Black Aeon

Chapter two

If At First You Don't Succeed

Dawn broke, painting rose coloured fingers over the sky. Outside, in the meadow that the Weasley family owned, a seventeen year old girl was loosening the muscles in her body to begin her usually daily ritual of working out. Two samurai swords in a back harness leaned against the fence post, glimmering faintly as the early morning sunlight bounced off the gold. Stretching her arms upwards and bending, Wylow flipped herself over and landed on her feet, her knees bent. She was distracted when some one began applauding her. She turned around swiftly, forgetting that she was in the middle of a field wearing loose trousers and a tight tank top. A man with red hair was leaning against the fence post, a fang earring swinging from one of his ears. He smiled at her, flicking his hair out of his eyes.

"Very impressive. Never could see how people did that." Wylow didn't trust people easily, and being watched at five in the morning didn't exactly make her trust some one more then usual.

"I've been trained to do it. Hope you don't mind me asking, but who the fuck are you?" The man laughed, and swung his leg over the fence, then jumped over onto her side.

"Bill Weasley."

"Oh god, there are more of you?"

"How many do you know of?"

"Weasley- ette, Weasley, Fred and George, Percy and now you."

"Add one more."

"Jesus Christ..."

"No, Charlie." Wylow rolled her eyes, and walked over to where she had left her swords, swiftly unsheathing one and spinning it expertly. Bill smiled again; he seemed to be smiling constantly.

"Nice swords. Where did you get them?"

"They were my mother's." Her voice was small, and a little subdued, as it always was when she spoke about her mother. "I've had them ever since she died. I have all of her training equipment." She stared at the sword hilt clasped tightly in her hand.

"Are you any good with them?"

"Grab the other one and find out." Bill grinned widely, and reached out to unsheathe the other. His eyebrows rose as he tested the weight; he had obviously expected the swords to be a lot lighter. Wylow grinned wickedly, spinning her sword slowly to loosen her wrist. "What, you thought that they would be feather light for a little angel like me?"

"Get your facts straight sweet heart; every one knows that angels don't get tattoos." Automatically, Wylow put her hand to the sword and rose- vine tattoo on her collarbone. Most people didn't comment on it. Well, Harry had commented.

"A tattoo! A fucking tattoo! It'll never come off! Good god 'Ganie what were you thinking?! Why didn't you just get three of them that would make it more obvious! Why are you looking so guilty? Oh god, you didn't, did you? WYLOW!"

"I never said that I WAS an angel. I merely mentioned that that's what people seem to expect me to be." She spun around, locking her sword with his, and then flicked sharply. The sword flew out of the mans hand and buried itself in the ground. Without looking back at Bill, Wylow pulled it out of the earth, sheathed both swords and walked back to the house while swinging the harness onto her back.

"Who are you anyway?" She paused, and looked over her shoulder.

"Just a girl."

*

Despite the early hour, Mrs. Weasley and Remus were up and sitting at the kitchen table. Upon seeing Wylow walking back into the house through the back door, two rather lethal looking swords slung across her back with her second oldest son in tow, Mrs. Weasley put the kettle on and pulled a tray of cinnamon buns out of the oven. One of Wylow's biggest weaknesses was cinnamon buns, and she automatically ran to Mrs. Weasley to hug her, and then remembered what she had strapped to her back. Every morning for the last week that she had been at the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley had been up early and made cinnamon buns. This being only her second visit to the Weasley household, Wylow was deeply touched. Instead of hugging the woman, she grinned.

"I really appreciate this Mrs. Weasley." The maternal woman glowed happily, setting the warm buns out on a plate.

"Nonsense. You need food my dear; you're all skin and bones! What those people have been giving you to eat I can't imagine, but it isn't what a growing girl needs! Not to mention the state your brother is in when ever we see him. That's it, take those swords off your back, there's a good girl. Lord have mercy Bill, you've left your hair down! You really should let me trim it for you..." As the woman pottered about the kitchen, making small talk, Wylow and Remus grinned at each other, and set about sharing one of the steaming buns, tearing chunks off of it.

