Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start
Principle Confusion
Penny gathered the new Ravenclaw girls together and led them down the hall to the first year dorms. "We call the common room the Roost, you know, like an eagle's nest. Ravenclaw's take pride in keeping their secrets, so everyone in this house is usually prone to be tight lipped." Penny smirked to herself, implying that she knew a whole lot the first years didn't know, and that she would not be telling them any of it any time soon. "We're an enigma. We never let anyone know where our loyalties lie. It is because of this that sometimes the other houses freak out on us. People dislike what they don't know. We know all, so we fear nothing. However we are also intelligent, so we don't go off gallivanting on strange adventures like those Gryffindors."
Alex snorted with laughter. "Um Penny, I wouldn't say that to your boyfriend if I were you."
Penny blushed, her brow furrowed and a frown spreading across her face. "Alexandra, I would mind my own business if I were you. First years should not talk so openly against their elders.'
Alex stood up straight pouting indignantly, "I'm not a baby, Penny. I know lots of things you don't know. I didn't have to be in Ravenclaw. I could have been in any house if I'd wanted. I would be nice to me if I were you."
Penny waved a hand absently at her younger cousin. "Nonsense Alex, the Sorting Hat put you in Ravenclaw. You belong here with us, of course." Penny turned back to the group. "Now you'll learn quickly to keep your secrets to yourself. Rumors go around this school like wildfire. It takes a special talent to keep things from spreading around the entire establishment."
She opened a wood door to reveal room overlooking the lake and the Forbidden Forest. The tower seemed to lean out over the building so it almost appeared to be floating on air. A castle in the sky Alex thought happily to herself. There were five four-poster beds in the room decorated with a wonderful evening blue hangings and coverlets. Alex walked over the bed closest to the window running her hand over the blanket. To her amazement there were tiny gold stars embroidered onto the velvety cloth. Alex glanced up at her cousin, and Penny smiled back.
"I'll leave you girls here. Get some rest, tomorrow is a big day for all of us." She left the room quietly so the girls could get better acquainted.
"Are you going to take that bed?" a voice came from one of the other girls. Alex turned to see the other girls in her year. At dinner she had been so eager to see her sister and Ginny sorted she had completely neglected to watch for new students in her own house.
"Yes I believe so," Alex stuck out a hand for the girl to shake, "I'm Alexandra Huntington. You may call me Alex."
The girl had over large eyes that were somewhat disconcerting. She had a slightly float-y air about her, as if her mind rarely stayed in one place for long. "I'm Luna Lovegood. I don't have a nickname." She nodded toward the bed Alex had chosen. "I wouldn't sleep there if I were you. You might get attacked by an invisible bunglecrick. They like to fly up to the top floors of tall buildings and suck the stomach juice from anything living there." Alex raised an eyebrow and looked over this strange girl. She had a necklace with five Butterbeer corks strung onto it and had a magazine rolled up in her hand.
"Right… I think I'll sleep here anyhow, invisible bunglecricks or not."
Luna shrugged and flopped down on a bed across from her. "Suit yourself." She immediately lay down on her stomach and began reading her magazine upside down.
"Bit queer, isn't she?" Another girl had come up next to Alex and whispered the comment in her ear. The girl smiled. She had frizzy dirty blond hair and a heavy dusting of freckles. "I'm Francis Mulroney, and these two are Katherine Drindle and Leila Muktab." She gestured to the remaining girls. "You can call me Cis. Sounds much better than Fannie or Frankie." The girl's face contorted in distaste. "I can't believe my parents thought it would be a good idea to name their daughter Francis…"
The girl who had been introduced as Katherine smiled shyly, "My mum and dad call me Katie. I guess that's only to be expected." Katie was a small girl with wavy brown hair and startlingly green eyes. She dropped her cloak onto the bed next to Alex. "I'll take this one if you don't mind." Alex shrugged in consent and the Katie began rummaging through her trunk for her pajamas.
The last girl, Leila eyed Alex warily. "You're from one of those old pureblood families…" the girl said, her voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper. Although she could barely hear a word the other girl said Alex picked up a slightly Arab, but slightly French accent. "I am too, but of course old Moroccan families don't have anything to do with British ones normally."
Ah, Moroccan, that explains it… Alex thought carefully. "Don't worry. We're not half as bad as we're made out to be. My twin is in Slytherin and she's just fine. In fact, one of our best friends is in Gryffindor, so all this inter-house prejudice can't be nearly as intense as they say it."
