- - - Ginny - - -

Sometimes I wish that we head to school on a Saturday, so we have Sunday to relax before starting school on Monday. Instead, we head to school on 1st September, no matter the day, and if the 2nd falls Monday through Friday, we immediately start school. This year? 2nd September is on a bloody Thursday.

Because I know Mia is up with the sun - if not before - I force myself to get up when my alarm - set for six in the bloody morning - goes off. I sit up and check the wards I set the previous night - and believe me, I have six older brothers, the eldest being a curse breaker, I know a thing or two about warding my belongings - and smile when I notice that nothing has been tampered with. Before I leave to go find Mia, I add a few more wards and prepare myself for the day: restroom, shower, make-up, hair, finish waking up, and all that.

After our encounter with the Carrow twins - their names whispered around the previous night hadn't been difficult to miss - no one else had said anything to us. Apparently Mia and I passed whatever test that had been. Or the others are simply waiting for their turn when we are unprepared. Foolish of them, but then again, they aren't aware that Mia and I have trained for a war.

I shake my head and force my shoulders back and to stand tall as I grab my bag. No matter what, Mia and I will do what we can to change the return of the self-proclaimed dark lord, who is nothing more than a half-blood male who thinks that others should bow to him. Well, he will find that the Weasley women do not bend and we certainly do not bow. We are fury when we protect our own and we are devoted to our loved ones. Tom Riddle, that bumpkin, will learn to quake at the women of the Weasley house-hold. And Hermione is as much a Weasley as I.

"Oh good, you're up. I considered waking you, but that hasn't always gone over so well in the past."

Mia is standing in front of the window looking into the lake. Her eyes are sparkling in mirth and her mouth tilts up into a smile. I grin when I see her usually bushy hair tamed into controlled waves of curls. She even has a little make-up on, just enough to highlight her carmel colored eyes, and just a smidge of color on her lips. Mia is lucky. She only needs to use make-up subtly - if at all, and only if she wants to. Me? I have a face full of freckles and my bright red hair makes me look sickly if I'm not careful of what I'm wearing and depending on the day. I probably look like Yuletide with the green and silver on my robes and the red of my hair. I grin and go to stand beside Mia and stare out into the murky depths of the lake. "I can't promise tomorrow, but today I managed to get up at a ridiculous hour. Shall we go to breakfast?" Nothing swims past and I glance over at Mia.

"Yes, we shall." She hooks her arm through mine and I lean my head against hers. I snicker. "What are you laughing about now?"

"The prank from last night. And here you said that you have no affinity for pranking." We walk out of the common room and towards the Great Hall, Mia putting up a privacy ward around us as we walk. "How was last night in your dorm, Mia? The other girls didn't give you any problems?"

"None. After our little display last night I was left well enough alone. Slytherins are notorious for self-preservation. How about you?"

"It was calm. I warded my belongings, but no one's tampered with them yet." I smirk as I chuckle darkly - I can admit that. "They won't be quiet if they mess with my things and I don't imagine I'll see them in class anytime soon."

Mia laughs as she nods, "I'm not surprised. I did something similar."

"Hopefully something harsher than 'snitch' on one's forehead."

"Naturally." Mia's soft smile twists into a vicious smirk.

"Excellent." Am I corrupting her? No. She came like this. I'm just… allowing her freedom to express it. We enter the Great Hall and find only a few other students already eating and a singular professor at the high table. "The Carrows aren't in your year, are they?"

"The Carrows?"

"The two who attacked us last night. They're twins. Pure-bloods, which I think you figured out. Eventually joins Moldypants." Mia giggles as we sit at the table and we begin plating our food. "Nasty pieces of work. They were in Azkaban before I was born."

"Ah. No, they aren't in my year. I imagine they're in seventh. I don't suppose anyone younger would dare attack us and expect to win." Mia shudders. "I should make a list of Death Eaters. Those that died, were arrested, or bribed their way out of Azkaban. I'll need your help with that. Just in case I miss someone, like the Carrows. It would be beneficial to know who to avoid."

