Phantom Reflections

Chapter 2:

Bryce ran hard intending to put as much distance between him and the death eaters, stopping only to check his map. Hours later a shower of green and gold sparks lit up the northern sky followed by a sound like a thunderclap. 'They must have found the poor sod, hopefully he died before they got a hold of him.'

Soon after the rosy fingers of dawn rose in the east and he took shelter beneath an ash tree on the edge of a small valley to rest. 'This place reminds me so much of where we grew up in.' Though he knew it wasn't the same, his childhood home was many miles to the north closer to Scotland. At the present he guessed that it was probably looted or destroyed… like so many other homes. He pulled out the picture frame and stared longingly at his brother. "I feel like I'll hear you flying over my head at any moment, Gods I miss you…"


Bryce woke up early that morning, too excited to sleep he threw his blankets to the side and ran across the room to his twin brother still asleep in bed. Nearly tripping over his fathers old broomstick laying across the floor. Bryce prodded his brother urging him to wake up. "Miles wake up! Mom said after we finish breakfast we can go to diagon alley and fetch our school supplies." Miles rolled over onto his side groaning. "Get off.. let me sleep for a little while longer." Bryce frowned and shook Miles more urgently. "It's your fault that you stood up with Anthony late last night. Come on, maybe you can convince mom to buy you a new broom if you just get on with it."

This seemed to wake something up that was until this point asleep in Miles as he promptly sat up rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Why are you so excited Bryce? I mean all we are going to buy are a bunch of boring school books and robes what's the fun in that?" Miles asked.

"We'll be getting our wands today and mom said that she would buy us an owl to use between the two of us. Not to mention all of the classmates we'll probably see, maybe Harry Potter will be there dad said that he'll be in our year!"

"Yeah, yeah we won't even be able to use them until we get to ruddy school and then there will be all kinds of rules at school about using them, no spells in the corridors, no new spells without supervision. It's a bunch of rubbish, Anthony told me all about them. We probably won't even see Harry Potter he'll probably get all of his stuff owl ordered because he's so famous, doesn't want to get hassled by a bunch of strangers I bet." Ignoring his brother's comments he made for the door. "I think mom is cooking breakfast, come down soon."

The scent of bacon and fried eggs grew stronger as he descended. His mother was busy behind the stove when he entered the kitchen, his father was sitting at the small table reading this mornings copy of the Daily Prophet. "Good morning honey." His mother smiled at him, still in her nightgown her blonde locks spilling over the sides of the flowery apron she wore. "Morning mum, dad."

His father looked up from the paper, he had short dark hair and wore thin spectacles. He was fully dressed ready for work. "Looks like your up early today. You must be ready to go to diagon alley, come over and give me a hug." Bryce went to his fathers side and embraced him.

"Alice, Rita Skeeter writes about how the minister might introduce pay cuts to the Department of Magical Transportation next year…. I could get laid off.. I thought the rumors about Fudge and his administration were lies, but nowadays I'm starting to believe them." Alice drew her wand from an apron pocket and charmed the dishes to start cleaning themselves. "You know Rita Max she likes to spark all kinds of controversy, it's nothing honey if things get bad enough I'll go out and find a job myself." Max turned in his chair. "I wouldn't make you do that honey, you tending to the kids and all. I'm still getting paid a good bit. If the Dusken's didn't charge us so much to stay here then maybe we would have a bit more saved up. The first thing I'm doing when school starts up is look for a new place."

The mention of moving away startled Bryce. "Move away?" He looked at both of them for confirmation. "I know our cousin's can be kind of annoying but it's so nice that we have all of this land to ourselves, if we lived in the city it would be so hectic."

"I want to leave dad. I want to live closer to Anthony or in Halton Heath loads of wizards live there." Miles made his entrance into the dining room. "If that old hag Beth comes around one more time telling me that I need to get a haircut or tuck my shirt in I swear I'll trip her down the front steps." Alice gasped. "Don't say that baby she's ninety four, good morning breakfast will be ready soon."

His father sipped on his coffee looking like he was trying to hold in laughter. "This valley we live in or the dale as the Dusken's call it can be quite straining on me and your mother at times. Especially since they are muggles we have to watch what magic we use less old Bob or Beth stops in for a visit unexpected."

Bryce knew this to be true, he had lived in the dale ever since he was a little boy. After his grandfather on his mothers side died they had moved into the house. All though the home was large and a ways off in the country, still they had many prying eyes watching them. Their mothers distant cousins the Dusken's owned the valley they lived in. They are tight nit family the Dusken's and when the Carraway's moved in they were met with suspicion, even though they were technically relatives.

