Ella

The view was amazing from the little boats. The castle, with all of its slightly creepy low-lighting was the most magical thing I'd seen in my whole life. It was definitely worth the work of rowing, like I got stuck with. Jacen got lucky enough to get to hold up the lamp.

Once we'd docked, Hagrid got us out, and we walked up a small stone path to the castle, into the great chamber where a woman with green eyes like our mum's and graying auburn hair was waiting.

"Hello, Lily," Hagrid said. "Jus' brought in this year's firs' years."

"Thank you, Hagrid," she said, nodding politely, and Hagrid entered the Great Hall, leaving us with the professor.

"I am one of the Professor Potters," she said as a means of introduction. "I'm the one who teaches Alchemy to third-years and above. You'll have me in two years, some of you."

Everyone stared at her, most of them blankly, although Jacen had a look of pure fascination.

"You are about to get sorted," Professor Potter continued. "For those of you who don't know, there are four houses at this school. Each house encourages certain character traits. You will eat, sleep, and go to classes with your house, and earn points when you do something right, and lose points for your house when you break the rules. The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

She eyed us all carefully, and I swear, there was this look of unease when she saw me and Jacen.

It's as if she knows who our father is, Jacen sent to me.

She's our grandmother, she probably knows, I replied mentally.

Yeah, but she hasn't ever seen us to know, Jacen argued.

I actually shrugged. Who knows, Jay?

"Some houses," Professor Potter began. "Have more respectable reputations than others. What you do, though, may ultimately result in the shift as to how your house is viewed."

"When your name is called, you will come forward, and try on our Sorting Hat," Professor Potter finished. "Good luck."

With that, the doors to the Great Hall swung open. Hundreds, maybe thousands of faces stared at us as we went in. I immediately felt nervous, even though I knew that I didn't need to feel scared of the Sorting Hat.

"The Sorting Hat is never wrong," Daddy had told us.

The Hat stood on a stool, and everybody waited until it began to sing.

"Another year

Come to pass

It's time to sort

Another class

Houses, houses,

There are four

One with a caw

One with a roar

One with a hiss

And one with no sound.

Yet what are they?

Let's have a look around.

First is mighty Gryffindor

Flaming yellow and gold

Those lions are chivalrous,

Brave, and bold.

The house of heroes,

They say

Yet remember that not all lions

Save the day.

Second is clever Ravenclaw,

Soaring bronze and blue

Creativity, intelligence,

Cleverness is for you.

Yet some of you

Quoth the Raven-

NEVERMORE, you say,

To this sky haven.

Third is sweet Hufflepuff,

The earthen yellow and black

Of kindness and friendship,

Those badgers that never then back.

Talentless? Heavens, no!

You just 'Puffs

Work hard

And have the right stuff.

Last but not least is shadowy Slytherin,

Swimming in silver and green,

Cleverness, ambition, ah,

Politics are your scene.

Some say you're evil

Don't believe them

You just channel your darkness

You've found your stem.

Now that you've learned

About the Found Four

Which will be your home

Forevermore?

Come along,

Put me on,

Let me take a look

And I'll tell you where you belong."

I was one of the few that clapped for the hat. Professor Potter stepped forwards, and read the names off of a list from a man in glasses with black hair like mine and Jacen's, the type of messy that could be called wavy, that sort of perfectly messy.

"Alvarez, Lolita."

A girl of Hispanic descent bravely ascended the steps. Within a few seconds, she was sent to Gryffindor.

I lost track quickly of the names. There were so many of them, mostly common muggle names. There were actually a few with the same last names.

"Emrys, Ella!" Profesor Potter barked. I jumped, and scurried up to the stool. There was laughter from the students. My face turned red, and I clenched my robes in my fists as I sat down on the stool.

"Ah, Miss Emrys at last. You really are your father's child," the hat said to me in a small voice.

I don't know. I'm often much happier than he is.

"That you take from your mother. She's definitely the optimistic one."

Well, what house do you want to put me in, then?

"You're curious, you're intelligent, and you have a zest for learning. All the markings of a Ravenclaw."

No, please not that.

"Why not?"

Most of the Death Eaters were from Ravenclaw.

"Trust me, Ella."

