As soon as Professor Snape disappeared with a loud crack, Elowen grabbed her brother's wrist and dragged him back down the street.

"El?" he questioned, following without hesitation. "What are you doing?"

"I refuse to go back to the Dursleys," she sneered the word, dragging him down the street. "You saw how furious they were when we left. You think they're going to be pleased to see us?" She shook her head. "No. We're going back to Diagon. We'll go back to the bank and get one of those money pouches and see if they know where we can stay until September." She paused for a moment. "We can send a letter to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Let them know we won't be back until next summer."

"Alright," Harry said agreeably. Elowen had always been better at financial things, on account of Aunt Petunia forcing her to help manage the Dursley finances. Aunt Petunia said often that making sure Elowen knew all of the 'wifely duties' was the only way they'd be able to marry her off, what with the scar. Harry looked down at his and his sister's ill fitting hand me downs. "Maybe we should go back to the tailor's as well," he told her. "Get some properly fitting clothes."

"Excellent idea, Harry."

When they reached the end of the street, Elowen held her wand out the way Professor Snape had done that morning. There was a loud bang and the Knight Bus screeched to a stop in front of them. Stan poked his head out. "Yous two again?"

"Us two again," Elowen said firmly. She hesitated before pressing four large gold galleons into Stan's hand. "Take us to the Leaky Cauldron, please, and don't tell anyone you saw us."

Stan nodded with wide eyes and stood aside to let them on. The second they sat, the bus took off. It wasn't long at all before the Potter twins reached the leaky cauldron. Elowen led the way in, stopping in front of the bar counter. Tom the bartender smiled down at them.

"Wha' can I do for ya?" he asked cheerfully.

"Could you open the alleyway, please?" Harry asked. "We forgot some things and Professor Snape had to leave."

Tom smiled and nodded. "Come on back then, you two. I'll show you 'ow to do it so you don' 'ave to ask every time."

The twins followed him back to the alley, watching as Tom pulled his wand out. "Now, it's jus' three bricks up from the trash can, and then two to the right. Give it a sharp three taps with your wand and it'll open righ' up." He rapped the brick and the wall unfolded. He waved the twins through. "Be safe shopping, and if you need a place to stay for the night, come on back 'ere and I'll 'ave a room for you."

Elowen smiled brightly at the bartender and nodded. "Thank you, sir, we'll keep that in mind."

The wall closed and the twins set off for Gringotts. As they wove through the crowds, Harry was extra grateful for the shrinking and featherweight charms Elowen had insisted be put on their trunks. Pulling a full trunk through the street would have been a nightmare. Elowen walked a step behind him, head down to hide the scar that branched across her face from view so they didn't attract attention.

Entering Gringotts for the second time, the twins got into a long line to wait. The main atrium of the bank was full of people coming and going, and the twins were content to people watch as the line slowly moved forward. Occasionally, they'd nudge the other to point out someone interesting - a woman with a vulture on her hat, a family who all had the same bright red hair and freckles, a toad-looking woman dressed entirely in pink and sneering at everyone else. They both decided they didn't like her, and were glad to be clear across the room. When it was finally their turn, Harry and Elowen went up to the same stand as before. Elowen searched her brain for the way Snape had greeted the goblin before.

"Hello, sir," she paused a bit awkwardly. "May your gold flow." The goblin glared down at them.

"What do you want?" he asked impatiently.

"We'd each like to purchase a money pouch, one of the ones linked to our accounts please," Elowen answered. "One for the Potter Heir Vault and one for the Black Heir Vault." The goblin raised an eyebrow.

"And do you have proof of your identities?"

Wordlessly, both twins held up their hands, showing off the signet rings they wore. Fifteen minutes later, they spilled out of the bank into the late afternoon sun of the Alley.

Harry looked around excitedly. The Alley was full of potential and without Professor Snape there to keep them from exploring, they could go anywhere. He turned a bright smile onto his sister. "Where to first?"

"The tailor again?" she suggested, glaring down at their clothes. "I don't want to walk around in these any longer than we have to."

"Alright," Harry agreed as they started walking. His stomach growled and he suddenly remembered that they'd had very little for lunch and it was quickly becoming dinner time. "And then we should go back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. We can ask Tom if he can send a letter to Aunt Petunia for us."

