There they were, three mystic souls, staring at a big red train.
"The Founders must have really liked red," Krinos broke the silence.
Harry and Melody looked at each other, then burst into hysterical laughter. Leave it to Krinos to say the first thing that comes to mind.
"What," Krinos asked, confused.
"Oh for the love of," Melody shook her head. "How are you one of the most observant mystic souls I know, yet still so oblivious."
Krinos just shrugged his shoulders. They looked at the clock, seeing that it was almost eleven. They went aboard the train. They quickly found an empty compartment near the front of the train. Frost and Wolf were let out, letting them stretch their wings/legs. And Selene was let off her leash, much to her relief.
''Those people didn't look like first generation wizards,'' Melody noticed.
Harry and Krinos just looked at her.
''The redheads,'' she clarified. ''Now, most first generation mages maybe are one or two to non-magical parents. But there were four wizards we know of in that family. My best guess is third generation.''
''So, they would have no reason to be on the mundane side of the platform,'' Krinos got what she was saying. ''They would have just arrived there the magical way, whichever way there is in this country.''
As the train began to leave, they looked out the window. They saw the redhead girl from before trying to run alongside the train, but quickly fall behind and disappear when they rounded the corner.
''But then why be on the mundane side in the first place,'' Harry wondered.
''Well, there is you,'' Krinos guessed.
''Huh,'' Harry 'duh'ed.
''Think about it,'' Krinos explained. ''You're famous for supposedly defeating that Lord Voldemort guy. There gotta be quite a lot of people that would want to be friends with the 'Boy-Who-Lived.' Who came up with that title anyway? It's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard."
"I have to agree with Krinos in this one, Ry," Melody said. "On both the fame and the title. But I doubt that they knew it was you."
"With all those books saying he has messy black hair, emerald eyes, and that lightning bolt scar, they'd never know you were Harry Potter," Krinos says.
While Harry knew that his eyes had come from his birth mother, but he was proud to have the signature Gardna silver eyes. He also knew that parents don't just show in their child's looks. And he also had the perk of magically inheriting his adoptive father's amulet. And he was glad his hat and hair hid his scar. He hated it. A constant reminder of being an orphan was forever on his forehead.
Someone then knocked on their compartment door. The three turned to it as it opened. In the doorway was the pair of redheads from before. And the fact that they were twins was as clear as day.
"Greetings, little firsties," they greeted.
"Any of you..." the first twin started.
"...Happen to see..." the second twin continued.
"...A black boy with short dreadlocks..." twin 1.
"...Walking around with a tarantula..." twin 2.
"...Did you," twin 1 finished.
"Nope, sorry," they all answered.
"A tarantula," Melody raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious?"
"Please tell me that spider demon isn't still running around," Krinos complained. "Didn't we vanquish her already?"
"Considering the grimlocks came back that one All Hallows' Eve, who even knows at this point," Harry rubbed his temples. "Nobody ever stays dead anymore, do they?"
"Forgive him, he has a bad sense of humor," Melody told the redheads. "I'm Melody Gardna, and these are my brothers Krinos and Harry."
"We are the spectacular..." twin 1.
"...Devious..." twin 2.
"...And brilliant..." twin 1.
"...Fred and George..." twin 2.
"...Otherwise known as Gred and Forge..." twin 1.
"...Weasley," twin 2.
"I like you two," Harry chuckled. "Want to sit?"
"Why not," the twins shrugged. "Lee always finds us anyway."
That's when they noticed the animals in the compartment. Especially Selene, who was munching on some cotton candy Harry made sure to bring her.
"Is that a unicorn," Fred, or George, gasped.
"This is Selene, one of the last remaining moonlace unicorns," Harry told them. "I named her after the Titaness of the moon. My siblings also have familiars. Krinos's is his white wolf named Wolf and Melody's is a winter hawk named Frost."
"A wolf..." Fred, or George, started.
"...Named Wolf," George, or Fred, finished.
"Again, I do plants, not animals," Krinos crossed his arms, slightly pouting.
"He really does," Melody admitted.
"You're gonna do great..." George, or Fred, started.
"...In Herbology class," Fred, or George, finished.
"With how much time he spends in the garden, he could probably teach the class," Harry chuckled. "By the way, which one of you is which?"
"We don't tell," the twins stated.
Krinos and Melody shared a smirk.
"Challenge accepted," they stated, smiling.
That was when the redheads finally seemed to get the type of similarities they shared with the two silver eyed mystic souls. They sat down, next to them, putting their arms around their shoulders.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, fellow twins," they announced proudly.
"You know we aren't at the actual school yet, right," Krinos asked them.
"Details, details," the twins waved off.
The compartment door suddenly opened.
"So this is where you two disappeared to," a voice cheerfully said.
The twins smiled at the new arrival. He was a teen that was about two heads smaller than the Weasleys. He had dark skin with neck-length black dreadlocks. In his hands was a small glass cage containing a tarantula.
"You must be the friend with a tarantula the twins were looking for," Melody said. "Sorry for stealing them from you."
