"Are you nervous?"
"Perhaps a little... But I'll admit, you've been so nervous for me I don't feel the need to be."
"I'm only nervous because... Well, because... What if I don't get into the same house as you in a year," Hermione Granger gulps in worry next to her older sister in Diagon Alley, "What if I get Ravenclaw but you get... get..." Hermione's eyes dart away before mumbling as if it's a cursed word, "Slytherin."
"I'll make them change it then." Aurora Granger announces with a smirk that only causes her little sister to make a terrified face. Hermione's eyes get red as she tries not to cry in the middle of the road as she lets out in a breaking tone, "That's exactly what a Slytherin would say. What if you get Slytherin-"
"Then I get Slytherin, Mione." Aurora kneels in front of her youngest sister. She could tell she's about to burst into tears, "It's still a noble house no matter who's been there."
"No. No. NO. Rory, we have to be in the same house..." Hermione's eyes and cheeks become more rose-red as continues to overthink the houses it will sort them in, "We just have to. What will I even do without you next year?"
"You will join the house most suited for you and make friends that will help you next year." Aurora sighs, knowing her sister's not convinced. She glances at their parents, who now are yards ahead of them with her school supplies. Turning back around to look at her sister, now basically crying, Aurora tilts her head and adds, "You won't need me in the same house as you. I promise. I'm not of any use to you in the wizarding world-"
"That's not the point!" Hermione stomps her tiny foot as the tears finally fall her baby cheeks, "We're sisters, mom always said we have to stick together! How are we supposed to stay together if you get Slytherin-"
"So you're worried I'll get Slytherin?" Aurora interrupts her quietly; Hermione nods while whipping her tears on her sleeve, "I'll never get into Slytherin... But you could."
"Okay... I'll try my best not to be sorted into Slytherin. I promise I'll do my best." Aurora offers with a light smile as she adds to her sister, "But that means whatever house I join, you have a year to be just like that house so you can get sorted into it as well. You think you can do that?"
"Yeah." Hermione sniffles as her red puffy face clears up, "I can do that, just don't get..."
"Slytherin." Aurora finishes with a smirk while rolling her eyes from the sight of her sister calming down. "I won't. Now come on, I think mom and dad went into that shop-"
"Wait, they left us?" Hermione peers around the Alley of shops and realizes their parents left them behind. Before she could start crying again, Aurora stands up and grabs her hand saying, "I think they went into Ollivander's."
"It's a wand shop," Hermione follows her in excitement, "I read about it-"
"Of course you did." Aurora shakes her head, annoyed before grinning and asking with a glint in her eyes, "Did you read to see if Vold-"
"DON'T SAY IT, AURORA!" Hermione screams, making her older sister laugh and runs to the store while her little sister follows her. When they reach the door, they search through the glass to find their parents inside talking to an old man, Hermione glances at her sister and admits shyly, "But yes, I read he got his wand here..."
If their parents knew Aurora was about to say Who-Must-Not-Be-Name, they would probably take them right back home and say forget the wizarding world. This only makes Aurora want to say it more, but it gets Hermione even more scared of him than she already is.
Their parents are muggles but got the gift with not one but two witches for daughters. They were so happy when they found out Aurora's a witch, more their mother than their father. When her envelope to Hogwarts got delivered, it came with a book from the wizarding world as a gift, welcoming her into her new magic. The next week Hermione pestered question after question at her older sister as she read the wizard book cover to cover. That week they spent arguing because Aurora knew nothing about being a witch and Hermione being the worrier she is, wanted to know everything. That was the same week they realized Hermione's also a witch.
"Can you read my thoughts now?"
"That's not how magic works."
"How would you know? You haven't even read the book!"
"Mione, you read it out loud THREE times. I don't need to... now." Aurora groans on her bed in the room they share at home, "Besides I can't just start reading people's minds."
"Well try! It says you can with a sister!" Hermione stops her foot in frustration at her sister just lying in bed, "You're not even trying!"