Their father had installed a series of wards to alert the household when their cousins or any other muggles approached. Miles was spotted by one of their younger cousins while he was flying on his broomstick a few months ago, he told his auntie that he saw a witch but of course she didn't believe him. After the incident Miles was forbidden ride his broomstick in the dale, the only time he was allowed was when he visited his wizard friend Anthony up the hill.

Not to mention the dreadful Christmas party they have to attend every year in the Dusken household. There's no point in trying to make conversation, the screams of squalling toddlers and loud middle aged couples drown it all out.

"I have to get off to work now." Max said standing up checking his watch. Going over to Alice and giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Be careful honey don't get stuck in one of those faulty floo's again." Max smiled at the concerned look on his wife's face. "Egg is on heavy duty this month so you don't have to worry about that." He winked. "Boys give your papa a goodbye hug!" Miles and Bryce ran forward colliding into their fathers chest.

"You two will be larger than a couple of hippogriffs soon. Behave for your mother, I'll be wanting to have a look at those wands when I get back tonight." Their father embraced them warmly.

"Daddy can I please get a new broomstick? That silver arrow is too old and the straws are falling out. Please it's almost our birthday." Miles pleaded with puppy dog eyes. "I'll talk to your mother about it." He gave Alice a look then vanished on the spot with a loud crack.


When Bryce emerged from the fireplace he felt so dizzy, as if someone spun him round on his head like a top. He stumbled nearly falling face first when a hand caught him. "You alright bro?" His brother smiled playfully at him. "Yeah I hate traveling by floo it makes me feel so sick." It took a few seconds for his vision to stop spinning. "Here honey you have soot all over your neck." His mother licked a tissue and began wiping at his neck. "Mum not here.." He said pushing her hand away.

"Can we go to Ollivander's first?" "No I want to go look at brooms!" Their mother raised a hand and said. "We'll do nether... first we need to get your robes, your books, your potion supplies, then Ollivander's then we'll look at brooms in that order. Come alone boys if you drag your feet it will only take longer, maybe we'll stop by Fortescue's ice cream parlor if you are good."

They brooded for the next hour as they went down the list getting their school supplies. Bryce was in a dark mood by the time they had got done purchasing cauldrons, ingredients, and scales. Answering for what seemed like the twentieth time. "Yes we are twins." To the question almost every stranger asked them.

"Alright boys it's finally time to get your wands, you've been waiting for this all day." She looked at Bryce warmly. "Yes I cant wait!" The cobbled street seemed to push him up the hill to the small shop with an old but elegant sign hanging over the windows. 'Ollivander's- Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC.' His legs felt numb as he walked inside the shop, a bell rung overhead to signal their arrival. Bryce looked around in amazement at the shelf's that covered the store, some were at head height others rose thirty feet or more up to the ceiling that had to be accessed by a ladder, but all the same every nook and cranny of the shelf's were filled with long rectangular boxes.

Out of a dark aisle man appeared small and weedy, with a bushy head of unkempt hair. His eyes searched them up and down as if he was trying to recall something. Miss Pennington it is good to see you again, hazel and unicorn hair, thirteen and a quarter inches, flexible if I am not mistaken." Alice smiled pleasantly. "Carraway now Mr. Ollivander it's still serving me quite well." The old man nodded. "Oh yes Mr. Carraway cypress and dragon heartstring, 10 inches, wippy."

His gaze came to a rest on them. "And who are these two gentlemen?" Alice placed an arm around them. "They are my son's. Bryce and Miles." Ollivander gave them a little smile. "Good thing you told me their names Mrs. Carraway otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell them apart." Miles rolled his eyes dramatically. "So who wants to go first?" Bryce was about to speak up when Miles stepped forward. "If I can get this over the sooner the better." His mother staring daggers into his back.

The old man pulled out a tape measure, that took various readings in the oddest of places. While the old man went on a spiel about the components in the wands. Until he went behind the counter and selected a box from a dusty shelf. "Here dogwood ten and three quarter inches, unicorn hair, sturdy give it a little wave…. Oh no." He snatched the wand out of his hand immediately and went out for another box. It took five minutes and about twenty wands before he found a match. Ash and phoenix feather twelve and a half inches stiff. Immediately when the wand touched Miles's fingers it shot out a shower of golden sparks. "Excellent, Excellent." He turned around red faced to see his mother and brother applauding him.

