived there, , much to their disappointment, Apollo and Artemis Potter were still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long; for their Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.

"Up! Get up! Now!"

Apollo woke with a start, moving in front of his sister's sleeping frame on instinct as he peered at the door.

Aunt Petunia rapped on the door again, "Up!" she screeched, causing Artemis to whimper and curl up in a ball.

It's alright, Missy... Apollo told her, running a hand through his sister's black hair. Neither knew the reason why, but Apollo and Artemis had always been able to converse mentally with each other.

He could hear their aunt walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove.

Artemis relaxed and Apollo lay down beside her, trying to remember the dream he had been had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it... He had a funny feeling it wasn't just a dream...

Aunt Petunia was back outside the door.

"Are you up yet?" she demanded.

"Nearly." Apollo replied as he shook Artemis gently to wake her,

"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn! I want everything perfect for Duddy's birthday."

The twins groaned.

"What did you say?" Aunt Petunia snapped through the door.

"Nothing, nothing..." Apollo sighed. Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten.

You didn't want to remember Artemis told him, and Apollo stifled a snort of amusement as he plucked a spider off a pair of socks.

Both Apollo and Artemis were use to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where they slept.

When they were dressed, they went down the hall to the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and racing bike.

Why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to the twins, as Dudley wasn't the thinnest of children and hated exercise - unless, of course, it involved punching somebody.

Dudley's favorite punching back was Apollo, and Artemis came in close second, but he couldn't often catch them because they were much smaller and faster than he was.

Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard and starved for the silliest of things, but both Apollo and Artemis had always been small and skinny for their age. They looked even smaller and skinnier, too, because all they had to wear were clothes Dudley no longer fit into, and Dudley was at least four times bigger than they were.

Apollo had a thin face, knobbly knees, scruffy black hair that made him look like he had just rolled out of bed, and bright green eyes.

Artemis, who looked much like her twin brother, had a thin heart-shaped face, thick black hair that fell in natural waves, and emerald-green eyes.

(Neither wore glasses, which was a blessing, because Dudley enjoyed punching people in the nose.)

All in all, they looked like an adorable pair of kicked puppies; or at least they would, if it weren't for the strange, very thin scar on their foreheads that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. Neither Apollo nor Artemis knew how long they had had them, and the first question Apollo could ever remember asking their aunt was how they had gotten them.

"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. "And don't ask questions."

Rule One for living with the Dursleys: Don't ask questions.

Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Apollo was setting the table and Artemis was turning over the bacon. After greeting them as he always did ("Comb your hair!"), their Uncle began to read the was just finishing frying the eggs by the time Dudley made his entrance.

Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon (or a baby whale, but beggars can't be choosers). He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his big, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Apollo and Artemis, on the other hand, both agreed that Dudley looked much more like a pig in a wig.

As Dudley complained about the insufficient amount of birthday presents, Apollo and Artemis snatched a few pieces of bacon for themselves before Dudley could decide it was time to flip the table.

As Aunt Petunia left to answer the ringing telephone, the twins and their Uncle watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR.

Apollo felt a pang of sadness, neither he, nor Artemis, had ever gotten a present for their birthday. He was snapped out of his thoughts when his sister squeezed his hand.

"Bad news, Vernon," they heard Aunt Petunia say as she came back, "Mrs Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them."

Apollo and Artemis shared an excited glance as Dudley's mouth fell open in horror. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies, and every year, Apollo and Artemis were left behind with Mrs Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs Figg made them look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned - Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws, Tufty, the list went on. Apollo despised going there, and even Artemis, who loved animals of any kind, hated it.

As their aunt and uncle discussed what do to with them, and Dudley wailed in the background, Apollo and Artemis had never been so excited for something before in their lives.

"You could just leave us here." Apollo spoke suddenly, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"And come home to find the house in ruins?" Aunt Petunia snarled,

It's not like we're going to blow up the house. Artemis pointed out with a scowl, exchanged an annoyed look with her brother.

"I suppose we could take them to the zoo," Aunt Petunia said slowly, "... and leave them in the car..."

"That car's new." Uncle Vernon grunted, "I am not letting them sit in it alone."

Dudley chose that moment to cry loudly.

Faker! Artemis mentally sneered and Apollo nodded in agreement. It had been years since Dudley had actually cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.

The twins watched in disgusted as their aunt simpered over the huge, pretend sobbing noises Dudley was making.

The whole thing was interrupted, however, when the doorbell rang and Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Dudley stopped crying at once.

Piers was a scrawny boy who reminded the twins of a rat; Apollo and Artemis didn't like Piers much, no surprise really, as he was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley punched them.

Half an hour later, Apollo and Artemis had been squished into the back seat with Piers and Dudley, and on their way to the zoo for the first time in their lives. However, before leaving Uncle Vernon had pulled them aside and threatened them with locking them in their cupboard until Christmas if any there was any 'funny business' during the outing.

Strange things often happened around Apollo and Artemis, and they had given up trying to tell the Dursleys that they didn't make it happen.

Once, Aunt Petunia had grown tired of Apollo's naturally messy hair and had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and simply cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Apollo, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at enough for his baggy clothes.

The next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had cut it. He had been given a week in the cupboard for this, even though he tried to explain that he had no idea how it had grown back so quickly.

Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force Artemis into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). The harder she tried to force it over Artemis's head, the smaller it became. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to Apollo's great relief, Artemis wasn't punished.

On the other hand, both had gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens.

