TW: This chapter is pretty heavy and graphic. A car crash is depicted. Read only if you're comfortable.

One Year Ago

"Ahh! It's so freaking cold out!" Cass exclaimed with a giggle as she burst through the front door. Her aunt, uncle, and cousins stared at the twins with a look of exasperation, eyeing their pink cheeks, snowflake-ridden hair, and matching grins.

"Don't be a baby, Cass," Andie said with a laugh. "Just say fucking."

"Andromeda Crane!" their aunt's stern voice called out from the living room where the rest of the family watched some holiday movie rerun, even though Christmas and New Year's had both been days ago and her uncle had already started taking down the decorations. It was easy to see how he was related to the twins' mum—both Type A with a scrunched brow and a thin tolerance for frivolities. Cass would bet her life savings that her mum would take down their Christmas decorations the moment they got back to England. "Don't curse in front of the children!"

"Sorry, Aunt Jess," Andie called out as she strolled into the kitchen. The snowflakes fell off her straight hair and onto the floor, much to their mum and Uncle Mike's dismay. They glared at the puddles she left behind as she set about making a snack. Healthy, of course, because that was Andie and she was in the middle of Quidditch season so she'd refuse anything that wasn't celery or carrots for months. As if on instinct, Andie grabbed the Nutella for Cass, knowing what her sister would ask for without even asking. Cass smiled as she attempted—but failed—to shake the snowflakes from her tightly coiled curls.

"What were you two even doing out there? It's freezing!" Jess exclaimed. "Make yourselves some hot chocolate. I want to use up the rest of that milk."

Cass wasted no time listening to her aunt but Andie just poured herself a glass of regular, non-chocolate, definitely healthier milk. Cass rolled her eyes.

"Just, you know, walked around," Andie said with a soft smile, flashing Cass a wink. The two of them were definitely not taking a walk. That would have been much more delightful than Andie dragging them out to an empty field before practicing her Chasing skills while making Cass run after the flying quaffles every time Andie scored. Cass's boots were still squelching from all of the snow that got in them.

"You owe me," Cass hissed under her breath, careful that their cousins didn't hear them. As muggles, they couldn't hear anything about the magical world. If they heard that Andie owed Cass for a walk, they'd know something was up. They'd always been secretive, keeping to themselves for the most part so they didn't risk spilling something they weren't supposed to. Thankfully, their cousins just assumed that this was a part of their twin nature, not something more. Plus, most of them were younger than Andie and Cass so they didn't want to hang out much with them anyway. "My feet are still freezing and I've never ran more in my life!"

Andie rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. I promise we'll go to that cookie place tonight. My treat. I'll even buy you another hot chocolate."

"Good! You better!"

Their uncle walked in with a frown. "Hope you girls weren't planning on going somewhere tonight. The storm is getting worse."

Andie smiled. "Don't worry, Uncle Mike. I'm a great driver and we aren't going very far." She didn't need to mention that they had magic to get them out of binds if they needed it. Andie was an excellent driver, but even when she wasn't, her wand had stopped the car with lightning-quick reflexes before Cass could even blink. It was one of the many reasons Cass refused to try and get her license. She didn't need it, not when she could apparate in a few months and Andie could drive her everywhere in the muggle world.

Mike frowned. "Ice is starting to form on the road girls. Why don't you just tuck in for the night and go another day? You've still got a couple of days before going back to England."

Andie shook her head and gave him a charming smile. "We're just going down the road, Uncle Mike. We'll be fine."

Mike gave them that look that suggested that he really didn't like that idea but that he wasn't one of their parents so he couldn't tell them no.

Mike left the room, only to replaced by their bouncing, joyous father, who looked odd in the muggle clothes they'd kept in the closet purely for this time of year. A large sweater with a reindeer on it accompanied by pants that hung loosely off his body. Cass smiled as she watched him fiddle with his non-robe attire. "Hello, my sweets," he cooed as he kissed both of the twins' cheeks. Then, his voice dropped to a whisper. "How's my little Quidditch player?"

"Good. I've almost got the Porskoff Ploy down!" Andie whispered back excitedly. "Berkshire's the only player at Hogwarts who can do it right now but I'll catch up to him."

"That's my girl," their father said with a smile before looking at Cass. "And my little sunshine is so talented too."

"Just not at Quidditch," Andie snorted. "You should've seen her trying to retrieve the quaffles. She's no Berkshire."

Cass frowned. "That's the second time you've mentioned this 'Berkshire' person. Who are they?"

"He's this amazing Slytherin chaser. I have no idea how he isn't Captain this year when he's the best chaser Hogwarts has seen in decades, if not ever."

"He'll be captain next year," their father interjected. Andie nodded as if there was no other possibility.

