Chapter 4: Coincidences Don't Exist

At breakfast the next morning, Maggie sat next to Charlie and Mackenzie. Dora smiled at Maggie from across the hall. Her hair was a shade of bubblegum pink today. Maggie thought that if she changed the colour of her hair to match Dora's, they would be identical down to the last freckle.

"I hope I'm not too dreadful at magic," Mackenzie said worriedly. "I feel like everyone's going to be ahead of me."

"I doubt it," Charlie replied, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "Some might know more about magic, but I doubt very many have actually done much magic before."

Mackenzie seemed reassured. Maggie agreed with Charlie. Whilst she had read a lot about magic, performing spells would be completely different to knowing the theory behind them.

As breakfast drew to a close, Maggie watched Charlie stuff his bag with croissants. She raised her eyebrows. Charlie grinned.

"What? I'll probably get hungry during class, and I wouldn't want any food to go to waste."

Maggie was going to say something about that, when she looked more closely at Charlie's bag.

"Is that dragon hide?" she asked curiously. Charlie nodded.

"It's Hebridean Black hide. Mum and Dad got it for me for Christmas."

"Ooh, dragons are cool as," Mackenzie exclaimed, taking a closer look at the bag. At this, Charlie's eyes lit up.

"I want to work with dragons when I graduate. I love them." He then proceeded to talking about different types of dragons. Maggie and Mackenzie listened with interest, noting the passion he spoke with. Maggie hadn't given much thought to what she wanted to do after Hogwarts, unlike Charlie.

When Charlie had finished his dragon spiel, he asked Maggie and Mackenzie if they liked Quidditch.

"I've never played," Mackenzie said. "I'm not really the sporting type."

"What about you, Maggie?"

"My Quidditch skills lie in spectating, not playing," she responded with a small smile. Charlie smirked.

"I'm going to be practising during the holidays at my house. Maybe you could come over and hone your spectating skills."

"Maybe. My Aunt and Uncle might not let me, though." She tried not to let on how much she would like that. She was fairly sure the Weasleys were pureblood, so perhaps her Aunt and Uncle would let her. She hoped so. Charlie was very nice and Maggie thought she got along with him well already.

The first lesson of the day was Transfiguration, the class Maggie was most looking forward to. It was taught by the head of Gryffindor house, Professor McGonagall. She was a strict teacher, with sharp eyes and a bun so tight it seemed to pull her face up. Maggie found she had a knack for the subject and wondered if being a metamorphmagus would have anything to with it. Mackenzie was quite good as well, despite her prior nerves. At the end of the lesson, it was clear that Maggie and Mackenzie were the best in the class.

"Good," McGonagall praised the two girls. "These two are the only ones who managed to turn the match into a pin. The rest of you have homework."

There was a collective groan, and Maggie had to hide her pleased grin. She wasn't expecting to be best in the class and wasn't used to praise.

"Good job, girls," the professor said as they exited the classroom. Maggie noted that they were the only students that made McGonagall smile.

"How come you're both so smart?" Charlie grumbled, glaring at the two of them as they walked to their next class. He had struggled with Transfiguration.

"We'll help you tonight, Charlie. Won't we, Maggie?"

Maggie was planning on writing a letter to her Aunt and Uncle. It was going to take up a lot of her time, as they expected proper grammar and punctuation. Maggie didn't have all that much to tell them, but Narcissa had told her to write once her first day was finished and let them know what house she had been sorted into. There wouldn't be time to help Charlie. He seemed to notice Maggie hesitating, for he widened his eyes and made his bottom lip quiver and Maggie found she couldn't say no to him.

"Fine. I'll help you after I'm finished writing a letter to my family. I promise," she assured.

"Thank you," he said, punching her arm lightly as they entered the Charms classroom. Gryffindor had Charms with Hufflepuff. Maggie sat next to Dora and Charlie, and Mackenzie sat next to him. When Mackenzie looked between Dora and Maggie, Maggie knew was what coming.

"Woah! You two are practically identical!"

"I know," Dora replied, looking a little uneasy. Maggie had a matching expression. Maggie and Dora paired up and Charlie and Mackenzie paired up. Maggie found she didn't have the same knack for Charms as she did Transfiguration. She struggled using the wingardium leviosa charm to levitate a feather.

