Silk and Iron

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Thank you's: Kimagure, my first reviewer, DeceptionZX2, "Lovely Story", "Arctic_Aurora_Dragon" and "Terry Lofton".

Etymology: Arion is a horse (created by Poseidon) who was black, incredibly fast and could fly. For simplicity sake, Arion is Angelina's owl.

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The days at the Burrow flew by with one thing and another. Arthur Weasley immersed himself in a rather sticky Muggles relations situation involving some spine growing shoes and a nasty biting glove. Percy received an anonymous parcel, containing a bouncing rubber mouse that sprayed Percy with toad liver juice the first time he touched it. (Consequently Percy had spent five hours in the bath after and Mrs. Weasley had sent a howler to the twins. "They might not live in my house, but they're still my sons...")

Alicia was becoming used to the blissfully hectic world of the Weasleys. Every day she woke up to the sound of Percy charging down the stairs, get dressed and stumble down to the kitchen, already filled with the aroma of breakfast. Alicia even had an exclusive seat at the Weasley table-as the honorary Ginny.

Life here was so much more peaceful and enjoyable than any time she had ever spent with her parents, barring the relatively calm days of her childhood. Her mother, a nurse at St. Mungo's, was very high strung (longtime exposure to the patients had snapped her nerves) and would constantly break into hysterics. Her father was a half and half, a devout Christian and still forced Alicia to attend church on Sundays and participate in all the other Muggle activities her pureblood friends scoffed at. On the whole, the household Alicia had grown up in was just a place for three people who happened to be related to sleep, eat and fight.

By day, Alicia devoted her time at the Burrow to playing Quidditch with Harry, Ron, and Charlie, cooking with Mrs. Weasley, and helped Mr. Weasley with the family bookkeeping. It was a tumultuous paradise, a perfect life.

But by night, Alicia sat in the twins' room, thinking. What was she going to do after the Weasley's decided she was a burden to them? Go to her parents' home? Go back to the apartment? What was Angelina doing now?

She found soon enough. At a breakfast of omelets (Alicia hated eggs but didn't complain), she received a scarlet letter from a black feathered owl-Angelina's owl, Arion.

"Oh shit," She thought, grabbing the Howler.

Two things happened at that instant: the Howler opened in her hands, Angelina began screaming, and Mrs. Weasley cast a very well timed silencing spell around Alicia and the noisy envelope.

"You stupid bitch!" Angelina's voice shrieked. "You-"

The Weasleys were spared the rest of the tirade; Alicia was not. It went on and on, catolouging her various problems, ranging from the physical to the mental to her sexual activities (some of which were physically impossible), then onto what Angelina would do if she got her hands on Alicia.

Inside the cone of silence, Alicia remained calm. This was nothing she hadn't heard before. Or so she thought. Angelina's voice suddenly paused, became calm and coldly began hurling acrimonious ephitets at Alicia. It hurt so much more than any of the vulgarities-being told she was a coward and not much better than a disease and certainly not a friend.

"Calm down, Alicia," she tried to tell herself. "It was HER who attacked you, not the other way around."

But if she was right, why did those words-"I should've known you'd just be some filthy leech"-hurt so much?

The Weasleys stared. Howlers not uncommon in their household (mostly due to the twins' mischief), but no one, save Ginny, reacted this way. Alicia was frozen in place, eyes wide, pale and evidently struggling to keep from crying.

Finally, the enveloped puffed into smoke and Alicia snapped out of her repose. She inhaled sharply and hurried out of the kitchen.

Ron turned to his mother, about to ask some callous question like, "What's wrong with her?"

Molly Weasley spoke before her son even opened his mouth. "You will leave her alone. No mucking about, got it? And I also want you to trim the hedges."

Ron grumbled and left the table.

***

For the rest of the day, Alicia remained in her (or the twins') room.

The Weasleys' respected her privacy and no one mentioned her until right before dinner, when Arthur asked Molly if their guest might want some food.

"Good idea, dear," Molly said and headed up to the twins' room.

Alicia's head jerked up when she heard the knocking at her door, which swung open, letting in Molly Weasley.

"Hello dear," the matron said warmly. "Do you feel hungry?"

She stared a moment before bursting into tears.

Molly sat down next to Alicia and patted her on the back. "Come now, it's not that bad. I'm sure we've all said things we don't mean." Pat, pat, pat.

Alicia sniffed.

"Why don't you come down to dinner? I've got a nice pot roast." wheedled the red-headed woman.

Alicia nodded slightly and wiped away the fresh tears with the back of her hand.

"Oh. the twins sent something over. Said you might need it." Mrs. Weasley dashed down the stairs and presently returned holding a huge, lumpy package.

Curious, Alicia pulled off the twine and ripped away the brown paper.

The twins, no doubt having only the best intentions, had sent her some of Katie's clothing. She recognized the navy shirt, the dragon hide jacket.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, staring at the young woman, currently beating herself and various parts of the furniture with "Canadian Wizards: A Dying Breed". Ginny was never like this.

"Maybe," she thought, "the hysteria will come later."

She hoped not.

AN: A wee note. Alicia isn't Canadian. Just thought you'd like to know.