"Next, come here young man." Bryce tiptoed over bashfully. "We'll take some measurements first just like your brother." The tape measure came to life and began moving around his neck, his upper elbow and so on before it fell lifeless back on the counter. "Mr. Ollivander did you make all of these wands?" Bryce asked still examining the towering shelf's.

"Most of them yes, but some still remain that were made by my father before me. Over the course of many years I've come to make a veritable stock. I can remember every wand I've ever created and sold.." Bryce looked up at him in amazement. "Really you don't forget?" Ollivander nodded. "You see to me wands are like people each with their own personalities, quirks and inevitably shortcomings. So it would be hard to forget a face."

The old man went over to a nearby shelf and removed a box, after a minute of searching he withdrew a second one and returned to him. "A good place to start is with the wood of your parents here you are hazel and phoenix feather fifteen inches brittle….. Oh no that will not do, how about this. Cypress and dragon heartstring twelve and three quarter inches bendy… Not you at all, no matter we will find you one yet."

After nearly what seemed like fifty or more wands Mr Ollivander came down from the ladder with an old dusty box. "Larch and unicorn hair, eleven and a quarter inches, slightly springy." As soon as the handle came in contact with Bryce's fingers it felt pleasantly warm. The wand then shuttered and shot a brilliant beam of silver light that bounced across the room.

"Excellent." The old man chuckled. He felt his mother lay a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, are you happy with your wand?" She beamed down at him. "Yes mum it's perfect." Miles appeared at her side, wearing a bored expression. "Can we leave now? I saw a sign outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies that said the new Sun Chaser series of brooms were available in store."

Alice dug through her purse and handed the old man twenty Galleons. "Thank you Mr. Ollivander I hope you have a wonderful day." The old man bowed. "You as well the pleasure was all mine." With this he disappeared into the back of the shop.

Miles nearly sprinted out of the door, to their mothers horror he ran head long into someone just as they were climbing the steps. "Oh sorry mate I nearly knocked you over." "I'm fine no problem." The boy was shorter and skinnier than they were. He had a head unkempt black hair and a pair of round glasses on his nose patched with sellotape in the middle.

The unusual bit was the man standing behind the boy, he stood at least eight feet tall he had long hair and a wild beard to match. "Excuse us we are terribly sorry!" Alice grabbed them by their sleeves and lead them out onto the high street far away from the shop front. "Mind your manners! I swear that one day you'll run into someone like that man back there and he won't take so kindly to your clumsiness and I won't be there to help you."


"Will we be coming back for Christmas?" Miles asked as they pulled their trolley through the crowd on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. "Of course you will bud, we'll have a big party and don't worry it won't be at the Dusken's this year." "Great! Can you buy me a Nimbus two thousand this Christmas? There was one in the shop at diagon alley it was wicked!" Max made eyes at his wife. "Tired of daddy's old Comet two sixty?"

Bryce lifted his trunk quietly off the trolley when they reached the train carriage. He couldn't put his finger on it but he felt so anxious today. The other boys and girls unnerved him, he had never been around other people his age other than his twin brother. "Are you alright honey? You didn't say much on the ride over here." She gave her son a concerned looked. "I'm alright, just a bit nervous that's all.." He looked down at his shoes.

"Alright.. Don't forget your owl sweetie, make sure to write us often I'm worried about you two..." Bryce took the owl cage of the rack, the owl they had picked out was a male his feathers were speckled black and white. He stroked the little birds head. "His name is Baldur mum, I'll write you often don't worry."

"Great I love you I hope you have a good first term." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek." "Stop it mum not here!"

"Goodbye boys I love you. Be ready when Christmas comes… Wales will beat Ireland in a surprising comeback from what happened last year." He mussed both of their heads. "I could take on you and Bryce on at the same time easy. Without Anthony's help." Miles said haughtily.

"Doubt it really.. After all I'm on the Griffindor Quidditch team your still a whelp." A cocky voice sounded behind them. "Anthony!" Miles darted past his father to wrap his friend in a tight embrace. "Miss Darklyn how are you?" Their father said respectfully to Anthony's grandmother. "Quite alright Max I hope you and Alice are doing well. I can't believe Anthony is going to be in his third year already Merlin how he reminds of Denys." A somber look floated across her features until she noticed the boys.