"So Wylow, are you positive that you won't be going back to the Dursleys' at the end of this year?"

"I wouldn't go back there if Voldemort was knocking on my door, and their home was the only place to go; I'd rather face Snakey." She chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "That means Harry can leave as well. Remember, he needs to live some where with people that have his mothers blood; who better then his sister, who is also basically her mam's twin?" She calmly mushed the piece of bin in her palm, and fed it to the owl that had charmingly landed beside her on the table. She hadn't bothered to disguise the resent in her tone. Remus sighed.

"You need to stop feeling so resentful."

"Resentful? Moi? Pourquoi dites- tu cela?" Now that Wylow had some one to converse in French with who knew what they were saying, she wasn't going to miss an opportunity. Remus sighed, and replied in rapid French.

"I raised you as I thought best sweetheart."

"You raised me as her clone! I have the same hair style, the same piercings, I speak the same languages- including those evil Gaelic languages-, I play the guitar and piano, I sing, and I use weaponry and dance! I am a clone!"

While she had been yelling at him, Bill and Mrs. Weasley had stopped talking, and were listening in fascination. Of course, they couldn't understand a word that was being said, so what they heard was-

"Je vous suis élevé comme J'ai pensé le meilleur bien-aimé."

"Vous m'êtes élevé comme son clone! J'ai du style pareils de cheveux, les transpercements pareils, Je parle des langues pareilles- y compris ces langues Gaéliques diaboliques-, Je joue la guitare et le piano, Je chante, et J'utilise l'armement et la danse! Je suis un clone!" Bill looked at his mother.

"Do they do this often?"

"Talk in French, or does she yell at him in French?"

"Both."

"They talk in French half of the time, and this is the first argument that they have had."

"Ah." At that moment, an obviously grumpy Harry stormed into the kitchen, tore a large chunk of bun off of one of the many on the tray, and stuffed it unceremoniously into his twin's mouth before storming back out and back to bed.

She choked on the morsel of food, and then swallowed it painfully. The cloud of rage that had surrounded her eyes had receded as soon as Harry had distracted her. She coughed a little painfully, and lowered her eyes. Remus raised his eyebrows at her.

"Better now?"

"Yeah. Sorry Remus."

"You are like your mother when you're angry; it's best to just let you get it out of your system." She nodded, and exhaled, wiping her hand over the back of her mouth. Bill and Mrs. Weasley sat down opposite the two, both with almost identical smiles on their faces. Remus rolled his eyes at the two, and helped himself to another cinnamon bun.

"Oh... Bugger off." Harry had chosen that moment to return, obviously unable to fall asleep again. He raised his eyebrows.

"So that's why 'Ganie is so... eloquent. She was raised by a swearing old werewolf."

"Piss of Harry, I am not 'so... eloquent'. Bloody fool." The rest of the Weasley house was woken up by the laughter from the kitchen.

*

"You know Ginny- Bean, if you were trying to sneak up on me, you need to be a little... sneakier." The redhead sighed a little wistfully.

"I should learn; never try to out sneak a Slytherin, the sneakiest of sneakers."

"Ah, the learned words of the young. So, what did you want?"

"To ask if you felt like having a girly day in Diagon Alley away from all the blokes in this house."

"What? Leave behind all the raging testosterone of the Burrow? Are you insane?! I can be ready in five minutes." The two girls raced over the meadow, and back to the house, laughing the whole way. Wylow cheered when she reached the door first.

"HA! Ya ha! I am better! Slytherin win against Gryffindor!" The Weasley- ette rolled her eyes, and pushed Wylow through the door. Wylow immediately ran to find her cloak.

Harry? Can you hear me?

No, I can only hear a fly buzzing around my head and asking irritating questions. What is it 'Ganie?

