The Gemini

Prologue

Belinda sat on the lawn reading her book. It was school holidays, and although school would be starting again soon she didn't intend for it to spoil the days she had left. Tomorrow, of course, she'd be off buying a new blazer, and getting her tie from the dry cleaner's, and getting her school books... but today, she was simply going to sit and read.

Harry was in Diagon Alley buying his schoolbooks when it happened. There was a loud crack off to the left, immediately followed by screams. Harry whirled just in time to see a second Death Eater Apparate next to the first one.

"Run!" he yelled at his friends.

"But Harry -" Hermione began.

"Go!" he bawled at her. They ran, and he whirled to find that there were now at least twenty Death Eaters filling the street. More were popping in to join their fellows every moment. Then, as Harry had known he would, the leader of them all appeared.

Voldemort smiled cruelly as Harry's eyes darted around for a path of escape. There was none. Harry turned to face the Dark wizard, heart thumping. So this was it, then. There was another loud crack but this time a girl of around his own age stumbled into existence beside him. She was dressed in muggle clothing, he noticed, and was looking bewildered. Her eyes fell on Voldemort and widened. Instinctively she grabbed for the person next to her, Harry. As her and clasped his radiant white light exploded from them both. Most of the Death Eaters stepped backwards involuntarily, blinking in the brightness. As the light dimmed, they saw Harry and the girl standing tall and straight, glowing with eerie white light. Somehow their faces were different: glad and stern and adult, with deep dark eyes that held dancing points of light. They continued to hold hands.

"We are the Gemini," they said as one, hands still clasped. Harry's voice was deep, hers high, but both voices were solemn and ringing with power. The astounded Death Eater didn't know what was going on. Even Voldemort looked taken aback. The two let go of each other and moved forward.

"This is not the time and place," said Harry, still in that deep, solemn, strange voice.

"You shall be banished from it," the girl added. Together they raised their right hands. Voldemort and the Death Eaters vanished with a boom like thunder. Abruptly the light emanating from the pair died and two ordinary teens stood together. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny ran forward. Harry didn't notice: he was too busy looking at the girl with a wondering, amused, wry smile.

"You see that our connection still holds, Luthanthros," the girl told him, giving a trembling little laugh that told how close she was to tears.

"I do indeed, Lumierenos," Harry replied. They were still not quite back to normal, still a little unearthly. The girl gave a small smile.

"I had better get back," she told him. Harry nodded. With a small crack she Disapparated.

Harry turned to face his thunderstruck friends.

"What the hell was that?" asked Ron. Harry just smiled.

"The return of the Gemini," he said, and no more.