A/N: Hello there! I'm back with the second chapter! I'd like to thank all those who have already put alerts on this or reviewed (all pals and all, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING BACK TO ME!) and I promise you won't be disappointed.

As you'll see, chapters are gonna be quite long because I basically want to cover years 1-7 for Emy in one chapter each. They'll be shorter when she gets out of Hogwarts. But in the mean time, don't expect quick updates, because it takes TOO BLOODY LONG to finish one chapter. I've created a monster. ;)

Enjoy anyway!


Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own anything related to Harry Potter. I own, however, my OCs Alys and Emy Warren, and the plot.


1. First year: making friends


Alys wasn't usually a brooding kind of child. She was always smiling, often laughing, and when she wasn't in the right mood, she ended up grinning anyway when given the right push.

But on that day, she had no will to smile or to laugh. When her mother came to wake her and Emy, she sat up on her bed and glared at the back of her twin as she was wiping the last remnants of sleep off her face.

When the blonde noticed that, she rolled her eyes and childishly threw her fists on the duvet. "Als, stop being angry at me! I can't help it!"

"Yes you can!" and Alys went back under the covers.

No, Emy couldn't help having magic. That was true. But Alys couldn't feel anything but bitterness at the fact that she'd be left alone for the first time in her life and considered a lesser person next to her sister. Because she knew that was going to happen. Even their parents would not be immune to it. One day, they'd look between their two children and think Emy to be the most interesting.

She grunted and refused to go out of bed until her mother came and shooed Emy out. She sat on the edge of the bed and passed a hand over where Alys' head was buried under her pillow.

"Als..." no answer. Amanda sighed. "Alys. Sit up please."

When her mother was talking like that, sickeningly sweet and yet sounding as if she was talking to an adult, none of her girls could resist. Alys' tear-stricken face appeared from under the covers, and she sat up, sniffing.

Amanda made an 'aw' sound and pulled her daughter in her arms to hug her. Peppering the top of her head with kisses, she said, deadly serious: "It doesn't mean that you won't do wonderful things in your life, darling. If anything, it'll push you to do as well as your sister. Better even."

Alys grunted and gripped her mother tighter. "But I can't! I can't do anything better than her!"

"Not having magic doesn't mean being helpless. If it did, your father and I would not have jobs, a beautiful house, or two wonderful girls."

Alys could feel a smile starting to creep on her lips but fought it. "I still want to go."

Amanda pushed her daughter away a bit so she could look her in the eyes. They were the same shade of blue. "When you grow up, you won't want to be glued to your sister at all times. I can assure you that. You will have to learn how to live alone. And you'll manage perfectly well. And as Mr Hopkins said the other day, Emy can still write to you."

Alys nodded but didn't feel any better.

When her mother left the room after asking her not to be angry to Emy on her day, Alys stood and growled between her teeth. 'Her day'. What about hers?


Andrew Hopkins was never late. And that day was no different. He parked a shiny green Mini Open which seemed big enough only for two in front of the Warrens' house, and went to ring the doorbell.

Amanda and James, who had been waiting for the Ministry employee at the window and had witnessed his peculiar choice of car, addressed the matter as soon as they opened the door.

"Are you quite certain we'll be able to all fit in the car?"

Hopkins smiled and nodded. "Quite sure. It has been magically enlarged. See for yourselves." He gestured the family towards the tiny car, and made sure no neighbour was watching when four people climbed into such a tiny car.

Alys, who had expected to spend the long trip squeezed to her mother – who sat in the middle – was extremely surprised to see that she had enough room for a little bag next to her, and that if she had wished, she could have lain on her seat and not touch the back of her father's.

She exchanged an impressed look with her twin, and then, as she remembered she was angry with her, she looked away, locking her gaze through the window.

As they soon realised, the car had not only been enlarged; it had also been magically enhanced. As soon as the Mini rode onto the open road, Hopkins pushed a big red button and the car, with a deafening bang, reappeared on the outskirts of the capital.

James let out a gasp, then, with the voice he usually took when talking to a particularly interesting scholar, asked "And...how long exactly have you people lived among us?"

With an amused laugh, their chauffeur answered. "Since the very beginning, Mr Warren."

James nodded, then laughed.

On her seat, Alys gritted her teeth to make sure she did not mirror his chuckle.


London was a city that neither of the girls had ever visited yet. Or not that they remembered anyway. When they were five, their parents had taken them to a big exposition at the British Museum where James had been invited by his colleagues. But they had only kept the memory of a very boring afternoon and of a frightening mummy displayed before their eyes.

But that day, Alys – and even Emy – doubted they'd ever forget what London looked like: a buzzing city with shiny cars and red buses, people everywhere talking together or reading the newspaper as they waited for a cab.