I'm going shopping with Ginny- Bean, ok?

Fine fine. Don't spend all of our money at once, will you?

Sod off Potter.

I love you to darling sister. Have a nice time.

I will. Love you.

And you. Wylow picked up her cloak and swirled it around her shoulders, deftly fastening the delicate snake and wolf fastening that Hunter had given her for her last birthday. As she walked downstairs, she wondered idly what her friends would give her this year. The soft deep green of her cloak swished softly around her as she stepped into the kitchen and grabbed the Floo powder, then walked through to the living room where the Weasley- ette was waiting for her. She smiled as the redhead vanished, and then quickly followed her.

*

"Hello Wizarding world! How are you this fine morning?" Ginny laughed and hit Wylow lightly on the arm.

"You're so noisy Potter!"

"It's a gift. So, where first?"

"The book shop?"

"Ah, great minds think alike. I wanted to go to the Quidditch shop, so..." the two girls laughed, linking arms and walking toward the café that was every fashionably Witches most avoided spot. Why else would Wylow set foot in it?

Ginny, f course, had to rescue the poor lad at the counter, as he looked like he was about burst, he was so red; Wylow had been using the famous Potter charm. And when that is mixed with her mother... oh god, I feel sorry for the poor recipient. They sat at a table outside, right beside the street, sipping the delicious coffee that they had bought and nibbling the Cinnamon Swirls that Wylow had insisted on buying. Wylow liked having coffee with the younger Gryffindor girl. It was nice to just talk, giggle and pig out... to be a seventeen year old girl with her 'little sister'.

Ginny continued to giggle at the story that Wylow had finished telling.

"Oh my god! You can't be serious! He honestly-"

"Yep. Are you going to eat that?"

"Knock yourself out." Wylow grinned, and stole the last of Ginny's Cinnamon Swirl. Ginny's smile froze on her face, her eyes fixed above Wylow's face. It was then the Potter girl realized that there was someone behind her. Quickly, she drained her coffee, and turned around. Once she had done, one of her slender black brows rose.

"Mister Malfoy, Malfoy, to what do we owe the pleasure of you bothering us?" Draco Malfoy sneered at her, though he remained slightly behind slightly behind his father. Mr. Malfoy merely returned the raised eyebrow gesture. Suddenly, Malfoy did a double take, and tapped his fathers' shoulder, subtly moving one of his fingers to point at Wylow's face. To her left eye.

"Father..." Lucius Malfoy raised the other eyebrow to join the other. A small smile that meant no good crossed his mouth.

"Now, Miss Potter, you must-"

"I don't have to do anything, thank you very much." Her eye was beginning to burn slightly, but she decided to ignore it. She had more pressing matters at hand. A sudden cool brushed over her face, and she felt a little fluttering, as though some thing were leaving her... oh bugger. There was only one thing that it could be. The malicious look on the Malfoys' faces made her it up straighter, her spine becoming ram rod like. When she spoke, her voice was as cold as ice.

"Ginny, go home now. These gentlemen and I have some business to deal with." Ginny deflated, staring at the older girl.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Ginny. Go home. Now." She wasn't sure what it was in her voice that did it, but the younger girl slowly stood up, and left. Wylow rose, brushing down her clothes as she did and tossing her hair over her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow, glad that she was wearing her contact lenses as it made the look more effective. "Shall we sirs?" Lucius offered his arm to her, and, after a hard look from his father, Malfoy did as well. She accepted with a sharp nod, and let herself be led away from the café.

~

Harry didn't know what was going on when Ginny stumbled out of the fireplace, sobbing brokenly, without his sister. He immediately called out to her telepathically, only to find that he was blocked. He grabbed the small redhead by the arm and forced her to look at him.

"Ginny, where's 'Ganie? No, Ginny, look at me. Where is 'Ganie?" Fred and George, who had been in the room with him, looked on in confusion as their baby sister threw herself, sobbing, into Harry's arms.

