Closed Echoes in the Reflection

[Diana Hollis]

Diana thought to herself that it had been too long since she had seen Lucy. They had never been as close as they could have been, their age gap of more than a decade creating a natural barrier between them. The twins had been born right around the time Lucy went to Hogwarts, adding even more distance. Diana had felt like she was drowning for the first two years of the twins' lives, struggling to keep her head above water even with her parents' help. But now, as the twins grew older and more independent, it was as if she was finally breaking through the surface. She could breathe again, and for the first time in a long while, she had space to think about other things, like reconnecting with Lucy.

Hogwarts students entered the village through a busy street, and that was where Diana had decided to wait for her sister. The twins were with her parents, thankfully, and she had the whole afternoon to just talk to her younger sister. Diana leaned against the wall of a shop as she waited for her younger sister to appear. Lucy was a mystery to Diana, though she reminded her of Phoebe. The way Lucy carried herself, her sense of humor, it was all so familiar, almost like looking at a younger version of Phoebe. Out of all her sisters, Diana's relationship with Phoebe had always been the most strained. She didn’t want the same for her and Lucy.

She watched the stream of students walk past, trying to see her sister in the crowd. The sight of so many young witches and wizards laughing and chatting brought back memories of her own Hogwarts days. It felt like a lifetime ago, and Diana felt her age as she watched the younger witches walk past. She wondered how she would feel when Dahlia and Dylan went to Hogwarts. Thankfully, that was still a long time from now. Finally, she spotted her. Diana caught her eye and raised her hand in greeting, smiling. She had grown a lot since the last time she saw her. Lucy was no longer the annoying little kid she had seen only briefly on Hogwarts breaks. She was growing into her own person, and Diana looked forward to getting to know the young woman her sister was becoming.

 

[Lucy Holland]

Brightstone was always a treat to look forwards to, both for the freedom and for the chance to see her family, catching up in more than just letters. She always did her best to catch up with someone or other, but Diana had always been the most difficult of her sisters to find time with. It wasn't malicious of course - Diana had the twins to look after, and her to-do list always seemed far busier than Lucy would have liked. But thankfully they had managed to find time today, and Lucy couldn't wait to catch up with her most elusive sister.

Wearing a bright frilly dress that made her feel a bit like a fancy cupcake, Lucy bounced down the path with the rest of her schoolmates, trying to peer around people to spot Diana. Finally she caught sight of her over the top of a group of first years, and let out a bright squeal of delight. She pushed past the smaller students easily and bounded over to her sister. "DIANA!" She beamed, yanking her older sister into a tight hug. "I missed you!"

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana didn't know how she had failed to notice Lucy's dress until she was right in front of her. It was an ridiculous eyesore and Diana blinked at it a few times before Lucy pulled her into a hug. She let out a soft laugh, wrapping her arms around her sister before pulling back. "Hey Lucy. You look... bright." She said, forcing a smile. Each of the sisters had their own style, and Merlin knew Diana had worn some ridiculous things when she was younger, but this was still a surprise. With any of her other sisters, Diana would let them know, but Lucy was different. She smiled, brushing a strand hair out of her sister's face. "You need to stop growing, it's alarming." She said. "You'll be taller than me soon." She glanced out into the street. "What would you like to do, some shopping? Get something to drink?"

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy giggled at the comment about her dress, giving a cheerful twirl. "It's cute, isn't it?!" She beamed, bouncing a little so the skirt would puff out more. She'd only really started getting into fashion this year, and she was loving all the cute things she had been able to incorporate into her wardrobe. She knew Diana had... very different tastes, but surely her sister could appreciate something this cute? She laughed and rolled her eyes, elbowing Diana lightly, biceps straining the sleeve of her dress slightly. "I'm still shorter than most of my class, there's second years taller than me." She complained. Looking around the village, Lucy pondered her options. Shopping sounded fun, but it also sounded like a great way to wind up fighting about what was cute and what wasn't. "Maybe we could get a cup of tea first?"