Emy kept pointing at things through the window, and her mother did not stop explaining to her what it was she was looking at – Saint James' park; Admiral Nelson's statue in Trafalgar; and lastly, Charing Cross Station.

Mr Hopkins parked the Mini in front of a seemingly empty building with a black sign that shown no inscription. But as Emy glanced at it when she got out of the car, she let out a squeal of surprise. "Look Mummy! Something has appeared on the sign!"

As none of her family members could, actually, see what she was talking about, Hopkins circled the car and went to stand in front of her. "Emy," he said very seriously, "we are still in the Muggle world here. Try not to shout too loud, or people might notice. It is very important that the wizards' world remains secret." The eleven-year-old nodded solemnly, and the man got out a piece of paper from his inside pocket. He handed it to James. "Read it, each of you, and then enter."

James read the paper and passed it to Alys before he pushed the shabby building's door and entered what looked like, from the outside, an empty warehouse.

Alys glanced at the paper, and read: "On Charing Cross Road is the Leaky Cauldron, tavern which marks the entrance to Diagon Alley." She frowned, but passed the paper to her mother and followed her dad inside.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Alys gasped. The seemingly empty room had turned into a loud tavern hall, with tables filled with men and women wearing strange robes and pointy hats. She stared at one old woman who had a whole constellation painted on her chest before she crossed her gaze and ran to her dad.

He was currently studying the ceiling from which fell two heavy chandeliers. "This place is at least two centuries old!" he chuckled in excitement.

Behind them, Emy and Amanda entered, the latter being as surprised as the first two when she saw the place transform. Hopkins entered last and took off his hat.

A man called his name, and he shook his head. "I'm on Ministry work, Folley! Maybe later!" He pointed at the family, and the man nodded back.

Alys' eyes widened when she noticed the barman, who was wiping glassed with a slightly dirty rag. He was extremely ugly, with two horrible black teeth and warts on his nose. The man smiled at her, and she was grateful when their guide pushed them all towards a back door.

It looked like a normal back yard to her: a brick wall, and several bins from which erupted a most foul smell.

Hopkins took out a wooden stick from his pocket, and Alys realised at once that it was not just a passing stick when she noticed it was gracefully engraved with runes. Hopkins tapped two bricks on the wall, and she had to look away from him and his wand – although she still wasn't familiar with the name – when the wall disappeared under her eyes and revealed a crowded paved street.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley!"


Diagon Alley was probably the weirdest place Alys had ever set foot in her whole life, and it'd remain so for many years to come.

Everyone there was dressed in a similar fashion as the people in the bar: dresses – even for the men – and pointy hats. Many carried piles of books, others were talking over a cage in which sat an animal usually reserved to zoos or even children stories. Alys saw several owls, and even a miniature dragon once.

There were many children of all ages in that street: some carried a long list like Emy's, and were tucking on their parents' sleeves when they saw something they needed in a shop's window.

Hopkins smiled down at Emy. "What's the first thing on your list?"

She looked down and opened the letter she had kept safely tucked in her hand since they had exited the car. "A putter cauldron."

"That's easy enough. Come through here," he pushed through the crowd as if he was doing that every day, and led them to a black shop selling all sort of things for potion making. Alys' eyes widened the size of golf balls when she saw on the front door a sign saying "Legal love potions in regular sale here".

Emy's list was mainly filled with every day things: her cauldron; robes; and books. Flourish and Blott, the library, was a place Alys could have spent hours in. Thanks to her father, she had always loved the smell of old books, and she ran her finger on leather bound covers until one book tried to eat her hand.

At last there was only two things left on the list. The first of which was: "A wand." Emy said the word with such reverence that it sent a wave of envy to Alys' heart. She gritted her teeth again, having momentarily forgotten her resentment as she discovered the wonderful magical place.

"That's Ollivander's." Hopkins glanced at their parents. "You should go with her while I take care of the last thing. A cat, owl or toad, right?" Emy nodded, and he smiled. "What do you prefer?"

Both girls said, at the same time, "Cat."

Hopkins chuckled and looked at Alys. For the first time since he had barged into their lives, the man looked sympathetically at the Muggle girl. "Would you care to help me choose one for your sister?"

Alys nodded and grinned. "I'd love to!"

He pointed at two shops ahead. "Ollivander's and the Pet Shop are opposite to each other. Whomever has finished first can join the other." He handed a leather pouch to James. "There should be enough money for a wand here. If not, just call me."

James looked at the money with wide eyes. They had not really paid attention to how their guide was paying for Emy's things. Were just aware that it was money lent by Hogwarts itself to Muggle-born students. But now, as they looked at the plate-sized coins, they realised how this world was different from theirs.


Hopkins pushed Alys forward and towards a highly coloured shop. Once they entered, the heavy smell of owl poo invaded Alys' senses, but she did not care. For once, she had control over what was happening. For a moment, she was tempted to buy the ugliest beast in the shop, but thought against it.

