Open Sister, dearest.

[Arriman Canker]

[September, 2053]

Arriman was now in his third year at Hogwarts, and feeling pretty confident for it.
It was such a beautiful day; blue skies, gentle breeze dusting the grass, the rhythmic sound of life continuing all around him. It was perfect. Well, it would have been perfect, had his relaxing thoughts not suddenly been intruded upon by the sound of clomping feet approaching from behind. He instantly knew it was his sister, Ivy.

"Ives, don't. I'm having a good day. I'm embracing my zen side." Arriman shut his eyes, pretending to meditate. His sister had just joined the school, and had been sorted into Ravenclaw. Naturally he had found ways to mock her for it- not because there was anything wrong with the Raven house, but because she was his sister, and it was what any good brother would do.

 

[Ivy Canker]

Ivy was in a mood.
She had only just started at the school, had previously felt nothing for any of the houses- just excitement at joining a magical school- and all had been great. She had eagerly sent off a letter to Dad and Pop to tell them she'd made it into Ravenclaw, and both had praised her in a joint letter, stating that it all sounded wonderful, and they were very proud.
So why couldn't her brother express the same happiness?

Ivy didn't understand Arriman's almost instant bullying about her being in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. He referred to her as both being in the 'nerd house', and the 'house of idiots who need to learn something'. Honestly, the whole thing was extremely hurtful to Ivy- she just wanted to make her family proud, particularly her big brother. She looked up to him (in secret, of course), and wanted to impress him. Perhaps he was jealous that this suggested she was more intelligent that him? Was he just projecting his insecurities onto her? Or, could it possibly be, that he felt the slight disappointment that she did- they wouldn't be able to spend the evenings chatting in the same common room?

It didn't take long for Ivy to work out where her brother was- a nice day like this, he was bound to be outside. She was right, of course. He was there, on the lawn, just standing, watching the view as though he expected it to change at any minute.
Ivy stomped her way towards him, her shoes falling heavy on the grass. Deliberate.
"I haven't even said anything, yet," Ivy protested, already feeling annoyed by her brother's dismissal, "but I do deserve to know what all this is about. I'm not going to let this be a repeat of my first junior school year, and I'm definitely not putting up with you stealing my lunch, again. I deserve to know!"

 

[Arriman Canker]

Arriman groaned. "Here we go again!" He turned to face Ivy, shaking his head. "Does it matter? Does it matter why I said what I said? This isn't anything like junior school. We're at a magic school. We need to focus on learning magic so we can have good careers. i just.. I guess I just.." His voice trailed off, disappointed. It was time to come clean.

"Ivy," he spoke soflty, taking a step closer to his sister, "the truth is.. The truth is that it's my job as a big brother to make your school life hell. But also.. Also.." Time to swallow his pride and tell the absolute raw truth. "I wanted you to be a Gryffindor like me. I wanted to hang out with you like the old days. It sucks being the first sibling at a boarding school. I waited two years for you to join. Yeah, I've made some friends, had some laughs, but mostly I've been missing home, missing you. I just wanted my sister back. I just wanted to have you back in my life like it was at home. So.. Yeah.." Arriman closed his eyes, sighing deeply, "It's mostly because I miss you. But it's also hard having a little sister who it about a bajillion years smarter than me."

 

[Ivy Canker]

Ivy blinked. Then blinked again. A single tear traced her cheek, then disappeared into her long hair. She'd never heard her brother speak so emotionally. She had no idea that he was this lonely. She had no idea that he loved her this much. Her heart gave a loud thud as another tear welled up in her eyes. She shook her head at her brother. "You're such an idiot, Arri. Why didn't you just tell me? Why did you have to act like such a butt head? Seriously!" Ivy gave Arriman a light smack on the shoulder. He grunted as she made contact. Ivy smiled. "You're a real fool, you know that? Come here." She pulled her brother close, wrapping her arms around him. "You'll always be my big brother. I'll always do my best to be with you. We can still meet like this, or hang out in the library, or any of the other places at Hogwarts. You're not alone anymore."

 

[Arriman Canker]

Arriman had never been all that openly emotional, but his sister always seemed to bring out the best in him. She held him in the warmest hug he'd felt since saying goodbye to her, the very first time he left for Hogwarts. Perhaps he didn't need to worry, after all. Perhaps all this anxiety was over nothing. The siblings had always been so close, so why should a simple difference in school houses change anything for them? It was ridiculous. Another case of Arriman overthinking his fears.

They'd never grow apart, no matter what the years brought.. Right?

----------

[October, 2053]

Halloween was just days away, and of all the places worth being at Halloween, Hogwarts was at the top of the list. The last couple of years, Arriman had put minimal effort into making a Halloween costume (his first year, he went as a vampire, borrowing lipstick from a fourth year in his common room to draw trails of blood on either side of his mouth, then worn his school shirt, school bottoms, and his black cloak. His second year, Arriman decided to make even less effort, just wearing his most casual clothing, and responding, when asked what he was supposed to be, that he was "a serial killer. They just look like any normal person."), but this year was going to be different. He had a sister to impress and compete with, and he certainly wasn't going to let her get away with putting in the same lazy effort as he had done.

"What's your costume plan, Ivy? I've got some great ideas. I'd be willing to share with you for a price." He grinned, eyeing the bags of magical candy in his sister's hands. She probably shouldn't be eating that much sugar, anyway. He wouldn't be a very good brother if he just let her get away with eating all of those sweet things, and Dad and Pop certainly wouldn't approve. He was just helping her by being a good big brother.