Chapter 2

Reminiscing

Rory and Veera sat in silence the rest of the way to the station. They kept giving each other nervous glances. When they got out they got carts for their trunks and unloaded the trunk. Rory grabbed Hermes and put him on top of her arm. Veera picked her snake up and draped him around her shoulders. They walked to the barrier still no one talking and they walked on through.

They were greeted with the site of the Hogwarts Express. Rory and Veera were really happy, but stayed silent until they loaded their trunks. When they were about to get back off the train a pair of arms grabbed Rory around her waist and another pair grabbed Veera around her waist and held them forcefully. "Hello Ladies" said a familiar voice from behind Rory. She turned around and saw none other than Darren Shan and Evra Von.

Rory and Veera squealed hugging their boyfriends. They took their hands and walked back to Tammy to say their good byes for the school year. "She found out about me being a half-vampire and about Veera not telling her," Rory murmured to them. "So don't say anything." They found their aunt and hugged her. She didn't seem to be happy, she didn't give her usual bone crushing hugs. Tammy waved and said "Goodbye" then apperated back to the house. Darren and Evra looked shocked. Veera's head was bowed down sadly. "Wow" Evra said. "She's pissed!"

Rory and Veera stood there staring at the spot where their aunt had been. Darren and Veera saw Rory's eyes flares with anger. Darren grabbed her around the waist and held her. Veera put a comforting hand on her shoulder. When she calmed down and looked around, she saw the clock. It was only 10:45. "I'll be right back," She said. "Darren apparate to my house with me," They apperated, Veera watched and thought how mad her sister was and hoped they would be back before the train left.

Veera's flashback…

Veera and Rory were around the ages five and seven. They had been playing outside by the old river. They started back to get home before dark like their parents, Alice and Dean Riddle, preferred. Rory and Veera walked side-by-side following the long curvy path that led to the house.

As they got closer they heard noises coming from the house. They were strange noises. They quickened their pace and cleared the last turn to see flashes of light and their parents defending themselves from attackers. Rory looked wide-eyed and Veera started to walk away from Rory. "Veera wait" Rory said urgently grabbing her little sister by the arm and pulling her behind a big bush so the other people wouldn't see them. "Mommy and daddy need help" Veera said trying to get away. "No, they wouldn't want us out there, we might get in the way," Rory said in a whisper. Rory knew something bad was going to happen she could feel it and she was hoping she was wrong.

Rory looked thought the bush to watch the action. Veera did the same thing. Their parents were wonderful fighters, but the other two people were better. Dean was the first down, which made Veera scream. The attacker looked over to where he heard the scream and Alice took her chance. She sent a stunning spell but the attacker was too quick, he put a shield up just in time sending the spell back at her. She dodged but then was hit by a green spell, the killing curse. She fell to the ground and the attacker dissaperated from the scene. Veera was in tears and Rory was holding her also crying. She was trying to be strong for her baby sister, and was doing her best, but broke down.

Rory heard popping noises all around them. She grabbed her wand and held onto Veera who hadn't heard anything. No one had spotted them yet but Rory wouldn't let her guard down. She looked though the underbrush of the forest and saw a couple people running into the clearing in front of their house. Rory still held Veera while watching these other people who she recognized as aurors. She started to stand up when a female auror spotted her and aimed her wand at the brush. "Come on out, we won't hurt you" the lady said in a stern voice.

Veera had stopped crying and looked at Rory who nodded. They both stood up and walked out into the clearing. "Who are you two?" the lady asked, this time in a more friendly voice. "I'm Rory and this is my little sister Veera, those are our parents," She said pointing over to where her parents lay dead. The auror had a sad look on her face. "Did you two see what happened?" She asked kneeling down in front of the girls. Rory nodded. "Two people attacked our parents and killed them" She said barley holding back the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. "Is that all you saw?" She asked hoping to get more information from these girls so she and her fellow co-workers could get going to find the culprits.