An old lady walked to the front of the shop and smiled at her. "Ah, hello there! First year then?"

Hopkins cleared his throat awkwardly. "Her sister. Alys here is a young Muggle." She hated that word with a passion.

"Ah." the shop-owner said. "Well, no matter. What does your sister want, dear?"

"A cat." she said, feebly.

"Good choice! Come with me!" She directed her through lines of owls and rats and toads and other more exotic things like chameleons or...squids?

When they reached the 'cat' section, Alys smiled in awe. She and Emy had always wanted a cat, and everytime they saw one of the felines, they turned into cooing creatures. But here, there was such a choice that she could not settle her gaze on one.

"What do you think she'll like? A sweet cat? Male, female? Big, small? Long, short hair?"

Alys said, because she knew it was the truth – they had been drawing their dream cat enough times now for her to be sure, "Long hair. Blue or grey. A female."

The old lady hummed and nodded, then walked to a cage where meowed at least a dozen kittens. "They were born two months ago. Would it bother her to bring it up?"

"I don't think so."

The cage opened, and soon, she was given a ball of purring fur. The kitten was blue with grey paws and grey eyelids. She had huge green eyes just like Emy. A perfect match. Alys smiled widely at the small beast, and Hopkins, behind her, said "I think this one is adopted."

The lady smiled kindly, and directed them back to the front of the shop. "She'll need a collar, a travelling basket for the train journey, and of course, some foods. I'll be right back."

Alys was playing with the kitten, and because that also she knew she could, she named her. "You shall be named," she said with an air of importance, "Fay."

"Fay?" asked her for-now guardian.

She nodded. "Like Morgane le Fay."

He smiled, and she knew she had chosen well. And she didn't care if Emy didn't like the name and changed it. The cat would always be 'Fay' to her.

When they exited the shop not less than half-an-hour later, Alys was carrying the good-sized basket in which Fay was currently sleeping. Hopkins was carrying a bag of goods, and when they headed to the wand-maker, the family was already waiting, Emy eyeing her newest toy with big eyes.

Those eyes directed to the basket Alys was carrying as soon as she noticed her, and she ran to her, trying to peak inside. "What have you taken?"

Alys could help but smile, just this once. She showed her sister, and when Emy took the basket from her hands, she was glad she had pleased her. It was her own small victory on that day.

"How's it called?"

"She's called Fay."

James and Amanda exchanged a smile, and then Emy shoved her wand in Alys' stomach to play with her cat.

Alys studied the stick of wood with a mild interest. She was half-tempted to snap it in two, but thought against it. It was rather long, with a dark wooden hilt carved to fit fingers, and on the far end ran was engraved the shape of a feather.

"Mermaid hair, he said." James told her with an air of stunned pleasure. He looked so happy in this place, as if he was a little boy at a themed-park... Alys nodded, and gave him the wand.

She did not see the pained look her parents exchanged.

Their shopping day was over, and she longed to go home, to bury herself in her bed, and to forget everything about Diagon Alley...


But forgetting about something so exciting was not a easy thing to do, and when Alys got back to the safety of her covers, she dreamt of women with pointy hats waving sticks in the air and making cats appear out of thin air...

When a pair of soft little paws woke up from her slumber, a smile formed on her lips and she opened her eyes to see little Fay crouched on her chest, her green eyes almost swallowed in the black of her pupils.

"She wanted to come to you," said a small voice, and when Alys glanced at the other side of the room, she saw Emy sat down on her bed, looking at the ceiling above her.

"Oh." Alys petted Fay's head and the kitten started to purr.

Emy turned her head and looked at her twin, suddenly looking much more serious than she usually did. "Als..." her sister looked at her, "I'm sorry, you know..."

Alys nodded and continued the pet the cat. "You can't help it, as you said..." she sighed. "Write to me, will you?"

Emy smiled widely and launched herself onto Alys' bed, and soon, they were tickling either each other or the cat, laughing madly as if nothing at all had changed.


Time went by, ticking the days to the 1st of September, when Emy would leave for her school of magic. The two sisters spent as much time as they could together, knowing it'd be a long time before they could do so again. Fay was getting bigger and fatter every day, and was spoiled rotten by the whole family.

Sometimes, Emy got out her wand or a book and started studying some things, Alys sat at her feet and listening intently.

When the latter had asked her to try a spell, Emy had snatched the wand from her fingers and said, her brow furrowed in a hard line, that if she did, she'd be sent to prison. But she did read her books, and before the end of the month, she already knew four spells and how to perform them. Theory made, sometimes at least, the best practice.

