Dumbledore sits mournfully in his office, gazing at his darkened hand; he knows he shall die soon, but whether it be from illness or the Avada Kedavra; The Killing Curse was indeterminate. The war broke out weeks ago, Severus diagnosed him mere days ago, more muggles and magical die each day and the last gleams of hope are dying out in even the most hopeful. However as the slowly perishing old wizard sits and sips lightly at his tea, the British way to deal with a bad situation, reading his paper, his eyes cross over an article, the wooden cogs spinning in his head.
He stiffens as he leans in to read the expose:-
"Today the lives of the Emerson twins, Annalise and Amilia, ended at the ages of eighty-five, after seventy-four of those years spent caged in Hewlett's Mental Institution, following the murder of their parents, half-blood, Medulla Alice Flinthorn and pureblood, Nicklaus Emerson. The murder, described as the most brutal and disturbing crime of the century was witnessed by both of the twins at the tender age of eleven, no arrests were ever made. Afterwards they refused to be parted, becoming extremely violent by even the mention of their separation and therefore placed in Hewlett's.
They both met their end due to Amilia, the elder twin, contracting a virus from the Kreshkuren vine while on a day trip to the exotic plants museum. As her sister Annalise learnt of her sister's illness she pricked the fingers of them both, absorbing the virus into herself.
When later asked why she had done this she answered- "she is my sister, my twin, my blood, my savior and best friend, we have lived our lives together, forever at the others side and that is how we shall die our deaths, as one!... besides what else is there to live for if I am to be without her, I don't want to be alone."
The funeral is to be held at the Emerson's family Cemetery later this week, to all those who wish to attend are welcome, however unexpected."
As the old man finish reading he remembers something about the girls, remembers that they were once offered a normal life that he had allowed to be snatched away from them. An opportunity he did not consider at the time, but perhaps the two broken girls could save the broken boy, which would one day become Lord Voldemort!
He quickly took to writing a letter, choosing his words carefully with each drop of ink. Once finished he seals it and writes the name of the recipient on the front 'Albas Dumbledore' …
Standing he walks over to his cabinet and retrieves a time turner, he carefully charms the turner, making glow into a brass color rather than the regular gold of the normal turners. With a quick flick of his wrist, a single turn of the timer, letter in hand he watches as blurs of the long forgotten race by him.
Within moments he finds himself still in his office, except it's not his office, he sees a paper lightly thrown to the side of the desk and looks quickly for the date "October 2nd 1942!"
He lets out a relieved sigh and hastily dashes from the room. He follows the bends and walls without hesitation until he is met with a large wooden door and enters stealthily, leaving the letter across the front of the desk and then once again flicking his wrist to the time turner and is returned to his own time once more. All that's left to do now is pray!
While back in the office of 1942's Dumbledore the wizard walks in, finding a letter, his name upon it and curiously opens the envelope:-
'Dear Albas
Do not be alarmed, but this letter is being sent to you from your future self, and I must inform you of something that will shortly be brought to your attention!
I'm afraid that our worst fears for the young Slytherin; Tom Riddle have come to pass, in more horrific ways than we could ever imagine, but I have thought of a solution to mend all these wrongs!
Shortly you will be summoned to Headmaster Dibbet's office, where he shall ask you for guidance on a delicate and difficult decision, I implore you that no matter what is said that you encourage the idea of the guess's suggestion, for this could save not just the muggle and magical worlds, but also the boy we have watched grow with a query eye!
Perhaps all he ever needed were some friends!"
As the wizard rereads the letter several times a load knock comes from his door, standing there is one of the Ravenclaw girls "good evening professor, Headmaster Dibbet has asked for an audience with you in his office."
He gives a confirmed nod and walks swiftly, pocketing the letter "thank you my dear"
He stands tense and unsure outside the Headmasters office, but as he takes a large breath he enters "headmaster, you wished to see me?"
On his entrance he sees a lean woman in black suite with grayed hair and a prominent nose, her cheeks and jaw are all angles, but somehow she remains a pretty woman "Yes, I'd like you to meet Doctor Flora Toad, Dr. Toad this is Professor Albas Dumbledore."
He gingerly shakes the woman's hand and then turns to ask a question about his presents, but is quickly interrupted "Albas, I have requested you her for I am in need of your counsel. Dr. Toad has come to me with a request that I am unsure of granting. She has asked me to allow the late entry of the Emerson twin's! Obviously we are all aware of their situation, however I am unconvinced that this school would be good for them, or them for it!"
"Damn you and your worry of appearances! Those girls lost their parents and nearly six years of their lives, are you truly going to rob them of their education as well?" shouted the enraged woman, bursting forth from her seat
Leaning on his desk, palms flat, he retorts "those girls have both been reported as two of the most co-dependents, unrefined and ruptured children ever to be published! The murder of their parents was a horrific act but the trauma of such events never leaves the mind and it is not an atmosphere I wish to infect my school or its pupils and a mental institution is probably where they would be best treated! ... Albas, you surly agree with me do you not?"
Both eyes turn to the silent wizard, and the truth of the matter was that despite how it was said, he did agree that the presents would disturb the students and the school, he was also certain that the girls would be safer and better cared for in Hewlett's, but as he felt the folded paper crumble slightly in his pocket he looked up into their waiting gazes…
"No! I think that a fresh start should be given to these children, they are after all the greatest victims of this monstrosity and deserve a stable learning environment!" His eyes meet that of his friend and the good doctor, who was smiling ear to ear.
