Chapter 1
Luther slammed the fridge door shut and joined his siblings at the breakfast table. “How long’s dad going to be away for?”
“A few more days, darling.” Grace smiled and left the room, leaving the seven siblings on their own.
“Don’t call him dad. He’s not our father. He doesn't act like one anyway.” Klaus rolled up a joint, but held it above the table now their mum was gone and they were alone.
“He is our-” Vanya was cut off by Klaus.
“He’s nothing to us. He doesn’t act like a father, he puts us through these stupid training sessions, and he couldn’t even be bothered to give us proper names. He is nothing to me, he shouldn’t be anything to you.” Klaus lit his cigarette and put it in his mouth, it wobbled when he talked.
“Don’t talk about our father like that,” Luther said through teeth. Klaus stood up, laughing at the tension, and stepped forward.
“Or what?” Number Four laughs.
“You really don’t want to know.” Luther clenched his fingers into fists and gave Klaus a hard punch to the stomach, sending him into the wall behind, coughing for dear life. Allison rushed to his side, and so did Vanya. Five and Ben remained at the table, watching what was going on, while Diego stood up and held a knife in his hand, between Luther and the others. “What are you going to do, are you going to stab me?”
“I am if you ever hurt Klaus again,” Diego holds a knife up to Luther’s heart, before dropping it and walking to face Klaus. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, he just took his breath,” Allison said, glancing at Luther, annoyed. Klaus was struggling to breathe. “It’s okay, Klaus, just in and out. Vanya, go get some ice or something; I think he hit his head.” Vanya nodded and rushed to the freezer.
Luther leaned in. “Look, I’m sorry okay. Please, please don’t tell dad.”
“I won’t. He doesn’t need to know. No one does. Okay?” Klaus looked around at his siblings, who nodded reluctantly. “I’m annoyed but not enough to get you into trouble.” His breathing regulated and he sat up, now with an ice pack and towel behind his head.
It was now that Pogo decided to enter the kitchen, holding seven letters. “Is everything okay?”
Klaus and Luther shared a look of acknowledgement, Klaus putting out the cigarette behind his back. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just slipped and hit my head. I’m fine.”
“Okay, but only if you’re sure?”
“Yep, I’m fine.”
“Okay. Children, I have some letters for you, and you need to read them now, together. Your mother doesn’t have to know about this, okay?” Pogo handed out the letters, which had a wax seal on the back.
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Dear Luther/Diego/Allison/Klaus/Five/Ben/Vanya
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The term begins on September 1st, however under special circumstances, you and your siblings will attend early.
Yours Sincerely
Professor Minerva McGonagall
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“No, absolutely not,” Luther said. “We can’t leave dad.”
Pogo had a sympathetic smile on his face. “I’m sorry, Luther. It’s been decided. You will leave tonight, before your father gets back. Your suitcases are in your rooms, you must go and pack them now. Do not tell your mother. Go, now!”
Luther reluctantly started to the stairs. Ben helped Klaus up and they made their way up together. Everyone else followed.
“Klaus, you should be packed by now.” Ben was standing in the doorframe of Number Four’s room, watching him struggle to pack, with his own suitcase standing next to him.
“I’m figuring out what to take.”
“Pogo said they’re going to send us everything they can once we’re there. We just have to take as much as we can for as long as we can. I’ll help. You need your toothbrush, toothpaste, noise cancelling headphones-”
“I don’t need the headphones, I can make the ghosts stop now.”
“You’re not allowed drugs at Hogwarts. They’re very strict on it, apparently. You’ll have to just use those.”
“How about a bottle of gin?” Ben shook his head. “Just one!” Ben shook his head again.
“No drink, no drugs, nothing you shouldn’t be doing at your age anyway. Some nice clothes, some nail polish and eyeliner, and other things like that.”
“Urgh! Fine! But you’re going through withdrawals with me.”
“Deal.”
Luther packed angrily, but knowing that he goes wherever his family does, and that is Hogwarts. He’s not sure how long they’re going for, but it seems like quite a while. He packs everything he thinks he might need, despite the fact he’s not entirely sure what ‘Hogwarts’ is.
Diego packed quickly, couldn’t wait to get out of there with his family. He rushed downstairs with his suitcase, standing it next to the front door. He gave his mum a tight hug, and despite her asking what the purpose was, he managed to keep his mouth shut, just this once.
