Elementals of Magic: Prophecy of Lies

Interlude

Same Day, Different Lives

A rooster crowed in the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. The sun had just risen, showering Britain with its rays. However, even with the warmth from the sun, the air was still chilly, which was customary for winter.

Molly Weasley stirred and woke, the rooster´s crow penetrating her sleep until her eyes opened. She snuggled closer to her husband. It was the only time that she could enjoy her time with him.

However, she knew that it was time to rise from bed and start the day. Molly carefully wriggled out of Arthur´s grasp and gently slid out of the covers.

"Molly, come back to bed," Arthur mumbled.

Molly leaned down and placed a kiss on Arthur´s cheek.

"I have to get everything ready, Arthur," she whispered. By this time, Arthur had already fallen back to sleep, exhaustion overcoming him.

Molly sighed as she browsed in her wardrobe for something to wear. Poor Arthur. He was so overworked these days. Her husband left an hour after dawn, and he didn´t return until about midnight. This happened even on the weekend, when he should have been free, free to spend time with her, free to relax and not worry about work.

Molly put on black robes, then laid a pair of fresh black robes by the bed for Arthur. He would soon be getting up. Molly walked to the bathroom.

They were running out of Magic-White Toothpaste, she found, as she brushed her teeth. It didn´t just keep their teeth white, it also kept them clean and healthy, free from plaque and all sorts of other nasty germs. Not to mention fresh breath, though it didn´t truly matter to Molly. Arthur was the one who needed to look and smell good.

After quickly preparing herself for the day, Molly walked downstairs. Those twins of hers had came to see her yesterday. She had asked them to de-gnome the garden for her, and they had done a wonderful job, though they had complained about it the whole time. Fred and George were still Fred and George.

Molly hadn´t had a problem with the gnomes for weeks, but they always came back when they caught Arthur going somewhere. She had only been able to chase the gnomes out because Arthur was never home. He was such a softie, but that was one of the things that she loved about him.

Molly remembered her old life. She had been the older of two, from a quite well-known family. The Curtis´s. She had met Arthur at Hogwarts and had fallen in love with him, despite how poor he was, being the youngest of five children.

Molly had brought her family fortune with her, but it had not been enough. What with all the bills and the debts that the Weasleys had to pay, the money had been quickly depleted. Fred and George had come and told her that they had stored half of their profit at the family vault.

Even though those two were so mischievous, Molly loved them. They had cheered her up a bit. The house was so dismal, what with Arthur always at work and Ron and Ginny at Hogwarts. Bill and Charlie had long ago moved out, and Percy had also moved out during the summer so he could live closer to the Ministry.

Molly made pancakes and toast in the kitchen. When they were done, the clock hand had just moved to Time for Arthur to eat breakfast. A moment later, Arthur Weasley appeared in the kitchen.

"Good morning, hon," he said as he gave her a peck. "You are the best cook I know, Molly."

Molly smiled. They still acted like young love-sick teenagers when their children weren´t around. Arthur was so sweet, always complimenting her. Times were hard, but he hadn´t been hardened by it.

Breakfast was finished in five minutes, and Arthur gave her a goodbye peck before he apparated to the Ministry. Molly sometimes wished that Arthur didn´t work at the Ministry, but it did come in handy sometimes. He did favors for some officials, and they returned them. It had been nice for the kids to go to the Quidditch Cup three years ago.

After finishing the small amount of leftovers, Molly apparated to Diagon Alley. The place was always bustling, no matter what time of the year it was. Witches and Wizards were scattered about, gossiping about recent events and complaining about the prices.

The prices had gone up, what with the current Voldemort War. The inflation was horrible, as she barely had enough money to buy much in the first place. Even well-to-do Witches and Wizards complained, as the prices hadn´t risen this high during the last Voldemort War.

Molly walked down Diagon Alley, past the main shops that held supplies for Hogwarts. She entered at a shop called Glamour. Glamour sold personal hygiene products along with cosmetics. It had the best designer brands along with regular brands. Molly just couldn´t believe that some people would spend more than a galleon for toothpaste. Magic-White Toothpaste, though, had remained a constant five Sickles.

However, when she reached the shelf where Magic-White Toothpaste usually was kept, she nearly fainted. The price had been raised to fifteen Sickles. This was outrageous. Ten sickles more for common toothpaste! She would have to talk to Arthur about this.

