"What on earth are they doing out in the open!?" Hermione wonders trying to follow the large group of people that had just pushed by. The men formed a tight circle around a woman and two kids. Harry pulls Ron away from an outdoor display.
"What are you talking about?" He asks grabbing onto her sleeve. She points to the group as they enter Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions.
"I'm talking about them!" She exclaims looking into the window. Two men were ushering everyone out of the building as the woman and kids were patiently waiting until it's been emptied. The woman began to stroll through the empty aisles. The boy sticking with his mother leaving the girl alone. The men huddled together around the entrance.
"A group of sweaty men?" Ron asks finally looking inside.
"No, moron! Don't you see the kids?" He looks around finding the girl.
"Uh . . . yeah. What about her?"
"Look her brother is over there."
"And?"
"Don't you know who they are?"
"No. Should I?" Hermione looks to Harry who just shrugs.
"Oh my, you two are hopeless. They are Ava and Owen Zaveir." The boys look to each other, confusion clearly shown on their faces. "The Sorrowful Twins?" Again, they shrug. "How did you two pass first year? The Sorrowful twins are born every century. A set of twins that endure the others injuries." Ron laughs.
"All twins are like that. Once Fred fell from the house. George swore up and down he felt the wind get knocked out of him when Fred hit the ground."
"No Ron. This is real. I read all about them. When one is injured, the other one will as well. They were proven to be the Sorrowful Twins when they were four. Owen fell down the stairs breaking his leg. Ava was at the pet's store with her father, scared the muggles half to death when she began to scream bloody murder from a broken leg. After that they have been kept under lock and key in case anyone tried to get to them."
"Who would want to go after them? You'd have to be sadistic to torture one just to watch the other wallow in pain."
"Their father is a well known powerful wizard. Everyone wanted him to be the next minister of magic, but he declined. Anyways if you were going after a powerful wizard would you risk fighting him head on? Or would you hit him where is hurts?" Ron and Harry look back to the twins. Ava now looking through the robes with them. "All you need is one. You kill one. You kill the other." Hermione pushes herself from the window. "But why are they out in the open? They usually have a hire people to do their errands."
"Why don't we just go in and ask?" Ron says.
"Are you mad! Weren't you listening to a word I've been saying! Lock and key Ron. Lock and key. Besides those men won't let us near them!"
"Okay! Okay calm down. It was just a suggestion. Harry what do you think?" He asks looking beside him to find him missing. "Harry?"
"What does he think he is doing!" Hermione screeches all but throwing herself at the window. Harry was inside trying to introduce himself. The men wouldn't let him go too far. Harry felt as though his heart had dropped to his stomach. The line of men glaring down at him had their hands on their wands. Very welcoming. He thought. He stood there silently waiting. But nothing. The woman, unbelievably still has not noticed him.
"Mrs. Zaveri." The man in the center finally spoke. He was a short man. No taller then Harry. He was dressed in normal black robes. His blond hair nearly combed back showing is narrow face. His blue eyes seemed cold as they bore into Harry's. "Mrs. Zaveri. There's a boy. What would you like to do?"
"A boy?" The man stepped aside letting her step through.
"That's their mum." Hermione whispers.
"Oh thanks. I would have never figured that out." Ron says sarcastically causing Hermione to roll her eyes before looking back inside. The woman smiling shaking Harry's hand vigorously.
"What do you think you are doing!" Molly shouts walking up behind them. Ginny trailing behind her. She scowls batting the kids away from the window. "It's rude to stare." She says peeking through the window. "What on earth is Harry dong?!" She says rushing in before any of them can explain. The three look to each other before following her inside,
"- No, no, no. He's fine." They catch. "It's actually an honor to meet young Harry Potter. Such a gentleman." Harry grins feeling his ears go pink. Mrs. Weasley laughs patting him on the back.
"Oh yes he is." She says.
"Are they all yours?" Mrs. Zaveri asks, motioning to the others.
"Oh no. Harry lives with his muggle relatives."
She waves the kids over. "Ginny in my youngest. Ron is my sixth son. And Hermione is a friend of Ron and Harry's."
"How wonderful." She says. "Ha! Look at me being so rude! Owen! Ava! Come here." They both step forward. Owen steps behind Ava letting her eye them suspiciously. They stop beside their mother. Owen peeks out from behind her. "Say hello."
"Hello." They say simultaneously.
"Here are my wonderful children Owen and Ava. My husband and I have been homeschooling them, but they convinced us to let them go to Hogwarts this year."
"How exciting all my kids go to Hogwarts. My oldest two have already graduated." Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Zaveri step aside continuing to talk. Ava tilts her head looking from one to the other. Ron clears his throat stepping forward.
"Um, I'm Ron nice to meet you." He says holding out his hand. Ava stares at him for a moment before taking his hand.