"Because I can't just think and talk to you in my bloody head! That book isn't even about trying to read thoughts, it's a fairytale story about magic siblings doing it... Of course, the only bloody book I get from the wizard world is about a story of sister bonding instead of a book on how to literally bond with another sibling." Aurora then grabs the book on the nightstand and says while tossing it in the trashcan across the room, "It doesn't even tell us how to find a book to learn."
Hermione panics at the sight of her older sister tossing the book carelessly across the room, she's mortified that it's aimed at the trash. The first book they ever got from the wizarding world and her sister tosses it. Suddenly the book stops in the air above them, making both girl's eyes go wide. Standing up, Aurora whispers without her eyes leaving the book.
"I'm not doing anything... Hermione... Is... Is that?.."
"I- I- I'm..."
"YOU'RE A WITCH TOO." Aurora screams her girlish scream before tackling her little sister. The book falls straight to the ground as Aurora grabs her sister and shakes her. "You're a witch! You get to go to Hogwarts with me! Hermione! Are you listening to me!"
Hermione has been looking at her older sister with wide eyes as Aurora shakes and yells at her in excitement. For a second Aurora goes silent in wait for her sister's response, but then suddenly together their screams go wild as they jump and yell. Aurora couldn't believe both of them would go. She had been nervous about going by herself. She always enjoyed having someone to keep her distracted. Their screams turn into giggles when their parents burst through, worried. They look at them in panic, but then the girls turn and they see their wide smiles. Screaming and running, the girls go into their parent's arms, saying in one loud scream.
"WE'RE BOTH WITCHES."
Since the day they found out both of them will attend Hogwarts, Hermione and Aurora asked for more and more books from their parents. Their parents knew they'd find another way to get books. Their parents found out the hard way when they took too long to get them one because Aurora had gone missing for two days in search of more.
Hermione would usually read it out loud while Aurora took brief notes since her little sister couldn't stop reading them out loud to herself. The two girls over the months have grown into the pattern of Hermione reading out loud and Aurora taking notes on what was useful. If they did it the other way around, Aurora wouldn't read everything and Hermione would take notes on everything. So the system they created worked wonders for the girls, which worried their father but never their mother.
The more the girls grew closer, the happier their mother is for them. Their mother always wanted a sister, and she's blessed with two daughters who can have that. The Witch part in their mother's eyes is only another reason they'll become closer than growing girls. To that, she couldn't be happier even if it's the beginning of a chapter she can't completely understand. At least the girls have each other to understand their magic.
They already understand it more than their parents by the way Hermione explains and understands what Aurora needs as they finish walking through Diagon Alley for supplies. Their parents didn't even understand why they're buying what they are but how could they be in a world surrounded by magic. With the help of Aurora's bookworm of a sister, Hermione, it doesn't take long until they have to go to the train station for Aurora's departure. Her parents kissed her goodbye but not without saying whatever house she get; they will be proud.
Most of the kids have boarded the train, and she's about to, but she gives Hermione a tight hug goodbye first. They realized now this will be the first time apart since birth and their hug tightens. Hermione was trying not to cry, but she overthinks it in her head as she does. These past few months they've gotten so close because of magic and now it causes them to separate for the first time.
Hermione couldn't stop the thoughts of who would question and make theories when she read her spell books out loud. The two together had been a team and now it's going away for an entire year. Pulling away Hermione tries to not just cry right in front of her sister again on the same day. She didn't want to embarrass her, but the reality that she needs her older sister sinks in.
"The year will fly by and I'll write to you everything I learn. You won't even notice I'm gone." Aurora smiles with an eyebrow raised, "I'll try to send you as many books as I can."
"Thanks... I've been thinking, Rory..." Hermione then looks to the ground and tries to make the serious expression their parents give them when having a talk, "I know you'll probably get sorted into Slytherin, you won't be able to help it... So I've decided if you do, I'll go too. I'll try even... If-"
"Hermione." Aurora laughs and squeezes her sister's hands. "I won't get Slytherin. I promise. We'll be together in any other house."
