Old Gemini

Satisfied with her latest sketch of the couple in front of her, Eileen put down her pencil and got to her feet. "That one is done," she told the expectant pair. Gesturing to the brunette woman sitting in the circle-backed chair she kept on hand for clients to pose in, she asked, "Now, Ms. Montgomery, please stand up."

The younger woman hurried to comply and went to work immediately fluffing the tulle fabric of her floor-length skirt. "Thank you," Eileen said with a polite smile. She waved at the man of a couple, whose eyes tracked her attentively as she told them both, "Bunch together now—"

"—How's this?" he cut in as he took a half-step behind his bride-to-be and rested one hand almost casually around her waist.

Eileen nodded. "Excellent," she praised him, earning a half-smile for her troubles. Turning to a new page in her sketchbook, she told the couple, "This will be our last pose and then we can review the sketches." Eileen sat back down on her stool but did not start sketching. Something was not quite right about the couple in front of her.

It only took her a moment to realize why. Ms. Montgomery should be holding flowers, not just folding her hands in front of her. Springing to her feet, she turned around to survey her small bookshelf of props. It did not take her long at all to spy the bouquet of dried flowers she kept on hand for instances like these.

Eileen plucked them from the shelf and handed them to the future bride. Ms. Montgomery blinked deep blue, almost indigo eyes at her as she advised, "Here, hold these."

"Oh," she mumbled.

Going back to her stool, she picked up her pencil and stared at the couple again. Yes, that was the right choice. She could now make a proper sketch of the two that would give them a real idea of what their future painting could look like if they chose this stance. "We'll use fresh flowers if you choose this pose later," she explained to the pair, "but this helps me for now to make a proper sketch."

"I see," replied Ms. Montgomery, smiling.

Eileen began to sketch for a time. Just as she had finished capturing the shape of Mr. Spinnet, a chiming noise filled the room. The couple looked at her as she continued to draw the shape of Mr. Spinnet's shoulders on her paper.

"Mrs. Belby?" called Ms. Montgomery, hesitant, but questioning.

Eileen sighed and put down her pencil. "It's fine," she assured the couple. "That's just the charm to let me know someone's at the studio's door." She got up and gestured for the pair to relax.

Eileen twisted the end of her plait in displeasure and grumbled, "Why there is someone, I don't know…" Mr. Spinnet chuckled and Ms. Montgomery looked sympathetic. Eileen felt relieved at the sight. Some clients could become quite agitated when her focus was taken away from them during the time they paid to be the center of her world. She nodded at the two. "Please excuse me, Ms. Montgomery, Mr. Spinnet," she asked. "I will be but a moment."

"Of course," replied Mr. Spinnet with a warm smile that brought a dimple to his right cheek.

Once outside of her workshop, Eileen quicked her step and hurried to the door of her studio. She was both surprised and not at all to see through the door's windowpane her friend, and the mother of her twins' best mate, Marietta Smith (soon to be Edgecombe again). Eileen did not bother to hide her irritation from the older witch as she threw open her studio's door.

"Marietta," she said. She lost the impatience in her tone when behind the woman's shoulder peaked her son, Terrell. He was not even ten yet but was as tall as some of the firsties at Hogwarts. He would no doubt tower over his mother well before he hit his final growth spurt. "What can I do for you and Terrell?" she asked.

"Oh, you're cross," remarked Marietta, hugging the portfolio in her arms a little tighter. "You have a client this morning, don't you?" she said with a small wince. "I'm sorry."

Eileen rolled her eyes. Even if Eileen had not had a client this morning, she would have still been working on something for a client. That was how she kept her studio open in addition to her painting classes. "What can I do for you Marietta?" she asked again.

She looked to the portfolio in her arms. "I need to file some alimony and child support paperwork with the courts before my shift," she explained. "I can't do it and take Terrell to your mother-in-law's if I want to be on time." Chartreuse eyes wide and beseeching, the witch said, "I was hoping perhaps you could take him over?" She smiled at Eileen in a nervous way and added, "You have your fireplaces connected through the floo network and it's just so much easier than trying to get into her home through the public system…"

Eileen was still a little disgruntled at having this task dropped on her, but she was not going to say no. Marietta wasn't asking for too much and Terrell was Carrie and Marcus's best mate. "Yes, I can take Terrell over in a little while," she said.