"I didn't want to go, I swear! She... she made me leave! Her face... the scar... Malfoy... she went away with Malfoy!" A choking noise came from the doorway. Remus stared at Ginny in horror.

"Was... was the scar... here?" He asked hoarsely, running his finger through his left eyebrow and down onto his cheek bone. Ginny nodded tearfully.

"She made me leave... she was protecting me... I didn't want to go Harry, I swear." Fred stepped up to Harry, who stood rigidly, seemingly unaware of the semi hysterical Weasley in his arms.

"Harry mate, are you alright?"

"'Ganie..." Suddenly, he practically threw Ginny into her brother's arms, grabbed his cloak from where it had been draped over the sofa and swept it onto his shoulders while grabbing a handful of Floo powder. He pointed his wand at the fire place and snarled "Infernio." As George roared at him just what the hell was he doing, he stepped into the towering blaze, threw in the powder and practically screamed "Diagon Alley!" The last thing he heard in that room was Ginny's sob of horror, and the Weasley twins yelling at him to come back.

*

The three of them looked strange together. The Malfoy men were willowy and fair, and towered above Wylow, while she was petite, and dark, looking exotic in comparison. As she walked, she kept her head held high and defiant, ignoring any quips that Malfoy sent her way. All at once, she found herself in an alleyway, with a dead end. She immediately withdrew her arms from the blond men beside her.

"Alright, what do you want? To merely distract me from the more important things in my life, or-"

"It really is remarkable, you know." Lucius was ignoring her, as he walked around her in a circle, examining her from head to foot. "Why, you could pass as her twin. The same height, the same shape, the same arrogant way of speaking. The only true difference is you have that... Gryffindors colouring. Now, do you mind telling me where you got that remarkable scar?" he reached out a gloved hand, and ran his fingertips down it. Wylow's hand flew up instinctively and grabbed his wrist, squeezing it tightly and bending the hand back. The man gritted his teeth, and Wylow hissed angrily.

"Don't touch me." She released him, and wiped her hand on her trousers as though it were dirty. Lucius smirked, flexing his hand.

"Where did you get it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." An almost invisibly pale eyebrow rose on the man's face, while Malfoy snorted in the background.

"Don't bother lying. I know who you are, my dear. We all do. But we didn't believe the rumours."

"Who's we? Respectable people, or those 'friends' of yours?" All pretence of amicability left the mans' eyes at this. An evil smile passed over his face.

"You're about to find out." He pulled his wand out of his cane, and pointed it upward.

"Morsemorde Cantadiem!" A cloudy green skull flashed into the sky, and Lucius touched it with his wand. A moment later, figures began to appear, Apparating directly into the alley, blocking the exit. Death Eaters. A feral snarl on her face, Wylow drew her wand.

~

Harry stumbled out of the fireplace, already running. There was screaming coming from outside, and he practically flew out of the building, ignoring the people who came after him.

The street was in chaos. Remains of spells thickened the air, leaving it choking to breathe.

"You're a fool girl!"

"No more so then you, sir! Consumatus!" There was a flash of purple that seemed to come from every where. A cold laugh filled the air.

"It seems that we're down to one another, eh? Poor girl."

"Et tu, brute!" Harry whirled around wildly, searching for the direction that his sister's voice was coming from. He couldn't detect it.

"'Ganie! Where are you?!" There was a short silence. Suddenly, Harry turned and ran toward an alley way. There she was, facing a man whose face he couldn't see. She turned her head toward her twin. Pain flashed across her face, and Harry could hardly bear it.

"Harry, get out of here, now!"

"No!"

"GET OUT OF HERE YOU STUBBORN BASTARD!" The man shook his head.

"I always did hate bad language. Avada Kedavra." He Apparated out of the alley way, just as the walls fell in on the girl who was already falling. And all Harry could do was watch in horror, as his sister vanished from sight.