Fine. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

"You'll thank me later."

"RAVENCLAW!" The house shouted for the whole hall to hear. My tie and the lining of my robes turned blue and bronze. The Hogwarts badge on my robes turned to a Ravenclaw crest.

I stepped down, and sat at the table with the other Ravenclaws.

"Emrys, Jacen!"

Good luck, Jacen, I sent to him.

Thanks.

Jacen

Good luck, Ella had sent to me.

Thanks, I'd replied, as I stepped up onto the stool where my grandmother, Professor Potter, placed the Sorting Hat on my head. I closed my eyes, unable to take in the eyes of the Great Hall.

"Ah, clever boy," the hat whispered. "Studious, and such curiosity, such zest for learning, and such deep-thinking skills. A real philosopher. Why don't you want to be in Ravenclaw?"

I'm scared that I'll go bad, I thought. What if I get enamored by the dark arts? What if I start looking for forbidden knowledge? What if I-

"Why all the doubts, Mr. Emrys?" The sorting hat asked.

I sighed.


I am in Mr. Ollivander's wand shop, getting my wand. "Switch," he says, looking at me and Ella.

We look at each other, and exchange the wands we were trying. Immediately, I feel warmth in my hand, and joy, and sparks shoot out of both of our wands.

"I thought those wands were made for twins," Mr. Ollivander says, looking us over. He places Ella's in a box and brings it to his cash register. He comes back for mine, and freezes, looking at me apologetically, with a look that says "I am so sorry."

"Take heed," Ollivander whispers, looking at me with those unblinking silver eyes. "I sense a troubled path ahead. A path in darkness, Mr. Emrys. Watch what you choose."


I remembered the incident with shame. I had some wand destined for evil or something. Anyone else would worry. I definitely did. I didn't even want to touch it, because of the warning. I sometimes was up at night, just thinking about the things that might happen.

"You get to choose what happens, Mr. Emrys," the hat said, now sounding sympathetic. "But I know your house for certain."

I nodded.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted out. My tie, robe lining, all of it, changed to Ravenclaw colors and markings. The Ravenclaw table cheered especially loud, now that they had the Wonder-Twins of the wizarding savior and widely considered blood-traitor (Daddy definitely brought a different perspective to it, let me tell you that).

I sat down next to Ella and hugged her.

I'm so happy that we're in the same house.

Me too.

We separated and turned in time for the next name.

"Evans, Marlene-Jade!"

Mara-Jade tossed back her dark red hair, and sat down on the stool. Despite how proud she looked, there was nervousness in her amber eyes. Hers seemed to drag on and on, and she looked more and more panicked.

"SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat had finally cried out. She reluctantly stood and went over to the mass of green and silver.

We can still be friends, I hope, I thought.

Wow, you really liked her, didn't you, Jay?

I cursed under my breath. Shut up, Els.

There were more names, until another one we recognized came up.

"Holly, Kieran!"

Kieran had walked up. As soon as the hat touched her head, it shouted out, "RAVENCLAW!"

We cheered as loud as anyone when she sat down, across from me and Ella.

It was a while later, though, when "Skywalker, Rowan," was called up. It only took a few minutes for the Sorting Hat to declare him, "GRYFFINDOR!"

We clapped for him anyway as he joined the Gryffindors.

A while later, the Sorting Ceremony had ended.

"Let the Welcoming Feast. . . Begin!" Headmistress McGonagall declared. Food appeared on the table, on dishes. First-years began to talk.

"I'm Peter," a lanky blond kid with thick dark frames said. "Peter Blackburn. I come from a muggle family. I used to be interested in computers and programming, and then I just get this letter to Hogwarts, and all that goes up in smoke."

"Well, I'm sorry," I said, not sure what else to say.

Peter shrugged. "It's fine, I guess. Being an Arithmancer sounds more exciting."

I nodded, smiling. "Peter, I think we're going to get on just fine."

He laughed. "Totally. So, you're the son of Ky Emrys, is that right?"

I nodded.

"That must be difficult- I assume you know what he's done," he asserted.

"I know enough," I said vaguely. "And no, it isn't really. Not with my mum."

"Who is she?" Peter asked.

