Uncle Altair once told the girls that everyone in life is given the chance to receive three engravings of immense value: their name on a necklace, words from their lover on a wedding ring, and their life story on a tombstone. Then he'd say, "You're the luckiest person on earth if, in this life, you get all three."

Aster hated that concept. Even though she was the more mischievous of the two, she hated morbid thoughts. She loved chaotic romance and ecstasy, and she thought heartbreak was nothing more than a drop in a vast black ocean.

But if there was anything anyone should know about Io Visage, it was her odd propensity towards feeling all the negative emotions people normally hide. And she felt it all at once.

She loved hiding her face beneath her fringe. It masked some of her emotions. She cried too easily, and she never denied it. Her anger was a raging funeral pyre, but her joy was split into a million fireflies floating in the forest. She relished in her alone time. Aster used to joke that Io was the mask of sadness, while she was happiness. That wasn't wrong, not entirely.

Io sat among the stacks of books in the restricted section of the library. There were ten books about ancient magic, specifically about potions. If Voldemort's regeneration portion was here, it was very well hidden. Half an hour into reading, Io's eyes began to sting. It was like they purposely kept the light dim in this section to keep anyone from being here too long.

The old iron doors to the section creaked. Someone else was here with her.

Io looked to the end of the bookcases, and whoever she thought she was expecting - it wasn't him.

Harry Potter stood quietly, clutching a book in his right hand. He looked around, shocked at the presence of another student.

Harry was everything Io expected. The tousled hair, the spectacles - it was really him. She and Aster grew up hearing of the Boy Who Lived. At Ilvermorny, he was seen more as a figure or an idea as opposed to a young boy whose confusion was humble and relatable.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here." He finally spoke after a couple of seconds of silence.

Io stood up, shutting the third book in her stack. "What are you looking for?"

Harry was hesitant. They'd never met before, and Io knew he wouldn't simply share everything with her. "Just, um - the history of draught of living death."

"In the restricted section? Isn't first period still - "

"Slughorn let us out a little early." His fingers tapped erratically on the book in his hand. "You're Io, right?" He quickly changed the subject.

Io folded her arms across her chest, looking everywhere except at Harry. "Our arrival wasn't exactly subtle, was it."

"I'm - "

"Harry Potter. Yes, I know."

He nodded, once again scratching his head.

Io motioned towards her stack of books. "I'm also reading up on potions. This one," she picked up one that was particularly worn, covered in aged brown leather. "This one has some mentions of draught of living death."

"Oh, thank you." Harry actually looked like he sighed in relief at how easy the conversation was going despite the tension.

Io sat back down and Harry followed, pulling up a seat on the other side a few feet away from her.

It was too tempting. Maybe a little peek wouldn't hurt. Io focused her mind in Harry's direction, and all she could hear was him repeating the name "Prince" like it was stuck in his head. But she could also feel this strong emptiness and longing. People weren't always aware they felt these things especially if it was what felt normal.

There was a burning urge to say something, and while Io thought it might be a bit much for the first conversation between them, she felt comfortable enough to just say it.

"I'm sorry, by the way." She started, flipping through the pages of her fourth book. "About what happened with the Daily Prophet and Voldemort. I can't imagine it was easy having an entire front page column dedicated to doubting you."

Harry didn't hide his shock very well. He rarely ever met someone who called Voldemort by his crude name, let alone a stranger. "No, it wasn't easy. Thanks."

"And I'm also sorry -" She hesitated to continue. "About your parents."

For the first time in these five minutes of awkward air, they made eye contact. His eyes were a fascinating shade of green though the glare of his glasses concealed some of their vibrancy.

Io pressed forward. "Aster and I lost our parents when we were one. Our uncle brought us to America after they died. I won't pretend to know how you feel or what your experience was, but I am sorry." She pushed her chair back enough to reach him. She placed her hand on his gently before giving it a small squeeze, then she moved back to her original position.