"If it isn't Miles and Bryce, I can't tell the two of you apart. Are you excited for the coming year?" Miles shook his head. "I'm kind of bummed out actually I can't own a broom or play Quidditch this year." "You can play as a firstie." Anthony interjected. "But you actually have to be really good which I highly doubt."

The train whistled loud over the buzzing crowd. "Time to get going see you this Christmas!" "Bye." Bryce said as he hauled his trunk in the train behind his brother. They found a compartment near the front of the train, as Anthony hoisted their luggage into the rack Bryce got one last look at his parents as the train pulled away.

Bryce felt his stomach flip flop as the doors to the Great Hall swung open, the eyes of hundreds of students met theirs as they strode in like the honor guard returning from some great battle. Above the four long house tables were thousands of floating candles, the enchanted night sky peered down at them as if some witness to a sacred pact. To say that he was nervous was an understatement… no he was almost hysterical.

The train ride over wasn't so bad. They sat with Anthony and his friends Fred and George Weasley who were surprisingly also twins, and Lee Jordan all third years. The twins were really funny and likable, they even mentioned seeing Harry Potter on the platform. Miles did most of the talking, whenever Fred or George asked Bryce a question he just couldn't get the words to come out or his mind would just go blank.

Then the discussion shifted to which house they wanted to be sorted into. Miles immediately said he wanted to be a Griffindor after all the Carraway's on his dads side were Griffindor's going back centuries. On the other hand their mother was born to muggle parents and was sorted into Hufflepuff, Miles's proclamation seemed to appease everyone in the compartment as they were all Griffindor's as well. "What house do you want to be in Bryce?" His brother asked him. "I dunno." He left it at that. "What's up with you? You are so quiet, you wasn't like this when we woke up."

"- You're in safe hands for I have none for I'm a thinking cap." Applause filled the Great Hall after the sorting hat finished it's song. "Now come forward when I call your name. Abbot, Hannah." The girl came forward and sat upon the stool. The stern professor lowered the hat a top her head and it immediately yelled. "Hufflepuff!"

A few more student's came forward until soon enough. "Carraway, Bryce.' was called. Bryce felt his legs root themselves to the spot like anchors. "Don't worry bro you'll be alright." Miles whispered giving him a little push that got him moving. He had tunnel vision all the way up to the stool, all of the burrowing eyes went unnoticed.

Everything went dark when the over sized hat was lowered over his eyes. 'Interesting, interesting not the boldest of boys. But you do not lack for courage.' Bryce didn't understand where the voice was coming from. 'I'm not talking boy it's all in your head.' The hat responded as soon as the thought arose. 'Let's see… you aren't dull, plenty of brains in you isn't there.. But it looks like you have trouble applying yourself, scatterbrained.. You are a hard worker but you don't see the point in mindless tasks.. hmm you aren't very ambitious but you don't follow the rules per say… your father was a Griffindor at heart and his father before him.. but you.. better be….' "Slytherin!"

'Slytherin? No… that can't be right. Dad was a-' Applause erupted from the far table on the other side of the hall. Bryce turned his head to see students clad in emerald green robes clapping in approval. Forgetting that he was still sitting on the stool he jumped up and began walking briskly to his new classmates.

'Slytherin, Slytherin... This can't be right, what will mum and dad say? What if Miles gets sorted-'

Stuck in his thoughts he arrived at the table sooner than he expected. When he sat down everyone looked in his direction, some gave him a little nod others, just stared at him in curiosity. Bryce got the impression immediately that this group weren't as jovial as the Hufflepuffs or the Griffindors.

"Carraway, Miles." Bryce turned around in his seat as he heard his brothers name being called out, Miles looked more confident than he did. He sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head, after about ten seconds the hat screamed out. "Griffindor!" and the hall rung with applause.

That single word seemed to rip Bryce's heart into a million pieces. 'What.. Miles.. he got put into Griffindor.. we wont be together?' He felt himself spiraling down and down into a black hole. Until Crabbe Vincent a rather pudgy boy was called up and placed in Slytherin. Bryce turned around to see his brother still shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with the Griffindors.

Then their eyes met, Miles face switched in an instant from a cheerful face to one of deep sadness which seemed to say. "I'm sorry." Bryce just waved, then turned back around. The table gradually filled up, Greengrass Daphne took the seat beside him, then Goyle Gregory, Malfoy Draco, Nott Theodore, Parkinson Pansy, Runcorn Albert, and finally Zabini Blaise. Harry Potter was sorted into Griffindor much to their enjoyment which lowered his spirits even lower.

