Part 2: First Day of Class
No one saw the twins until breakfast the next morning. Indeed, most of the school didn't even know that they were twins. By the time Lavender and the others had come up to sleep, the curtains were drawn around both beds. Harry and Ron were worried, but they just decided to let them be for now.
"Harry, look!" Harry looked in the direction of the entrance hall, and he smiled. Hermie and Sephie were coming in, arms linked. Their hair was pulled into identical French braids, and neither showed the evidence of the crying the night before. The others stared slightly as the girls made their way to Gryffindor table and sat in the seats saved for them.
"Good morning, Harry, Ron," said Hermie. Sephie echoed her.
"Hi, girls. Schedules," said Ron, passing them down.
"Thanks.... oh, Sephie, you're taking Divination?"
"Yup. Oh, you take Arinthmancy, don't you?"
"Yeah." Hermione bit her lip, then said, "Oh, well. You'll have class with Harry and Ron, then. Today we have Charms, Transfiguration, and ..." Then the twins both groaned.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins!" cried Sephie in disgust.
Harry laughed grimly. "Yeah, what a way to start the year. Snape hates Gryffindors. Especially us, right, Hermione?"
"That was my impression," she said with a wry grin. Hermione stood. "Come on, let's go. Potions is a long haul."
"Especially with all those books," said Ron, raising his eyebrows.
"Don't fight, you two, it's way too early," said Harry through a yawn. As Ron and Hermione led the way, Sephie whispered to Harry,
"Do they always fight?"
"Most of the time. Maybe you can help me keep the peace this year. I swear, those two are going to end up married!"
Sephie chuckled, listening with half an ear to her twin's bickering with her red headed friend. "Now that I'd pay good money to see!"
Snape paused at Sephie's name. "Ah, our new...exchange student," he sneered.
"Yes, sir," she said in a clear voice. Hermie blanched.
"She has no idea who she's dealing with," said Ron quietly.
"Come with me, Miss Granger. I need you to take an...entrance exam... to ensure you are abreast with the rest of the class, which I doubt."
"I think you'll find I'm quite caught up, Professor Snape."
"Don't give me any cheek, girl, or you'll end up losing as many points as your sister and her...friends... do."
With that Snape left, Sephie following. Just before he closed the door he barked, "The rest of you... two foot report on Karnvaris Solution, due tomorrow!"
"On what?" asked Ron blankly.
" Karnvaris Solution, Ron! It can detect ill feeling around those who drink it. If someone feels ill will toward the drinker, the drinker will feel a sharp pain in their stomach. Better not drink it around Malfoy, huh?"
"Geez, Herm, is there anything you don't know?"
She replied bitterly, "Well, I didn't know I was a pure blood, I didn't know I had a twin, I didn't know that my parents were killed by Voldemort..."
"No moping, Herm. Please."
She sighed. "I guess all that matters is that I know about her now, huh?"
*^~^* Teacher's Staff Room, Later That Day *^~^*
Severus stormed into the staff room, finding a startled Minerva inside.
"Look at this!"
Her eyes widened as she realized what she was seeing. "You... you gave a perfect... to a GRYFFINDOR!?"
Snape replied, "It's disgusting! I couldn't even find a flaw in penmanship!"
"Whose is it?"
"Unfold the top."
Minerva did so. "Granger, Persephone. Are you really that surprised, Severus? She is the twin of Hermione, after all."
"But she's never had any formal training..."
He must be really upset to be talking to me, thought Minerva with a trace of sarcastic laughter.
"She got a perfect on my entrance exam too, Severus. She is a very powerful witch, as is her sister. That's why they were separated."
Just then Dumbledore stuck his head in. "Am I interrupting?"
"Not much, Albus. Come in, please."
Dumbledore caught a glimpse of the paper in Minerva's hands.
"Ah, yes, how is Miss Granger faring?"
"Fine... for now," muttered Snape. "Excuse me."
He left the room quickly. Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Seriously, Minerva, how is she doing?"
"Ten times better than was expected, Albus. She's a very bright girl, just like her sister... with a more mischievous side, as you remember. The four of them get along quite well.... where did they get those marks?"
"On their palms?"
"Yes..."
Dumbledore told Minerva the story, and she leaned back against her chair, fingers pressed together.
"Quite odd, don't you think, Albus?"
"Very much so, Minerva... as they are all in your house, I'd ask you to keep your eye on them... let me know of anything unusual. Oh, and Minerva? Don't be TOO hard on them if they break a few rules. Obeying the school rules will not defeat Voldemort."
She nodded, and he said, "I really must ask Harry something. If you'll excuse me, Minerva..."
"Harry."
He looked up in surprise; He, Ron, and the twins were in the library, studying.
"Ah! Studying, I see. The girls seem to have finally had an effect on you."
The twins smirked at the squirming boys.