"Definitely. He might even just skip being captain and go straight to being Head Boy."

"Head Boy?" Cass asked with disbelief. "But he's not even a prefect."

Andie shrugged. "You don't technically have to be, I don't think. He'd be the perfect candidate. Great at Quidditch, incredibly nice, knows practically everyone, great at school, good-looking—"

"'Good looking?'" Cass laughed. "Sounds like you have a crush on this Berkshire guy."

"His name is Enzo, Cass, and no, I'm just stating a simple fact. Enzo is one of the best-looking guys in our grade. I definitely don't have a crush on him." She pursed her lips before her brown eyes widened. "Actually, from what I know of him, I think he'd really like—"

"Okay," their father said with a chuckle. "You don't need your old man around to talk boys. You two enjoy your little excursion tonight and please try to not spin out your uncle's car."

"Don't worry, Dad. We've got our wands," Andie said with a roll of her eyes. She turned back to Cass. "I don't think you want to be stuck in a car with me before I shower. Can you wait an hour for your desserts or are you going to kill me in hanger?"

Cass looked out at the darkening sky and the sleet coming down in waves. Michigan was always snowy and icy whenever they visited their mum's family but this year was even worse. Thankfully, they were wizards. Otherwise, their little trip to grab Cass some cookies tonight would be terrible.

"You're safe from my hanger... for now," Cass said with a little grin. "Go ahead and shower, stinky. I'll hang out down here."

Cass grabbed her camera before hopping on the couch between her cousins, taking candid pictures of her family. While Andie had her Quidditch, Cass had her camera. She loved taking pictures of anything and everything, capturing emotion in each one of her shots. Cass smiled as she pointed the camera at her laughing cousin, already looking forward to the way the happiness would be portrayed in the printed portrait. It would definitely be going on her wall at Hogwarts.

After quite some time, Andie strolled back down the steps, fully clad in her winter gear but looking much more put together. She must've dried her hair so it wouldn't freeze out in the cold. Cass sighed. If she tried to shower and dry her hair, it would've taken much longer than an hour. She loved her curls but they were such a pain sometimes.

"Ready to go?" Andie asked, twirling the keys to Uncle Mike's car. Cass didn't know how her sister managed to persuade him to change his mind about them driving in the weather. Andie must have read the look on her face—another wonderful twin thing—because she chuckled. "Come on, scaredy cat. Be cool."

"I'm cool!" No, she wasn't. At least, not compared to Andie. Cass followed Andie out to the car, buckling up in the passenger seat before cracking the heaters of the car.

Andie's grin was slow as she adjusted the driver's seat before taking off down the road. "Of course you are. Otherwise, I'd never admit you were my sister," she teased. "Maybe you'll be cool enough for Berkshire one day."

Cass rolled her eyes and resisted the temptation to hit her sister while she was driving. "You are ridiculous! I've never even met this Enzo guy and you're already trying to set us up."

"You're acting like a cloud right now and you know that's my job. But seriously," Andie said, shrugging her shoulders at Cass's glare. It probably looked like a kitten threatening someone. Cass was the least intimidating person ever. "I think Berkshire would really like you."

"Why do you say that?" Cass asked as they pulled up in front of the cookie shop on the main street of the small town. There was no one there so they got to park right in front of the store. No one else would be daft enough to drive right now; not everyone had magic to save them, after all.

"I dunno. I just think he'd be obsessed with you. You're the kind of girl I'd picture him with." Cass rolled her eyes at her sister's poor attempt to matchmaker and walked inside the shop.

The cookie shop smelled like butter and sugar—two of Cass's favorite things. The place radiated warmth and cozy vibes, thanks to the old woman who ran the store. She lived upstairs in the loft above the place, which was probably the only reason they were still open. The woman smiled and greeted Cass, already preparing her order. Cass blushed as she realized that she and Andie were only in Michigan for two weeks out of the year yet she'd come here so often that the old woman running the store remembered her order. Andie just chuckled as she realized the same thing.

"Come on, Cass. You can eat that cookie in the car." Cass grabbed the snickerdoodle as Andie paid, a smile on her face as she trot out to the car. But the smile quickly left as she watched Andie open the passenger door and begin to climb in.

"What do you think you're doing?" Cass asked, the fear already rising in her heart.

Andie smiled. "You need to learn how to drive. No one is on the road now. It's a perfect learning opportunity!"

"No, it's not! The weather is way too bad for me to learn how to drive now!"

"Cass, we have magic," Andie said with a roll of her eyes. "I'll be there the whole time. Nothing will happen. Don't be such a baby."

Cass shook her head. "No. I'm not comfortable. It's way too icy out."

