Going to Hogwarts.
Part 1.
The Black twins and Saxton sisters sat on a grassy hill in the shade of a tree, overlooking a truly amazing site; a majestic looking building, surrounded by lush fields, green forests and a homely looking village. This was the fabled Muse academy, which turned out to be a huge island in the sky.
Not long after Vida and Layla's transformations they were all given early invites to Muse academy, because they all graduated from Truncham hall early due to being smarter that the average child their age, the academy was a place of learning for all ages and all types of children. They all lived at the academy now but frequently visited home. The Black twins went into advanced magic classes due to the intelligence, while the Saxton sister got extra Slayer training classes in place of some other classes.
With the help of a teacher at the academy Layla had finally perfected sending her thoughts through radio waves and could now speak through a small radion she had strapped to her waist.
In the tree Vida and Layla sat back-to-back on a strong tree branch, and on the ground Harry and Matilda sat in the grass and lent against the tree. A snowy owl called Hedwing sat in an owl box that was deep in the tree, sitting on a branch near the Saxton sisters was a dove named Tanith, curled in a small hole under the trees roots was a fox cub named Tamamo, and a black kitten Mau was curled up on Matilda's lap; they were the pets of Harry, Layla, Vida and Matilda respectively.
All four now had their own wands that they got just before coming to Muse academy.
(Flashback.)
The Saxton family and Black twins walked in the dark towards what was known as the Night market, Sirius and Jenny were not with them because the residence of the Night market didn't take kindly to adult strangers. It was a market that could only be found at night and guided by those with Fae blood, as such the Saxton sisters walked up front holding a lantern each.
Harry and Matilda marvelled at how over-worldly the Saxton sisters looked in the light of the natural flames. Vida's white hair seemed to have less weight to it as she moved, the way her tail moved made it look as if the fur was flame, and her ears twitched at every sound of the wood. Layla's hair seemed to meld with the darkness around her, her red eyes seemed to be glowing, and her wings were spread out wide with all of the feathers standing out clearly in the darkness. And as the group drew closer to the Night market a ghostly figure started to appear next to Vida, the image growing stronger and clearer with each step. By the time they reached the edge of the clearing the ghost could be identified as Aria, it seemed that being so close to the magic of the Fae had given her a temporary spectral form.
"Children." Kenny whispered to the Black twins. "Keep a careful eye on Vida and Layla. Their Fae blood is strong around places like these, they'll act more careless and try to make you join them in having fun, no matter how dangerous. They might even develop a magic of the Fae that makes time slow down for them and those they play with. So be careful and don't let them go off with anyone else lest other Fae take them."
The Black twins nodded as they walked closer to the Saxton sisters.
In the large clearing was the Night market. The area was lit up by floating lanterns and a large fire in the centre of the clearing, tents were arranged in a wide circle not that far from the edge of the clearing. Creatures of Fae blood and a few none Fae that were with Fae friends walked around the Night market, in a gathered group were Fae playing instruments, while many others danced around the fire.
If it weren't for special rings that the children were made to wear, they would have been totally enchanted by the sight, and could be easily be swept up by a Fae to play and dance until they were let go.
Kenny and Martha guided them to a red tent that belonged to a wand maker. The woman who ran the stall had pale skin and red lips, her black eyes seemed to sparkle, and her blond hair was in a braid that was decorated with bright flowers and feathers, her dress were made of a patchwork of fabrics, and her cloak was red.
"Greetings young ones, I am known in your tongue as Lady Blackmore." her voice came in a whisper but was heard clearly. "Young Kitsune, step forth."
Vida walked up as Lady Blackmore regarded her.
"You have a magical conduct, but it shall need an alternate wand form." Lady Blackmore said. "Give me your staff, I swear by the ancient ancestors that I shall do no more to it other than give it an alternate wand form."
Vida was hesitant at first, but after Lady Blackmore swore on the ancient ancestors she took her staff from her back and handed it over. Lady Blackmore held Vida's staff in both hands and spoke and incantation in another language. The staff glowed then shrank to the average size of a wand; it was made of cherry wood with the crystal as the core and the tip of the wand. Lady Blackmore then handed Vida back her new wand.
"Payment shall come at the end." Lady Blackmore said.
Vida nodded as she stepped back.
"Young Angel, step forth." Lady Blackmore said.
Layla walked up as Lady Blackmore regarded her the same way she did her sister.
"You too have a magical conduct, but it also needs a wand form since it would not cast spells in its current form." Lady Blackmore said. "I swear by the ancient ancestors I shall do no more than give it an alternate wand form."