"Of course. I'll see what I can remember. We can always give the list to Dumbledore and see what he can do with the Order." As we tuck into our breakfast Mia drops the privacy charm. We sit silently, each in our own musings, I suppose. Instead of focusing on Moldypants, I try to come up with some sort of prank that Mia and I should do. But George and Fred are - will be? were? - the pranksters in my family. At least the well known ones. Whenever Bill and Charlie visited, there would always be some sort of prank war. Sometimes Bill let me participate - at least in the sneaking, getting everything in place sort of way. Thinking of Bill, I need to ask Mia if she is interested in learning Occlumency, but not in -

A girl sits in front of us. In Gryffindor colors. And then another does as well, but in Hufflepuff. And then another Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw (a boy, though), a Hufflepuff, yet another Gryffindor (another boy), and finally a Slytherin.

"Err…" Do I need to say something? If I do, I don't know what.

"Good morning," Mia offers. Thank the stars for Mia.

"We can be here," the Ravenclaw boy offers. "No rules say we can't sit here. You said so last night."

Mia, naturally, brightens. "Yes, I did. I was worried that my sister and I wouldn't be in the same house. So, I checked the rules on whether others from different houses can eat together. While there are no rules saying that we can, there are no rules stating that say we can't." Mia shrugs. "I interpret that to mean that the students are allowed to decide for themselves."

"Why'd you say we have to fight a troll?" One of the Gryffindor girls huffs, crossing her arms. Most of their group begin making their plates, but all of them watch Mia and I.

I lean forward and smile at the girl. "You didn't read Hogwarts, a History . The answer can be found there." The girl looks confused and Mia pulls said book out of her bag - because of course Mia carries it around with her. As Mia looks for the right passage, I continue, "Ever since the founders, there's been a tradition to confuse the new students on how the sorting is commenced. I think it was Helga Hufflepuff who started the troll idea, right, Mia?"

"Aha!" Mia puts the book on the table. She turns it towards the girl who asked about it and says, "Here it is. And yes, it was Helga Hufflepuff who started the troll rumor, according to the book, at least."

"Oh…" the Ravenclaw and one of the Hufflepuffs lean over to read the passage.

The other Hufflepuff whispers, "I like your accent."

Not me, then. I lean back and Mia blushes prettily. "Thank you. I am Sammarinese." That's Dumbledore's backstory for Mia and there's a nifty spell that gives her the accent which Mia will need to renew every so often.

"Sammy… what?" As the conversation continues I begin making plates for one of the Gryffindor girls, the Ravenclaw boy, and one of the Hufflepuff girls as they have yet to make themselves breakfast. I blame Mum.

"Sammarinese. I am from San Marino."

"Where's that?" the first boy asks as he wrinkles his nose in confusion.

The Ravenclaw doesn't notice the plate now in front of her.

"It is a small country in Europe."

"I've never heard of it."

The second Hufflepuff helps me with the second plate.

"That does not mean it does not exist."

"But why are you here?" a Gryffindor girl asks and Mia simply raises an eyebrow.

On the last plate, the Gryffindor boy shakes his head at the butter I mean to put on the toast and instead pushes the jam towards me. Saying that he heard the girl say she can't have a lot of milk based products the night before.

"That is personal. Not a story for your entertainment and gossip."

The boy blushes when I smile at him as I finish the third plate. None of three firsties questioning Mia notices the now full plates in front of them.

"You speak English really well," the Hufflepuff murmurs, "how come? I mean, shouldn't you be speaking… Sammy?"

"Italiano," Hermione corrects. "I speak several languages, actually. English is just one."

"So," I interrupt and laugh when quite a few of them jump. They must have forgotten me. How rude. "Were you here to figure out what was happening last night?" I gesture to the plates in front of the three who blink down at them.

"Yes, well, I did at -"

"Wha' are they doin' here?"

I roll my eyes as the firsties all shrink, but I point at the food in front of them and say, "Eat" as I turn to face the Carrows, Mia with me.

"They are eating with us, obviously," Mia answers as we stand in front of the firsties, blocking them from the Carrows' sight. As much as we are able.