Elowen's voice grew excited. "Can you imagine, Harry? Not having to wake up to make breakfast? Having the whole day to ourselves?"

"It'll be weird, that's for sure," he said as he pushed open the door to Madame Malkin's. "But good, I think."

"Hello, dears," Malkin called from the counter. She smiled warmly at them. "Back again?"

"Hello," Elowen said politely. "We were wondering if you might be able to help us get a full new wardrobe."

"We know it's late," Harry continued, smiling sweetly at the woman, "but maybe a premade outfit for us each for now, and we can come back later to pick up the rest?"

"Of course, of course," Malkin came around the counter and led them over to a few racks of clothes. She looked them over and frowned. "If you'd like, I can dispose of your... current outfits."

A look passed between the twins, then El smiled. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

When the twins left the shop, they had two new outfits and a set of pajamas each. Harry was dressed in comfortable black trousers and boots, with a dark blue tunic reaching just past his upper thighs. Elowen had opted for black trousers as well and a loose white blouse, claiming she was tired of dresses all the time. A black ribbon tied her hair back. Both twins had taken immense pleasure in watching Malkin burn the clothes the Dursleys had given them.

The Leaky Cauldron was bustling when the twins walked in, but they found seats at the bar easily. Tom gave them a smile.

"Would you like something to eat, kids?" He didn't wait for an answer as he placed a plate of the day's dinner option in front of each of them. He watched them eat the steak and kidney pie for a moment with a concerned eye before he smiled and spoke again. "Do you need a room for th' nigh'?"

Harry looked up first. "Actually, sir, we were wondering if we might get a room until school starts."

"None o' that sir business, call me Tom." He eyes them worriedly. The children really are too skinny to be healthy. "Your guardians won't be worried?"

"No, sir, they'll think it's good that we're getting accustomed to the magical world," Elowen lied smoothly. "But could you help us send them a letter? Just so they know we're safe."

Tom sighed and nodded. "Bring your letter down in the morning and I'll send it out with the morning mail." He walked away for a moment and then came back, handing Harry a key. "Here's you a room, two beds, for the rest of the summer."

When Harry tried to pay, he waved it off, saying they could pay before they left for school.

The twins escaped upstairs to their room sometime later, closing the door behind them. The room had two full beds, a dresser to the side of each bed and a window over looking the Alley. El pulled their trunks out and tapped her wand on top of each, bringing them full size. The twins quickly changed into their new pajamas and for the first time they could remember, climbed into separate beds.

Harry faced her from his bed and grinned at her. "This is going to be the best summer ever."

~~~

Two hours later saw Harry climbing in next to Elowen, neither twin able to fall asleep without the other at their back.

~~~

Far away north, Albus Dumbledore paced angrily around his office. He'd seen Severus return from escorting the Potter Twins and inquired about it. He'd barely concealed his irritation at the news, thanking Severus with a genial smile.

Albus had been planning to send Hagrid to collect the twins next week and take them to Diagon. He had wanted Hagrid to sow the seeds of loyalty to himself and ingratiate himself with the twins. He had hoped that Hagrid's dislike of Slytherins would scare the twins away from ever being Sorted there. He'd already begun to set up his plan to begin preparing young Harry for his duty as the Chosen One.

Instead, the twins had met Severus first and though the potions master might not realize it, Albus could tell he actually seemed to tolerate the children, if not outright like them.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Albus had returned to his office to watch the Potter vault keys burst into flames and melt into an unusable lump of metal. The invisibility cloak he'd borrowed from James Potter and never returned vanished from its place in his private quarters, presumably back to the family vault. He swore to himself. The twins had claimed their Vaults and Heirships then. He hadn't wanted them to know about those yet. He sighed. All was not lost, there was still the hope they'd be malleable come September.

