Two Of A Kind - Discontinued

Chapter 12 - By xXMade2LoveXx

**Lupin's POV**

I stand at my window, looking out over the grounds. The weather is cooling fast. I watch Rae walking across the grounds towards Hagrid's. I can tell it's her, even from here. Her hair is swishing from side to side as she walks in a way that only Rae's could. She disappears over a hill and I sigh, turning away from the window. This year hasn't been easy for any of us.

I walk over and sit down at my desk, picking up the framed picture I have. It's of Rae and Elena when they were small, about six, I think, just after Rae's accident. They're sitting in a huge pile of leaves, laughing, throwing the leaves up into the air. That was when Elena's hair was lighter. It's darkened as she's gotten older, just like their mother's did. Elena has their mother's hair and Rae has her eyes.

I focus on Elena. Little Lena. She's exactly ten months older than Rae, but she was always 'Little Lena'. I don't know why, since she's taller, but that's how it is.

She came to my office last night. She's having the nightmare again. I run my hands through my hair. That on top of all this boy nonsense... It's hard to see my little girl with a boy, and having him hurt her. I grind my teeth and try to remember that it's all part of growing up. Still...

And then there's Rae. I wipe some dust off the glass covering her. She's always been far more quite and withdrawn, despite her nerve. She was always the first one to try something out, nothing really seemed to scare her. I don't think I'd seen her really scared until the day I told her that she's adopted. I thought she'd be sad, maybe angry, but I never expected her to be terrified. She didn't speak to me for days. Elena didn't seem to think it changed anything, she carried on as if Rae was still her sister, but Rae went quiet. I'd told her a couple of weeks before they were due to start at Hogwarts and she barely spoke for the rest of the holidays.

Things were never the same after that. She never addressed me until recently when she called me Remus. She doesn't laugh and joke around at home. In fact, she seems to spend all holidays waiting to go back to school.

I've often wondered if Rae realises that they have the same mother. When I told her she's adopted I didn't mention their mother, I just told her that I wasn't her father. I don't like thinking about their mother. I still feel guilty that she's dead. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have gone to the Potter's house that night and she wouldn't have died next to her cousin.

I sigh again. There's a knock on the door and I set the picture back down.

"Come in," I call. Minerva walks in looking hasselled.

"Remus, could you take care of a situation for me?" she asks, "usually I wouldn't ask, but it's fairly trivial, I'm trying to organise apparation and career advice and, well, it indirectly involves your daughter."

"Of course," I say, standing up and following her out of my office and into my classroom. One of the Weasley twins and the Gryffindor Quidditch captain are standing on either side of the room, shooting daggers at each other.

"Thank you," Minerva says, hurrying out.

"Alright, what's going on?" I ask the boy, sitting on a desk. They both burst into angry shouting.

"Whoa, hold on," I say, stopping them, "uh..."

"Fred," Fred snaps.

"Fred," I nod, "why don't you go first?"

"He kicked me off the Quidditch team!" Fred yells, "just because I'm friends with Elena and he doesn't like it!"

"And, Mr?"

"Wood, Oliver Wood," Oliver snaps, "he's disruptive during practice."

"I'm been on the team for four years!" Fred yells, "you've never minded before!"

"Fred, calm down," I say, "Oliver, please don't make me get truth serum. Did you kick Fred off the team because of Elena?"

Oliver scrunches up his face for a moment, then sighs.

"Yes," he admits. Fred opens his mouth, but I hold my hand up.

"Alright, I'm tired of this," I say, standing up, "we're going to go and get Elena and sort this out. Come on."

I walk in between the boys up to Gryffindor tower. It's strange being back in the common room. There're a lot of memories here. Rae is curled up in front of the fire, drawing. Elena's not with her.

"Rae?" I call, striding over to her. She looks up, surprised, but her eyes are warm and she smiles.

"Where're Lena?" I ask. Rae's smile fades.

"The dormitory," she says, turning back to her drawing.

"Could you go and get her, please?" I ask. She picks up her things and walks up to the dormitory without a word.