"Up, come on! We need to get to the station on time!" Remus bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.
Sophia groaned and pulled her pillow over her head, willing time to go backwards, just an hour or so. She had spent the previous day trying to open her care of magical creatures book, and failing miserably. She had worked tirelessly into the night after Sebastian refused to reveal how he had managed his.
Just as she was about to get back to sleep the door burst open. "Get up! We'll be late! And I need help finding my quill." Sebastian rushed around the room, pulling her wardrobe open and throwing her a white t-shirt and black trousers.
Sophia grumbled and began to stand from the bed. "Hello and good morning to you too." She wrapped her arms around her small frame before padding over to where her brother stood and outstretched her arms.
Sebastian rolled his eyes and playfully flicked her temple, she scowled and pocked his chest. "If I just got up to help you look for the stuff that you should have packed yesterday and you don't even hug me, I swear to God, I will kill you."
He chuckled and threw his arms around her in an engulfing hug. Sophia's forehead fell on his shoulder.
They stood that way for a few minutes before Remus' voice traveled through the small cottage once again. "Come on, Soph, we can't miss this train!"
"I'm up, dad! You can stop shouting like a lunatic now!" She called out. Then grabbed her clothes and made her way to the bathroom to get ready. On her way out she turned, "check under your desk drawers, for the quill." She suggested wearily.
***
Remus held a red leather jacket out towards her. Sophia slipped her arms inside it, before holding it closed at her stomach. "I told you it'd be cold." Remus sighed, he had grabbed her jacket from her bag last minute when Sophia refused to wear one while leaving.
Sophia smiled, thinking about the place she was raised, it had been sad to leave it yet again but it would always be there to go back to, as it had been the previous two years. Hogwarts was new to her and her brother, Beauxbatons had been fun, but it hadn't felt like home. People always said your school of witchcraft and wizardry should be like a second home, but she hadn't felt like that in France. Maybe Hogwarts would be different.
They entered the train and settled into a small compartment, Remus settled against the window, Sophia next to him and Sebastian opposite them. "Now kids, I know you love to be little rascals, but you need to behave at Hogwarts. They don't usually allow people to join at a random year, however, as I am going to be teaching there, Dumbledore decided to make an exception."
"Dumbledore is the headmaster, right?" Sebastian questioned, itching his jaw slightly. He was nervous. Sophia could tell, Sebastian had been expelled from Beauxbatons because of her and she made a silent promise to herself that she would do anything and everything she could to make Hogwarts the best experience possible. He deserved to have fun and not worry about his sister's antics. She could do that. It wasn't a guarantee she wouldn't do anything reckless or against the rules, but a promise he would have no part in it and that he would never know enough to worry.
"Yes, wonderful man, Dumbledore. He was headmaster when I was a student there, he did so much for me when I was a boy, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't make his life difficult."
Remus gave a pointed look at Sophia, to which she rolled her eyes and added, "Fine, Dad, I promise to not get caught breaking the rules."
The compartment filled with laughter. When it died down, the twins' father took a more serious tone, "Jokes aside, kiddos, the rules are there to keep you safe, especially this year, with Black on the loose and all..."
Sebastian shrunk back in his chair and Sophia's eyes glared at the floor. Sirius Black was, unfortunately, a biological relative of the twins. Despite their shared blood, Sebastian was beyond convinced they could not be more different to him. Sophia wished she believed that. "Don't worry, Black would have to be an idiot to go anywhere near us."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure one of Phia's looks actually can kill, and she harbours a lot of hatred for that guy." Sebastian chimed in.
"Yes, well, I'm sure the two of you will be safe at Hogwarts, but maybe, just for the time being, it's best to keep your birth mother's identity-" Remus paused for a moment, undoubtedly trying to find a less obnoxious way to word his sentence, "quiet, I suppose. Especially with Draco running around the place."
Sebastian agreed, then the two turned to Sophia. "Yeah, sure." She nodded and then rested her head on her dad's shoulder.
Sirius Black was a sort of don't-ask-don't-tell topic for the Lupin family. The twins knew he had been at school with their father, knew he had been a death eater and in Azkaban for the last twelve years, but what they didn't understand, was- why had he escaped now?