"Alice Potter," I said smugly. I glanced up at the staff table, and at that very moment, the older two Professor Potters were staring at me and Ella, and they were definitely whispering some stuff.

Drop it, Jay. None of it can be good.

I know, I know, especially since they can't stand Daddy, but still.

"So the Potter teachers are your grandparents and uncle, respectively?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," I said. "But that doesn't mean anything in favoritism. You see, my father and my mother's family don't get along very well. Neither does Mum, come to think of it."

"Wow," he replied. "I wonder if it's because Harry Potter might've been jealous of Alice."

"I think she said something about that," I answered as I sipped some of the pumpkin juice, and nearly spat it out.

"Foul stuff, isn't it?" Ella teased.

"Yeah," I agreed. I looked over to Peter. "Peter, this is my twin sister, Ella. Ella, meet Peter Blackburn."

"Nice to meet you," Ella said, and she shook his hand awkwardly over the table. She gestured over to the two guys beside her, one with dark hair and a lop-sided smile, and another with reddish gold hair. "This is Gavin, and Tip. Boys, meet my brother of few words, Jacen."

I smiled. "Hi."

Gavin, the dark-haired one, gave me a smirk. "So, a member of magical society," he said.

I nodded.

"Must be uncomfortable, having all of these muggle intruders," he said, and I could already see that someone was intent on picking a fight with me.

"Not really," I said. "It's always exciting, meeting people from a different culture."

Ella took that quote as an opportunity to slam her head into the table.

"Are you saying the muggles are some exotic race to you?" Gavin demanded.

Ella, I'm gonna kill you for this, I sent grimly. "No, no, my father's of non-magical background. I-I like non-magical people, I really do."

Gavin looked satisfied by this answer and nodded. "Good. Lighten up, man."

With that, I looked back at Peter, who just shrugged.

Professor McGonagall stood as the dishes disappeared about half an hour later.

"Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts, for those of you coming for the first time. For those returning, we welcome you back. I have a few announcements. The first is a reminder that anything from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is banned, and being found in possession of an item of that brand is worth detention. For other banned items, please refer to the full list that is in Mr. Filch's office which is open for viewing. The second is that the forest on campus is off-limits to everyone. The third is that only third-years and above with signed permission forms may go to Hogsmeade.

"The fourth is from the Auror office, concerning the Knights of Walpurgis," Headmistress McGonagall announced with a sigh. I straightened up. At home, I heard some of the stuff about the work of the Auror office, one of which being the Knights of Walpurgis. Also, I'd seen the night-owl that would occasionally send the letter with the Dark Mark stamped on it, meant for Daddy.

"Madam Emrys would like to announce that anyone that has any information on the Knights of Walpurgis and its members will be rewarded handsomely, in house points and in galleons. She would also like to mention that with the Knights of Walpurgis as am extension of the Death Eaters, activities involved with the Knights of Walpurgis are indeed illegal and can be punished by the Wizengamot," McGonagall explained.

Ella and I noticed both the same thing on our grandparents' faces.

They don't like Mum all that much either.

I sighed. How anyone could justify the Death Eater cause was beyond me. Ironic, I know, when my father was a Death Eater himself at one point- but I still don't understand it, even now that I'm older.

Really, Jacen? It sounded a lot like you got it.

Ella, no more spoilers! I don't do this during your turn when you narrate.

Yes you do.

Not like you do. Anyways, that's not the point.

"That is all. Prefects, please guide your students to your common rooms," McGonagall said.

I followed the other Ravenclaws around until we were at the top of a tower, where there was a giant eagle-shaped knocker. One prefect, a seventh-year, I think, used the knocker.

"What came first, the Phoenix or the flame?" The door-knocker asked. I considered it immediately. Well, I think according to the Phoenix legend, they're born from hope. That's what both can become a symbol.

"Neither, hope is what comes first," I muttered.

"Very good use of symbolism," the door-knocker answered. Everyone looked around, as to who it was that had answered.

"Who said that?" The seventh-year asked. Everyone looked around and shrugged. I slowly stepped forwards, and the crowd parted.

"I guess I did. I said that neither the Phoenix nor the flame is first- both are symbols of rebellion, which are started by hope that things can get better," I explained, feeling nervous and self-conscious.