When the girls' grand-parents visited, the story Amanda and James had decided to tell them was recited and then told without a scratch: Emy had been discovered high-potential, and was being sent to an appropriate school in the North. None of their extended family members knew of her powers, and they doubted they'd care much. Their family was a broken one, and parents-children relationship appeared to be the strongest link there was.


On the morning of Emy's departure, the family woke very early in the night, because James wanted to drive "normally enough" to London, and the journey was quite long.

Emy and Alys got through the list of her things and packed everything together, and the red-haired twin tucked a pile of blank sheets of paper and envelopes in her sister's trunk to make sure she'd keep her promise to write.

The trip to London was silent. None slept, though, because those were their last moments spent together, but neither did they laugh, for it was, after all, quite a sad moment as well. Emy and Alys had never been separated since their birth: they did everything together, everything. But as Amanda had told her girl, there was a time when she'd be alone anyway. Better sooner than later.

When they reached King's Cross, it was ten thirty. James was cursing over the capital's traffic, but as they got Emy's things out of the car trunk, he fell silent again.

Parents and children hugged in silence before they entered the station. And then Amanda wiped her tears off, and announced "Andrew said he'd wait for us at the ticket registration."

Mr Hopkins had soon become 'Andrew' in the parents' mind, and if he was always as distant as his job intended, he was also always welcomed in their home. And that day, he was to show the family to the infamous Platform 9 ¾. As if such a thing could possibly exist...


Mr Hopkins was indeed waiting for them near to the registration, clad in his usual black suit – as if he owned nothing else – and welcomed them warmly. He congratulated Emy in going to Hogwarts again, and then directed them to the platforms.

They took the stairs to platforms 9 and 10, to Alys' surprise. She'd have thought that a train from the magical world would have been hidden somewhere else than in plain sight. Perhaps behind a wall of the entrance hall? It would have made much more sense to her...

There was a lot of people on this platform, and more than one family was carrying owls and trunks far too heavy to be belonging to 'normal folk', as her father said. One family, in particular, got to Alys' attention: a family of six: mother, holding two younger children's hand; two taller boys looking identical; and a slightly smaller but older looking boy with short spiky hair. All six had bright orange hair.

They disappeared behind a pillar and Alys lost sight of them. And when they cornered the very same pillar, Hopkins turned to them and gravely announced: "We are going to run to that wall," he was pointing at the pillar, "and appear on Platform 9 ¾. It would be best if I did it with each of you separately at first. Emily?" He took the young girl by the shoulder and pushed her and her chariot towards the pillar as fast as they could. Alys gasped, thinking they'd collide hard with the brick, but both melted into the wall and, a mere breath later, he was reappearing. "See? That's not hard. Alys?"

She thought it was probably the weirdest thing she had ever experienced in her whole life. Melting through a wall was something close to being sick: she felt a horrible spasm go through her body and her lungs squeezed for a second before she could breathe again. Instinctively, she brushed her clothes.

Emy laughed and took her sister's hand, pointing at something over her shoulder. "Look! The train!"

Alys turned and another pang of jealousy shot through her: the Hogwarts Express was such a beautiful train, all red with a reassuring smoking chimney that she wanted to hop on and hide until someone realised she shouldn't be there.

The platform was crowded. Many children had already come on board and were waving at their families through the windows or doors, parents and siblings waving back with the younger ones sporting a greedy expression that betrayed their envy. But they, Alys thought, would receive their letter one day. She would not.

Time was flying by, and soon, Emy pulled her twin towards the train and didn't let go until she had stepped into the carriage. She turned to Alys and toyed with her jacket's pocket. "I'll write in the train, tell you if I've met anyone interesting." She smiled, and Alys mirrored her smile, even if hers felt incredibly fake.

"Promise you will."

Emy smiled wider and outstretched her hand. The two sisters exchanged a secret handshake they had mastered quickly after their fifth birthday, and Emy leaned down to hug her closest friend.

"I'll be over for Christmas" was her last promise before another student got into the train and Alys had to back down.

The referee came to blow his shiny whistle and when he waved his wand – she'd never get used to that – all doors closed. Hands erupted from windows, waving goodbyes, and when the train started to move, Alys followed it for a while, keeping her sister in sight as long as she could.

And then Emy was gone, and Amanda's arms closed around her daughter's frame from behind. Alys was crying.


There was a knock on her bedroom's window a few minutes after five that afternoon.

Alys, who had been staring at Emy's empty bed for the good of two hours by then, turned her head to see a bright fiery owl tapping with its beak on the glass.

After a quick movement of surprise, she moved to open the window, and the beast stretched its leg to her, showing her the small roll of paper there. She quickly undid the knot, and when it was freed of its message, the owl took flight.

Alys stared in its wake until it disappeared behind one house's shadow before she unrolled her letter and sat back down, drying her tears quickly to learn how her sister's day had been.

