The Loony Lunaris Twins

Next to Dani, Erica gasped as they entered the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Dani had to admit, it was pretty breathtaking. The high ceiling was charmed to look like the night sky with all the stars glittering. Floating all over the room were candles that lit up the huge room. There were five table, one for each house and a staff table. Dani chanced a glance at the staff table and got a wink and a thumbs up from her mother. She just grinned and poked Erica in the side to look up. Erica looked up and got the same reaction.

The first years plus the Lunaris twins stood at the front of the hall in a big group. Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and an old tattered hat and stepped back. Erica and Dani sent each other a, "What is that supposed to do?" look and then both gaped awkwardly as a tear in the brim of the hat opened up and began to sing. It sang about the differences in the houses, and once it was done, Dani decided she wanted to be a Slytherin. Erica looked sure of herself too, but Dani thought she most likely wanted Gryffindor. "She seems like a Gryffindor," Dani thought idely. "That or a Hufflepuff."

Professor McGonagall took out a long list of names and began to read them out. Slowly the crowd of first years became smaller and smaller. Eventually she got down to the L's and called out, "Lunaris, Danielle." Dani took another deep breath and walked up to the hat. She sat down awkwardly on the stool. She may have been short, but since the stool was made for eleven year olds her knees were up a bit too high for her liking. Just a moment later, the old hat was placed on her head. Dani had a brief thought about how many kids heads this hat had been on and then the hat was whispering in her ear.

"I see you've already decided on one. Slytherin is it? Well, I do see some cleverness in you. Yes, a definite need to prove yourself and have control over things. I see you're also a bit of a bookworm too, eh? Sure you don't want Ravenclaw? Alright, if you're sure..." The hat yelled out, "SLYTHERIN!" Dani sighed and walked over to the table that was clapping for her. She looked up at her mother again and her mother was clapping too, giving her a proud smile. A girl with blonde hair was motioning Dani over to sit with them so she walked over and took a seat. Before any introductions could be made, though, McGonagall called out, "Lunaris, Erica!"

Erica walked up to the hat and was there almost as long as Dani. Finally the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" and Erica made her way to the table on the opposite end of the hall. Once all the first years were sorted, the headmaster stood up. Dani's first impression of him reminded her of her late grandfather, who always had that sparkle in his eye meaning he knew something they didn't. It had been funny with her grandfather because usually it ended up he told a joke they hadn't heard yet. He stood there for a moment, looking around the hall, building up suspense for what Dani was sure to be a long, winded speech. Instead, he simply said, "Let's eat!" There was applause and cheering all over the hall and food appeared in loads up and down each of the tables.

The blonde girl that had motioned to Dani said, "You don't look much like a first year." Dani nodded as she piled some potatoes onto her plate. "I'm a fifth year, so is my sister. We've transfered from an American school," Dani explained. The girl gave her an appraising look and said, "Your sister was the Gryffindor?" Dani nodded again and the girl laughed. "You know, Slytherin and Gryffindor have the worst house rivalry of them all. Dani laughed and said, "Well, I always thought we were quite a bit different." The girl shook her head and said, "I'm Alayna Drewe." Dani shook her hand and said, "Danielle Lunaris, but I usually go by Dani."

A few more people introduced themselves to Dani, including a boy named Chris Townes and another couple of girls named Eliza Shepherd and Alexandria Lewis. They all were in fifth year along with Dani, so she was glad she had made some friends in her year. "I heard Harry Potter went here," Dani said, trying to make small talk. Alayna wrinkled her nose and said, "Yeah, but he's a Gryffindor." She pointed across the hall and Dani saw a boy with black hair and glasses. His head was turned talking to a girl next to him who had thick brown hair. "He's also a seventh year, so I've never really talked to him," Alayna said. Dani nodded and finished up her dessert. Only a few moments later the plates cleared and the headmaster stood again.