Dudley's gang had been chasing them, per usual, when to everyone's surprise (Apollo and Artemis included), there they were sitting on the chimney.

They had spent nearly a month locked up for that one.

But today, nothing was going to go wrong.

It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be able to spend the day somewhere that wasn't school, their cupboard, or Mrs Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.

While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He enjoyed complaining about things: Apollo, people at work, Artemis, the council, Artemis, the bank, and Apollo were just a few of his favorite subjects.

This morning, it was motorcycles.

"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.

I had that dream again. Apollo told Artemis, remembering suddenly, You know, the one about the flying motorcycle?

Artemis smiled, But motorcycles don't fly, 'Pollo. She said innocently, nodding towards a ranting Uncle Vernon.

Apollo stifled a laugh. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than them asking questions, it was them talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. Dudley and Piers were bought large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Apollo and Artemis what they wanted before they could be hurried away, the twins were bought a cheap lemon ice pop each.

It's not too bad. Artemis pointed out as she licked it and watched a gorilla scratch it's head.

That one looks like Dudley. Just not blond. Apollo nodded towards said gorilla and Artemis giggled,

Apollo! That's an insult to gorillas everywhere!

Apollo and Artemis had the best morning they'd had in a long time. Both were careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored by lunchtime, didn't decide to fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting them. They even got to taste their first ever knickerbocker glory after Dudley had thrown a fit about the lack of ice cream and gotten a second one.

They should have known it was all too good to last.

After lunch, they visited the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows lining the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone.

Apollo and Artemis watched from a safe distance as Dudley and Piers awed over a sleeping giant boa constrictor.

"Make it move," Dudley whined at his father.

Uncle Vernon tapped the glass but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again!" Dudley ordered.

Artemis felt disgust pooling in her stomach as Uncle Vernon rapped the glass quite harshly, however, the snake snoozed on.

"This is boring," Dudley moaned as he shuffled away.

Artemis moved in front of the tank, Apollo following close behind.

I wouldn't be surprised if it died of boredom. Apollo mused as the two peered intently at the snake.

Wouldn't really blame it, Artemis agreed. No company except for morons who have nothing better to do with their lives but try to disturb it all day.

It's worse than having to sleep in a cupboard, Apollo said. At least we get to walk around the house.

The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on level with the twins'.

It winked.

I thought snakes didn't have eyelids...? Artemis stared.

Apollo looked around quickly to see if anyone was watching.

They weren't.

He looked back at the snake and winked back.

Seriously? Artemis deadpanned,

Apollo shrugged carelessly, Can't leave it hanging.

Idiot.

You love me for it,

I put up with it because I love you.

The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave the twins a look that said quite plainly:"I get that all the time."

"You poor thing." Artemis murmured, though she wasn't sure if the snake could hear her. "It must be really annoying."

The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" Apollo asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at the little sign next to the glass.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

This specimen was bred in the zoo.

Apollo nodded in understanding, "So you've never been to Brazil?"

The snake shook its head.

A deafening shout - curtsy of one Piers Polkiss - behind Apollo and Artemis made them jump.

"DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley came waddling toward them as fat as he could.

"Out of the way, Freak." He said, punching Apollo in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Apollo fell onto the hard concrete floor. Artemis dropped down beside him, her green eyes shining with worry, before turning and glaring at their cousin.

What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leaped back with howls of horror.

Apollo and Artemis gaped; the glass in front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.

People throughout the reptile house screamed and fled as the great snake uncoiled itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. As the snake slid quickly past them, both twins could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigos."

Dudley and Piers blubbered the whole way back to Privet Drive. Dudley wailing some story or the other about how the snake had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. Apollo and Artemis had found the whole show quite amusing; however, their amusement quickly turned to horror when Piers calmed down enough to say, "Apollo and Artemis were talking to it!"

Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before turning on the twins. His fist was flying before either of the children had the chance to duck and Apollo staggered back from the force of their uncle's fist connecting with his cheek after the young boy had moved to shield his sister. As soon as Apollo hit the ground, their uncle's foot connected his his rib cage, forcing the air out of lungs and Uncle Vernon finished with a backhand to Artemis' cheek. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before collapsing into a chair, and ordered Aunt Petunia to fetch him a large brandy.

Apollo and Artemis lay curled up together in their dark cupboard much later, wishing for a watch. Neither knew how long they had been in there, but their bodies were killing them where their uncle had hit them. They didn't know what time it was and couldn't really be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet; therefore, couldn't risk sneaking out for food.

They had lived with the Dursleys for almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as either of them could remember, ever since they were babies and their parents had died in that car crash.

Neither could remember being in the car that had their parents had died in. However, Apollo had found that if he strained his memory, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. He had asked Artemis about it afterwards as she had told him about having the same dream.

They couldn't remember their parents at all. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never spoke about them, and of course they were forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.

When they were younger, both Apollo and Artemis had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming and taking them away, but it never happened.

At school, Apollo and Artemis had no one but each other. Everyone knew that Dudley's gang hated odd Apollo and Artemis Potter, with their baggy clothes and weird names, and nobody dared to disagree with Dudley's gang.

Welp, here's a story I found buried in my laptop that I wrote four years. I decided that I'd share it and see what you think.

I found it in Evernote (something I haven't been on for like 4 years) so I decided what the hell, it was surprisingly well written for something I wrote at 13-14 after all, and I started going over it and adding bits and pieces. Hope you enjoy :)

~Uzu