(Please read the author notes that I spread over the text. They actually
matter).
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Harry heard the knocking on the door, but didn't want to wake up just yet. Not from that so wonderful dream he had had.
He felt a hand seeking his, took it, and knew that he hadn't had that dream alone. He and Cherry had shared the dream of a gentle giant avenging them on Vernon and taking them on a new life, and it had just been wonderful. They wanted to hold to it.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Cherry felt her brother gently squezzing her hand, and she returned it. They wouldn't be able to hold for much longer. Only until Petunia lost her patience and decided to kick them up...
The door squealed open now.
A short pause
"HARRY! CHERRY! WHERE ARE YOU!" - The voice sounded truly terrified for their behalf. And it sounded like coming out of a certain ferocious- looking, good-natured man. The twins jumped trying to get up, but they happened to be sleeping under one of the beds. Both of them hit the beams pretty hard. Hard enough for Hagrid to hear, and aproach the bed under which they were, and lift it well clear the floor, and sigh when he saw their bewildered expresions.
"Darn, kids, what are you doing on the floor? You really scared me!"
Harry motioned to speak.
"Well... sorry. We just didn't feel comfortable on the beds. I don't know, like..."
"Out in the open?" - A lady standing behind Hagrid said, cutting Harry.
"Well, I guess so." - Answered Harry, dubiusly. After a second Cherry nodded in agreement.
"Hagrid, you weren't exagerating." - The lady, who was wearing clothes reminicent of a nurse or a nun, approached them, and helped them get up. Apparently, they had removed the comforter from one of the beds, had laid it below the bed, and had slept on it, wearing the old shirts they wore as nightshirts. As soon as they were on their feet she picked up one of Cherry's arms, and constantly shock her head in disapproval while she checked it. It seemed odd to the twins, as her exam more than pocking and proving seemed to be hovering her hand up and down the arm while muttering some mantra under her breath. Eventually she dropped Cherry's hand, and without stopping shaking her head in reproval, picked up the black tote bag she had left in the entrance, and once back inside the room, closed the door behind her.
"By the way, Hagrid, you can drop the bed now. I think you are scaring the kids." - The lady said, in a matter-of-fact voice. Hagrid looked unconfortably at the bed he had pinned on the roof, barely above his head; after a second the kids moved out of the way (pulling the comforter), and Hagrid placed the bed back down. With the bed back on the floor, the lady cleared her throat.
"Well Hagrid, I should ask you to leave now. I want to be alone with my patients for the next few hours. I believe you have some business at Gringotts, don't you?"
"Yeah, but I'd ratter get on those damned fast cars the least I can. I'll go when I take the lads. Care for some breakfast, Ma'am Pomfrey?"
"No thanks, Hagrid, but I think the kids might. Just please keep this door closed for the next two hours."
"Okay, ma'am. And by the way kids, this is Poppy Pomfrey, Matron of Hogwarts." - And with that Hagrid walked out the door.
The lady took the comforter out of the twins' hands and threw it on top of the bed. Then she pushed the kids towards the other one.
"Sit on the bed, Mr. and Ms. Potter. I'll be with you in a second." - As the twins sat on the other untouched bed, the witch drew from her robes a foot long, polished wooden stick - presumably a magic wand - pointed the stick to the extremely ruffled bed, and the bed started to make itself: the base reset itself against the wall, the mattress recentered itself on the base, the pillow jumped up from the floor, and pillow, sheets and comforter straigthened themselves on the mattress. Once it was done, she turned back to the kids, whose jaws had hit the floor.
"Don't be so surprised, Mr. and Ms. Potter. Even if that one was a pretty advanced charm, I would still expect either of you to be able to do simple ones in little or no time. And now, let me see that swollen hand of yours, Mr. Potter..."
So, the examination began. The lady, who instead of physician or nurse called herself a "mediwitch", examined both of them up and down and asked them about certain old injuries (whether or not they had visible scars), while stopping now and then to make notes on a parchment. One specially disconcerting moment was when the lady muttered something like "what must be done, must be done", and put both of her hands on Cherry's hips; after a few awkward seconds, a wide smile spread over her factions, and after she had documented her findings - whatever they were * -, she became of a good mood. Her good mood didn't hold once she found the place on Cherry's back were Petunia had once hit her with a hot iron, but it had been a nice smile.
[ * A/N: I wouldn't want to spell it, but sexual abuse wouldn't be out of the question in a house such as Dursleys'; therefore, checking Cherry's virginity was something that had to be done.]
After around an hour worth of exam, she finally rolled up her parchment, an began doing the actual healing. Beyond the bandaging of Harry's right hand, the kids had trouble following the lots of wandwaving going around them; however, they didn't have so much trouble noticing that their injuries, and even thier years-old scars were vanishing. The lady also made them drink deeply from a bottle full of some gooey, snot-green, repulsive-tasting liquid, that supposedly would supress pain, give them streght, and help them heal any old scars, except the lightning-shaped ones on their foreheads. Strangely it sat fine on their stomaches, but what that revolting substance did, without a doubt, was leave them the worse aftertaste of their lives: as bitter as raw, unprepared liver, and as salty as they had been drinking brine...
Exactly two hours after Hagrid had left (according to the clock on the wall), the door was knocked. Madam Pomfrey aswered.
"Come in."
It was Hagrid, carrying a tray on his hands.
"Sorry, Ma'am Pomfrey. I hope I didn't come too early"
"No problem, Hagrid, I had already finished for today." - Then she paused, noting the tray on Hagrid's hands. - "However, I don't think they will be eating any time soon: I just made each of them drink a quart an a half of green revitalizing potion."
"The green one! Mmh!" - He shuddered - "Do you know when will the aftertaste wear off?"
"I wouldn't be really sure, Hagrid. It would normally wear off in three hours, but it had been years since the last time I had patients sufficently malnourished to require it, so the potion might have lost some power. It might wear off sooner."
"Good. I was hoping to buy them a cake..."
The kids looked at each other in awe, as they remembered: today, 31 july, was their eleventh birthday! And they had already received the best present ever: freedom. As they were seated side by side on the bed, they hugged each other. But then they separated, as they remembered there were other people around: at the Dursleys', they had 'painfully' learned not to show affection for each other in public. Besides, they had never had their birthday celebrated at all.
The adults hadn't noticed anything, though.
"Well Hagrid, I have to go now, and report back to Dumbledore. I know he believes in second chances, but not even him will ever send them back after he hears from me. Scars all over their bodies! Untreated injuries! Malnourishment set in firmly enough that it will delay puberty! * Believe me, Hagrid, if Albus has never been on a bad mood, he will likely be first time today!"
[ * A/N: True. Long-set malnourishment might delay puberty up to the age of 15 or 16, the same way as 'overnourishment' (aka Mc-Waistlines) or hormonal abnormalities can make them happen as early as 7 years of age (or in extremely rare cases, even much sooner). If you don't trust my word, go and do your own research, and wonder.]
She had taken all that on a single breathe, so she paused to breath again. - "Let me give you a list of potions for the kids. Give it to Tom, and make sure they take them for dinner." - She turned back to her bag, took out a new piece of parchment, and began writing on the desk. After a few minutes she turned back and handed it to Hagrid. He sat the tray on the unoccupied bed, red the note, and made a face.
"More green revitalizer? Are you sure they wouldn't be better back with their so called family?"
The woman glared up at Hagrid.
"Don't make stupid jokes, Hagrid! Keep reading!"
"Already did, ma'am. They'll need a quart each with dinner, but from tomorrow forward they can go on regular healing potions, as far as somebody watch what they eat." - He grinned at her. - "Come on, Ma'am Pomfrey, it isn't like it hadn't been a nice try!"
"You may try harder, before I ever stop taking seriously my job!" - Then she put the quill on her bag and closed it. She picked up her bag and motioned toward the door, but stopped before opening it.
"Harry, you might take of the bandage as soon as the potion's aftertaste wears off. It might still hurt, but most of the damage will have been undone, and if it hurts too much you can ask Hagrid for a numbing potion." - ... - "I'll come back in three days to examine you again, and until then I want you two to, as your generation would say, 'stay cool'. Even if you might look healthy now, that's because I put cosmetic charms on anything I couldn't heal without the potion; so, you two can still reopen certain wounds even if they don't look. Understood?"
