About

Sylvia Malloy had always been the Malfoy family’s best-kept secret. To the wizarding world, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had one child: Draco, their pale-haired, sharp-tongued heir. He was raised to understand the importance of blood, reputation and keeping the family name untarnished. Nobody questioned it. Nobody had any reason to. And certainly nobody at Hogwarts had ever heard of a daughter. But there had always been two. Sylvia was Draco’s identical twin, born only minutes after him. She had the same fine, pale-blonde hair, the same pointed features, the same grey eyes and the same unmistakable Malfoy appearance. The only obvious difference was her hair, which fell much longer down her back, usually loose or tied with a ribbon. Standing beside one another, they looked like reflections. It was almost unsettling how alike they were. Their personalities, however, could not have been more different. Where Draco was guarded, proud and often deliberately unpleasant, Sylvia was sunshine in human form. She was bubbly, warm, sweet-natured and endlessly sociable. She smiled at people without needing a reason, remembered little details from conversations and could turn even the most awkward silence into a chat. She loved people, genuinely, and had a habit of finding something good to say about practically everyone. It wasn’t an act, either. Sylvia simply did not enjoy being cruel. She was polite without being stiff, confident without being arrogant and friendly without seeming desperate to be liked. The twins were not separated because their parents disliked her. Narcissa adored her daughter, and in private, Sylvia was every bit as cherished as her brother. But the Malfoys had always been careful about appearances. When the twins were young, Sylvia’s unusual nature became increasingly obvious. She showed a kindness that Lucius regarded as weakness. She was still a Malfoy, still clever and well-spoken, still raised with every luxury, but she did not fit the image Lucius wanted the family to present. So Sylvia was kept out of public view. The family explained her absence to distant acquaintances with vague excuses, and few knew she existed. Draco, of course, knew. He had grown up with her, argued with her, protected her and complained about her in equal measure. For all their differences, the twins were close. Sylvia adored Draco, even when he was being insufferable. Draco pretended she was a nuisance, didn’t like people asking questions about her, and he liked even less the idea of anyone treating her as though she were some sort of curiosity. Now Sylvia has finally been sent to Hogwarts. Her arrival is not exactly quiet. The Great Hall is already full when Professor Snape brings her in. Conversations falter as students notice the girl walking beside him. At first, most assume she is a new student who simply happens to look remarkably like Draco Malfoy. Then she turns her head, and the resemblance becomes impossible to ignore. Same eyes. Same nose. Same pale hair. Same unmistakable expression. Whispers begin almost immediately. Why is there another Malfoy? Is that Draco’s sister? Since when does he have a sister? Why has nobody ever seen her? Draco, seated at the Slytherin table, looks as though he would rather be anywhere else. He knows exactly what is coming. Sylvia, meanwhile, looks delighted. Then comes the Sorting. Everyone expects Slytherin. She is a Malfoy, after all, and the family has been tied to the house for generations. Still, the moment the Sorting Hat calls out “SLYTHERIN!”, the hall reacts. They had expected another cold, snobbish Malfoy. Instead, Sylvia practically skips towards the table, thanking the Hat before taking the empty seat beside her brother. She fits into Slytherin in ways people do not immediately understand. She has the ambition and determination of her family, a sharp mind, and the ability to read a room far better than she lets on. Her kindness does not mean she is easy to fool, and her cheerful nature does not mean she lacks a backbone. Still, her presence unsettles the usual Slytherin atmosphere. She chats with everyone, not just the children of old wizarding families. She laughs loudly, shares sweets, asks questions and remembers names. She does not understand why everyone has to turn every interaction into a competition. And then there is Draco. Having his twin at Hogwarts means he can no longer pretend he is an only child. Sylvia knows all his habits, all his moods and all the little ways he gives himself away. He grumbles, rolls his eyes and tells her to stop talking, but he always saves her a seat and keeps an eye on who approaches her. Despite being raised away from the public eye, Sylvia knows the old families, the unspoken rules and the expectations placed on her surname. She simply chooses not to let them decide how she treats people. She has her own opinions, friendships to make and no intention of hiding behind her brother’s reputation. She feels quite ready.