"Maggie," Dora said in a whisper, halfway through the lesson. "I think that it's very weird how we look alike. I'm going to write to my parents and tell them about it."

Maggie wasn't sure about this. She stayed quiet.

"Let's be real. We're identical, and we are both metamorphmagi. Something weird is going on. What if we're long lost sisters or something? I think that you should write to your family too, and see what they say."

Maggie bit her lip. She didn't want to bother her family, but she agreed that something very unusual was going on. As for the long lost sisters comment… that was too farfetched to be real. Maggie's parents were dead.

"Okay," she eventually agreed.

That evening, Maggie put her Charms homework and assisting Charlie with Transfiguration on hold so she could compose a letter to her Aunt and Uncle.

Dear Aunt Cissy & Uncle Lucius,

Hello from Hogwarts! My first day has been very eventful, and no, I haven't been getting in trouble. My new friend Mackenzie and I were the only students who managed to change a match to a pin in Transfiguration! I only have a bit of Charms homework to do now.

To my surprise, I was sorted into Gryffindor. I know, Uncle, that you wanted me to be in Slytherin, but you both have always told me that education is what is important first and foremost, and I am taking that seriously. I hope neither of you are disappointed with my placing. I have made two friends from my house; Mackenzie Hawthorne and Charlie Weasley. They're both really nice and I get along with them well.

There's something else I wanted to discuss. There is a girl in Hufflepuff, called Nymphadora Tonks. Something strange is going on. We are completely identical. She is my mirror image. She's also a metamorphmagus. We both agree that it is very odd and unexplainable, and she's writing to her family tonight to see if they have any explanations, and she suggested I do the same.

I better go now. Charlie needs help with his homework. Don't worry; my own studies take priority.

Take care and give Draco a big hug for me. I'll write to him at the end of the week when I have more to tell him.

Love,

Magnolia

Mackenzie went to bed early, underestimating how tired homework would make her, so Maggie helped Charlie by herself. She was distracted the whole time, thinking of some sort of explanation about her and Dora. She felt Charlie's eyes on her a few times, but it wasn't until they had been working for half an hour that he spoke.

"Are you okay?"

Maggie nodded. "I'm fine. I just keep thinking about Dora and I and how weird it is.

"Do you think that you two could be related?" Charlie asked. Maggie knew that this was the most logical explanation, but it just wasn't feasible.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. My parents are dead and we have different last names."

Charlie looked thoughtful. "What about Sirius Black? Do you know if you're related to him?"

Maggie had never heard of him but supposed that Black was a common last name. "I don't know. Who is he?"

Charlie looked surprised. "Don't you know who Sirius Black is?" Maggie shook her head. "He was a Death Eater, killed twelve muggles and a wizard and laughed as he got carted off to Azkaban."

Maggie thought that was interesting. She was aware that despite never being charged, her Uncle was a Death Eater. She didn't think much of it because he looked after his family and wasn't a completely bad person. What she found interesting about what Charlie had said was she remembered names of all her Uncle's 'friends', and Sirius Black was not one of them.

"We're not related, as far as I know. Maybe distantly. But Black is a common last name."

Charlie didn't push the matter further. Maggie continued to help him with his homework. He picked up on what he was supposed to do quite quickly, and by eleven o'clock he managed to turn his match into a needle. Maggie was grateful for she was exhausted from her first day of lessons and her constant thinking about what on earth could explain her and Dora's appearances.

Maggie received her reply the next morning.

Dear Magnolia,

Your Uncle isn't pleased with your placing. However, I am happy that you made Gryffindor. You're right, the house you're sorted into doesn't affect your education. I'm glad your first day went well and that you've made friends.

That is quite unusual concerning your Hufflepuff friend. I have no explanation. Don't think about the why too much, just enjoy the friendships you make and take each day as it comes, Magnolia. These years will rush past you in the blink of an eye.

Draco has been asking about you. Please come home for Christmas, or he might just scream the house down.

Love,

Aunt Cissy

Maggie felt very odd. Narcissa had never given advice like that before. She was also very vague about Maggie's questions regarding Dora. It didn't sit well with her. But she tried to take her Aunt's word for it and not think about it too much, for she had never lied to her before and Maggie could see no reason why she should.

