Thread: Fifth Year Complications *The Anonymous and Renewal*

"Ouch," Stephen said, wincing, although he smiled slightly. "When will they learn not to mess with us? Hopefully the smell will remind them."

Joe and Josh laughed again as they began bescribing other hexes and jinxes they'd learned over the summer.

As they headed further south and the sky became steadily darker, an announcement came over the train, saying they'd be arriving in five minutes.

"Crap..." Josh muttered, looking down at his muggle clothes. "I gotta change." Joe had already changed during the prefect meeting.

Josh whipped off his shirt before reaching into his trunk and rumaging for his robes.

Stephen, having changed earlier, simply stared out the window, watching night fall. He flipped idly through the pages of a one of his school books; he had planned on getting a head start for the first day of classes... Of course, the Granger girl in Gryffindor would probably make all of his studying a moot effort. He sighed, and closed the book, listening to the brothers' idle chat, and waiting for the train to arrive at Hogsmeade station.

We're almost there...

The train screeched to a stop. Joe chose to let the other prefects handle the chaos, and just walked off the train with Josh and Stephen. It was raining, so Joe bundled Sweep under his cloak and stuffed Poof in his pocket. Serpico hissed softly from around joshes neck, apparently liking the coolness, while Lumi just slept with her head under her wing... and farted.

As they walked along the platform, greeting Hagrid on the way, Joe yelled in delight and walked over to one of the Thestral-drawn carriages. Joe and Josh could see them, as they had witnessed their mother's death, but they weren't sure about Stephen.

"Galinad!” yelled Josh in greeting, reaching over to stroke the Thestal in front of him. The Thestral, Galinad, snorted and stamped it's front hoof twice. Joe appeared to comprehend it.

"Sorry, can't." he said. "We promised we'd ride with Alexander today. But we'll come and visit you tomorrow, 'kay?" That seemed to satisfy Galinad, and they walked over to another, slightly-smaller Thestral, whom Joe hugged around the neck.

Stephen, as always, merely raised an eyebrow as he stared at the brothers apparently hugging and greeting thin air. Intellectually, he knew that thestrals existed, and pulled the carriages up to the school, but still, it was hard to believe in something he could never see. "What's it like? Seeing the thestrals?"

Joe peered back at stephan. "It's okay, I guess... I mean, they don't normally get much attention from anyone other hna hagrid, so it's nice to help." he stroked the lengh of alexander's neck ocne more, before opening the door to the carrige. He stepped in, followed by Josh, whom held the door open for Stephen.

Climbing into the carriage, he sat on the bench opposite the brothers. With no one else coming aboard, the carriage began moving, heading up the trail towards Hogwarts at a brisk pace. Looking out the window, head cupped in his hand, he waited in silence, eager to be back to a home--and a world--that truly understood him.

Their carriage reached the tall staircase to Hogwarts. Joe made sure Sweep was safely bundled in his cloak before stepping out, pointing his want upwards and muttering “Spectrum!”

As the rain came down, it frizzled and evaporated from the wall of heated air Joe’s want created. Josh imitated his brother, and they began to climb the stairs.

Stephen didn't mind the rain so much--after all, a little magic would dry him off instantly--and simply ran up the stairs, getting ahead of the brothers. Standing at the top of the staircase, as the crowd of students passed him, a few younger ones shooting him odd looks, he looked over at the Hogwarts grounds, the lake, the Forbidden Forest: everything that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he waited for Joe and Josh, he said to himself, grinning broadly, "It's good to be back!"

OCC: I can't decide... should w have Harry in this, and have his events happen wheile we make ours happen, or create an alternate backstory in which Voldie actually killed Harry, but also wounded himself?

Joe and Jos met up with Stephen at the top of the stairs, Joe letting sweep jump out and run down to the dungons to sleep, and walked into the great hall.

They walked over to the Slytherin Table, and sat about half was along it, facing the Gryffindors.

OOC: It might be easier just to have it go as the books did; we Slytherins would just be off doing our own thing while Harry does his own. It gives a much stronger structure to the RP if we don't have to make up the entire story of the past fourteen years or so. Course, it's your call.

Stephen sat across from the brothers, his back facing the Gryffindors. Discreetly, he peered down the length of the table, looking for familiar faces, noting changes: growth spurts, new hairstyles, the odd injury or two. But regardless of what he saw, he was comforted by the familiarity. Hogwarts, and Slytherin House, was still his home.

OCC: It's not my call; It's our call, and I agree with you. Potter stays (ugh) xD

At that moment, Draco Malfoy arrived. Joe admired him with stary eyes as Draco pushed a second year down the bench, making room for himself next to Joe.

"Hey Dray." said Joe and Josh almost simultaniously; Joe was a sylable slow.

"Hi." said Draco, more to Joe than the other.

"He smellssss of feremonessss." hissed Serpico from around Joshes neck. Josh split into an uncontrolable burst of the giggles and Joe glared at the serpent.

Stephen's mouth quirked into a half-smile; the brothers never changed. "Looks like your snake's smarter than you."

"I like him." serpico hissed, poing his head out of Joshes colalr and tasting the air with flicks of his tounge. "Do I not look beautiful in this light?"

"Of course." Josh reasured him in parseltounge, and them shut up as the first-years were lead in by McGonnogal. Said cranky old bitch set the sorting hat on the three-legged stool. The hat opened it's mouth and began to sing.

*insert song from Book five*

Joe and Josh joined in witht he muttering that broke through the applause. "Has the hat ever offered a warning before?" they asked stephen simultaniously as the first first-year stepped forwards.

Stephen frowned, recalling his past years at Hogwarts. "Not in our lifetimes. The songs have always been cheery and about the founders for the past four years. I don't know why we're getting a warning now..."