Harry sat in silent befuddlement. There were many times when he was reminded of his parents, but it was always through comments about his behavior or appearance. Other than a comforting pat on the shoulder from a professor, no student ever did the same. The chair creaked as he slid to the empty space next to Io.

"Did he ever tell you anything about them?" Harry continued to fiddle with the pages of his book.

Io and Harry continued to exchange small bits of information, whatever little they knew of their families. Hearing about his childhood with the Dursleys mixed with the small pleasures of spending time with the Weasleys set in a bittersweet feeling in Io's chest. Compared to that, her upbringing with Aster seemed like a dream. They grew up with magic, knowing who they were - their lineage, how their parents attended the Beauxbaton Academy of Magic in France, and their uncle's childhood growing up with their father Ion. They knew of how quickly enchanted Ion was with their mother Aeris in their school days. It was hard knowing so much because ultimately, their parents were still and always would be strangers to them.

By the time first period ended, Harry and Io felt enough comradery to leave the library together.

Aster and Hermione were paired up for the rest of Herbology, and it would be a complete lie to say Aster didn't relish in every second of the bright witch's company. She truly was magnificent. The amount of information she knew - useless or not - was so impressive. Aster found herself very drawn to her, if only because she was so curious to know her thoughts.

But as people started filing out of the class, Aster could see Io waiting quietly outside the door with the familiar look of disappointment plastered over her face.

"I take it the library wasn't very useful."

Io lifted herself off the wall, taking her sister's arm in hers. "No such luck. If the Resurrection potion they used was created by another wizard, I'm sure it was passed on by word of mouth and not by some potions textbook. And to think, this is only the first week. How am I supposed to find anything?"

Aster was about to respond when Hermione stopped just short of her. "I'll see you Defense Against the Dark Arts, Aster."

"Yes, you will." She grinned, almost satisfied that Hermione made an effort to say something.

Io raised an eyebrow just as Hermione was out of sight. "And what was that?"

Aster pulled Io down the corridor out of the greenhouses. "I made a friend - is that wrong?"

"Of course not. But funny you should mention that because I also befriended a Gryffindor."

"You're joking. In the library? Of all places?"

"Apparently," Io let out a heavy sigh. "Harry Potter is doing research into ancient potions. He lied about what he was really looking into, so I can only assume."

Aster lowered her voice. "You don't think he's looking for the same - "

"I doubt it. We spent more time talking about other things."

"Other things? What, were you flirting with him?"

Io stopped walking, blocking a couple of first years who nearly crashed into them. "Is the only thing to be said other than normal conversation always flirting to you?"

Aster shrugged with a short chuckle. "I'm just saying that if you go around flirting with Harry Potter when Draco Malfoy clearly finds you intriguing, then that might as well be the biggest war of the century. The most iconic and fashionable war as well."

The twins continued down the stairs, and before Io could argue, Aster continued.

"Tread carefully, Io." She suddenly sounded serious. "Harry and Draco are two sides of the same coin. Draco's family just got dragged through the mud, and Harry is the reason why. Even if Harry is only a friend… Draco could either think of it as a challenge or as a threat."

"There is no threat, no challenge, and no flirting." They stopped in front of the DADA classroom. "And besides," she pushed the door open, holding it without stepping forward. "Draco doesn't want to talk to me."

"And what makes you say that?" Aster pushed through. "It's only been a day. You should've seen him leaving breakfast right as you did. Even his friends gave it a second look. He's terribly pale, isn't he? Always looks so miserable. Then again, who can blame him? What a rotten year he's had. His father just got sent away to a very horrible place, he's had his and his mother's name plastered all over the Daily Prophet for walking out of the trial, and considering how little sunlight our common room gets, I seriously think he may be anemic."

"You got all that from one day?"

"You're the one trying not to look at him. I, on the other hand," she shrugged. "I have eyes. And so does Draco. He looks at you. Well, he looks at you when he's not sulking. Do you think Hogwarts students fool around every now and again?"