When she reached the counter, she found herself behind a tall woman with blonde hair. The woman set her purchases down, the bottles littering the whole desktop. Molly waited for at least fifteen minutes before the woman was done paying, the clerk adding up the prices of everything that she had bought taking up a good ten minutes. No doubt she was one of the filthy rich.

The items were soon arranged in a neat bag, and the woman turned around. Molly only caught a glimpse of her face, but it was enough to see who it was. Narcissa Malfoy.

Molly never could understand why the younger woman had chosen to marry Lucius Malfoy. The Moores were a prominent family, and she could have married into another prestigious family, one that wasn´t known for meddling in the Dark Arts.

Narcissa was perfectly neat as usual, wearing sky blue robes that looked as if they cost a fortune. She looked straight ahead, as if she refused to acknowledge those around her, since they were beneath her. A look of disdain was fixed upon her smooth face. She gave a contemptuous look to Molly, then walked away.

Molly had heard stories about Narcissa, before she married Lucius. And she had heard that she was a brilliant young woman. After all, the girl had won her Founders´ Pride, against Lucius Malfoy and James Potter. Lucius, who no doubt already had knowledge of the Dark Arts, and James, Heir of Gryffindor.

Yet now, Narcissa was cool and collected, disdainful towards Muggle-borns. Molly had heard that the girl had had Muggle-born friends during Hogwarts. No doubt they had known to stay away from her when they heard news that she was to marry Lucius. It was probably all Lucius´s fault anyway that Narcissa became the cold person that she was today; Lucius, who tainted such a pure sylph and made her into a sculpture of ice.

After making her purchase, Molly left Glamour and went to the bazaar for food, the path near the entrance to Diagon Alley. They were running out of vegetables and meat, and Arthur needed a healthy diet. Along the way, someone bumped into her, knocking her backwards and almost causing her to fall.

Molly turned to look at whoever it was that was so rude, no doubt still walking. She found herself facing someone. Someone with beautiful long black hair and extraordinary gray eyes. A gray that glimmered and shone like precious jewels. The skin was nicely tanned. She would have been beautiful if not for the scar running down the right side of her face, from her eyebrows down to her chin.

"Excuse me, miss. I apologize for bumping into you, but I am in a hurry. I do hope you will forgive me."

"Of course, miss. Thank you for apologizing."

The other woman nodded, then continued on her way. At least she was nice enough to apologize, Molly mused to herself.

After buying groceries, Molly apparated back to the Burrow. It was about midday, and Molly made a sandwich for herself. No need to make anything fancy if no one would be here to eat it.

She then took up cleaning the house, something that Molly did everyday. Molly wiped everything, from the mantel to the bottom of tables, making sure to wipe any dust settling away, not that there really was any, since she wiped the surfaces so frequently. Then, she swept the floor and mopped it, the wood turning shiny brown. The ghoul in the attic had been quiet these days, for which Molly was thankful for, as she was overstressed, due to Arthur.

As Molly finished the housework, an owl arrived. It would no doubt be Ginny´s letter, as Pigwidgeon had reached her the previous day. Molly took the scroll off and petted the barn owl. The owl hooted softly before taking off again.

Molly unrolled the parchment and read Ginny´s letter.

Dear Mum,

Why did Ron not mention that he was dating Hermione? Molly had always believed that the two would become a couple someday. Was he ashamed or scared that she wouldn´t approve? Of course she would! The way they looked at each other...It reminded Molly so much of her and Arthur, back in their days.

And what´s this nonsense about Ron mad at Harry? Harry was a wonderful boy, it would be impossible to be mad at him. Ron always got in trouble on account of his Weasley temper. She would have to talk to her son about apologizing to Harry and stopping this foolishness. It was bad enough that he had stopped talking to the dear boy during that time in Fourth Year.

Molly walked into her and Arthur´s room and took out a quill from a drawer of the desk. She also took out some parchment and black ink and started to write.

Ron,

By this time, night had fallen, even though it was only six. Molly rolled the letter up and found Errol dozing away in his cage by the window. She gently woke the owl. Errol blinked groggily, then stuck its leg out. Molly attached the letter to Errol, petted him, then opened his cage door and the window latch. Errol flew away, dipping now and then. He was still reliable enough, even though he was ancient.

Molly then made her way downstairs and started sewing. Arthur needed a new pair of gloves since his old gloves was practically worn down, and she couldn´t mend them as they were on him whenever she did have time to mend them.

