The next day Jennifer didn't go running or have any chance to do physical training at all. Her parents were up at 6:00 AM in case their Hogwarts letters came early. Which they, of course, didn't. At 7:00 AM the Potter family plus extra's sat at the breakfast table, impatiently eating. Even Jennifer couldn't help but glance at the window every so often, in anticipation for her letter.
Breakfast had never before been so nerve wracking, even though they all knew they would both be getting their letters. It was simply a matter of when.
Nearing 8:00 AM they were all getting restless. Sirius had long given up on not complaining for it taking so long, and James looked ready to eat an entire broomstick if it made the time pass faster. Remus was trying to read the daily prophet, but he had been on the same page for the last 15 minutes. Lily had been doing the dishes by hand, but had seemingly lost her concentration on it halfway through, and washed nearly every plate at least twice or more. Charlie and Jennifer were playing chess, but Charlie hadn't made a move in a while, leaving Jennifer even more bored.
It was when the fireplace burst out in green flames that everyone was pulled from whatever they were trying to concentrate on.
Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace. The attention was on him immediately, or, more likely, on the two letters he was holding in his right hand.
''Good morning you all! I dearly hope I'm not interrupting something?'' Albus said, looking at the people sitting in the kitchen.
''Of course not Albus.'' Lily replied to the headmaster.
''Good, for I do believe that I have something for these two young ones. I know that it is tradition to get them through the mail, but I wanted to give them personally. I hope you don't mind.''
Without another word, Albus handed the twins their letters.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Going to Hogwarts was strange.
They had been going to Hogwarts since they were five years old, yet they had never been there as students.
They knew the layout of the castle by the back of their hand, having spent so much time there as children. Yet it was still all very exciting to go there now.
Today was the first day of September, at 9:30 AM in the morning, and while normally Potter manor would be quiet at this time (James going to work, Lily and Charlie busy with his lessons and Jennifer doing whatever she felt up to),this morning it was everything but that.
''Charllie have you finished packing yet?!?!'' Lily franticly yelled up the stairs.
''Almost done mom!"
''Well hurry up! You haven't eaten breakfast yet and still have to take a shower!''
''Yes mom, I know! I'm packing as fast as I can!"
Jennifer sighed.
Unlike her brother she had already packed her trunk yesterday, in order to prevent things like this from happening. Stupidly enough her brother hadn't and now they might be late because of it.
Rolling her eyes at her brothers' rushed response, she looked down at her skirt. It was one of the ones she didn't mind wearing as much. A simple dark blue with two white, horizontal stripes at the top. She looked around her room to make sure she absolutely hadn't forgotten something –she hadn't- and dragged her feather-light trunk downstairs.
Lily was at the stove, cooking some eggs, while James sat in his chair reading the newspaper. Sirius and Remus would later join them at the station to wave them off. Or Charlie more likely. It didn't matter. To her, they weren't important. Even if she acted like she thought them to be her uncles, she didn't feel that way. If convenient she was their niece, if not she didn't exist to them. But it didn't matter. They were simply there for her brother, and that was fine. No hard feelings.
As Charlie finally came down the stairs, towel still in hand and half-heartedly trying to dry his hair, Lily set a plate off eggs in front of everyone and they began to eat.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
The goodbye at the train station was not very hard for Jennifer. She had been living pretty much on her own since she was six, her parents being gone for either work or Charlies' training for about ¾ of her childhood.
For Charlie, James and Lily it was another matter altogether.
Charlie had always had an adult with him up until this point in his life.
Lily saw her little boy every day. James was simply not used to his son not having nearly 24/7 guarding, and was very anxious that something would happen to him.
Jennifer thought that they were overreacting. Lily was crying at this point, and it took all she had not to roll her eyes at the fuss she was making. It wasn't like they would never see them again. But from the way they were acting, you'd almost think so.
After a lengthy goodbye –that was eventually cut off by the trains whistle going, letting the students and parents know the train was about to leave- the twins were finally, finally on their way to Hogwarts.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Hours later the train finally arrived at its destination.
Charlie had sat with his friends for the duration of the trip, while Jennifer sat in an empty compartment, mostly looking out the window or reading.
