five ~ the sinclair twins

"Ah Miss Sinclair, do come in." The older professor motioned with his right hand to Elodie, an open book in his left as his eyes didn't move from the words on the paper.

Elodie sent a friendly smile to Professor McGonagall who exited the door she had opened for the girl before taking a few steps forward.

"How are your classes?" Dumbledore questioned, not looking at her. The old wizard asked the simple question, not because he was curious about her grades, no, he already knew she was doing well in her classes, he was simply asking the question to ease her nerves.

"Uhm they're good thank you Professor, I'm really enjoying them." Elodie said truthfully, him knowing full well she was not a good liar anyway.

He hummed, not moving as Elodie walked up the couple of stairs to his desk at which he was stood at. "You're taking quite a few this year, six if I'm correct?"

"Yes sir, I want to be a—"

"Auror, I know." He finished for her, flicking the page, still not bothering to look up at her. She nodded, nervously chewing on the dry skin on her chapped lips. "That must be quite a hard profession to go into considering your family's background."

She swallowed the feeling of the lump in her throat before taking a step closer to him. "I'm fully aware of that sir but I believe I can do it."

"As you should, I've not seen a student your age be able to perform the Legilimency spell in quite some time." She looked him bewildered, brows furrowed in confusion as to how he'd even know that. "I bet you're wondering how I know that?" His eyes finally left his book, him closing it with one hand as he turned to face her, the book being carefully placed on his desk before his arms crossed over his chest.

"I—"

"Well that doesn't matter right now." He cut her off, turning his head back to his desk. "You left the hall rather quickly during dinner, I'm sure you know by now you're not meant to be leaving until everyone has finished."

"I do sir, I'm sorry it's just I received some news which upset me and I wanted to be alone."Elodie explained, some truth to her words, and her fingers picked at a loose thread on her cardigan.

"It's okay Miss Sinclair, I understand. I'm just slightly concerned about what the letter says." He spoke, picking up the letter she had left on the table and her eyes widened in shock. "I know I shouldn't be nosey but sometimes I can't help myself. Now I have to say I am rather curious. Aren't you?"

"Yes sir." She spoke quietly, looking up at him as he stared directly at her.

"And you don't know a thing?"

"No sir."

"Hm." He nodded, moving to sit down on his chair and she watched him as he walked painfully slow to it. "And your family are still wanting you to join them I see." The girl frowned at those words and he continued to speak. "I know you Elodie, you're a true Hufflepuff despite what your family think and do, and it would be a shame if you were to join them—"

"I don't want to." She stated clearly, stepping forward. "I really don't want to."

He nodded, "very well." She was unsure whether or not to move so she stood there awkwardly for a while, her curious eyes wandering the room before he coughed. "You can go now Elodie, I have some reading to catch up on." He motioned to the book he was reading before.

"Oh okay. Thank you." She quietly said as she left.

Dumbledore was an odd man, not necessarily in a bad way but the way he spoke was like he was speaking in riddles all the time, like you need to figure out what he was trying to say.

With her brows furrowed she stepped off the elevator-like platform and the cool air of the wide hallway hits the skin on her thighs which aren't covered from her skirt/socks and she shivered.

She went to walk through the hall but a hand grabbed her forearm and dragged her into a dark corner. "Ah Eddie what the hell!" She cursed, pulling her arm away from him before straightening out her uniform.

"Nice to see you too sis." He joked and she rolled her eyes.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

Eddie never talked to his younger twin at school, sure at home he came to visit her where she stayed which was in a small little house out the back of her family home where all the staff and elves slept, it was crowded but warm, but he never spoke to her at Hogwarts, it was too risky for all his slytherin friends to find them.

"What? Can't I talk to my favourite twin?" Eddie smirked, stepping into the light slightly so she could see his dark blue eyes and freckles some more.

"I'm your only twin."

He grinned at her before looking down the hall to see if anyone was coming before speaking more seriously, eyes narrowed slightly. "What did dad's letter say?"

"I- I don't know what you're—"

"Don't play dumb with me Elle." He clenched his jaw, "I know mum wants you to join us, I presume he was warning you about that."

"So what if he is?" She defended her father, glaring up at him.

