Chapter Text
7 August 1980
“Push, Mrs. Ollivander!”
The sound of pacing was scurried, almost like an erratic melody. The only colour in the otherwise dull-coloured room were the red-faced woman on the bed, along with a panic-stricken man, his ink black hair scrawled out, crouched on the ground clasped onto her hand firmly. Nurses donning blue with faces behind a mask were at either side of the couple, reading vitals and aiding the woman in her birth, occasionally giving encouragement.
“Come on, honey! Just a little more!” Garrie Ollivander cheered his wife on, trying in vain to ease the pain his wife was going through. The constant beeping of the monitor sowed unease among everyone. The wife, Marie Carter Nee Ollivander was screaming in the bed, enduring the pain for the delivery to go smoothly.
Right at that moment, the nurse suddenly screamed, “They're coming! Everyone on standby!” Immediately, the others rushed to get the necessary equipment for the delivery.
Shortly after, a baby’s crying rang out in the room. However, it wasn’t over yet. The couple still had another one ready to come out - and so they persisted. Until, about ten minutes later, a second cry was heard. It was more muffled than the first, but it was there. The doctor rushed in and checked for anything abnormal about the babies before turning to the couple.
“Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Ollivander, you have two beautiful babies of different genders!” the doctor said. He handed them to the couple, who took turns holding them. Calling them excited would be a severe understatement. They would leap from joy, if they hadn’t been so exhausted from the delivery.
“Honey, what should we name the two?” Garrie asked her and she gazed at the two crying babies at the moment. She let out a grin on her face.
“Gabriel for the boy and Licia for the girl,” she confidently replied.
After a brief moment of cuddling with the children, the doctor and nurses left the room, informing them of a guest visiting. The door stepped in, and in came Garrick Ollivander.
“I figured this would be an opportunity for a reunion, my dear son.” He lightly chuckled as he slowly came to a rest next to Garrie.
“Hey, dad. Been quite some time since we last saw each other, eh…” Garrie told. “Sad that we didn’t leave on the best terms.”
Mr Ollivander sighed. “Of course, I remembered your…fiery spirit when your mother and I first met your wife. Ran away here, despite her disapproval.”
“Heh. Been doing pretty well in the Muggle world. Got a cozy house, lived a wild life, and now…” He looked at the twins in his arms. “I have a new light in my life.”
“I do expect them to be wonderful children.” His gaze rested on the two squalling babies. “May I hold them?”
Marie passed the two into Ollivander’s hands. He gently cradled the restless duo. After a bit of rocking, the two ceased crying and fell asleep peacefully.
“They remind me of you at your youngest.” Ollivander told Garrie, who flushed a light shade of red. “What names did you give them?”
“Gabriel and Licia!” He had a warm smile on his face, holding his wife’s hand.
“Nice names, I have to say. I can feel these two will do numbers to the wizarding world.” He gently passed the duo, now in deep slumber, back into the parents’ arms.
“I’m sure they will, regardless of their choices!”
“Well,” Garrick chuckled as he started turning to the door, “I have to head back to the shop now. Almost time for all the young wizards to stream in.” Before he left, he turned back to the couple one more time. “By the way, son, could you bring them to the shophouse sometime? I would love to spend some time with my grandchildren.”
Garrie reflected on it for a moment, before turning to his wife and continuing to celebrate the two.
The first few months for the Ollivanders had been hectic, to say the least.
Firstly, Gabriel and Licia were a handful for just the two of them. Marie was trying to clean Licia with Gabriel’s cries in the background, with Garrie desperately trying to comfort him. The amount of caffeine consumed was a huge figure between both, but it was a necessity. Sleep was a luxury, for the cries shattered any hope of getting half-decent rest.
Eventually, like every couple does, they fell into a routine. Garrie would handle most of the logistics while Marie tended to the two.
Time flew by without the couple noticing, and without warning, the twins’ first birthday had arrived. It wasn’t anything special, but it was good enough for the both of them. Gabriel was able to take his first steps while Licia was able to speak her first words.
“Look at them, honey! So proud of them!” Garrie acknowledged the twins’ talents, but personality wise, there wasn’t enough to go off yet. Afterwards, he decided to write a letter to his father, whom he hadn't seen since the twins’ birth. He got out his pen and started writing away. It would be great if the twins could go to the shop, too. He added in there, stating that he hoped that one day, they all could visit the wandmaker's shop. He sealed the letter in an envelope and sent it into the post, fingers crossed for a response.
