Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the related names, spells, and powers. This takes place during Sixth year, and the summer before. OOTP spoilers.
Authors note: Wow, five reviews in the first 48 hours of posting the first chapter. Never had that kinda reaction to one of my fics before. Thank you all.
Nissy Padfoot: Don't worry, Lance isn't evil. But in the next few chapters you'll learn about what kind of person he is, and what he's capable of.
chibi moon baby: Glad you find this fic so, as you said, riveting.
To those I did not address her that reviewed I thank you for your reviews. Hopefully I will be able to update this story about once a week, but I'm not making any promises on that cause of my schedule. Oh, and ""= speech, '' = thoughts.
Anyways, lets get on with chapter 1!
Chapter 1: Reunion
Dumbledore and Lance landed hard in a dark, nondescript room. Dumbledore waved his wand, and two lamps lit up the room. The room appeared to have been at one time a study or office, there were books and papers lying around a huge oak desk near one of the walls. With another wave of his wand, Dumbledore dried off both his and Lance's clothes. He then turned to Lance and said, "I'll ask you to wait in this room if you don't mind. I have to go talk to a few people, and then I'll bring your sister here." Lance nodded, and started to take off his coat as Dumbledore left the room, locking the door after he exited.
The room that Dumbledore had left Lance in was the unused study of number 12 Grimmauld Place. In one of the many bedrooms of that house, Hermione Granger sat at a window, watching the storm. She had been depressed for a couple of weeks, ever since her parents had died. The summer had started out just like any other summer, almost. When she had arrived home from her fifth year at Hogwarts, she had been so worried about her best friend Harry. Harry had just lost his godfather, Sirius, and she was worried that spending the summer with the Dursley's would only make him feel worse. All of this was pushed to the back of her mind when she got home and her parents told her something that they had been keeping from her to surprise her.
That surprise was asleep in a crib a few feet away from where Hermione was sitting. Christina Noelle Granger, Chrissie for short, her new baby sister. Hermione's mom hadn't found out that she was pregnant until after Hermione left for school, and had waited to tell her to keep from giving her another thing to worry about while she was preparing for and taking the O.W.L.s. She was now three months old. Hermione had been so excited to have a sister, and had asked her parents if she could take Chrissie with her to see the Weasleys. They had reluctantly agreed, and it ended up saving Hermione and Chrissie's lives. While Hermione was visiting with the Weasleys, the Death Eaters attacked her home and killed her parents. Dumbledore came and gave her the news, and offered her a place to stay at Grimmauld Place.
That was two weeks ago, and the funeral had been later that week. After the third day of Hermione's stay, Dumbledore had personally gone to Privet Drive and brought Harry back with him. Harry and Hermione had spent the days since comforting each other and helping each other deal with their losses. Hermione was still depressed but Harry had helped her move on a little, and she had helped Harry do the same.
One thing she did worry about was how her twin brother was holding up. She had sent him a letter informing him of their parent's deaths. But she wished that she could talk to him. True, they hadn't been very close since the fight when they were eleven but, he was her twin, she needed him. Lately she had found herself wondering about how Lance was dealing with all this. They had both lost their parents, they were now orphans. And Lance didn't even know about Chrissie, her mom had said that they were waiting to tell him when he came for a visit later in the summer. And she had been so distraught that she hadn't mentioned it in the letter she sent him.
All these thoughts had been bubbling through her brain for days, and she would have continued to dwell on them that night if it weren't for the interruption of someone knocking on the door. She walked over and opened it, revealing Professor Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley. She invited them in and asked them what they wanted. Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "We have a visitor who says he is your brother. I thought you might want to see him. I brought Molly here to watch over Chrissie." Hermione's eyes went wide when she heard this and she jumped to her feet. Dumbledore led her out of the room, and down the hall to the study where Lance was waiting.
After Dumbledore had left the room, Lance took off his coat and set it down on a nearby chair and walked over to the room's only window. He stood there staring at the rain in deep thought, 'I should have come back sooner. I should have never let that fight that Hermione and I had cause such a rift between my family and me. I wish I had been there to save them or something.' He took his attention off of the storm outside, and pulled back the cuff of the right sleeve of his shirt, and stared at the tattoo on the underside of his wrist. The tattoo consisted of three symbols, they were the Japanese symbols for the words honor, loyalty, and family. Looking at them, Lance felt another twinge of guilt, 'Over the past few years I have been so consumed with my training, among other things, that I have neglected my family. I lost sight of what is important in life, and it took my parent's death to make me realize it. I'm such an idiot.' His thoughts continued this way until he heard the sound of the door being unlocked. He turned to the door just as it opened, revealing Dumbledore and his sister. He stared at her for a second not believing that she was really there, but then her ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "Hermione," he said, his voice chocked with emotion, "I missed you so much. I'm glad you're safe."
Hermione hugged him back the second she realized that it was really him. Her twin brother was here, now, hugging the life out of her. Tears came to her eyes as she heard him say the he missed her, her mind began racing, 'I never should have argued with him about Hogwarts. That little fight drove us out of each other's lives. I can barely believe that this is my brother; he's grown up so much since then. But his face is the same as it ever was, and his eyes are still the same.' She smiled and whispered, "I missed you too. I'm sorry we ever fought. I'm glad you're back." The tears just took over then, and she buried her head into his should and cried. She cried tears of sorrow for their loss, and tears of joy for their reunion.
End of chapter 1
AN: Okay, I'm sorry that this chapter isn't much longer than the other, but I got really swamped with algebra homework (damn summer term) and have been really busy. I plan to get the third chapter out by next Friday, and it will be much longer.
Next chapter: The Weasley's and Harry's reaction to Lance, and Lance's reaction to Chrissie. Also, a peek into Lance's past.