"But if you do... I'll try to be Slytherin..." Hermione's bottom lip shakes a little knowing she shouldn't be as sad as she is, "We have to stick together-"
"Mione... With you as a sister, how could I only be Slytherin?" Aurora interrupts her with a small smile while lifting her pinky, "I pinky promise you, I won't get sorted into Slytherin."
"You know there's a spell for that... For a promise."
"Well, write me a letter on how to do that and we'll use it next time..."
The two sisters pinky promise with small sorrow smiles before saying one last goodbye. Aurora then stands back up straight and goes onto the train, looking back at her family she waves bye as her father picks up Hermione to head back home. She walks down the aisle of the train and insanity feels alone in a way she hasn't felt before. Aurora didn't have her sister tugging her skirt, or her asking "what's that" to everything magical happening around her.
She instantly felt defenseless without her worried and overthinking sister. Hermione was the voice in the back of her head and it's now completely gone. Maybe that is why she's worried about her getting into Slytherin. Without Hermione she had no innocent voice inside telling her what to do.
They've read books on Hogwarts. They knew all about each house and what house Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had when he was attending. Hermione's scared to be a part of Slytherin because of it. Aurora didn't mind which house she was in, she's just happy to be there.
Walking slowly around the train, Aurora looks for an empty seat. Kids of all ages were talking to one another. Her stomach drops, noticing she doesn't know anyone in the wizarding world, but everyone else does. She stops walking and huffs, realizing if she had boarded the train earlier she would at least have had a seat.
A few boys then run past her, shouting things back and forth to one another. They knock her over in the process and she loses balance, making her fall into a wagon-lit door. It opens from the force and she falls into the room on her back with a hard thud. Groaning, she opens her eyes and sees two boys who look exactly the same, they're staring down at her curiously with matching ginger hair.
They both tilt their heads at the same time as they appear to be inspecting her. She rubs her eyes, thinking she's seeing double, but when she opens them again the two boys still look exactly the same. They both glance back up to each other and say together in pity.
"First year."
"Sorry." Aurora scrambles up awkwardly, realizing she had been silently staring at them from the floor. The boys watched her fidget in place making her feel as nervous as Hermione sounded earlier, "Some boys knocked me over in the hall when I was trying to find a seat.. I'll just be going-"
"Wait." They both say at once, which causes her to stop her hand from opening the door. She tilts her head confused as they stare at her, adding "You can sit with us."
The twin's eye at one another strangely that leads Aurora to believe they both didn't know the other would offer her to sit with them. It worked out for the both of them anyhow. They told all the other first-years who asked earlier no, saying they didn't want babies with them even when they are only a year older than first years.
Yet when this small, petite, curly-haired girl fell in front of them, they didn't think twice to ask or even read one another to decide if they should. It might be because her big brown eyes appear too big for her face or her expression looks like something to pity. No matter the reason, the boys felt the need for her to stay, so what's done is done.
"Okay. Thanks..." Aurora says cautiously and moves to sit at the far end with one boy before remembering her manners and adding, "I'm Aurora. Aurora Granger, who may you boys be?"
"I'm Fred Weasley-"
"And I'm the better-looking twin, George Weasley."
"Um... Yeah." Aurora smiles at that and jokes without a thought while glancing between the boys, "I can tell the difference."
"Really?" They ask together excitedly, "You can?"
"No." She laughs, making them smile, embarrassed for believing her. "Do Wizards usually come as twins?"
"What?" The boys stare at each other first with an amused smile, there's a quiet pause before George curiously says, "You don't live in the wizarding world, do you?"
"No, my parents are mo- ma- muggles?"
"You said it right," Fred answers before sending his brother a face to which he matches it with a nod of the head. A second goes by before George turns to Aurora announcing, "My brother and I just now decided-"
"That we'll take you under our wing." Fred finishes the sentence for him with a smirk she couldn't read completely. "You're going to bloody need it. Now, who have you met so far?"
"I- Um... In the wizarding world?" Aurora slowly let out with caution. They nod their heads and she goes quiet for a moment before admitting, "Well... You."
