Two Of A Kind - Discontinued

Chapter 6 - by xXMade2LoveXx

**Rae's POV**

"You're kidding?" George asks, his eyebrows raised, "you actually think this will work?"

"How should I know?" I shrug, "I'm in it for the jumper."

"And you're willing to go on a date with me?"

I feel my cheeks heat up and clear my throat.

"Well, it's not like you'd be forcing me," I say, "I mean... I sort of... Well, what I meant is... Umm, that, well, I guess..."

"Look, I'm okay with you guys faking it," George says, "but I don't think it will work. And if it does, it will end up with Elena and Rae on bad terms."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Fred declares.

"But is she?" George asks, looking at me, "you're sisters."

"No, we're not," I sigh.

"You might as well be," George says.

"Well, we're not," I cry, "you know what, this was a stupid idea. I'm out."

As I walk away I hear Fred mutter,

"Great going."

I walk outside and sit down in the grass. I don't know what's up with me lately. Or Elena. Or the boys for that matter! Well, that's not entirely true. I've felt... Different ever since Sirius Black escaped from Askaban. It's like the tear that pulled me away from Dad and Elena when he told me I'm adopted has widened and I don't know why. Soon he'll be caught and sent back... Or kissed. Either way, I'm never going to know him.

"Shouldn't you be working? You have your OWLs this year."

Dad sits down beside me and looks at me carefully.

"What's on your mind?" he asks.

"Nothing," I lie, "just tired."

"Are the nightmares back?" he asks, frowning.

"Did they ever go away?" I laugh bitterly. He keeps watching me, waiting for me to open up.

"Why did you have to tell me?" I ask, staring out over the grounds.

"I thought you were ready to know," he replies.

"I was eleven years old!" I cry, "how could I possibly have been ready to know that I have no family?"

"You do have family-"

"Sure, I have an escaped murderer," I roll my eyes, "great family."

"Rae, Elena and I are your family," Dad says, "nothing can change that."

I shake my head, unable to put my feelings into words. I want to yell and scream, make him hurt for all the pain I've been through, make him understand how much this kills me, but I don't know how without sounding weak.

"Look, Remus, I-"

"Whoa, 'Remus'?" he asks, raising an eye brow at me.

"Sorry, Professor Lupin," I begin.

"Try Dad," he says. I look at him, seeing the hurt and uncertainty in his eyes.

"I don't have a dad," I reply coldly. He frowns at me, but not an angry frown. A disappointed frown that makes me feel like I'm five years old and have been caught stealing a cookie.

"If that's how you feel, fine," he says evenly, "just know that I'll always be your Dad, no matter what you say, Rae-bear."

He gets up and walks away. I watch, my throat choked up. I sit outside in the cool air until well after curfew, curling up as small as I can get so noone will notice me. I want desperately to cry, but I've always felt like I have to be brave, so it's not easy to just cry.

"Miss Black?"

I start and look up to see Professor Dumbledore looking at me. I don't say anything, just wait for the reprimand.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asks.

"Probably," I sigh, standing up.

"Troubles?" he asks, guding me towards the castle.

I nod.

"Well, I always find in times of trouble a sherbet lemon can help clear the mind," he says, offering me a bag of sweets. I take one and pop it in my mouth. Dumbledore does the same, looking thoughtful. When we reach the Entrance Hall he pauses and looks at me over his glasses.

"What is your blood status?" he asks.

"I don't know," I confess, "I don't know who my mother is."

"So you might not be a pure blood?"

"I guess not," I shrug.

"Do you think blood status matters?"

I shake my head.

"Well, if blood isn't important, what makes a family?"

He hands me another sweet and walks off into the darkness. I look down at the lemon in my hand and think about that. If blood isn't important what makes a family? I put the lolly in my mouth and walk upstairs slowly, thinking about how weird Dumbledore is.