A/N: Bleh, I should've put in the disclaimer that there was bad French involved! XD

But, thank you Force Rouge for pointing out the error! I usually stay clear of actually writing a foreign language unless I'm absolutely sure I know what it means (but Louis keeps yelling at me in French to do it right! ::sad face::), but I have corrected the problem. ::hugs and kisses::


Genuinely perturbed at the state of affairs so far, he was too preoccupied with his thoughts until Al grabbed at his arm excitedly and began to point in all different directions.

"Look at this place! It's amazing!" Al's face lit up in wonder, which prompted Louis to smile minutely as he absorbed the atmosphere.

The RebelWitch store was moderately huge, with gleaming black marble floors and a modern arched ceiling made of a dark hazel wood. There were numerous racks of clothing to the far left, with displays of elaborate robes and fashion conscious teen wear. On the right kept dozens of glass displays of items, ranging from cheap little trinkets and potions designed for external beauty to the rather expensive looking jewelry that seemed goblin-made.

The place was immensely crowded, the gender ratio being that of teenage girls to young women outranking the males. Those brave minorities were curiously browsing the smaller RebelWizard section or waited in boredom by the fitting rooms.

Al immediately went for the RebelWizard aisle. He excitedly stared at a full glass display of a charmed mannequin posing, showing the viewer his fashionably ripped ornate black cloak adorned with silver fastenings.

"Louis! Come look at this! They've got a fusion of muggle and wizarding outfits over here!" Al gestured wildly.

Turning to stare back at Dominique, who gave him a stern stare, he followed after the boy. Al began browsing the trousers rack as Louis admired the displays, curiously finding that the apparel on the mannequin changes according to which piece of clothing you asked it to wear when Al mentioned about a pair of dark gray skinny jeans. Louis stared at it for longer than he should.

"You seem quiet," Al slid over as close to Louis as inconspicuously possible. "Imagining what I'd look like in those jeans?"

Louis allowed himself to smirk. "I've never really seen the attraction on this skinny jean fad. It makes many boys too feminine in appearance," He finally stared at Al. "...unless that was the intention?"

"Are you assuming I want skinny jeans so I can appear more feminine to you?" Al looked back, his expression akin to surprise.

Louis chose his next words carefully, not enjoying the rather uncomfortable stance that Al was sporting. "Should I be assuming?"

Suddenly sheepish with Louis' answer, Al looked away, blushing guiltily. "Maybe...I figured it'd be a bit easier for you, I suppose. You have a lot of female admirers, Louis."

"That means nothing," Louis responded lowly. "Not when I've picked you over them. If I wanted a woman, I'd have one. Does that clear your doubts, chaton?"

Al visibly shivered at the nickname and finally allowed himself to smile calmly. "I guess."

Louis quickly gripped Al's forearm in reassurance and quickly pulled away. "You should not try so hard for me," He continued, staring back at the display. "I'd rather you not lose circulation in your legs just to please me. You can wear the most ridiculous things and I'd still find you the most appealing."

Al lightened considerably and his toying mood returned. "I think this is a ruse on your behalf," He smirked at Louis. "You're just trying to dissuade me from wearing any clothes at all!"

It was Louis' turn to blush. Turning around as Al began to laugh, he walked right into Dominique, who looked very severe in her stance.

"We need to talk," She turned on her heel and walked towards the back of the store, leaving no room for Louis to answer. Al looked in confusion as Louis waved him off with a reassuring smile and followed after her, something in his chest dropping straight into his stomach.


Louis felt like he was under an Auror interrogation.

The storage room was spacial in size, but the packages that have been sealed or half-open in boxes towered as high as he was, giving it an almost suffocating feel.

Dominique stood on the other side of the room, her arms folded and her jaw tight.

"What's going on, Louis," She said in a biting French. Louis knew it wasn't a request. She was demanding it.

He wondered if she knew about him and Al. Odds were it was the case, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions if it wasn't and end up spilling more than he should. Louis feigned confusion as her eyes turned dark with anger at his thoughtful silence.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He answered back in English. This seemed to perturb her even more.

"I can smell him on you, Louis!" She snapped, dropping her arms to point threateningly at him. "And your scent was all over him when I embraced him. You think I wouldn't notice?"

Louis' heart turned to stone, his fears now a reality. He kept his face remarkably passive despite it all. "You are overreacting," He finally answered in their native tongue. "I've been with Al all day. Of course he'd have my scent on him."

Dominique shook her head stiffly, her blue eyes blazing. "You play me for an idiot, Louis? I don't just smell your scent on him! I smell passion-my Veela blood screams a sexual touch when Al touched me! You don't think I know how Veelas mate?"

She ended her sentence with a shrill yell. Louis brandished out his wand and Dominique looked at it apprehensively. He turned and placed a Silencing Charm on the door.

"Be silent," Louis hissed, his own identical eyes darkening. "I haven't done anything sexual with him."

"But you admit that you are in a relationship that eventually becomes a sexual one," She snarled. "He shares our blood, Louis! Our kin! A male and underaged!"