"Trust me, anyone that can handle these two are fine by me," the teen says, chuckling. "I'm surprised they haven't pranked y... Is that a wolf, hawk, and unicorn?"
"Yeah, these are our familiars," Harry told him.
"Come on in, Lee," Fred, or George, greeted.
"Hi Fred, hi George," Lee grinned, sitting down.
"Yes, now we know who is who," Melody quietly smirked.
The three teens noticed the uncomfortable shifts the coming first years gave in their seats upon seeing the spider.
"Don't tell us that..." Fred started
"...You're afraid of spiders," George finished.
"Spiders, not really," Krinos says. "But after you run into a sadistic spider demon that tries to literally suck the life out of you, spiders tend to make you uncomfortable."
"I blame the Source," Melody muttered.
"I should probably introduce myself," Lee suddenly realized, helping to escape the awkwardness they all felt. "Lee Jordan, at your service."
"I'm Harry," Harry shook his hand. "This is my unicorn familiar, Selene, and my owl, Hedwig. These are my siblings Krinos and Melody, and their familiars Wolf and Frost."
"Three familiars in a single year," Lee starred in awe. "That is so cool. And the type of animals they are is awesome. Unicorns only bond to the pure of heart. Hawks bond to the wise and patient. And Wolves are only for those of free nature and fierce spirit."
The three Roses all gaped at the knowledge. Harry was ever the only one that had so much familiar and animal smarts, but that was mostly because of his powers.
"We always joke that Lee should have been a Ravenclaw," Fred explained. "He's smart like that."
"So what house are you in," Krinos asked.
"We are proud Gryffindors," the three announced proudly.
"So, the house of bravery and chivalry," Harry asked, and they nodded.
"What house do three..." Fred started.
"...Want to be in," George finished.
"Truthfully, I see myself in Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor," Harry says. "My friends always described me as sneaky as a camouflaged chameleon, as loyal as an alpha wolf, and as brave as a raging rhino. In other words, the best qualities of the animal kingdom."
"I'd be perfectly fine with Ravenclaw," Melody said. "I'm far from being the smartest witch in the world, but I value knowledge. Though, Slytherin would be a nice fit for my sneakiness quite nicely."
"Hufflepuff seems like the best choice for me," Krinos told them. "Loyalty is a powerful thing, especially when you have a person's full trust. Just as long as it isn't blindly. Blind trust can be a dangerous thing."
"Are you guys sure you're eleven," Lee asked. "You don't sound like it."
"Where we come from, maturity is an asset," Melody explained. "Mostly because of the annoying demon attacks."
"And where do you..." George tried to ask, but the compartment door was slammed open and they looked at who it was.
"What do you..." Fred started.
"...Want, Ron," George finished.
It didn't escape the trio how annoyed the Weasley twins had sounded. They saw that the one that slammed the door open was the youngest redhead boy that his mother had introduced them to. The one they got a bad feeling from. And when you're mystic souls being constantly hunted by the Underworld, you need to pay attention to bad feelings.
"I'm looking for Harry Potter," the newly named Ron said, almost annoyed. "Did you two already corrupt my best friend."
That caught the attention of the trio. Looking at each other, then the twins looking at Harry. He held his hands up in an "I have never seen him before in my life" kind of way. And it only proved Krinos's point about people only wanting to know Harry, or be his friend, just because he was famous. Gold digging wizards that they now have to, unfortunately, spend the next seven school years with.
"No Harry Potter in this compartment," Harry stated. "So just go away before your stupidity rubs off on us intelligent mages."
Fred, George, and Lee all burst into laughter. Krinos and Melody also looked to be snickering behind their hands.
"Who do you think you are to insult me," Ron yelled at Harry.
"Harry Gardna, and these are my siblings Krinos and Melody," Harry said.
"You talk funny," Ron bluntly says.
"We're from Greece, what's your excuse," Krinos crossed his arms.
"Never heard the name Gardna before. Must be muggleborn," Ron narrowed his eyes at them and basically ignored the fact that they were foreign.
"Muggle, what a horrible term for those of the mundane world," Melody scoffed. "We're Greek, not English, so it's only natural that you don't know our family. But back home, we're one of twelve of the most ancient families in the country. We're third generation mages. In the olden terms of England, we're purebloods."
Ron, obviously missing the jab at England's old words, just huffed and left.
"He's your brother," Melody asked the twins.
"Unfortunately," they answered.
"No offense, but he's an idiot," Krinos says.
"We know, and none taken," they answered together, again.
"So, you three are purebloods from Greece," Lee clarified, the three nodded. "Why come all the way to England for school, then? Doesn't Greece have their own school system?"
"All in due time, my new friends," Krinos smirked. "All in due time."
"You three are strange," Fred grinned.
"We like that," George smiled.
The compartment door was, once again, slammed open.
"Could we be any more popular," Melody complained, covering her eyes in annoyance.
In the doorway, this time, were another two first-year-to-be. The first one was a girl with bushy, curly, brown hair and slight buck teeth. She was already in her school uniform and robes. Right away was that bad feeling again. Next to her was a shy looking boy with short blond hair so dark that it was almost brown. He seemed slightly overweight, but no way were they gonna say that. He couldn't meet their eyes.