"Als,

This train is just amazing! There are boxes like the old trains and an old lady passes through to sell sweets and sandwiches and all sorts. I've bought something called pumpkin pasty, and it's just so good I'll try and bring some home next holidays.

I've met some people, but I'm not sure I like all of them. There's this girl who has black skin, Angelina, who keeps babbling and babbling about something called Kidiz or else, and she speaks so loudly I exchanged my seat with a girl she already knew, Alicia. She's much nicer. But they both are witches, so they don't care about telling me more about Hogwarts. They think I know everything.

There also was this ugly guy, Marcus Flint, who passed by earlier and who gave me the finger. Alicia said he's an arse-**** - don't tell Mummy I've written that – who thinks Muggle-borns like me are scum. I said that at least I didn't have 'scum' as a grandmother. They laughed.

So far, I miss you horribly. I wish you were here, because I feel lost. But Fay is with me and she reminds me a bit of you, so it's alright.

The girls say we are going to be 'sorted' as we arrive at school. I guess it's the thing Mr Hopkins has talked about – the four Houses. I hope I'm not in Slytherin, it sounds like a nasty House, but Alicia says most Muggle-borns go into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I'm fine with either.

I miss you, with love,

Emy.

PS: I've had to change into dress-robes like two minutes ago and I look so stupid it's funny."

Alys laughed at her sister's last message, and folded the letter neatly, placing it in the drawer next to her bed.

Then she exited her room to tell her mother they'd need to buy an owl.


The following letter arrived early the day after. Amanda, James and Alys were having breakfast, talking about Alys' own return to school the following Monday, when an owl appeared at the kitchen's window. Contrarily to the one Emy had borrowed the previous day, this one was a tall majestic owl bearing a lace around the neck with the coat of arms of Hogwarts.

Amanda took two envelopes from the creature's leg, and handed one to Alys, who kept it under her plate for later.

Her mother opened the envelope addressed to the whole family, and started to read out loud, her free hand placing her toast at regular intervals in her mouth.

"Dead Dad and Mum, dear Alys,

Hogwarts is so huge! Dad would not believe his eyes! It's old enough to have been built in the Middle Ages, and yet, there is plumbing and everything. There are armours in the corridors and no electricity. The carriages that drove us to the castle from the station moved themselves, and the gargoyles are all alive!

Last night, I was Sorted by a talking hat into the House of Ravenclaw. A fellow girl from my class, whom I share a dorm with and who's called Julie Epswitch – she says it was fate – says it's because I am really clever. My tie and hat immediately transformed and I am now wearing the colours of my House: blue and bronze. The symbol of Ravenclaw is an eagle.

Our House Head, Professor Flitwick – my Charms teacher – said that I could not write to you where our Common Room is or what it looks like, in case my letter was read by someone from another house. It's quite strange, actually.

I'm writing this letter while eating breakfast, and the school's food would make Mum cringe in jealousy: there's everything you could dream of and enough to feed an army!

My schedule has just arrived. I will start the semester with Charms, along with the other three Houses; potions with the Hufflepuff – apparently it's the House of the loyal; and Herbology with the Slytherins – nasty people.

I'll try and write at the end of the week when there's something more interesting to talk about.

I miss all of you, love,

Emy."

"Ravenclaw. It has a nice ring to it." James said while sipping on his coffee. He smiled at his other daughter and pinched her nose. "I guess you've been raised to be intelligent gals, the both of you!"

She chuckled, because he was often saying that his constant ranting about this and that historic event would make them both incredibly clever in the end, and nodded. "'Course, Dad."

Then she took her sister's letter from under her plate and asked to go back to her room. Her mother sent her a knowing smile and agreed, if she came back ten minutes later to wash the dishes with her. Alys rolled her eyes but promised. And knew her mother would be glancing at the clock for precisely ten minutes.


She ran to her room and sat on Emy's bed, ripping apart the envelope and starting to greedily read what her twin had to tell her that she couldn't tell their parents.

"Als,

Since yesterday, not much has happened, yet.

Except that, now that I've been Sorted, I can see that there are some Houses that I'll be more comfortable around than others. The Slytherins, as I said in the train, are really rude people who thinks themselves better than everyone. A guy called Norrington cursed a passing Gryffindor because she was Muggle-born, and if he hadn't done it right in front of Professor McGonagall – the Gryffindors Head House, our Transfiguration teacher – he'd have gone away with it.

The Hufflepuffs are weird. Not a bad weird, they seem nice enough, but all the other Houses seem to think they're less than them. Alicia Spinnet, whom I was talking about yesterday, said that all Hufflepuffs were people who didn't have the qualities to go to the other Houses: neither clever enough for Ravenclaw nor brave enough for Gryffindor – she appears to have forgotten Slythering, but I don't mind. There's only one person in Hufflepuff who people seem to like: Cedric Something. He's a tall guy who's handsome enough to be modelling in our world, but he looks like a prat. When he was Sorted into Hufflepuff, the whole table stood to greet him. Ugh.