"Oh Eileen!" cried Marietta before she shuffled her portfolio to one arm and pulled her in for a quick embrace with the other. "Thank you," her friend murmured into her shoulder. Stepping back, she pointed at Eileen and walked backward a moment. "I promise once the divorce is settled I will take you out for the best girls' night you've ever had!" she proclaimed before turning around and running off down the street.

Eileen twisted herself so her torso stuck out onto the street. "I'll hold you to that!" she yelled after Marietta's retreating back.

The older witch lifted an arm in an acknowledging wave. Shaking her head, Eileen pulled herself back into the shop. She then turned her eyes to Terrell who stood rooted to where his mother had left him.

The boy looked at her with his mother's eyes from under his father's messy sandy blond hair. She turned and waved for the boy to follow. "Terrell, come along please."

"Okay," he said, trotting along after her.

Eileen looked over her shoulder and at the boy. "Should I ask if your mother gave you breakfast before you left home today?"

He shrugged in a carefully uncaring manner. "She didn't wake me early enough."

She repressed a frown. Eileen wasn't cross with her friend for forgetting to feed her son perse. Terrell was plenty old enough to put together a piece of bread and marmalade if he really wanted to eat, but she still thought Marietta should have made the time to make sure Terrell had something before running them out of their home's door.

"I think it's time you start using an alarm," she told the boy because she saw no sense in chiding Marietta when she knew it would either fall on deaf ears or lead to tears. "It'll be good practice for when you start at Hogwarts in a couple of years," she remarked. Which was true. There, being timely would fall on Terrell's shoulders. Getting in the good habit now would serve him well.

"Maybe," he replied, sounding unconvinced.

Eileen sighed. She would try again later to make him see sense. Bringing Terrell into her office she pointed at one of the chairs she kept by the door. He sat down.

Going over to her shelving unit to the right of her desk, she moved some things around until she uncovered her jar of almonds. "Here," she said, levitating it over to Terrell with a flick of her wand. "They're almonds you can snack on." Eileen then brought down her tin of tea and a cup. It took only a couple more swishes of her wand to have a steaming, steeping cup of tea on her desk. "That's also for you," she told the boy who was munching away on a handful of almonds. "Will that tide you over until I can take you to Eira's home?"

"Yes, thank you," he said once he'd swallowed the nuts in his mouth.

She smiled. "You're welcome." Eileen then looked around her office a bit more. "I'm sorry I don't have much for you to do," she said. However, as soon as she finished apologizing she recalled that she did have something for Terrell. "Wait," she said before pushing around some papers on her desk. It led to her uncovering some Muggle comics that Marcus had on loan to him through Harry's children. Gathering them up, she brought them over to Terrell. "Marcus left these here for me to return to Harry."

His eyes lit up and he reached for them with a cry of:

"Wicked!"

Eileen chuckled as she saw him flip open the comic. She then began to leave the room, but paused in the doorway to say, "You also know where I keep the sketch paper in the classroom, so, help yourself."

"Thanks," said the boy, face buried in the colorful comic book.

She hesitated but reached down to ruffle his hair like she might Marcus or Anthony's. He looked at her with quizzical eyes. "I shouldn't be more than an hour," she promised.

He grinned. "Okay!"

Eileen left the room, closing the door behind her. She then stepped back into her workshop to find Ms. Montgomery and Mr. Spinnet staring into one another's eyes as they made quiet chatter amongst themselves.

She cleared her throat, drawing the couple back into the wider world. They broke eye contact and turned their bodies toward her, a slightly embarrassed air about them. Eileen gave the two a smile and made a conscious effort to bring her wedding ring to their attention by tucking a loose wave of hair behind her ear.

As she hoped, the reminder she also had once been an engaged woman about to be wed, made them relax. She smiled at the couple. "Hello again, everything is sorted," she told them. Going to her stool, she apologized to Ms. Montgomery and Mr. Spinnet. "I am sorry again for the interruption."

"It's no trouble," replied Ms. Montgomery. As she and Mr. Spinnet returned to their pose, she looked up at her fiancé and said, "I can't say we minded the wee break!"

"Thank you," replied Eileen. "Shall we get back to it?" she asked once they appeared situated.

"Yes, please," answered Mr. Spinnet.

Eileen picked up her pencil.

-o-O-o-

"The children are all in bed," said Eileen before she all but threw herself onto the sofa next to her husband.

He snaked an arm around her shoulders and she rested her head on his chest. For a few minutes, they simply soaked in each other and the silence. With three children in their home, things were rarely as quiet as they were now. Finally, Marcus broke the peace.

"Mum told me you brought Terrell to her house when I went to pick up the kids," he remarked.

