Shadowmen
A HariPo fanfiction
by mew-tsubaki
Note: These characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not me. Chapter one was for the 100 Prompts challenge by xXKissingSinXx, and I used 29, 30, 58, 77, and 85. Everyone should go check out her prompts! They're excellent for helping you get the right motivation to start a story! Anyways… Read, review, and enjoy!
- ^-^3
Chapter 2: We Quickly Get to Work
"Shadowmen" really was an appropriate term for the group. It had stunned them into silence and, in George's case, sobriety. But, now armed with a name, there was a newfound sense of unity, and within a week the group began making plans.
"We really need to move this elsewhere," Parvati griped as she gestured to them and finished off her firewhiskey.
"She's right," Freddie stated. "We can't come in here every day and get sloshed."
George hmphed. "Fine. Since you brought it up, you volunteered your place." He grinned wickedly. "Shall we?"
Parvati opened her mouth to protest, but—as she had no better alternative—she begrudgingly mumbled her agreement.
"So then we're going to initiate our plans, then?" Lorcan asked as he paid and they all gathered their belongings.
Freddie looked at each of them in turn. "What plans?"
"If you had cared to join our first meeting three days ago," his father quipped, "then you'd already know."
They borrowed Tom the bartender's fireplace and used the Floo Network to journey to Parvati's sizeable flat. She immediately barked at the boys to leave their jackets and shoes at the hearth, but she was more than ready to show off her living space. "It's not too bad for one person—or one and a guest," she said, smiling.
George gaped at the furnishings. He complimented her living style; her little apartment made his house seem dinky…er, quaint. He shook himself of the comparison and produced a small notepad. "So, uh, I've got the dates from Bill and Fleur."
"None of you has filled me in!" Freddie angrily reminded them.
Lorcan sighed. "Fred, I'm going to be a wedding crasher."
"What? But she's my cousin!" He looked to his father. "Your—Your niece!"
The Weasley man frowned as he and Parvati sat on the couch and Lorcan dropped himself into the recliner across from them. "I won't deny having a bit of a guilty conscience," George remarked, "but I'm tired of being on the losing side. I'm not going to just sit and take it anymore." He quirked an eyebrow. "I thought we all agreed to that when we formed this little committee—unless I'm mistaken?"
Freddie's cheeks flushed and he shrugged out of his sweater. "I'm all for trouble…but this…"
Lorcan waved him quiet and said, "Never mind that. The thing is, Sander and Dom's wedding is—" He glanced at George's notes. "—shit. Only two months away. They have it planned for the thirty-first of August?" He squinted at George. "Why then?"
George shrugged. "Fleur gibbered something about it being one of the most romantic dates for a summer wedding."
The blonde male ran a hand through his hair, his ocean-blue eyes fixing on the inked date. "This is going to make getting all my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s seem exponentially easier."
Parvati poofed up a glass of water for herself and sipped at it. "You didn't actually have Dominique before, did you?" she asked, clasping her hands around her crossed knees.
"No, I didn't," Lorcan answered through gritted teeth. "But I've loved her for a very long time. Around the middle of our school years, it appeared she was flirting back. But it was very shortly after that that she started dating Lysander. I have no idea why."
She sighed. "Then you have your work cut out for you." She glanced at George. "We'll only resort to crashing the wedding as a last chance if things don't fall into place before then." The witch turned her stare back to the blonde. "You are going to have to throw your heart and soul into wooing her."
Lorcan smiled sadly. "That's nothing new to me."
George pursed his lips, uncomfortable with the following awkward silence. "Er, right. So, I think you should dive right in—"
"He'll have to be careful, he doesn't want to hurt his brother, really," Parvati interrupted.
George grunted. "You should dive right in," he repeated. "But be sly about it so Dom doesn't exactly realize you're sweeping her off her feet," he added with a pointed look to his old schoolmate.
"That actually doesn't sound half bad," Parvati praised. "Oh! You should approach her with the intention of wanting to help with the wedding preparations! Women love it when there's a knight available to significantly lessen their load!"
"Maybe you should suggest things for areas she hasn't gotten to yet," Freddie offered, finally coming around to their side. "It would make your help seem even more sincere."
"And no rushing her with chocolates or flowers," Parvati warned. "That will set off a red flag."
"Instead," George cut in softly, "offer to make a treat—or just bring one with you—when she's really tired or has had a stressful day. Dominique's not working now, but your brother is, right? That leaves most of the plans on her plate."