"Sure, ma'am." - They both answered, partially lying. She didn't seem to notice the look of doubt their eyes had.
"Good. See you later, then."
She opened the door, and left.
"Well, with the matron gone now, I think we need to get moving ourselves. Do you still have your letter, kids?"
"Sure." - Harry answered. They both jumped off the bed and towards their suitcase, and after a few seconds Cherry pulled the letter out of the pocket on the skirt she was wearing yesterday.
"Good. Take out the booklist, and as soon as you have dressed we'll go shopping. I'll be back in fifteen."
He left the room. As they got ready, the twins took a quick look at the booklist.
HOGWART SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First Years will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair ofprotective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
All other clothes are the students' prerogative, but it is reminded that altering the uniform's appearance is prohibited, and going barefoot or wearing sandals isn't allowed outside the students' dormitories.
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
SET BOOKS
All students should carry a copy of the following:
+ 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk
+ 'A history of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot
+ 'Magical Theory' by Adalbert Waffling
+ 'A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch
+ 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllida Spore
+ 'Magical Drafts and Potions' by Arsenius Jigger
+ 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newt Scamander
+ 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection' by Quentin Trimble
+ 'A Young Wizard's Guide to Sexuality' by Samuel/Samantha Gray
Muggleborn students are also recommended to buy 'Quill-Writing Primer for Muggles', by Narusegawa Kuno, and have gone through all its exercises before coming to school.
OTHER INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT FOR FIRST YEARS
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 set of basic potion ingredients
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
3 quills (minimum)
3 bottles of standard writing ink (minimum)
1 quill-cutter
15 roles of standard blank parchment (minimum)
1 schoolbag (leather, wool or cotton)
1 wand
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
[ A/N: I would ratter recomend you to actually take a look at the list. It might not show it, but I made a single very important modification, that is, for children who are going to spend most of their puberty with nothing but teachers and each others for company. The repeated "1 wand" comes from the book, so I just copied it as it goes.]
Once the twins had dressed, Cherry picked up the list, Harry pocketed the money Hagrid had given them, and they got out in the hall. Just in time, as Hagrid was coming up the stairs.
"Ah kids, ready to go?"
"Sure." - They answered together.
"Good. Lets go, then." - He turned and began walking down the stairs. In the middle flight they met a pale young man, who was shaking like a leaf just to look at them come down. Hagrid stopped by him.
"Hello, Proffesor Quirrell. How are you today?"
"F- fi- fine, Hagrid." He smiled weakly, and extended a shaky hand toward Hagrid, who shock it softly, like trying not to break a porcelain figure. Once Quirrell had retreived his hand (...along with the rest of his forearm...) from Hagrid's huge right hand, the man turned toward the twins.
"I guess you must be Ha-Ha-Harry and Cherry, aren't you?"
Both Harry and Cherry nodded dubiously. The proffesor pushed his hand towards Harry, who took the shaky hand for just a second before it slipped out of his grasp, towards Cherry. Cherry could hardly touch Quirrell's hand before he had slipped it back into his robes.
"Well, I'm going to be your proffesor of D-D-Defense against the D-D-Dark Arts, not that you need it." - He said, looking appreciatively to their foreheads.
"Well, now I need to go. Have to p-pick a book, on v-vampires." - He shuddered just from mentioning it.- "See you soon." And with a frightened bow he went up the stairs.
Hagrid looked up the stairs and sighed.
"Well, that was Proffesor Quirrell, one of the ones who'll teach you. The poor bloke was fine a few years ago, studying books, but then decided to go on a year long travel around the world to get first hand experience. Apparently he got a run with a few vampires, then had a pretty nasty incident with a hag, and now he's constantly scared, pretty much of everything." - He shook his head in pity. - "Well, lets keep going."
They walked down the rest of the stairs, to the same shaggy pub they had landed in yesterday. Today some light was pouring in from the odd window, but the main source of light remained the candles on the tables. The tables were now ladden with costumers, who were in turn making noise with their conversations. The voice of Johnny, the owner's son, reached them from the bar.
"Hey, Hagrid, ready to take the Potters to buy their equipment?"
The noise died instantly. Not a breath sounded for nearly ten seconds, until Tom's voice came from the shaded tables on the far wall, opposite to the bar.
"For Merlin, you John, do you think I told you in secret, so you could spat it to the four winds!"
Probably he continued rambling, but it was impossible to tell on the uproar that came from all over the pub the next second. Chairs scrapping the floor, people screaming thinks like 'Is it really them!' or 'Look at their foreheads!', and then people coming into sight as they approached them. Soon they were surrounded and pulled away by a crowd of people presenting themselves, welcoming them back, shaking their hands, and from a certain point forward, everybody wanted to hug them; the twins, on the other hand, weren't appreciating the attention at all, and by the time Hagrid noticed it, both of them were beggining to cry from sheer terror. *
[ * A/N: (1)Again with the slave mentality. In such an environment as the one the kids grew up in, they wouldn't have grown up to appreciate appraisal (from anybody except each other) but as a torture method. Now imagine how would they feel if an entire crowd of complete strangers starts to physically appraise them for something they know nothing about: not even 'normal' kids would be far from tears for long. (2) On a different note, on the excitement of things, the crowd was obviously turning pretty rough.]
If Hagrid's reaction was slow, that was compensated by how efective it was. He began shoving people left and right, and once he got close enough to Cherry, who was getting the worst, he rudely pried three adult witches off her neck, and softly holding a sobbing Cherry, began yelling at the multitude.
"YOU should be ashamed of yourselves! Full-Grown-Wizards-TERRORIZING-kids!" - Then he extended his arm towards the point were Harry was... - "And all of you, OPEN UP and let him pass!"
And so, the crowd opened and let the tear-streaked Harry reach Hagrid's waiting arm. By then the room was pretty quiet again, nobody meeting the gigantic man's stare. Tom's angry voice was the one sound that once again broke the silence.
"Move people! If you lot don't seat, I'm closing for the day! And you John, we'll talk in a minute."
People started clearing away to their tables. Hagrid waited until the crowd had thinned a little before gently beggining to push the sobbing twins towards the back door. It lead to a small backyard, barely more than three by three metres, containing nothing but a trashcan and a few weeds growing between the paving stones. Once outside, Hagrid sat on the step leading in (effectively blocking the door), sat the kids on each of his legs, began rocking them, and waited for them to stop cringing to him. A few minutes after they stopped sobbing, he shifted them to the inside of his coat, with only their heads sticking out, so they would be more comfortable.
Once he noticed that they both had fallen asleep, he chuckled, and gently shock them awake. He met their beddy eyes with a smile irradiating warmth.
"Well guys, I wouldn't mind too much letting you sleep, but we have a bussy day ahead of us. Lets move."
They snickered, while they began the task of getting out of Hagrid's coat. Once they were on their feet, Hagrid stuck his hands forward, toward them.
"Now kids help me up, 'cause my legs are now all numb."
They snickered a second, and helped him up. Once up, he spoke.
"Well kids, we are now going to Diagon Alley, and among other things, one of my most treasured memories is the first time I came to the alley." - He looked down for a second, and then resumed looking at their faces, with some concern. - "I mean, there's always a load of people there, and I want to make sure you two are ready for it. And don't worry, what happened at the pub is very rare."
The twins looked at each other with uncertainty, but after a few seconds they both looked up at Hagrid and nodded, smiling shyly. He beamed at them and used his heavy hands to pet their heads with (...what he thought to be...) gentleness, and then took an old pink umbrella from =somewhere= inside his coat, and walked to the far wall, facing a brick sticking out.
"Alright, then just stay close to me. Just in case, you know."
With the tip of the umbrella, he counted two bricks down and three to the right of the one sticking out, and tapped this one three times. Immediately the entire wall came to life and the bricks began to rearange themselves, forming a small gap that grew more and more until it created an archway big enough even for Hagrid, and leading onto a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.
"Welcome, kids! Welcome to Diagon Alley!" - He said, with a voice full of joy.
[A/N: Please turn to the book to see the description of the Alley]
Cherry, waking up from her reverie, pulled out the booklist and spoke up to Hagrid.
"Sorry, Mr. Hagrid..."
"Oh, please don't call me 'Mister'. Just Hagrid."