"We didn't slip on ice on the way here," Andie pointed out. "I drove first to make sure it was safe. Plus, look!" Andie gestured around them. "The snow's stopped. It's a sign."

Cass eyed the keys Andie was holding out with wary eyes. "I don't want to."

"Come onnnn," Andie sighed. "It's just a few minutes. Be cool, Crane."

Cass looked into her twin's steady, confident gaze. Andie would never do something to put them in danger. If she thought it was safe, it probably was. Was Cass overthinking this? It was only a few minutes and the snow had stopped. Andie would be there with her wand the whole time.

Sensing Cass's trepidation, Andie pulled out the big guns. "I'll feed you your cookie while you drive and I'll massage your aching little legs when we get back to Mike and Jess's."

There was a pit in Cass's stomach—something that told her not to take the keys. But Andie was so certain, plus a massage did sound nice. Andie was probably right. Cass just wasn't being cool.

She sighed and grabbed the keys just as Andie cheered. "Yay! I can't wait to tell Mum and Dad that you finally agreed to drive."

"You act like I never drive," Cass mumbled. "This isn't the force time you've forced me."

"Yeah, but it's your first time in America and your first time in winter weather. Two big milestones in one night. Your whole life is gonna change, sissy," she teased.

Cass just sighed and sat behind the driver's wheel. It was so weird being on this side of the car. On the driver's side in America. Whenever she sat in this seat, she was usually the passenger back in England. Be cool, Crane, Cass reminded herself. With a heaving breath, she turned on the car, waited for it to warm up, and then slowly began to drive.

"Atta girl!" Andie cheered as Cass pulled out on the road. She was so thankful there weren't any other cars around to witness this. "Look at you! You're cool, Crane."

Cass rolled her eyes. "You're a Crane too, Andie."

"What a coincidence! Guess that makes me cool too." Cass could see Andie smile in her peripheral vision as she slowly got up to speed, finally driving normally after working out some of the fear in her system. Some, not all. She was still pretty terrified. That sinking feeling in her stomach just wasn't going away. "Alright, you've earned your cookie. Open up."

Cass dutifully opened her mouth only for a warm bite of snickerdoodle to be placed on her tongue. Yup, the quaffle chasing had been worth it. She moaned softly.

"Don't let Berkshire hear that noise. He'll go wild over you," Andie teased.

"Will you cut it out? You talk about him so much that it's clear you're wild over him."

"No," Andie insisted. "I'm not. I'm just not wild about the fact that you and Zach have been broken up for months and you still won't move on. What's it going to take for you to get over that piece of shit?"

"Andie!"

"What?" Andie's voice was shocked.

"That's not very nice!"

"You're right. It wouldn't be very nice if it wasn't true. Zacharias is a giant asshole. I've been trying to tell you that for so long." Cass kept her mouth firmly shut because Andie had gloated enough the past few months. Ever since Cass had caught Zacharias asking a Ravenclaw to come over with his hand on her cheek just like he would do to Cass, Andie had been raving about him. Her twin had never liked the guy and now that they had all but definitive proof that Zach was cheating on her on nights that Cass and Andie hung out.

"You don't have to call him names just because he's a jerk."

"You just called him a name!"

"Yeah, but not a curse word." Andie grumbled under her breath just as Cass giggled.

"I have no idea what you ever saw in him. He was never nice to you, he walked all over you, and he was a complete asshole to me and Margot."

"Andie!"

"It's true and you know it. Asshole is putting it nicely. I had to deal with him at Quidditch practices and he was always saying the worst things about you. Just a total cunt."

"Andie, stop it!"

"Son of a bitch, asshole, piece of shit, cunt, you name it—"

"Andie, quit it!"

Cass turned to look at her sister to scold her. But that was a mistake. One second without her eyes on the road meant one second to miss the patch of black ice, nearly invisible. Andie, who was busy using her hands to list off her insults of Zacharias Smith, didn't have her wand at the ready.

Everything happened so fast.

The tires lost their grip before Cass even registered what was happening. One second, the two girls were just driving normally. The open road had stretched endlessly before them, dark and slick beneath the dim streetlights. The next, the car shuddered violently, skidding sideways as the back end swung around. Cass's breath hitched, her knuckles turning white against the while as the fear was back in full forse.

"Andie—" Her sister's name was half gasp, half warning.

The car spun. The trees around them blurred to become one dizzying watercolor, a vision of headlights mixed with shadows. Cass's foot slammed the brakes but it was no use. The car was weightless, the world tilting in sickening slow motion.

And then, with one deafening crack, it stopped.

Metal crumpled. Glass shattered. The horn pierced loudly and didn't stop.

The seatbelt snapped tightly across Cass's ribs, yanking her back against the seat. The impact forced the air from her lungs in a violent whoosh, snapping her head against the headrest. Stars burst out from her vision. For a fraction of a second, everything was silent. Still. DArk.