As he paced, he missed his familiar and the Sorting Hat sharing commiserating looks.

~~~

Time flew by in the Alley. Petunia had sent back a short response to their letter, saying only 'Fine. Don't come back until next summer.'

The twins spent their days exploring as much of the Alley as they could — they'd been warned away from going down Knockturn Alley by Tom, and honestly they had no real desire to. The rest of the Alley had more than enough to occupy them.

The twins took to spending hours each day at Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor, poring over their textbooks and the culture and history books Elowen had grabbed from her vault. Fortescue himself proved to be a fount of knowledge and answered any questions they had. On suggestion from the man, several quills and parchments were sacrificed to the twins learning how to write with quills, a book on penmanship spread open in front of them.

After the second time they visited Flourish and Blotts and left with armfuls of books, Harry dragged Elowen back to the trunk shop and purchased them both the best quality leather book bags the shop sold, complete with weightlessness and expansion charms.

On their second week in the Alley, while Harry was being measured for his full wardrobe and Elowen was looking through a fabric book, the bell over the door rang and a blonde boy walked in, followed by an elegant woman. He stepped up onto the stool next to Harry and looked over the twins. His mother settled on a bench by the door, watchful eyes over all three children.

"Hello," the boy said. "Hogwarts, too?"

"No," said Harry, then shook his head. "Well, yes, but we've already bought our uniforms."

"What are you doing here then?" the boy asked, flushing when his mother tsked. "Apologies, that was rude." He held out a hand. "I'm Draco, Heir Malfoy."

Harry thought of the books they'd spent so long reading and took the offered hand. "Well met, Heir Malfoy. I'm Henry, Heir Potter, and this is my twin sister Elowen, Heiress Black."

Elowen waved. "Well met."

Draco blinked, and looked over at his mother then back at the twins. "You're the Potter Twins."

"Well spotted," Harry responded cheerily. Before he could continue, Madame Malkin patted his knee.

"That's you done, dear," she said as she stood. "Why don't you join your sister, and just bring your selections to the counter when you're ready?"

"Okay." Harry hopped off the stool and wandered over to Elowen. "What looks good, El?"

"I don't even know," she responded. She waved a hand at the book. "There are so many options, how do people even know what looks good and is fashionable?"

Harry frowned. She had a point. Neither twin had ever been able to choose their own clothes before, and being fashionable wasn't something Petunia had deigned to teach Elowen.

Draco walked over to the twins as soon as he was finished. "Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing that you don't know what is in style these days?"

"That's right," Harry said. Draco cleared his throat.

"I'd be happy to help?" He phrased it as a question and Elowen raised an eyebrow. The boy's face tinted pink. "Well, I can help Heir Potter at least, but I'm sure my mother would be delighted to help you, Heiress Black. She herself is a daughter of House Black."

Elowen smiled brightly at him and twisted around to look at his mother. The Lady Malfoy walked over with a gentle smile, running a hand over Draco's head where he was sitting next to Harry. There was a twinge of jealousy at the affectionate gesture, but Elowen pushed it away and smiled politely at her.

"Well met, Lady Malfoy," she said, holding out a hand. "I'm Elowen, Heiress Black, and this is my twin Henry, Heir Potter."

"Oh, no need for formalities," Lady Malfoy waved away. "Call me Narcissa."

Elowen smiled. "Call me Elowen then."

What followed was a dizzying hour of the latest styles, what colors worked with El's hair (darker tones, apparently, and never pink) and what was appropriate for a witch of her age to wear in public (hair down until she was of the age to be presented at balls and skirts at the knee until then; in Elowen's opinion it was all very old fashioned).

By the time they left the shop two hours later, the twins had quite the large order for pickup later that week, and Narcissa had extracted promises from both twins to write ("the two of you are my cousin's godchildren," she had told them. "He made you the Heiress to our family. I would tell you about him and our House, if you would like, but a tailor's shop is not the place for that." Harry and Elowen were not ones to turn down learning about the people they should have grown up knowing, and had agreed to keep up correspondence.) She and Draco disappeared down the Alley, though not before Draco promised to try and visit the Alley again before school started.

Elowen turned to Harry. "I quite like them."

"Draco has a lot of opinions about fashion, but me too." He smiled. "It's nice to talk to someone our age without Dudley around to ruin it." He paused. "We should probably get an owl if we're going to be writing to people."

They traipsed down the street to Eeylops Owl Emporium and pushed open the door. The shop was dimly lit, full of the sounds of rustling feathers and soft hoots. The clerk looked up as they entered.

"Hullo," he said. "Welcome to the Owl Emporium."

Harry heard his sister give a greeting in response, but he was too busy looking around to care much. A beautiful white owl caught his eye and he almost reached out. Elowen elbowed him to get his attention.

"Take a look around," the clerk told them. "An owl is like a wand, I always say, let one choose you and you'll have a friend for life."

No sooner had the clerk finished speaking than the snowy owl Harry'd seen flew over and landed on his shoulder, preening proudly as Elowen reached out to pet the feathers. The clerk smiled.

"Looks like you've been chosen," he said. "She's been a stubborn one since we got her a few months ago, never seemed to like anyone."

"We'll take her," Harry said, still looking at the owl.

Twenty minutes later, they left the store, their new owl sleeping content in a large cage, a bag full of owl treats and toys in Elowen's hand as they headed back to the inn.

Harry grabbed a book at random as they set up the owl's perch and opened it.

"I think we should give her a proper wixen name, don't you?" he said as he opened A History of Magic and found the first feminine sounding name. "How about... Tephna?"

It was remarkable how a human and an owl could give the exact same look of incredulity.

"Ok, fine, how about..." He flipped some pages and looked up. "Ermina?" No. "Matilda?" The owl wasn't even looking at him anymore. "Hedwig?" That got him a hoot of satisfaction.

"Hedwig," Elowen smiled. "I like it." She opened the cage and the window so Hedwig could come and go as she pleased. Elowen turned to Harry. "I've just realized, we've missed our birthday. We're eleven now."

Harry blinked and looked over at the calendar hanging on the wall. Sure enough, they were a week into August. They'd completely forgotten about their birthday and yet it was the best one they'd ever had. He shook his head and grinned at his sister.

"Happy late birthday, El."

"Happy late birthday, Harry."