Eileen couldn't help but tense. "Mhm, did she?" she asked as she sat up and tried to pull away from her husband's arm.

Instead of letting her go, he squeezed her shoulder with his hand and said, "Should I even ask?"

Eileen looked away from her husband's intent blue gaze. "It's not difficult to figure out," she said.

He exhaled. "Something to do with the divorce?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Marcus ran his thumb up and down her shoulder for a time. Finally, he murmured, "You know I'd never ask you to not help Marietta…"

"Leave it there, Marcus," Eileen snapped. This time, when she pulled, his hand did fall from her. Putting herself at the other end of the sofa, she crossed her arms and legs and glared at her husband. She knew he was going to say something like this. Marcus didn't like Marietta. He hadn't since they were all in school.

Instead of dropping it like she asked, Marcus ran his hands through his thinning hair before opening them to Eileen. "She's been calling on you more and more for favors over the last three months," he said. Eyes burning, he growled, "Marietta needs to stop being so — so contentious with Zacharias and just settle this! It can't be good for Terrell and it's unkind the way she's taking advantage of you!"

Eileen bared her teeth. "I am not being taken advantage of," she hissed. While sometimes Marietta asked for favors at inconvenient times, they were never large or inappropriate requests. "Dropping off Terrell at your mother's is no hardship," she argued. "Holding onto him through dinner or even overnight is not difficult for us! He's a good-natured boy and our twins' best friend."

Marcus's face remained stern and cross. "I know she's asked you for money."

Eileen bristled. When had he figured that out? Not that it mattered. She had been the one to insist Marietta take her money. She breathed out through clenched teeth to calm herself. Eileen knew explaining would be the only way to make Marcus see that it had been the only correct choice to make in the situation.

"…Zacharias was being a total wanker and wouldn't give her any to buy Terrell a new pair of shoes," she explained. "He needed them, Marcus. What was I supposed to say, no?" Frustrated, Eileen reached for the end of her plait and gave it a hard pull. "Why do you think this divorce keeps taking longer and longer?" she demanded. "Zacharias won't even cooperate enough to help keep his son properly clothed!"

The hard, angry edge to Marcus's jaw softened. In fact, he almost looked sorry. "All right," he said in a calmer voice. "All right." Eyebrows knit together in a contrite manner, he told Eileen, "I'm sorry."

Her own fury dissipated at his words. Scooting closer, she put a hand on her husband's knee. "I know you don't care for Marietta," she replied, tone soft. Recalling her own irritation from the morning with her friend, Eileen admitted, "There are days I don't know if I do either."

However, that irritation was soon washed away with other memories. Better ones of her and Marietta giggling and having drinks at a pub during a girls' night. Of griping over lunch about their messy children and husbands. Shopping together and finding new clothes after Eileen finally lost the last of her baby weight from Anthony.

"When she's not in crisis… Marietta is good company," she said, only to amend with, "Mostly." Marietta did have a habit of being late to things, which was quite irksome for Eileen.

Marcus put his hand on top of hers. "I do believe you," he said.

Eileen favored her husband with a small smile, which he returned. She scooted closer to him and rested her forehead on his shoulder. Marcus strengthened his hold on her hand. "Please, if nothing else, think of Terrell," she mumbled into his shoulder. "Helping Marietta means Terrell is being helped." Eileen looked up at Marcus. "I know you adore him," she said.

He huffed a laugh and remarked, "It's not hard."

"No," Eileen agreed.

Somehow, Terrell had so far avoided taking on the worst traits of his parents. He was easy-going and modest. Additionally, Eileen had seen him act as peacekeeper more than once with her twins when they got in a row. She was keen to see the man he grew into.

"I'll let it be," said Marcus finally. He then touched her cheek with his free hand. Eileen stared into his eyes as he asked, "Please, Eileen, just take care. We have children who need us too."

Eileen supposed that was a fair request. Marietta might want help, but her children needed her. She nodded. "I will," Eileen promised.

Marcus smiled. "Thank you."

Eileen stood up but did not let go of her husband's hand. "Let's go to bed," she urged.

He stood up and let her guide them to their bedroom.

-o-O-o-

Eileen was silent, content with staring at the photos framing the mirror in front of her, as Calliope ran a comb through her hair. The pictures were of family and mates. In the far right corner, there was a photo of Calliope, George, and their children. Phil looked to be barely holding up his own head, which meant it had to have been taken some months ago. Possibly, given the garden in the background, by one of the Bones at George's aunt and uncle's home.