"They ain't Slytherin."

"Brilliant deduction." I clap my hands together in mock excitement. A few other Slytherins walk by and take their seats, leaving the Carrows alone to face Mia and me. "Did you actually pay attention to the sorting last night or just observe their ensembles?"

Mia snickers as Alecto - that's the boy, right? I can't remember rightly - sneers. "We don' sit a' other houses."

"I can't imagine you would," Mia tuts.

"I agree. I doubt anyone wants to be around your deplorable manners. You really should learn some, they will help you after Hogwarts, you know." From the corner of my eye I see the firsties stuff the food in their mouths - one of the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw boy hurry to sit together at a different table - and I feel my lips twitch when I see that the Slytherin girl is now sitting beside one of the Gryffindors. Too many firsties. Maybe I shall give them -

"You've made a mistake making us your enemy." Oh, right. The Carrows are still here.

"We weren't the ones who threw the first spell, were we?" Mia asks sweetly.

"What is going on here?"

The Carrows smirk as I look over to see McGonagall walking towards us. I smile and gesture to the firsties. "Good morning, Professor McGonagall. Some of the firsties had some questions about the feast last night so we invited them to eat with us while we answered them." Not technically a lie. I did tell them to eat, which constitutes an invitation. Right? Right.

"We didn't see any rules that say we must eat at our own house tables." Mia wrung her hands together, looking contrite. Mia Mia Mia - she can get away with so much with that look. "I hope this isn't a problem?"

"No problem with the eating arrangements, Miss Agosti-Weasley, Miss Weasley. I'm referring to your disagreement with Mr. Carrow and Miss Carrow."

"Oh!" I straighten up and clasp my hands behind my back. "They were trying to usher the firsties away, is all."

"Enough. Take your seats. There is no rule regarding having meals with other house tables. Except dinner time, those are meant to be with your houses. If you don't want to eat with the first years, I suggest you sit at the other end of the table." McGonagall looks at us all over her glasses - some things don't change in twenty years, even if her hair is much darker - and waits until the Carrows scurry away and Mia and I sit. "Professor Slughorn will be by with your class schedules." McGonagall pulls out three schedules and hands them to her lions. "If the rest of you don't receive your schedules, please see your head of house before leaving the Great Hall. I expect none of you to be late to class."

At the murmurs of acceptance, Professor McGonagall walks away.

"Now," I point to all the remaining firsties, "what are your names?"

- - - Ginny - - -

Unfortunately Mia has class first thing, as do the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years. So I end up showing the Slytherin girl - Cassandra Opal, not a pure-blood name - where the library is.

"How do you know where it's at if this is your first day here, too?"

"Dad told me," which is true, "and as long as we follow the directions we'll be fine."

"And if you get us lost?"

"Then I'll ask a portrait."

"What?" So either a half-blood raised by muggles or muggle-born.

I stop our climb up one of the stairs and look at a fancily dressed wizard in the portrait next to us. "Excuse me, if we continue up one flight of stairs and enter the corridor, will we find the library behind the second door?"

"What are -"

"Yes, you will." The man perks up, glancing down at the two of us, causing Opal to squawk. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Thank you, kind sir."

The man gives a flourishing bow and we continue on our way. Opal questions me the rest of the walk on portraits. How they work, how well they can speak, and what they are fully capable of. When she learns that they can move from painting to painting she is so flabbergasted that she's silent for half a minute before she jumps into the type of magic that creates the portraits which evolves into a Charms discussion. When we reach the library, I tell her the name of a book I found helpful in Charms and she wanders off after I warn her to keep an eye on the time.

There are barely any students about, but there is a boy sitting at a table. Conveniently, a Slytherin who reminds me a little bit of Sirius. I saunter over. Before I make it to the table, he glances up, narrows his eyes, and then drops his gaze to the table. A dismissal. Too bad for him that I never learned to heed them. I sit and he growls out, "I do not associate with blood traitors."

"Hello to you, too." I snort out. "A pleasure. Ginny Weasley."

