The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

13. Separation

 Elsa loved everything about Hogwarts, from the grand feast with candles that floated above their heads to moving staircases that attempted to misguide you, but if timed correctly, could lead you to your destination faster. She loved belonging to the Ravenclaw House, where everyone was of similar mind to hers. She got along with her roommates immediately. Luna often spoke like through a dream while Sue Li shared Elsa's love for books.

But the ache of separation made it impossible to enjoy her beautiful blue-themed dorm.

"If you ever need me, you can always send me a signal," Jack had assured her after the evening feast.

She needed him when she followed her housemates and saw him walk in the opposite direction. She needed him when she was shown her bed and had no idea where his bed was. And she needed him to fall asleep, afraid that her nightmares would return. Where would she find the comfort he gave her?

No matter how much she needed him, she did not use the special connection they shared to call him. They had both wanted this. They had to adapt to the situation even when it felt like punishment.

She left her roommates to unpack and made her way to the airy, Ravenclaw common room, where tall bookcases were stacked all the way to the vaulted ceiling, painted in twinkling stars. Elsa picked up a random book and curled up in a soft chair, but she couldn't even find the will to read a single page.

She had a flashback to how when small, she had "borrowed" a book from the kitchen and snuck to their chamber to study by the candlelight.

"What's that?" Jack had asked.

"An elixir book," Elsa had said, tracing lines of text. She didn't know then that she was holding the book upside down. "I'm going to learn how to read."

"Once you do, teach me too, will you?" Jack had said, getting back in his cot. "I don't want to be left behind."

Did she leave him behind now? She didn't mean to.

"My first night was hard too."

Elsa wiped her eyes and looked up at who had said that. It was Padma, one of the twins from the train. She sat on the other chair, holding out a handkerchief. "No one knows what it's like to be separated from their twin if they don't have one."

"Thanks." Elsa dabbed away the tears. "We have never been apart."

Their mother used separation as punishment, but even then, they were locked in adjacent chambers and could feel each other through the walls. Now, Elsa had no idea where he was and no one could tell her how to find the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. What was the purpose of this secrecy?

"It will get better, I promise," Padma continued. "In the end, I think it was for the best that Parvati and I ended up in different Houses."

"How could it be for the best?"

"Well, look at it this way. We're identical, right? So, people tend to think of us as interchangeable—one of the Patil twins. But we're very different people. We have different characters, skills, preferences. We like to be recognized individually, not as a whole, and being in separate houses allows us that."

Elsa wiped her dripping nose and considered the wise words.

"I wouldn't be mistaken for my brother," she joked, and Padma giggled, "but I see your point. I would probably always walk in the shadow of his loud personality."

"Exactly," Padma agreed. "This way, you get to be your own person."

A smile crept onto Elsa's face. Belonging to the Ravenclaw House was a reward, a privilege, not punishment.

"See? You're doing great," Padma said. "Reason always wins."