Next to it was a photo from Calliope's wedding. It was of her bridesmaids, Sammy, Esther, Darla, and Susan, brides matron, Eileen, and flower girl, Carrie. After it came a picture of Edie and Sev sharing a piece of cake at the table in their childhood quarters at Hogwarts. Neither looked overly tired in the picture which told Eileen even if she didn't remember which of their birthdays it had been taken at, it had happened shortly before or after Esther became a student. After Esther's first year Severus had steadily sported circles beneath his eyes.

Honestly, Eileen understood all too well. Harry's years at Hogwarts really had been one fiasco after another. She was hopeful his children wouldn't lead to half as much trouble as he had. Edie wasn't getting any younger.

As Eileen began to take in the next photo, one of a teenage Calliope on a beach with a toddler Severus in her arms, her sister cleared her throat. Eyes falling down to the mirror, she stared at her and her sister's reflection. Calliope was looking back at her as she continued her steady rhythm of detangling Eileen's hair.

"Have you begun working on the portrait of Lottie?" her sister asked.

Eileen tried not to flinch. Since announcing at the party her intentions to paint her sister's portrait, she had not given the task another thought. Guilt now taking her, she fibbed, "I'm sorting through pictures now."

Calliope hummed and put away the comb, finally finished with detangling Eileen's wavy hair. "I reckon that's about right," she replied with a smile. "February has only just begun!"

She relaxed a little at her sister's apparent nonchalance at her reply. Calliope was right. It was only just February and she had declared her intentions not even a month ago to her sisters and Darla. Eileen returned Calliope's smile with a small curve of her own lips.

"Once I start it won't take long to finish," she remarked. Now that Calliope had made her think about the portrait, it was easy to voice some small details about her intentions. "I'm not making the portrait overly large," she explained. "I think 46 by 61 centimeters should do quite nicely once I put it in a frame."

Calliope perked up. "Oh, you're framing it too? Let me give you a bit of money for that."

Eileen couldn't ask for that. It was her idea after all to make this bloody portrait. "It's fine, Calliope," she assured her sister.

Calliope shook her head. "No, really, I'll call Esther and Darla too," she said. She squeezed Eileen's shoulder with her free hand and told her, "It's the least we can do."

She wanted to argue more. This was her gift to their mother. Her awful idea. It all should fall on her shoulders. Yet it was clear Calliope at least didn't want it to be. She wanted to help her.

Marcus was always telling her to let others assist her when they wanted to.

"…I'll let you know the price when it comes time to put the materials for the frame together," she said.

Calliope beamed. "Thank you, Eileen," she said as if it were her doing the favor and not Calliope. Her sister began to pull at the tips of her hair. "So, just the ends today?" she questioned. An impish light came to her eyes. "Or were you looking to try something new?"

Eileen rolled her eyes. Calliope always asked that. It didn't matter that she had been wearing her hair just past her shoulders since she was 16 and had not once shown even an iota of interest in changing it.

"Just the ends," she answered.

Calliope laughed. "I'd complain about how boring you are, never trying a new style, but this length is so lovely on you," she gushed as she began to pull at and part Eileen's hair in preparation for her trim.

"Mhm," said Eileen as she watched her sister begin to snip her hair. "Perhaps I'll bring Carrie by next week if you want to give someone a fresh look," she remarked. Calliope glanced at her as she continued her work, interest in her eyes. "She's been wanting to get a pixie cut like Esther," she told her sister.

Calliope winced. "Oh, I'm not sure you should let her." Her sister sighed and murmured, "She has Marcus's square face. She might end up looking a little more boyish than she cares for."

Eileen didn't really think Carrie would care. Her daughter had never been a terribly feminine girl. Preferring to wear trousers to skirts and dresses (which is entirely unlike her and Lottie. At her age, they'd lived for pretty dresses and skirts to dress in and model for each other— Even if Lottie had also always enjoyed a good broom ride too) and lead her brother and Terrell on "expeditions" in the Belby's large garden. Honestly, Eileen was just happy Marcus's father kept his more questionable plants in the little greenhouse attached to his home. There, the children couldn't get into them without an adult present to supervise.

"What do you suggest then?" asked Eileen. If Calliope was reluctant about a pixie cut, surely there was something else that would serve just as well. "She's just becoming frustrated with it. Even when I plait it for her, it still gets in the way of her playing with Marcus and Terrell," she explained.

Calliope went back to cutting her hair and was quiet for a moment. "A bob might work then," she said once done with the right side of Eileen's hair.