And the Gryffindors. They are fun enough, I reckon, but they don't look serious at all. There's those twins, the Weasleys, both red-haired and quite cute, who started pranking Slytherins during the feast last night. They didn't seem to mind being given their first ever detention a mere hour after arriving... Their older brother, who's a prefect, didn't like it though.

I've learnt a bit more about what they call Quidditch too. Actually, it's a sport! It's a mix between rugby and basketball...but on broomsticks! I suppose I'll see a game soon enough since there's a yearly competition at school. Our Captain is called Benjamin Holsapp, and he looks just like a jerk to me.

I hope I will be able to say more soon! So far, I haven't made friends, but count on me to do so soon!

In the mean time, I've been told the cameras in the wizards' world are making moving images. If you could tip Mum and Dad about it, I'd like one for Christmas.

Love, Ems."

Quidditch. Houses. People. Alys almost felt as if she was there.

She folded the paper again and ran back downstairs to wash the compulsory dishes with her mother. Yes, a camera to immortalise whatever Emy was seeing in that place was a great idea!


"Your turn."

Emy and Alys were seated in the family's living-room, a game of chess before them. Through the window, they could see a small cover of thin snow on the ground, although this close to the sea it was unlikely it'd linger.

Emy had come back for the holidays the day prior, bearing gifts and lots and lots of things to say. But that morning, she had pestered her twin to get out the old and battered chess board of their father's, because she had discovered that chess was something of a hobby in Hogwarts.

"Although the wizards' chess in much more violent. Its pieces actually kill each other!" she had said, but Alys found it more amusing than bad.

"So... Quidditch?" Alys tried to pry off her sister. She had not heard half enough about the game, and found it was one of the few things she'd love to witness for her own. Flying broomsticks were enough of a fantasy in the "normal" world not to add a breathtaking competition to it...

Emy smiled and moved a piece Alys immediately took. "It's amazing! You'd love it! There are several posts and balls. There is the Quaffle – its a big red ball you have to throw to one another and pass through loops – and three Chasers per team; the Bludgers – vicious balls that try to knock people off their brooms – and two Beaters per team to bat them away; and the Golden Snitch – a tiny tiny ball that flies so fast no one can sees it – and one Seeker per team. When the Seeker catches the Snitch, the game is over and his or her team gains 150 points."

Alys nodded. She knew that already. "Have you tried to play?"

Emy chuckled. "No! We've had one flying lesson, but I hated it!" She paused. Alys knew that her twin had a fear of heights, but she herself would have minded. "But...I prefer watching..."

A faint blush appeared on the girl's cheeks, and Alys's mouth opened in a perfect "O" before she pointed at her sister's face excitedly. "There's someone you fancy in your team!"

Emy shook her head violently. "Heck no! Ravenclaw players are rubbish. The best are in Gryffindor... Don't tell anyone I said that, but their Seeker and Keeper are the best in the whole school."

"Who are they and who do you fancy?" Alys placed her head on her hands while smiling wickedly.

"The Seeker's called Charlie Weasley. He's Fred and George's brother. He flies so well sometimes it looks as though he doesn't have a broom at all..." then her green eyes took a dreamy shade. "And the Keeper's Oliver. Oliver Wood..."

Alys let out a victory cry. "Ha! It's him you like!"

"Sssh!" Emy looked around to make sure none of their parents came to see what the clamours were for before continuing. "He's really handsome. And Scottish."

Alys laughed. The Scottish accent had always had a particular place in Emy's heart. She downright swooned when she heard the leader of Simple Minds – her favourite band speak. "I bet he is."

"Stop that. He'd never look at me anyway. He's in third year."

"So what?" Alys moved a piece again. "Check mate."

Emy sighed and pushed the board away. Her eyes went through the window, and a small smile formed on her lips as she seemed to reminisce a particularly nice memory. "I hope I can visit the boys next summer..."

Alys mirrored her smile. Emy had talked non-stop about her three best-friends in Hogwarts, surprisingly enough, Gryffindors. The two Weasley twins, Fred and George, who pranked everything and everyone and were probably holding a record for more detentions in one term; and their close friend, Lee Jordan. Emy being in Ravenclaw, the boys always tried to have her do their homework in their stead, and more often than not, she complied.

"If you can go, please ask if I can come as well..." Alys knew that the Weasleys were an old wizarding family, and as such, their house – or so the twins said – was full of magical objects and things and they'd both explore that for ages and not get bored.

"I'll ask, I promise. They're already asking if you're as stupid and boring as I am..." Emy snorted. "Well, anyway, that was before I put a toad in George's pants by making it levitate."

Alys burst out laughing. "Really?" Emy nodded, and they both laughed together.