Louis' grip tightened around his wand. She made it sound like he wasn't aware of the consequences, that he was an idiot. "This is none of your concern, Dominique. Stay out of my business!"

She shook her head at him, her eyes alight with suspicion, revulsion and and underlying contempt. "I am disappointed in you, Louis. And this will not end here. You assume that I'll just turn my back and allow you to take advantage of Albus? Even now, he clings to you so whole-heartedly. Tell me, how much magical influence have you pressed on him to the point of obsession?" His rage stirring at her words, he gripped his wand so tightly that small sparks shot out in alarm. "Have you used your Veela influence for years now-grooming the boy for your own?"

Louis never felt so insulted and angered in his life. For the first time, he aimed his wand at his sister.

"I'm not like you," He hissed darkly. Magical energy began to whip around the room, knocking down boxes. "I'd die first before I'd ever use him like that."

She brandished out her own wand, a stark ivory to his dark kingwood model. "I can't take that risk, Louis." When he refused to drop his stance, her voice dropped into a harsh whisper. "You'd raise your wand at me, Louis? Would you kill me to keep this perversion alive? Your own sister?"

Louis began subtly grinding his teeth, seeing the option of killing her to be preferable if this were a humorous situation. But it wasn't. She was purposefully pushing him into a corner, giving him no where else to run.

"Louis? Dominique?" The lone door opened and Al peeked through. "Lily wants to know if she can get a discount on..." He stared at the two siblings, each poised in a tense dueling stance. "...pixie charms. What's in Merlin's name is going on here?"

Unrelenting in his stance, Louis answered, his eyes focusing only solely on Dominique. "She knows."

Confused for a moment, he stared at the accusing look Dominique was giving him before it dawned on him. His jaw dropped.

"You can't possibly-!"

Dominique wand slowly moved and Louis' body tensed, ready to strike. "You have been hoodwinked, Albus."

"Be SILENT!" Louis growled and it was Dominique's turn for her body to tense as he flicked his wand menacingly. "You are deluded."

She ignored Louis and stared at Al. "Do you not see, Albus? Your cousin raises his wand against me because I know the truth. Veelas can manipulate the emotions of others-do you honestly believe you went to him on your own accord?"

Al looked at Dominique in disbelief. "Are you saying that his feelings for me aren't genuine?"

"Not his. Yours."

He blinked, dazed by this new bit of information. "My feelings aren't genuine?"

Dominique ducked as red sparks narrowly missed her head. She cast her spell back at Louis, but he deflected it with a Shield Charm.

"Do you want me to strike you again, Dominique?" He threatened softly. "Is this your own attempt at atonement for what you've done?"

She flinched slightly, her eyes widening before immediately narrowing them back down. "I'm not on trial here, Louis."

"Listen!" Al jumped in-between them, forcing them to move their wands from his direction. "Why don't we just relax and talk this out? Wands down, NOW!"

Reluctantly, Louis stiffly dropped his arm. Dominique did the same a second later, her gaze still filled with malice.

"Do what you want, Dominique," Louis whispered lowly, he turned away. "It matters not to me. Tell everyone I influenced him with my inherent abilities if it helps you atone for your own mistakes. But I am not like you and will not make the same mistake that you did on Charlotte with Al."

Dominique tensed immediately at the name and her eyes flashed a look of pain before she steeled herself.

"Who's Charlotte?" Al asked. Dominique said nothing.

"You were so sure of yourself, Dominique," Louis continued. "But being around her wasn't enough for you. Have you forgotten that it was I who found her on the front door of your apartment-confused and scared when she finally snapped out of your influence? Did you honestly think I'd let Al end up the same way as her?"

"Shut up!" Dominique covered her ears as if trying to block Louis out. "It's not my fault! I couldn't control it!"

Louis shook his head. "Lies. You could-you just didn't want to. How could she fully function in her will to love you if she had no preference to you? Did you think it was easy to do so? I wonder how she felt...so conflicted that she nearly was sent to St. Mungos for the mental scarring."

"Stop it, Louis!" She cried out, near to the breaking point of tears. Louis reluctantly fell silent, eying her quietly before moving to the door.

"If you honestly believe that I would hurt Al, then maybe he can persuade you," Louis finally said plainly before smiling gently at Al.

Al nodded and immediately went to Dominique's aid, trying to pry her hands away from her head, which she was clutching in a near death grip. Louis took this distraction to walk out and clear his head. He didn't want to do anything drastic and in his current state of mind he might have.

"You have to sever your relationship with him, Al," Dominique whispered gently. "He could hurt you in the end, just like..." She swallowed. "Just like...me."

Louis paused just as he almost walked through the door. He felt a wave of remorse coming from his sister and he closed his eyes, trying to block it out. He had felt it before after what happened with Charlotte, but he is immune now. He didn't do anything to manipulate Al's feelings. He loved him too much to do that. He respected Al too much to try.

Dominique needed to see that and understand.

TBC...