Chapter 1: At the Dursleys'

"Harry, come on…."

Harry knew how his twin was standing. He knew that Isabel Lily Potter would be standing outside the door, the skin above her piercing green eyes wrinkled with irritation, tossing her long, tangled black hair. "I need to have a shower. And we have to be done by seven so Dudley can have his shower. And it's like, ten to seven. Can't you hurry up, please?"

Harry sighed. "I'm coming!" He knew that he should hurry, (after all it wasn't him that would get in trouble for being in the shower when Dudley wanted it) but he just wanted to wash his hair.

#*~*#

He opened the door to Isabel's glare. "Finally!" she hissed. Then she shoved him into the hall and slipped into the bathroom.

Harry squinted at the clock near the stairs. Isabel had five minutes.

#*~*#

Seven minutes later, Harry glanced up from where he was cooking breakfast to hear Isabel slam the door in her haste to get out of the bathroom. His heart sunk.

Harry and Isabel did not live with their parents. Since they were young, they had lived with their Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and their cousin, Dudley. They had been told many, many times that this was not by Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley's choice. Their parents were killed in a car accident (the same accident that had given both Isabel and Harry strange lightning-shaped scars) and no one wanted to take the twins.

"And so," Aunt Petunia would snap, "you were foisted upon us. Now, boy, I believe my front garden needs a good weeding. And girl, where is dinner?"

Off they would trot, missing their parents frantically.

But they didn't just get extra work for being an unwanted burden. They got punished for everything, every minor infraction. Including getting out of the shower late.

#*~*#

Isabel wiped away tears. Her Uncle Vernon had just finished a "lecture". In school, Isabel had learnt that normal lectures were to do with words. Not blows, or kicks, but words. She wondered if Uncle Vernon had ever learnt the meaning of lecture at school. Probably not. Probably, Isabel thought crossly, he hadn't ever been to school. Stupid man, with his stupid lectures and punishments and stupid rules.

"… help your Aunt Petunia wrap the last of the presents." Isabel had missed about half of what he said, but if she asked what it had been, the "lecture" would repeat. So she just hoped she hadn't missed anything vital and scuttled off to help Aunt Petunia.

#*~*#

When Dudley finally dragged his lazy ass out of bed at nine o'clock, Harry was fuming. Not only was it his fault his sister hadn't been out of the shower in time, it was for such an annoying reason. His sister had been beaten for getting out of the shower two minutes late because "Dudders will need it after seven". Two minutes late! And then the lazy git had got out of bed at nine o'clock! Two hours later! What was the point of such a stupid rule? And just like that, the second breakfast Harry was cooking (the first one had gone cold) disappeared. Harry blinked. Several times. He took off his glasses, tilted his head to one side, squinted, polished his glasses, put them back on. No bacon, no eggs, no toast or sausages or potatoes. Oh no. He yelled for Isabel-in his head.

#*~*#

Harry and Isabel could mindspeak before they could talk. They didn't hear every thought, they had to concentrate and send the thought to their twin. It was very convenient.

When they were five, and Isabel was sneaking food out of the bin at night (Dudley didn't like cold food, and instead of letting Isabel and Harry eat leftovers that had gone cold waiting for Dudley, Aunt Petunia would throw the perfectly edible food out), Harry had managed to warn Isabel when Aunt Petunia came downstairs.

When they were eight, they were determined to run away. Apparently, they hadn't been discreet enough. On the night they did it, Uncle Vernon hid in the shrubbery. He caught Harry when he went out to grab provisions for the journey, and gagged him so he couldn't yell for his twin not to come outside. Harry simply mindspoke to Isabel that Uncle Vernon was hiding in the garden, had caught him, and was waiting for her. She was to stay inside. Uncle Vernon and Harry spent two hours lying in the shrubbery, Vernon waiting for Isabel and Harry waiting for his uncle to get it through his thick head-she wasn't coming. At least only one of them had gotten beaten that time.

But a beating wasn't the only punishment available. They could be locked in their respective cupboards (Harry under the stairs, Isabel in a former linen closet) for days, let out only for bathroom breaks. Of course, they had fashioned a loop they could unlock the doors with, but that was for late at night. Or there was always the classic starvation technique. Harry was terrified at how little his twin ate-even less than him, and her appetite always took a nosedive after a few days of nothing but water.

They didn't wait for an emergency to mindspeak. They did it constantly. They did it to raise each other's spirits, to make each other laugh. Right now, however, it was an emergency.

#*~*#

Isabel came clattering down the stairs. What is it, Harry?

(AN: sorry to put this in the middle of the story, but everything in bold=mindspeak)

Harry gestured to the stove. It just disappeared!

Isabel gulped. Oh no. She knew the trouble they'd get in for any "funny business". The Dursleys hated anything out of ordinary, hated it with a passion. It was one of the reasons they disliked Isabel and Harry so much. Isabel grabbed some eggs out of the pantry. Maybe, if we're quick enough…Harry nodded enthusiastically.

Working together, by the time the family came downstairs, breakfast was nearly finished.

"Present time for Dudders" Aunt Petunia cooed. Isabel stared at the table incredulously. Spoilt brat.

But just look at him trying to count! Isabel grinned at Harry. He always made her laugh. She had to try not to laugh right now-she knew from experience that punishments were always twice as severe on Dudley's birthday.

#*~*#

Dudley finally managed to count his presents.

"Thirty-six" he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."

"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."

"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Isabel swooped in and grabbed the plate of bacon off the table to take back to the kitchen, sensing that a huge Dudley tantrum was coming on. Dudley always turned the table over while tantrum-ing and Isabel had no intentions of cooking the fourth breakfast that morning.

Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, pumpkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"

Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally, he said slowly, "So, I'll have thirty…thirty…"

"Thirty-nine, sweetums" said Aunt Petunia.

Isabel shook her head in amazement. Ten years of living with Dudley, and he still managed to astonish. I hope his brains came from Uncle Vernon's side of the family. Harry nodded fervently. Brains, what brains?

Good point. Harry, stop nodding, if Uncle Vernon sees…

The twins worked hard to keep their mindspeaking secret. It was another thing that made them not so ordinary.

#*~*#

The telephone rang and Isabel ran to get it.

"Hello, Dursley residence, who would you like to talk to?" Aunt Petunia trained them to answer phones.

"Hold for a minute please." Isabel approached Aunt Petunia. "It's Mrs Figg" she hissed, hand over the speaker. Aunt Petunia snatched the phone and waved Isabel away.

Whadya reckon she wants? Harry asked as he placed the sausages and bacon on the table.

She sounded a little upset. Isabel followed him with potatoes and eggs.

Maybe she can't take us. I hate her house. It smells like cabbage and cats.

Well, who would take us?

Uncle Vernon's sister? You know? Dudley's Auntie Marge?

I doubt it. She hates us-especially you. No offence or anything…

It's because I'm the boy. Anyway no offence taken, it's practically a good thing for her to hate someone.

What about Aunt Petunia's friend?

Yvonne?

Yeah.

On holiday in Majorca. Thank goodness. She made me polish all her silver the last time Aunt Petunia visited her.

Maybe they'd leave us here.

I wish, Iz. More likely we'll be left in the car.

Maybe not. Uncle Vernon loves that car.

Dudley began to cry in the dining room. Harry and Isabel rolled their eyes in unison. He wasn't really crying. He just knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, Aunt Petunia would give him anything. They also knew that if he kept this up, there was no way their day would be any good.

The doorbell rang.

Yours. I got the phone, you can get the door.

Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss was at the door. He smirked at Harry and pushed him into the wall as he swept past into the dining room. Dudley stopped crying at once.

#*~*#

Half an hour later, Isabel was sitting on Harry's lap in the car. Harry didn't mind that-she was scary light-but he wished she had a seatbelt on. He said as much to Isabel, but he knew there was nothing for it. One of them had to sit on the other's lap, and he was heavier than Isabel, although not by much.

They were going to the zoo and both twins were excited, having never been before. But they were also worried. Before they'd left Uncle Vernon had yanked them into the hall and threatened the worst punishments of their lives if anything funny happened.

Funny things happened around Harry and Isabel. There was that peculiar incident with Harry's hair growing back so fast, and that time where that odd thing with Sheryl's (the girl down the road's) brown and orange jersey, when it would not fit skinny Isabel, no matter how much Aunt Petunia tugged. One of the worst ever was the time when suddenly they were on the roof after being chased at school, they both had scars from the reaction to that.

We just have to be careful.

And not do anything odd.

While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, the twins, the council, the twins, the bank and the twins were just a few of his favourite subjects. It was a lovely sunny day, but that didn't stop Uncle Vernon.

#*~*#

The twins were enchanted by the zoo. They wandered around behind the Dursleys, close enough to be called but far enough to be out of the line of fire, admiring animals. They couldn't decide which animal everyone was. Piers: was an aardvark-he had exactly the same face. Dudley: was a pig-pink and fat with big ears. Aunt Petunia was a long necked turtle and Uncle Vernon a gorilla. Of course, they couldn't say any of this out loud.

What about you and me, Harry?

Well, you're a bird…That one. They were walking through the aviary. Harry pointed at a gold bird singing above them.

Aww, thanks bro. You are a hmmm...I'll get back to you on that one.

Harry grinned. Maybe we should walk by the tigers? The lions?

What about bats? You are half blind, after all. No? I'll work on it.

#*~*#

Harry and Isabel were loving the zoo. They went to the zoo restaurant for lunch, and when Dudley threw a tantrum over the size of his Knickerbocker Glory, Uncle Vernon let them have the original and ordered another one.

After lunch, the twins were in high spirits. Isabel was humming under her breath, and Harry was grinning when they entered the reptile house. They were content to look at lizards and chameleons while Dudley and Piers tried to wake up the boa constrictor. But when the boys got bored and wandered on, Harry dragged Isabel over to take a look.

"Oh look, Harry, it was born in the zoo. Poor thing. Bet it hates being caged all the time."

Isabel didn't know why she was talking out loud, but she could have sworn she saw the snake move.

Did you see that?

You saw it too?

Keep talking to it.

"Hi-" she checked the sign "-Diego, I'm Isabel and the ugly one is Harry." The snake nodded.

Iz, it nodded!

You try talking to it.

Okay. Oh, and the ugly one? Really, Iz?

I try.

"Umm. Well, we're siblings. Twins actually." Diego seemed to smile. "Can you understand us?" Harry leant close to the glass.

"DUDLEY, LOOK AT THIS!" Piers Polkiss shoved Isabel out of his way as he rushed to the snake tank, Dudley just behind. Isabel and Harry both glared, and the boys kept running. Right into the snake tank. Diego tentatively butted his head forward, until he was past where the glass should be. Then he slid smoothly out of the tank and towards the exit.

Over the screams as people ran away, both twins could have sworn that they heard a hissing voice say something. "…Brassssil, here I come…thanksssss amigo, amigaaaa…"

Once all the screaming and running stopped, once the boys had scrambled out of the tank and the snake had gone, Isabel gulped. She had a feeling that she wouldn't see the sun for a long, long time.

Please review, this is my first ever fanfiction. I'll try and get the next chapter up soon. Thanks, AviaLee.