Author's Note: Naturally we all know that I have no ownership whatsoever of Harry Potter and his fellow wizarding mates, or of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Original characters are mine.
Chapter Five
On the train...
Remus looks at the magnificent scarlet steam engine with mixed emotions. All the fond memories of so many years ago, now it was met with a bittersweet taste in his mouth. Then his daughter's voice enters his ears.
"Hogwarts Express... a way to travel with style and class with your fellow classmates... and hope you don't get derailed along the way."
"You really like to put an interesting spin on things, don't you, Angelfish?" Remus laughs.
"It's a gift!" Freya grins.
"I'll just hope for the train to stay on the rails, if that be the case, sis," said Athena, tittering a little.
"Dare you to train surf?" Freya offers.
Athena continues to smile and laugh. "Tempting... tempting... but I don't think giving Dad a heart attack would be a good idea."
"More than a heart attack, being made to face your other father on why you were train surfing in the first place is perhaps more terrifying," Remus shakes his head. "Speaking of, it is best to get on board now, before everywhere gets full."
"Tell us again as to why you're tagging along?" Athena asks.
"Because of the fact that there is a known criminal wandering about and apparently the Ministry and certain staff members would be put at ease knowing that a teacher is going to be on the train, too. At least that is the story I have been told."
"Oh, good, so not trying to be overprotective then," said Freya.
"Do you want me to be? I can hold your hand and walk you to the compartment... and -"
The thunderstruck faces of his daughters were enough to cause Remus to chuckle.
"I don't even think Daddy would do that, Dad," said Athena.
"Well, we can hope not!" says Freya crossing her arms.
"Come one, I'll help with your luggage at least, and then leave you alone," says Remus.
It was a little weird; Athena and Freya were almost worried about being noticed because of their status in being known. But it was possible that because of everyone being too busy with getting on the train and talking to their families, they didn't seem to bother to double take, this did make things smoother in finding an empty compartment, where they were helped with their things and after making sure that they will be okay, Remus left them to find a different compartment.
"So... what do we do to pass the time?" says Athena.
Freya pulls out a little android table. "We could always watch the Walking Dead, or the Vikings, or whatever else that's been downloaded on here, thanks to Donny."
"Oh, this will definitely help," Athena eagerly moves closer, while Freya makes sure they can both see the screen.
"I love being able to use this stuff here," Freya comments.
"The perks of being daughters to gods," Athena agrees.
"And being friends with your crush, Donny," Freya teases.
"Shut up! I am not crushing on Don!"
"Yeah, you are! You're blushing at just the very mention of him right now."
Athena wasn't going to admit or deny it. It was fun keeping her twin guessing.
"I happen to like his company," she simply says.
"Uh huh..."
"Can we just pick a show, please?"
"Okay," Freya knew when to back off.
"Who are you? And what are you using?"
The girls look up to see a pale pointed faced boy with white blond hair, already proudly wearing his school robes, donning the green of Slytherin. He wasn't alone, two other bots, one bulky with crew cut hair and the other shorter and with gorilla like arms.
"This is a remote control for a bomb that we have placed on this train; we just need to activate the sequence in order to set it on the course of blowing this baby off the rails," Freya answers in an ever serious voice.
Athena did her best to keep straight faced.
"That's a Muggle thing! It's not going to be able to work around magic!" the boy said, pointing at it.
Freya presses a button; the boys ducked thinking that she was serious about the bomb on the now departing train, only to hear the theme music to some show he never even heard of.
"If we really wanted to plant a bomb, we wouldn't have uttered a word," Athena simply said, as if it was obvious.
"Who are you? I've never seen you before!"
"No, you wouldn't have, because we hadn't been to Hogwarts, we're starting this year. I'm Freya and this is Athena, and you're Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle," Freya spoke in a tone that was eerily familiar to the boys.
"How did you know that?" Malfoy asks.
"That would be telling," said Freya. "What is the fun of spilling all of the beans before they need to be?"
"You're Mudbloods aren't you?"
"Straight to the derogatory terms already?" Athena was quite bored. "I wouldn't want to say that to us in front of certain people when we reach school, if I were you. Besides, we're not Muggleborn, our parents are every bit as magical, if not more."
"What does that mean?"
"Not telling."