''Firs' years over 'ere! Come on! Leave you trunks on the train the elves will pick them up later! Firs' years over 'ere!'' They heard Hagrid yell out to the students leaving the train.
There was already a considerable amount of students standing around the large man, and not wanting to be late, Jennifer quickly made her way towards the group.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
The first years stood nervously in the great hall, waiting for their names to be called in order to be sorted.
After a considerable amount to time, Charlie was finally called forward by professor McGonagall.
It took a mere minute before the sorting hat shouted out ''Griffindor!'' making the lions go ballistic. Once they were properly calmed, albeit still clapping Charlie on his shoulder, McGonagall continued by calling out ''Potter, Jennifer''.
The hall went dead silent. There were some children who looked surprised to see her there, mostly the muggleborns and half-bloods. The purebloods weren't surprised by her appearance, after all, they had probably met her at some point during a ministry party, thus even though she didn't appear in the papers like Charlie, at least knew of her existence.
With confidence she actually didn't have, she walked with her shoulders and back straight, right at the chair. Only a second later the sorting hat was placed upon her head, and her view of the room was blocked.
'Ah, very nice meeting you, young miss Potter.'
'Hello there as well.'
'Well, let's get straight to it then. A bravery that any Griffindor may be jealous of, yet not a sign of arrogance. An amazing drive to proof yourself, oh yes! But not for anyone but yourself I see. An great amount of intelligence, by Merlin! I haven't come across anyone with this amount of knowledge, especially at your age, since the founders! And lastly a frightening amount of cunning, yet you do not use it to manipulate people, simply to be allowed to be who you really are. I'll have to admit child, you would fit into any house, yet none. Never before have I encountered a child with a mind quite like yours.'
'Should I take that as a compliment?' She cheekily asked the hat.
'Yes child, you defiantly should,' the sorting hat chuckled 'I also think we can add mischievous to the list. But now we have a problem. I do not know which house to put you in, so child, do you have a preference?'
'Not really, I mean, anything but Slytherin will do. But preferably either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. If I end up in Slytherin my parents will probably disown me, and then I won't be able to protect anyone on a later date.'
'I see your distress child, and to be quite frank, I think that you are right in that aspect. So now the question, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?
'I don't know, you're the sorting hat, why don't you pick that for me? They are pretty equal in my eyes, though perhaps it would be good to not be separated from my brother too much, Merlin knows in what kind of trouble he will get himself if he is left on his own without supervision from a responsible person. He'll probably be dead by the end of the year, and that is with thinking in his favor.'
'I'll have to agree with you on that as well. His mind was a mess and he was frankly to full of himself. I too fear for his well-being. Perhaps it is a good idea for you to join him in Gryffindor, child. At least then he has someone to pull him out of trouble should it be needed.'
'Yep, I've got a gut feeling that it's going to happen quite a few times the coming years.'
'All right then Miss Potter, if you're sure...'
'I am. Put me in Gryffindor.'
'All right. Then it shall be-' ''Gryffindor!''
The hat was pulled off her head and she was greeted with the sight of the Gryffindor table once again losing it. The house immensely proud that they not only had the boy-who-lived, but also his twin sister. Smiling gently she walked down to the table, where she was welcomed with claps to the shoulder and offers to sit next to people.
Eventually she sat down next to another first year Gryffindor. He was a bit pudgy and seemed to crawled into himself a bit. While he did introduce himself quite enthusiastically, he quickly calmed down again, making Jennifer like him instantly due to him being one of the few who was seemingly down to earth, while the others looked at her and her twin like they were the next coming of Merlin himself. It was rather refreshing.
The rest of the evening was spent full of laughter and Charlies' rather outrageous stories about his time training, which Jennifer could only roll her eyes at. They were so obviously fake that it was rather hilarious yet nearly everyone spent rapt attention to his stories, eating them up.
Meanwhile Jennifer was having quiet conversation with the boy sitting next to her, who introduced himself as Neville Longbottom.
All in all, not a bad night. At least she had managed to avoid going to Slytherin, to her great relief. She truly didn't want to think about what her parents -James especially- would have done had that happened.
Later that night Jennifer snuck out for the first time as a student. After all, she now had 24/7 access to the RoR. And to hell if she wasn't going to use it.