AN: Writer's block for freaking everything has come to this: A new series of vignettes. For new readers, yes you've read the summary correctly. Every person in the trio's generation is the opposite gender—and the ships are canon!
This will be circling around the Trio, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. They're names will all sound similar, so don't worry too much on figuring out who is who.
This takes place in the summer before Third Year
Disclaimer: Last time I checked I am an American brunette. Nice try, but I know that I'm not JK Rowling
Title: The Unfolding Light: Pyramids
Word Count: 827
Summary: Seven years, that's all it took for them to save the world and move on. A series of vignettes and drabbles during their times in between. Gender-bending. Part of the AU Diversity Boot Camp.
The harsh light bouncing off the pyramids made Gabriel Weasley's eyes hurt. He winced and extended a hand over his eyebrows, trying to ward the worst off. The baking heat of Egypt furrowed itself into his skin, making the once ghostly parlour into a sunburnt pink. He could feel his dry skin crackling at every move he made. He looked around at the never-ending sand, marvelling at the grand size. It looked like something out of a comic that he'd owned or something that would be told over the wireless. Plenty of treasure and adventure must lie underneath; otherwise Beatrice wouldn't have a job here.
It wasn't much of a surprise that they had gone to Egypt as soon as possible. The prize money made the trip easier for everyone, but what made his parents smiled more was that they were all together in the same spot. The twins would be playing a trick on Penny's Head Girl badge, Beatrice would be weaving exaggerations of her job to Rory, and even Charlene came down from Romania to stay with them for a few days. It was almost normal again; the change in scenery and being surrounded by his family was a good distraction that he'll be going back to Hogwarts soon.
Burnt skin and the dry air was an improvement to the waxy skin and chilled air that he was now associating with the school. The thought struck him with despondency that made shivers go up and down his spine. Don't think about it, Gabriel reminded himself, but it was too late, he could almost feel the dusty air being replaced with the dank and heavy kind that was in the dungeons. Fear blossomed under his breastbone and he had to sit down on his hands to prevent them from shaking.
No one was going to notice. Mum was talking to Dad back in the tent, their hushed whispers were making it obvious that it was about him, and Beatrice wasn't far off with the rest of his sisters as she was showing them her usual station for work.
Gabriel closed his eyes. He hated how the tiniest reminder would bring him back to the Chamber of Secrets. It would always feel like he was back there, alone and terrified. He huddled his knees to his chest, wanting more than anything else for that year to be gone forever. He wanted the nightmares to stop, he wanted the guilt to stop, and he wanted to stop being so afraid. Gryffindors shouldn't be so afraid, but none probably had You-Know-Who possessing them, either.
"Oi! Look what I got for Halley!" Rory's loud voice pulled him away from his thoughts. Gabriel raised his head to see his older sister running towards him. Parts of her long hair escaped from its plait. "Think I finally found a gift for her birthday."
"What is it?" Gabriel asked. He slowly unfurled himself from his hunched position. His mind went a little hazy at the mention of the Girl-Who-Lived's name. Of course, any fairy tale notion that he had of her vanished at the memory of her looking over him in tattered robes, blood, and a gleaming sword in one hand. It was unnerving at how close she also came to death that day.
Rory held her hand up, showing him what looked like a glass spinning top laying flat on one side. "It's a Pocket Sneakoscope," she explained. "When someone untrustworthy is around, the top is supposed to light up and spin. I think." She eyes the top, thinking. "It could be useful, but Beatrice thinks it's a scam." Rory handed it over for him to look.
Gabriel balanced it in his palm, wondering if it would have gone off last year if he were near. "Wicked," he said absentmindedly. He gave it back to his sister.
Rory studied him with narrowed eyes; her face even more freckled than usual. "You wanna help me make the card?"