Next Chapter: Introductions and Nighttime Troubles
Authors note: Wow, five reviews in the first 48 hours of posting the first chapter. Never had that kinda reaction to one of my fics before. Thank you all.
Nissy Padfoot: Don't worry, Lance isn't evil. But in the next few chapters you'll learn about what kind of person he is, and what he's capable of.
chibi moon baby: Glad you find this fic so, as you said, riveting.
To those I did not address her that reviewed I thank you for your reviews. Hopefully I will be able to update this story about once a week, but I'm not making any promises on that cause of my schedule. Oh, and ""= speech, '' = thoughts.
Anyways, lets get on with chapter 1!
Chapter 1: Reunion
Dumbledore and Lance landed hard in a dark, nondescript room. Dumbledore waved his wand, and two lamps lit up the room. The room appeared to have been at one time a study or office, there were books and papers lying around a huge oak desk near one of the walls. With another wave of his wand, Dumbledore dried off both his and Lance's clothes. He then turned to Lance and said, "I'll ask you to wait in this room if you don't mind. I have to go talk to a few people, and then I'll bring your sister here." Lance nodded, and started to take off his coat as Dumbledore left the room, locking the door after he exited.
The room that Dumbledore had left Lance in was the unused study of number 12 Grimmauld Place. In one of the many bedrooms of that house, Hermione Granger sat at a window, watching the storm. She had been depressed for a couple of weeks, ever since her parents had died. The summer had started out just like any other summer, almost. When she had arrived home from her fifth year at Hogwarts, she had been so worried about her best friend Harry. Harry had just lost his godfather, Sirius, and she was worried that spending the summer with the Dursley's would only make him feel worse. All of this was pushed to the back of her mind when she got home and her parents told her something that they had been keeping from her to surprise her.
That surprise was asleep in a crib a few feet away from where Hermione was sitting. Christina Noelle Granger, Chrissie for short, her new baby sister. Hermione's mom hadn't found out that she was pregnant until after Hermione left for school, and had waited to tell her to keep from giving her another thing to worry about while she was preparing for and taking the O.W.L.s. She was now three months old. Hermione had been so excited to have a sister, and had asked her parents if she could take Chrissie with her to see the Weasleys. They had reluctantly agreed, and it ended up saving Hermione and Chrissie's lives. While Hermione was visiting with the Weasleys, the Death Eaters attacked her home and killed her parents. Dumbledore came and gave her the news, and offered her a place to stay at Grimmauld Place.
That was two weeks ago, and the funeral had been later that week. After the third day of Hermione's stay, Dumbledore had personally gone to Privet Drive and brought Harry back with him. Harry and Hermione had spent the days since comforting each other and helping each other deal with their losses. Hermione was still depressed but Harry had helped her move on a little, and she had helped Harry do the same.
One thing she did worry about was how her twin brother was holding up. She had sent him a letter informing him of their parent's deaths. But she wished that she could talk to him. True, they hadn't been very close since the fight when they were eleven but, he was her twin, she needed him. Lately she had found herself wondering about how Lance was dealing with all this. They had both lost their parents, they were now orphans. And Lance didn't even know about Chrissie, her mom had said that they were waiting to tell him when he came for a visit later in the summer. And she had been so distraught that she hadn't mentioned it in the letter she sent him.
All these thoughts had been bubbling through her brain for days, and she would have continued to dwell on them that night if it weren't for the interruption of someone knocking on the door. She walked over and opened it, revealing Professor Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley. She invited them in and asked them what they wanted. Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "We have a visitor who says he is your brother. I thought you might want to see him. I brought Molly here to watch over Chrissie." Hermione's eyes went wide when she heard this and she jumped to her feet. Dumbledore led her out of the room, and down the hall to the study where Lance was waiting.
After Dumbledore had left the room, Lance took off his coat and set it down on a nearby chair and walked over to the room's only window. He stood there staring at the rain in deep thought, 'I should have come back sooner. I should have never let that fight that Hermione and I had cause such a rift between my family and me. I wish I had been there to save them or something.' He took his attention off of the storm outside, and pulled back the cuff of the right sleeve of his shirt, and stared at the tattoo on the underside of his wrist. The tattoo consisted of three symbols, they were the Japanese symbols for the words honor, loyalty, and family. Looking at them, Lance felt another twinge of guilt, 'Over the past few years I have been so consumed with my training, among other things, that I have neglected my family. I lost sight of what is important in life, and it took my parent's death to make me realize it. I'm such an idiot.' His thoughts continued this way until he heard the sound of the door being unlocked. He turned to the door just as it opened, revealing Dumbledore and his sister. He stared at her for a second not believing that she was really there, but then her ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "Hermione," he said, his voice chocked with emotion, "I missed you so much. I'm glad you're safe."
Hermione hugged him back the second she realized that it was really him. Her twin brother was here, now, hugging the life out of her. Tears came to her eyes as she heard him say the he missed her, her mind began racing, 'I never should have argued with him about Hogwarts. That little fight drove us out of each other's lives. I can barely believe that this is my brother; he's grown up so much since then. But his face is the same as it ever was, and his eyes are still the same.' She smiled and whispered, "I missed you too. I'm sorry we ever fought. I'm glad you're back." The tears just took over then, and she buried her head into his should and cried. She cried tears of sorrow for their loss, and tears of joy for their reunion.
End of chapter 1
AN: Okay, I'm sorry that this chapter isn't much longer than the other, but I got really swamped with algebra homework (damn summer term) and have been really busy. I plan to get the third chapter out by next Friday, and it will be much longer.
Next chapter: The Weasley's and Harry's reaction to Lance, and Lance's reaction to Chrissie. Also, a peek into Lance's past.
Next Chapter: Introductions and Nighttime Troubles