Harry's Twin - Book One // Complete // Editing

Lydia Won't Approve

'Hagrid! The last tree- put it in the far corner, would you?' Professor McGonagall points across the hall. It looks as if she and Professor Flitwick (charms) are decorating.

The hall looks amazing! I look around and I'm instantly taken aback. Holly and mistletoe hung all around. There's also 12 huge trees, arranged perfectly. Some trees have candles, some have tiny icicles.

'How many days 'til yer holidays?' Hagrid questions, making me focus on my friends.

'One!' I say smiling.

'Oh! That reminds me. It's half an hour before lunch,' Hermione says.

'We should be in the library, right?' Ron groans. Hermione and I nod.

We begin to walk away, but Hagrid stops us. 'Library? Bit keen aren't yers? Just before the holidays and yer in the library?'

'We're not working. We're researching Nicolas Flamel! We're trying to find out who he is.'

I kick Harry in the shin, while Hermione shoots him one of her looks.

'You what?!' Hagrid whisper-shouts. 'Drop it, would ya? It's nothing to do with you!'

'We just want to know who he is. That's it, I swear,' Hermione says.

'Well, you could save us the trouble and... tell us who he is? Couldn't you?' I say.

Hagrid shakes his head to say no. 'Just a hint?' Harry asks. 'We've read hundreds of books- we can't find him anywhere. Yet, I'm sure I've read his name somewhere?' Harry pleads.

'I will not say a word. Now, go. But not to the library to find out about Mr Flamel,' Hagrid warns. Even so, once we're out of the hall, we run off to the library.

Of course, ever since Hagrid let the name slip, we'd been researching Nicolas Flamel. We needed to know who he was and what he did. It was the only way to find out what Snape was trying to steal- and possibly stop him. He wasn't in the books we'd already searched- such as: Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, Notable Magical Names of Our Time, or even Important Modern Magical Discoveries and he was also absent from A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And the library was huge. With thousands- possibly millions- of books, all crammed into hundreds of long, narrow rows. We'd never find him.

Once we get into the library, Hermione and I go off to find specific books we'd chosen, while Ron starts wandering the rows and picks up a few books at random. Harry goes to the restricted section... doesn't he know not to go in there?! He walks back to where Hermione and I are. 'You need a note to get a book out from there, don't you?' he sighs.

'Yeah. But why do you need one?' I ask. He looks at me pointedly and I click. 'Ohh. You think maybe he's in a book. In there?'

Harry nods. 'But I'll never get a note.'

'Harry, is there a top student here, that most teachers love?' I point to Hermione, who looks up surprised.

'No,' she says simply.

'Yes,' I declare. 'But once the holidays are done, maybe?'

Hermione groans, but agrees to think about it. We'd been looking for a fortnight- we needed something.

Eventually it's lunch time, so we resentfully go down to the hall.

'You three... you'll keep looking when I'm gone- right?' Hermione asks.

'Of course!' I reply. 'We'll send an owl if we find out anything,' I promise.

'You could ask your parents if they know anything, right?' Ron suddenly speaks up. 'It'd be safe right- they're both muggles!'

'Very safe.' Hermione looks at Harry and I. 'They're both dentists.'

I shudder at the words. I hate dentists, almost as much as I hate spiders! 'Well, then. You should ask them,' I finish the conversation by beginning to eat. Ron soon joins, and then Harry and Hermione.

-----

Eventually the holidays began. I tried to research Flamel, but it was hard with the boys having such a great time next to me. Ron was teaching Harry wizard chess. He also began trying to teach me, but I've given it up for now. The common room was practically empty. Harry and Ron were attempting to cook anything they could in the fire, on toasting forks- crumpets, marshmallows, bread. I joined in every so often, but I was attempting to do my homework and a little bit of research.

It was near the end of the first day of the holidays and I was sitting on my bed, trying to find Flamel in a book, in the otherwise completely empty dorm. I am the only first year girl in Gryffindor that has stayed for Christmas. Ron and Harry are also alone in their dorm. I close my book, and get up. I stretch my arms and yawn. I've been reading most of the day, so it's no surprise that I'm tired.

I walk down the stairs to the common room. Ron and Harry are toasting food again, this time talking. I pick up a word here and there. 'Ways... Malfoy.... expelled' I hear from Harry. I start to get suspicious over what they're saying. I edge forward and hear Ron say, 'Lydia won't approve.' The two idiots in front of me start snorting with laughter. I put two and two together. I realise what they mean. Slowly I begin to creep up behind them.

'No, I won't approve of you getting one of my closest friends expelled!' I say as I slap them round the back of the head. 'Idiots,' I say.

'I thought you and your precious Malfoy were in a fight?' Ron asks.

'We-ell,' I say, thinking. 'I think we're okay now.'

'Lydia!' Harry points out the window. 'Is that your owl?'

Have I told you about my owl, Owen? No? Well, Harry has an owl called Hedwig. It's a girl. It's white in colour, quite beautiful, really. Hedwig had a twin brother- kind of like me, I guess- who I thought was the cutest thing ever. I bought him, when Harry got Hedwig, and named him Owen. He is quite relaxed most of the time, but can get quite excitable when he brings a message.

'Yeah, I think so,' I say, wondering what he could be doing. Then I remember, I sent an owl to Hermione, checking up on how her research was going, and telling her I was failing miserably.

As soon as Owen drops the letter- and gives me an overly affectionate peck- I rip it open. I read it out loud,

'Dear Lydia, Harry and Ron,

I asked my parents about Nicholas Flamel. They had no idea who he was. I looked him up on the computer (It's a muggle device, Ron), but there was nothing!

That's all I've done so far- I mean, I've barely been home a day! And don't worry if you haven't found anything yet either... Harry, think long and hard about where you've seen Flamel! Please!

Miss you already,

 Hermione.'

I look up to the boys and hand the letter to Harry. 'Well, nothing yet. And Harry seriously think about it, okay?'

Harry nods slowly in reply. He's looking over the letter. 'Wait, there's a p.s...' he says. I glance over, to the bottom of the parchment, and see the word "Draco".

'Let me see!' I say, taking it back. I read it in my head, so Ron and Harry can't tease me about anything- after all, it involves Draco.

'P.S: LYDIA ONLY! Draco asked me to ask you to send him a letter over the holidays... and I think he might get you a Christmas present! Awwh!' I smile looking over what she wrote. I let out a small laugh when I see she drew a big smiley face at the end.

The boys ask what it is. 'None of your business, that's what,' I reply. When they insist on me showing I sigh and say, 'No, seriously it says here, "Lydia only". It's a personal message- for me.' They shrug and go back to roasting things on the fire. I shake my head at their idiocy and look at the clock on the wall to check the time. Almost dinner. I let the boys know and begin to get ready. Soon enough we head down and dig into the (a lot) smaller than usual feast.