A/N : Hello again, we are already working on the next chapter and hope to have it up soon. Updates may slow down due to exams but we will still try and update as often as we can. Thanks for reading! Please review, follow and favourite!
Scarlett POV
Summer at the Holmes household was nothing like I had ever experienced. Mrs Holmes, although kind, just left us be and we rarely saw Mrs Holmes. Mycroft came over every day, even if he didn't stay very long, he ensured that we knew that if we needed anything we could contact him in emergency's and he would come. It was brilliant! We knew that there were people around if we needed them and that Mycroft was only a call away, but we were given our own space. Ariella and I had grown very close and we now considered each other sisters. It helped that we could read each other's minds, but as well as this, Harry had come out of his shell more. Sherlock had spent some time with him, and we aren't sure what he did, but he had changed Harry for the better.
During my stay at the Holmes', it came too Ariella's birthday. I could tell she was excited to be eleven. I went out with Harry to buy a gift for Ariella. Recently I had learnt that she loved to read and was very intelligent so I decided to get her some books on magical history and music. Harry got her some candy and some food for her phoenix which she called Harmony and mine was called Flint. If you didn't know mine is a boy fire Phoenix. The name flint means spark and he loves to spark all the time.
When we gave her the gifts she was practically bouncing of the walls she was so happy. She was given a new guitar from Sherlock (she plays guitar and piano) and she was taken to see Wicked by her parents. We got to go to which was a bonus! She was completely spoiled by Mycroft and got loads of things from him including an umbrella. We all laughed at that one.
But all good things have to come to an end. However sometimes there are greater things ahead and tomorrow is the day that we go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I'm all packed and ready to go. I'm so excited. So there I am in my bed at the Holmes house waiting for tomorrow. I know it will be an fantastic year or so I thought…
It turns out I didn't need an alarm clock. I woke up to Ariella jumping on my bed and screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Get Up! We are going to Hogwarts!" she practically screamed in my face.
"Thanks for the wake up call although i'm pretty sure you just woke up the whole street" I say refusing to get out of the comfy bed.
"Fine you leave me no choice," she replied now sitting on my bed.
'GET UP' she said in he mind to me so loud that I rolled out of bed and onto the floor.
"Ouch!" I say and Ariella just bursts into a fit of giggles, which I am not very amused by.
"Come on, Mycroft will want us to leave in an hour." Ariella said. I jumped off the floor and grabbed some clothes from my wardrobe and followed Ariella to the kitchen to get breakfast. At the table Sherlock was looking through a microscope, this was a regular thing and Harry was desperately trying to make conversation with him.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" Ariella asked me nibbling on a piece of toast.
"House?" What on earth is she talking about.
"Of course how silly of me, I didn't tell you that there are four houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. My whole family were in Ravenclaw." She said smiling slightly.
"Are family always in the same house? I have no idea what house my parents were in." I asked.
"People are often in the same house, it often depends on how they were raised. There are some families that you just presume will be in a particular house. Malfoy's are usually Slytherin, Weasley's are Gryffindors, Diggory's are Hufflepuffs and as I already said Holmes' are Ravenclaws. It doesn't always work though. Your parents were Gryffindors."
"Do the houses represent anything?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, Gryffindors represent courage, Ravenclaws are intelligent, Hufflepuff's are kind and loyal, while Slytherins are cunning. Slytherin is usually associated with the dark arts and Gryffindor are normally the ones that fight them. Hufflepuffs usually try and keep the peace or stay out of it, while Ravenclaws are smart enough to be friends with both sides and avoid conflict from either. Of course they are also the ones that try to be too clever and end up in trouble that way." She explained laughing at the last part. "Sometimes it is not necessarily things that they are but things that they value, so if you value courage over cunning but have both equally you will end up in Gryffindor."
"Can Slytherins and Gryffindors be friends?" I ask trying to compute all the information being given to me.
"It's not unheard of but it is quite rare. Equally Slytherins and Hufflepuffs don't usually get on as Slytherin tend to pick on the Hufflepuffs as easy targets" She said shrugging. "Again some Hufflepuffs and Slytherins do get on, Andromeda Black, a Slytherin, married Ted Tonks, a muggleborn Hufflepuff. That is incredibly unusual. Saying that, just the muggleborn part is unusual." She responded.
"When do we leave." I asked, thinking over the information I had just been given.
