Two's Company
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC, magically powerful Harry. Dumbledore/Weasley bashing.
The members of the Hogwarts staff, who had remained at the castle over Christmas, were just enjoying their Christmas dinner in the Great Hall, when Fawkes appeared in a bright flash.
#You old coot,# Fawkes trilled in the direction of the headmaster, the only person assembled who was able to comprehend his trills.
Severus watched in silent amusement how Albus profusely apologized to the phoenix and asked him to not leave him.
#I will remain your familiar for the time being, and you can thank the Potter twins for this decision,# Fawkes replied, causing the headmaster's eyes to widen.
"Fawkes, where are the twins?" he enquired in apparent excitement.
#That's for me to know and for you to never find out,# Fawkes replied, before he jumped over to the old wizard in a bright flash, setting the headmaster's long, white beard on fire.
"Careful, Fawkes," Poppy said, gently, causing Severus to smirk.
'I'm sure that wasn't an accident,' he thought in amusement, while Albus tried in vain to extinguish the flames that threatened to spread to his face.
#That's your punishment for making me abduct the nestlings against their wish. You will have to get rid your beard,# Fawkes informed the headmaster, before he left in a bright flash.
Albus translated the phoenix' words, before he gave Theresa a pleading look. "Could you please try to get rid of these flames?"
Theresa and Poppy did their best; however, they had to vanish every single hair of his beard to be able to stop the fire.
"I'm sorry, Albus, but you probably won't be able to re-grow it," Theresa informed him in a firm voice that made it clear that she did not feel sorry for the old wizard.
Severus efficiently tried to hide his smirk behind a blank expression.
HP
At the welcoming feast a week later, all students stared at the headmaster in surprise – including the twins, who had returned to Hogwarts together with their grandmother earlier that day and were enjoying their dinner at the Ravenclaw table.
"Apparently, his phoenix punished him for something," one of two fifth-years, who had remained at Hogwarts during the holidays," informed their house-mates.
"Yeah, he set his beard on fire," the other added, grinning. "It was much fun."
"He seems like a different person without his beard," one of the first-years blurted out in apparent amazement.
'He looks much younger,' Henry thought to Harry, grinning in amusement.
'Fawkes did well,' he replied, somehow feeling contented with the phoenix' revenge.
HP
During the following months, people only slowly became used to the headmaster's new, beard-less face.
The Bloody Baron told the twins that Dumbledore had been wearing a beard for more than 120 years, so that it was no wonder that the magical world took so long to get used to it.
Even the Daily Prophet posted an article on the front page about the matter and even went as far as explaining exactly what had happened and why Dumbledore's phoenix had felt it necessary to punish the headmaster of Hogwarts.
"I wonder how they knew all the details," Minerva said, when she had tea with the other heads of the houses and the healers, like they did every evening after curfew.
However, no one was able to answer her question. The only thing that they all knew was that none of them had spoken to anyone outside of Hogwarts about the matter.
If the twins had an idea what could have happened, they did not inform anyone about it.
HP
Minerva was still upset at the headmaster due to his behaviour towards her and the twins. To her amusement, the lack of his beard reminded him of the matter every day. Making use of the headmaster's bad consciousness towards her and the twins, Minerva convinced him to leave all decisions concerning the primary school to her as his deputy.
Since Remus felt that he was able to teach classes even on the day after the full moon due to the improved Wolfsbane potion, from the following school year onwards, he continued teaching the twins' class, while Theresa took over the new six-year-olds' class.
During the following years, Minerva did not hire Molly Weasley as a teacher, like Dumbledore had already planned for the redhead. Instead, she and the other heads of the houses yearly discussed the seventh-year students, so that she could hire a promising graduate, when they added another class to the primary school.
To her relief, not only the twins, but all the other children of the primary school, seemed to be happy with her choices of teachers.
HP
During the five years of their primary school time, the pupils of Harry's and Henry's class became good friends with each other. There were only two outsiders, one of them being Ronald Weasley, the other Pansy Parkinson.
Pansy somehow did not want to adapt to the group and continued repeatedly stating that she and Draco were better than, for example, the Potter and Bones twins, as they were only half-bloods, while Draco and she were purebloods.
"But they're better in class and at Quidditch than you," Draco told her multiple times – to no avail.