Molly then made dinner, beef steak along with mashed potatoes and gravy. She ate a small portion of it and saved the rest for later, for Arthur when he came home.

At approximately 11:30, Arthur apparated back home. Molly quickly hid the gloves in a drawer and then went to greet him, hanging up his cloak by the front door. Molly cast a Heating Charm on the now-cold dinner, and soon, the steak was steaming hot and emitting a tasty aroma. Arthur ate half of dinner, and when Molly tried to coax him to eat more, he insisted that he was full.

After the very late dinner, Arthur took a shower, followed by Molly. Then, they crawled into bed and snuggled up to each other, Arthur´s arm around Molly´s waist.

***

Narcissa´s eyes fluttered, then opened and gazed into the silver silk canopy of the bed. Her and Lucius´s. How she desperately wished that he was here, so she could snuggle up to him and have him hold her.

Narcissa sat up and stretched, then slipped out of the bed, the silver silk covers falling smoothly onto the bed, which was not rumpled in any way. There was a ball today, at MacNair´s house. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

MacNair was a chauvinistic pig, known for groping his dance partners. His wife was the epitome of upper-class snob. During balls, the women and the men were in separate groups, the men discussing plans while the women gossiped and talked about the most ridiculous things. At least most of them.

There was only one good thing about this. Lucius would be there. She hadn´t seen him since Draco had left for Hogwarts, and he had not communicated at all with her. Narcissa understood the need for total secrecy, but Lucius, Lucius always made her want to break all the laws of time and space.

God, how she wanted him. And she could never stop herself from using this Muggle phrase. It had been passed on to her from one of her Muggle-born friends, back before Lucius. Narcissa always took care to not say this particular word in front of Lucius; she couldn´t afford to lose him.

Narcissa glided towards the bathroom. After all, "proper" ladies were taught to behave properly at an early age. Gliding, preparing banquets and balls, and starting conversations at banquets and balls were only a few. Narcissa had learned them well, and they had come to use, as Lucius had held several magnificent balls some time ago.

She turned the tap on, the warm water instantly spewing out and collecting in the bathtub. Narcissa quickly stripped and settled into the bathtub, the warm water washing over her skin. The only thing better would be if Lucius was here with her. They had taken baths together, once, a long time ago. It was wonderful, too, his lean body rubbing against her soft one.

After the bath, Narcissa wrapped a fluffy beige towel around her body, accentuating her pale skin even more. She quickly brushed her teeth and glided back into her room. The blonde headed for the wardrobe and retrieved a pair of sky blue robes. She would have to make a late shopping trip for something nice to wear and some cosmetics.

Narcissa rang for a House Elf. Moments later, one appeared. Her personal favorite, Lizzy.

"Yes, Mistress Narcissa?"

"Lizzy, I request breakfast," Narcissa said as she changed. A split second later, a crack sounded in the air, and Narcissa knew that she was gone. By the time the blonde reached the kitchen, there would already be something waiting for her.

After a breakfast of eggs and ham and sausages, Narcissa walked her way to the edge of the Malfoy estate. The Malfoy estate was quite large, spanning more than fifteen acres. There were forests, lakes, prairies, all sorts of landforms. She enjoyed walking, though. And the driveway wasn´t that long, only about two or three kilometers.

Thirty minutes later, Narcissa was in Diagon Alley. She headed to Glamour, one of the most elegant shops in the place. Though it was a shame that it also offered regular items to commoners, most of whom she would rather not see. Not that she didn´t have anything against them. But she knew that they would whisper about her and Lucius. And Narcissa did not appreciate being gossiped about.

The prices had risen ridiculously, Narcissa found, as she walked through the street. It wasn´t a problem, what with the Malfoy fortune, but nonetheless, Narcissa didn´t like spending too much money for such trivial things. Well, unless it concerned Lucius in some way.

Glamour was still neat and clean, the stone bricks firmly wedged into place, so precise that no mortar had to be used. Narcissa entered the shop and walked to the back, where the latest fashions were displayed. After all, no one ever wore the same robe twice at such social gatherings.

A long row of robes was displayed in the back, in every shape, size, color and fashion. No, definitely not lace. No collars either, or piping. After dismissing almost everything on display, Narcissa found a midnight blue dress robe. Dark blue sapphires were studded everywhere except for the sleeves, adding to the richness of the color. The sleeves, meanwhile, had onyx covering every inch of the fabric. It was acceptable.