"Bloody Hell." Fred bursts out laughing before teasing, "This is going to take a while-"
"-But don't worry. We'll show you how the big boys play." George adds while handing her box with a chocolate frog in it. "By the end of the year you'll know every wizard and you'll know how to act like one of us."
"Isn't that why I'm going to this school." Aurora folds her arms defensively, knowing something off is happening. "What could you teach me this school can't?"
The boys stare at her then with something in their eyes and an expression she couldn't define. They had small boyish smiles, like they found something to do that they couldn't let their parents find out. Aurora scrunches her eyebrows when they continue to stare at her.
As the three silently make eye contact with each other, one of Aurora's curly, dark brown hair falls over her right eye. She pushes it back behind her air and sighs, knowing they won't answer her question, so she asks a simpler one.
"What house are you boys in?"
"Gryffindor." George states while opening the chocolate frog box for Aurora himself, "Our entire family is."
"I bet you'll get in Ravenclaw." Fred wags an eyebrow before leaning back in his seat as his brother adds, "I'll bet Slytherin."
"I'll take that bet-"
"Just for you both to know, I won't be joining Slytherin. That's a guarantee." Aurora smiles sweetly at them before relaxing in her chair, knowing this might be a long ride. "So sorry, George."
"What makes you so sure?" Fred wiggles an eyebrow at her. "You have the attitude of one."
"I have my reasons..." Aurora thinks out loud honestly before saying something innocently smart, "I don't think the sorting hat wouldn't force a child something it doesn't want."'
"They put you in the house with the best potential growth." George points out devilishly, "So you never know."
"Oh, but I know." Aurora raises an eyebrow before saying, "And just to show you how much I know I'll bet you boys that I'll get in Gryffindor."
"You sure you want to do that?" Fred tilts his head with a glint in his eyes before saying her name with exaggeration, "Aurora..."
"I'm fully positive I will." Aurora sits ups straighter then and holds out her hands for them both to shake. "Shall we?"
The boys stare at her in amusement. Never had they met the first-year girl with this much confidence. Every first-year either talked more than they should or too shy to finish a sentence, but Aurora seems completely confident in herself even when she grew up in a muggle household. Fred and George send each other a look, knowing there's only one way to prove her acquisition. Each of them then takes her hands and shakes them, saying together excitedly.
"A bet, yes, we have. So on our behalf, let's settle this with nothing less than a crown of what everyone has."
Fred and George then wave their wands above their entwined hands. A silver sparkling layer went around their hands for a second before disappearing into the wrinkles in their hands. Aurora's eyes go wide in amazement when she feels a slight tingle in the lines on her hands.
She feels the need to make another bet from the feeling. She couldn't wait to tell Hermione she saw a new spell just on the train, it's the first of many this year and Aurora felt a type of high from it. Pulling away, she then asks the boys, while inspecting her hands.
"What did you boys do?"
"We're not sure... We saw our dad use it on a bet with a friend." George admits but Fred adds while trying to not smile so big, "-We've been waiting to use it on a hard bet... And this bet seems pretty important."
"What happens when someone loses?" She looks at the boys, slightly worried now knowing they've never used it, but they just smile at her in excitement for finally using the spell, "Does your hand fall off or something?"
"We'll find out. Our father used it, so how harmful could it possibly be?" George grins ear to ear before nudging the first year, "Nervous?"
"Nervous to see what happens to you..." Aurora then glances up from her hands and says with a spark in her eyes, "What else could we bet on?"
"Oh, don't worry. We got all year..."
Fred and George chuckle at her words. The feeling the boys made the right decision to let her sit with them grew. The boys both raise an eyebrow at one another to mirror each other. Aurora's dark brown eyes go big in curiosity at the boy's expression.
~The Dining Hall~
"Ravenclaw!"
The students in the house of Ravenclaw clap and cheer as they gain another student. Aurora stands in a group of kids her age waiting to be sorted into a house. She grew nervous, knowing the Weasley twins were watching her every move with anticipation.