Dibbet lowered his head slightly "Albas…are you certain of this?"
The older wizard stands and nods "completely Headmaster!"
Nodding Dibbet says "well… I suppose I am outnumbered! Albas you will go with Dr. Toad and collect the Emerson's while I make all the necessary arrangements!"
"Yes Headmaster!" he says and leaves promptly to prepare
One securely back in his own office, Dumbledore takes out the letter and sighs "I hope you know what you're doing old man, for all our sakes!"
Later that evening the Professor and Dr. Toad stand outside a rickety old brick building, the sign hanging limply above the door. They enter and the interior is just as bad, if not worse, patents curled up in corners talking to themselves and pulling out their hair or locked away screaming from their rooms, however one room remains quite and Dumbledore stands silent as they reach then open doorway.
The room is old, stones missing from the scratched up walls, but id well-kept and tidy, two hospital style beds on either side of the small quarters, with matching nightstands and wardrobes, a single barred window above one of the beds that just so happens to bare the two occupants.
Sitting there on the bed is two identical girls, one circling her arms around the other, who is resting between her knees as they both read from a book in the further ones hands. Their hair is a veil of silky black curls, falling past their shoulders, their completions that of marble, lips a sweet frosted pink shade.
Determining whom is who would be rather difficult for a while!
They sit oblivious to their audience… that is until Dr. Toad clears her throat, forcing their stares to locate the noise; it is then that Albas finds a distinction between them. Both girl eyes are a deep brown shade, however the one holding the book has an iced over gaze to hers, while the girl between her legs holds a gentle caramel twist in her dark pools.
"Girls, I wish for you to meet Professor Dumbledore, he's here to take you to Hogwarts!" the Doctor announces happily, to which both jump up to their feet
The twin with the iced eyes questions "truly Dr. Toad?"
With an affirmative nod the young girl turns to her sister "did you hear that Annalise? We're getting out; we're finally to be free of this place!"
She shouts gleefully with a large grin covering her face as she pulls her sister into a tight hug, who has a small whimsical smile on her face, calmly returning the embrace "I heard sister, I heard!"
As the professor watches this interaction he can immediately see the load high-flying personality that would be Amilia, compared to the shy and conserved attitude of Annalise, her caramel swirls coated with joy, however not at freedom, for she battered not an eyelash at the announcement, only standing because her sister had, but instead at the happiness that floods through her twin.
The girls stare in awe as they enter the castle, Amilia jumping around giddily, grinning and skipping from one discovery to the next, while Annalise just walks contently, taking in her surroundings with a quaint smile.
When they reach the great hall, now dressed in freshly purchased robes, awaiting their house crests, the twins take the others hands, entwining their fingers as they walk down the pathway, all eyes on them. The school had been informed that they would be gaining two late arrivals into sixth year and told to treat the Emerson's as one of their own, for now they were.
Dibbet stood at the top of the small steps, next to a raggedy old hat and stool with a wary smile "Amilia Divine Emerson!"
As her name is called she lets out a small sigh, giving one last look to her sister as she gallops to the sorting hat and eagerly takes her seat "Well now let see…there is a loyalty about you yes…but also a great courage…hhmm but then we have a strong cunning steak! Yes…hum…I think … Slytherin!"
Amilia grins happily and bounces over to her house after placing a kiss on her sisters cheek "Annalise Destiny Emerson!"
Unlike her sister Annalise swallow's hard, taking cautious steps to the hat that can divulge deep into her soul. As it is placed upon her head she closes her eyes, biting her lip with nervous anticipation "hhmm…what have we here? Hardworking, loyal…but such eccentricity and intelligence, I would say Ravenclaw, however…oh dear, what is that? ...oh yes, such an obscure soul, hiding in the cracks of darkness, yes most defiantly … Slytherin!"
Her eyes open and she smiles out to her sister, who's waving her arms, clapping and whistling like a mad woman. She stands shyly and leaves for her house, but not before sending a glare to the chuckling hat. She sits down with her sister, Amilia making interdictions to their new house mates, but what catches Annalise's attention is the hansom boy further down the table, quietly eating his meal.
Her sister follows her gaze and says without removing her eyes "oh nice spotting sister, now he is quite the looker!"
Suddenly his eyes meet theirs, they are also a deep brown, but are borderline black. Annalise quickly turns her head timidly, while her sister stares to the boy "why hello, I'm Amilia, what's your name?"
He plasters on a fake smile, keeping up the presence of the perfect pupil "Tom Riddle!"
She nods and elbows her sister "Annalise don't be rude, say hello to Tom!" she ordered in a dreamy state.
The younger twin looks at him through her black locks and twitches a smile to the hansom boy and says weakly "hello Tom."
He smirks more then and says "hello Annalise! Welcome, both of you, to Hogwarts!"
Both girls smile back in their own way, Amilia flirty and vibrant with her bashing eyelashes and toothy grin, then Annalise with her bashful insecure gaze and ghost of a smile.
It is this that shows a watchful Dumbledore and observant Tom Riddle and yes, these are two sisters, sharing the same face but are indeed two very different women!