One month later, a letter from a certain Ollivander had arrived back. Garrie grabbed the letter and read it excitedly. He went to get Marie.
“Honey, I think we have a vacation plan this Christmas!”
Gabriel had improved his steps and could walk for a short distance without collapsing, although his speech left something to be desired.. Licia, on the other hand, was able to form complete sentences despite not being as strong as her brother. The two were opposites, yet got along very well.
That Christmas, their parents brought them to the Leaky Cauldron.
“Ah, Garrie, come to visit for Christmas?” the innkeeper asked.
“Yes. It's quite a while since I stepped into the magical world. I’ve also been busy, you know?”
Tom finally noticed the twins being carried by Marie. “Wow, Garrie! Keep you unchecked for some time and you have children! How nice it must be!” He stepped out of the way to let the family pass through.
After a little bit of navigation, they finally arrived at the three storey Ollivander’s. “Right, everyone. This is… was my house until I completed school.” Garrie gestured.
The twins’ eyes were both gleaming, one from mischief and the other curiosity. “Look at them, raring to go!” Garrie greeted a rather jolly Mr Ollivander, who happened to be reorganizing his interior.
“It seems the children are faring rather well…” Garrick mused at the energy the two had. Gabriel was observing all the wands that he had set up on display while Licia tried to reach for one of the books. He saw the sparks in their eyes and the interests two possesed. “How long did you wish to stay for?” he asked them.
“Probably until after the new year. Crowd’s gonna be mad.”
“Alright, son. Feel free to use the upstairs to your heart’s desires.” Ollivander gestured to the stairs leading upwards. It wasn’t the best, but it was cozy enough for them. While the parents were unpacking, Ollivander took the time to approach the eager children.
“Hello, you two. Wonderful seeing you two here,” he said with a smile.
The two of them curiously approached the old man. They didn’t say much, but their behaviour was enough. Ollivader reached from a high shelf to pull down a children’s storybook. “Do you two want a story?” They nodded and gathered around the book. “Alright, so once upon a time…”
It took quite a while before both children fell asleep on Ollivander’s lap. “...and that’s the end of the story.” He closed the book and gently put it to rest on the floor. Garrie, who had finally finished unpacking had came downstairs to check on the duo, pleasantly surprised.
“Colour me surprised, Dad.”
“They’re young, after all.”
“You had me memorise the entire Ollivander family line at four.” Garrie bitterly recalled the amount of tries it took to figure it all out and naturally flow.
“You did very well, son.” Ollivander chuckled.
“...sure,” he said flatly. “Anyways, just under an hour and I think they really like you!”
During the few days they were there, Garrie caught up with recent events with Ollivander, with Marie helping in taking care of the two kids. One time, Ollivander went out to Diagon Alley to shop, and bought Gabriel a jack-in-the-box and a storybook collection for Licia. The light in their eyes when he first showed them brought some sense of pride to the old Ollivander. “It seems that I still have a knack for children.”
“You bought me an encyclopedia of animals as a Chiristmas present.” Garrie recalled the extremely thick book that he had memorised at seven, still resting in Ollivanders up till that day. “Some 300 pages, those were.”
“Yet, you still managed to conquer it. Figured Ravenclaw was the house for you, just like our ancestors…” Ollivander turned to the two, engrossed in their gifts. “...and perhaps, for those two as well.”
“We’ll see when the time comes.” Garrie let out a hearty laugh.
Soon, the family appreciated the New Year’s arrival in the humble shop, and eventually Garrie’s family left Diagon Alley back to their home.
“It gets a little lonely here… visit sometime. Won’t you, son?” Ollivander asked.
From then on, the family would get together every Christmas. Having a couple laughs, some heart-to-heart, and watching the twins grow up.
However, right before the New Years for 1986, a calamity would strike upon the Ollivander family.
It was just a regular weekend for the family. Garrie and Marie were taking the twins out for another round of shopping.
“Come on, Gabe!” Licia called out to her brother, who was busy tuning some of his toys back to normal.
“Okay, okay, sis.” He got up and met up with his parents.
“Everyone ready? Let’s go!” They cheered a little as they got in their car and drove off.
At some point, they arrived at the shopping mall that was filled to the brim with people. It wasn’t the biggest area, so they often had to squeeze through the gaps that presented themselves.