"You're Alice Emrys's kid, right?" The seventh-year asked.

I nodded. He chuckled.

"Makes sense that it her son would talk about rebellion," the seventh-year said before he entered. "Come on in, make yourself at home."

My eyes drank in the common-room. There were beautifully laid marble floors, and Grecian pillars surrounding the main common room. There were little tiers, and there were silken chaises and polished ebony tables with dainty tablecloths on and plenty of golden astrology devices at the windows. There were little alcoves with shelves of books and throw-pillows to sit on, and there were curtains blowing with some ethereal wind that wasn't coming through the windows.

"Come along, sit down," a prefect ordered. She looked haughty and cold, with blue-gray eyes like ice and platinum blond hair in a tight, restrained bun. I did so, next to Ella, Kieran, Gavin, Tip, and Peter.

Ella

"My name is Jacqueline Zethes," the ice-girl prefect began. "Welcome to Ravenclaw. You are a part of the brightest students in a bright new generation."

We all stared up at her.

"Ravenclaw is a family of bright, curious, innovative students who bring about change, the thing that betters society and moves it forward," Zethes continued. Not always, I thought. Daddy didn't exactly bring great things to Ravenclaw.

"I understand some of you have heard the rumors," Zethes continued. "Let's start with the facts. The rumor? That we are the house of evil. The fact? In Riddle War II, the war with the Death Eaters, 80% of the house was allied with the Death Eaters. Yes, it was one change that wasn't in short term for the better, but in the long-term, it provided us with a much more adept government.

"And I know the name that many of you have heard that everyone thinks of when Ravenclaws come to mind of late- Ky Emrys," Zethes said.

I sat up a little straighter. This ought to be good.

"Emrys was a hypocrite, a true blood-traitor," Zethes seethed. "Yes, he pursued forbidden knowledge, but we disown him."

"Excuse me?" Before I knew it, the words came out of my mouth.

Zethes glared at me icily. "Emrys's daughter, am I right?" She asked.

"Yes," I said defiantly.

"I assume then that your father hasn't told you enough, has he?" She asked.

"My mother and father have told me a lot, and when I look at the facts, yes, my father screwed up big time. The Battle of London Bridge was a tragedy. Yet my father turned himself in. Also, he helped duel Voldemort himself at the Battle of Hogwarts, and works as a renown Healer. Why shouldn't Ravenclaw be proud that one of their alumni is the most powerful wizard alive?" I reasoned.

"Because his other crimes were inexcusable, child," Zethes answered sharply. "Anyways, despite what the Emrys child might have to say, we in Ravenclaw don't condone that sort of behavior."

I tuned out the rest of her speech.

Els? You okay?

I just can't believe her. I gave evidence and-

You knew this was going to happen, though. We knew it would happen.

True enough, I sent, and I shrugged.

"Girls dorms are on the right, boys on the left," Zethes finished. I nodded, and got to my feet, as I went into the tower, and looked around for the room with my name in it. We were assigned five per room. The tower was absolutely huge. I had to believe magic was used to pack space in.

Luckily, I found that I was at least rooming with Kieran, although the other names were quite unfamiliar.

"Hopefully, this'll go okay," Kieran said, twisting a bracelet on her hand.

"Yeah," I agreed. We walked in, and I saw three other girls, one a brunette with olive skin and hazel eyes, a girl with beautiful brown skin and kinky curls, and another brunette with freckled light skin and watery blue eyes, chatting away.

"Oh, that's right, you're Ella Emrys, so that means you must be Kieran Holly, is that right?" The girl with dark skin asked.

We both nodded. She smiled.

"My name's Heather Thomas," she said. "These two are Harper Russo and

Courtney Johnson."

"I'm Harper," the hazel-eyed one said.

"So, I know that I'm a half-blood, and so's Ella, but are the rest of you muggle-born?" Heather asked.

"Yeah," Kieran, Harper, and Courtney said in unison.

"Wow," I said. "I really want to ask some questions. What's the muggle world like? What's a phone and a phone number?"

Courtney, Harper, and Kieran exchanged a sly expression. "We're gonna be up all night, aren't we?"

I nodded. "Let's get started, ladies."