Advance Arrangement
by Teddylonglong

All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.


Even if Harry and Bobby had followed the Sorting of each of the first-years, they only realised that the Hat had put their whole class from the primary school along with Dudley into Slytherin, when they took their seats at the house table. They noticed in relief that there were no other first-years beside their own group of friends.

'It's only the thirteen of us…'

'How cool is that?' they thought to each other in happiness, while Paws and Claws bustled around their end of the table to lick their friends' hands in happy greeting.

They did not even hear the headmaster's few words of welcome, as they conversed in excitement, and were surprised when all of a sudden, dinner appeared on the tables.

"Harry and Bobby," one of the older students suddenly addressed them from a few seats further to the left. "I'm Marcus Flint, a fifth-year student and the Slytherin Quidditch captain. Weasley and Weasley told us that you were the best Seeker and Keeper they had ever seen. Would you be willing to play on the house team?"

Harry and Bobby exchanged a glance, before they nodded. "Yes please…"

"… we'd love to play on the house team…"

"… but we can only fly…"

"… if our familiars are allowed to fly with us…"

"… or they might sabotage the matches."

Marcus and the students next to him let out a collective groan. "Don't tell me the Weasley twins have taught you their most annoying way of speaking."

"Of course, Marcus…"

"… it was out duty…"

"… to teach younger couples of twins accordingly."

"Just so you know…"

"… we are twins as well," Jane and Kengo spoke up, grinning, provoking another groan from the older students.

"As to your doggies," Marcus glanced under the table, where Paws and Claws were stretched out, obviously basking in the attention from the first-years, accepting bits and pieces of meat from various hands. "They may only fly with you if they hold on to the brooms tightly and don't interfere in the matches. We don't want to be disqualified because of cheating."

"They won't…"

"… and they're used to flying with us."

"Very well." Marcus nodded, seeming contented. "Now, I only have to convince Professor Snape to allow two first-years to play on the team."

The Weasley twins grinned broadly. "We've already informed him of this in advance…"

"… and he said he'd use their limbs as potions ingredients if we didn't win the Quidditch cup…"

"… during the next seven years."

HP

Harry and Bobby chuckled, knowing that Uncle Severus and the other adults on the North Pole had never won a match when playing against them. Dinner was a funny affair, and Harry and Bobby found that their older housemates were very nice. After dinner, Jonathan, a sixth-year prefect, led them down to the dungeons and into the Slytherin common room, where he instructed them to sit in a circle on the floor for a house meeting.

The older students sat around them in a very civilised manner that made the twins believe that it was the result of intense practice. Only when everyone was seated, Uncle Severus, who was now Professor Snape to them, swept into the room.

The professor held a long monologue about Slytherin being their family, that they should all work on improving Slytherin's reputation and that they should stick together outside the safety of their house. He pointed out that Slytherin had its own point system and pointed to the far side of the room, where every student had their own hourglasses, where they could accumulate snakes as positive points or toads as negative points.

His expression became stern, as he continued, "As Professor McGonagall has informed you, we have five non-human students from this year onwards, and all five have made it into Slytherin. Well done. Please treat them just as if you'd treat any of your other housemates if you do not wish to accumulate dozens of toads. I'd also like to ask you to keep an eye on them outside of our house. Slytherins must stick together and always help each other if the need arises."

Finally, he made the first-years introduce themselves, which they found easy, considering that at least all the other first-years had been friends with them for a while, most of them even for as long as eight years. Once the introductions were finished, the first-years were told to head to their dormitories and go to bed.

Daphne, Susan, Jane and Nina shared one dormitory, Neville, Ron, Kengo and Toni the second, and Harry and Bobby were in a room together with Dudley, Draco and Blub.

After happily chatting with their friends for a while, the twins climbed into bed, smiling when Paws and Claws cuddled close to them just as they did at home.

'Hogwarts, we're ready,' Bobby thought to Harry, who returned a wide yawn.

'I look forward to seeing Mum at the Unspeakables' office on Sunday.'

'Yeah, we'll have much to tell her.'

HP

In the morning, the first-years gathered in the common room, from where Jonathan led them into the Great Hall, promising to take them to their first morning class after breakfast.

The first-years eagerly awaited Professor Snape to distribute their time tables. Fortunately, he began handing out the parchments to the first-years before turning to the older students.

"What is your first morning class?" Jonathan asked with apparent interest.

"We have Transfiguration in our first class," Draco announced.

Jonathan nodded in understanding. "The Transfiguration classroom is a fifteen-minute-walk, so we should leave on time."

"Thank you, Jonathan…"

"… for taking us to the classroom," the twins replied, while Paws and Claws eagerly licked the older boy's hand in obvious gratitude.

Just when Professor Snape finished distributing the time tables to the seventh-years, a commotion at the head table made everyone turn their attention to a female professor, who was talking in a strange, raspy tone.

"The duo with the power to defeat the evil have gathered their minions. Together, they will overcome the evildoer, before the hypocrites can prevail."

"Who is that…"

"… and what does she mean?" Harry and Bobby addressed the Weasley twins, who were sitting on their left side.

"That is Professor Trelawney…"

"… the Divination professor…"

"… She's said…"

"… to be a seer…"

"… but others say…"

"… that she's a fraud though."

They looked up at the head table, when Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair. "We believe that Professor Trelawney's earlier utterings might be a prophecy; however, we will inform you as soon as we know more."

"All right, first-years, we need to go."

"Jonathan…"

"… Someone said we had classes together with the Gryffindors?..."

"… Is that true, and shouldn't we take them with us?"

The older student cast the twins a look of pure surprise, however, nodded. "Very well, fetch them then."

Harry and Bobby made a beeline to the Gryffindor table, closely followed by their friends and their familiars, and their Gryffindor classmates followed the group to the Transfiguration classroom, seemingly grateful for their initiative.

tbc...

Thank you for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please continue feeding my muse. Any ideas, suggestions or opinions are welcome.