They didn’t spend much. Only purchased a couple of decorations for the house. Although Marie definitely wanted to splurge more, Garrie held her back, telling her their budget wasn’t very high this year. Licia was practically drifting to every dress store within the mall, but Gabriel was more focused on himself and about what he had at home.
However, just as they were about to leave, mysterious green rays shot through the air. “NOBODY MOVE!” Everyone instantly dropped down, and Garrie immediately pulled the kids close to him. “D-Daddy? What’s going on?” Licia whispered fearfully, while Gabriel already grasped what was going on. “A terrorist attack - but not an ordinary one.” Garrie answered. And what a large scale one it was. People armed in black were in every single nook and cranny. “FROM NOW ON, ANYONE WHO DEFIES US WILL BE KILLED,” one of them, presumably the leader, shouted.
Garrie had a very bad feeling about this, now that magic was involved. In his gut, it was telling him that everyone here would die if nothing was done to stop the attack. No matter what they did, it would only end in a sea of blood. He had to get his family out one way or another.
He whispered to Marie, who was kneeled down beside him. “Honey, we have to get out. Fast.” She nodded, and they started thinking. He had scouted out an emergency exit that was near to them. Meanwhile, they could hear splatter of blood and see the barrage of rays not far away from them. If they wanted to act, it was now.
“Quick, you two, run to that exit!” he said frantically. Gabriel grabbed the still distraught Licia and made a run for the exit. However, before they could get there, one of the figures mysteriously appeared before them and lifted the two off the ground. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here!” They announced triumphantly, waving them like flags in the wind.
That was something never to do in front of childrens’ parents. Garrie clenched his fists, and his eyes turned fifty tones darker. “Let go of them!” He screamed, triggering a shockwave of magic towards the figure. It didn’t do much to him, but it was enough to free the twins from his grasp. “Damn it. Get them.” The figure roared, pointing to the parents.
With that, the twins managed to escape safely. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about their parents. Two crisp shots pierced the air. Instinctively, Gabriel covered Licia’s eyes to protect her from the gore, but he saw it. Two bodies of what were his parents, covered in blood and a hole in each body.
“Run, son… Love … you two forever…” Garrie muttered before collapsing and succumbing to his wounds. Gabriel was in shambles. His childhood was shattered into a million pieces just like that.
There was another voice. “Come out, you two…! We can’t have witnesses of magic.” one of them sang, making his blood boil. He wanted to strangle them so bad, to ensure they suffer their entire life in hell. He was struggling not to break down, but he couldn’t. Right now, Licia needed him the most.
He grabbed Licia. “Come on, sis. We have to go back now.” They ran out of the mall undetected by anyone, and didn’t stop until they arrived back home to stop and catch their breath. For whatever reason, the door was not locked but that was the least of their concerns. At least they could enter. He quickly brought Licia in and locked the door tightly.
“Brother…?” she asked rather hesitantly. “What’s going on?” Gabriel didn’t have the heart to tell her their parents were just shot dead.
“...I…I’m not sure…” he lied. Luckily, she didn’t catch on and decided to lie down then. Gabriel went close and gave her a little hug before falling asleep too.
A few days later, Gabriel saw a newspaper in their letterbox. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the picture on the headlines. It was the same mall he was in yesterday. “MASSACRE AT MALL, CULPRITS ARRESTED BUT MANY CASUALTIES.” At least the lunatics were behind bars, which relieved a small part of him but not quite. His sister and himself were now alone - no parents to help them, only themselves.
“Brother…? Where’s mum and dad?” Gabriel snapped back and saw her rise from bed. She still had yet to know of her parents’ death, and her knowing would break her already weak mental state.
“They’re busy.” Yet another lie had come out of his mouth. He hated it. He wished he could tell her the truth, but she wasn’t ready. Gabriel didn’t want another mental breakdown - everything was in a fragile state. One change could ruin -
Someone knocked on the door. Knock knock. The two turned to the door.
“Anyone at home?” a voice came from the other side.
“I’ll go get it, brother!” Licia got up from her seat and answered the door.
Little did they know, the next few weeks would become one of the most hectic weeks they would have.
Gabriel remembered the black-suited man that stood at the front porch, eyes showing a glimmer of pity and sadness. He held his ground, arms outstretched shielding Licia from him. “Who… are you?” He questioned.
