the lovable twin

Lorcan: okay, just putting the offer out. She doesn’t have to stay if you don’t want her to, James. I know... trust me, I want to rip Christian to pieces. A werewolf firing squad would be fun. I just don’t want you all to think we’re monsters for doing it. He’ll carry out the execution on behalf of all of us. It’ll be fine. Thank god. I’ll throw a party when they’re gone

“At least he didn’t try to kill you,” she shrugged. Honestly, a memory charm wasn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things and Evander was kind of a brat. “He’s a guy, he’s used to getting whatever he wants without consequence.” Being pureblood was one thing, being a pureblood male was a whole new level of privilege that even Amara couldn’t touch. “I can honestly say I’ve never been to either. They’re pretty close to each other, though, right?” she asked curiously. “We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember. I….approve of his relationship more than I approve of his living arrangements but I’m still not a fan of either. Not that there’s anything wrong with your brother, I just don’t know him. I was kind of hoping you were him so we could talk,” she admitted. “At least they’re official this time and Tristan isn’t shoved off to the side as some sort of after thought.”

“He’s an arse no matter what at the end of the day.” He muttered, still so happy that he was out of the picture now. In the end, didn’t Lorcan win out on that? “Decently close, but totally different.” He shrugged. His head nodded as she spoke, at least happy to hear the Purebloods seemed to be on board with his brother and Tristan. If there plan was going to work, that seemed to be an important aspect. “James isn’t exactly thrilled with it as well, I assure you. But, I can answer anything you’d like about him. I’d like to think I know my brother better than most.” He sighed as he sat back in his chair. “Yeah, I was never quite the fan of that, but Lysander just does his own thing without giving much thought into what people think. He was happy and that was all he needed to know.”

She blushed at his smile. “Yes, I did know that. Anyone in Ravenclaw knows it.” She thanked him mentally, for ignoring it. “ Oh yes, I’m sure I will.” 

“Please, now you’re just stroking my ego.” He laughed. He wasn’t that well known, right? It wasn’t like Lorcan did too much...well, top wizard for the school last year, chaser for the Quidditch team, potion prodigy...okay, we did a lot.

“There are worse people in my family he could have dated,” she shrugged. Like those fake cousins of hers. At least Evander was a real Carrow. She laughed when his eyes rolled, surprised he’d asked her to sit if he was really that uninterested in being nice. “Tristan mentioned you two traveling. Anywhere exciting?” And when did they leave again so she could hang out with her best friend?

“I don’t know...last time I checked anyone who erases someone’s memory because of fear of being turned in is sort of the worst.” Lorcan said coldly. At least the topic moved to something he actually enjoyed talking about. “We have. Nepal so far. Bali is next week for a week or two.” He said casually, not quite sure if she actually cared or not, but maybe there was some reason she was interested. “So, you and Tristan are that close? You approve of him and my brother?” He asked curiously.

Amara had to stop herself from rolling her eyes when Lorcan told her to watch it, like he was at all threatening in that miniature sized body of his. “Ah, right. I always forget he dated Evander. At least he’s got decent taste,” she shrugged.  Her brows rose in surprise when he asked if she wanted to sit but she took the invitation anyway. “I haven’t received quite enough judgment for the day, so why not?” she asked as she took a seat.  “Enjoying being done with school?” 

“I don’t know if I could say he has decent taste when it came to him, but whatever. Your family, not mine.” Thank Merlin for that. Nothing had made him happier than when that relationship came to an end. Fucking asshole. He felt his eyes roll slightly without even realizing it at her words. “It’s a lot more enjoyable getting to focus on what I want to instead of every pointless subject.” Lorcan shrugged. 

“Sometimes literally, I’ve heard,” she commented before frowning slightly at herself. “That was in poor taste and I apologize,” she said sincerely. “With everything going on? So you just judge everyone by their names then? Your brother is dating a Flint - do you give him shit too?” she asked curiously. 

“Watch it, Carrow.” Lorcan hissed without a moment of hesitation. He might be considered the nice one, but if he was pushed, he’d have no problem showing why he easily could’ve been in Slytherin like his twin. He didn’t say anything to the apology, just letting it go as much as he could. “I do, actually. My brother doesn’t have the best track record in the past, as you probably know a bit too well. The only reason he gets a slight pass is because he lives with James.” He knew the truth but no one else did, so putting up the front was just about all he could do. “Do you want to sit?” He asked, hating himself for even humoring the conversation.

