It was a cloudy June summer in Cardiff, England, but the heat was still unforgivable. Mothers or fathers led their children through neighborhoods in search for the nearest park that wasn't filled with people. Ice cream vendors didn't waste time to attempt to make profit, playing the sweetest songs and flashing their most eye-catching displays. Two miles away, a large mansion stood, the only residence with no playing children outside. That didn't mean there wasn't any children though.

The mansion was called Nott Manor, one of the oldest residential structures in Cardiff. The manor has seen multiple generations and stood through the harshest conditions Cardiff has seen.

Emery Nott, one of the treasured boys of Nott Manor, was playing inside the manor with his twin brother Theodore. Both of them have been considered miracle babies as years 1978-1981 had shown the slowest birth-rate the country's magical community had ever seen. Raising a baby through these years- having twins, nonetheless, was a great sign of luck the Notts proudly decided to use.

The Notts were one of the few Pureblood families left, as many had died out or been imprisoned during Voldemort's rise. They went through an increased rise in status as none of them had been caught with a Dark Mark, but whether Mrs. Or Mr. Nott had it remains unknown. For now, the boys get to live their years peacefully and bring pride to the ancient Nott family. At least that's what was thought.

"Check, I win!"

Emery pouted as Theodore, or Theo, checkmated him for the tenth time in the past two hours they have been playing chess. "Let's do something else. See who can climb the highest on the apple tree?"

"Too hot. Theo muttered, flopping back onto the ground. "We're going to work ourselves up into a sweat and Mum's going to complain about having to wash our clothes again."

Emery sighed. "She can do that with a flick of her wand. I wonder why she is so insistent on only washing the same clothes once a week."

Theo only shrugged, walking circles around their room. Emery stared at the wall for a few seconds, wishing he and Marcus didn't break Mr. Flint's expensive vase that couldn't be repaired by a simple "Reparo". Not that he or Marcus knew how to cast one anyways. The accident had costed his visiting hours to be reduced during the summer.

Suddenly, their mother's voice drifted from downstairs.

"Theodore! Emery! Come downstairs to the kitchen, your father and I have to talk to you both about something!"

"Coming Mum!" The twins stared at each other curiously with a hint of worry.

Emery knew that he and Theodore had done many things wrong and that they had used to house elves to cover up.

"Think she found out about you crashing the broom into the east wing upstairs restroom?" Theo asked with a teasing whisper as they made their way out of the room.

Emery looked at him indignantly. "No way! Moxy lied for me. It's got to be about you somehow managing to fling paint onto the office ceiling again." Emery whispered back, one hand trailing the banister.

Still, he was a bit nervous. Maybe Moxy the house elf told after-all?

The eight-year-old brothers may be twins, but they're different in many ways. Emery was the more outgoing brother, finding pleasure in quidditch and making daily floo calls to Flint Estate so he could bother Marcus a boy two years older than him.

Theodore was more on the quieter side, preferring to stay indoors and indulge himself in drawing or painting. A bit odd of a hobby for a pureblood boy, but his parents never minded too much as long as he wasn't causing trouble. Theo, however, has a mischievous side that's more cunning than reckless fool behavior. Which Emery keeps finding out the hard way.

"Race you to the kitchen?" Theo smirked at him.

"You're on!" Emery smiled excitedly at Theo, a hint of a challenge in his eyes. He immediately bolted down the stairs that led to the drawing room, which would eventually lead to the kitchens after a hallway. What he didn't know was that Theo just slowly walked on at a quick pace, laughing quietly.

"I win!" Emery cheered triumphantly as he burst through the hallway and into the kitchen. "I wi- oh."

Emery's mother, Sofia Nott, stood in the kitchen and faced him with a stern look. "Emery Leonard Nott, what have I told you about running through the manor like an uncivilized ruffian?"

Emery looked at the floor indignantly and cried out "Theo challenged me to a race!" The same time as a still smirking Theo came into the room saying

"Not to."

"Emery, you should know better than to fall for your brother's tricks." Mrs. Nott admonished him.

Their father, Mr. Nott, or Leonard came into the kitchen chuckling. "Theo, don't you think you're too old to play such tricks on you brother?"

"Sorry Mum, Dad." Both brothers looked at their parents with winning smiles.

"At ease boys. Your mother and I have something to tell you." Their father said.

Emery sat down at the table with Theo next to him.

"Mum, are you pregnant?" Theo asked, and Emery couldn't help but burst out laughing. He knew what his parents has to tell them was likely serious. But he hadn't expected Theo out of all people to ask that.

"That's enough boys!" Mr. Nott said more seriously. "No, your Mum is not pregnant. We are introducing you both to the next step of Pureblood traditions."

He stared wide eyed as his mother continued.

"We are introducing you both to two daughters of our friends, both respected in the Pureblooded community. They were our age and it would do you good to be acquaintance to them since you'll are starting Hogwarts in two years." There seemed to be a hidden meaning behind his mother's words, but Emery couldn't figure out what. Why was his mum introducing them to girls? As far as he knows, girls were are fussy and boring. Not that he had much examples to go off of, since none of his friends had sisters that are old enough to talk with him.

"Who are they?" Asked Theo.

"Roxia Selwyn and Daphne Greengrass. They will be coming tomorrow to meet you two." Mr. Nott said. I expect you both to be on your best behaviors and how a good Pureblood example." He looked at Emery at that sentence, who shrugged. Girls shouldn't be too hard to deal with.