The question had been eating away at Sophia all summer, after she discovered he had broken out. She tried asking Remus once - about his possible motives - but had never gotten a straight answer, so she gave up. Well, asking her dad anyway. Sophia Lupin was nothing if not determined, especially when it came to protecting her family and a part of her was screaming that whatever his reasons were, they weren't good. If she was right, which she usually was, it would hurt Sebastian. He had always carried guilt for what their biological relatives had done, even if he hadn't been alive at the time. She made another secret promise to herself in that moment, she would find answers. And she would find them before Black got a chance to hurt anybody else.
***
After what felt like an eternity, the train finally began to move. Remus was sleeping peacefully against the window, Sebastian had his feet propped up on the seat, leaning back on the wall and Sophia was sat quietly swinging her legs and kicking the opposite seat. She knew it must be annoying for Sebastian but she also knew he wouldn't stop her, which she was grateful for. She was anxious and he could tell, Sophia might be outgoing and brave but a brand-new place full of kids that all knew each other but didn't know them was incredibly nerve wracking.
A little while later, the compartment door opened and two boys and a girl stood in its place.
"Hi, sorry about this but everywhere else is full, could we maybe- uhm." The girl motioned to the seats and her bushy hair bounced slightly with each turn of her head.
"Yes, of course." Sebastian answered and moved his legs to the ground.
The other children settled into the cushioned chairs and the once spacious room now felt rather cramped. The redheaded boy pointed at the sleeping man in the corner and muttered "Who'd you reckon that is?"
Before either twin could utter an answer the girl spoke up, "Professor R. J. Lupin." She placed the book she had been carrying onto her lap.
"How'd you know- oh, never mind, you bloody know-it-all." The redhead huffed and folded his arms over his chest. Sophia levelled him a disapproving glare while Sebastian simply watched the interaction.
The girls cheeks turned a soft pink colour, and when she noticed the look Sophia was giving the boy, quickly announced, "It's on his suitcase, Ron. And I'm not a know-it-all, I'm just more observant than you are."
Sophia flicked her gaze to the boy with messy hair and glasses who had remained quiet until this point. "What are your names?" She quietly asked, to no one in particular.
"Oh, yes, sorry about that. Got a bit carried away with our own discussion. I'm Hermione Granger, that," she pointed at the redhead "is Ron Weasley, and he-" she moved her finger to the quiet boy, "is Harry Potter."
Sebastian's eyes snapped up and narrowed at the boy. "Harry Potter? Like the- the one that..." he stuttered.
Sophia turned her body towards the boy who was sat next to her. "You're that kid that Voldemort tried to kill as a baby, right?"
Sebastian kicked her, "Don't call him that, you know dad hates it," he cocked his head towards their father, "besides, normal people don't say it."
Harry turned to her and raised an eyebrow, "Yes, I am. You're not afraid to say his name?"
"No, not really. Our dad always told us not to but when I was little I wanted to annoy him so I did, nothing happened so I just kept doing it." Sophia explained.
Obviously wanting to change the subject, Hermione cleared her throat. "So, what are your names?"
Sebastian looked at Sophia then jerked his head up slightly. Sophia turned to follow his gaze then saw her brown cat stretch on top of her suitcase, then jump onto Sophia's lap. She chuckled and stroked the soft fur sprawled out across her.
"I'm Sophia, this is Sebastian. He's our dad. And this adorable little princess, is Athena." She waved at everyone as she introduced them, then picked up Athena and placed her in between herself and Harry.
The boy cautiously began to pet the animal as the rest of them got lost in conversation. Sebastian and Sophia were in a heated discussion about how they thought they would be sorted and the other three were paying no attention to the squabbling siblings. They were speaking in hushed voices but, as the twins settled into silence after deciding to just wait and see, Sophia made out one small sentence,
"I still can't believe you blew your aunt up." Ron had attempted to whisper.
"You blew up your aunt?" Sophia's jaw dropped.
"Well- it was an accident. And she just... inflated a little and began to float." Harry cringed in his seat. He shrunk away from the brunette girls stare, assuming she now thought he was an awful person, but to his surprise, a smirk grew on her face.
"Cool!" She exclaimed.
Her brother rolled his eyes at her and stated, "Please don't give her any ideas." Then placed his hand on his forehead, shaking his head, feigning distress.
The siblings fell into another fit of laughter and chatter while the others in the compartment began another conversation but this time it was something else that caught Sophia's attention. They were talking about Sirius Black. Pretending to listen to her brothers rambling about joining a quidditch team, she focused in on the trios words.
Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban to go after Harry, they supposed. He wanted to kill Harry for destroying Voldemort. Hermione was sure someone would catch him, Ron wasn't. Sophia would never admit it, but she agreed with Ron. Black was her relative and she knew how deceptive she could be, even Sebastian, who tried to be as honest and open as possible found lying and sneaking around came naturally to him.
Suddenly, the train stopped. Sebastian locked eyes with Sophia, "we can't be there yet, can we? Dad said it'd take longer than this."
"No we aren't there. It usually takes much longer." Hermione informed them. "Wait, why don't you know how long the journey takes?"
"Oh, we're new this year. We used to go to Beauxbatons, so this is our first time to Hogwarts. It's a favour to our dad that we get to transfer, since he's teaching there this year." Sophia explained, leaving the previous expulsion part out of her story. Sebastian seemed to notice this, he raised an eyebrow but didn't correct her.
Harry raised from his seat and opened the door to see countless other students doing the same. Sophia appeared at his side, "See anything?" She asked even though they was looking at exactly the same thing.
Harry shook his head when the train jolted and threw them back in their seats, the door falling shut behind them. Athena hissed and went to sit on Sebastian's lap. He buried his had in her fur.
"What's going on?" Ron whispered.
"I don't know." Harry replied.
Sophia furrowed her eyebrows and saw her leg bouncing, Sebastian was scratching his jaw. She placed a leg on either side of one of her brother's and crossed her feet at his ankle. "It's fine Seb, probably just faulty wiring or something." This earned a small smile from him, it wasn't the laugh she had hoped to wrangle from him, but it would do.
The light flickered and Hermione winced. "Ouch, Ron. That was my foot."
Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the glass, then mumbled, "Uhh, guys? It looks like something is moving out there."
The cabin quieted as ice covered the window. Then a figure appeared outside the door, Sebastian clung to the cat that was now trying to sit on his chest and Sophia turned towards the door, subconsciously trying to shield her dad from whatever it was stood on the other side.
A bony hand opened the door without touching the handle, causing Ron to whimper slightly, his rat hiding itself in his pocket. The hooded figure stood in the doorway, scanning the children, only, it's eyes were hidden behind the black fabric that covered it's repulsive body. The creature's rotting mouth was open and on display as he looked between Harry and Sophia. She became cold and filled with sorrow, and moments later, she passed out, the last thing she saw was her father jumping to his feet and raising his wand, then darkness.
Sophia blinked rapidly and felt Sebastian holding her hand as her cheek rested on his shoulder. Her dad was sat in front of her holding out a piece of chocolate. "Eat it, Soph, it'll make you feel better. You too, Harry."
Sophia grabbed the chocolate and began to chew, she turned and saw Harry half-lying on the train seat and assumed he had also fainted. A wave of embarrassment filled her as she sat up and noticed only her and Harry seemed to have had that reaction.
Harry took the chocolate, "What was that thing?" He asked.
"A dementor, they're guards of Azkaban. It was looking for Sirius Black..." Remus's gaze travelled over to his children as he hesitated. Sophia shook her head slightly, letting him know they had kept their word and hadn't told the other three about their biological family. He sighed and carried on, "Nasty things they are, but never mind, they're gone now."
Remus grabbed his daughter's shoulder and squeezed gently, repeating the action with his son with his other hand. "Now, if you don't mind I need a word with the driver. Will you be alright getting to the castle, kids?"
"We'll be fine dad, I've got Soph." Sebastian answered.
Sophia scoffed, "You have not got me, I'm perfectly fine by myself." To prove her point, she got up, grabbed her wand and summoned her chocolate frog.
Their father and now professor left and Sebastian stole the leg of her chocolate frog. "You okay?"
Sophia hesitated slightly, then decided to go for the truthful answer. "A little shaken, but fine. How about you?" She directed the last part towards Harry.
"Same, do you lot know who was screaming?" Harry added.
The other four exchanged a confused glance, Hermione answered, "No one was screaming, Harry."
The cabin was silent until the train came to a stop, for good this time.
This was it.
They were going to Hogwarts.
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A/N
First chapter is complete! I really hope you enjoyed it as I worked really hard on it.
I love these character so much and I hope you guys will too.
Please remember to interact with the story so I know if people are liking it.
I don't have a regular schedule for updates but I'll try and figure one out soon, until then I'll update whenever the next chapter is ready.