Ronald threw a temper tantrum each time the children played Quidditch in two teams. Remus usually chose two children as captains, who would then choose the members of their teams. Somehow, due to his attitude of declaring that he was better than anyone else at flying, which he could not prove by actions, he always got chosen last if at all – no matter who the teams' captains were. Consequently, he always complained that he did not get the position he wanted, stating that everyone was biased towards the twins, who were always chosen due to being known as absolutely brilliant as Seekers, even if they did not really like playing against each other.
It was only towards the end of their primary school time that a looming thought became words.
"We won't be able to have classes all together, once we're students," Draco was the first to voice it.
"That's true," Daphne agreed, sounding sad.
"I wonder where we're going to be sorted," Padma added.
"Will we at least be able to study together?" her sister Pavarti asked, looking at the twins, questioningly.
"Don't they have something like study rooms, where everyone can study together with their friends?" Draco enquired, giving Harry and Henry a curious look.
"We'll speak with our Granny…"
"… and ask if she can make a study room for us," the twins promised.
"Please do so," Draco replied, imploringly.
"It's unfair to have us study together for five years…"
"… only to separate us after the Sorting," Susan and Sandra commented what everyone else thought.
HP
Later the same day, the twins spoke with their Granny about the matter.
"Study rooms seem like a good idea," she replied, seemingly pensive. "I can't promise anything, but I'll suggest the matter to my colleagues and the headmaster. Lastly, the decision lays with him," she added, causing the twins to groan in annoyance.
"He is the headmaster after all," she told them in a firm voice, smiling at their expressions of pure annoyance.
She decided to address the topic during one of the last staff meetings of the school year.
"What do you think about the idea of making study rooms for each year, so that all students who wish to do so will be able to study together, independently of their house affiliation?" she spoke up, once the headmaster was through with his agenda.
Some of her colleagues looked at her in surprise, while Theresa and Remus nodded in agreement, apparently having heard of the children's suggestion already.
"Let me guess, it was the Potter twins' idea," Albus was the first to comment, giving her a look of what seemed to be indignation.
"No, actually, I overheard the children's conversation, and it was Draco Malfoy's idea," Remus contradicted in a firm voice.
'As if that was any better from Albus' point of view,' Minerva thought with a combination of amusement and annoyance.
"No," Albus refused right away. "It's important for the twins to get sorted into Gryffindor and live up to the expectations of the magical world, considering who their parents were," he explained, causing Minerva to scoff.
"Albus," Filius spoke up, seemingly pensive, "what gives you the impression that the twins were going to be sorted into Gryffindor? To me, they clearly seem to be candidates for Ravenclaw."
"Absolutely," Remus agreed, nodding his head.
"They might as well end up in Slytherin," Theresa commented, thoughtfully.
"Now now, Theresa, don't forget who their parents were," Albus lightly scolded the healer. I still believe that they are true Gryffindors. Anyway, I believe that they must adjust as well as any other students so far, and therefore, I do not condone the creation of study rooms."
At this moment, the four house ghosts chose to enter the staff room, which they only did on extremely rare occasions.
"Headmaster," the Bloody Baron was the first to speak up, "have you learned nothing over the years?"
"You should have been forced to resign from your position already years ago," Helena Ravenclaw added, glaring at the headmaster.
"If you talk about their parents, then let me remind you that Lily Evans' best friend was a Slytherin and that they weren't able to continue their friendship beyond their fifth year due to the house affiliations," the Fat Friar continued.
"I can well remember other Gryffindors, who lost their best friends due to being in other houses," Sir Nicholas agreed.
"Therefore, the four of us ask you to make one study room for each year for the sake of the students," the Bloody Baron took over again.
"As much as we value the traditions of this school, I believe that it's time for some improvements – considering that even the ghosts are all for it –," Severus spoke up in a firm voice.
The headmaster let out a deep sigh. "Very well, you won. Do what you wish," he turned to Minerva. "You have my approval," he informed her, wearing a grim expression. "I'll be glad when these twins will be sorted. Maybe then you'll be able to return to properly fulfil your task as my deputy headmistress," he uttered, before he left the staff room in a huff.
"I what?" Minerva blurted out in disbelief.
"Don't mind Albus," Pomona replied, gently. "I believe that he's getting a tad senile."