Then, came the ringing. High-pitched and drowning out everything else, it woke Cass from that brief second of darkness. The ringing mixed with the sound of the eternal horn. The sounds made waves of pain burst from the back of Cass's skull.

She gasped. Her lungs burned as she sucked in breath after breath. Each inhale felt thin and jagged, as if something wasn't quite right in her body. Her leg felt wrong and her body ached. Cass's fingers trembled as they reached out toward the passenger seat. She was blind and desperate, those stars threatening to overtake her.

"Andie?" Cass croaked, waiting to hear her sister's voice making fun of her.

But there was only silence.

Cass forced her eyes opened only to gasp, the sound bringing on more and more pain.

Blood. There was so much blood. It painted the dashboard as if it were some sort of Jackson Pollock painting. The windshield was shattered. The glass glittered across the car like fallen stars. As if her brain was moving in slow motion—her mind not quite grasping anything but pain—Cass looked to the side.

Her sister was there, blonde hair shining in the flickering light of the headlights. Her head lolled to the side, that beautiful hair clinging to a dark gash at her temple.

Cass's breath hitched. A choked, gasping sound ripped from her throat. "Andie?" Her fingers brushed against her sister's arm, warm but unyielding. "Andie, wake up."

Nothing.

No flinch. No groan. No movement.

Cass's stomach bottomed out. Her body went cold, her heartbeat hammering in her ears as she shook her sister's shoulder. "Come on, Andie, wake up. Wake up."

But Andie wasn't waking up.

A strangled sound clawed its way up Cass's throat, part gasp, part sob, part something unrecognizable. It started small—disbelief, denial—before it cracked wide open into a scream. "Andie!"

She looked at her sister's glazed eyes and the drool pooling below where her head rested against the dashboard. "ANDIE!"

Cass clutched at her sister's cheeks. They were still warm. She must be alright. She was just taking a little longer to come back to.

"Andie, come on!" Cass was dimly aware of the warm tears streaking down her cheeks. "Come on, Andie! We've got to get home. Wake up!"

Blood coated Cass's hands, pouring from the wound on Andie's head like a dam had burst open. Her fingers trembled beneath the sticky syrup but Cass was too busy watching her sister's eyes to care. Waiting for them to blink.

Cass pressed her forehead to her sister's, her body wracked with violent, gasping cries. "ANDIE!" she sobbed, that scream working its way back up through her throat. "Andie, please. Don't leave me. You can't."

Her own breath came in frantic, shuddering gasps, each one sharper than the last, like she was suffocating on the truth. Andie wasn't coming back. "We're twins, Andie," she cried. "You can't go anywhere without me. We're stuck together."

Behind her, sirens called, accompanied by flashing white, red, and blue lights but Cass didn't see them. All she could see was Andie. Her sobs were coming faster, harder, until she began to choke on the raw screams exiting her body. She didn't hear the sound of glass crunching underneath boots. All she could hear was that horn blaring, an accompaniment to her visceral cries.

Cass wailed—an agonized, animal sound that scraped against her throat like barbed wire. "ANDIE! COME BACK!" Her hands latched onto her twin's jacket and held tightly while her arms shook as she fought to keep herself held together.

But that was the thing: how could she hold herself together when she just lost half of her soul?

Strong arms wrapped around Cass's middle, dragging her back.

"No! No, no, no, NO!" She thrashed, fought, kicked—her nails tearing at the hands pulling her away. "LET ME GO!" The scream she let out cracked in the pain. "I CAN'T LEAVE HER!"

Someone was speaking to her—soft words, careful hands, empty comfort. They were wrapping blankets around her, checking her eyes, feeling the back of her head. But Cass didn't pay attention to anyone.

She stared at her sister's unmoving form. The chest wasn't rising. The eyes weren't blinking. The mouth wasn't curling into that wry little smile. Andie was gone. And she wasn't coming back.

Cass finally stopped fighting the paramedics. The fight drained out of her all at once, leaving only the grief. The suffocating, black feeling that dragged her under. Cass felt her emotions leave her, felt that little bit of her soul curl up inside of her. Cass fell asleep underneath all the pain.

And she did not wake for a long time.

I'm going to be honest guys: I did not expect this chapter to wrench my gut like it did. It probably didn't help that I was listening to "Think of Me Once in a While" literally on repeat but oh my gosh, Cass's emotions just felt like a knife to my gut. I'm really proud of this chapter, as emotional as it is. Normally I say hope you enjoyed, but I don't think anyone will really *enjoy* this like that.

Next chapter will definitely have some comfort and healing, as we'll be back in the present day with Enzo and Cass.