Narcissa called on a salesperson to remove the robe. A young woman quickly scurried over, then hurried even more when she saw who Narcissa was. Yes, money was a good thing sometimes.

After taking hold of her robe, Narcissa made her way down the aisles, pulling the best shampoo, conditioner, lotion, perfume, lip gloss, and all sorts of other cosmetics into her arms. She needed to look good for Lucius.

By the time Narcissa was done, she had a huge pile of items in her arms, and she quickly made her way to the counter, thankful that she did not have to wait in line. Narcissa dropped the bottles onto the countertop, and the man was about to comment until he saw who she was. He quickly started adding up the price. How horribly slow he was.

"That will be 300 Galleons, madame," the clerk intoned respectfully.

Narcissa rolled her eyes as she reached for her money, hidden away in her robes. She dropped the amount onto the desk and reached for her bag. When she turned around, the blonde found herself facing Molly Weasley.

Molly Curtis, who could have had a much better life if she hadn´t married Arthur Weasley. But, oh, what they did for love. Molly, who married a man living on the verge of poverty. Her, who sacrificed her title, her magic, and all her family and friends to marry a man known for his involvement with You-Know-Who and the Dark Arts. They were so common, yet they weren´t alike at all.

Narcissa made sure to send a look filled with contempt at the pudgy woman as the redhead stepped up to the counter. The blonde exited the store gracefully and composed, then turned in the general direction of the exit.

As she walked, she felt someone bump by her shoulder. Narcissa turned, preparing to stop the person and demand an apology, or report the person to the Ministry for some minor law-breaking. However, Narcissa stopped in the middle of the swarming crowd when she caught a glimpse of the face, the face that looked back at her in surprise.

There was beautiful black hair, long and loose, as dark as night and blending in nicely with her black robes. Malfoy Grey eyes, the same shade as Lucius´s and Draco´s, hauntingly beautiful eyes, though ingrained with permanent sorrow. And a hideous scar, running on the right side of her face, from the eyebrows to her chin.

It could only be one person. Victoria. By the time Narcissa registered this, though, her cousin was long gone. Narcissa sighed. She needed to talk to her, ask her about everything and about Draco.

Draco, her precious Little Dragon. She loved him more than she was supposed to, given all the circumstances. Yet, she couldn´t help it, not after everything that had happened.

Everyone thought that Lucius held no love for Draco. He did, at first, a long time ago, until Narcissa began to lavish her attention on the little boy instead of the grown man. The grown man who desperately wanted her, who became jealous of little Draco for stealing his Narcissa away from him. Lucius had always considered her his and only his, no one else´s. He would whisper it to her at night, whisper to her that she was his, that she would always be his.

Narcissa made her way home, then ate salad for lunch. The blonde wasn´t in the mood for something exquisite, not after losing Victoria. The only thing that could brighten this day was Lucius.

After lunch, Narcissa made her way upstairs. She spent the next several hours preparing for the ball, making sure that every single detail was perfect. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, it was time to leave for the MacNair´s house.

The robes beckoned to everyone else, shimmering and sparkling. Her hair appeared golden against the robes, rippling down her back in smooth, untangled strands. Her blue eyes sparkled, light blue eye shadow carefully applied onto the eyelids. The blonde had not bothered with mascara, though her eyes were outlined. She had also put on foundation, though no blush nor any lipstick. Her lips were their beautiful deep red, and her cheeks were the perfect ivory color that Lucius loved. The necklace that Lucius had given to her rested below her neck, shining happily.

Narcissa apparated out of her house. There was an Anti-Apparation field around the Malfoy estate, though it had been altered so that she, Lucius, and Draco would be able to bypass it. In seconds, Narcissa found herself standing in front of the steps of MacNair´s house, many other ladies clustered around in a circle.

The outside was white and made of marble, white marble columns supporting the overhang. The rich mahogany door was open, and Narcissa could hear music wafting out, Beethoven´s Symphony No. 9.

"Narcissa, darling, you look splendid!" exclaimed Anise Parkinson, who had just arrived. She glided over to Narcissa. The two hugged, hands barely touching each other, and kissed the air above each other´s cheeks. Anise was dressed in light pink robes with bell-shaped sleeves, lace around the collar and at the hem. Heavy makeup lined her face, and bracelets jangled on her arms.

"Anise, love, you look absolutely exquisite!" Narcissa replied.

