All characters except for Aileen and Lucian are property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make any money from this FanFic.
This is going to be a long version of a oneshot I have posted on this site. Link's up in my profile.
Lucian stepped out of the back seat of the cab and opened the trunk as Aileen counted some notes to hand the driver. He pulled out two identical trolleys, each loaded with a trunk, a cauldron full of books and a small case with some food for the train. He was almost certain he'd gotten at least one of his things mixed up with his sister's when loading them, but it didn't matter. They'll check for that once they arrive at the school.
Aileen finally stepped out of the cab as well, and he smiled. She was wearing a long jumper, suitable for the cold September winds, but he knew that it had nothing to do with them. Underneath the jumper, in her back pockets, were her wand and a handgun, both hidden to all. He carried his on him too, in an inside pocket of the thick coat he was wearing. He was boiling, and longed to get through the barrier to a place where he could take it off and just put those things in his jeans pocket. He'd have to resist the urge to burn the damn thing once he was done with it.
"Platform 9, I think. That's our train up there." Aileen pointed at a schedule just above a barrier. He didn't even bother to look at it; the Hogwarts train would most certainly not be up there. Instead, he stepped near it, pretending to wait for the train in the less crowded area, and waited for a large crowd of tourists to hide him from view. Aileen followed him, pretending to lug the heavy trolley behind her. After a few minutes of waiting, she tugged on his sleeve and pointed to a tour group heading their way. She silently counted down, and at go both kids casually walked into and through the barrier, unnoticed by the public.
A bizarre scene awaited them at the other side of the barrier. Frogs leaped, tricks were played, trunks floated and countless wands made strange patterns in the air. Lucian and Aileen stopped and took a while to admire this. As knowledgeable as they were, this was their first time on the Hogwarts Express and it was an experience that would be etched into their mind forever.
"C'mon, let's get out of the crowds." Aileen said, pushing her way through the people and towards the parked train. She leaned her trolley against the carriage then did so too, closing her eyes. "It's so noisy here." Lucian smiled again and then leaned on the carriage right next to her, his trolley on his other side.
"Yeah." He said, listening to birds calling, parents shouting, teens screaming teachers telling off, and some toad which he swore sounded a bit too close. "Noisy."
"My cauldron says Lucian on it, by the way."
"Sorry 'bout that. I couldn't be bothered to check." Her eyes were still shut, so Lucian took some time to regard his twin. She abandoned the blue jumper, and was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. The wand and gun were placed on the trolley on top of her stuff, in plain view. Aileen hated hiding herself from people. She was unusual, to say the least, but she didn't mind standing out if she could be herself. Lucian had a feeling it was going to earn them a reputation in the castle.
Her blond hair was brushing against the carriage in its usual hairstyle, two small plaits in one side. Lucian's hair was exactly the same colour as hers. That was a certainty for him: they would always have the same hair colour, no matter the day or the light. It was slightly reassuring, in an odd way. Lucian didn't even care what his hair looked like. He swapped their cauldrons, and Aileen looked up, the noise cutting her train of thoughts.
She was looking at two red heads that approached them now. As far as Lucian could see, they were identical to the every detail. He couldn't help but wonder how their friends and family recognised them, if they did. They were slicing through the crowd in their direction, too, and this puzzled Lucian. What would they want to do with two first year kids when they were clearly not as such?
"New first years kiddos?" One of them said, stopping in front of them. They had huge troublemaker smiles that would make every teacher back away in fear, and Lucian recognised that look from every day when he looked at a mirror.
"Twins, I presume?" The other continued in the same sleek tone. They were used to annoying people, Lucian could easily see that.
"Yes. Couldn't quite say about you, though. Cousins, maybe?" Aileen retorted, staring straight at them. Both kids laughed.
"I'm Fred, and that's George. We're going up to our second year. Our brother Ron is in your year."
"That kid over there?" Lucian asked, pointing at another redhead boy only slightly younger and not very different to the ones in front of him.
"That's him."
"Charming boy, I'm sure." Aileen squinted in his direction as she said this.
"Not really, no."
"Guy's as clueless as you can get."
"I'd be surprised if he survives a single year in the castle." Lucian wasn't baffled by the fact the twins continued each-other's sentences. Heck, he did it sometimes with Aileen to freak people out. Once you really know a person and are comfortable you think along the same lines you might as well talk at the same time for all it matters.
"You're the school pranksters, then?" Aileen said, triggering a burst of nods and yeses. She chortled.
"I'm Aileen, and that's Lucian. Mind if we hang out with you for now?"
"Not at all."
"We take you under our wings as our apprentices." This time both Aileen and Lucian chortled.
"That's likely." Lucian said, pulling his trolley towards the nearest door. "Coming?"
"We just need to say bye to our parents and get our stuff." One of them said, already starting to turn. "We'll see you in a few minutes."
"Hours, more like, if we have to say goodbye to mum."
Aileen and Lucian climbed onto the carriage and into a compartment. It wasn't the last the school has heard of this new quartet.
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