"Well... Hagrid, what are we going to buy first?" - She said, signaling to the list. They hadn't had any time to think about it, but right now Harry was holding much more money than they had ever touched in their lives, together.
"Buy? Oh, right now nothing. We are first going to go Gringotts, to get you some money from your vault."
"Our vault?" - Harry spat, disbelieving.
"Of course. Even if your house burnt to ashes, the Potter fortune was still safely stored at its bank vault. Or what, did you two thought your parents had left you with nothing?" - He grinned at them.
[A/N: What follows next, up to the moment they step out of Gringotts, is almost exactly what happens on the book; except that now they have two pairs of eyes, and that now they were carring two money pouches.]
After the third crazy car ride, Hagrid had definitely acquired a nasty green colour, so as soon as he stepped out of Gringotts, he sat on the steps and put his head between his knees, and continued his ongoing effort to keep his breakfast down. The kids sat by him and called his attention. He spoke to them between breaths.
"Oh ... don't worry... kids. I'll... be fine... Just need some... fresh air!"
"Can we help you in any way?" - Cherry asked.
"Nah... don't worry... better go there..." - He said, pointing to a store three doors down accross the alley - "... And get your uniforms. I'll... catch up with you in a minute."
"Are you sure, Hagrid?" - Cherry asked again.
"Sure... just go."
So the twins walked toward a store named 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions', taking the occasional glimpse behind just to check on Hagrid, who had just taken a shot bottle from his coat and was uncapping it.
They entered the store, and even before they could get a decent look of the inside, they had been spotted by a heavy-built witch. She was barely above their own heights, and was wearing pale-purple robes and a nice smile.
"Hogwarts, dears?" - She barely gave them time to nod before she began pulling them to the back of the store, speaking all the while.
"I get a lot here. In fact, as we speak another young man is being fitted."
In the back of the store there was a boy around their age, with a pale and frankly aerodinamic face, and a blonde head of hair so overdressed that seemed to have been blown dry by a jetfighter. * He was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin made Harry and Cherry stand on two other footstools nearby the blonde boy's, slipped two generic black robes over their heads, and with the help of a third witch who had been resting nearby, began pinning the robes to lenght.
[ * A/N: I don't know what might you think, but that's the impression I got from the movies' Malfoy, and I wanted to reflect it.]
"Hullo," - Said the boy. - "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes." - Harry said, and Cherry nodded in agreement.
"My father is next door buying my books, and mother's up the street looking at cauldrons and telescopes." -He said with a bored voice. - " Then I'll bully my father into buying me a racing broom, and I'll smuggle it in somehow. I don't know why can't first years have their own brooms anyway."
The twins looked at each other. This boy sounded like a slim version of Dudley.
"Have you got your own brooms?" - The boy went on.
The twins shock their heads in negative.
"Do you play quidditch at all?"
The twins shock their heads again, and then looked at each other, wondering what in the world quidditch was.
"Well, I do. My father says it would be a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know in what houses will you two be in?"
The twins shock their heads, beginning to feel frustrated from not knowing anything the boy was talking about.
"Well, no one knows for sure until having been sorted, but I know I'm going to be sorted into Slytherin. All my family has always been. I don't know what would I do if I was sorted into Hufflepuff, but I would likely leave, wouldn't you two?"
Both Harry and Cherry limited they answers to groans. They were frankly frustrated by now.
"Hey, look at that man at the window! - Said the boy suddenly. The twins turned towards the store's front window, were Hagrid, looking a bit healthier now, was tapping the window. As soon as he noticed that he had their attention, he pointed downwards to where he was standing, then showed them his wristwatch, extended his ten fingers, and after receiving an understanding nod from the twins, walked out of sight.
"That's Hagrid." - Said Harry.
"He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts!" - Finished Cherry. They were both pleased to know something the blonde boy didn't.
"Oh, sure." - Replied the boy. - " I've heard of him. He's a sort of savage that lives in a hut in the school grounds, and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting his bed on fire." - He finished with a smirk.
"I think he's brilliant." - Replied both twins in unison. The longer they stayed with this guy, the less they liked him.
"Do you?" - He asked, with an undertone of disdain. - "Why is he with you? Where are your parents? Or is he you father?"
"Our parents are dead." - Cherry said, trying to add finality to her words. She didn't want to elaborate with this boy, and she didn't think her brother would either.
"Oh, sorry" - Said the boy offhandedly, not sounding sorry at all. - "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
"They were wizards, if that what you are refering to." -Answered Cherry back. Both her and her bother were beginning to feel the necesity to jump on this smug boy and hit in his beautiful face inwards...
"I really don't think they should let the other kind in, do..."
"You are all ready, Mr. Malfoy. Could you please follow me to the cashier?"
The young witch who had been fixing his robes was the one who saved the day. With a very strained smile she guided him to the front of the store, and a minute later the same witch returned to the back of the shop with a smile.
"All clear!"
The two other witches sighed loudly. Harry and Cherry and noticed so far, but they had stopped working as soon as the boy Malfoy had left his stool.
"Madam Malkin, wouldn't it be better if somewhere out there we wrote 'No service to Slytherins'?"
The lady at Harry's feet snickered, and answered, while resuming her work.
"I wish we could, Claudia, but the moment we do we will loose more than a quarter of our profit. Now go to the front to wait for customers, and Brenda, concentrate!" - She finished, turning to the one who still hadn't resumed working at Cherry's robe. Brenda blushed and went down to work, while Claudia went up to the front of the store with a grin on her face. A few minutes later, Madam Malkin was doing the same with them, guiding them to the front of the store, carrying their two neatly measured robes to the front of the store. Once on the front she placed them on top of two piles of two robes each, and did some muttering and wand waving on top of them. When she turned and saw the faces of confusion on the Potters, she smiled sweetly at them, and explained to them.
"Well kids, that one was a charm that copied the adjustments on the first robe to the other two, so we don't need to adjust the three of them separately. And now tell me, what names should I put on the nametags?"
"Well, I am Harry Potter, and my sister here is Cherry Potter." - He said, matter of fact.
The witch lost her smile in awe, but soon recovered it in joy.
"Claudia, Brenda, come here, quick!" - She said exitedly. Three seconds later, when the ladies arrived... - "Come on girls, meet Harry and Cherry Potter!"
Harry and Cherry felt a little affraid after what had happened on the leaky Cauldron, but at least this three witches seemed to be happy with just giving them a quick hug, grinning like crazy, and dancing around them. After a few minutes of this, Madam Malkin had regained enough self control to pull back to earth her two crazy assistants.
"Well girls, please get serious for a second and help me. Brenda, go and fetch six more robes, two pointy hats, two pairs of our best dragon hide gloves, and two of the special winter cloaks. Then prepare to close. Claudia, help me with the 'EverFit' charm while I do the 'NeverRipp' one."
So Brenda went to fetch the other stuff, while Claudia and Madam Malkin began charming the piles of robes, one by one. It seemed to be a hard think to do, as they where puffing by the time they had gone around the two piles, and were so tired once they had gone through the two piles Brenda had just brought forward, that they were having trouble staying on their feet. Brenda helped Claudia to a nearby chair, and helped Madam Malkin to stay standing up.
"Well, Harry, Cherry, please take these on the house, and return whenever you want for more. And don't look so surprised: I lost a sister and a brother-in-law to You-Know-Who, and my nieces here..." - She nodded towards Brenda. - "... they lost their parents. Even if you don't remember as you were so young, you still avenged them; and we and many others are in an eternal debt to you two."
Harry and Cherry looked at each other. They had been looking for excuses not to accept the presents, but how do you refuse to such words? They bowed a 'thanks', took the clothes from the counter, and slowly marched out of the store. Outside they saw Hagrid, standing in front of the window and looking at them.
"I guess this is one of those days of discovery, isn't it?"
The twins chuckled bitterly. Such words didn't begin to define it.
"Well, do you two feel up to an ice cream?"
They two looked at each other for a second, with a look of disgust. They just didn't feel up to an ice-cream, or anything edible, yet. They looked up to Hagrid, while shaking their heads.