Emy's wand was hidden in her trunk upstairs, because she could not do magic out of school until she was seventeen. Alys had been very upset about that rule, but Emy was adamant: she'd not go to prison for a simple spell.


Soon, Emy was back in Hogwarts. Her letters were lesser in number, but longer in content. And Alys felt ever and ever more bitter not to be there with her sister, because the magic school seem more and more amusing to be in.

Sometimes near March, Emy wrote that Marcus Flint – the idiot from Slytherin house who had been insulting her on the Hogwarts Express – had been knocked out of his broom by Charlie Weasley. This had end up in a crushing victory from Gryffindor, and the whole house had noisily celebrated late at night. Emy admitted that she had tried to sneak in with the help of the twins, but that she had been caught by Madam Hooch – the Quidditch referee – and had therefore gained her first ever detention. Which she had spent polishing broomsticks of course.

All in all, every time that James drove her to her ordinary and boring school, Alys just wanted to ditch lessons and travel far North.

So what should have happened did, eventually, when she launched a high and loud "My sister's a witch" during a particularly boring Maths class.

Her teacher, an old and severe man with a bushy dark grey moustache, glared at her for disturbing the peace and sent her over to the principal for saying 'such nonsense'.

But being in front of the principal didn't stop her. She started explaining in detail how their life was just too boring, that her sister was flying on brooms and cursing toads and making feathers levitate, and in the end, the kind and otherwise calm Miss Delaware had to call Alys' parents, as well as the school psychiatrist.

Amanda was fuming when she arrived. She snatched Alys from the doctor's grasp and shoved her inside the car, proclaiming that her daughter would attend another school as of the following day.

Alys sat in the car, defeated and somehow a bit ashamed also – she had some friends in that school in spite of everything – when her mother came back, still quite red in the face.

"Dare to tell me what that was about?"

Alys glanced at her mother's reflection in the rear-view mirror. She shrugged. "I was bored. I don't want to do Maths until the end of my school years!"

Amanda sighed and hid behind her hand for a moment. "Alright. I understand. Emy is away in a very exciting school. But maybe we can find you an equally exciting school just for yourself?"

Alys nodded, unconvinced. "Yeah, okay."

Amanda clicked the ignition, and the car roared to life. "Just stop telling everyone your sister turns people's hair blue! For one, they will think you're crazy; for two, it's not true."

Alys smirked to herself. Oh yes, it was true. The twins had shown her, and her first victim had been Angelina Johnson, whom she could not stand one bit. When Alys had asked why, Emy had shrugged the question off, until she bitterly answered that Johnson was trying to woo Oliver Wood, the handsome Keeper from Gryffindor...


In fact, Alys never changed school. After an unsuccessful trial at a boarding school near Poole, Amanda chose to sacrifice her job – which she wasn't keen on anyway – and to teach Alys at home. As a result, she felt more and more alone, but also, in paradox, better.

Not being near people who constantly reminded her that she was in-between normal and awesome was just too tiring mentally speaking.

Her sole regret was that Emy would not be home for Easter, having decided to stay at Hogwarts to study for her incoming exams. Things Alys would never have to worry about anymore.

Emy was, once again, her twin's salvation when she sent a letter explaining that she had learnt from Professor Flitwick that two other magic school existed in Europe: Durmstrang in Russia, which had an even nastier reputation than Slytherin; and Beauxbâtons in France. Alys then decided, against her mother's best judgement, to learn French.

So it was swallowed by the huge sofa in the living-room, watching for the hundredth time that week a movie called "La folie des grandeurs" – it was supposed to be funny, but as she did not understand the nuances, she needed more than one watch, see – that Alys received her next letter.

"Als,

Each day that passes, I love this school more and more. Fred says that the families may be allowed to visit once or twice if something important happens. I just hope something important will happen – you'd love the castle to bits.

I've been spending more time with the Gryffindors than my own House these last few months. Julie and Sally – the other girl in my dorm – don't like it much, but I don't care. The twins are just so funny... They've written their Mum to ask if we could visit this summer. We're still waiting for her answer. But Charlie – he's a bit intimidating when you've seen him on a broom but he's nice enough – bet two Galleons that she'd say no. I bet three she'd say yes...if the twins behaved. I'm sure I'll win.

Mum told me in her last letter that you've stopped school because of me. I'm sad that you had to feel left alone because of where I am, but I'm sure you'll be fine learning at home. Most people do nowadays.

Fay grows up so fast it's hard to keep track. Yesterday she came back to the dorm with a dead mouse. Julie almost had a fit. I laughed.