"Elle, it'll be much easier if you do just join us." Before she could decline he spoke again, silencing her. "Trust me when I say that if you don't then bad things will happen."

The smaller girl scoffed. "Please, you know the worst they'll do is kick me out or something like last time."

"Elodie." He spoke seriously, grabbing her wrist before she could try walk away again. "I'm being serious, it's not the same as last time."

"Whatever, it's been a long day I just wanna go—"

"Oh look, the Sinclair twins." Another voice joined, the cocky tone and their platinum blonde hair indicating exactly who it is.

"Malfoy." Elodie rolled her eyes, noticing Eddie becoming nervous at the sight of his fellow Slytherin. "I was just leaving."

"Why not stay? I mean we haven't spoke in so long." He smiled, glancing at his friend beside him, Blaise. "So my father tells me that you're joining us."

"Do you listen to everything your father tells you Draco?" Elodie attempted to sound stern, crossing her arms over her chest although it didn't do much considering she was a very soft person. "Look I'm really tired so as nice as these conversations have been I really must go."

"What? Not wanting to stay and chat?" Blaise spoke up as she walked down the hall past them.

"Definitely not no." Elodie called, not bothering to turn around.

-

It was a Monday, meaning it's been almost three days since Elodie pranked Filch with Fred, her talk with Dumbledore and the run in she had with her brother along with Malfoy and his little minions.

She avoided any Slytherin like the plague just in case it happened to be her brother or his friends, in fact she attempted to avoid everyone. It was something she did when she was younger, and quite clearly still did as she hid her face from anyone she knew in the halls. She spent most of her time either hiding in her dorm room or hiding in the greenhouses, helping her head of house, Professor Sprout, to do any jobs which needed doing.

"Dear lord Elle you are one hard girl to find." Billie panted as she had caught up with her on her way back to the Hufflepuff dormitories after dinner.

"Sorry." She mumbled out, hugging her defence against the dark arts book close to her chest.

During that class she had the new teacher, Professor Moody, and it's safe to say she now doesn't want to go back. He taught them the three unforgivable curses, which Elodie already knew anyway, but he didn't just tell the students about them, he performed them which brought back extreme memories from when her own mother had taught the twins those spells on insects and others...

"What you doing right now?" She asked, eyes searching her face for some kind of emotion.

She shrugged, "I don't know probably studying—"

"Nope boring." Billie shook her head, "you're coming to the Gryffindor common room."

"Why am I?" Elodie questioned.

"Because I miss my best friend okay?" She smiled which Elodie couldn't help but return, "now come on let's get you whatever you need from your dorm like a change of clothes or something and then let's go."

Elodie nodded her head at her best friend, walking side by side with her past the kitchens and towards the barrel door, "I can't wait to be one of the few people outside of Hufflepuff to go into the Hufflepuff common room."

"You're not coming in? That's against our rules, I'll be two minutes you can wait out here." Elodie explained, ignoring Billie's excessive pouting. "Turn around." She motioned with her finger and her best friend huffed, turning on her heel to face the wall.

She tapped the correct sections of the barrel in the theme of Helga Hufflepuff before entering and ducking her head slightly due to the small walkway before pushing another door open to reveal the warm and cosy common room.

She smiled up at all the plants before making her way over to the girls dormitories, the hallway was long, no stairs for them to use when getting to their rooms and she stopped outside the familiar round yellow door and opened it, the soft smell of vanilla, caramel and sweets hitting her senses.

"Hey Elle." Her roommate Imogen smiled at her before turning back to her desk, paintbrush in hand with her dark hair in a messy bun and her circular glasses perched on the edge of her nose.

"Hey Immy, Aster." Elodie nodded over to the girl with bouncy black curls who sat on her bed studying. She sent her a short smile and she made her way over to her wardrobe.

Imogen was a lot friendlier than Aster, which is no way in saying that Aster wasn't friendly it's just you wouldn't expect her to be a Hufflepuff but Elodie always thought it must be her loyalty which brought her to this house.

Imogen could literally talk to anyone whereas Aster would prefer not to talk, she loved listening though but she was never one to go to for advice.

She made her way over to their bathroom and quickly changed into her chosen outfit, for the autumnal weather before throwing her long hair in a messy bun and making her way out.