"Well, before I forget again, lets go buy you a couple of decent trunks." So they went to a shop down the street, and bought two identical trunks, that apart from being charmed to have much bigger internal than external dimensions (about an extra feet to each side, an extra feet and a half to each extreme, and at least an extra feet to the bottom), also happened to produce wheels when they were tilted. Hagrid also explained to them about the charms the witches had put on the robes. He explained that the NeverRipp charm made clothes extremely durable by making them almost impervious to damage and wear, and then began to explain them the EverFit one.
"Well, the EverFit Charm makes clothes always fit the wearer... well, it's easy to show you." - And he demostrated by throwing one of the robes on top of his head, and showing them that even with his nine or more feet of height (and perhaps of circunference, adding that he hadn't removed his coat), the robe still fitted him like a glove. Then, he threw it on Harry, who was amazed as it fitted him again seeminglessly. Then he threw another one on Cherry, explaining them that it might be a good idea if they began getting used to wear wizard robes.
The explanation on the cloaks was simple. They didn't only have an EverFit charm, but also had one that kept the cloak warm despite the external conditions.
But then, while finally unbandaging his right hand, Harry remembered what this Malfoy boy had been talking to them.
"Hagrid, what is Quidditch?" - Harry asked, when they stopped to buy parchment and quills.
[ A/N: Lets jump ahead to Ollivanders, as I am not making significant modifications to the next page and a half. And no, they only got Hedwig. By the way, I'm also jumping the description of Ollivanders'.]
"Good afternoon" - Said a soft voice. Harry and Cherry jumped, and Hagrid must have too, because there was a loud crunching noise, and he was now trying to stand up from the remains of a chair.
An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shininig like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"Hello." - Muttered both Harry and Cherry, awkwardly.
"Oh yes, I thought I would be seeing you two soon, Mr. and Ms. Potter." - That wasn't a question. - "You two have your mother's eyes. I can still remember her, the day she came to buy her first wand. Willow, ten and a quarter inches long, swishy. Nice wand for charm work." - Mr. Ollivander had closed the gap and was now standing close and at the height of the twins, and was looking at each of them alternatively, with those wide, grey, and creepy eyes. - "Your father, on the other hand, favoured instead a mahogany wand. Eleven inches, pliable, a little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it; of course, it is the wand who favours the wizard..."
He shot his head upwards, and to the twins relief, he spotted Hagrid.
"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"
"It was, sir, yes."
"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" - Ollivander had suddenly acquired a stern tone.
"Uh... yes, sir." - Hagrid said, looking down. - "But I still have have the pieces, though." - He added brightly.
"But you don't use them, do you?" - Said Ollivander sharply.
"Oh, of cou... of course not, sir." Answered Hagrid, nerviously crutching the point on his coat where the twins knew he kept his pink umbrella.
"Hmmm..." - Said Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. Then he turned back to the twins. - "Well, Mr and Ms. Potter, which are your wand-arms?"
"Wand-arms?" - They both repeated.
"Alright, with which hands do you write?"
"Well, I am left handed." - Began Cherry.
"And I am right handed." - Finished Harry.
"Hold them out, palm upwards. That's it." Then he pulled out of his pocket a couple of long tape measures with silver markings, deposited them on their outstretched forearms, and stepped back, watching intendly. The tape measures sprung to life and began worming around them, taking any imaginable measure of their outstretched arms, and then procedded to their bodies and heads. Mr Ollivander kept muttering to himself even after the tape measures had gone limp on their shoulders.
"Curious." - He finally spoke up. - "Might the two of you stand back-to- back, Mr. and Ms. Potter?"
The two of them complied, feeling more than slightly confused. The tape measures sprung back to life, but just for a few seconds, after which Mr Ollivander spoke again.
"Quite peculiar indeed." - ... - "If I didn't know better, I would think that the two of you are identical twins, but of course that's impossible. You are a boy and a girl, so you two can't be anything more than fraternal twins, but even so..." - He left his words lingering on the air, while he went to the backstore, and after a while came back holding a silvery bone the size of a cane. - "Alright kids, I want each of you standing toward the other, holding an extreme of this unicorn legbone." - ... - "Good, now just hold it for a second." - He pulled out a wand from his robes, and tapped it. The bone shone white for a few seconds, but the glow died down without more consecuence. Mr. Ollivander began shaking his head, and began his explanation, while beggining to pull down boxes from here and there.
"See this that happened? In all the years I have been making wands I had never seen it, and I am pretty sure that even if I go through the records of my ancestors I won't ever find it quoted: two non-identical-twins needing twin wands! Even for identical twins that's quite rare..." - Now he opened two different boxes from around the store, and handed the twins the wands inside. - "Okay, please test this two: Beachwood, nine inches, dragon heartstrings. Flexible, and good for general work." - Upon seeing their confused expressions, he put some more of an explanation. - "Don't be shy, just give them a wave!"
The kids, feeling quite stupid, waved them around. Ollivander quickly snatched them from their hands, and while muttering something he went back to looking for other wands. After less than a minute he was back, holding two more wands. - "Willow and unicorn hairs, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, try them out."
And so, the parade of pairs of wands continued, and each time Ollivander seemed to be taking more and more time to find another pair of wands to try, but even after more than two hours, be now taking around five minutes to find each new pair, and having made a mess of his store, he still seemed to be very enthusiastic. And so far the closer they had come to any reaction was when four tries back (maple and phoenix feathers, seven inches, whippy), they had blown all the contents out of a nearby shelf. Now Ollivander was back again, holding two more wands.
"Well, let's try this two ones. They have been sitting on the shelves for almost seventy years now. Eleven and a half inches, ebony and phoenix feathers, thick and rigid."
The moment the kids touched the wands, their hands felt warm, and as soon as they waved them (shyly, as they didn't want to repeat the last incident), a shower of red and golden sparks shot out of both wands. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr Ollivander cried a 'bravo', before becoming solemn.
"Mr Ollivander, what is the matter?" - Asked Cherry, who had happened to look in his direction after giving a high-five to Harry.
"It is a very curious matter, Ms. Potter. The definition of 'sister wands' is 'two or more wands who had been made with a magic substance coming from the exact same beast'. I remember every single wand I have ever sold, and in the case of your wands, that phoenix only gave three feathers, and the remaining one, the sister wand of yours, was exactly the one who gave you those scars on your foreheads."
The kids swallowed.
"That one was thirteen and a half inches and was from wood from a different ebony tree, but it is still the sister wand of yours'. Very powerful, and in the wrong hands..." - The old man shock his head in reproval. - "I think we must be expecting great things from the two of you, Mr. and Ms. Potter. After all, The-One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, sure, but great!"
The kids shuffled on their seats, as Mr Ollivander seemed to be creepier now more than ever. They received the two wands on a single, purple box, payed seven gold Galleons for each wand, and Mr. Ollivander vowed them out from his shop.
The late afternoon sun now hung low in the horizon, as Hagrid, Harry and Cherry happily walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. As soon as they had left Ollivander's, their stomachs reminded Harry and Cherry that they hadn't eaten all day, so Hagrid steered them into the closest ice cream shop, and after more than an hour of engorging on every imaginable flavour of ice cream, Hagrid 'accidentally' dropped their names to the waitress, so they didn't only got out without paying, but also with some cookies for the way.
Hagrid went before them into the Leaky Cauldron, and after telling them that things were clear, pulled them inside. They quietly went all the way into their room, and threw themselves into their beds, after such a day. Hagrid asked them not to fall asleep yet, telling them that they still had to their medicine, and that he would be back in a second.
The twins had hardly pulled their 'pajamas' out of the suitcase when Hagrid and Tom walked in, singing "Happy Birthday", and carrying a small cake with two candles.
They twins had no wishes whatsoever. This day might have been the best of their lives.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Well, I hope I still have some following after such a long pause, but unfortunately I must tell you that next pause will likely be even longer, as I don't expect to be in much contact with a computer for the next couple of aeons.
Please, have me some patience.
ElfQt: Thanks. I will.
Moonlight: I'm a very slow writer (and that's without counting I just came out of a week long stay in the hospital, and can hardly stare at the screen without getting dizzy). I hope this chapter answers to a few of your questions. But otherwise, I'll try to stick to the normal timeline the most possible. Thanks.
Amber Potter: a few of your questions won't be answered for a long time (read the answer to Moonlight), but they will be, eventually. Thanks.
Nabiki: I will continue. Thanks.
Amileerose: Now it is updated. And Thanks.