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana's smile grew more forced as Lucy twirled in her abomination of a dress, showing it off proudly. It was a good reminder that despite her new height, she was still a kid. Diana was wearing a silk black top and a pair of dark purple pants, her nails painted a similar color. She just knew the two of them looked a little silly next to each other, but she supposed that was the way it was when you had a sixteen year age gap with your sister. "Very." She said, hoping it didn't sound as sarcastic as she feared it might. She quickly moved on. "That doesn't mean anything, I was the tallest in my class for the first two years and then everyone shot past me and I never caught up. I was furious the day I realized Alice was taller than me." She said, rolling her eyes. They started to walk, Diana nodding at Lucy's suggestion. "Sure, let's walk to the three broomsticks." She said, guiding Lucy in that direction. "Merlin, I haven't been here during a Hogwarts weekend in ages..." She said, glancing at all the students. "It's so busy."

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy bounced alongside Diana as she listened, laughing lightly. "I can't even picture you taller than Alice." She teased. "Were you ever taller than Rose?" She knew it wasn't likely really - as much as her sisters all felt roughly the same range of 'grown up' to her, she knew there was... a bit of a gap between Rose and Diana, though it hardly felt like anything to Lucy. Not really - when your nearest sister was fourteen years older, the space of two or three years felt like nothing at all. She glanced up at her sister as they made their way along the street, studying her expression curiously. Lucy had hardly even noticed the bustle of the village, so used to the same chaos at school. "It's so nice, isn't it?" She said brightly. "So many people getting out to have fun!"

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana smiled slightly and shook her head. "I was only ever slightly taller, she always caught up with me quickly." She said, remembering how they had been when they were young. Only a year apart, she and Alice were often grouped together, the same way Rose and Phoebe were. She shook her head at Lucy's next question. "No, when I went to Hogwarts Rose was already in her fourth year." She said, thinking back. "I was never taller than her or Phoebe." She added with a small sigh. "Have they written you?" She asked, curious to hear if her other sister kept up with Lucy too. She saw them occasionally, of course, but she never really spoke to Phoebe unless they were face to face at a family gathering. They had never quite gotten over their differences as kids and Phoebe made no secret of disapproving of Diana's life choices. Considering she was living with her parents again with the twins, Phoebe was probably right, which was the most infuriating part. Diana was again reminded of how different Lucy was to her when she reacted to the amount of people so differently. Diana at her age would've been annoyed that others were in her way. Lucy was a lot nicer. "Glad you're enjoying it. Now tell me about Hogwarts, how is it? Any cute boys?" She asked teasingly. "Or girls." She added with a shrug.

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy nodded brightly, hands swaying in front of her. "Yeah! I ask Phoebe about my homework all the time, and then I usually have to guess if she's given me the real answer or a joke one. And Rose and I send each other the best jokes we hear, and I tell Alice all about what's been going on at school." She paused. "And sometimes I send Elliot letters to remind him what a pretty flower girl I would make if he wanted to maybe get married to Alice sometime." She added with a cheeky grin. She laughed when Diana asked about crushes, blushing brightly. "Well.... there's a guy I think is pretty cute." She admitted in a low voice, walking closer, sure her blush could be seen a mile away. "I think he just thinks I'm a little kid though, I don't think he likes me like that..."

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana snorted when Lucy said she wrote to Phoebe about homework. "I wouldn't trust anything she says. She's smart, but she never cared much for homework." Diana said about her older sister. She was glad Lucy had such good contact with their sisters, though there was a pang of jealousy too. She really hadn't kept up with Lucy enough lately. She laughed. "Well, he did decide he wanted to marry Alice, they're just taking their time." She said, barely containing an eye-roll. Alice had always been so proper and perfect, of course she wasn't rushing to get married even though she started dating her soulmate in school. Diana knew she shouldn't compare their situations, and she wouldn't trade the twins for anything, but it was a little annoying how perfect Alice always was. Diana grinned and turned to Lucy when she mentioned a cute guy, but when she mentioned he saw her as a little kid, she raised her eyebrows slightly. "So.... how old is he? What year?" She asked, wondering if Lucy liked someone a year ahead of her the way Diana had around her age, or if this was a more unattainable crush.