She dipped her chin slightly. "I'll let Carrie know."

As her little sister went to work on the back of her head, she said, "You and Marcus should come by for dinner this Saturday. Thalia has been asking after Anthony."

Eileen could not help but smile. It had been a bit of a surprise to find she and Calliope were having children so close together, but now that Anthony and Thalia were growing up and into little people, she was glad. The two were becoming good friends in addition to cousins.

"We would love to," she replied. Marcus and George had been reading the same mystery series she knew. The two would definitely enjoy chatting about the books with one another. The smile that had started to toy with the corners of her mouth abruptly fell. Except on Saturday they had another commitment…

"Do you mind if we bring Terrell with us?" she asked her sister. Calliope seemed to like the little boy well enough, but she had only ever met him a handful of times over the last couple of years. "We're watching him for Marietta. She has a night shift at St. Mungo's."

Calliope nodded. "That's fine," she said.

Eileen stared at her sister's reflection as she continued her work. There was a faint dip between her brows that told her all she needed to know. It was not fine. Eileen pursed her lips and snapped, "What?"

Her sister jumped slightly and Eileen stiffened. Thankfully, she did not end up stabbed by Calliope's scissors or missing more hair than she should. Calliope's shoulder drooped and she stared at Eileen with an apologetic frown. "Don't take this the wrong way," she said, "but it seems you always have Terrell with you these days." Calliope tentatively began her work again. She would not meet Eileen's eyes as she mumbled, "Shouldn't Zacharias have him more? Or his parents?"

Eileen felt displeasure unfurl in her chest. Calliope was questioning Terrell's place in her and her family's life now too? Why could no one see that him and his mother simply needed a bit of a hand-up during this difficult time?

Unwilling to air all of her friend's dirty laundry, she replied, sarcastic, "Wouldn't that be lovely."

Calliope's eyes widened. "Oh," she whispered. She snipped a little more of Eileen's hair before nodding to herself and starting on the left side. "Has he always been this awful?" she asked, peeking up from her work and at Eileen's reflection.

She exhaled. "Even when we were all students, he was an obnoxious disloyal prick," she grumbled. Eileen just didn't know what Marietta had ever seen in him. She was sorry she hadn't been there to talk her out of marriage to the git.

Calliope's face changed again and Eileen was both gratified and weary when she saw determination harden her features. "What's Terrell's favorite dessert?" she asked. "Maybe I can make it."

Eileen wanted to place her face in her hands. She settled for tightening her grip on the arms of the chair she was in. "Calliope you don't have to do that," she said.

"Please?" begged her sister, eyes wide and emotional. "I want to make him feel welcome."

She relented. How could she refuse when her sister looked at her like that? When all she wanted was to make someone comfortable? "Very well," replied Eileen.

She then took a moment to recall the boy, the look on his face as he gleefully layered a bowl of ice cream with a third of their hundreds and thousands one afternoon only to make the rainbow flecks of candy disappear behind a wave of blueberries. They'd had to instigate a rule of adults portioning out toppings after that. She and Marcus still let Terrell put more toppings on his ice cream than they ever did the twins.

"Terrell likes ice cream," she said. "Vanilla, mostly. He says it's the best flavor for mixing toppings."

Calliope grinned. "I'll make sure we have ice cream and some chocolate sauce and berries, no, Cherries Jubilee! And pecans available," she said, ticking off the toppings on her fingers.

Eileen hummed. She wondered if she should mention their topping rule to Calliope. She decided not to. It would be fun to see Terrell surprise Calliope and George. Finally, she remarked, "The children will be delighted when they see your selection after dinner."

"It should be quite fun," agreed Calliope as she continued to trim her hair. They lapsed into a short silence as Calliope finished her job and checked it to make sure everything was even. Finally, she set down her scissors and patted Eileen's shoulders in satisfaction at her job well done.

"There, we're finished," she said.

Eileen stood up and let her sister cast a charm on her to vanish the hair trimmings clinging to her blouse. "Thank you, Calliope."

"Back to the studio now?" asked her sister as she went to put on her robe.

"Yes," she answered as she smoothed down the front and did the top button to keep it in place. Eileen explained, "I need to prepare it for my evening class today."

Calliope paused in the cleaning of her hair-cutting station. "The senior one?" she asked with interest.

"Mh-hm," she replied as she tied her hair back with a bit of string. She'd plait it once back at the studio before she got to work.