"I know who you are."

"And it's rude to not introduce yourself." Am I playing with fire? Almost certainly. Am I going to stop? No. "Unsurprising. Most of the pure-bloods in Britain care little for etiquette."

The boy's face twitches with annoyance. "Regulus Black. I have far more etiquette than a blood-traitor who seems to be well-suited for Gryffindor. You would have had company there."

I lean forward as Regulus finally looks up again. "I have company one way or another, no matter the house." I ignore the sneer on his face. I try to see what everyone saw in the Black children. Everyone says they have quite the looks. I don't see it. "Mr. Hat did say I would fit well there," I allow. And then I stand up, bored already. Oh well. "I'll see you around, Black. But do let me know when you grow some balls and learn to think for yourself." Maybe that's why I find him unattractive?

I leave the library, spending the first period wandering around the castle as if I haven't been doing that the past week with Mia. Only once I have five minutes left for class do I head to the Transfiguration classroom. Oh, Mia has Transfiguration before I do. Maybe I can arrive early and - nope. Not happening. I won't even entertain the thought, there's no use as I know I won't arrive early just to take a few minutes to talk with Mia. Well, I probably won't.

Once inside, I look around and try to spot the bright blonde hair of - I close my eyes. Right. No Luna. I no longer have Luna to spend classes with and share thoughts and see what other new things she has come up with. I rub my chest before I take a seat near the front - my fault as I arrive nearly late.

"May I sit with you?" I look up from my bag to see a Slytherin girl with dark hair, skin, and eyes.

Well, that's surprising. I gesture to the seat beside me and grin. "Of course! Sorry, I don't think we were properly introduced last night. I'm Ginny Weasley."

The girl sits, her bag making a thump as it lands on the floor. "Dorthea Loksley. Before anyone else tells you…" she hesitates before blurting out, "I'm a muggle-born."

"Ok." I giggle at her flummoxed look. "I'm a pure-blood and I don't rightly care about that rot. Do you like Quidditch?"

"Of course you don't care, blood traitor," a boy sitting behind us hisses.

I grin at Dorthea who bites her lip. "Honestly, is that all you can come up with? Blood traitor? We all bleed red, we all have magic, and we are all here to learn. Come up with something more original, I'm already getting bored." Silence meets my declaration so I tell Dorthea, "Now, I enjoy playing Quidditch. I play Seeker or Chaser, I don't exactly mind either one."

"I… I only flew our first year. I never tried anything past that as I don't have a broom. My parents aren't comfortable buying me one without much practice."

"Mudbloods shouldn't-"

"Honestly, I can swear that you aren't listening." I turn to face the boy. Oh, Black is in my year. He's sitting next to the boy who keeps interrupting me. The rest of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins are staring, waiting to hear what I say. Sheep, the lot of them. "That term makes utterly no sense. Muggle-borns do not have mud for blood. Their magic is just as strong as ours. The only difference is they learn of our world later."

"They don't know about our ways and they bring in their own beliefs!"

"Of course they do. No one bothers to teach them. I'm sure if we set up a course for muggle-borns to attend during Hogwarts, they can easily understand the differences. And instead of waiting for third year, pure-bloods should have a mandatory Muggle History course. One that has been corrected and is up-to-date so the Wizarding community doesn't fall behind on what's out there." I roll my eyes. "The book Mia showed me is grossly out of date." Well, I didn't know that until Mia explained some of it to me, but same difference, really.

"An interesting proposal, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall says as she steps inside, the woman giving me an appraising look. Well, better than a reprimanding look.

"Thank you, professor." And with that, class starts.

- - - Hermione - - -

I find my way into the library and search for a table. First day of classes with Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and Arithmancy, and each class has given homework already. Naturally. What's more is I have Astronomy tonight. I find an empty spot, but there are a few books scattered around. I step up to the table and note that there isn't a bag. Are the books supposed to be their way of making a claim?

"Can I help you?"