Dathrian Princess: Thanks. I'll mail you as soon as possible.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Harry heard the knocking on the door, but didn't want to wake up just yet. Not from that so wonderful dream he had had.
He felt a hand seeking his, took it, and knew that he hadn't had that dream alone. He and Cherry had shared the dream of a gentle giant avenging them on Vernon and taking them on a new life, and it had just been wonderful. They wanted to hold to it.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Cherry felt her brother gently squezzing her hand, and she returned it. They wouldn't be able to hold for much longer. Only until Petunia lost her patience and decided to kick them up...
The door squealed open now.
A short pause
"HARRY! CHERRY! WHERE ARE YOU!" - The voice sounded truly terrified for their behalf. And it sounded like coming out of a certain ferocious- looking, good-natured man. The twins jumped trying to get up, but they happened to be sleeping under one of the beds. Both of them hit the beams pretty hard. Hard enough for Hagrid to hear, and aproach the bed under which they were, and lift it well clear the floor, and sigh when he saw their bewildered expresions.
"Darn, kids, what are you doing on the floor? You really scared me!"
Harry motioned to speak.
"Well... sorry. We just didn't feel comfortable on the beds. I don't know, like..."
"Out in the open?" - A lady standing behind Hagrid said, cutting Harry.
"Well, I guess so." - Answered Harry, dubiusly. After a second Cherry nodded in agreement.
"Hagrid, you weren't exagerating." - The lady, who was wearing clothes reminicent of a nurse or a nun, approached them, and helped them get up. Apparently, they had removed the comforter from one of the beds, had laid it below the bed, and had slept on it, wearing the old shirts they wore as nightshirts. As soon as they were on their feet she picked up one of Cherry's arms, and constantly shock her head in disapproval while she checked it. It seemed odd to the twins, as her exam more than pocking and proving seemed to be hovering her hand up and down the arm while muttering some mantra under her breath. Eventually she dropped Cherry's hand, and without stopping shaking her head in reproval, picked up the black tote bag she had left in the entrance, and once back inside the room, closed the door behind her.
"By the way, Hagrid, you can drop the bed now. I think you are scaring the kids." - The lady said, in a matter-of-fact voice. Hagrid looked unconfortably at the bed he had pinned on the roof, barely above his head; after a second the kids moved out of the way (pulling the comforter), and Hagrid placed the bed back down. With the bed back on the floor, the lady cleared her throat.
"Well Hagrid, I should ask you to leave now. I want to be alone with my patients for the next few hours. I believe you have some business at Gringotts, don't you?"
"Yeah, but I'd ratter get on those damned fast cars the least I can. I'll go when I take the lads. Care for some breakfast, Ma'am Pomfrey?"
"No thanks, Hagrid, but I think the kids might. Just please keep this door closed for the next two hours."
"Okay, ma'am. And by the way kids, this is Poppy Pomfrey, Matron of Hogwarts." - And with that Hagrid walked out the door.
The lady took the comforter out of the twins' hands and threw it on top of the bed. Then she pushed the kids towards the other one.
"Sit on the bed, Mr. and Ms. Potter. I'll be with you in a second." - As the twins sat on the other untouched bed, the witch drew from her robes a foot long, polished wooden stick - presumably a magic wand - pointed the stick to the extremely ruffled bed, and the bed started to make itself: the base reset itself against the wall, the mattress recentered itself on the base, the pillow jumped up from the floor, and pillow, sheets and comforter straigthened themselves on the mattress. Once it was done, she turned back to the kids, whose jaws had hit the floor.
"Don't be so surprised, Mr. and Ms. Potter. Even if that one was a pretty advanced charm, I would still expect either of you to be able to do simple ones in little or no time. And now, let me see that swollen hand of yours, Mr. Potter..."
So, the examination began. The lady, who instead of physician or nurse called herself a "mediwitch", examined both of them up and down and asked them about certain old injuries (whether or not they had visible scars), while stopping now and then to make notes on a parchment. One specially disconcerting moment was when the lady muttered something like "what must be done, must be done", and put both of her hands on Cherry's hips; after a few awkward seconds, a wide smile spread over her factions, and after she had documented her findings - whatever they were * -, she became of a good mood. Her good mood didn't hold once she found the place on Cherry's back were Petunia had once hit her with a hot iron, but it had been a nice smile.
[ * A/N: I wouldn't want to spell it, but sexual abuse wouldn't be out of the question in a house such as Dursleys'; therefore, checking Cherry's virginity was something that had to be done.]
After around an hour worth of exam, she finally rolled up her parchment, an began doing the actual healing. Beyond the bandaging of Harry's right hand, the kids had trouble following the lots of wandwaving going around them; however, they didn't have so much trouble noticing that their injuries, and even thier years-old scars were vanishing. The lady also made them drink deeply from a bottle full of some gooey, snot-green, repulsive-tasting liquid, that supposedly would supress pain, give them streght, and help them heal any old scars, except the lightning-shaped ones on their foreheads. Strangely it sat fine on their stomaches, but what that revolting substance did, without a doubt, was leave them the worse aftertaste of their lives: as bitter as raw, unprepared liver, and as salty as they had been drinking brine...
Exactly two hours after Hagrid had left (according to the clock on the wall), the door was knocked. Madam Pomfrey aswered.
"Come in."
It was Hagrid, carrying a tray on his hands.
"Sorry, Ma'am Pomfrey. I hope I didn't come too early"
"No problem, Hagrid, I had already finished for today." - Then she paused, noting the tray on Hagrid's hands. - "However, I don't think they will be eating any time soon: I just made each of them drink a quart an a half of green revitalizing potion."
"The green one! Mmh!" - He shuddered - "Do you know when will the aftertaste wear off?"
"I wouldn't be really sure, Hagrid. It would normally wear off in three hours, but it had been years since the last time I had patients sufficently malnourished to require it, so the potion might have lost some power. It might wear off sooner."
"Good. I was hoping to buy them a cake..."
The kids looked at each other in awe, as they remembered: today, 31 july, was their eleventh birthday! And they had already received the best present ever: freedom. As they were seated side by side on the bed, they hugged each other. But then they separated, as they remembered there were other people around: at the Dursleys', they had 'painfully' learned not to show affection for each other in public. Besides, they had never had their birthday celebrated at all.
The adults hadn't noticed anything, though.
"Well Hagrid, I have to go now, and report back to Dumbledore. I know he believes in second chances, but not even him will ever send them back after he hears from me. Scars all over their bodies! Untreated injuries! Malnourishment set in firmly enough that it will delay puberty! * Believe me, Hagrid, if Albus has never been on a bad mood, he will likely be first time today!"
[ * A/N: True. Long-set malnourishment might delay puberty up to the age of 15 or 16, the same way as 'overnourishment' (aka Mc-Waistlines) or hormonal abnormalities can make them happen as early as 7 years of age (or in extremely rare cases, even much sooner). If you don't trust my word, go and do your own research, and wonder.]
She had taken all that on a single breathe, so she paused to breath again. - "Let me give you a list of potions for the kids. Give it to Tom, and make sure they take them for dinner." - She turned back to her bag, took out a new piece of parchment, and began writing on the desk. After a few minutes she turned back and handed it to Hagrid. He sat the tray on the unoccupied bed, red the note, and made a face.
"More green revitalizer? Are you sure they wouldn't be better back with their so called family?"
The woman glared up at Hagrid.
"Don't make stupid jokes, Hagrid! Keep reading!"
"Already did, ma'am. They'll need a quart each with dinner, but from tomorrow forward they can go on regular healing potions, as far as somebody watch what they eat." - He grinned at her. - "Come on, Ma'am Pomfrey, it isn't like it hadn't been a nice try!"
"You may try harder, before I ever stop taking seriously my job!" - Then she put the quill on her bag and closed it. She picked up her bag and motioned toward the door, but stopped before opening it.
"Harry, you might take of the bandage as soon as the potion's aftertaste wears off. It might still hurt, but most of the damage will have been undone, and if it hurts too much you can ask Hagrid for a numbing potion." - ... - "I'll come back in three days to examine you again, and until then I want you two to, as your generation would say, 'stay cool'. Even if you might look healthy now, that's because I put cosmetic charms on anything I couldn't heal without the potion; so, you two can still reopen certain wounds even if they don't look. Understood?"
