To my biggest (and only fan of this fic.) Fang Thanks for reading. Another
Chapter or two to come.
I didn't really care what Dumbledore had to say; I just wanted to see my brother to touch him and know that he was really alive, that this wasn't all some twisted dream. Getting to see my brother was difficult but not impossible. We had to finagle some of the muggle staff but luckily Dumbledore had friends who were willing to help. I leaned by my brother's bed holding his hand as he slept. The Muggles had his breathing helped by using some machine with tubes and other things. I just wanted to take him to Hogwarts. He would be safe there. Madam Pomfrey would take care of him, get his memory back. Only I was allowed to come with Dumbledore though I wish Harry was there to see him. He started to open his eyes and my heart just about stopped.
"Alex?" I whispered.
"What?" Came a mumbling voice. "Who?"
I tried not to be hurt as my twin, my blood looked at me with confused eyes like he was trying to place a long forgotten face.
"Alex please it's me Jen." I was crying silent tears as he struggled to remember. I squeezed his hand tighter and placed it on my face.
"Please Alex it's me your sister. God Please Thank God your alive. I just. Please remember me." I wasn't sure if I was making sense.
"Jen?" Again that voice unsure, troubled. "Sister…"
"Can you help him remember?" This was directed to Dumbledore, who didn't not blend well in a muggle hospital.
"We should take him to Hogwarts. Familiar surroundings are known to help but there is no spell for we don't know the cause yet."
Hogwarts was all I wanted to hear.
Alex was still confused but I produced for the hospital all the evidence they needed (along with paying the bills) for them to release Alex. How to get him back to Hogwarts posed a problem.
Dumbledore and I had apparated to a quiet Muggle street not far from the hospital but Alex was in no condition for that type of travel. Ministry cars were provided for the ride to the station and then we had to get Alex on the train. Explaining his life to him, I realized might make him think we were mad.
"Your nuts." Alex's exact words as I told him to walk through the barrio. He was much more awake now and not remembering much.
"Please trust me."
"I don't even know you."
It was a knife in my heart. The pained look on my face must have shown. Alex said quietly. "you say you're my twin, that we are wizards that I have to walk through a pole to get to some castle school so I can remember but none of this is making sense. Why was I found in the woods? Where have you been for 3 months? This is just.."
"I thought you were dead, Alex. I thought you and Mom died together three months ago. I didn't know. I didn't think to check muggle hospitals of all places. Please just.."
"Why do you use that word Muggle?"
We were still standing on the platform facing the barrio. Dumbledore faced Alex now. "It will all be explained on the train now come on." And with that he walked through. Alex blinked in disbelief. "It's true?" Almost to himself.
"Alex, come on." I took his hands in mine and walked backwards through the pillar taking Alex with me. Why can't he remember? What happened? Why wasn't he dead like Mother? He had to remember.
On the train, Dumbledore was more then patient answering all Alex's questions. Dumbledore explained about the attack on our house, the death cause by Voldemort (with a quick explanation on who the Dark Lord was) after awhile Alex went silent deep in thought. I just looked at him, staring at his face a face I had memorized from looking at everyday of my life until recently. And when he looked at me, nothing.
We reached the castle and Alex stared in awe. He turned in all directions and faced the Forbidden forest. "You aren't supposed to go in there." He said so quietly I almost missed it. "No your not." I answered a small smile started on the inside of me. It would work.
Dumbledore thought it best if he talked to the other Gryffindors first. We waited in his office. Alex's eyes seemed to go in all directions at once but he said no more and I didn't push him. Dumbledore came back and told us we could go up to the dorm now.
I led Alex up the winding and ever changing staircases. "I'm surprised you remember which way to go." Alex actually joked and I took it as a good sign. We stood in front of the pink lady. "Are you sure I'm awake?" He asked as the door opened and the Lady expressed her joy at seeing Alex again. I took his hand and led him inside. Not surprisingly many fifth years as well as the twins were in the common area, which became very quiet as we entered.
"Anything?" I asked hopefully.
Alex's eyes scanned the room. Nobody moved though I saw Ron's hand on Harry's shoulder as if restraining him. Alex eyes landed on the raven- haired boy and I sucked in my breath. Please my head screamed remember him. But my brother shook his head.
"Well," I coughed trying to steady my voice. I walked him over to where Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Draco were sitting. "This is Hermione." I felt silly introducing him to his best friends in Gryffindor. "This is Ron, and his brothers Fred and George." Alex looked from one to the other. "This is Draco. He's in Sytherin." My brother made a funny face like he didn't recognize what Sytherin meant and then seemed to remember Dumbledore telling him about the houses on the train. He nodded at all of them but showed no recognition. "And this is Harry." Harry stood up. The tension was just horrible.
"I'm sorry Jen I just, I can't remember." Harry looked as if he was going to burst with tears and quickly left the room followed surprisingly by Draco.
Ron broke in. "I should show him the boy's dorm, you know his bed and all." Yes it was still up there.
Alex simply nodded and they left up the stairs.
I collapsed into the chair by Hermione and let out a sob. She put her arm around me. "It will just take time Jen you'll see."