The man sighed and took something out of his coat’s pocket. “I’m a careworker of the Ministry of Magic, and I need to take you two to the reading.”
“What do you mean?” Gabriel didn’t budge.
“More specifically, your parents’ reading.” Both twins found themselves widening their eyes.
“Wait, that means…!” Licia could feel her eyes welling up with tears, having unfortunately put two together.
Gabriel went up to her and gently gave her an awkward hug, comforting her with sweet words. “It’s alright, sis, it’ll be fine…”
After more explanation, the man took the two of them to a fireplace. Gabriel wanted to protest about how this was the Ministry, until the man used some powder and whispered something. Grabbing the twins’ hands, they found themselves at a dark place. The atmosphere was rather gloomy with all the dark-coloured walls, and most of the people appeared far from friendly.
“This is the Ministry of Magic,” The man explained, “I need to bring you guys to one of the Departments.” Holding onto the two with a firm grasp, he navigated through the sea of people and arrived at the elevator. He pressed on one of the buttons and with a small sound, the doors made way, revealing the densely crowded elevator. He scowled for a moment before attempting to squeeze in with Gabriel and Licia. It was a struggle but there was a small corner that they could fit.
“Level 2: Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services." A cool female voice announced, signalling the man to step out of the elevator.
“Well, this will be……your temporary holding place. At least until things calm down a little.” The man led them to one of the rooms hidden from the eyes of other workers. On its door read “Magical Child Welfare Office”, though its appearance was contradicting that of an office. Barren apart from a few simple basic amenities, it could be passed off as a prison cell.
The next two weeks were uneventful, to say the least. Apart from the occasional check-in from the man, there wasn’t really any interaction from the outside. “Brother, when will we leave this place?” Licia asked, looking at the depressing monotone floor. “......I’m not sure, sis.” Gabriel muttered back.
Right then, they heard the creaking of the door, just like the many times beforehand. However, Gabriel sensed that his intentions were not the same as before. “Today, we are going to sort out your legal custody.” The man motioned for them to get up. The three of them left the holding room and proceeded down the corridor until they arrived at yet another door. This time, it read “Wizengamot Administration Services”. The man muttered under his breath for a brief moment before giving the door three knocks, each one more resounding than the last. “I’ve brought them here!” He announced. After some silence, a gruff voice rasped, “Come in.”
The man pushed the door open and entered, with the twins following behind. “Perfect timing, I just went through the will with him.” The voice continued. Gabriel noted the man sitting on the high chair, being shorter than a stand, yet crankier than most people. The other person immediately struck a sense of familiarity with both twins, being none other than…
“Gramps!”
“Grandpa!” The two immediately ran to embrace the old Ollivander, who quickly hugged them back. It was pitch silence, just a reunion of a shaken family, with the two men waiting awkwardly at the sidelines.
The short man let out a loud cough. “Now, Mr Ollivander. I would appreciate it if you sign at the bottom of the document to secure their custody.” The trio finally snapped back to reality and released from each other. After which, he finally got a good look at the two broken children in front of him. Their hair was dishevelled, and their playful spirits were gone. He could feel his heart throb for his two. Then, he grabbed the quill, and quickly signed his name on the document. “Now that that’s done, the twins are officially in your custody. He will now escort you out.” He gestured to the same man who brought the two in. Garrick nodded and slowly got out of his seat and followed the man with twins on each side.
***
“Well, my children, I promise to take care of you well with all my heart.” The wandmaker told the two earnestly, standing in front of the looming shophouse. “Before that, I have something to give you two. From my late son and daughter-in-law.” The cautious optimism of Gabriel faded almost instantly, and Licia looked down in grief, her eyes watering. Garrick nervously took out the parchments he previously received. He gave a notebook that seemed to have gone through rough times to Licia, and a thick mysterious letter to Gabriel.
“Gramps, what’s this for?” He asked curiously.
“I’m not sure, Gabriel. My son asked you to open it on your 11th birthday.” Garrick replied. Gabriel held the letter close to him, making a mental note to do so sometime in the future. He then let the two adjust to their new home, giving them unrestricted exploration of Ollivanders, while the old Ollivander levitated their possessions from the old home.
That Christmas, there was no festive feeling in the air - only the heavy feeling after the loss of people. The trio stayed within Ollivanders, trying to recuperate from the past few days.
They swore that they would have each other's back no matter what. And with that, a new part of their life would begin……