Malfoy shakes his head and turns to his two friends. "Let's go, I wanna see if we can locate Potter... or that idiot Longbottom!"
The boys retreated and left the girls alone.
"You big flirt!" Athena then accuses when no one else could hear.
Freya gave the 'who me?' grin.
"You think he's cute!" Athena teased.
"Well, now we're even, you think Donny is cute, and I think that little ferret boy is cute, we can compare notes," Freya returns.
Athena laughs and shakes her head.
###
The journey to Hogwarts did go without its drama, for the train had stopped and a couple of Dementors came on board, in search for the escaped prisoner, Sirius Black.
When Athena and Freya saw for themselves what the heck... without really a thought and knowing their own capabilities, especially with a pair of fathers we taught them how, (after much pestering and will to give any spell a shot), produced a pair of Patronuses; a Hyena and a Unicorn, with slightly unusual patterning on both. The Hyena had the colouring of a grey wolf and faint stripes of a tiger, while the Unicorn's head and face had an even appearance of wolf head and tiger face painted on, like as though the Unicorn was just born with it.
They drove that Dementor away, and they found out later of the other one, because that one was driven out by their paternal father, with his wolf patronus; a wolf with tiger like strips. But not before someone passed right on out, the famous boy wizard, Harry Potter.
"What were the chances of Dad being in the same compartment as him," Athena comments, getting into the carriage, they saw the Thestrals plain as day and weren't bothered by them, they knew why they could see them and put it at that.
"He probably would have been sleeping and didn't realise he had company until the Dementor came along. You know how Dad is with train travel," Freya reminds her. "He was never a fan of the subway system in New York."
They were joined by three girls, two of whom were another pair of twin girls, both of whom just stared at Athena and Freya with surprise.
"You're... you're..." one of them tried to speak with choked up excitement at the sight before her. "You're Garnet and Amethyst from Double the Wishes!"
"And singers of your own band Elements!" said the other one.
"Not to forget Nixie and Pixie Mirror Worlds!"
"What are you doing at Hogwarts?"
"We're going to be attending here," Athena replies politely. "And our real names are Freya and Athena."
"Oh, we know! We just couldn't believe that you're actually here, that's all. I'm Parvati Patil and this is my twin, Padma," said the girl.
The third girl who was with the twins was a bit confused.
"This is Lavender Brown, she and I are in the same house together," said Parvati. "Lavender these are the twins on those television shows we've been telling you about, they're very well known in the Muggle world."
"Oh," said the very light brown haired girl, then smiles. "Nice to meet you."
"Do you know what houses you'd be Sorted into? As we can see you don't have your colours yet?" Padma asks.
"We have a fair idea, but would rather wait until it's final," said Freya, evenly.
"So, why are you both here?" asks Parvati.
"Because we needed a break from acting, singing and dancing, among other reasons. So after talking to our fathers, it was agreed that we come here," Athena explains.
"Wait, did you say fathers? As in you have two Dads?" Lavender pipes up.
"That would be correct," Athena answers with pride.
"How come we never see either of your fathers with you during the interviews? Or any backstage stuff?" Padma asks, already knowing that amongst certain fans that the famous twins from Double the Wishes didn't have the typical mother and father home life.
Freya's turn to speak; "Oh, they're there, you just don't actually see them on the screens, because it was under an agreement and whatever else the contract was. Any and all footage of our fathers is cut and erased to protect their identities."
"Why?"
"Many reasons."
"Is Wolf-River really your surname?" Parvati asks.
Freya shakes her head; "No, it's an alias surname, and one we're intending on using whilst here, too, because we don't want attention drawn on our fathers, or our other associations, wanting to protect them, as well as ourselves, even if we are in the spotlight."
"Can we know what your real surname is?"
"No," said Athena a little flatly. She sees the slightly hurt expressions of Parvati and Padma, so she goes to explain why; "We're not saying it to be rude or sound like snobs, but we, like anyone else who does what we do, have a right to privacy. We don't want to be made a fuss over whilst here, so we'd appreciate it if you did respect our wishes and not have you know what our real last name is."
"But other celebrities have revealed their real names at some point," Parvati tries.