"Welcome to another wonderful year here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. First I'd like to welcome our new defense against dark arts teacher, Professor Lunaris. Her daughters, Danielle and Erica, are joining our fifth year class from Salem School of Witchcraft." He paused for applause for the new teacher, and Dani and Erica both sent their mom big grins. "I'd like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, Forbidden, and the list of banned objects can be seen on our caretaker, Mr. Filch's office door. I know you are already to go to bed and wake up for your first day of classes, so I'll end my speech here. Prefect, you may lead the first years to their dorms." The curious first years followed out a few older students. Eliza had to leave since she was the fifth year Slytherin girl prefect, and then a few minutes later the older students were dismissed.

"So your mum is the new defense teacher! I was wondering why you would've transfered," Alexandria said. "That's really cool, do you think she'd give us a break on homework since you're in the class?" Dani laughed and said, "If anything is changed, she might give -more- homework now." Alexandria, Chris, and Alayna gave her horrified looks and she grinned.

They walked through a series of hallways which Dani tried her hardest to memorize. She realized she was fighting a losing battle and sighed. She'd just have Alayna or someone show her around. They made it to the Slytherin commons, which Dani decided was a bit too cold. "Maybe I'll sneak out and hang out with Erica in the Gryffindor commons," she thought sleepily. "I do like the colors here though," she thought as she saw a green and silver tapestry with an "S" stitched neatly in the middle.

They went up their dormitory and Dani sat down on the bed with her trunk in front of it. She opened it up and changed into her pajamas and lay down in the bed. "Maybe it's not so bad," she thought with a yawn. "Once you get under the covers it can be quite cozy," was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Dani awoke with someone sitting and bouncing on her bed. She opened her eyes up sleepily to see Alayna looking at her. "Good morning!" she said cheerily. "Whatever," Dani said and stood up to stretch. She quickly dressed in the uniform and tied her tie with her eyes shut. "How do you do that?" Alayna asked, watching her curiously. "I'll answer that when you tell me how you can be so perky this early in the morning," Dani said grumpily. They made their way down to the common room to join up with Alexandria and Chris.

"Eliza had to go to some prefects meeting," Chris informed them. They nodded and left the common room to go to breakfast. When the entered the Great Hall, Dani almost punched Alayna. There was hardly anybody in there because it was so early. She sighed and sat down to eat a bit of breakfast. They were next to a group of what looked like seventh years to Dani. They were all hunched over in a group, talking to themselves. Dani could only imagine what they were planning. Alayna leaned over and whispered, "That's Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins. They're really cool." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully and Dani had to hold back her laughter.

"So that's what we're going to do," Draco sat back in his chair with a smug look. Dani raised an eyebrow at him and when he saw this he did the same. Alayna pinched Dani's arm and said, "What're you doing?! Draco eats fifth years for breakfast!" Dani laughed and turned back to her breakfast. Draco reminded her of one of the fifth years she had met when she was a first year. The guy had told her to go eat a flobberworm and she had ended up doing just that. From then on the guy just ignored her, which was good news to Dani since she really didn't think she would've liked to eat another one of those things.

After they finished breakfast, Dani followed Alayna, Alexandria, and Chris back to the Slytherin common room to collect their things for their first class. Charms really wasn't Dani's favorite class, but it would be an easy start to the day. They met up with Eliza outside of the room just as a group of Gryffindors passed by. Chris started whispering about them to Alayna and Alexandria but Dani just stood back and grinned. Erica walked up to her and said, "I've got a boyfriend." Dani's mouth fell open and she just stared at her sister for a moment.

"Can't you go a -day- without having one?" Dani asked. Erica grinned and pulled a guy up to stand beside her. "This is Julian," she said with a big grin. Dani shook his hand and Erica said, "Julian, this is my twin, Dani."

One of the girls behind Erica pulled on her sleeve and said, "Why are you talking to a Slytherin?" Dani sent the girl a death glare and Erica said, "This is my sister, Dani. I'll see you later you slimy git." Dani sent her a mock glare and said, "See you later you slutty blonde." Erica sent back the fake glare and walked away with her Gryffindor posse, all of them giving Erica and Dani odd looks.

Her own Slytherin group of friends gave her odd looks too but she just shrugged and said, "It's a twin thing." Just then a short little guy showed up and said, "Alright, alright. Everyone in the classroom for your first class of the year!" Dani groaned and followed her friends into the room.