Lorcan considered the others' input and already some very appetizing scenarios were playing out in his mind's eye. He grinned wolfishly. "I think I have enough to at least get her considering being the other Mrs. Scamander… And, if all fails, I can just ruin some lovely festivities." The Ravenclaw whistled a tad nervously. "Shyeah, no pressure there… What about you?" he asked, side-glancing at Freddie.
The tan Weasley twin grimaced. "What about me? There's not much of a choice for me."
"No one at all, son?" George asked, one brow quirked. It was hard to believe any son of his held no flame for someone at his age.
Freddie was silent a while. "Well…"
Lorcan pumped his fist in the air. "HA! I knew it! So, tell us her name, dearest Freddie."
His friend glared at him. "Shut it, will you? I'm not even sure she counts much anymore… Remember Roxanne's best mate from school, Ziven Hooper?"
The "ohs" from George and Lorcan clued Parvati in that this girl was special. "What about her?" the witch asked.
"She…left an impression on me," Freddie continued, blushing.
"Told him off for pulling a prank on McGonagall," Lorcan provided.
"Though his sister'd been his partner-in-crime, Freddie was the one whom Ziven made cry," George added.
Freddie glared at his father, completely red in the face. "Hey! You don't have to go spreading that around! Anyway," he said, "she was a pretty cool witch. But Roxanne stopped hearing from her after graduation. I have no idea where she even lives," the twin finished, hanging his head in shame.
Parvati frowned. "That is rather awful… Are you sure Roxanne hasn't tried writing her? I mean, if they were best mates…"
"I don't really know," Freddie answered. "I guess I just never broached the subject because Ziven was Roxie's friend, not mine."
"Then it's fairly obvious, isn't it?" George leaned back on the couch. "Ask Rox that question. You won't know until you do. And then you can proceed from there."
Parvati glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall beside her fireplace. "Which reminds me…" She stood and motioned the two boys up. "Lorcan, if you want to get anything done, you ought to start now. It's June twenty-second. You should treat every day like it's your last if you're willing to break that engagement." She looked at Freddie. "And you. Obviously, you need to be casual when asking your sister about her friend. So, lie in wait for your twin to come home. And be frank. Your situation isn't quite as delicate as Lorcan's here," she added, ushering them over to the fireplace and having both take some Floo powder. "Now, off you go! Get started—pronto!"
One after the other, Lorcan and Freddie left. Parvati nodded to herself, assured that at least some good could come from being Shadowmen. Then she turned around and her face fell. Amidst all the scheming, neither she nor George had thought of themselves.
"Don't worry about it," he stated, seemingly reading her thoughts. He darkly smiled as she rejoined him on the couch. "They have a better chance at righting the past than we do, anyway."
Parvati slowly nodded. "So…you don't want to do anything?"
George shook his head. "It'd be pointless. My marriage is long over." A heavy silence settled over them.
"That was thoughtful of you," she commented. "Telling Lorcan about the treat… That was sweet." The witch smiled. "Just like a man, the best way to a woman's heart is through her stomach." As he grumbled slight agreement, her face fell. "You know what? Let's tail them. Come on!"
"What?" George gaped at her as she yanked on his arm and dragged him to the fireplace. "Are you mental?"
"Yes," she answered as she grabbed a handful of the Floo powder. "Where are Lorcan and Dominique likeliest to be?"
"Well, probably Shell Cottage, but—Parvati!" He yelled at her right as the green flames jumped up and licked her heels. She was gone before he could even touch her. His hand closed around nothing but smoke.
He glared at where she had been. "Dammit…," the father growled. He looked around the apartment, feeling awkward being alone in the alien space. Reluctantly, he stepped forward and dropped a handful of powder. "Shell Cottage!"
The journey was short and sweet and ended sourly as George crashed into Parvati's back. He started in on her, but Parvati covered his mouth with her hand. She touched a finger to her lips with her other, signaling him to be quiet. The dust settled and the adults strained their ears. There were voices coming from the other room.
"…go check? Seemed a little noisy for just Bushbell," Dominique said.
Parvati looked to George, who mouthed "her cat."
"Nah, it was probably just some pots falling from a rusty hook." This was definitely Lorcan. "How're things coming along, by the way?" he asked.