"Aurora Granger."
A Professor, a woman known as Professor McGonagall, announces. Aurora stands up straight as the students turn to watch her. Weaving through the students' Aurora goes to sit under the hat. She sees the Weasley twins watching her from their seats at the Gryffindor table as McGonagall puts the hat on Aurora. The moment it's set on her head, it barks.
"WELL... You've been talking to the Weasley boys?! Didn't anyone tell you they could ruin you!" Aurora frowns in confusion and her eyes dart to two twins, who appear very guilty from knowing what the hat is talking about. After a second the hat shouts again, making both Aurora and McGonagall behind her jump, "SAD, ISN'T IT... Your past... Your future. Hmm... interesting... Very interesting? Even with the pain... Plenty of your potential within your soul will grow in... SLYTH- WAIT... What is this magic? YOU... been making bets and promises, HAVEN'T YOU? WEASLEYS!"
Aurora can see everyone in front of her staring at her, confused on why the hat keeps going back to yelling at the Weasleys. This only makes her smile grow, knowing the bet worked in a way the Weasleys and the hat weren't expecting. Aurora then whispers quickly while scrunching her face nervously from how loud the hat has been to her, "I'm sorry but I can't join Slytherin-"
"YES, I CAN SEE THAT. You're playing a dangerous game, my dear..." The hat growls knowing the magic within Aurora will only allow him to pick the house that will benefit her in the present moment even when another house, such as Slytherin, could benefit her more in the future, "... But see that I can only put you into GRYFFINDOR."
Aurora smiles brightly as the Gryffindor house erupts in cheers and claps. She jumps off the chair excitedly, knowing she could tell her sister with pride that she has nothing to worry about anymore. Suddenly the Weasley boys fall out of their chairs, making their house stop cheering and turn to look at them. All the silver in their pockets and robes fly out and head towards Aurora. The teachers and students all look baffled at the silver flying across the room.
It comes around Aurora's head and forms into a crown of silver coins, watches, and chains. It shines like their hands did when they made the bet on the train before it slides down into her pockets. All the students now begin whispering the words "Princess" and "Weasley Prank" while all the Professors stare at one another, stunned at what just happened. George and Fred are still lying on the floor when they whisper to themselves in awe.
"Wicked."
Once the last coin is in Aurora's pocket, McGonagall ushers her to sit with her house but not before glaring at the Weasley twins, knowing exactly what spell they used. The boys saw their Professor's face and knew they'd be in trouble after this ceremony. Aurora runs up to the boys as the house continues to clap for her, they're still on the ground when she reaches them with a girlish grin before saying proudly.
"What I tell you, boys..." Pulling out one of their dirty metal wrists watches Aurora puts it on asking, "Now, does this make me a queen?"
"A princess..." George sighs while Aurora helps them both up. Fred then adds, a little embarrassed, "... If anything."
The three of them then sit down together as the claps die down for Aurora. She sits between them and just as the three of them glance back to the front of the dining hall; they hear McGonagall call for the next student. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, is watching her behind his glasses. He's too far away for her to see his expression, but she's sure he's examining her because of what had happened. She can see him listening to another Professor who seems angry, but he has said nothing to him yet, he only listens. One twin nudges Aurora with their elbow as he whispers.
"I think we pissed off the Head of Slytherin because you didn't get sorted into his house..."
This makes Aurora look more at the man talking to Dumbledore. He must be the head of Slytherin, he's the only Professor at the table who seems frustrated. He is the head of Slytherin so that might just be his face. Aurora then whispers back to the boys with a shrug of her shoulders.
"I bet he's just mad that I found a loophole."
"You want to bet on it..." Smirks appear on the boys' faces and two hands lift in front of Aurora. Shaking her head laughing Aurora whispers back, "You're going to need more silver if you want to make that bet."
"Sounds like the princess's scared, Freddie." George baits Aurora into giving in. Fred then adds mockingly, "Worried you'll lose your crown already?"
"Never."