I'm a horrible person! I have 11 (now 12) stories I'm writing and I only have 2 of them completed...
I know this might be Cliche to the MAX but I've started writing a story similar to this one like three times so I figured "What the heck?"
Do I LOOK like JK Rowling? Just in case I do... I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and places associated with it.
Rowan Kalem expertly wove her way through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley with a bag hanging over her shoulder; she was ridiculously grateful that her bag had an unnoticeable extension charm on it, seeing as she had both her and her sister's schoolbooks and potions equipment. Rowan's identical twin, River, was waiting at Fortesceau's with her own bag of supplies.
Both girls ordered a sundae – Rowan got Salt Caramel and Cookie Dough, while River got Mocha and Fudge Swirl – and sat at a table. "Just wands now, right?"
River took a large bite of her ice cream before answering around it. "Unless we want pets…"
Rowan took her own bite of ice cream, "Let's check out Eyelops after Ollivanders. I would like to get an owl."
The twins finished their treats and moved towards Ollivanders. Ollivander quickly measured the girls and began pulling wands off the shelves. "Try this one, Pear and Unicorn hair, 10 ¼ inches…. Larch and Dragon heartstring, 11 inches…" The pile of wands grew and Ollivander was ecstatic. "How about this one; Rowan and Phoenix feather, 11 ¾ inches…"
Rowan left hand wrapped around the wand and she felt a jolt run from her heart, through her arm, and into the wand as emerald and gold sparks flew from the wand. River cheered and Ollivander clapped his hands. Rowan laughed inwardly at the type of wood she was holding. Her namesake.
Ollivander went back to searching for River's wand as Rowan wandered over to look at the wand holsters the shop also sold.
"Maybe this one, Willow and Unicorn hair, 11 ½ inches." The same sparks that had flown from Rowan's wand came from the Willow wand in River's hand. "And we have a match…"
"Nice one Riv!"
The girls paid for their wands and also a wand holster for each of them – Rowan's was an arm-holster made of supple black leather while River's was the same style in a light brown leather.
"Thank you Mr. Ollivander!" River called as they exited the shop.
A quick stop in Eyelops Owl Emporium resulted in both girls leaving with beautiful Eagle Owls before returning to the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with their parents.
September 1st dawned bright and clear as the Kalem family made their way across Platform 9 ¾ towards the scarlet engine. Marcus and Dinah Kalem hugged their daughters goodbye and helped them get their trunks onto the train.
"Be good River." Mr. Kalem said.
"I'm Rowan, Dad." Mr. Kalem huffed an exasperated laugh and River rolled her eyes.
"You would think after eleven years you could tell us apart."
"One would think. Wouldn't they?"
After one final hug the girls disappeared into the train to claim a compartment.
Fred and George Weasley drug their trunks down the train hallway, searching for a compartment that wasn't completely full. They stopped at a mostly empty compartment and Fred slid open the door. "Can we join you? There's no room anywhere else."
The red haired twins were not expecting the lone occupants of the room to be identical twin sisters with long black hair and silver eyes.
"Sure thing."
"C'mon in."
Ahhh… twinspeak…
Fred grinned as he and his brother sat down. "We're Fred –"
"—and George –"
"—Weasley."
The boys turned their twinspeak on full power but the girls only smirked.
"We're Rowan and River Kalem." They spoke in perfect unison.
"We're glad to meet –"
"—some friends. What year –"
"—are you? We're –"
"— first years."
The Weasleys stared in shock; these girls were better at twinspeak than they were – and they were masters at it. "We're first years too." It was probably best if they didn't continue their twinspeak competition….
"So which one of you is Rowan and which is River?" George asked.
"I'm Rowan." The girl closest to the window spoke, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
Fred looked back and forth between the two girls: Rowan had thick, slightly curly black hair that seemed to have a reddish tint to it when the sun hit it; River had the same thick black hair but it was more indigo then red and her silver eyes were a 1/8 shade lighter than her twin's.
While the Weasleys were examining the Kalems, the girls were doing the same thing: Fred's freckles were thicker than his brother's and his hair was a little curlier; Geroge's eyes were more turquoise than blue and his hair was 1/16 shade darker than his twin's.
These were details that only another identical twin – someone who had spent a lifetime finding the infinitesimal differences between people – could ever find. There were four people in the world who could tell each set of twins apart; and all of them were sitting in the same compartment on the Hogwarts Express.
The sky darkened outside as the train wound through the country and the four students talked about anything and everything.
"So Kalem's an interesting surname. Not one I've heard of before."
"Are you guys Muggleborn?"
Rowan shook her head. "No. We're Pureblood."
"Whatever that's worth." River put in; the Weasleys could sense that the girls were slipping into twinspeak.
"Our parents were disowned when they eloped."
"Their families—"
"—the Blacks and the Prewetts—"
"—are feuding. So when they got married—"
"—Dad changed their last name to Kalem."
George looked between the two girls. "Do you guys twinspeak when you're nervous?" They nodded. "Cool."
It was raining when they got to Hogsmade Station and River pulled out an umbrella that expanded to cover all four of them as they stepped off the train. "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" The group of friends got several dirty looks from the other first years as they made their way to the lake. "Alrigh' no more'n four to a boat."