“Actually, I did. I didn’t expect to be met with so much hostility, though. Did I do something to you and it’s just slipped my mind or are you always kind of an asshole?”

With a last name like Carrow, Lorcan knew to be more defensive than anything. “My brother sometimes rubs off on me.” He said with a small shrug as he set his book to the side. “You can’t really blame me, can you? With everything going on?” He asked as he reached for the coffee he had.

She blushed, “I haven’t even introduced myself. I apologize. My name is Isolde Rowle.” She prayed for him to ignore her last name. “Yes, I am a pureblood.” Unfortunately, her family did participate in the elite society bullshit. 

“Lorcan Scamander, though I take it you obviously knew that already.” Lorcan said with his usual, dashing smile. The last name was hard to ignore, but he figured there was no reason to comment on it. “Ah. Well. I hope you at least enjoy some of the things that come with it.” He was always thankful his parents distanced themselves from it all, but hearing about Tristan’s experiences from Lysander was enough for him to know that wasn’t anything he’d wish on anyone.

“I was three years ahead of you guys - talking to fourth years as a seventh year unless they’re family friends is just weird,” she pointed out. “And even still, I figured out the right twin just now so give me some credit.”

Lorcan didn’t even want to acknowledge that she had made a point, so he simply shrugged his shoulders as a response. “Congratulations, Carrow. You picked the right one. Now, what can I do for you, because I know you didn’t just come over here to chat.”

“That’s a really strange opening line, but good for you,” she said as she tried to figure out which Scamander she’d run into. “I’m guessing from the book that you’re….Lorcan.”

“You get used to knowing what people seem to expect from you.” Lorcan said casually as he looked up from his book. His brows raised at the Carrow slightly. “So...you spent how many years in the same house as my brother...best friends with his boyfriend and you still can’t tell us apart?”

“They are extremely interesting, they manage to do such amazing things without magic.” She recited. “I don’t think half of the teachers have the patiences to do so. Helping out is always a lot easier”

“Are you a Pureblood?” He asked, not quite sure if he and the girl had ever officially met at Hogwarts. The Scamanders were Purebloods, but thank Merlin, they didn’t participate in the elite society bullshit. “Very true.”

“My uncle’s situation?” Lily asked, puzzled but not necessarily wanted to pry. “Don’t worry, forget I asked that. I think that’s a great field of study to get into. You’re basically the only one doing it too, that has to give you an edge, right?” She smiled. “Thank you.” She said quietly. “For the promise, for telling me about you and James… it means a lot.” She admitted. “I’m sorry… for what I said to you…” 

“I mean, Bill isn’t a werewolf, but those little tendencies. I’ve been looking into that a bit.” He said with a slight shrug. “It might. Or people might think I’m crazy for thinking I have a shot of finding anything.” Lorcan chuckled. He knew people thought it was a waste of time, but hey, if anything, he could become a leading expert of a Lycanthropy and that’s still something. He gave her a nod and smiled. “Of course. No reason to hide anything, right?” Especially now. There couldn’t be secrets between friends, or whatever they might be. “It’s...it’s fine. I’m used to it.” He admitted. Some people only saw him as the euphoria brewer. Nothing more.

“I think Teddy would like the fact someone is looking out for James and taking care of him. He and I had...well, our relationship was a bit complicated to say the least. We had fights and never exactly saw eye to eye on things. When I was with Vic, he didn’t approve because she thought she could do better, so, who knows? Maybe he’d think that way about James and I, but I’d hope he’d know I’m aware I know I can’t take his place. I just want to be there for James.”

“I get that. I got into muggle things when I very small. “ She tries to smile but fails slightly, she was forced into muggle things. “ Teaching is extremely hard when people don’t understand something I don’t understand it.” 

“Muggle studies can be intriguing.” He said with smile. Lorcan was more fascinated by how Muggles went about their day to day lives than their items, but he got the whole concept, especially for Purebloods. “Exactly and I don’t know if I’d have the patience to do that. Helping out a professor was easy, but teaching it all, I don’t know. I just find it’s a subject that comes so easy to me and I don’t always remind myself that it’s not that way for everyone else.”

“How do you ever know you love someone? You can’t stop thinking about them, want to spend as much time with them, jealousy when they’re with someone else, knowing you’d do anything for them...all of that stuff. I’ll admit there was the time where I tried to convince myself I was too cool to hang with James, denying we were friends, but realizing he was my best friend besides my brother and Vic. But once I sort of just let that phase pass, it was a bit too obvious.”