I don't jump at the sound of his voice, but it's a near thing. I do stiffen and look at the boy, young man really, looking at me quizzically. Curiously. That's a nice relief. I honestly expected hostility now that I am sporting Slytherin green and silver. The boy is tall, well built, with broad shoulders, chocolate skin and hair and deep brown, nearly black eyes. It takes a moment, but I find my voice. "I'm looking for a table to work at. This one has books, yet no bag. I wasn't sure if it is claimed or not."

"Oh," he says with a grin and a shrug. "Uh, well… We can share?"

I blink at him in surprise. Did he not see my tie and emblem? This boy is a Ravenclaw, evident by his, yet he is willing to not only speak civilly with me, but share a table… I shake my head swiftly, before nodding just as quickly, practically giving myself a bloody headache. Oh my cheeks are heating up, I hate blushing so much. "I'd like that, thank you." Setting my books down, I introduce myself. "I'm Hermione Agosti-Weasley." I introduce myself often and always include my last name, both because it is the first day of school and it's a good habit as I need to remember my new surname.

The boy grins at me while setting down his own belongings and says, "Well Hermione Agosti-Weasley, I'm sure the whole school knows who you and your sister are. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Kingsley Shacklebolt has a lovely smile that lights his eyes. I avert my own because I find him rather distracting, in a good way. He's fetching, but not exactly my type, if I even have one. Do I have one? Kingsley Shacklebolt, while good looking, is a bit too… happy? I mentally blame Viktor Krum for my silly attraction to the dark-quiet-broody types. And while Fred Weasley had an easy smile, he was the more serious of the twins. As I pull my parchment and writing utensils out, I continue our idle chit-chat, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kingsley Shacklebolt. And while everyone knows my sister and I, many pretend otherwise."

"Please, call me Kingsley." His smile is sincere and warm. I notice he has dimples, which adds to his charm.

Instinctively I brush my hair behind my ear and consider his offer. I've been learning some pure-blood etiquette from Ginny and this will not do. Perhaps it is a test? Sighing, I shake off my thoughts and try not to look too deeply into his words. He's not a Slytherin, he's a Ravenclaw. Is he a pure-blood? I don't know, but it doesn't matter. If word spreads… So I correct him, "I appreciate the sentiment, but the gesture is simply made too soon as we've only just met." I open my potions book and glance at him. His eyebrows are furrowed and I elaborate, "If we were perhaps in the same house it could be overlooked, but upon first meetings between people, it is not common practice to simply use given names." I open my ink bottle and continue, "I mean no offense, I simply must be careful. Being a Weasley is a new thing for me and I have been sorted into Slytherin, which already has the school in an uproar. I've already written home to both my father and grandparents. It is only a matter of time before I hear back from them." I pause as I consider, "Although I must say, they'll have no issue with the house placement, seeing how Nonna Ella was a Slytherin and if they have issue with me, that is rather hypocritical since, as my sister stated, Weasleys have been placed in all houses. Then there is my sister, since she's a Slytherin, too. Although, in all fairness, Gin followed me."

Kingsley is chuckling suddenly and I realize I've been rambling on for quite some time and I blush immediately. Damn my complexion. "I'm not offended, and thanks for explaining."

My shoulders relax and I nod distractedly as I pull my notes closer to me. All of the classes today have been a review of last year's curriculum, well mostly. So the assigned essays will be quite simple, the tricky part will be to limit my homework to the actual length requested. Why did I let Ginny talk me out of handing in my usual homework? Why did I agree to have 'fun' this year?

I sigh and buckle down. I can do this. Where to start? Two feet of parchment for Transfiguration. Two feet? I look at the assignment and groan, I can do five easily. Oh well, just another challenge I suppose. Darn that Ginny and her fun. Right, two feet, two feet, two feet…

My quill isn't moving. I can't do this. Maybe if I just write my usual homework and parse it down to two feet? Right, that just seems more doable. It may take longer and be more work and… that is contradictory to what Ginny is trying to teach me. Well, poop.

Fine. Two feet of parchment. I can do this!

A/N-Elipsa: In canon, the Carrows aren't twins, but we wanted them both here... soooooo twins they are.