"Why thank you, darling!!! Now, shall we join our friends?" Anise rested her hand on Narcissa´s arm and gently but firmly steered her towards the growing circle of wives. Narcissa rolled her eyes in her head as she stood and listened to the conversation, joining in every so often with an assent.

"Dear, you must withdraw your daughter from Hogwarts! That school teaches nothing but riffraff. If you want sweet Pansy to receive an education, then you must send her to Durmstrang!"

"I would if Narcissa here would, love. Pansy must learn how to please her future husband, Draco."

"Narcissa, dear, why do you not send Draco to Durmstrang? He would receive a much more fitting education there."

"I do not like the prospect of Draco so far away. Lucius is giving him a good education, do not worry."

Looks were exchanged among the ladies, and Narcissa knew what they were thinking of. Her past, how she used to be a Moore, how her whole family was sent to Hogwarts. That was not the true reason.

It seemed that the potion had worked, from what Draco had told her. She hadn´t intended it to go that far, but their position currently would make it much more beneficial to Draco in the long run.

"Loves, the ball shall start soon. Let´s get out of this dreadful cold."

The cluster moved as one towards the open door, two women slipping in at a time. Soon, the door was closed, leaving the carriages waiting in the open driveway.

MacNair´s house was nowhere as magnificent as Malfoy Manor. The decorations were much less splendid, the estate much, much smaller. Narcissa spotted Lucius standing in a corner with the rest of the men.

The lights were dim, and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik now played in the grand ballroom, which was adorned with all sorts of velvet and plush. The carpet was of velvet and so was the curtains, all in a forest green. There were several couches scattered here and there, velvet covering the plush cushions with down stuffed inside them. Many of the ladies were settling down in a group of couches, sitting impeccably straight. The men were also sitting down, though on the opposite side of the room.

MacNair and his wife came out, both dressed in their best robes. MacNair was dressed in royal green robes, his wife in a lighter jade green.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," MacNair boomed. The chatting subsided as all heads turned to look at MacNair and his wife, their host and hostess. "I ask Lucius Malfoy to lead the dancing."

Lucius stood up. "Thank you, Walden." He strode over to their part of the room, all the other women casting hopeful glances at him. It was no surprise that Lucius was the best looking one of the men, and all of them wanted to be able to dance with him. Narcissa, however, knew that he would pick her. He always did. And Lucius never relinquished his claim on her, never allowed her to dance with anyone else, which was fine with her.

"Ladies, would you not mind terribly if I borrow Miss Narcissa from you?" he asked charmingly.

The women smiled at him and allowed him to hold his hand out to Narcissa. Many of them shot the blonde jealous looks. Narcissa smiled and laid her hand in his. Lucius´s fingers closed around her hand, and he pulled her up.

The two moved together to the center of the room. Greensleeves had now started playing, and what a beautifully tragic song it was. Lucius´s right hand rested below her breasts, his left hand holding her right while her left hand lay on his shoulder. The two waltzed around the room, other couples joining them by the minute, the women giggling like young girls when they were asked to dance.

When Greensleeves ended, the couples separated, the women and men each returning to their respective corners. Except for Lucius and Narcissa.

"Narcy, I would like to speak with you in private."

Narcissa nodded, and Lucius lead her away, their hands clasped together. He led her up the stairs and down one of the halls of the house, finally pulling her inside a door.

A large, spacious bed stood in one corner, the white covers smooth and unwrinkled. The wallpaper was a light beige color, causing the room to seem bigger than it was. A small chandelier with several candles lighted shone down upon them.

"Luke? What is it?"

"I´ve missed you, Narcy," he whispered, as his lips descended upon hers to capture her mouth in a kiss. A kiss that told of suppressed lust, of desperate need. Narcissa wrapped her arms around the taller man´s neck while his arms found themselves around her waist, pressing her urgently against him, against the hardness pressing against her belly.

While the kiss went on, clothing was thrown haphazardly around the room as hands removed the restraining articles. Two bodies clung to each other, mouths and hands teasing each other to no end. And then they melded together in heated passion, in searing lust that had plagued both for long enough. The sheets became rumpled and indented as one form fell onto them, as they relieved themselves of everything that they had been feeling, as they expressed to each other how much they had missed each other.

And afterwards, the two lay curled together beneath the sheets, Lucius´s arm wrapped around her protectively and possessively, Narcissa´s head resting on the wonderful chest and moving with it as Lucius breathed.