Io paused. "Aster, the entire sixth year just hit puberty."

"So, I take that as a yes?"

The conversation was cut short as Professor Snape entered the room. The room felt dark and gloomy, the walls littered with horrid, graphic paintings of what one might expect at the hands of a curse or something worse. At the corner of her eye, Io spotted the familiar shaggy dark hair of Harry Potter accompanied by Hermione and Ron Weasley. The redhead was impossible to miss.

Aster nudged her sister, noticing someone else. "You've got to be joking. They're all in this class - Draco is here."

The sullen scowl graced the front right corner of the room. It wasn't a surprise that this was his, along with a handful of other Slytherins, baileywick. She could tell just by the looks on their faces and the comfortable slouches that they felt at ease despite Professor Snape's effort to dampen everyone's spirit with his choice of decor.

"It's because this is their first N.E.W.T. year in DADA. D'you think they know we've already taken this exam back at Ilvermorny?"

"I seriously doubt it." Aster huffed, taking a seat in the center row, just a few tables back from the front. "And if Dumbledore did know, there's a reason why he put us in his class. I'll give you two guesses, and the answer rhymes with 'carry water'."

Io sat next to Aster, under the sly gaze of Draco who almost looked pleased to see her.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Professor Snape started his long, very eerie monologue about the perils and uses. The fatal dangers of coming face to face with Inferi. The soul-crushing pain of getting hit with the Cruciatis curse. Among other dreadful sounding curses, most of which were depicted on the walls, Snape laced his words with an authoritative caution, emphasizing the advantage of using nonverbal spells and counter-curses.

Aster found herself smiling as Hermione Granger answered Snape with hesitation despite being confident successfully quoting a line from their textbook. This classroom was a chaotic mix of excitement and fear. It was a playground for the twins, though they did well to hide it.

Uncle Altair taught them about nonverbal spells every year until last. It was paced alongside learning each spell, so that this lesson would not be batched all in one lesson but side-by-side with all the others. It was very beneficial, especially in this situation where no one else had dared to try.

Professor Snape instructed the class to pair up and practice. Aster felt the familiar twinge of excitement, giving her twin a 'good luck' pat on the back as they separated to find a dueling partner.

"Give it a go, Visage." Io stood across from Theo Nott who confidently pointed his wand right between her eyes. "Dueling club doesn't start until next week, and I want to see what you've got."

Without hesitation, Io whipped her wand in his direction, almost emitting a crack in the air like a crisp strike of lightning.

Theo crashed back into the wall, his chest heaving as he slowly slumped onto the cold floor. Io stood up straight, fixing her robes. "Get up, Nott. I'm not going easy on you until you know how to cast without your lips blubbering."

The class filled with snickers and sneers, mostly from the Gryffindor students who relished in Slytherin house bullying each other for once.

Theo charged forward with weight in his steps. He mimicked Io's wand movement, but only managed to create a weak stun which Io knocked to the floor with her wand arm.

She raised her wand again, making Theo back up two steps, bracing himself. But instead of falling on his back again, his wand shot out of his hand into the air, clanking to the floor near the door to the class.

Snape grabbed Theo by the back of his shirt, dragging him out of the way. "Mr. Nott, I expected more from Slytherin house. Ms. Visage is merely showing off her Pukwudgie ego, but you're lucky she has somehow saved this house from embarrassment." He turned to face Io. "However, rebounding spells and stunning is much more difficult against a skilled hand."

Io thought for a moment that Snape was about to shoot a curse right at her chest but instead he called over a new partner for her.

Draco strutted over to where Snape stood, his wand ready at his side.

Clutching her wand, Io pulled her arm back, but before another crack could ripple through the air, Draco cast his stun, forcing Io back into the table behind her. Her pride dropped with the sound of the table dragging against the floor.

She gathered herself quickly, centering herself. Standing in a direct line across from Draco, she looked up. A menacing stare glazed over her face. "Again."