"Well, Harry, I'm aware that you a have a certain something that belonged to your father besides the Invisibility Cloak that I might need to borrow."
Harry's eyebrows shot up. Ron and Hermie exchanged puzzled looks, and Sephie was completely clueless.
"I believe the official authors were a few gentlemen by the names of Moony, Wormtail..."
"Padfoot, and Prongs," whispered Harry, finishing the sentence. Hermie swiftly took a piece of paper out of her robe pocket.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," she whispered. Ink lines blossomed along the page, and she tapped it again, saying "Mischief managed." Then she folded it neatly and handed it to Dumbledore.
"Those are the codes to make the map appear and to wipe it clean," she explained. "Ask Professor Snape what it does if you don't give it the correct one, I'm sure he'd be glad to tell you."
Ron and Harry snickered. Dumbledore smiled. "Well, those boys and your mother were always the smartest in their year, Harry.... That and their uncanny ability to get into trouble... your mother, although I'm positive she was in on almost all of their pranks, only got one detention in her time here. Together, Sirius and your father got three hundred detentions... and Remus had a plaque made up that was presented to them at the end of graduation."
Harry laughed. "I'll bet they were proud of it, too."
"Oh, yes. Your mother just shook her head, but Sirius and James called both her and Remus up, as... 'partners in crime' I think it was."
Harry laughed harder. "I can just see that..."
"I don't think your mother was ever caught, Harry. Was she, Professor?"
"No, I can't say she was. Sometimes the staff used to wonder if she was part ghost. I did ask her once if she was involved in certain pranks, but somehow the boys found a convenient Dungbomb to interrupt us..."
Now they all laughed. Sephie closed her book decidedly, stood, and said,
"Harry, if you ever need someone to help you with a prank, take my advice: Bring a woman. They're so useful, as you should know by the help my sister has been. Now, if you'll excuse me, Professor, I'm going to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather and take a walk around the lake."
They all stared after her, and then Dumbledore cleared his throat.
" Well. Thank you for the Map, Harry, I appreciate it. And if you do plan on getting into trouble, I do suggest you take Miss Granger's advice... They both have heads on their shoulders, which is more than I can say about you and the Weasleys when you get an idea in your heads."
Dumbledore left the three remaining friends open mouthed.
"My... he's quite chummy this year," managed Hermie. Then she jumped up, amusement warring with worry on her face. "Come on, let's go find Sephie. I just realized, she doesn't even know where the lake is!"
No one saw the twins until breakfast the next morning. Indeed, most of the school didn't even know that they were twins. By the time Lavender and the others had come up to sleep, the curtains were drawn around both beds. Harry and Ron were worried, but they just decided to let them be for now.
"Harry, look!" Harry looked in the direction of the entrance hall, and he smiled. Hermie and Sephie were coming in, arms linked. Their hair was pulled into identical French braids, and neither showed the evidence of the crying the night before. The others stared slightly as the girls made their way to Gryffindor table and sat in the seats saved for them.
"Good morning, Harry, Ron," said Hermie. Sephie echoed her.
"Hi, girls. Schedules," said Ron, passing them down.
"Thanks.... oh, Sephie, you're taking Divination?"
"Yup. Oh, you take Arinthmancy, don't you?"
"Yeah." Hermione bit her lip, then said, "Oh, well. You'll have class with Harry and Ron, then. Today we have Charms, Transfiguration, and ..." Then the twins both groaned.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins!" cried Sephie in disgust.
Harry laughed grimly. "Yeah, what a way to start the year. Snape hates Gryffindors. Especially us, right, Hermione?"
"That was my impression," she said with a wry grin. Hermione stood. "Come on, let's go. Potions is a long haul."
"Especially with all those books," said Ron, raising his eyebrows.
"Don't fight, you two, it's way too early," said Harry through a yawn. As Ron and Hermione led the way, Sephie whispered to Harry,
"Do they always fight?"
"Most of the time. Maybe you can help me keep the peace this year. I swear, those two are going to end up married!"
Sephie chuckled, listening with half an ear to her twin's bickering with her red headed friend. "Now that I'd pay good money to see!"
Snape paused at Sephie's name. "Ah, our new...exchange student," he sneered.
"Yes, sir," she said in a clear voice. Hermie blanched.
"She has no idea who she's dealing with," said Ron quietly.
"Come with me, Miss Granger. I need you to take an...entrance exam... to ensure you are abreast with the rest of the class, which I doubt."
"I think you'll find I'm quite caught up, Professor Snape."
"Don't give me any cheek, girl, or you'll end up losing as many points as your sister and her...friends... do."
With that Snape left, Sephie following. Just before he closed the door he barked, "The rest of you... two foot report on Karnvaris Solution, due tomorrow!"
"On what?" asked Ron blankly.