"I'll be back," she said to Charlie, who was stuffing his face with bacon. "Save my seat."

Maggie walked from the Gryffindor table to the Hufflepuff table to tell Dora what her Aunt said. She seemed disappointed at the lack of information.

"My parents haven't replied yet. But I'll tell you what they say when they do."

"Thank you," Maggie replied. She hoped that perhaps Dora's parents would have answers.

As the week ended, Maggie noticed Dora was avoiding her.

She would walk up to her, and Dora would always find an excuse to walk away. If Dora and Charlie were talking and Maggie walked up to them, she would avoid eye contact with Maggie and slowly sneak away. Maggie didn't understand what she had done wrong.

Aside from that, Maggie was settling into Hogwarts nicely. She liked that she didn't have to wake up ridiculously early for lessons and she didn't have a bedtime like she did at the manor. Lessons were slowly becoming easier, with the exception of Potions. Maggie realised that Snape didn't like her very much. He took a point off Gryffindor for coughing too loud. Maggie didn't like him much either, not just for his irrational dislike of her but because he was a bully of a teacher.

It was the weekend, but she couldn't enjoy it as much as she would have liked. She kept thinking about Dora, and why she was avoiding her.

"Charlie," Maggie began. It was Saturday and her and Charlie were sitting by the lake. Maggie had decided she couldn't take not knowing what was going on, and thought Charlie might have some clue. "Why is Dora avoiding me?"

He looked slightly uncomfortable. "I dunno. She didn't tell me."

Maggie looked at him closely. Usually, Charlie had no trouble maintaining eye contact. But every few seconds, his eyes would dart away from Maggie's shiftily and his shoulders would hunch slightly. Maggie could see that he was lying, or at least hiding something.

"C'mon, please tell me," Maggie pleaded. She never learned how to express her emotions in words, so she looked at him hard and hoped he'd understand. She didn't like not speaking to Dora. It made her feel quite hollow. Dora said she would approach Maggie when her parents replied to the letter, and she hadn't done so. Maybe they replied and told her to stay away, Maggie thought. But she doubted it.

Finally, Charlie sighed. "It isn't my place to say anything. You did nothing wrong, but she's just confused."

Maggie frowned. She was equally as confused as Dora, but she had no desire to stay away from her.

"About what?"

"Everything. Look, you two being identical isn't just a coincidence."

"But it has to be," Maggie said, looking out at the lake. She knew it couldn't be, but she didn't want to even fathom her family hiding things from her. Charlie looked at Maggie, blue eyes wide. He looked as though he didn't know what to do.

"I don't think coincidences exist," he said slowly.

Maggie looked away. Since a young age, she decided she didn't think coincidences existed either. She was having an internal battle and it was her beliefs versus her family.

"Right then," she finally snapped. She was sick of the unknown and the conflicting thoughts it was bringing her. "I'm going to find her and ask her." As Maggie turned on her heel to walk back toward the castle, Charlie stood up and grabbed her wrist, stopping her in place.

"No, Maggie. Please just stay away and let her sort out how she is feeling."

"About what?"

Charlie let go of her wrist and wringed his hands, appearing as conflicted as Maggie felt. "I can't bloody tell you!"

"Then I'll go and ask her!"

"You can't!"

"Shut up, Charlie!" she yelled. He couldn't possibly understand what this was like for her. She didn't even understand it herself. She didn't understand what was going on, nor why Dora not speaking to her affected her so. Charlie seemed taken aback. Maggie was usually quite timid.

"Your hair has turned red," he mumbled. Maggie's hair had a tendency to do that when she was angry. She felt bad for yelling and was grateful Charlie didn't yell back, or worse, walk away from her. She reminded herself to keep her temper in check. She didn't like the fact she had one. It reminded her of her Uncle.

"I'm sorry for yelling," she said embarrassedly, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. "But I'm confused, and I don't know what to do. I don't see why I should give her space. I haven't done anything wrong!" she took a deep breath, trying not to let her emotion creep into her voice.

"Please, listen to me," Charlie pleaded, placing a hand on her shoulder kindly. "You haven't done anything wrong. I promise. Please give her some space. She'll come to you when she's ready."

Maggie didn't understand; ready for what?