"Ava." She says. Ron waits for her to say more but she just stood there watching him with an unimpressed face.
"This is my sister Ginny. This is going to be her first year too. And my friend Harry, but you knew that."
"Hermione Granger. An honor to meet you both. I've read all about you two." Hermione say stepping forward. Ava looks back to her brother raising an eyebrow.
"Pleased to meet you all." Owen pipes out.
"First year is always scary but you two will love it. Maybe if you're placed with in Gryffindor you'll be with Ginny." Owen clears his throat taking a step away from Ava.
"It's our first year attending but we will be in second year. Taking some third-year classes too."
"What? How?" Hermione says quickly, "That's not allowed." She adds a bit embarrassed.
"We got our letters last year. But mum and dad didn't think we were ready to be around so many kids. So, we were homeschooled. This year when the letters came again we begged to go. After we convinced them, our father spoke with Albus about the classes, he assured us that we will be in our proper year if we were able to pass these tests. We passed first year and we also excelled in certain spots. Ava will be in third year potions and I'll be in third year Herbology." Hermione crosses her arms.
"Why can't I do that test?"
"Get over it." Ron mumbles. The front door chimes. Alastair Zaveri stands there, two bundles of books floating on either side of him, a look of pure disgust clouded his face.
"Sweetie you won't believe out luck!" His wife yells scrambling to him. "Oh, dear what's wrong?" She asks noticing his face. Alastair has always been a kind man. Always patient with those around him and very generous to those who needed it. It wasn't often that he lost his temper but when he did it was easy to notice. His eyebrows knit together making his usually beautiful blue eyes seem dark and beady. His face turning a bright red.
"I ran into Lucius. The disgraceful git. Acting all high and mighty."
"Please tell me you didn't start anything darling."
"No one ever does when it comes to that fuck."
"Alastair!" Mrs. Zaveri yells motioning to the kids.
"Well it's true."
"What did he want?" Ava asks.
"He heard that you two will be attending Hogwarts. He wanted to introduce that little brat of his. 'You have a daughter, don't you? Miss. Ava? I'm sure they will get along very well.'" He scowls. "Filth."
"Maybe he's a sweet kid honey. We should give him a chance?" Ron and Harry share a look. They didn't know if they could be friends with the twins if they were following Draco around.
"Lucius' kid? Sweet? Doubt it. He's probably as bad as his father."
"That's true." Ron says. "God awful he is. He's in Slytherin. And we all know what kind of people come from the Slytherin house." Alastair points to Ron nodding.
"You see!" Ron beams to Mrs. Zaveir. She rolls her eyes.
"Well you don't need to worry about that. I'd like you to meet Mrs. Molly Weasley. She has five kids that will be attending Hogwarts one of them is even a Prefect." He seems to lighten up hearing this. "She says that they can keep an eye out for our little fiends."
"Mum!" Owen hollers.
"Calm down sweetie. I'm joking."
"That's great! Thank you!" He says shaking hands with Molly. "We've been worried about the start of the school year. Our friend Severus works there. He promised to keep an eye out on them but with all those students. Seems very impossible." Hermione looks to Ron and Harry. How is it possible for them to be friends with Severus yet loathe Lucius?
"You guys are friends with Professor Severus Snape?" Hermione asks.
"Yeah. He's been mum's friend since their first year at Hogwarts." Owen replies. Ron gives a pleading look to his mother who didn't notice.
"Ava, Owen. What do you say to Mrs. Weasley." Mr. Zaveri says.
"Thank you." They say.
"My life is ruined." Ron says throwing himself onto the bed. Harry walks to him sitting by his feet.
"It won't be that bad. Percy says he'll keep an eye out on them."
"But Percy is a Prefect. He'll have loads to do. If they aren't placed in Gryffindor then it'll be impossible. All that talk was just for show. Besides they are second year, So I'm the one that's going to keep them out of trouble. If they are placed in Gryffindor, we'll be living with them. Makes it five times worse."
"Their dad did mention that they will be sleeping separately from everyone. So, you won't have to worry."
"Mum wouldn't let it go you know that. They bought us all robes and books. Brand new Harry. I can hear her now. 'Ronald, you ungrateful little nag! All the money they spent on you and you just abandoned those poor twins!'" He says in a hug pitched voice. He groans covering his eyes. "I never thought I would be in debt this early in life."
"It won't be that bad Ron."
"It will be though! They're so weird.! Owen was clinging to Ava the whole time, and she was just giving us weird looks. And worst of all! Snape is a family friend! He already torments our lives. Just imagine if I piss those twins off. He will find a way to make them worse" Harry frowns tapping his foot. The new responsibility Ron has effects Harry and Hermione as well. Hermione would probably enjoy showing the twins around but none of them have ever been on Snape's good side. If he even 'see's' one thing he deems inappropriate for those twins he'll figure out a new punishment that will be worse than anything they endured.