"Right now." Mycroft said walking into the room with that umbrella again, "Children we need to go to the station. All your luggage is in the car except your animals so go and get them and we will meet outside. You have two minutes." We all sprinted to our rooms and grabbed our animals.
"Flint! Here boy," I called for my feathery friend. He came and landed on my shoulder, he's still quite small but I love him dearly.
I met everyone back at the car and hopped in. This was going to be a great adventure. I couldn't wait.
Ariella POV
We're going to Hogwarts! We're going to Hogwarts! I chanted in my head. As soon as the car stopped, I leapt out of the car quickly.
"Ariella! Slow down!" Scarlett called, chasing after me. "Do we even know what platform it is?"
"Of course, I do. Platform 9 and ¾." I responded quickly, scoffing slightly at the idea that I would go running off without knowing. Who does she think I am?
"Platform 9 ¾? There's no such thing… is there?" she asked.
"Yup." I said popping the 'p'. She shook her head slightly in disbelief.
"Umm. Ariella. We left our luggage… and our brothers." Scarlett exclaimed slowing down and looking behind us.
"It's fine. I guarantee at least Sherlock and Mycroft were expecting us to. Mycroft will have Anthea cover it if Sherlock and Harry can't cope with the bags." I waved it off.
She looked at me oddly, before jogging to catch up with me.
"So how do we get there?" she queried.
"You'll see." I grinned smugly.
I slowed down as we got nearer to the barrier separating Platform's 9 and 10.
"It's the same every year packed with Muggles of course. Come on!" I looked to my left to see the Weasleys minus Arthur Weasley. I had never got on with Molly, Ronald and Ginevra Weasley but the rest of the Weasleys were very nice including the absent Weasley patriarch.
"Platform 9 ¾ this way! All right Percy you first. Fred you next." Molly called to her children. Honestly! Does that woman care about the statute of secrecy!
"He's not Fred I am!"
"Honestly, woman you call yourself our mother!"
"I'm sorry George."
"Only joking! I am Fred." I grinned to myself. Sherlock appeared next to me.
"Shall we annoy her just before Ronald goes through. Herself and Ginevra will go last but if we go before Ron…" He grinned mischievously at me, I smiled. George followed straight after Fred. leaving Molly, Ginevra and Ronald left. Time to execute our plan.
Sherlock took my hand and we ran straight at the barrier just as Ron started to walk lazily up to the barrier. Laughing, Sherlock and I emerged out the other side of the barrier. We high-fived and waited for the others to walk through. Quickly after us, a grumpy looking Molly came through talking under her breath, no doubt about us. Then a scared looking Scarlett and Harry.
"What's wrong with you two?"
"She had a massive go at us because of you two not waiting" She shouted jokingly, poking me in the ribs playfully while I was laughing my head off.
Then Mycroft emerged with a look of disapproval on his face. I looked at the floor, shuffling slightly. I hated disappointing my brothers.
"All aboard!" The conductor yelled over the commotion of the busy station. I squealed.
"Right, brother, sister and Potters go and get on the train and don't forget your animals."The excitement faded slightly and tears started to leak out of the corners of my eyes. I hugged Mycroft tightly who, uncharacteristically, hugged me back just as tightly. He kissed the top of my head before pushing me away slightly.
"Go on then Aria. Write me. If you need anything then just ask." Mycroft said pulling me in for a last hug.
"Last call for the Hogwarts Express!" The conductor shouted. Scarlett took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. With both our pets on our shoulders we got onto the train with Sherlock and Harry following us.
We managed to find a carriage with nobody in it and all sat down. A few more tears left my eyes as I watched the train leave the station.
"Are you alright?" Scarlett asked, concern lacing her voice. "Just think we are going to Hogwarts! And you will excel in all your classes. I will be lucky if I even pass one." she said causing me to laugh.
"Please Scarlett. You may not think so, but you really are smart. You will pass your classes with flying colours I promise." I said laughing through my tears.
"I am not. You're much smarter than me. For example what are the four houses again? I can't remember" Scarlett questioned me.
"That's just because I was raised in the wizarding world. Plus, I can tell you are just trying to make me feel better. You know the houses really." I said producing a watery smile.
"Oh do I now? Well -" she was interrupted by the trolley witch
"Anything off the trolley dears?" She asked kindly smiling. Scarlett stood up quickly.