~~~

Far too soon for the twins' taste, September first arrived and they were hauling their trunks down the stairs. Tom handed them a basket and ruffled their hair.

"Made you some lunch for the train," he told them. "Jus' some chicken sandwiches and apples, few bottles of water and pumpkin juice, th' same thing I gave to my niece."

"Thank you, Tom," Harry said gratefully to the man as Elowen carefully placed the basket in her trunk. "We really appreciate everything you've done for us."

"Of course," he gave them both a smile. "And don't hesitate to come back if you need a place to stay next summer. Now get going, you don't want to miss the train."

To Elowen and Harry's great displeasure, they took the Knight Bus to King's Cross. As the bus hurtled back off, Elowen crinkled her nose after it.

"We have got to find a better way of getting around," she said, stacking her things on a trolley. Harry nodded fervently.

"Draco did say that we learn to ride brooms this year," he pointed out. "Maybe we should buy some next summer and just fly from place to place."

"We should get brooms in any case," Elowen agreed. "We're allowed to bring them next year, aren't we?"

They maneuvered their trolleys through the crowded station and stopped between platforms 9 and 10. Harry stared at it warily.

"We just walk right through, right?"

El nodded slowly. "That is what Professor Snape said."

They stood there for a moment. Despite spending the last month in the magical world, it was still hard for them to willingly walk into a wall. When they were starting to attract looks from the people around them, Harry looked at his sister.

"Well do you want to try first or should I?"

Elowen shifted. "Maybe we just wait to see someone else go through first?"

No sooner had she said that than they heard a commotion from behind them. A group of people passed them and they caught a few words of what they were saying.

"...packed with Muggles, of course —"

Harry swung around. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys and a young girl, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk in front of them — what's more, Harry recognized them. They were the family of redheads the twins had seen in the bank. Nudging Elowen to follow, Harry pushed his trolley after them. They stopped and so did the twins, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?"said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped the small girl, who was holding her hand. "Mum, can't I go?"

"You aren't old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What looked like the oldest boy marched towards platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it – but just as the boy reached the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him, and by the time the last rucksack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you next," the woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy, who must have been a twin, because he was identical to the boy next to him. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the other boy, and off they both went. Harry watched intently, half expecting for them to crash into the wall, but they didn't — instead they disappeared through the wall like it wasn't even there. Harry met Elowen's eyes and shrugged.

