"Did you ever think maybe we're stronger together?" asked Allegra, her voice gentle as she walked with Isolde toward the Great Hall for breakfast. It has been days since (Y/N) had stormed from Gryffindor Tower. Since then, she avoided Isolde unless going to bed; even then, the well wishing for the night was void of its usual comfort. Isolde had only dug herself deep into the isolation when she stated her opinion to Marlene that Remus wasn't good enough for her, using his secret of lycanthropy against him. For Isolde, Lily was the only friend she had left. For whatever reason, James eyed her with suspicion, Remus barely spoke to her, and Sirius was all but a shadow gliding through common areas.

"I have," replied Isolde with a heavy sigh. The feeling of loneliness was plaguing her again. Despite wishing Lily would change her routine slightly to accommodate her, the redhead never did. Just like always, she prioritised her time with Severus. At least when she wasn't studying or enthralled in another battle with James. "Then I remember how different we are and question how that would work. Especially when you consider we've never seen eye to eye on anything."

"We've both learned something about ourselves since finding out we were witches," began Allegra, brushing her mousy hair to the side, for once her hazel eyes shimmered with something other than harsh judgment. "Our journey of self-discovery has led us back to each other. Perhaps it's time to work on our relationship, not just as sisters but as twins too."

For a moment, Isolde thought about Allegra's unusually wise words. Maybe she was right. Despite that, Isolde was still unsure. She was still lost when it came to her friends, mourning for what was and unsure if she was ready to move on. Then there was her relationship trouble with Joaquin; every day, it was like they were pulled further and further apart, like they were in a dark tunnel that had no foreseeable end. At the same time, Isolde questioned what would happen with Allegra's friends; most of them had made it clear Isolde wasn't someone they'd willingly accept, let alone be friends with. They hated her and weren't afraid to show it.

"What about your friends?" Isolde asked, with a slight tremor in her voice. Although she knew Allegra had changed, she doubted whether her twin had changed enough to value a friendship as the treasured gift it was. For a moment, Allegra pondered what she would do about her friends. Although she was thankful they took her in and taught her things, she knew deep down that she wasn't one of them. They were all pure-bloods, often sharing their supremist thoughts and opinions. They desire to join the Death Eater ranks and help the Dark Lord rid the wizarding world of mudbloods, people like her.

"They're not my friends," sighed Allegra, admitting the truth she'd long since come to terms with. "We haven't spoken in weeks, not since Peter cursed them after charms class," she added, although she'd admit even she could see how tormenting Peter would end. Either he'd be brave enough to stand up for himself, or he'd find the courage to tell his friends and maybe a professor about the torment. Either way, it would have ended eventually. "How can we be true friends when they desire to rid the wizarding world of people like us?"

"Together it is," replied Isolde with a burst of confidence. She wondered if she'd really said those words for a second, but that was soon swept away when she saw Allegra truly smile for the first time in forever. "We don't need anyone else anyway," added Isolde, wondering if Allegra would be moved back into the dorm at some point or if their sisterly bond was just a ripple in calm waters.

The sisters soon entered the Great Hall, confidently passing through the golden doors. A smile painted on their lips as they found a space mid-way down the Gryffindor table. Isolde ignored Lily calling her name from the group she often ate breakfast with, much like Allegra did the same with the girls she'd been associated with.

"So tell me about Joaquin?" chuckled Allegra as she spread cherry jam across a few slices of toast. Her chuckle only deepened when a blush heated Isolde's cheeks. "I'm sure you two will find a way through the troubles you're going through now," she added sweetly. Brushing aside her jealousy in the hopes of encouraging and supporting her sister. In the same way, she was sure Isolde would do the same for her if she ever got the chance at a school romance.

"He's brilliant," replied Isolde affectionately, pulling out the picture she carried of herself and Joaquin, taken during the summer. Both were smiling widely and pulling faces, oblivious to the cruel trials waiting for them. "His parents, namely his mother, are punishing him for sharing his opinions and mentioning family traditions from his maternal side," she added, refusing to admit she didn't know what all the fuss was about. "He's been having problems with Healena, his twin, since then."

"He's cute," giggled Allegra, looking at the moving photo of her sister and boyfriend. "Does he have any good-looking friends?" she asked jokingly. Her words pulled a string of laughter from Isolde, lightening the mood slightly. "Seriously though, you two will find a way through, friends and probably siblings be damned."

"What about you?" asked Isolde, a smile appearing across her lips. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming. Even more so, considering she was talking boys and romance with Allegra, the last person she thought that would happen with. "Are you dating anyone? Maybe you have a crush or two?"

"Dating ... No," simply voiced Allegra in response, confessing she'd not been as lucky as Isolde had been, although that didn't bother her all that much, even less so when she wasn't ready for romance yet. Instead, she believed she had to find herself and love who she was before she could risk loving another outside of her family. "A few crushes though, three to be exact, all Gryffindor's. But they barely notice I exist; I'm just a blur in their whirlwind of adventure. Plus, I'm certain at least two of them like someone else," she said, unknowingly looking further down the table, toward the group Isolde had once proudly claimed were her friends.

"Remus, Sirius, and James," sighed Isolde. The three boys often received a lot of attention; they were among the most popular students in school. However, they seemed blind to the signals girls often threw at them. Well, at least Sirius and Remus did. James was a heartbreaker. He went on a few friendly dates here and there but never went further than that. Instead, he made a hobby out of gazing longly at Lily, hoping she'd at least see him for something more than the arrogant prat he was.

"It's silly, isn't it?" longly sighed Allegra, shaking her head to rid herself of the hopeless thoughts of romance and daydreams. Still, she couldn't help but wonder, mainly wordless, what if questioned that were certain to remain answerless. Isolde glanced between her sister and the three boys. She knew Allegra could see the truth regarding Sirius and Remus; anyone could see they were blind to all things love-related unless it revolved around sweet Marlene and the ever-mischievous (Y/N).

"Not silly at all," gently commented Isolde, a hint of curiosity singing through her voice. She wondered if James would give Allegra a chance, especially if Lily continued to reject and ignore him in favor of her friendship with Severus Snape. "The heart wants what it wants," she added, with a renewed determination. She wanted to be there for her sister, build a strong bond between them, and support and encourage her as a good sister would. "Whatever you decide you want to do, I'll support you. I'd say James was the best bet, though."

"I'll give that some thought over Christmas," replied Allegra, turning her attention to her sister. "But I don't think I'm ready for the romance chapter yet," she added quickly. Truth rang through her voice and shone in her eyes. However, she didn't voice her fear of such a commitment and the possibility of having her heart broken for some stupid reason. "So, where do we go from here?"

"I don't know," honestly spoke Isolde, her soft tone remaining in her voice. "But I think it's worth finding out," she added after some thought. She reaffirmed her words mere seconds later with a little nod, glancing at her old group of friends briefly before deciding to cut ties with them altogether. After all, she doubted she could change Marlene or (Y/N)'s mind or fix the broken friendship. Just as she suspected, the four boys of the Marauders would choose to remain loyal to the others. Even more so when the boys already cast her with suspicion even more so now she was spending more time with Allegra.

"To new beginnings," chanted Allegra, holding up a goblet of pumpkin juice. Her smile grew when Isolde picked up her own goblet and repeated the same words. The two clinked the golden goblets shortly after and laughed, with a renewed sense of sisterhood and hope for what could be both with their sisterly bond and the rest of their time at Hogwarts.