Allison packed everything she could, hoping Pogo would send the rest over. She packed her bag to the brim, curious to this new world they were going to. Pogo said it was in Scotland, and that they were going to fly there. He said they’d go shopping, and gave her and the others wads of money for when they go to some place called ‘Diagon Alley’. Ben was looking after Klaus’ money, because he was aware he doesn’t always spend it correctly.
Five packed carefully, making sure everything went in right. He didn’t have many clothes to pack, none of them did, really, because most of theirs were their Academy uniforms, and Pogo said they didn’t need to pack them. He packed all his notebooks and pens, as well as the textbooks Pogo bought him years ago, because dad didn’t want him to have commitments beside the Academy.
Vanya was confused, but packed nonetheless. She met with the others at the front door, where Pogo was telling a taxi driver to wait for a moment. Vanya turned to Five, a confused look on her face. “What’s going on?”
“I googled Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it’s a school of magic,” Five clarified.
“Right, kids. I know this is hard, and I will come to visit you as soon as I am able. You will get in this taxi which will take you to the airport, which will take you to a hotel near where you will buy everything for your time there. Then at the time on this ticket you go to Kings Cross Station and find Platform 9 ¾. Is that okay?”
Klaus blew a raspberry, signifying he’d forgotten everything Pogo just said. “Good, we have to be quick, before your mother notices something is wrong.” A tear welled in Vanya’s eyes. Pogo pulled her into a hug. “Come along now children, your ride is waiting.” He paused for a moment. “Have a wonderful time, you’re going to really enjoy it.” He smiled, before ushering the children out.
They took a plane to London, where they were ushered through a pub called the Leaky Cauldron, into a place that looked like something from their dreams. It was beautiful, and they all held onto their money tight. They split into twos and three: Luther and Allison; Five, Diego and Vanya; and Klaus and Ben.
Everyone went everywhere. They bought their uniforms from Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, and some other clothes which they lacked in their cases. From Flourish and Blotts they bought all the books on witchcraft and wizardry that they could need. They bought potions ingredients from Slug and Jigger’s Apothecary.
They each bought a pet from Magical Menagerie. Allison, Vanya and Ben bought cats; Klaus bought an owl; Diego bought a rat, and Luther a toad.
From Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, they bought some sweets for themselves, and some to probably trick their classmates and each other later on.
Olivander’s was a fun affair.
Luther was passed a Unicorn hair, which Diego had already began to make fun of him for.
Diego bought a Vampire fang.
Allison was given a Mermaid tail.
Klaus got a Basilisk skin.
Five got a Dragon Heartstring.
Ben received a Hippogriff feather.
Vanya bought a Thunderbird feather.
Before they know it, the Hargreeves family are on their way to Hogwarts, aboard the Hogwarts Express. They stay in the same compartment, together.
“Klaus, will you tell your owl to shut up?” Luther hissed to Klaus, who had his cage on his lap. He kept squawking, like he was laughing at Klaus, and Klaus was laughing back.
“Allison, will you tell your boyfriend to shut up?” Klaus laughed, and Ben and Vanya giggled. Even Five cracked a smile. Everyone started dropping into their own conversations, but Klaus tried not to focus on the ghost shouting at him from the corridor, instead thinking about… literally anything else. He tried to listen to conversations, but he could hardly hear them.
After a while of twiddling with his thumbs and looking out of the window, Ben, who was sitting opposite him, placed his hands on Klaus’ to stop them moving and Klaus fixed his gaze back onto his brother’s eyes. He moved his mouth extra when he talked so if Klaus couldn’t hear him properly because of the spirits, at least he could read his lips, something he got very good at when the ghosts started speaking up.
“You okay?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, it’s just really loud.”
“How many are there?”
“Just a few, but they’re screaming.” Klaus only noticed he’d been shouting when his siblings looked at him with confusion. “Sorry, the ghosts are really loud… and British? There’s English ones and ones that are speaking weirdly.”
“They’re Scottish, you imbecile,” Five hissed.
“What?”
“Oh my god, someone get the guy some drugs,” Diego whispered under his breath, making sure of the fact that Klaus couldn’t hear him, or Ben for that matter, who would have slapped him. Instead, Vanya slapped him, which would have hurt more if she wasn’t so excited.
It was at this point that the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station, and in front of them stood Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All the siblings looked in awe at the castle in front of them when they stepped onto the platform.