Draco smiled confidently, his wand arm ready to fire. "Not aggressive enough for you?" A few of the students giggled at his comment, unsure of how to interpret the tension between these two. It could've been described as magnetic - if the magnets were two raging blue flames trying not to join into one.

"I said, again, Draco."

On the opposite side of the room, Harry Potter noticed Io referring to Malfoy by his first name and chalked it up to Slytherin house familiarity. He expected someone like Io to hate Malfoy as much as he did, and he couldn't help but observe with Ron the brief duel happening on that side of the class.

Despite the brief conversation, Harry thought he'd made a friend, knowing fully well those were difficult to come by as the years went on. The girl who he'd had such a gentle conversation with this morning was suddenly this dark force to be feared. He couldn't have imagined having someone like her during the fight at the Ministry last year. The look on her face would've made a Death Eater question who she was, what she knew, and what she was capable of.

Draco started once more, his wand meeting an invisible target at Io's chest, but this time her arm was faster, rebounding the stun into the far wall. As soon as her hand fell, she brought her wand up, whipping around her head like a lasso before casting Incarcerus. The ropes flew through the air in Draco's direction as he hurriedly cast his protection charm.

There was a poetic battle between them, neither giving the other time to recover from casting. Everyone else in the room couldn't help but stop to observe in between their own exercise - Snape included. Io felt the ache setting into her shoulder, but her pride wouldn't allow her to waver, not even for a second. As Draco moved, his blonde locks gradually fell into his face, gently curtoning across his forehead. His eyes were determined, fiery yet playful and clearly amused. He was enjoying this, this kind of interaction didn't need words (nonverbal spells aside). He could feel her rage, her strength. The power in the air around her as she stared straight at him, her icy gray eyes meeting his blue like they were mentally connected. He could predict her moves, and every time she surprised him, he grew more intrigued.

Stepping out of his thoughts, Draco darkened his gaze, stepping forward and casting a particularly strong jinx in Io's direction. The force of Io's protection spell was enough to make his knees buckle.

But she didn't stop there, planting her forward foot down as her hand lashed back down, a roaring fire shooting out of the tip of her wand.

Draco stumbled backwards, his protection charm briefly failing, a flicker of fear disrupting the smirk on his face.

Professor Snape sidestepped in between them, his wand creating a void in between the flames before loudly declaring, "Enough! Sit down, Visage, before you start a fire in my classroom. 20 points to Slytherin."

He looked at the rest of the class who all, by now, were intently staring at the sapphire haired girl who was panting with adrenaline. Io calmed her breaths, walking over to Draco. She held her hand out as a sign of truce. Draco took her hand without comment, his palm was warm as he gripped hers for a second longer than she expected.

"Could almost swear you looked a little scared, Draco." She looked up at him, doing her best to steady herself. "I hope I didn't wear you out too much before lunch."

For the first time, Draco smiled genuinely. This sort of thing made his chest feel funny. Like he found a kindred spirit, though not as dark as his. She wasn't like Pansy, and she was tougher than some of his friends. It was less about impressing him and more about proving they were equals. His smile fell as soon as he realized he was doing it. Still holding her hand, he yanked his arm back, her cheek nearly meeting his shoulder as his lips skimmed the edge of her ear.

"You're going to have to try a little harder to tire me out."

Everyone hurried back to their partners as Io froze, the cold sweat hidden behind her fringe. She hurriedly pulled back her hand as her dueling partner just stood there, entertained at her expression. Draco turned his heel to join Theo at a nearby table, the two quickly striking up a conversation.

Aster was on the other side of the room with Blaise standing across from her. "Your sister is impressive." He jeered.

"Go fight Draco for her then," she responded out of earshot. "Wand up, Zabini. I'm bored already."

After a five minute back and forth, the two somehow seamlessly casting and deflecting each other's spells. While others chalked it up to natural skill, Aster was trying to show off. Hermione was holding her own right next to her. The duel was between her and Blaise, but really it was a battle between Aster and Hermione, silently boasting their expertise at each other.

