Thread: Fifth Year Complications *The Anonymous and Renewal*

Joe and Josh stood staring out at the chaos of parents and students on Platform 9¾. Joe’s feline companion, Sweep, sat on his left shoulder, licking the side of his face softly. Around Joshes neck was his Black snake, Serpico, who was muttering in Parseltounge about ‘annoying and uncontrollable children.”

“Go find us a compartment.” Said Joe to the cat on his shoulder. With slight pressure on his shoulder, Sweep pounced of and began prawling the train.

Stephen gave each of his parents quick hug, before picking up his things and getting on the Hogwarts Express. He sighed. Yet another year sitting alone. Hefting his things, he walked down the train's hallway, heading to the back. Most people preferred to sit near the middle or front of the train, closer to the other students, but Stephen always preferred to be alone. Finding an empty compartment very near the end, he opened the compartment door, stepped in, and shut the door to the world outside. He sat down, and stared out the window, watching the crowd of parents and family wishing their loved ones off.

Sweep returned, and began to entwine herself around Joe's legs, mewing. "You found one?" Joe asked her. "Let's go, Josh."

"Gimmie a sec." said Josh, running over to a group of pigeons. He got a few funny glances as he whispered "Psst, Lumi!" One of the pigeons flew out and perched itself on his outstretched arm. as he began running back towards Joe, the Pigeon on Joshes arm began to transform, turning into an owl with same-coloured feathers as a pigeon.

They followed sweep down the train, passing cartridges full of students, before Sweep stopped at one almost at the very end. "Everywhere else must be full." Joe muttered before they walked in.

"Hey, Stephen." said Joe and Josh simultaneously as they entered. "Do you mind?" they said, gesturing to the seats.

Stephen shook his head. He enjoyed the twins' company. Although they could certainly be annoying at times, they put up with him and his quietness: after all, they provided enough conversation between the two of them. As they sat down, he cleared his threat, and said quietly, "So... what did you two do over the summer?"

Josh snickered as he and Joe stowed their trunks on the luggage rack. "Just stayed at the orphonage, mainly." he said "Though we did get some visitors... Joe espechily..."

"Shut it." snapped Joe as he sat town opposite Stephen. "Draco was just visiting. That's all." From inside his pocket, he withdrew a snoozing hamster, who he placed on the window ledge.

"C'mon, Bro." giggled Josh, sitting next to Joe. "I bet even stephie here can tell you guys're more than friends." Serpico lifted his head lazily from around Joshes neck to look around, saw there was no danger, then went back to sleep. Sweep jumped onto the seat next to Stephan and began mewing, demanding to be petted. Lumi just sat on the luggage rack. And farted.

Stephen just shook his head, smiling slightly. "You guys are the weirdest brothers over. And your pets are just as crazy as you are."

"The man speaks only the truth." giggled Josh and, at an iritated hiss from Serpico, translated what Stephen said into parseltounge.

At that moment, the train set off.

"Right, I'd best get of to the prefect meeting." said Joe, standing up. He scooped Poof up from the windowsill and put him in his pocket, and allowed Sweep to pounce onto his shoulder. "Be back in a few hours. You kids play nice." And, with a wink, he was gone.

Stephen nodded. As soon as the compartment door shut in Joe's wake, he turned to Josh. Feeling slightly bolder than normal, he mustered up a joke. "How did he ever become a prefect, again?"

Josh smirked. "Aparently, Dumbledore favoures him more than the two of us, Malfoy and Zabini." he explained. "But then again, you know Dumbledore; completley mental and all that.

"What did you do this summer, anyway?"

Stephen's smile vanished, and his voice grew slightly unsteady. "Um... nothing special. Just stayed and watched my siblings for my parents."

Josh frowned slightly. "Are you okay, Steph? Do you need to talk about anything?"

Stephen just shook his head. "It's nothing. Being home... it's just weird, I guess. I'm a Muggleborn, remember? I don't really get my family any more. None of my siblings can do magic... I don't think they understand me any more, too."

"Dude, I'm an orphan. At least you have a fam-" he then paused. "Well... the others at the otphonage are wizards too. I guess I don't know what It's like to be around people who don't... understand you."

At that point, the dooe opened, and a soft voice said "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Josh jumped up, his eyes shining.

"Oh, yes! I'll take ten pumpkin pasty's, a box of ice mice, three licorice wands- the red kind- some toothflossing stringmints..." and so Josh went on, naming nearly every candy and snack on the trolley.

Stephen blinked in amazement at Josh's appetite, although internally he was relieved at the sudden change of topic. After Josh finally received all of his food, he bought a few Chocolate Frogs from the trolley. Quickly chewing the chocolate up, he looked at the card. "Dumbledore... I have so many of these already."

A few hours later, as Josh was sorting through the chocolate frog cards he'd recieved, Joe came in. without a word, he crammed a whole Couldron Cake into his mouth, and then took a deep gulp of Pumpkin Fixx.

"So... stressful?" askd Josh innocently.

"Unbelievably so. sighed Joe, leaning back. "The older Gryffindor prefects were being cocky little shits, trying to intimadate me and Pansy." He smiled then. "I doubt they'll be able to remove the diareah curse I put on them for a few weeks." The two burst out laughing.