The headmaster stood up after they were all sorted and said "Nitwit Blubber Tweak." To his astonishment food appeared on the platters in front of them but strangely the Slytherin's didn't dig in like everybody else in the hall. Instead with robotic like movements they placed their handkerchiefs in their laps and began organizing their silverware. Feeling panic set in once again, Bryce copied the girl next to him to the best of his ability.

A few ladles came to life and began pouring soup into everyone's bowls, before eating he waited like everybody else to served. Picking up the smallest spoon he sipped at his soup trying not to slurp. It was apparent to Bryce that these boys and girls were from wealthly and refined backgrounds. 'They don't even pour their own bloody soup! Do they get waited on hand and foot at home by house elves or something?'

"I'm Draco Malfoy." The boy with the blonde hair much lighter than his own straw colored hair spoke up as the enchanted spoons and tongs came around to serve them the main course. "Of course you may all know that my father is on the board of governors and has close ties with the ministry." 'What a git.' Bryce almost said out loud already disliking him.

"Hello may I call you Draco? I'm Pansy Parkinson." The girl with the wide face and short brown hair said to please. "I suppose so.. good to meet your acquaintance." The boy proceeded to go down the list asking every new arrival at the table who they were, about their families, ect. Until his cold grey rested on him.

"What is your name? I don't recognize your face like I have with all the others..." Bryce felt his stomach clench and his throat tighten. All of the words he had prepared for this moment went right out of the window. "B-bryce C-carraway." The words didn't come out right they caught in his throat. "Excuse me." Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Sorry, Bryce Carraway." He finally managed to get out. "Carraway, hmm that name sounds familiar… oh yes my father said he went up against a Griffindor beater called Carraway in the final Quidditch match of his seventh year." Bryce nodded. "Yes that was my father Maximilian."

"I see so I suppose you come from a family of Griffindor's, how interesting." Malfoy's eyes flickered over to the Griffindor table. "Why weren't you put in Griffindor? Families get sorted into the same house usually." Bryce swallowed all of their eyes shifted to him, an uncomfortable feeling wrenched his gut. "I dunno, but they got my brother Miles." He looked down at his plate wanting the conversation to end. "You two look so alike are you twins?" The rather large girl across from him had no mind for etiquette, she was pigging out on food like their was no tomorrow. He just nodded not even sparing a glance.

"Where does your father work?" Malfoy asked. "The ministry he works in the department of magically transportation, he fixes floo's." Malfoy frowned as if he just heard some unsavory news. "And your mother." He prodded. "She doesn't have a career she stays at home and takes care of us." Bryce answered wondering when the barrage of questions would stop. "What family did she come from before she married your father, is she from another house?"

"No she is muggleborn." Silence seemed to pass through the group of first years though no one else was talking. "Your mother… is a mudblood?" A spark seemed to light inside of him at the mention of the foul word. "Excuse me what did you say?!" Everyone stiffened sensing the tension in the air. "I asked if she was a mudblood Carraway didn't you hear?" Draco didn't seem to understand what the big deal was. "I heard quite clear, call my mother that again and see what happens you git."

Bryce didn't know what made him say it but the mention of his mother lit a fuse inside his brain. Malfoy's face grew steadily pinker, apparently he wasn't used to people challenging him. "Are you getting mad because I called your mummy a mudblood Carraway?"

To his nature he didn't respond with words, instead he picked up the gravy boat sitting beside a silver tray of mashed potato's and flung it directly at Malfoy. Bryce mentally captured the horrified look on Malfoy's face the second before the gravy boat collided with it. A torrent of brown gravy splattered on his face as the boat bounced off his head to shatter on the floor, it ran down his neck like a waterfall onto the front of his robes. Everyone at the Slytherin table looked to him then at Malfoy in complete shock and horror.

"Y-you... bastard!" Malfoy jumped out of his seat, while at the same time pulling the wand out of his pocket. "NO! Don't you dare!" The deputy headmistress Professor McGonagall was striding towards them with a furious look on her face. The fire in Bryce's stomach was quenched immediately. Malfoy stomped in anger grabbing his handkerchief he wiped the gravy off his face roughly and threw it across the room. "You two will come with me now.." Her grip was like a vice when it sunk into Bryce's elbow, she led him to the great double doors instructing Malfoy to follow. Bryce took one last glance at his brother who looked shocked and stunned as the rest of them.

They almost made it to her office when a man with long black hair and a hooked nose appeared like a bat out of the shadows.