"Those celebrities are adults and can make that choice for themselves. We're not seventeen yet, or even eighteen depending which world we're going on about, so the choice isn't really fully up to us, it's also the choice of our parents, too."
The carriage finally made it to the majestic and powerful looking building that made up Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The girls were very impressed indeed.
Once they've entered the Entrance Hall, they were approached by Professor McGonagall, a strict but fair woman with tight black bun and elegant emerald green robes, and square shaped glasses.
"Girls, I must speak to you both," she said in a slightly hurried tone. "There has been a sudden change in plans in how you're going to be sorted into your Houses, I am unsure of what the details are, because the Headmaster will not explain. Only that you are to come with me to a room just up here, that will lead you to the very front of the Great Hall, where the First-Years will be coming in very shortly. You're going to have to wait until the First years are sorted to learn what Professor Dumbledore has in store."
Freya and Athena glanced at each other, not liking this at all, but followed McGonagall regardless, noticing the curious eyes upon them, not to mention a confused look on their father's face who had just entered the building himself and seeing them follow the Deputy Headmistress. Unfortunately, he couldn't go and find out right off without getting spotted, so he simply had to go into the Great Hall and up to the staff table, right at the front, upon a low, but large, dais.
A discreetly please Severus met him, as Remus sat down.
"Heard that there was trouble with Dementors," Severus mutters in French.
"You heard correct," Remus replies in the same language.
"How were Angelfish and Butterfly?"
"As far as I know, they're fine, but unsure as to why they were following Minerva to the little chamber room," Remus nods toward the door to the side of the dais, where Freya and Athena were now waiting behind.
Severus's eyes darkened a little and slowly moved them to look at the Headmaster, who was sitting at his position in the middle of the long table, and chatting pleasantly to Professor Sprout.
"He's up to something. Unfortunately, I don't know what."
Before Remus could say anymore, the stool with a large ratty old hat was carried out and everyone became quiet.
The Sorting Hat sang as it always did at every start of school year, and when it stopped, the sorting begun. Professor Flitwick – because McGonagall was occupied with a couple of other students, started calling out the names of the first-years to be sorted into one of the four Houses of Hogwarts; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
Close to the end, McGonagall had returned and sat at her seat on the other side of Severus, and he noticed Harry Potter and Hermione Granger of the Gryffindor House slipping in and heading for their House table to be seated with their friends.
Finally the last of the first-years was called and sorted, and Dumbledore stood up.
"Before we begin our feast, we have two new students who will be joining our wonderful and prestigious school. Some of you might know of them, some may not," the door to the chamber opens once more automatically and Dumbledore gestures for Freya and Athena to come forth.
'This wasn't the plan!' Athena telepathically sends to Freya.
With their pinkies linked lightly, they step on out, hearts pounding. They were so used to being in front of people, but this... this was different. The plan was to have them sorted in a quiet room just before the first-years so they could try and go in and be seated at the tables without, hopefully, being fully noticed.
"They will be joining the third-year students, as they chose to take a break from their overly busy schedules with Hollywood and concentrate on their schooling for a while. Let me introduce you to Freya and Athena Lupin-Snape!"
If only looks could kill!
The candle floating beside Dumbledore suddenly tipped toward him and the flame shot out in front of his face, nearly singeing the man's long white beard. But it didn't matter whether or not the Headmaster did get burnt, the damage was done.
Many a whispers erupted from the students, even some of the staff who were pretty much kept in the dark over Snape's personal life, but now...
'I really want to wipe that smug gloating from that face!' Severus telepathically speaks to Remus, while glowering at the Headmaster, who was, indeed, rather proud of what he did, and looking as though he did nothing wrong... as per darn usual.
'Believe me, I wanted to, but you know how bad that would have looked,' Remus replies in return.
Freya and Athena, with a look of betrayal and stock of their identity being blown into public the way it had, stared back at this man, they hadn't truly seen before, except for newspapers and chocolate frog collecting cards, but have heard so much about. A disturbing glint of satisfaction could be seen in those bright blue eyes.
"Freya, you first, please," says Flitwick, holding the Sorting Hat.
With a slightly shaky hand, Freya goes forward and takes it, she didn't bother to sit on the stool, just places the hat on her head, it slips over her eyes.