'You have a twin?" Cis exclaimed with excitement. "Wow! I've always wanted a sister, a twin must be even better!" Cis squinted at Alex. "Do you guys have special twin powers?"
Alex laughed amiably, "No, nothing like that. It's just like having your best friend with you all the time. She knows me better then anybody else. I think being put in Ravenclaw was the first time I surprised her in three years!"
The four girls laughed together. This first night was going quite well. Alex dug through her trunk and found her pajamas. They were her favorite, blue with yellow stars. Cassie had a pair just like them, only green with yellow stars. Alex felt a lump develop in her throat. This would be the first time she had been away from her twin in, well, she couldn't remember ever being away from her sister. As she crawled into bed Alex shook herself to clear her head. This is definitely going to take some getting used to…
Alex woke the next morning to her shoulder being shaken. "Ger off Cass…" she mumbled swatting at the shaker with one hand as the other was pulling the pillow over her head. "Two more minutes, and I swear I'll be up. You know you can't wake me up before seven."
"Leave her Luna. We'll try her again in a few minutes." A voice said quietly in the background. Alex was a bit confused, what was that girl doing in her and Cassie's room?
"Yeah Luna. I got up at 2 to go get a glass of water and she was still awake. Let her sleep a few more minutes," said yet another voice. Alex was fairly certain it did not belong to one of her cousins. Then she remembered the day before.
Alex was at Hogwarts in the Ravenclaw first year dorm with her fellow new housemates. She also remembered being up half the night because she couldn't sleep. She sat up abruptly and promptly bumped heads with the strange girl Luna who was still leaning over her. "Ouch!" they cried out at the same time. Something about that made Alex very sad. She quickly shook her head to get rid of the feeling.
"Wow, you really do get up at seven!" Cis displayed the clock on the wizard wireless, which was busy playing a series of Weird Sisters greatest hits. Alex waved a hand at the wireless, hoping Cis would have enough sense to turn the thing off. Katie reached over and flipped the switch on the side of the overly loud box.
"Really Cis, it's too early for that. Personally I have to listen to the Weird Sisters later on in the day. Other wise they give me a wicked headache. And Alex only just woke up. Let her at least get dressed before you turn that thing on again."
Alex was already up, dressed and brushing her hair. She turned around holding two ribbons, one blue and one green. She quickly replaced the green one in her trunk when she felt some stinging at the corners of her eyes. "Um, would one of you please tie my hair back please? My sister used to do it for me, but, you know, she's in Slytherin now, so I guess she can't do it any more." When Katie walked up to her she held out the ribbon.
Katie smiled and curled Alex's fingers around the ribbon. "It's okay. We'll see Cassandra at breakfast. I'm sure if you catch her before she leaves then she'll help you." Katie looked at her own hands sadly. "At least you're sister is at Hogwarts. I'm muggleborn and my twin, his name is Kenneth, isn't a wizard. So I had to leave him home in London. I won't be able so see him until Christmas. So believe me, Alex, I know how you feel and then some."
"We'd better get down to breakfast before the bunglecricks wake up. I would rather be eaten by a crumple horned snorkak personally…" Luna's sentence drifted off as she walked out the door and started down the hallway toward the Roost.
"We'd better follow her." It was the first thing that Leila had said all morning. Alex was beginning to think that this girl only spoke when it was important. I should listen to her. The less someone speaks, the more valuable their words. Alex smiled to herself. Her mother used to tell people that all the time because Alex's own silence was somehow disconcerting to overly talkative people.
As they headed down the hallway they realized that they had no idea how to get down to the Great Hall. However they had nothing to fear, for Penny was waiting for them in Roost, smiling in a welcoming sort of way. "We'll just wait for the boys now, shall we?"
Alex watched as a few second years walked through the common room on their way down to breakfast. Alex recognized two of them, Terry Boot and Padma Patil. They were old family friends, and belonged to old pureblood families themselves. Alex reminded herself that Padma had a twin in Gryffindor, but somehow it did nothing to improve her mood. I'll have to talk to her later and see what she did to make herself not feel so bad at being separated from her twin. Alex shook her head defiantly. No, this is ridiculous! Come on Alex get a grip. You do not need Cassie there all the time. You are a strong young woman. You need no one to hold you're hand. Remember what the Sorting Hat said. You are brave. Braver than most of your housemates. And you're freaking out over not having your sister with you twenty-four hours a day!