"Sure, ma'am." - They both answered, partially lying. She didn't seem to notice the look of doubt their eyes had.
"Good. See you later, then."
She opened the door, and left.
"Well, with the matron gone now, I think we need to get moving ourselves. Do you still have your letter, kids?"
"Sure." - Harry answered. They both jumped off the bed and towards their suitcase, and after a few seconds Cherry pulled the letter out of the pocket on the skirt she was wearing yesterday.
"Good. Take out the booklist, and as soon as you have dressed we'll go shopping. I'll be back in fifteen."
He left the room. As they got ready, the twins took a quick look at the booklist.
HOGWART SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First Years will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair ofprotective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
All other clothes are the students' prerogative, but it is reminded that altering the uniform's appearance is prohibited, and going barefoot or wearing sandals isn't allowed outside the students' dormitories.
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
SET BOOKS
All students should carry a copy of the following:
+ 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk
+ 'A history of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot
+ 'Magical Theory' by Adalbert Waffling
+ 'A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch
+ 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllida Spore
+ 'Magical Drafts and Potions' by Arsenius Jigger
+ 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newt Scamander
+ 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection' by Quentin Trimble
+ 'A Young Wizard's Guide to Sexuality' by Samuel/Samantha Gray
Muggleborn students are also recommended to buy 'Quill-Writing Primer for Muggles', by Narusegawa Kuno, and have gone through all its exercises before coming to school.
OTHER INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT FOR FIRST YEARS
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 set of basic potion ingredients
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
3 quills (minimum)
3 bottles of standard writing ink (minimum)
1 quill-cutter
15 roles of standard blank parchment (minimum)
1 schoolbag (leather, wool or cotton)
1 wand
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
[ A/N: I would ratter recomend you to actually take a look at the list. It might not show it, but I made a single very important modification, that is, for children who are going to spend most of their puberty with nothing but teachers and each others for company. The repeated "1 wand" comes from the book, so I just copied it as it goes.]
Once the twins had dressed, Cherry picked up the list, Harry pocketed the money Hagrid had given them, and they got out in the hall. Just in time, as Hagrid was coming up the stairs.
"Ah kids, ready to go?"
"Sure." - They answered together.
"Good. Lets go, then." - He turned and began walking down the stairs. In the middle flight they met a pale young man, who was shaking like a leaf just to look at them come down. Hagrid stopped by him.
"Hello, Proffesor Quirrell. How are you today?"
"F- fi- fine, Hagrid." He smiled weakly, and extended a shaky hand toward Hagrid, who shock it softly, like trying not to break a porcelain figure. Once Quirrell had retreived his hand (...along with the rest of his forearm...) from Hagrid's huge right hand, the man turned toward the twins.
"I guess you must be Ha-Ha-Harry and Cherry, aren't you?"
Both Harry and Cherry nodded dubiously. The proffesor pushed his hand towards Harry, who took the shaky hand for just a second before it slipped out of his grasp, towards Cherry. Cherry could hardly touch Quirrell's hand before he had slipped it back into his robes.
"Well, I'm going to be your proffesor of D-D-Defense against the D-D-Dark Arts, not that you need it." - He said, looking appreciatively to their foreheads.
"Well, now I need to go. Have to p-pick a book, on v-vampires." - He shuddered just from mentioning it.- "See you soon." And with a frightened bow he went up the stairs.
Hagrid looked up the stairs and sighed.
"Well, that was Proffesor Quirrell, one of the ones who'll teach you. The poor bloke was fine a few years ago, studying books, but then decided to go on a year long travel around the world to get first hand experience. Apparently he got a run with a few vampires, then had a pretty nasty incident with a hag, and now he's constantly scared, pretty much of everything." - He shook his head in pity. - "Well, lets keep going."
They walked down the rest of the stairs, to the same shaggy pub they had landed in yesterday. Today some light was pouring in from the odd window, but the main source of light remained the candles on the tables. The tables were now ladden with costumers, who were in turn making noise with their conversations. The voice of Johnny, the owner's son, reached them from the bar.
"Hey, Hagrid, ready to take the Potters to buy their equipment?"
The noise died instantly. Not a breath sounded for nearly ten seconds, until Tom's voice came from the shaded tables on the far wall, opposite to the bar.
"For Merlin, you John, do you think I told you in secret, so you could spat it to the four winds!"
Probably he continued rambling, but it was impossible to tell on the uproar that came from all over the pub the next second. Chairs scrapping the floor, people screaming thinks like 'Is it really them!' or 'Look at their foreheads!', and then people coming into sight as they approached them. Soon they were surrounded and pulled away by a crowd of people presenting themselves, welcoming them back, shaking their hands, and from a certain point forward, everybody wanted to hug them; the twins, on the other hand, weren't appreciating the attention at all, and by the time Hagrid noticed it, both of them were beggining to cry from sheer terror. *
[ * A/N: (1)Again with the slave mentality. In such an environment as the one the kids grew up in, they wouldn't have grown up to appreciate appraisal (from anybody except each other) but as a torture method. Now imagine how would they feel if an entire crowd of complete strangers starts to physically appraise them for something they know nothing about: not even 'normal' kids would be far from tears for long. (2) On a different note, on the excitement of things, the crowd was obviously turning pretty rough.]
If Hagrid's reaction was slow, that was compensated by how efective it was. He began shoving people left and right, and once he got close enough to Cherry, who was getting the worst, he rudely pried three adult witches off her neck, and softly holding a sobbing Cherry, began yelling at the multitude.
"YOU should be ashamed of yourselves! Full-Grown-Wizards-TERRORIZING-kids!" - Then he extended his arm towards the point were Harry was... - "And all of you, OPEN UP and let him pass!"
And so, the crowd opened and let the tear-streaked Harry reach Hagrid's waiting arm. By then the room was pretty quiet again, nobody meeting the gigantic man's stare. Tom's angry voice was the one sound that once again broke the silence.
"Move people! If you lot don't seat, I'm closing for the day! And you John, we'll talk in a minute."
People started clearing away to their tables. Hagrid waited until the crowd had thinned a little before gently beggining to push the sobbing twins towards the back door. It lead to a small backyard, barely more than three by three metres, containing nothing but a trashcan and a few weeds growing between the paving stones. Once outside, Hagrid sat on the step leading in (effectively blocking the door), sat the kids on each of his legs, began rocking them, and waited for them to stop cringing to him. A few minutes after they stopped sobbing, he shifted them to the inside of his coat, with only their heads sticking out, so they would be more comfortable.
Once he noticed that they both had fallen asleep, he chuckled, and gently shock them awake. He met their beddy eyes with a smile irradiating warmth.
"Well guys, I wouldn't mind too much letting you sleep, but we have a bussy day ahead of us. Lets move."
They snickered, while they began the task of getting out of Hagrid's coat. Once they were on their feet, Hagrid stuck his hands forward, toward them.
"Now kids help me up, 'cause my legs are now all numb."
They snickered a second, and helped him up. Once up, he spoke.
"Well kids, we are now going to Diagon Alley, and among other things, one of my most treasured memories is the first time I came to the alley." - He looked down for a second, and then resumed looking at their faces, with some concern. - "I mean, there's always a load of people there, and I want to make sure you two are ready for it. And don't worry, what happened at the pub is very rare."
The twins looked at each other with uncertainty, but after a few seconds they both looked up at Hagrid and nodded, smiling shyly. He beamed at them and used his heavy hands to pet their heads with (...what he thought to be...) gentleness, and then took an old pink umbrella from =somewhere= inside his coat, and walked to the far wall, facing a brick sticking out.
"Alright, then just stay close to me. Just in case, you know."
With the tip of the umbrella, he counted two bricks down and three to the right of the one sticking out, and tapped this one three times. Immediately the entire wall came to life and the bricks began to rearange themselves, forming a small gap that grew more and more until it created an archway big enough even for Hagrid, and leading onto a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.
"Welcome, kids! Welcome to Diagon Alley!" - He said, with a voice full of joy.
[A/N: Please turn to the book to see the description of the Alley]
Cherry, waking up from her reverie, pulled out the booklist and spoke up to Hagrid.
"Sorry, Mr. Hagrid..."
"Oh, please don't call me 'Mister'. Just Hagrid."
