Chapter Text
In this worlds past, the land was divided between 7 regions. At the time, this world was called Teyvat. After the divine thrones were toppled, there was a power vacuum left in the heavens. Many creatures battled for the seats in the heavens. It is unclear just who won and eventually these thrones were forgotten and lost to time.
While it was once not uncommon to see vision bearers, they were hunted for their power and went into hiding. Visions were also considered lost to time as the heaven that once delivered visions is no more. Who knows if they still exist?
Currently, this world is now called the Earth and the lands have been divided once more. Imperialism led way to hundreds of country’s that have warred with each other countless times.
And though most of the old regime has been lost, there is still one group that managed to survive. The Fatui. Leaderless after their goddess fell, they returned to ruins. However, there were many powerful beings in the group who learned the ways of immortality. This allowed the Fatui to thrive as the rest of the world was reset.
This brings us to present day. In the land once known as Fontaine, here resides an orphanage in the heart of Paris, France.
~~~
Lyney awoke to his sister throwing the curtains open, sunlight violently piercing his sensitive vision.
“Ack- Lynette!” Lyney pulled his covers over his head, alleviating his eyes.
“You know today is an important day, there’s no time to be late”. Lynette tugged at the covers, trying to get Lyney out of bed with no luck.
“But it’s too earlyyyy. I want to go back to bed.” Lyney shifted away from Lynette, taking the covers with him.
“Not happening sleepy head. Get up before I go get Father. She will not tolerate this behavior”.
Lyney’s ears perked up at the statement and he flew out of the bed. Lynette briefly snickered but stopped when Lyney started to glare.
“Not funny Lynette”.
“Oh but it is. Come now, get dressed and meet me in the kitchen. Father said she has some news for us before we can leave for Diagon Alley”. Lynette walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.
Lyney dressed in his casual outfit he loved. A simple white frilly shirt with black overalls and a red bow in the back of his hair. Personally, he loved to challenge gender norms and the bow in his hair was a constant reminder that he could wear whatever he wanted. Next, he grabbed his small over the shoulder bag and secured his vision was inside.
Common belief is that visions don’t exist anymore, but that simply isn’t true. The governments hate that pieces of the old regime still exist and have tried to erase it for good. Including vision bearers. Vision bearers of the common day are secret and regarded as individuals blessed with a past life. These past lives being connected to the old world has governments all over reeling in hysterics. Secret operatives from all over the world have been dispatched to either take or kill all known vision bearers. Those who fight back are killed and those who submit have never been seen again.
This caused the Fatui to take action. With visions being part of the lost legacy of their founder, the Fatui intervenes and promises a safe haven for vision bearers.
~~~
Lyney and his sister, Lynette, were once magicians in a traveling carnival. They did all sorts of tricks to mesmerize the crowds. Occasionally, they would see glimpses of a women in business attire. White and black long hair that draped over her shoulders. Her gaze firm, as if staring straight through them. They admittedly dismissed it and just focused on their shows. Until, they were offered the chance to perform at a nobles party. Mid show, Lynette was granted a vision. Many guests were confused but the noble happened to invite a high ranking government official. Lynette’s arrest was ordered immediately and the twins fled the scene. They managed to make it far from the party but took a wrong turn and were cornered at a wall. Right at that moment, Lyney was granted a vision and used it to propel them over the wall.
Lyney and Lynette were stuck in this loop of running and hiding. As warrants for their arrest became wide spread, it was harder for them to hide.
Once again they were cornered but this time had no where to run. Fearing violence, they refused to take up arms against their aggressors. At the last moment, that same mysterious women slaughtered the operatives in less than a second, blood splattered all over her body. With her cold gaze, she reached out her arms for the children and embraced them in a hug. Blood seeping into their clothing.
The woman, Arlecchino, was an Italian woman who brought them into her home, the House of the Hearth. Here, Lyney and Lynette were taught the arts of self defense and how to properly utilize their visions. Arlecchino let them embrace their talent as magicians but were always run off of the streets by government operatives.
In an effort to help her children, she helped them fake their deaths. If the government thought they were dead, they would finally be free again. They launched their plan on a cloudy night within its darkest hours.
Lyney and Lynette ran across rooftops in an effort to escape the operatives who followed them closely. When they got too close, Lyney launched a fiery explosion that injured the operatives in the front of the group. “All units be aware, suspect has attacked us and shown violence. Shoot on sight!”
Phase one complete.
The twins purposefully led the operatives to an alley with no exit. The twins feigned ignorance and panic while they waited.
Phase two complete.