"I'm going to pay for everyone, so can we please have one of everything" scarlett asked with a kind smile and handing the witch some galleons. "Thank you" she said to the now departing witch. "Here you go guys."She says putting the sweets and chocolate on the spear seat next to me. No one moved. "Is no one going to eat?" she questioned.
"That was kind. Why would you spend your money on us?" Sherlock speaks up.
"Well why wouldn't I? I consider you all my best friends so please eat." she replies with a reassuring smile. I smile wiping my tears away. I picked up the small bag of chocolate covered honeycomb, at the same time Scarlett lunged for a chocolate frog. Sherlock took a gummy worm and Harry a jelly slug. Silently we ate our treats before Scarlett picked up the Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and grinned evilly.
"How about we play a game?"
"Oh no. No way do I trust you with them." I said snatching them away. We had played a game with some of the beans Harry gave me for my birthday. We each picked a bean for someone else to eat and Scarlett kept managing to pick the worst beans for everyone.
"Aww c'mon. It will be fun!" Scarlett says grinning.
"Fine." I said begrudgingly. "But only because you are my best friend." She squealed and hugged me.
"Okay. You can have that one, and you that one, and then lastly Ariella, here's yours." She said handing a bean to each of us. I grinned and picked a gross orange one to Scarlett. She groaned.
"Really?" She groaned. "I know that's going to be sick!" she continued to groan. "Oh fine, but we have got to eat them at the same time." she said grabbing the bean.
I smirked slightly, but slightly scared. All I knew was that nothing could be worse than the vomit flavoured one!
"On the count of 3." Harry commented "1...2...3!" we all popped the beans into our mouths.
I felt my face contort. I thought it was cherry or something, it turned out to be cinnamon! Don't get me wrong, I like cinnamon but that concentrated…
I wasn't the only one who had a gross one though. Scarlett was on the seat next to me with her tongue out and her furiously wiping it. As if that would help. Sherlock looked slightly completive as if trying to figure out what his actually was, while Harry looked quite satisfied. His was evidently okay.
"Ahhh… I'm never letting you pick for me again. Next time Sherlock can pick for me. Yuck!" Scarlett groaned, still swiping at her tongue. I opened the bottle of untouched pumpkin juice next to me and passed it to Scarlett, feeling slightly guilty, I sipped at my bottle of butterbeer.
"Sorry?" I asked, hoping I was forgiven. She still looked slightly put out but hugged me nonetheless.
The next few hours were spent laughing, although I am pretty sure I fell asleep at one point.
Suddenly a girl entered, "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." I looked to the others, at there shrugs, I turned to the girl.
"No. I'm sorry. I'm Ariella Holmes, this is my brother Sherlock, and our friends, Harry and Scarlett." I said pointing to my brother and the Potter's.
"Hermione Granger. Holy Cricket! You're the Potter twins!" She introduced, before looking properly at the twins.
Scarlett and Harry looked uncomfortable. "Umm, yeah, I guess." Scarlett spoke.
"They prefer to be known as just Harry and Scarlett though. Being famous for something you don't even remember, that lost you you're parents, does that." I said on Scarlett's behalf, having heard her grumble it in her head.
"Oops, sorry. You four better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon." Hermione said shyly, before turning on her heel and leaving, no doubt to search for Neville's toad again. I bet it was Neville Longbottom. We have met him a few times and he is the most forgetful and clumsy person I have ever met.
"Off you go then boys. We need to change." Scarlett said shooing the boys away. Sherlock raised his eyebrow but said nothing, he kissed me on the cheek, collected his stuff and left. Harry followed soon after, having copied Sherlock's move and kissed Scarlett on the cheek.
"Come on then. Hermione's right, we need to get changed. We have been on this train, for what feels like forever." She moaned slightly.
We quickly changed and the boys rejoined us. The rest of the train ride was spent in silence, all of us nervous and tense. Suddenly, when before I couldn't wait for Hogwarts, I wanted to stay on this train and ride it back to London, Mycroft and my parents. Unfortunately, I had to get off and as the train slowed down we stood up. Sherlock took my hand and Scarlett took Harry's and we walked out of the compartment together, all us nervous as each other, Sherlock possibly less than the rest of us, our birds on our shoulders. We stepped off the train and turned to face Hagrid, who was about to lead us to either the best seven years of our lives, or a nightmare. Neither of us were confident on which we were heading to as of now.