Like her sister, Layla didn't hand over her katana that was strapped to her side until Lady Blackmore swore on the ancient ancestors. Lady Blackmore repeated her incantation and the katana became a wand; it was made of white ivory with a black ivory handle and the Elvin metal as the core. Layla took back her new wand and stepped back.
"Young spectre, step forth." Lady Blackmore addressed Aria.
A surprised Aria stepped in front of Lady Blackmore.
"Though you have no physical form and no need of a wand now, that may one day change, so you wand best be prepared now. I believe your Kitsune sister had your conducts." Lady Blackmore said. "I swear by the ancient ancestors I shall do no more than give them an alternate wand form."
Vida stepped forward and rolled up her sleeve to reveal a charm bracelet, she took a dangling bead from it and placed it in Lady Blackmore's hand. The bead suddenly cracked and released smoke, when the smoke cleared a pair of arm blades were in Lady Blackmore's hands. She once again repeated her incantation and the blades became a wand; it was made of red wood and had a gold handle, the metal that made the blades were now the core. She waved her hand over the wand and it became encased in a small bead, which Vida put on her charm bracelet.
"Now, young girl, come forth." Lady Blackmore addressed Matilda.
Matilda stepped forward as Lady Blackmore produced a long golden box with a pearl on top from her cloak, and a pin.
"Prick you finger with the pin and put a drop of blood on the pearl of the box." Lady Blackmore instructed.
Matilda took the pin and pricked her finger before giving it back, she then held her finger over the box and let a drop of blood fall on the pearl. The pearl absorbed the blood and glowed slightly before stopping.
Lady Blackmore removed the lid of the box to reveal a wand resting in the red velvet interior. She took it from the box, replaced the lid, and handed the wand to Matilda.
"Ash wood with a feather of the Eagle of Gwernabwy, a chip of antler of the Stag of Rhedynfre, and the nectar of a white lilly for the core. The chip represents your birth father, the nectar represents your birth mother." Lady Blackmore explained.
Matilda nodded as she stepped back.
"Young boy, step forth."
Lady Blackmore repeated the same process.
"Yew wood, with a feather of the Blackbird of Cilgwri, a chip of antler of the Stag of Rhedynfre, and the nectar of a white lilly for the chip represents your birth father, the nectar represents your birth mother." Lady Blackmore explained. "Your wands are very close, expect great things to happen when you work together." she addressed the Black twins.
"Now, your payment?" Lady Blackmore asked.
Fae didn't use regular currency, they instead traded things of equal of more value of other valuable trinkets. Vida gave a charm bracelet and her replica of the pied piper's flute for her and Aria's payments, Layla gave one of her feathers, Matilda gave a doll she had made, and Harry gave a a beautiful flower that he had been growing.
After the children got their wands and left their tent they managed to convince Kenny and Martha into letting them get pets, and by 'convince' I mean giving their cutest puppy-dog looks until they caved.
But as the group made their way to the pet tent the dancers past them and the children found themselves caught up in the dance, even the spectral Aria found herself able to touch some of the other Fae. The children were brought into a large group that were dancing in a circle around the fire and danced along with them, they didn't even notice that their rings had fallen to the ground. After what seemed only a minute of laughing and dancing, they suddenly found themselves pulled out of the dancing circle and away from the other Fae, the rings were jammed onto their fingers and their minds cleared of the blissful fog.
"W-what?" Matilda moaned, shaking her head to clear it.
"Oh, thank the goddess we found you!" Martha cried. "You were swept away so fast and then we found your rings…"
Martha quickly hugged all of the children.
"How long were we dancing for?" asked Vida.
"Nearly an hour." Kenny answered.
"Wow, it barely seemed like any time at all." Harry said.
"That's what will happen when you play or dance with a Fae, time will pass by in an instant." Kenny said.
"Can we get our pets now?" Vida asked.
"Good idea." Martha said.
The pet stall held a varied option of animals, some normal and others magical. When they reached the stall a snowy white own immediately flew down onto a perch in front of Harry, and she nuzzled his fingers as he stroked her. Harry felt an instant connection to the owl and decided to get her.
Matilda went over to a box containing kittens and looked inside, the kittens inside immediately started preening for attention. She then picked up a pure black kitten that clung to her clothes and wouldn't let go, so she decided to get him.
Layla was drawn to where a varied allsorts of birds were in cages or on perches. A pure white dove flew off it's perch and landed on her head, refusing to move and nipping at anyone's fingers when they tried to remove her. So Layla ended up taking her, not that she minded.