I wanted to believe her.
I didn't really care what Dumbledore had to say; I just wanted to see my brother to touch him and know that he was really alive, that this wasn't all some twisted dream. Getting to see my brother was difficult but not impossible. We had to finagle some of the muggle staff but luckily Dumbledore had friends who were willing to help. I leaned by my brother's bed holding his hand as he slept. The Muggles had his breathing helped by using some machine with tubes and other things. I just wanted to take him to Hogwarts. He would be safe there. Madam Pomfrey would take care of him, get his memory back. Only I was allowed to come with Dumbledore though I wish Harry was there to see him. He started to open his eyes and my heart just about stopped.
"Alex?" I whispered.
"What?" Came a mumbling voice. "Who?"
I tried not to be hurt as my twin, my blood looked at me with confused eyes like he was trying to place a long forgotten face.
"Alex please it's me Jen." I was crying silent tears as he struggled to remember. I squeezed his hand tighter and placed it on my face.
"Please Alex it's me your sister. God Please Thank God your alive. I just. Please remember me." I wasn't sure if I was making sense.
"Jen?" Again that voice unsure, troubled. "Sister…"
"Can you help him remember?" This was directed to Dumbledore, who didn't not blend well in a muggle hospital.
"We should take him to Hogwarts. Familiar surroundings are known to help but there is no spell for we don't know the cause yet."
Hogwarts was all I wanted to hear.
Alex was still confused but I produced for the hospital all the evidence they needed (along with paying the bills) for them to release Alex. How to get him back to Hogwarts posed a problem.
Dumbledore and I had apparated to a quiet Muggle street not far from the hospital but Alex was in no condition for that type of travel. Ministry cars were provided for the ride to the station and then we had to get Alex on the train. Explaining his life to him, I realized might make him think we were mad.
"Your nuts." Alex's exact words as I told him to walk through the barrio. He was much more awake now and not remembering much.
"Please trust me."
"I don't even know you."
It was a knife in my heart. The pained look on my face must have shown. Alex said quietly. "you say you're my twin, that we are wizards that I have to walk through a pole to get to some castle school so I can remember but none of this is making sense. Why was I found in the woods? Where have you been for 3 months? This is just.."
"I thought you were dead, Alex. I thought you and Mom died together three months ago. I didn't know. I didn't think to check muggle hospitals of all places. Please just.."
"Why do you use that word Muggle?"
We were still standing on the platform facing the barrio. Dumbledore faced Alex now. "It will all be explained on the train now come on." And with that he walked through. Alex blinked in disbelief. "It's true?" Almost to himself.
"Alex, come on." I took his hands in mine and walked backwards through the pillar taking Alex with me. Why can't he remember? What happened? Why wasn't he dead like Mother? He had to remember.
On the train, Dumbledore was more then patient answering all Alex's questions. Dumbledore explained about the attack on our house, the death cause by Voldemort (with a quick explanation on who the Dark Lord was) after awhile Alex went silent deep in thought. I just looked at him, staring at his face a face I had memorized from looking at everyday of my life until recently. And when he looked at me, nothing.
We reached the castle and Alex stared in awe. He turned in all directions and faced the Forbidden forest. "You aren't supposed to go in there." He said so quietly I almost missed it. "No your not." I answered a small smile started on the inside of me. It would work.
Dumbledore thought it best if he talked to the other Gryffindors first. We waited in his office. Alex's eyes seemed to go in all directions at once but he said no more and I didn't push him. Dumbledore came back and told us we could go up to the dorm now.
I led Alex up the winding and ever changing staircases. "I'm surprised you remember which way to go." Alex actually joked and I took it as a good sign. We stood in front of the pink lady. "Are you sure I'm awake?" He asked as the door opened and the Lady expressed her joy at seeing Alex again. I took his hand and led him inside. Not surprisingly many fifth years as well as the twins were in the common area, which became very quiet as we entered.
"Anything?" I asked hopefully.
Alex's eyes scanned the room. Nobody moved though I saw Ron's hand on Harry's shoulder as if restraining him. Alex eyes landed on the raven- haired boy and I sucked in my breath. Please my head screamed remember him. But my brother shook his head.
"Well," I coughed trying to steady my voice. I walked him over to where Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Draco were sitting. "This is Hermione." I felt silly introducing him to his best friends in Gryffindor. "This is Ron, and his brothers Fred and George." Alex looked from one to the other. "This is Draco. He's in Sytherin." My brother made a funny face like he didn't recognize what Sytherin meant and then seemed to remember Dumbledore telling him about the houses on the train. He nodded at all of them but showed no recognition. "And this is Harry." Harry stood up. The tension was just horrible.
"I'm sorry Jen I just, I can't remember." Harry looked as if he was going to burst with tears and quickly left the room followed surprisingly by Draco.
Ron broke in. "I should show him the boy's dorm, you know his bed and all." Yes it was still up there.
Alex simply nodded and they left up the stairs.
I collapsed into the chair by Hermione and let out a sob. She put her arm around me. "It will just take time Jen you'll see."
I wanted to believe her.