"Maybe yes, but his main problem is that he is strangely obsessed with the twins," Severus spoke up, seemingly pensive. "He probably wouldn't want me to tell you this, but Albus believes that the Dark Lord is not really dead." Ignoring the gasps coming from all sides, he continued, "There was a prophecy made by Trelawney that said that either the Potter or the Longbottom boy would be the only one able to conquer him."
"Didn't they already fulfil that prophecy, when they were babies?" Filius enquired.
"Albus seems to believe differently," Severus replied, sighing.
"Oh well, at least that explains his obsession with the boys," Minerva said in understanding. "Thanks for this information, Severus."
Her younger colleague lightly inclined his head.
HP
"I believe that you have to thank the ghosts," Minerva informed the twins, when she returned to their quarters after the meeting. "When the headmaster refused, they came in and each of them explained the advantages of such rooms to them."
"Can we help…"
"… make the rooms?" the twins asked in apparent excitement.
Minerva smiled. "You can ask the elves if you may help, but do not disturb them please. And remain polite," she added as an afterthought.
"Aren't we always?" the two boys asked, indignantly.
'Oh well, yes, except for when Albus is involved,' Minerva had to admit to herself.
"You mostly are," she admitted, giving her grandsons a proud smile.
"Where do you believe you're going to be sorted?" she then asked, recalling her colleagues' earlier conversation.
The twins shrugged. "Is it important?" Harry finally asked.
"No, it is not," she replied in a soft voice. "You'll both do well in whatever house you're going to be sorted."
HP
"Are you looking forward to become a student?" Harry asked Henry later on, when they were alone in their room.
"Yes, but before we're going to become students, you'll have much to study," his brother replied, sighing.
"Only me?" Harry asked, wide-eyed.
"I'm afraid so," Henry confirmed, smirking, before he asked in a small voice, "Have you ever heard of Miranda Peverell?"
Harry shook his head. "No."
Henry nodded in understanding. "All right. I know, I need to tell you a story. But you must not tell anyone about it. Not even Granny or Susan. Can you do that?"
"Of course," Harry replied, indignantly.
"Very well then. Listen well," Henry instructed him in a firm voice.
Harry nodded, looking at his brother in expectation.
"Miranda Peverell," Henry began to speak, "was the sister of Ignotus, Antioch and Cadmus Peverell. I believe that you know the three of them from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which Granny often read to us, when we were small."
Harry nodded, eagerly. "The Tale of the Three Brothers," he replied, wide-eyed. "I didn't know that they had a sister."
Henry smirked. "She was a very good woman. Once, there was a small boy," he began to tell his brother a story. "He was a wizard, but he did not know that. He only barely knew his name. Even about that, he was not exactly sure. He grew up on the streets of Diagon Alley without any family or friends. When the boy was five years old, Miranda came and rescued him. She took him in and taught him a lot of things. She even involved her brothers to teach the small boy. All four of them were professors at Hogwarts together with the grandchildren of the founders of Hogwarts."
"And then?" Harry asked, impatiently, hanging on his brother's lips.
"And then, when they thought that the boy, who was not so little anymore, had learned enough, they sent him back, as he was now able to stand his own," Henry continued.
Seeing that Harry was still hanging on his lips, he added, "Since we grew up here at Hogwarts with our Granny and many people who love us, there was no need for Miranda to fetch us and teach us. Therefore, the ghosts agreed to teach us in her stead."
"How do you know all these things?" Harry enquired in clear admiration.
Henry smirked. "Wait and see, Harry. Over time, you'll know as well," he promised, just when their grandmother entered the room and scolded them for not having prepared for bed yet.
"Do you know how late it is?" she asked, strictly.
"Sorry Granny," the twins replied, simultaneously.
HP
At the same time, Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office, carefully petting Fawkes' crown feathers.
"Sopho," he suddenly addressed the Sorting Hat. "You know that this time, you're going to have to sort Harry and Henry."
"Yes, considering that you told me at least a dozen times already," the Sorting Hat replied, sounding extremely grumpy.
"Oh well, that might be, because they're important for the whole magical world," Albus said, letting out a deep sigh. "Anyway, please see to it that you sort both of them into Gryffindor."
"Maybe I will, maybe not," Sopho replied, haughtily fluffing his brim.
"Please do your best," Albus insisted. "Thanks Sopho."
tbc...
Thank you for your kind comments on the previous chapter. Please tell me what you thought about this chapter and what you expect from this story. My muse appreciates the feedback.
Next chapter "The Sorting".