"Well... Hagrid, what are we going to buy first?" - She said, signaling to the list. They hadn't had any time to think about it, but right now Harry was holding much more money than they had ever touched in their lives, together.
"Buy? Oh, right now nothing. We are first going to go Gringotts, to get you some money from your vault."
"Our vault?" - Harry spat, disbelieving.
"Of course. Even if your house burnt to ashes, the Potter fortune was still safely stored at its bank vault. Or what, did you two thought your parents had left you with nothing?" - He grinned at them.
[A/N: What follows next, up to the moment they step out of Gringotts, is almost exactly what happens on the book; except that now they have two pairs of eyes, and that now they were carring two money pouches.]
After the third crazy car ride, Hagrid had definitely acquired a nasty green colour, so as soon as he stepped out of Gringotts, he sat on the steps and put his head between his knees, and continued his ongoing effort to keep his breakfast down. The kids sat by him and called his attention. He spoke to them between breaths.
"Oh ... don't worry... kids. I'll... be fine... Just need some... fresh air!"
"Can we help you in any way?" - Cherry asked.
"Nah... don't worry... better go there..." - He said, pointing to a store three doors down accross the alley - "... And get your uniforms. I'll... catch up with you in a minute."
"Are you sure, Hagrid?" - Cherry asked again.
"Sure... just go."
So the twins walked toward a store named 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions', taking the occasional glimpse behind just to check on Hagrid, who had just taken a shot bottle from his coat and was uncapping it.
They entered the store, and even before they could get a decent look of the inside, they had been spotted by a heavy-built witch. She was barely above their own heights, and was wearing pale-purple robes and a nice smile.
"Hogwarts, dears?" - She barely gave them time to nod before she began pulling them to the back of the store, speaking all the while.
"I get a lot here. In fact, as we speak another young man is being fitted."
In the back of the store there was a boy around their age, with a pale and frankly aerodinamic face, and a blonde head of hair so overdressed that seemed to have been blown dry by a jetfighter. * He was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin made Harry and Cherry stand on two other footstools nearby the blonde boy's, slipped two generic black robes over their heads, and with the help of a third witch who had been resting nearby, began pinning the robes to lenght.
[ * A/N: I don't know what might you think, but that's the impression I got from the movies' Malfoy, and I wanted to reflect it.]
"Hullo," - Said the boy. - "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes." - Harry said, and Cherry nodded in agreement.
"My father is next door buying my books, and mother's up the street looking at cauldrons and telescopes." -He said with a bored voice. - " Then I'll bully my father into buying me a racing broom, and I'll smuggle it in somehow. I don't know why can't first years have their own brooms anyway."
The twins looked at each other. This boy sounded like a slim version of Dudley.
"Have you got your own brooms?" - The boy went on.
The twins shock their heads in negative.
"Do you play quidditch at all?"
The twins shock their heads again, and then looked at each other, wondering what in the world quidditch was.
"Well, I do. My father says it would be a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know in what houses will you two be in?"
The twins shock their heads, beginning to feel frustrated from not knowing anything the boy was talking about.
"Well, no one knows for sure until having been sorted, but I know I'm going to be sorted into Slytherin. All my family has always been. I don't know what would I do if I was sorted into Hufflepuff, but I would likely leave, wouldn't you two?"
Both Harry and Cherry limited they answers to groans. They were frankly frustrated by now.
"Hey, look at that man at the window! - Said the boy suddenly. The twins turned towards the store's front window, were Hagrid, looking a bit healthier now, was tapping the window. As soon as he noticed that he had their attention, he pointed downwards to where he was standing, then showed them his wristwatch, extended his ten fingers, and after receiving an understanding nod from the twins, walked out of sight.
"That's Hagrid." - Said Harry.
"He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts!" - Finished Cherry. They were both pleased to know something the blonde boy didn't.
"Oh, sure." - Replied the boy. - " I've heard of him. He's a sort of savage that lives in a hut in the school grounds, and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting his bed on fire." - He finished with a smirk.
"I think he's brilliant." - Replied both twins in unison. The longer they stayed with this guy, the less they liked him.
"Do you?" - He asked, with an undertone of disdain. - "Why is he with you? Where are your parents? Or is he you father?"
"Our parents are dead." - Cherry said, trying to add finality to her words. She didn't want to elaborate with this boy, and she didn't think her brother would either.
"Oh, sorry" - Said the boy offhandedly, not sounding sorry at all. - "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
"They were wizards, if that what you are refering to." -Answered Cherry back. Both her and her bother were beginning to feel the necesity to jump on this smug boy and hit in his beautiful face inwards...
"I really don't think they should let the other kind in, do..."
"You are all ready, Mr. Malfoy. Could you please follow me to the cashier?"
The young witch who had been fixing his robes was the one who saved the day. With a very strained smile she guided him to the front of the store, and a minute later the same witch returned to the back of the shop with a smile.
"All clear!"
The two other witches sighed loudly. Harry and Cherry and noticed so far, but they had stopped working as soon as the boy Malfoy had left his stool.
"Madam Malkin, wouldn't it be better if somewhere out there we wrote 'No service to Slytherins'?"
The lady at Harry's feet snickered, and answered, while resuming her work.
"I wish we could, Claudia, but the moment we do we will loose more than a quarter of our profit. Now go to the front to wait for customers, and Brenda, concentrate!" - She finished, turning to the one who still hadn't resumed working at Cherry's robe. Brenda blushed and went down to work, while Claudia went up to the front of the store with a grin on her face. A few minutes later, Madam Malkin was doing the same with them, guiding them to the front of the store, carrying their two neatly measured robes to the front of the store. Once on the front she placed them on top of two piles of two robes each, and did some muttering and wand waving on top of them. When she turned and saw the faces of confusion on the Potters, she smiled sweetly at them, and explained to them.
"Well kids, that one was a charm that copied the adjustments on the first robe to the other two, so we don't need to adjust the three of them separately. And now tell me, what names should I put on the nametags?"
"Well, I am Harry Potter, and my sister here is Cherry Potter." - He said, matter of fact.
The witch lost her smile in awe, but soon recovered it in joy.
"Claudia, Brenda, come here, quick!" - She said exitedly. Three seconds later, when the ladies arrived... - "Come on girls, meet Harry and Cherry Potter!"
Harry and Cherry felt a little affraid after what had happened on the leaky Cauldron, but at least this three witches seemed to be happy with just giving them a quick hug, grinning like crazy, and dancing around them. After a few minutes of this, Madam Malkin had regained enough self control to pull back to earth her two crazy assistants.
"Well girls, please get serious for a second and help me. Brenda, go and fetch six more robes, two pointy hats, two pairs of our best dragon hide gloves, and two of the special winter cloaks. Then prepare to close. Claudia, help me with the 'EverFit' charm while I do the 'NeverRipp' one."
So Brenda went to fetch the other stuff, while Claudia and Madam Malkin began charming the piles of robes, one by one. It seemed to be a hard think to do, as they where puffing by the time they had gone around the two piles, and were so tired once they had gone through the two piles Brenda had just brought forward, that they were having trouble staying on their feet. Brenda helped Claudia to a nearby chair, and helped Madam Malkin to stay standing up.
"Well, Harry, Cherry, please take these on the house, and return whenever you want for more. And don't look so surprised: I lost a sister and a brother-in-law to You-Know-Who, and my nieces here..." - She nodded towards Brenda. - "... they lost their parents. Even if you don't remember as you were so young, you still avenged them; and we and many others are in an eternal debt to you two."
Harry and Cherry looked at each other. They had been looking for excuses not to accept the presents, but how do you refuse to such words? They bowed a 'thanks', took the clothes from the counter, and slowly marched out of the store. Outside they saw Hagrid, standing in front of the window and looking at them.
"I guess this is one of those days of discovery, isn't it?"
The twins chuckled bitterly. Such words didn't begin to define it.
"Well, do you two feel up to an ice cream?"
They two looked at each other for a second, with a look of disgust. They just didn't feel up to an ice-cream, or anything edible, yet. They looked up to Hagrid, while shaking their heads.
"Well, before I forget again, lets go buy you a couple of decent trunks." So they went to a shop down the street, and bought two identical trunks, that apart from being charmed to have much bigger internal than external dimensions (about an extra feet to each side, an extra feet and a half to each extreme, and at least an extra feet to the bottom), also happened to produce wheels when they were tilted. Hagrid also explained to them about the charms the witches had put on the robes. He explained that the NeverRipp charm made clothes extremely durable by making them almost impervious to damage and wear, and then began to explain them the EverFit one.
