The Raven Sisters
Chapter Two
A Sort of Transfer
The students once again return to the "supposedly" hallowed halls of Hogwarts and patiently await the Sorting while others impatiently wait for the food.
Those waiting for the Sorting had not long to wait before Professor McGonagall leads out the line of First years. However, there were two raven-haired girls towards the end of the line that were much taller than any of the First years. The First years nearest seem to shy away from the two tall, dark-eyed girls, and were amazingly quiet compared to the rest of the muttering line.
"Are you sure you followed the right person from the station?" one of the first years asks the girls.
"Yes, we did." The first girl answers shortly.
"We're transfers. From Durmstrang." The other girl adds in helpfully.
"Didn't think you could transfer." Another First year, behind the girls in line, mutters just loudly enough for the identical transfers to hear.
"It helps if you were expelled first." The first girl says with an almost evil smirk. The First years lean further away from the two.
Professor McGonagall begins calling names from the list. As the line dwindles she finally calls, "Raven, Lenore!"
"Catch you on the flip side." Lenore says with a smile as she steps forward. The hall's atmosphere was thick in palpable curiosity as the seventeen-year-old girl places the Sorting Hat on her head.
Shortly, the Hat cries, "SLYTHERIN!"
Fred and George were heard groaning. "Maybe they'll be separated. Lots of twins get separated at the Sorting." George says hopefully. The twin girls' reputations as tricksters were well known and it was better to have the girls where they could keep an eye on them.
"Not happening, old boy. They're too much alike." Fred answers sadly.
Their hopes that the girls would at least be separated were dashed when the hat on Renee's head suddenly shouts "SLYTHERIN!" Fred nods to George, his point confirmed.
"Ever considered dating another set of twins?" George muses as Renee sits next to her twin amid questioning stares.
"Nope… Could get interesting." Fred replies frankly.
"It'll be even more interesting if Marlie ever finds out so let's just wipe that idea from our heads for now, shall we ol' chap?" George suggests.
Over at the Slytherin table, the Sorting now over, Renee and Lenore solidly ignore the questioning gazes and give short answers to the queries directed at them as they enjoyed the feast.
"My name's Marlene Lovegood."
Renee and Lenore turn to face the girl across the table. Renee squeezes Lenore's hand quickly before smiling.
"Renee Raven. This is my twin, Lenore." Renee says amiably.
"Where'd you two come from?" asks the girl next to Marlie.
"Durmstrang." Lenore answers, smiling warily at the dark haired girl. "And you are?"
"Deanna Tyler." She replies.
The blue-eyed girl on the other side of Deanna elbows Deanna then says, with a smile, "Don't mind her. My name is Luella Martin." Renee squeezes Lenore's hand again.
"I'm Rianne Stormosi. We're all Seventh years." A red-haired girl next to Lenore speaks up.
"What year are you in?" Marlie asks.
"Same as you apparently." Renee answers.
"What's Durmstrang like?" Rianne asks.
"Cold. Very cold." Lenore answers.
"You know of Siberia? Artic Circle? Colder." Renee adds with quiver.
"It's set right in a dead zone so absolutely nothing electronic works." Lenore complains.
The Slyth Four look at each other. They couldn't wait until the new girls got to the Common Room.
"And since it's in the middle of a crater, you can't set foot outside without a swimsuit. And that's only if you like 'Polar Bear'ing it." Renee throws in.
"I hear you tore it up there. Drove a teacher insane, the paper said." Deanna says, none too friendly.
"You're the girls from the Prophet!" Rianne exclaims.
"You're right, Rianne, Deanna, on both counts. We did play tricks and our house master did go insane." Renee replies, shrugging it off as though it were nothing.
"You forgot expelled, Ren." Lenore amends.
"Oh yes, expelled too but that was on purpose, Lenny." Renee waves away the additional fact with a dismissive sweep on her hand.
"Then you shouldn't have put in the pranks because those were on purpose too!" Lenore argues, oblivious to the stares of the Slyth Four.