"Have any of you seen a toad," the girl asked, her voice bossy and annoying. "Neville, here, has lost one."
They all looked at the shy boy next to her. He avoided eye contact, telling something about his self-confidence.
"Our apologies, but we haven't," Harry says, but directed it at the shy boy.
"Are you Neville,'' Melody asked gently, getting a small nod in response. ''Maybe we can help you. What's your toad's name?''
''Trevor,'' Neville timidly responded. "My Gran gave him to me."
She took out her wand.
''Shall I, boys,'' she smirked toward her brothers.
''Go for it, sis,'' they said.
''Acio Trevor the toad,'' Melody cast.
They waited for a few seconds, and then a green and brown toad came flying through the door and into Melody's hand.
''I believe this is yours,'' she said, handing the amphibian over.
''Trevor,'' Neville cheered, happily taking back his animal friend. ''Thanks.''
''If you want to keep him from running, or rather hoping, away, make a cage with leaves and vines covering it and keep it moist," Harry told him. ''Amphibians like to be wet, so I also advise to have water in the cage, like an amphibian aquarium.''
Neville nodded, thanking him again.
''How'd you do that spell,'' the girl next to him demanded. ''I know for a fact that isn't in any of the first year books. I've read them all.''
''Maybe because Accio is a fourth-year spell,'' Krinos told her.
''Then how do you know it,'' she demanded again. ''You can't be more than a first year like me. And I've read all the first year books and that spell isn't in any of them.''
''The library back home has a whole section on wizarding spells, traditions, and laws,'' Krinos said. ''And my sister spends a lot of time in the library.''
''That, and I do practice,'' Melody smirked. ''This wand chose me for a reason.''
"You're not allowed to do magic outside of school," the girl glared at Melody. "You could get expelled."
"It may be against the law in England, but we're from Greece and still live there," Harry told her. "Back home, magic is practiced openly by all the magical children. We just have to make sure no mundanes see us. Statute of Secrecy and all that jazz."
"That isn't fair," the girl shrieked. "You shouldn't be allowed to do magic until you are seventeen like the rest of us, regardless of where you live. Why do you get special permission? You disabled or something."
She seemed to then look them over.
"It isn't special treatment," Krinos crossed his arms. "We just have different laws and traditions than England. Not our fault that this country is behind on how to handle magical children."
The girl looked like they just popped her bubble. But she soon turned back to her half-girl half-banshee self.
"How dare you," she yelled. "England is loads better than that country of ruins with make believe gods."
"And that is your cue to leave," Melody says, almost growling. "You do not insult our culture. Boys."
With a slight glow to their eyes, going unnoticed by all, the door slammed closed in her face. Neville, who had been inside, was quite shocked. They all dismissed it as Melody's work since her wand was still out.
"Saying the Olympians are fake, who does she think she is," Krinos said. "I hope Zeus zaps that bushy hair right off her head."
"Aphrodite wouldn't be very happy with him, but it be worth it," Harry snickered.
"Here, Neville," Krinos said, moving Wolf off of the seat next to him. "Take a seat next to me."
The shy boy sat down, now a little nervous because he had finally taken notice of the familiars in the compartment.
"They're our familiars," Melody comforted. "They won't hurt you. Unless you try to hurt one of us, anyway."
That seemed to relax Neville.
"So, who was that bossy girl," Melody asked.
"Sh...she told m...me her n...name was H...Hermione Granger," Neville stuttered. "I d...didn't even ask f...for her h...help. She had j...just st...stood up and d...declared that s...she was h...helping m...me."
"Granger, the name doesn't sound familiar. Must be a muggleborn," Lee says. "But you're the heir to Longbottom, right?"
Neville nodded in response. But to his surprise, none of them laughed or even snickered, at his name.
"What house do you think you'll be in, Neville," Harry asked.
"My G...Gran wants m...me in Gryffindor, like m...my p...parents," Neville said. "B...but I'm n...not fit t...to b...be in Gryffindor. Gran w...would b...be disappointed i...if I'm in a...another h...house."
"Well, your Gran isn't here, is she," Melody says. "Just looked at Fred and George. They're both in Gryffindor, but also seem like they could have been in either Hufflepuff or even Slytherin."
"Besides, I think you could make a fine Gryffindor," Harry said. "There is more to you than meets the eye, I can tell."
"I plan on going to Hufflepuff myself," Krinos told him. "The things they value are what are most helpful in life, not to mention friendship."
"Loyalty..." Fred started.
"...Hard work..." George continued.
"...And kindness," Fred finished.
"That's Hufflepuff," they cheered together.
That seemed to cheer Neville up a little. He thought that would be the house he ended up in. Krinos looked out the window. Touching his amulet, he senses how close they were getting to the castle. Feels it through the ground and through nature.
"We better change," he told the rest of them. "We seem to be getting close to Hogwarts."
Not really questioning the silver-eyed eleven-year-old, they all took turns going to the bathroom to change.