She wanted Hermione to know she was watching and silently cheering her on, and she swore she caught a smile every time a jinx landed. The longer Aster stood next to her, the more she felt that enticing aura pulse and crawl over to her.

Before her mind could wander completely, Blaise cast a strong Depulso, quickly triggering Aster's reflex. The rebound shot at the wall just above Blaise, leaving a black charred hole in the stone, and the excitement suddenly ended in a deafening silence.

"If I'm not mistaken, you two are the transfers from Ilvermorny, yes?" Professor Slughorn started before noticing the rest of the room fill in. Io and Aster were not in the Hogwarts Express as he anticipated. Their arrival wasn't announced, but he'd heard an utter or two through his connections about the Visage twins, instantly eager to speak to them about their uncle and his conquests.

After the excitement in Defense Against the Dark Arts, it was nice to end the day with Potions. The twins met up at one of the empty tables, still feeling the exhaustion from earlier. They didn't have any time to unpack what exactly happened. Even though they sat together at lunch, Io didn't feel like talking while Aster felt lost in a daydream.

Io could still feel the breath of Draco Malfoy trickling down the side of her neck. Aster was right, of course, but the elder would go to the ends of the earth to deny it. The attraction between them was obviously unplanned, and it wasn't a journey she knew how to navigate.

"Yes, sir." They said in unison.

"Fantastic! I once accompanied Professor Van Arsdale to witness the harvesting of the North American mandrakes for new potions, and it was astounding." He pressed. "And your Uncle Altair, what a gentleman and an artist. You know, I had the pleasure of meeting him as well as your parents at the Ministry years ago. I look forward to seeing how you two perform."

Aster finally snapped out of her haze. "You met our parents?"

"Oh, but of course! Aeris Visage was an exceptional witch. Such a reputation in the wizarding community even in our neck of the woods. If she'd attended Hogwarts instead of Beauxbatons, I would've loved to have her as a student. It's a shame, what happened to her and Ion. Though I'm sure you know - " The elder suddenly interrupted himself, a familiar glaze of recognizing one's mistake and speaking out of turn washed over his face. "Well." He started again. "It's a shame."

Io opened her mouth, but decided ultimately not to ask. No one ever went very far when striking up a conversation about their parents, so it wasn't uncommon to witness abruptly stopped thoughts.

Professor Slughorn turned to address the rest of the class. "Welcome, seventh years to Potions! Today we'll be brewing a potion for dreamless sleep. I had a vial of Felix Felicis prepared to award the best potion to, but we had an exceptional brew of draught of living death in the previous class, made none other than Mr. Harry Potter. So for today, whoever can successfully brew this potion, you will receive a small vial of Amtorentia as well as its antidote." He cleared his throat. "Provided the winner has not, in the past, received a significant amount of detention."

The classroom filled with snickers and giggles at the thought of winning a love potion. It definitely wasn't liquid luck, but it would make for a very interesting weekend.

Io and Aster worked in silence. They'd covered this potion during their lessons with Uncle Altair, so it was nothing new - but not easy.

Io now definitely knew that Harry lied for whatever reason about needing to know more about draught of living death. And whoever this Prince person he was trying to research will have to wait another day when Io was not there to interrupt. After DADA, she caught him glancing, but he didn't approach her. Maybe it was a bad idea to be too competitive when dueling Draco. Knowing fully well how those two don't get along, she wondered if he saw Draco whisper to her. It was enough the entire class watched, but knowing Harry also saw made her wonder if she'd broken the trust they'd built in their conversation this morning.

By the end of Potions, three people had won with perfect dreamless sleep potions: Io, Aster, and another Slytherin, Cassius Warrington.

The girls tucked their prizes into their bags, carefully making sure nothing would spill. The last thing they needed was love potion seeping from their pockets.