Calliope watched her. "I don't suppose you have any open spots in the next few weeks?" she inquired. "Sammy's mentioned Mrs. Whittaker is looking for something to do with her evenings now that Emmett has begun taking care of the hat shop on his own."

Eileen nodded. "I'll give you a list of the times I have scheduled Saturday," she said. Eileen was always happy to take on new painters. "I can squeeze her in if she would like to give it a try," she said as she prepared to disapparate.

Her sister gave her a grateful look. "Thanks, Eileen."

"See you soon," she said, waving as she felt the tug of apparition at her navel.

"Love you!" called Calliope as she disappeared.

-o-O-o-

When Eileen finished preparations for her evening class, she checked the time and realized she had a little over half an hour before people would begin to show up. Usually, when she had a bit of time like this she'd sit in her office, have a cup of tea, and sort through mail or paperwork. However, her conversation with Calliope fresh in her mind, Eileen decided she would instead look through the small book of photos she had of her childhood.

Eileen went into her office like usual, she even sat down at her desk, but instead of reaching across the desktop for her pile of mail, she reached down and unlocked the bottom left hand drawer of her desk. She looked inside the drawer. This was where she kept things she didn't want her children, or Marcus, to get into. Mostly it was just mementos from her early childhood.

Photos from before Lottie passed, a few pictures her twin had drawn, a doll she'd brought back from her trip to a different reality. There were also a handful of things belonging to Sev in the drawer too. A charms book that had a section dedicated to useful incantations for painters and illustrators. It had been one of Severus's last gifts to her and he'd written a note inside about how she may find the text helpful in her artistic pursuits.

She also had a pair of gloves he used to wear when working with dangerous and toxic potion ingredients. Eileen didn't make much use of them, but she liked to hold the gloves when she missed him. Tucked in the very back of the drawer was also a memory Sev had given her shortly before he died in the Final Battle. She hadn't looked at it in years. Eileen simply didn't have the strength.

Eileen brushed her hands over the different mementos, wistful and bittersweet feelings overwhelming her. When the lump in her throat grew too large, she sucked in a shaky breath and gripped the small album she kept the photos in. Pulling it out, Eileen opened it from the back. She knew the portrait she wanted to paint of Lottie would be of her shortly before her death.

Carding through the last three pages over and over, she took in the photos she had with a keen eye. There was one of Lottie and her in front of their ninth birthday cake. They had their arms wrapped around each other's waists and were smiling and laughing at the one taking the photo. She thought it had been Darla. Only she had ever been able to make Lottie laugh so hard.

There were more pictures from later in the year, such as one of Lottie alone. She was captured in the middle of brewing her first potion without assistance. Sev no doubt took it. Beneath that photo was another of Lottie, but with Susan and Esther. It was a candid picture of the three styling each other's hair. Eileen knew she'd captured the snapshot when trying out George's uncle's new camera.

She turned the page again and felt tears spring to her eye when she saw the last photo on the page. It was of Lottie and Darla. They were dressed in riding robes and had brooms in their hands. The one in Lottie's hand was decorated with a red ribbon. It was the final photo taken of Lottie. Not two weeks after this moment her sister had died.

Eileen closed the album.

She couldn't use that photo of her twin to make her portrait. It would be too difficult, too painful. Her hand found the locket she kept hidden beneath her blouse. Slowly, a thought formed in her mind. What if she used this picture of Lottie? It was not the most recent one, but it wasn't terribly old either. Lottie was happy in it and whenever Eileen looked at the photo it reminded her that all was not as lost as it seemed. Somewhere, there was another Sev. Somewhere, there was probably another Lottie. Somewhere, her twin was alive and she was happy and grown up and living a life Eileen could hardly imagine.

Eileen opened the locket and stared inside at the picture, focusing on Lottie's beaming face. Yes, this was the photo of her sister to use. It was the only one that didn't leave her in despair.

A chiming sound filled her ears and Eileen jolted.

One of her students must have arrived. Closing the locket, she tucked it away and then put the album back in the drawer of her desk. Locking it once more, Eileen got up and checked herself in the small mirror she kept beside her office's door. Thankfully, in spite of how close to tears she had come, her face gave away none of the distress she'd felt. Leaving her office she went to the door of her studio and smiled when she saw who was on the other side.

Eileen opened the door and ushered in the white-haired witch. "Hello, Mrs. Cattermole," she said. "How are you this evening?"

How did you all enjoy this chapter? Eileen's life at present was delved into more deeply and you got to learn about her career, friends, and family!

Thank you very much for reading!