"For a different reason, Lenny. Drop it." Renee replies, gritting her teeth.
"You were expelled?" Luella manages to say after a few moments.
"Yep. Heads at Durmstrang got sick of us and Dumbledore offered to take us in." Renee says, stretching the truth within reasonable proportions.
"You purposely got yourselves expelled?" Marlie asks, disbelieving.
"We had to." Lenore answers, ignoring her sister's stern glare. "We were called here." Lenore adds, staring at Marlie, or to be more precise, Marlie's necklace. Lenore squeezes Renee's hand with a meaningful glance back at the necklace. Renee's glare softened slightly.
Before anyone could come up with further comments to say, attention is diverted to Dumbledore, standing at the head table, waiting a moment before launching into the usual Start-of-Term announcements, which included a reintroduction to Professor Lupin.
"I would also like to welcome Miss Renee and Miss Lenore Raven from Durmstrang. They felt it necessary to take me up upon my offer of last year and have transferred into the Seventh year."
There were a few strained laughs and very scattered clapping at this and glances again at the Raven sisters. As neither had the grace to blush, they sat straighter and soaked in all the attention.
The students then left the Great Hall for their respective Common Rooms. Renee and Lenore trail behind the Slytherin group. When they enter the Serpent's Nest, the Ravens halt entirely, staring with undisguised glee at the Slytherin sound system.
"We need to write to Mom and get her to send us our tape and CD collection." Renee says, not taking her eyes of the stereo. Lenore nods.
Over in a corner, the Slyth Four watch the Raven sisters snap out of their stereo-induced trance and head to their dorm.
"They seem nice enough." Rianne says thoughtfully.
"Things aren't always as they seem." Deanna cautions. "Marls?"
"Not a thing." Marlie answers. "If anything, it seemed happy they were here."
"That's weird." Luella responds.
"I don't trust them." Deanna says flatly.
"What?" Marlie responds.
"I said 'I don't trust them'. Don't you think it's just a teensy bit too much of a coincidence that Ole Voldie comes back and then they 'transfer' in from Durmstrang, a school known to teach the Dark Arts, after getting expelled, purposely at their own admission I might add." Deanna explains.
"My necklace didn't give a negative reaction and they said they were called here. There has to be a good reason behind that." Marlie argues. "Besides they were nice to us."
"And you actually believed that? They're about as bad as Trelawney when it comes to good reasons." Deanna scoffs.
"I say we give them a chance. If they were in any way related to His cause, they wouldn't've even bothered with befriending us." Rianne reasons. Luella nods in agreement.
"Fine. But I won't pretend I like it." Deanna grumbles.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm about burnt out for the night." Luella says with a yawn. "I'm going to bed."
"Me t – Wait a minute! There was only room for four beds in our dorm last year!" Marlie exclaims for no reason apparent to the rest of the group.
"Yeah? So?" Luella asks, turning back around.
"So how are we going to deal with two more girls in our dorm? They are Seventh years too." Marlie returns smartly. "This is not going to be fun." She adds, downcast.
"We have to let them in on the musical locks?" Deanna asks. "I think not."
"Deanna." Luella says sternly. "They are in our dorm. Would you like it if we locked the door in your face?"
"Oh fine. We'll tell them about the musical locks." Deanna grouses as the girls made their way to their seemingly larger dorm room.
Authoress' Note and Disclaimer: Hullo! I only own Renee Talryssa and Lenore Ophelia Raven and Lady Iris Raven. Although they haven't appeared yet, J.L. Matthews (the Goddess of Slytherin Rising) owns all of the following players; Luella Martin, Caitlin Tyler, Deanna Tyler, Rianne Stormosi, Melissa Lovegood, Marlie Lovegood, and her versions of Ginny Weasley (the adorable lil Slyth that she is), Severus Snape, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and anything or one I might have missed. All the rest go to the Goddess of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. Thank you for reading and… You know what I'm gonna say… R! E! V! I! E! W! What's that spell? (Renee and Lenore chorus, "REVIEW!") Tah now!