Remus and Severus watched with intent, for the Hat was very close to going into what was known as a 'Hatstall', where two Houses were very, very equal in compatibility for the student to be and couldn't figure which one was best.
"SLYTHERIN!" it shouted.
Slytherins were pretty stoked, probably because they figured out that this was their Head of House's own daughter, so who better to join them?
Athena was obviously right after and, she, too, nearly caused a stall.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
This was met with some very mixed results.
Both girls walked over to their new House tables, not exactly pleased on being separated, nor were they for being publically call out for who they really were, the one freaking bloody secret that their fathers had been doing everything they could to keep a lid on. They knew that there was that risk of it coming out when the agreement of Athena and Freya attending Hogwarts, but most definitely not like this!
The feast was announced to begin.
Athena sees Freya not holding back in helping herself to the variety of delicious food in front of her, a small smile goes on her lips, before she, too, helps herself.
"Since when has Snape ever been with anyone?" Ron mutters, he, Harry and Hermione were a little further up the table.
"Since it's not been our business, Ron," Hermione frowns. "I don't think either Professor Snape or Professor Lupin wanted to have those two announced like that, unless I was the only one who saw Professor Snape's face toward Dumbledore and Lupin being equally not impressed."
"Something tells me those two weren't counting on it either, they looked nearly terrified at the fact that they were named, like they were expecting to have a different name be called out," Harry mentions, studying Athena, and Freya over at the Slytherin table, not talking to anyone, just quietly eating their food.
Though, it was a clear difference to how the Slytherins were taking to Freya, compared to the Gryffindors to Athena.
"Are they trying to suck up to Freya?" Remus mutters to Severus.
"If they are, they're failing miserably," Severus says back, as the two saw how Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode were trying to actually talk to Freya. Freya was responding, but not to the satisfaction the two girls were hoping for. "Certainly different to Athena, though."
No one was trying to talk to Athena on the other side of the room. Not even Parvati and Lavender who were very chatty much earlier in the carriage, only to want to ignore her completely.
Dinner was shortly over and any and all announcements, notices and details were spoken, including new members of staff for the subjects that had been allocated to them and why there were Dementors posted about the entrance gates of the school, and a few others, before Dumbledore dismissed everyone for a good night and a fresh start for the morning.
Freya waited for Athena just outside the doors of the Great Hall, not at all giving a crap, especially when she saw her sister's not so happy expression and places an arm around the back of her shoulders.
"What do you think you're doing? You should be heading up to the Gryffindor Dormitory," spoke a very high-horse style tone, belonging to a lanky red head wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a shiny 'Head Boy' badge. He was speaking to Athena.
"In case you hadn't noticed, she's with me," Freya snips.
"You need to be heading off to your dorm, as well," said the redhead.
"Can't two siblings say goodnight?"
"Is there a problem?"
The redheaded boy turns to see Severus had sleeked up behind him.
"I was informing these two that they need to get to their dormitories, Professor."
"I believe that badge is getting to your head just a little, Mr Weasley," Severus speaks in his infamous silken tone. "There is no harm being done here, considering I had noticed that the Patils have done the exact same thing, and you didn't exactly pull them for wishing the other good night, before departing for their own dorms, or any other siblings that are not of the same house. Or is it because you're seeing a Gryffindor talking to a Slytherin something you're not accustomed to?"
Percy Weasley couldn't find an answer.
"Athena will join the Gryffindors shortly," Severus then says evenly.
They watch as Percy turns and heads for the grand staircase, before Severus addresses his two daughters.
"I'll have it arrange where you can escape to mine or your other father's quarters when you need to get away from either of your dormitories," he tells them in Japanese. "We may not be in them when you do enter, but you know you're welcome to stay in whichever one you happen to go to as long as you need."
This was a comfort to the pair.
"Where is Dad?" Athena asks.
"He needed to step out for a moment or so."
"Is he okay?"
Severus thought on his answer. "He will be." It wasn't often where Remus was the one have unpleasant flashback that rocks him as much, but they do happen; sadly this one came just as soon as everyone was dismissed, in a way, sort of good timing, for a bad memory to come up.
"Just as you will be, too," he adds.
With that, Athena goes to make her way upstairs to find her way to the Gryffindor Tower, while Freya joins her father to head toward the dungeons, where the Slytherins were located.