George took the umbrella as Fred helped River and Rowan into the boat, then handed the umbrella back to River as soon as she was settled, before the boys climbed into the boat.
"Oh my gosh—"
"—it's beautiful."
The girls gasped as Hogwarts Castle came into view; Fred and George were just as impressed.
McGonagall gave her usual speech to the first years about the importance of the Houses then led them into the Great Hall.
Gasps ran through the group as they entered the large room, it truly was breathtaking.
Then all eyes fell on the Sorting Hat.
At first you see a simple hat
But things aren't always what they seem
So don't just judge by that first look
Take time to determine what they mean
.
Long ago there were four friends
Who started something new
They got together to decide
Just what they were going to do
.
Gryffindor, with courage to spare
Took those who ruled by heart
Who stood for those who could not stand
And believed in facing fear
.
Slytherin, the proud and wise
Took those who ruled by leading
Who work for every step they take
And do all they can to rise
.
Ravenclaw, with wisdom abundant
Took those who ruled by mind
Who learned all they could each day
And searched for all the wonder
.
Hufflepuff, the just and loyal
Took those who led by love
Who give to those who need it most
And are unafraid of toil
.
So put me on and we will see
What qualities you possess
And just where you're supposed to be
What place will you fit best?
Applause rang through the Hall, then the Sorting began.
The four friends talked quietly throughout the Sorting until, "Kalem, River."
"Slytherin!"
Rowan followed her sister to the House of Snakes while the Weasleys went to Gryffindor. As the Sorting finished two pairs of blue eyes met two pairs of silver eyes across the room. They did it again at the end of the feast as the first years were led away by their Prefects.
The Slytherin first years stopped at a blank section of wall, guarded by two torches. "Dignity." The wall between the torches melted away to a common room with granite walls, oak tables, and black leather furniture. "Welcome to Slytherin common room. Girls' dorm in the door on the left, boys' on the right. There is a House meeting at 8:00 tomorrow morning before breakfast. Have a good night."
Rowan and River led the other two girls to the door and swung it open to reveal four four-poster beds hung with emerald curtains; a fake window – charmed to look over the grounds – was on the wall between two beds.
The twins took the two beds to the left of the window and pulled out their pajamas; Rowan produced an alarm clock – set for 7:00 – and placed it on her bedside table before changing into her nightgown.
"Night Ro."
"Night Riv."
The twins were asleep before their heads hit the pillows.
"Rowan!"
"River!"
It was their first period – Double Potions with Slytherin and Gryffindor – and the Weasley twins were beckoning the Kalems to their table; the girls sat down, all four of them ignoring the stares they were getting from their housemates.
"Morning Fred." Rowan greeted as she pulled out her Potions textbook and parchment.
"Morning George." River did the same, sitting next to her sister.
"We decided that your House doesn't matter." George began.
"No matter what prejudice there is against each other's Houses the four of us are going to be friends."
Professor Snape swept into the room and looked over his class. Most of the classroom was separated between Slytherin and Gryffindor – except for one table, where two red- head Gryffindors and two black haired Slytherins sat at the same table talking quietly. He made his presence known by beginning his start of year speech, then turning to the group of four students sitting in front of him. "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"
One of the Miss Kalems frowned slightly. "They're the same thing, sir."
"They also go by Aconite." The other Miss Kalem added. "Though I don't understand why there're so many names for one thing."
"…Correct. Ten points to Slytherin." Snape then got them setting up for their first potion of the year, a simple Boil Cure.
Half an hour into brewing – each of the Kalems paired with one of the Weasleys – Rowan and Fred's potion exploded. Snape's sixth sense for danger caused him to turn around just as Rowan flicked her wrist, making her wand slide into her hand, and a small shield encased the cauldron, containing the explosion.
"What happened?" Snape demanded as he stalked over.
"We're not sure professor." Fred started.
"It was just fine – we were getting ready to take it off the heat and add porcupine quills when it… exploded. I only just got a shield up in time." Rowan finished, gesturing sadly to the destroyed cauldron.
"Oh?" the black-robed professor examined the wreckage and revealed a small firework. "It appears someone found it fit to sabotage your work, Miss Kalem, Mr. Weasley." He looked at Rowan. "Five points to Slytherin for your quick wandwork, Miss Kalem. The two of you may restart your potion, you have just enough time to complete it before the end of class." He repaired the cauldron with a wave of his wand.
"Thank you, sir." The two sat down and began their potion again.
"Your lavender needs to be 1/10 of a millimeter finer, Fred. It's too coarse." Fred nodded at Rowan's comment and went back to grinding the lavender.
Snape watched the two sets of twins with interest; the Boil Cure was a potion that could afford to be off a little, which was why he assigned it to his first years. He had never seen first years be so exact – in fact, there were some Potions Masters who weren't as exact in their measurements as these four students were.
These four had disregarded House boundaries – he suspected that this was the cause of the sabotaged potion – and were shaping up to be the best potion brewers he had ever had the opportunity to teach.
He would have to keep an eye on them.
Like I said, I feel like this is pretty cliche. But I like it.
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++ ImagineShine