Vida came across a young fox cub that was lying on a pile of rags and pet her for a minute before moving on to look at other animals. After a while she noticed the fox was following her around, when the shop keeper tried to take it away it made a big fuss and wouldn't calm down until Vida had picked her up, meaning that Vida had to take her.
Aria was sad she didn't get a pet when she noticed an animal had come up so her, it was a spectral animal, and a white fox cub with wings. So Aria ended up getting her own pet that she could always play with.
After paying for the pets the adults decided it was time to leave. The Saxton sisters looked over to the dancing around the fire and looked like they longed to join it, but the Black twins put a hand on each of their shoulders (Matilda kept her hand hovering over the spectral Aria's shoulder) and walked with them away from the Night market.
(End flashback.)
The two sets of siblings were by the tree during lunch before they went back to class. Sirius had gotten a job at Muse academy and was now teaching the Black twins' class on how to become a animagus, the subject was an optional one that the Black twins decided to take. They had been given a potion to reveal their animagus forms, Matilda worked out that she was some sort of eagle and Harry found that he was a blackbird, they guessed that their animal forms relating to their different wand cores wasn't just coincidence.
The sound of bells chiming rang across the entire island and the group made their ways towards their classes. The Black twins to Sirius' class and the Saxton sisters to extra slayer training.
But when they arrived at their lessons they were told to go to the head mistresses' office, they weren't in trouble but they needed to be asked something.
"What do you need ,Miss Vale?" Layla asked through her radio.
"It's Zoë, girls." Zoë said. "Anyway, I've just received word from Nickolas Flamel that someone has stolen his philosophers stone. It's suspected that Dumbledore has taken it."
"And you want us to get it back?" Vida asked.
"Yes. If you choose to go you will need to locate where he has hidden the stone and, if possible, retrieve it, if you can not retrieve it you can call in for one off us to do it."
"But, why us?" Harry asked.
"The Saxton sisters are some of the most physically and mentally able slayers on their age that we have here, their skills will be good for sneaking around Hogwarts under everyone's noses and will be able to defend themselves if need be. Harry and Matilda can go in pretending they knew nothing of magic until the summer holidays, that way Dumbledore won't suspect you and think that he can get the both of them under his thumb."
"Can we drop out of the mission if we feel it's too dangerous or we're rumbled." Layla asked.
"Yes."
It ended with all of them agreeing to do it.
The Black and Saxton families made their way through King's cross station on their way to platform 9 and ¾, Vida and Layla under their usual glamour. Hedwing and Tanith were in bird cages, and Mau and Tamamo were in a large bed box each.
"Are the wizards here idiots?" Vida asked her sisters and friends. "They put the entrance to the platform full of magic people in plain sight in one of the busiest train stations in England. It's a wonder that they haven't been discovered yet."
"They could have done something like they do at Muse academy, make sure the form of magical transport is in a hidden but not obvious place, like a place marked VIP." Harry said.
*I think I see the pillar between the two platforms up ahead.* Aria told her sisters.
"Good, I can wait to get away from this crowded place." Vida said as she gave a shudder.
Layla rubbed her sister's arm in a comforting gesture.
When they reached the pillar they checked it worked before going through.
"Remember children, what did I teach you about playing pranks?" Sirius asked the Black twins and Saxton sisters.
"Don't get caught." all of them repeated.
"Good. I expect a good list of pranks that the new generation of Marauders have done by the end of the year."
"Sirius! What have I told you about encouraging the children?" Jenny berated her husband.
"Sorry, darling." Sirius said.
"You kids get on the train so you can get a good compartment, we'll wait on the platform until you leave." Kenny told the children.
After giving hugs and goodbyes, the children boarded the train and sat in an empty compartment together.
The doors and lids to the pet's cages and boxes were opened so the animals could get out. Hedwing flew out the window to make her own way to Hogwarts, Tanith took roost on Layla's head before said girl shifted her onto her shoulder, and Mau and Tamamo curled up on their mistresses' laps.
"Right, everyone think that they can keep their masks on and their minds blocked off from a certain headmaster?" Vida asked.
"Yes." was everyone's reply.
"Have we got everything for our Marauder-selves' big entrance?"
Everyone brought forth a bag each that contained everything needed to do their prank.
"Look out Hogwarts, because we're coming." Layla commented as the train started to leave the station.
At Hogwarts a woman by the name of Minerva McGonagall felt herself shiver with fear as she got a sense of foreboding.
Suggestions for the children's Marauder names, please. And for what happens next. This is your last chance to influence which house the Black twins and Saxton sisters go into.