" Karnvaris Solution, Ron! It can detect ill feeling around those who drink it. If someone feels ill will toward the drinker, the drinker will feel a sharp pain in their stomach. Better not drink it around Malfoy, huh?"
"Geez, Herm, is there anything you don't know?"
She replied bitterly, "Well, I didn't know I was a pure blood, I didn't know I had a twin, I didn't know that my parents were killed by Voldemort..."
"No moping, Herm. Please."
She sighed. "I guess all that matters is that I know about her now, huh?"
*^~^* Teacher's Staff Room, Later That Day *^~^*
Severus stormed into the staff room, finding a startled Minerva inside.
"Look at this!"
Her eyes widened as she realized what she was seeing. "You... you gave a perfect... to a GRYFFINDOR!?"
Snape replied, "It's disgusting! I couldn't even find a flaw in penmanship!"
"Whose is it?"
"Unfold the top."
Minerva did so. "Granger, Persephone. Are you really that surprised, Severus? She is the twin of Hermione, after all."
"But she's never had any formal training..."
He must be really upset to be talking to me, thought Minerva with a trace of sarcastic laughter.
"She got a perfect on my entrance exam too, Severus. She is a very powerful witch, as is her sister. That's why they were separated."
Just then Dumbledore stuck his head in. "Am I interrupting?"
"Not much, Albus. Come in, please."
Dumbledore caught a glimpse of the paper in Minerva's hands.
"Ah, yes, how is Miss Granger faring?"
"Fine... for now," muttered Snape. "Excuse me."
He left the room quickly. Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Seriously, Minerva, how is she doing?"
"Ten times better than was expected, Albus. She's a very bright girl, just like her sister... with a more mischievous side, as you remember. The four of them get along quite well.... where did they get those marks?"
"On their palms?"
"Yes..."
Dumbledore told Minerva the story, and she leaned back against her chair, fingers pressed together.
"Quite odd, don't you think, Albus?"
"Very much so, Minerva... as they are all in your house, I'd ask you to keep your eye on them... let me know of anything unusual. Oh, and Minerva? Don't be TOO hard on them if they break a few rules. Obeying the school rules will not defeat Voldemort."
She nodded, and he said, "I really must ask Harry something. If you'll excuse me, Minerva..."
"Harry."
He looked up in surprise; He, Ron, and the twins were in the library, studying.
"Ah! Studying, I see. The girls seem to have finally had an effect on you."
The twins smirked at the squirming boys.
"Well, Harry, I'm aware that you a have a certain something that belonged to your father besides the Invisibility Cloak that I might need to borrow."
Harry's eyebrows shot up. Ron and Hermie exchanged puzzled looks, and Sephie was completely clueless.
"I believe the official authors were a few gentlemen by the names of Moony, Wormtail..."
"Padfoot, and Prongs," whispered Harry, finishing the sentence. Hermie swiftly took a piece of paper out of her robe pocket.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," she whispered. Ink lines blossomed along the page, and she tapped it again, saying "Mischief managed." Then she folded it neatly and handed it to Dumbledore.
"Those are the codes to make the map appear and to wipe it clean," she explained. "Ask Professor Snape what it does if you don't give it the correct one, I'm sure he'd be glad to tell you."
Ron and Harry snickered. Dumbledore smiled. "Well, those boys and your mother were always the smartest in their year, Harry.... That and their uncanny ability to get into trouble... your mother, although I'm positive she was in on almost all of their pranks, only got one detention in her time here. Together, Sirius and your father got three hundred detentions... and Remus had a plaque made up that was presented to them at the end of graduation."
Harry laughed. "I'll bet they were proud of it, too."
"Oh, yes. Your mother just shook her head, but Sirius and James called both her and Remus up, as... 'partners in crime' I think it was."
Harry laughed harder. "I can just see that..."
"I don't think your mother was ever caught, Harry. Was she, Professor?"
"No, I can't say she was. Sometimes the staff used to wonder if she was part ghost. I did ask her once if she was involved in certain pranks, but somehow the boys found a convenient Dungbomb to interrupt us..."
Now they all laughed. Sephie closed her book decidedly, stood, and said,
"Harry, if you ever need someone to help you with a prank, take my advice: Bring a woman. They're so useful, as you should know by the help my sister has been. Now, if you'll excuse me, Professor, I'm going to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather and take a walk around the lake."
They all stared after her, and then Dumbledore cleared his throat.
" Well. Thank you for the Map, Harry, I appreciate it. And if you do plan on getting into trouble, I do suggest you take Miss Granger's advice... They both have heads on their shoulders, which is more than I can say about you and the Weasleys when you get an idea in your heads."
Dumbledore left the three remaining friends open mouthed.
"My... he's quite chummy this year," managed Hermie. Then she jumped up, amusement warring with worry on her face. "Come on, let's go find Sephie. I just realized, she doesn't even know where the lake is!"