"You will always be mine," Lucius whispered to her.

Narcissa looked up at the usually cold and apathetic face and ran her hand down the side of his cheek, down his neck, and onto his smooth chest.

"I know, Luke, and that´s all I ever want."

***

Victoria stumbled out of bed, the annoying chirping of birds vexing her to no end. Stupid critters that would not allow a girl to have her sleep. She made her way to the bathroom, her eyes groggy and barely open.

Brushing her teeth was a challenge as Victoria fumbled with the toothbrush and fought to not drop it. The piece of plastic clattered onto the linoleum tile, and Victoria cursed as she reached down to retrieve the irritating, offensive object.

Callused fingers grabbed the toothbrush and held it under the tap, washing off the dirt and grime no doubt accumulated from the floor. Victoria stared blankly at the mirror in front of her as she brushed her teeth, the mirror reflecting the small bathroom around her, reflecting everything except her.

No, she wasn´t a vampire, thank the First. That would have been awful. She never did like pig´s blood, and if she had to live off of the substance...

Victoria had cast a charm onto the mirror so that the piece of glass would not reflect her, specifically, her scar. Dragon Star did not need to be reminded of her oath and her failure to fulfill the oath, at least for now. She had four very painful reminders that followed her every day--Dragon Goddess, Voldemort, the fact that she wasn´t living with Tom and/or her son, and the fact that she was still living.

Both of them had lost so much. But Dragon Goddess had the true chance to regain it all back. She, on the other hand, would never be able to truly be with Tom again. Being in the greatest prophecy of all time should have been an honor, but if it meant all the pain and heartache, then Dragon Star would rather have been left out. Her and her Tom and her son. Maybe then, they could have had a happy life.

After the morning ritual, Victoria stepped out of the bathroom. She rummaged in the wardrobe until she extracted a black T-shirt, a pair of black jeans, and a black leather belt. The wardrobe was filled with all sorts of black clothing, plus several white T-shirts and several pairs of dark blue jeans. And some clothes in the current Muggle fashion, ones that clung to the body and revealed every single curve. She was way too old to wear teenage fashion, not that it showed.

Victoria then grabbed the comb off of the dresser and combed her long hair. She was not gentle with her thin hair, which was always tangled in knots. Large knots of hair appeared on her comb, and Victoria removed them and threw them into the wastebasket.

She had always been the talk of people who knew about her. An Asian with grey eyes, born to a pure bloodline. Well, except for one ancestor. One ancestor in the 13th Century. Her Malfoy Grey eyes were what set her apart from everyone else in her family, and Dragon Star had cursed her eyes many a time for leading her to such anguish.

Victoria arranged the hair so that it covered her scar. She did not like to be stared at in the streets, people whispering about her behind her back. Stupid Muggles and Witches and Wizards. None of them knew the meaning of this, knew why she chose to destroy her beauty.

Victoria then concentrated, picturing a bustling marketplace in her mind. Moments later, she was there. Oh, no, she didn´t apparate. Why would Dragon Star want to do something so amateurish? After all, she needed to practice her Dragon Magic, and Apparating was for regular Witches and Wizards, ones who were stuck with Basic Magic.

Apparation was different. To apparate, one needed to picture oneself at the place that one wanted to go to. When she Speeded, all Dragon Star needed to do was to picture the place that she wanted to go to. And she arrived there faster than the speed of sound.

Many different aromas made their way up Victoria´s nose and hammered at her brain, each telling her to buy it. Yum.

Dumplings today. I haven´t had them forever.

Sure, why not? A yummy blend of pork and cabbage and flour and soy sauce and all sorts of other condiments. A Chinese specialty, one that both of them enjoyed. Unlike carrots. Dragon Star shuddered at the thought of the orange vegetables.

Mei mei, carrots aren´t that bad.

Dragon Star was more of a carnivore than a herbivore. Meat was the one thing that she could eat day and night. Her father had liked meat just as much. Must be a family thing. A recent family thing, considering that Long Xian was into vegetables.

Victoria walked up to the table and asked for dumplings. The man nodded, then gestured for her to take a seat. He quickly went off to serve another customer. After waiting fifteen minutes, due to the amount of customers asking for food, a bowl of steaming dumplings arrived for her.

Both of them liked spicy food. And they loved dipping it into the pepper sauce, the red staining the translucent color of the jiao zi. Leek stalks swirled around in the soup, and Dragon Goddess used her chopsticks to pop some into her mouth.