Rory shook her head, "We came around the bend in the forest and saw them fighting two people in black cloaks, but that's the only description I have because I didn't see their faces" Rory said trying to remember all that happened but failing miserably. The auror nodded. "Thank you, by the way I'm Tonks," She said with a small smile. Rory noticed this lady seemed young and hadn't noticed her pink hair or the interesting outfit. "We need to finish up around here and then we will sort out to where we need to get you two to live, do you have any family you know of?" She asked both girls. Rory nodded. "Only one, her name is Tammy, she is our aunt" She said with a shrug.

Rory and Veera didn't like Aunt Tammy because she was strict, mean, and HATED kids, they never felt at home around her only a cold shoulder. She was the only one left so they had no choice to who they would get stuck with. Veera shook her head knowing what was going to happen, they were going to get stuck with Tammy. Rory put and arm around Veera trying to comfort her. Tonks hadn't noticed their reaction when they figured out they would be living with the one person they didn't want to.

After all the commotion was over the girls were put into the back of a ministry's car after talking with Aunt Tammy, and sent on their way to her house which was in London and would be at least a 2 hour drive maybe more. Veera was quiet and Rory was deep in thought. She had been thinking since they got into the car that she was going to have to take care of Veera now, knowing this, that was the day Rory grew up, much sooner than a seven year old should, but she had a responsibility and being Rory she would take that to heart and not let Aunt Tammy ruin what good in life that was left.

The two of them appeared in Rory's room. Darren looked around at everything. He went up to Rory and put his arms around her waist and said in her ear "Did you know how much I missed you?" Rory smiled and turned around, "Why no you didn't. Why don't you tell me?" they began to kiss and Darren's hand slowly went from her back down to her- "DARREN! This is hardly the time!" he grinned when she pulled away and she started to go down the stairs and into the kitchen until she was right in front of Tammy. Tammy's eyes snapped up from the paper she had been reading. She looked at them. "Rory! What are you doing here?" she asked Rory, seeing her enraged eyes.

Rory slammed her fist down on the table in anger almost breaking it. Darren put his arm around her slim waist to try and comfort her the way he knew. She didn't take her eyes of her aunt. "DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD YOU MADE VEERA FEEL?" Rory screamed at Tammy. The octave of her voice made the glass around her shake. When enraged Rory was a very dangerous witch, "YEAH I'M HALF VAMPIRE! IT'S DEFFINATLY NOT YOUR PLACE TO CARE YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK YOU ARE! SO DON'T YOU DARE TAKE IT OUT ON HER. IT WAS MY DECISION NOT HERS! SHE DID NOTHING!" she pounded on the table again breaking part of it off. She apperated with out another word, "You know she is right" Darren said and he flashed his vampire marks at her and he too apperated back to the train station.

They got back just in time. Rory ran on the train Darren right behind her. They spotted Veera and Evra in a compartment by themselves. Rory and Darren walked in. Veera shot up and started asking questions but Rory held up her hand. Veera went quiet; she knew to stop talking when her sister did this and she nodded knowing her sister would tell her later when she felt like it and wasn't so mad. The whistle blew and the train was on its way to Hogwarts for another year, Rory's last and Veera's fifth.

Rory's flashback…

Rory and Veera Riddle at ages thirteen and eleven walking down the street a week before school starts, eating ice cream Rory had treated them to and Veera was talking about how excited she was to go to school. They heard something in a near by tree. Rory put her hand on her wand just in case and someone fell out of it! He was wearing a blood red cloak; he had orange hair and a big ugly scar down the side of his face. "Hello Rory hello Veera" Rory stepped in front of her sister saying, "Who are you? How do you know us?" He smiled and handed them two tickets. "I know everything… I can read minds…" She looked at him. All of her years of being a witch, people telling her not to trust strangers but she felt trust in her for some reason. She looked down at the tickets "Cirque Du Freak… Circus of Freaks?" The stranger nodded "I'm Mr. Crepsley"