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy laughed. "I think she's just testing me, I won't know which are the right answers she gives me if I don't actually study." She smiled. "And they've taken too much time. At this rate I'll be too old to be flower girl, and she'll have to make me Maid of Honour instead..." She said with a tragic sigh. As soon as Diana asked, Lucy regretted bringing up her crush. She knew it was silly, really, she just couldn't help her feelings. "He's a seventh year." She admitted in a quick whisper. "I know he isn't gonna like me, he's just... he's so handsome! And nice! And he's a really good captain, and last year he said I was the MVP when we won the cup, and this year he made me one of the lead beaters and he's so nice!" She rambled out in a single breath, blinking up at Diana.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana shrugged when Lucy said Phoebe was testing her. It was a generous interpretation, but probably true. Diana had never asked her sister for help with her homework back in the day. She was fairly sure Phoebe would have just given her wrong information. "It might be fun to all be bridesmaids together." She said with a slight smile as Lucy mentioned the wedding. Diana smiled softly as Lucy told her about her crush on her Quidditch captain. She remembered what it was like to be her age, and it seemed like Lucy was as realistic about it as she could be, which was more than fair. "I'm glad he's nice." She said with a smile, not wanting to embarrass Lucy more. "I had my first crush when I was around your age, a little younger. He wasn't nice, and honestly not really that handsome either, and he still broke my heart." She said with a wry smile. "Did I ever tell you that story?"

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy considered it. "I mean, it would be fun, but flower girl is a special job, I wanna get to throw petals and stuff." She shrugged. "Plus, I could have a way cuter dress than you guys." She added with a grin. She was relieved when Diana didn't press the crush subject too much further, though her face fell as Diana described it. "Eww, sounds like he sucks." She frowned. "I don't think you ever told me. Do I know him?" She asked, unable to help mentally running through the list of men she knew about Diana's age. It didn't seem likely, but who knew?

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana shrugged when Lucy said she liked flower girl because she had a special job, again reminded that her sister was in this awkward stage between being a little girl and a young woman. She laughed. "I'm sure you'll manage to outshine all of us, even Alice." She said, reaching playfully for the blue streak in Lucy's hair. Diana smiled fondly at the memory of Edmund. He had broken her heart, but before that he had been a good first boyfriend. It was really his brother's fault anyway. It was so long ago now, it was honestly funny to look back on. "His name is Edmund Westwick, you wouldn't know him. He works with Phoebe though, he's her boss now." She said with a snort. "So I guess he got his comeuppance." They both knew Phoebe and authority figures didn't really mix. "He was a year above me in school and he has a twin brother, identical. The two of them were always together and barely talked to anyone else, they were kind of creepy, but it was definitely on purpose." She said with a light chuckle.

They neared the Three Broomsticks. Diana remembered how she and Edmund had bonded over bullying some first year and she decided to omit that from the story. Lucy didn't need to know that. "Anyway we got close and went to the yule ball together and started dating, but his twin wasn't happy about it. It's kind of sad looking back at it, they were clearly not used to having to share each other's attention with anyone and I guess he was pretty lost," it was much easier to have sympathy now that she had twins of her own. "So one day, Edmund came out of nowhere and broke up with me, pretty brutally too. I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was cruel. Only, it turned out later that it hadn't been him but his brother pretending to be him." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "It sounds so silly now, almost like a story out of a book. But back then it felt like the end of the world. I was crushed. We never recovered, he got upset I didn't realize it wasn't him, I was upset he blamed me... and then we broke up." She shrugged. "I can't believe how long ago that all was."

 

[Lucy Holland]

Lucy rolled her eyes when Diana touched her hair, twitching away from the gesture instinctively. She was loving her blue streaks and already kind of wanted to dye all of her hair blue, but having her sister try to fidget with it was testing that plan. Thankfully she was quickly distracted as Diana spoke, eyes wide in awe as her sister opened up. It was so strange - Diana had always been a grownup in her head, she couldn't quite picture this foreign version of her sister at her age, a girl dealing with first crushes and first heartbreaks in the same halls Lucy trod. "Oh my GOD!" She yelped in disbelief, staring at Diana. "That's the worst! I'm never ever ever dating a twin, that's so awful! Why would he even do something so mean?" She wrinkled her face up. "And he's Phoebe's boss now?! How has she not killed him yet?"

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana chuckled at Lucy's reaction. It was cute and honestly a little gratifying. It had been the worst. She laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think all twins are like that." She said, smiling fondly. "And it wasn't really his fault, his brother was the real jerk." She shrugged slightly. "Phoebe did threaten to kill him back then apparently, he seemed quite terrified." The memory made her smile fondly. Maybe she and Phoebe didn't have the best relationship, but they'd still kill for each other. "I think she's probably making his life hell at work, that's revenge enough don't you think?"