I met a strange girl last week. She's in seventh year, so I can't have seen her much before – the last years are always in their own corner, studying – but I just kept talking with her for about an hour. You won't believe it, but she can change appearance! She says she a Metamorphmagus, and that's it's really rare. Her hair turned from blonde to brown to purple in a matter of minutes, it was seriously amazing! Her name is Nymphadora, but she prefers to be called Tonks. Charlie said once that she'd try to be an Auror after school. Aurors are apparently the magical equivalent of secret agents. Wicked.

Anyway, I gotta go. I don't think I'll be able to write again before June. Except if I receive an answer for this summer at the Weasleys'.

Love, Emy.

PS: I've enclosed a photograph of the last Quiddict game – Gryffindot vs Ravenclaw. We won. I'm not sure I'm glad."

Alys took the small square of paper left in the envelope and chuckled. Her sister had taken a picture – moving as though it was – of Gryffindor's loops just as Oliver failed to stop a Quaffle. He was throwing his fist into the air in annoyance, and then the action repeated itself over and over again.

It was not the first time Emy managed to sneak a photo of the guy she had a crush on in one of her letters. And the first time, it had been a close-up. And Alys had had to admit that he was quite the eye-candy, especially in uniform.

She put the photo to the side, and went back to her movie. Her lips silently formed the word "Monseigneur" and she wrote it on the notebook she kept near. Another word to look up in her mother's dictionary...


"Mum, Dad, come on! We'll be late!" Alys pushed through the crowd, excusing herself as she knocked a purse out of its owner's hand.

Amanda and James trotted behind their daughter, trying and failing to slow her down as she made her way to platform 9.

She got through the hidden barrier on her own and grinned at the for-now empty platform. The train wasn't due until ten minutes later, but she did not want to miss its arrival. Her parents reached her a few moments later, and if she was chastised, she did not notice.

A few paces ahead, four red-haired people were sitting on a bench. The two younger children were playing with something their father, a slightly balding man, was conjuring with his wand, and the mother was tapping with her foot impatiently.

Alys felt a blush form to her cheeks and the mother noticed them and stood to greet them. Mrs Weasley was a small round woman who was wearing bright blue robes, but who looked extremely kind.

She smiled up at Alys' parents and shook their hands. "Molly Weasley. You should be Emily's parents, isn't that right?"

"We are, yes..." James answered, although he looked unsure as to how this woman could know of them.

"Your daughter surely told you everything about my boys, of course! They are the best of friends! And you," she looked at Alys', "surely are Emy's twin sister!"

"I am..." Alys smiled widely.

Mrs Weasley straightened and shouted over her shoulder for her husband and children. All three trotted to them, wearing quizzical looks on their faces.

"My husband, Arthur, and our two youngest: Ronald, and Ginny." The two children looked uncomfortable, and extremely young. They both clutched their father's hands as if they were afraid to let go. "Arthur, these are the Warrens."

Arthur Weasley's eyes widened and a goofy smile appeared on his lips. "Muggles, right! I'm so glad to finally meet you! I have a lot of questions to ask you!"

Mrs Weasley swatted her husband's. "Not now, Arthur!" She sent an apologetic glanced at their company. "My husband works for the Ministry of Magic. He is working close to Muggle artefacts, and it always has him in a state." She clapped in her hands. "Anyway! Fred and George have asked some time ago now if your girls could come visit during the summer. Do you have anything against it?"

Amanda and James exchanged a surprised look, before both glanced down at Alys. She frowned, and they shook their heads in unison. "Nothing at all... But..." James swallowed, "where do you live, exactly?"

Arthur smiled widely. "Oh, it'd be easier if I came to fetch the children myself! I have a car, it'd be far easier this way!"

"Oh... Then alright."

Alys contained herself but wanted to jump up and down. And because a happy news scarcely came alone, a whistle nearby announced the train's arrival.


As they talked with the Weasleys, Alys had not noticed that the platform had progressively been filled with awaiting families. She pushed her way to the first row and watched as the red head of the Hogwarts Express appeared at the end of the platform.

She started shifting on her feet, waiting for a blonde head to appear at a window, anything, and soon, her pleas were answered: Emy's face appeared at the door of a compartment, framed by two freckled faces looking perfectly identical. Fred and George, no doubt.

The train hissed as it stopped, and as soon as it had, Alys wrenched the door opened and launched herself onto her sister, hugging her as tight as she could.

Behind Emy, the twins were laughing. "Well, you told us your sister was a nut, Ems..."

Alys freed her twin and frowned at the two. "You got a problem?"

"Oooh," said one, "feisty." He stepped out of the train and outstretched a hand. "Fred Weasley. And this is my delightful brother, George." Said George nodded his greetings.

Alys made a face. "Charmed."

Emy laughed and put an arm over her sister's shoulders. "You'll warm up to these idiots. They're almost as infuriating as you are."

Alys glared at her sister's friends, and then directed her other to their parents, who were still talking with the Weasleys.

One year down...six to go...