Finally, an unknown woman appeared out of pink smoke. The woman started singing a song in an angelic voice. The beautiful voice strangling everyone in grasp. Suddenly, the twins felt hands on their shoulder as their Father whispered, “cover your ears, my children”.
The twins obeyed and covered their cat ears with their hands. The unknown woman said something to the men no emotion in her face. In an instant the men all dropped to the floor.
The twins eyes shot open in fear, “what did you do?!?” Lyney screamed.
“Oh don’t worry dear children, I simply altered their memories. They will awake soon enough. From now on, Lyney and Lynette the wanted are no more.” The pretty lady gave a small smile.
~~~
Lyney shuddered at the memory. He remembered it like it was yesterday. All of the blood was so vivid in his mind, like a stain he just couldn’t wash out. His hands were far from clean since him and Lynette joined the Fatui.
Lyney opened the door to his room and walked towards the living room, making sure to close his door behind him. When he reached the living room, he was greeted by the sight of his beloved sister sitting on the couch across from their Father and both drinking tea, momentarily pausing to acknowledge Lyney’s presence.
Lyney sat down next to Lynette and looked up at Father, her gaze piercing but not as cold as he remembered it that fateful night.
“Today, my dear children, you will start your next mission. I have told you we are going to a location named ‘Diagon Alley’ today. Please, what have you found of this location?”
Lyney and Lynette grimly looked at each other. Their research had hit a dead end the second it started. It was almost as if this ‘Diagon Alley’ didn’t exist. Lynette started, “yes Father, in truth, we didn’t learn much. You mentioned it was in London but that is as far as we got. All of our intel fell off and this place doesn’t seem to exist.”
Arlecchino took a sip of her tea, seeming to digest Lynette’s words. She set her cup down on the plate in her hand before continuing. “Well done.”
Lyney and Lynette paused, well done? They were expecting to be marked as failures and thrown out.
Arlecchino continued, “that would be because no conventional means of information gathering would produce results. Essentially, to normal people, it doesn’t exist.” She retrieved two browned letters from her coat pocket and handed them to the twins. Each were engraved with their names, written in cursive. A red wax stamp sealed the opening to both. The twins looked at Arlecchino for permission to open their respective letter. A nod of her head and they delicately opened their letters.
Confusion flooded their gazes, words almost foreign to the 11 year old children. Magic? But not their little tricks? A school for it? A boarding school no less!? Lyney snapped out of his confusion to say, “Father… are you sending us away? Is this some joke? You know this stuff doesn’t exist.”
Arlecchino gazed at Lyney. “My child, come here.” Lyney froze. He spoke out of turn. Was this the end? Was she going to murder him like those men that night? Images of blood and Lynette crying filled his brain. No… he couldn’t leave her. “Lyney?” Father said as she waited. Lyney stood from his seat and walked over to Arlecchino. She set down her plate and embraced Lyney in a hug. Tears streamed down Lyney’s face as he realized he was safe.
“Trust me Lyney, I wish not that you would have to leave, but let me explain.” Arlecchino’s grip let go and Lyney returned to the couch, staring back at his Father, the woman who saved them, promised to never betray or hurt them, keeping her promise as his gaze faltered, tears blurring the bloody image of her.
“This school, Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, I am not too familiar with its practices. The civilization of wizards and witches is relatively new. The government is weak and fills the brains of the masses with flies. There is a faction of these… ‘wizards’ that threatens the entire world. The death eaters as locals put it. According to their government the group is some lowly group who lost their leader and is no threat. I beg to differ. I placed a group in the government to gather intel but they are masters of covering things up.”
Arlecchino sighed, “I never planned to send you to this school. When these letters arrived I was going to burn them and you would never had to be burdened by this. But apparently the government is a lost cause. Therefore, I am taking the mission into my own hands. You will attend Hogwarts as normal students while also investigating the wizarding world and anyone related to these death eaters. Anyone affiliated with them is a danger to the Fatui and uncovering our existence. Dispose of them.”
Lyney and Lynette shared a glance with each other. “Yes, Father.”
Arlecchino stood, “Alright, Diagon Alley is where we will be retrieving your school supplies for this upcoming year, I trust you are ready? The letters should have a list of what you need.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Let me just…” poof! Their cat ears and tails had disappeared and the ears were replaced by fake realistic human ears. “These will be important today as well as during the school year.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Let us be off then, I will teleport us to Diagon Alley.”
Arlecchino brought the twins into a hug and the next thing they knew they were in an unfamiliar street, bustling with hundreds of children and adults. “Now now, let us get going to the first store, Ollivander’s was it?”