"Well, the EverFit Charm makes clothes always fit the wearer... well, it's easy to show you." - And he demostrated by throwing one of the robes on top of his head, and showing them that even with his nine or more feet of height (and perhaps of circunference, adding that he hadn't removed his coat), the robe still fitted him like a glove. Then, he threw it on Harry, who was amazed as it fitted him again seeminglessly. Then he threw another one on Cherry, explaining them that it might be a good idea if they began getting used to wear wizard robes.
The explanation on the cloaks was simple. They didn't only have an EverFit charm, but also had one that kept the cloak warm despite the external conditions.
But then, while finally unbandaging his right hand, Harry remembered what this Malfoy boy had been talking to them.
"Hagrid, what is Quidditch?" - Harry asked, when they stopped to buy parchment and quills.
[ A/N: Lets jump ahead to Ollivanders, as I am not making significant modifications to the next page and a half. And no, they only got Hedwig. By the way, I'm also jumping the description of Ollivanders'.]
"Good afternoon" - Said a soft voice. Harry and Cherry jumped, and Hagrid must have too, because there was a loud crunching noise, and he was now trying to stand up from the remains of a chair.
An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shininig like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"Hello." - Muttered both Harry and Cherry, awkwardly.
"Oh yes, I thought I would be seeing you two soon, Mr. and Ms. Potter." - That wasn't a question. - "You two have your mother's eyes. I can still remember her, the day she came to buy her first wand. Willow, ten and a quarter inches long, swishy. Nice wand for charm work." - Mr. Ollivander had closed the gap and was now standing close and at the height of the twins, and was looking at each of them alternatively, with those wide, grey, and creepy eyes. - "Your father, on the other hand, favoured instead a mahogany wand. Eleven inches, pliable, a little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it; of course, it is the wand who favours the wizard..."
He shot his head upwards, and to the twins relief, he spotted Hagrid.
"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"
"It was, sir, yes."
"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" - Ollivander had suddenly acquired a stern tone.
"Uh... yes, sir." - Hagrid said, looking down. - "But I still have have the pieces, though." - He added brightly.
"But you don't use them, do you?" - Said Ollivander sharply.
"Oh, of cou... of course not, sir." Answered Hagrid, nerviously crutching the point on his coat where the twins knew he kept his pink umbrella.
"Hmmm..." - Said Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. Then he turned back to the twins. - "Well, Mr and Ms. Potter, which are your wand-arms?"
"Wand-arms?" - They both repeated.
"Alright, with which hands do you write?"
"Well, I am left handed." - Began Cherry.
"And I am right handed." - Finished Harry.
"Hold them out, palm upwards. That's it." Then he pulled out of his pocket a couple of long tape measures with silver markings, deposited them on their outstretched forearms, and stepped back, watching intendly. The tape measures sprung to life and began worming around them, taking any imaginable measure of their outstretched arms, and then procedded to their bodies and heads. Mr Ollivander kept muttering to himself even after the tape measures had gone limp on their shoulders.
"Curious." - He finally spoke up. - "Might the two of you stand back-to- back, Mr. and Ms. Potter?"
The two of them complied, feeling more than slightly confused. The tape measures sprung back to life, but just for a few seconds, after which Mr Ollivander spoke again.
"Quite peculiar indeed." - ... - "If I didn't know better, I would think that the two of you are identical twins, but of course that's impossible. You are a boy and a girl, so you two can't be anything more than fraternal twins, but even so..." - He left his words lingering on the air, while he went to the backstore, and after a while came back holding a silvery bone the size of a cane. - "Alright kids, I want each of you standing toward the other, holding an extreme of this unicorn legbone." - ... - "Good, now just hold it for a second." - He pulled out a wand from his robes, and tapped it. The bone shone white for a few seconds, but the glow died down without more consecuence. Mr. Ollivander began shaking his head, and began his explanation, while beggining to pull down boxes from here and there.
"See this that happened? In all the years I have been making wands I had never seen it, and I am pretty sure that even if I go through the records of my ancestors I won't ever find it quoted: two non-identical-twins needing twin wands! Even for identical twins that's quite rare..." - Now he opened two different boxes from around the store, and handed the twins the wands inside. - "Okay, please test this two: Beachwood, nine inches, dragon heartstrings. Flexible, and good for general work." - Upon seeing their confused expressions, he put some more of an explanation. - "Don't be shy, just give them a wave!"
The kids, feeling quite stupid, waved them around. Ollivander quickly snatched them from their hands, and while muttering something he went back to looking for other wands. After less than a minute he was back, holding two more wands. - "Willow and unicorn hairs, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, try them out."
And so, the parade of pairs of wands continued, and each time Ollivander seemed to be taking more and more time to find another pair of wands to try, but even after more than two hours, be now taking around five minutes to find each new pair, and having made a mess of his store, he still seemed to be very enthusiastic. And so far the closer they had come to any reaction was when four tries back (maple and phoenix feathers, seven inches, whippy), they had blown all the contents out of a nearby shelf. Now Ollivander was back again, holding two more wands.
"Well, let's try this two ones. They have been sitting on the shelves for almost seventy years now. Eleven and a half inches, ebony and phoenix feathers, thick and rigid."
The moment the kids touched the wands, their hands felt warm, and as soon as they waved them (shyly, as they didn't want to repeat the last incident), a shower of red and golden sparks shot out of both wands. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr Ollivander cried a 'bravo', before becoming solemn.
"Mr Ollivander, what is the matter?" - Asked Cherry, who had happened to look in his direction after giving a high-five to Harry.
"It is a very curious matter, Ms. Potter. The definition of 'sister wands' is 'two or more wands who had been made with a magic substance coming from the exact same beast'. I remember every single wand I have ever sold, and in the case of your wands, that phoenix only gave three feathers, and the remaining one, the sister wand of yours, was exactly the one who gave you those scars on your foreheads."
The kids swallowed.
"That one was thirteen and a half inches and was from wood from a different ebony tree, but it is still the sister wand of yours'. Very powerful, and in the wrong hands..." - The old man shock his head in reproval. - "I think we must be expecting great things from the two of you, Mr. and Ms. Potter. After all, The-One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, sure, but great!"
The kids shuffled on their seats, as Mr Ollivander seemed to be creepier now more than ever. They received the two wands on a single, purple box, payed seven gold Galleons for each wand, and Mr. Ollivander vowed them out from his shop.
The late afternoon sun now hung low in the horizon, as Hagrid, Harry and Cherry happily walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. As soon as they had left Ollivander's, their stomachs reminded Harry and Cherry that they hadn't eaten all day, so Hagrid steered them into the closest ice cream shop, and after more than an hour of engorging on every imaginable flavour of ice cream, Hagrid 'accidentally' dropped their names to the waitress, so they didn't only got out without paying, but also with some cookies for the way.
Hagrid went before them into the Leaky Cauldron, and after telling them that things were clear, pulled them inside. They quietly went all the way into their room, and threw themselves into their beds, after such a day. Hagrid asked them not to fall asleep yet, telling them that they still had to their medicine, and that he would be back in a second.
The twins had hardly pulled their 'pajamas' out of the suitcase when Hagrid and Tom walked in, singing "Happy Birthday", and carrying a small cake with two candles.
They twins had no wishes whatsoever. This day might have been the best of their lives.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Well, I hope I still have some following after such a long pause, but unfortunately I must tell you that next pause will likely be even longer, as I don't expect to be in much contact with a computer for the next couple of aeons.
Please, have me some patience.
ElfQt: Thanks. I will.
Moonlight: I'm a very slow writer (and that's without counting I just came out of a week long stay in the hospital, and can hardly stare at the screen without getting dizzy). I hope this chapter answers to a few of your questions. But otherwise, I'll try to stick to the normal timeline the most possible. Thanks.
Amber Potter: a few of your questions won't be answered for a long time (read the answer to Moonlight), but they will be, eventually. Thanks.
Nabiki: I will continue. Thanks.
Amileerose: Now it is updated. And Thanks.
Dathrian Princess: Thanks. I'll mail you as soon as possible.
