Penelope Jasper lived in Ottery St. Catchpole with her mother Janet, a successful wizard chef, and her father, Maurice Jasper, an employment manager with Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
She had spent the last 6 years living in Egypt with her Uncle, and now she would be going to Hogwarts School in England for her final year.
Penny was a student with goals. She was straight arrow, no nonsense…for that's how she had to be. Magic was very serious, and needed to be taken very seriously. Being an only child, she was the focus of her uncle's strict energy, and there was never any time to fool around.
Penelope sat at her new bedroom window and looked up at the sky. Her owl, Violet, was a snowy white barn owl, and was soaring above her house. He seemed to be chasing something. Some…one! On a broom!
Penelope ran out of her house to fetch her rogue bird.
"Violet!" She yelled, as she jumped on her own broom in pursuit.
She hadn't been prepared for how this one event would change her whole life.
X.x.x
Penelope flew higher, trying to catch up with her pet. Then she saw a tall leaning shack. It was a homey looking place, towering over fields below.
"Curiouser…" Penelope mumbled to herself.
She landed in the yard, along with Violet. It seemed Violet had made some friends here, two other tawny owls.
"Bad bird." She wagged her finger at Violet.
Two tall boys with red hair came out of nowhere then, appearing beside her.
"Oph! You frightened me!" She laughed.
"Aha! So, you must be the owner of this new owl!" One of the red head's said. They were identical.
"Yeah, that's Violet…sorry." Penelope stated, realizing she was trespassing on someone's lawn. She was suddenly very aware that she had arrived there on broom, and these people may very well be muggles with owls…
"That's Erroll, and Pigwidgeon." The opposite red head said, pointing to Violet's new friends.
"And, we're Fred and George." They said together.
Penelope blushed, realizing they were twins. She was amused by them talking in sync.
"I'm Penelope, but please, call me Penny." She urged.
"Happy to oblige." Fred, on the left, replied. He had on a smile, which said he would surely call her Penelope, at the moments when it would annoy her the most.
Penny made to hide her 'Starshot 1.0' behind her, when two more boys in Quidditch gear and with two brooms came rushing out of the house. They hopped on them and flew off.
George lifted a basket before him, filled with apples.
"We're going on for a quick game of Quidditch, would you like to join us Penny?" He asked.
Elated that she found herself amongst wizards, after a summer of solitude, she was ready to jump at the invitation. She was hesitant, and looked sadly back in the direction of her house. She finally concluded that what he mother didn't know, couldn't hurt her.
Penny followed Fred & George to a small clearing in the hills where they could fly around without being seen.
"Penny, this is our brother Ronald, and his friend Harry." Fred conducted the introductions, while George enchanted the apples.
"It's RON." Ron stated indignantly, glaring at his twin brothers violently.
Penny thought she had recognized Harry from somewhere, but let it go.
It felt good to soar freely. She let her long brown hair loose, and flew up high. It was her first time playing Quidditch since she came back from Egypt. It had been a slow, quiet, wizard less summer.
The time sped by, and soon they were playing in the dark. Penny panicked. She had followed Violet here, and didn't know how to get home in the dark. This was the first time she had been so far from her Ottery St. Catchpole home.
They all headed back to the Burrow, which is what Ron had called his house. Their mother came running out of the house frantically to fetch her children.
"We're off to Diagon Alley tomorrow!" She shouted, outraged that they could be out so late when they had places to be the next day. "You lot, bed NOW."
Fred ushered Penelope to the chicken coops, to be hidden from his mums' sight.
"If she catches me, you won't find your way home. I'll help you get home. She'll think I'm upstairs if she sees George." He laughed.
They waited until everyone trudged inside the Burrow, then they both got on their brooms. Violet followed close behind. They all flew close together because Penny was so unfamiliar with the area, let alone in the dark.
"So, you're obviously not a Hogwarts student…I've been there for 6 years, where are you from?"
Penny laughed, "I've been living with my uncle in Egypt for the last 6 years…my parents were hit with a bad confundus spell back then…couldn't remember us. But, I'll be starting Hogwarts in September. My Dad was a Gryffindor back in his day." She explained.
"Well, I'm glad your owl stumbled upon us then, now you won't be all alone. We're all Gryffindor's at the Burrow."
"It is a scary feeling, especially now…"
"Keep a smile on. Being proactive…positive…you can conquer anything, as long as you aren't alone. Which, you are not." He grinned.
"I'm sorry if I've gotten you into trouble." She supplied.
"I'm not the least bit worried. George and I are pros at getting into trouble…but also getting out of it, you see." He smirked.
"I can see my house!" Penny cheered.
They landed at the front door just as Penelope's mother, Janet, came bursting through it.
"Penelope Jane Jasper!" She announced loudly.
It felt like she had been hit by a gust of wind, and almost tripped backwards off her broom.
"You just take off! With a boy? She said incredulously, noting Fred's presence.
"It was Violet!" Penny began to protest, but did realize that she had lost track of time.
"Not another word Penelope! Get in this house; this INSTANT." She bellowed.
Fred recognized that tone.
"Night then mum. Night Penny." He hopped on his broom in one swift motion and slid upwards.
Penny sprang to her bedroom, but by the time she got there, Fred was already hovering at the window.
He leaned forward and tapped on it with the top of his broom.
"Fred!" She gasped.
"I love getting that reaction." He mumbled happily.
She quietly nudged the window open.
"What…?" She whispered.
"She yells quite like my mum y'know?" He said, hoping she didn't feel embarrassed. "Join us tomorrow in Diagon Alley?" He suggested.
"Absolutely." She was very intrigued by this new family, and new friends.
"Flourish and Blotts, 3:00?"
"See you there, Fred."
She closed her window and he flew off into the night.
Now she just had to worry about how she was going to get out of the house tomorrow.
Usually, her uncle would handle all the school shopping, but this being her first year back with her parents, she had a sneaking suspicion they would want to make it a family outing…