a rite of passage

“John! John! John!” The twins shouted in unison as they ran down the yard toward their older brother. Each of them held a thick piece of parchment in their hands and excitement on their face. It was finally their turn to go to Hogwarts. It was all the two had wanted their whole lives. Ever since they could remember their older brother, one of their favorite people, left on the train to Hogwarts for a majority of the year. And, every year Johnathan would wait until the very last second to jump on the train waving out the window at the twins as he sped away from them.

“I told you it would be coming.” He smiled at them with his big crooked goofy smile. “You’re finally old enough.” as the twins got close enough he wrapped them in his arms and spun them around before placing them back on their feet.

“What house do you think I’ll be in?” Dylanne asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Do you think I’ll be in Gryffindor like you were? Do you think we’ll be in the same house?”

“Dyl, only you could determine which house you are in.  The hat only picks out your best qualities. What do you think those are?” Just like their parents Johnathan always encouraged the twins to be whoever they wanted to be. Assisted in building their own paths. “Courageous, honest, ambitious , creative, curious, kind, and charismatic. How do you want to be seen? What do you want to bring to the world around you?”

The younger girl with the long dark brown curls had to think about this. She didn’t understand why she had to pick one. It was a hard concept for a child to make out, you didn’t have to pick one, they all formed who one would become. But, the hat would pick the strongest of the qualities at the very base of your being.
“No matter what house you are sorted into, whether you two are in the same house or different you will both do great things with your lives.” Jonathan said, pulling his sister back into a hug. “Now who’s ready to make a trip to Diagon Alley and get some school supplies? You're going to need your wands, and maybe an owl or a cat.”

“Me!” they both shouted at the same time, causing the older boy to laugh. “Can we go to the ice cream shop too?” Dearyn asked. Gaining another chuckle from the older boy.
“Yes, I think we will have time to stop for ice cream as well, but don’t tell mom I spoiled your dinner. Now run along and go get your things.” he watched as they ran off for a second before following behind.

Of course the first place the three had to stop was Florean Fortesce’s. If it wasn't, Johnathan would hear about it everyday until the twins got onto the Hogwarts express, and even after that they were bound to write to him about it. Dearyn chose chocolate, his favorite, and Dylanne couldn’t decide, asking for a partial scoop of each. They sat at a table outside the small shop and watched as other students and their parents passed by ducking in and out of the different shops bags multiplying in their hands. “So I think we should go to Olivanders first.” Johnathan suggested looking to see what his siblings thought of the idea.

“Yes!” Dylanne agreed energetically. The younger boy with hair like his brothers nodded in agreement.

“Okay, come on.” John chuckled, allowing his sister to take his hand while Dearyn ran ahead.

“Good afternoon,” old man Olivander said, greeting the group as they came in, the bell above the door ringing as it opened. “Ah, I’d been wondering when I’d see these two young Ashwoods. How are your parents?” a kind smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. It was said that Mr. Olivander remembered every wand he had ever sold.

John stood back and watched as the twins took their turns finding the wand for them. Allowing the wand to choose the wizard as the old man said it did. He was only there as a chaperone and the holder of the money.