"Dreadful," she replied and her uncle could easily picture the Weasley trademark eye roll. "I always thought things just…fell into place. It seemed that way with Victoire and Neville—"
"I remember that," Parvati whispered. "It was the visual definition of a fairy tale."
"—but for me and San, it seems like I've taken up a nine-to-nine job for no pay and with no breaks."
There was a pause. And then: "But think of the benefits," Lorcan muttered very softly. It was the painful sort of thing to say.
Another verbal pause ensued. Papers crinkled and George would've bet a galleon that he heard her touch his hand. "That was lovely, Lorc."
"It really wa—mph!" Parvati glowered at George for covering her mouth this time, but he nodded in agreement.
Fingers drew across a table and Lorcan made noises of stretching. "Need a hand?" he asked, changing the subject. Nervousness tinged his voice. "I'm sure I'm crap at picking flowers, but surely I can arrange some appointments or something."
George took out his wand and silently cast Aguamenti near the corner. Now he and Parvati had a sharp, upside-down reflection of the scene unfolding in the kitchen. Dominique chuckled, but they could see the laughter reached her eyes. Maybe there was promise for Lorcan after all.
It was a moment before Dominique tossed her pretty blonde hair and dropped her hazel eyes to the mess before her and acquiesced. Lorcan's grin was a sheepish one in wolf's clothing—he hadn't planned on succeeding in any sort of way. His flustering gave George and Parvati the cue to leave; it was very probable that little else would happen with Lorcan's brain absent. George cleaned up the puddle with a Vanishing spell but left the kitchen a slight mess. It was better that Dom didn't realize anyone had arrived via the Floo Network and, as they surely couldn't Floo back for the need of shouting, George slipped Parvati and himself out the front door.
Once they had traipsed far enough, Parvati halted him. "So, shall we drop in on Fred?"
"Call him 'Freddie,'" George corrected. Parvati blanched, realizing she'd hit a sore spot. He turned his head away and tried to think of something else, though he knew his clenched jaw and the popping vein in his neck gave away his true thoughts.
They walked a little more before Parvati braved a certain storm. "You know what, George? You need to move past Fred. And Angelina. Both."
He whirled on her, no lingering trace of mischief evident in his expression. "'Move on'? Do you even hear yourself? This is my dead twin! Unlike you three, I can't compete! And I don't think I want to!" With his last statement, the redhead slightly deflated, realizing he rather did feel that sentiment.
Parvati grabbed his collar and yanked him down a head's length so they were eye-to-eye. "And you're how old? Please. Get a grip." She sighed, shaking her head. "We've all been through shit, George. It's time to start living for yourself and stop wondering how different things would be if Fred were still alive." Her espresso-colored eyes softened. "Well? What do you say?"
Geor stared at her, searching within himself for a good reason not to agree with her. Trouble was, he felt compelled to leave the Fred situation alone, to let go as she instructed. But it was his Weasley stubbornness that wouldn't let well-enough alone. He half-heartedly smirked. "And if I decide to take back Ange? Then what?"
"I dunno…," the witch answered carefully as they resumed a brusque pace.
"You can't present a challenge without taking one up yourself," he said, the tiniest of glints returning to his blue eyes.
Parvati gave him a look. "All right, then. I take it this means I'm meant to sabotage my sister's relationship?"
"And why not? She was the mistress," George pointed out. "He was your artist first…"
She faced him and scoffed. "Someone's himself again."
He sniggered. "And someone never changed from her teenage years."
"Hey!" Parvati rolled her eyes, but she was at least amused. "This means we've got to work on our own plans, by the way, instead of just watching those two dolts flounder."
"I know, I know…" George caught her hand as she shoved his shoulder playfully. For a moment, they locked eyes. Then he realized he still held her hand. With her cheeks suddenly red as his, he gripped her hand and shook it. "So…uh, it's, uh, a deal, then. We're partners-in-crime." Or something like that.
- ^-^ 3
XD Yup, you've got that right. Chemistry is lurking everywhere… B) Haha, lucky Lorcan. Who knows? Maybe he will get Dom…I'm not telling. ;P
So, please review! Up next: 3-"We Learn That Plans Go Awry" Keep on reading!
-mew! ;3
NOTE: Ziven is Morghen's OC and yes, I have permission to use her. Check out Mor's fics and see where you can spot her! ;D
Alsoooo… Thank you Kylie, Jo, and jowx97 for the reviews! I appreciate it! (More reviews means faster updates…*hint*!)