After paying 5 yuan for the meal, Victoria left and walked down the streets. The streets were filthy, sewage running everywhere, and the driving was horrible. Drivers honked at each other and ignored all sorts of traffic rules. The cars drove on the right side of the road, and Victoria could accept that, but it was not right for a car to turn left on the very right lane, which she witnessed with her own eyes. Pedestrians crossed streets between stoplights, stopping on the white broken line to wait for the cars in the next lane to pass. Cars often swerved around pedestrians and into other lanes.

However, marketplaces were wonderful. A great selection of all sorts of merchandise, and you could haggle with the owners!! The best part of shopping in China. This was done for groceries, clothing, all sorts of other items. Why bother shopping in stores when one could haggle?

Dragon Star knew the trick. She was young enough to look school-aged, and when owners saw young girls like her, they often told the girls that they would sell the clothing for the price that they bought it at. And when the owners would not agree to sell the clothing at her price, she would pretend to leave, and the owner, seeing this, would call her back and tell her that it would be sold at her price. Very inexpensive.

Victoria wandered around the crowded and dingy aisles, displays of clothing shouting at her from both directions. Dragon Goddess liked to look at the different sorts of clothing on sale and criticize them, one way or another. The older woman was even more picky than Dragon Star, who was already very selective.

Dragon Star felt herself Speeding to their flat from one of the public bathrooms. Public bathrooms, the bane of existence. They smelled horrible, and anyone could smell one of the facilities kilometers away. They had the eastern concept, the kind where one had to squat over an opening. And no toilet paper was provided; the user had to bring his/her own. Plus, the nicer ones charged a fee, and the only difference was that they were a bit brighter and cleaner, but not by much.

Moments later, Victoria was standing in her flat, in front of her open wardrobe.

What was that for?

Dragon Star frowned but pulled out a pair of black robes. Stupid Diagon Alley. No need to go there, but of course, Dragon Goddess was still fascinated with British culture. Dragon Star would gladly remain in China, where she had only been for eight years before she arrived in Britain.

It was Fate that brought her and Tom together, but it was ill-fated from the beginning, even though Fate herself had designated it. Their love was doomed from the start. Unlike Narcissa´s, who actually had an attempt at true happiness. It was unfair.

But then, everything was. Dragon Goddess, who lost her brother at an early age. Lost her brother, who she loved dearly, more than she was supposed to. Both of their love lives were never meant to be, one in love with the one that she couldn´t, the other in love with the one that she shouldn´t.

Moments later, Victoria had Speeded into Diagon Alley, near Gringotts. She felt someone bump into her and turned to look. Victoria found herself looking into someone that she wasn´t supposed to.

Long blonde hair framing a delicate face, blue eyes looking back at her. Tall figure, dressed in sky blue robes, looking as beautiful as ever. Narcissa.

Dragon Star let out a string of curse words that made Dragon Goddess laugh. She quickly walked away, hoping that Narcissa wouldn´t recover sufficiently anytime soon to seek after her. She had a reason for not contacting Narcissa. Nothing was ready yet, and her cousin wasn´t supposed to see her, not right now, anyways.

Look at what you did.

No harm done. She didn´t digest it in time.

Victoria felt herself bump into another person. Just her luck, to have two people know about her. Not many of her old friends would still recognize her, for which she was thankful of, but she did not want to be seen by anyone.

Victoria turned around to find herself standing in front of a dumpy woman with loads of red hair. Great, a Weasley. No doubt she would be commented about to the Weasley that worked at the Ministry, and Victoria did not need any more publicity.

"Excuse me, miss. I apologize for bumping into you, but I am in a hurry. I do hope you will forgive me," Victoria said as politely as she could, mentally wishing that she could snap the woman´s neck in half.

"Of course, miss. Thank you for apologizing."

Victoria nodded and quickly turned and walked away, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

I told you this was a bad idea!

Dragon Goddess was so annoying sometimes. She was much sweeter and much nicer than Dragon Star herself, and she was very helpful to other people. She was one of those girls who were sugar, spice, and everything nice. The older woman was like a big sister to her when, in fact, they were truly ancestor and descendant, though many generations apart.

Dragon Star felt a tinge of sadness running through Dragon Goddess, but she didn´t care. She was cold, as cold as her skin in winter, which was always colder than ice. She couldn´t afford to care; many people and many feelings were going to be trampled on during this game.