The Daughter of Valancaire

It was the day of the Sorting Ceremony, the moment Jace had been waiting for. His heart raced in anticipation, and every minute felt like an eternity. Today was the day he would see his twin sister again, after years of wondering if she'd ever wake up, ever come back to him.

But something was wrong.

Jace shifted in his seat, glancing repeatedly at the doors of the Great Hall. First-years were being called up one by one, each nervously stepping forward as the Sorting Hat made its decision. His eyes darted around the room, watching the other students, but his mind was elsewhere. Where was she?

His heart clenched as he realized the truth—she hadn’t arrived yet.

The Sorting Ceremony continued, and still no sign of Jessa. He had heard the stories. He knew she’d woken up, that she was alive again, but he hadn’t seen her with his own eyes. He hadn’t seen her awake. All this time, he had imagined what it would be like to have her back, to finally stand next to her, to have her in his life again. But now that the moment was here, it felt like she wasn’t even going to show up.

"She’s not here yet," Jace muttered under his breath, barely able to sit still. He was tapping his foot against the floor, his leg bouncing restlessly beneath the table.

Vix, his older brother, gave him a side glance and smirked. Vix, who had always been calm and collected, seemed unusually tense today, too. He leaned over to Jace, lowering his voice.

“Relax, Jace. She’ll be fine. Probably just taking her time or... caught behind the crowds. Not everyone’s used to this many people.”

But Jace couldn’t relax. His mind raced. Where was she? Was she lost? Was something wrong? He had been waiting years to see her, and now that it was finally happening, it felt like she wasn’t even going to show up.

Vix’s smirk faded into a frown as he saw the growing tension in his brother. Jace wasn’t the type to show this kind of anxiety, but it was clear that the absence of his sister was weighing on him heavily.

“She’s probably just getting settled in,” Vix added, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. “Remember, she’s with Professor Fig. She’s fine.”

Jace shot him a confused look. "Who’s with her?"

Vix sighed and leaned back in his chair, glancing at his twin with a faint trace of worry in his own eyes. "You know, the professor who was sent to bring her here. He’s trustworthy. It’s all taken care of." He paused, the usual smugness in his tone faltering slightly. "She’s fine, Jace. Really. She’s just getting used to the place, is all."

Jace wasn’t so sure. He could see through his brother’s reassurance. The worry in Vix’s voice, however subtle, was clear. His brother might be trying to put on a calm front, but there was something in the way he spoke that betrayed him.

"Vix... what if she doesn’t want to be here?" Jace asked quietly, his voice thick with concern. "What if something happened during the journey? It’s... it’s a lot for her, isn’t it? This place. After all these years—"

"Enough," Vix cut him off, his tone sharper now. "I told you, she’s fine. Professor Fig’s with her, and she’ll be here. She’s just a little late, that’s all."

But even as he said it, Jace could see the flicker of doubt in his brother’s eyes. His usual confidence was slipping.

“She’ll be here,” Vix repeated, though his voice lacked the force it had moments before.

Jace couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at his gut. He wanted to believe his brother, but his instincts told him something wasn’t right. Every passing minute felt heavier than the last.

The Sorting Ceremony continued, and Jace tried to focus, watching each new student step up to be sorted, but his thoughts were consumed by the same worry. Where was Jessa?

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Still no sign of her.

Jace’s breath hitched as the doors to the Great Hall creaked open. He looked up, hope rising in his chest, but it wasn’t her. Just another group of first-years, all standing nervously in front of the Sorting Hat.

Jace slumped back in his seat, trying to hide the growing frustration and disappointment inside him. "Where is she, Vix?" he muttered under his breath, his hands clenched tightly in his lap.

Vix let out a long sigh, running a hand through his blonde hair. “She’ll be here, Jace. Don’t stress.”

Jace nodded but didn’t feel reassured. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. What was taking her so long? Why wasn’t she here yet?

The minutes ticked by, the students’ names called, but Jace’s focus never left the doors. He just wanted to see her. To finally stand beside her. To know she was really here. But as the ceremony dragged on, that hope began to feel more and more fragile.

----

Imelda Reyes, a fellow Slytherin, was leaning over to Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt, whispering with an air of curiosity.

"Did you two notice the strange vibe from the Valancaire brothers?" Imelda said, glancing at Jace and Vix with a knowing smile. "They’re always like this—on edge, you know? Something’s off about them today."

Sebastian, who had been watching the ceremony with his usual indifferent expression, turned his attention to her, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean? They’re just anxious about their sister, no?"

Imelda’s eyes glinted with intrigue as she leaned in, lowering her voice further. "Well, that’s the thing. I heard a rumor that Jace’s twin sister will be joining Hogwarts this year. The one who’s been... well, ill for years."

Ominis Gaunt, who had been silent until now, shifted in his seat, his brow furrowing in mild curiosity. "A twin sister? I didn’t know Jace had one." He leaned slightly forward, clearly interested.

Imelda smiled, her expression laced with excitement. "Oh, she’s been ill—some sort of long-term illness, I think. They’ve been saying she’s finally better now. And Jace—he’s practically falling out of his seat waiting for her. It’s almost... unnatural how tense he is."

Sebastian nodded slowly, tapping his fingers on the edge of his goblet. "A Valancaire, huh? That’s... something. I’ve heard all the rumors about them. I’ve even heard she might be in the same house as us." His voice was casual, but there was an unmistakable glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

Imelda raised an eyebrow. "Well, she’s a fifth year, I think, so she’ll be sorted separately. But I wonder..." She trailed off as her eyes drifted back to Jace, her gaze sharpening. "The Valancaires are all pretty... striking, you know? Good-looking, if you will. All of them."

Ominis chuckled softly, though there was a trace of uncertainty in his voice. "I suppose. But... what’s so special about her, Imelda? Why are you so curious?"

Imelda leaned back, a gleam of interest still in her eyes. "I’m curious because, in the entire history of the Valancaire family, there’s only ever been one female—just one—alive in record. One, and she’s been ill for years. Imagine how rare it must be. And to think, she’s finally coming back. I mean, come on... one female Valancaire? That’s bound to be interesting."

Sebastian’s expression turned thoughtful, and he glanced across the hall at the Valancaire brothers. "That would explain the... odd tension between them," he muttered, half to himself. "It’s always strange when a family member is away for that long."

Imelda grinned, sensing the shift in the mood. "Exactly. And just think about it—what if she’s as beautiful as the others? Or if there’s something more to her than just looks? What if she’s got magic... something powerful, something we’ve never seen before?"

"Don’t let your imagination run wild, Imelda," Ominis said dryly, but there was an unmistakable flicker of interest in his voice as well. "But I suppose I understand why you’re curious. It’s not every day you hear about a Valancaire appearing."

"Indeed," Imelda replied, her smile widening as she leaned back in her seat. "And with the way Jace has been practically climbing out of his skin waiting for her... well, we might just see something interesting today."

The three Slytherins exchanged glances, the energy around the table shifting with a newfound curiosity about the mysterious twin sister of Jace Valancaire. Whether they realized it or not, something unusual was about to unfold.