"I see the boys have finally come. Hurry up you lot. The rest of us want to get down to breakfast before they pass out schedules."
The boys staggered into the Roost, muttering about the time and how no one in their right minds would get up any earlier than ten. The girls giggled as an equally haggard prefect herded the four boys out of the corridor. "Got 'em Penny. And I'll have you know it wasn't easy…"
"I have a boyfriend Tony, so you can stop trying. I'll let you know if I ever break up with him." She turned to the first years whispering conspiratorially, "Well, maybe not." The girls all broke out giggling, and the boys all looked even more cross than before.
Penny started off leading the nine first years and a very droopy prefect down to the great hall. There were so many twists and turns Alex was positive that she would never be able to find her way back. Just before they descended the stairs to the great hall Penny passed out nine maps to each of the first years. "Just tap it with your wand and whisper the class, teacher, and where you are know. It will draw a red line along the shortest route to that class. Don't show it to anyone else. The other houses have been trying to figure out how we're always to class on time for ages. It's this," she tapped the map, "that keeps us ahead of the rest. And don't loose it. I won't make any of you another one."
As they entered the Great Hall a few faces turned to watch them, but they quickly lost interest. As they sat down at the table a small figure with light blond hair swept gracefully over their table.
"I see you haven't put that ribbon in yet. Give it here, you useless creature." Cassie smiled brilliantly at her twin. Alex laughed and hugged her sister. For once Cassie didn't complain about Alex messing her robes, she simply hugged her twin back.
Alex turned back to face her housemates, "These are my housemates. This is Cis, Katie, Leila, and Luna." Each of the girls smiled politely and waved when their name was introduced.
One of the boys stood up. "I'm Jacob Horowitz-Boot, and these are Donal MacGinn, Akash Dahlia, and Pierre Dupree." Jacob held out his hand politely, and each of the other boys nodded when their name was said.
"Right," Alex said, as Cassie shook Jacob's hand, "And everyone, this is my twin sister Cassandra."
Cassie smiled. "Well, all of you can call me Cassie. It's a loot less stuffy."
Two of the boys looked at each other. "I'm Don. Donal is a little weird."
"And I'm Paul." Alex and Cassie raised an eyebrow at this. The dark haired boy blushed a little. "It's the English version of my name. My grandmother was French and insisted on my parents naming all their kids French names. I have two little sisters named Marguerite and Veronique." The whole table nodded in comprehension.
Cassie snapped out of the nodding first. "How about that ribbon?" Alex smiled happily and gave it over to her sister. Cassie quickly and deftly tied her sister's hair back in a half ponytail. "Now…"
"Of course." Alex took the green ribbon in Cassie's hand and equally deftly tied back her sister's hair in exactly the same fashion. Cassie turned around and the twins nodded at each other in satisfaction.
"Thank Goderic they're in different houses or we'd never be able to tell them apart." Don blurted out. The girls giggled and he blushed bright red.
Just then the Gryffindors came into the hall. Alex saw a red haired first year break away from the group and sprint over to the Ravenclaw table. "Um, Alex I have to go eat breakfast. See you later." Alex had barely turned around before Cassie was already halfway to her own table. That's strange, she thought, but was quickly interrupted from her pondering by Ginny Weasley nearly slamming into the Ravenclaw table.
"Alex! Hey, where'd Cass go?" Alex shrugged. Ginny nodded and started talking again. "Anyway, Harry and Ron didn't make it onto the train! So my idiot brother comes up with the brilliant idea to take my Dad's flying car, that one he used to take Harry from his evil relatives in July. And they flew all the way here from London, and were seen by a whole bunch of muggles. And to top it all off, they crashed spectacularly into a mad tree on the grounds and then the car got all mad and drove off into the forest!" Ginny quickly grabbed the paper Jacob was reading and pointed to the front page. "Developments in the Mysterious Flying Car over London." Ginny read off the front cover. She whipped a copy of the Evening Prophet from her robes. "Flying Ford Anglia Mystifies Muggles." Ginny let her head drop onto the table. "Dad'll get sacked! And we already have barely enough to get by, and Ron broke his wand last night when he smashed the car into the freak tree…"
"Shh," Alex tried to sooth her friend. She looked up to see her housemates staring amazedly at the red haired Gryffindor who had just deposited herself at their table. Alex glared at her housemates. "Honestly, turn around or something. Don't any of you have manners?" They all turned hurriedly. That was just in time to see the howler explode on the Gryffindor table.
"- STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET A HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE –"
"Look away Ginny,' Alex tried forcibly to turn her friend around as she gazed, horrified, at the scene taking place over the Gryffindor table. Finally Alex managed to make Ginny face her. "Gin, come on, we've got to get out of here, right now." Alex grabbed two pieces of toast and forced Ginny to stand up. She glanced over at the Slytherin table, trying to make eye contact with her twin. Cassie met her eyes and nodded ever so slightly. As Alex made for the door, Cassie excused herself from her housemates and made her way to the door.
As Alex was wrestling Ginny from the Great Hall the howler continued yelling.
"- LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED –"
Cassie met them right outside the Great Hall. Alex nodded toward the huge front doors. "Let's get her outside. I think she needs some air." Cassie grabbed Ginny's left arm and Alex took her right. Quickly they kicked open the door and forced Ginny out into the cool morning air.
After a few minutes Ginny had calmed down enough to speak without breaking down. "Dad'll get fired you know," she said dully. "They'll find out it was him, and they'll fire him. In fact, he'll probably have to fire himself. Misuse of Muggle Artifacts is his department."
Cassie patted her gently on the back. "Don't worry, they won't fire him.' She stood up quickly. "I have an idea. I'll be right back, got to send an owl…" With that Cassie ran back inside toward the owlery.
Ginny wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What is she going to do?"
Alex smiled, just coming to the same idea Cassie had just had. "Dad. She's going to owl our dad. He's a fairly high level Unspeakable. So is mum in fact. I'm sure they'll be able to help him out."
Ginny burst into tears and flung her arms around Alex. "Thank you Alex. I'm sorry for making you miss breakfast…"
Alex held up the two pieces of toast. "Don't worry, I brought some. Now eat something so that you have something in your stomach. This is a big day, and you'll want to keep your wits about you. You can't do that on an empty stomach."
"Alex? Is that you?" Penny burst through the front doors and hiked up her long robes as she descended the four steps to where Alex and Ginny were sitting. "I've been looking all over for you! Everyone was watching that blasted howler and I was trying to talk to Percy when your housemates said you and Cassie had taken a girl in hysterics out of the hall!" It was only then that Penny looked at Ginny. "Ginny? Ginny dear are you all right? Oh good, now I've found both of you." Penny flopped down on the steps next to them.
"Ginny got upset because they're going to have an inquiry on her dad." Alex stated calmly, trying her best to explain the situation without Ginny bursting into tears again.
Penny nodded. "Yes, Percy said something about that. Don't worry dear; I'm sure my Aunt and uncle have already begun helping him. They know you're a friend of the twins. Oh, almost forgot." Penny pulled a pair of parchments from the folds of her robes. "Here are your schedules. Alex, you'll notice you have most of your classes with Slytherin. They try to do that if there are any twins in different houses, you know to help with the separation anxiety. They did the same for Padma and Parvati last year. They only do it for first years, but hopefully it should be enough. But you've got Herbology with Ginny, and History of Magic with the Hufflepuffs. The rest you've got with Cassie." Penny looked around them. "Say where is Cassie? Maria Zabini is looking for her."
Alex pointed back at the school. "Cassie went to send an owl to mum and dad about Mr. Weasley."
Penny stood up. "Well, I'll have to go tell Maria. You two had better get inside. Classes start any minute." And with that Penny swept back through the great front doors leaving Alex and Ginny alone outside in the cool morning air.
"She's right you know. I don't want to be late to my first class." Ginny said, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.
Alex shrugged. "Alright. But if you need me, just come and find me. Ask Penny where I am, or one of my housemates and they'll get me for you."
Ginny stood, smiling wetly. "I think I'll be fine. Thanks Alex."
They walked inside together, just in time to see Cassie coming down the stairs from the owlery. She waved, and then went to join her fellow Slytherins in the dungeon. Alex headed up down the hallway to the back flight of stairs that lead to Ravenclaw tower. I really hope today is going to be better than this morning is predicting. I don't think I could take any more confusion.