There was nothing else for it. They walked up next to the woman and her two remaining children.

"Hello, dears," she said, smiling at them. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed at the last boy, who was taller than either twin, thin and gangly, with big hands and feet and a long nose spattered with freckles.

"Yes," Elowen said. "We're new to the magical world, though, and walking straight at a wall is hard to wrap our heads around."

"Not to worry,"the woman said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er – okay," said Harry. He pushed his trolley round and stared at the barrier. It still looked very solid. He started to walk towards it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry leaned forward on his trolley and broke into a heavy run. The barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he almost regretted running as the trolley felt out of control — he was a foot away and despite himself, closed his eyes, ready for the crash, which didn't come. He slowed to a stop and opened his eyes.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the wall had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. As he watched, his twin appeared in the archway. They'd done it.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages they could see were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry followed Elowen off down the platform in search of an empty seat. They passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," Harry heard the old woman sigh. When he looked back, he saw the same vulture hat he'd seen in the bank.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

The twins carried on to an emptier compartment near the end of the train. Harry picked up Hedwig's cage first and then started to pull his trunk towards the train door. Elowen grabbed both book bags and her own trunk and followed.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins they'd followed through the barrier.

"That's okay," Harry said. "We've got the weightless charms on our trunks."

"That's cool," said the boy. "You're both short firsties, though, how are you gonna get your trunks up on the shelves?"

Elowen snorted as Harry flushed. "He's got a point, Harry."

"Oi, Fred!" George yelled with a wink at El. "C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, both trunks were tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks" said Harry, setting Hedwig's cage on the table next to the window. He pushed his hair back.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin, looking between Harry's scar and Elowen's. "Are you...?"

"They are," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?"

"Harry and Elowen Potter," chorused the twins.

"Oh," Harry said. "Well, it's actually Henry, but yes, that's us."

"And what are your names?" Elowen asked.

The redheaded twins blinked, then grinned.

"How could we forget—"

"To introduce ourselves."

"Fred Weasley," one twin pointed to the other.

"George Weasley," Fred finished, pointing at George.

The Potter twins looked between the Weasley twins as they bounced speaking between themselves, then grinned right back.

"We've got to learn how to do that," they said in unison.

"Ah, Fred, a new generation of twin terrors to mentor," George said dramatically. Their mother's voice floated in through the window.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, mum." With a last wink at the twins, the Weasley twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat down next to the window where, half-hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum, get off." He wriggled free.

"Awww, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins — Fred, Harry thought.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"Are you spying on them, Harry?" Elowen interrupted. Harry turned away from the window. His sister smirked at him.

"No!" Harry denied. He flushed. "Maybe. It's just interesting to watch people on the platform, and the twins were cool."

"Fair enough," Elowen shrugged. She stood. "I'm gonna go see if I can find Draco, you coming?"

"No," Harry said, "I'll stay here with Hedwig, make sure no one takes our compartment."

Elowen shrugged again. "Suit yourself."

She left the compartment and Harry turned his attention back out the window, where Molly was now lecturing the twins.

"Now, you two – this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've... you've blown up a toilet or —"

"Blown up a toilet?"

"We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mum."

"It's not funny," their mother scolded. "And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mum, guess what?" Fred — or was it George? Harry couldn't tell — changed the subject. "Guess who we just met on the train?" Harry leant back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. "You know that black-haired boy and the redheaded girl who were near us in the station? Know who they are?"

"Who?"

"Harry and Elowen Potter!"

"Says his name is actually Henry, though," George added. "Must've been a mistake in the papers somewhere along the way."

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see them, Mum, oh please..."

"You've already seen them, Ginny, and the poor dears aren't something you goggle at in a zoo. Are they really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked 'em. Saw both scars. They're really there – like lightning."

"Poor dears – no wonder they were alone. I wondered. They were ever so polite."

"Never mind that, do you think one of them remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though they need reminding of that on their first day at school."

"Alright, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered on to the train. They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls," Fred assured her.

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mum."

The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed; then she fell back and waved.

Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement as he sat back to wait for his sister to return. He didn't know what they were going to – but it had to be better than what they were leaving behind.