Its All Different Now
prologue - Things Ain't Simple (Anymore)
Author Notes: this is about the seventh time I've written the prologue. And I think I like this version..Hopefully I won't get to nitpick and redo it (again).
***********
When Rhiannan Morrison had walked into the Weasley's home, she was quivering and shaking, it was pouring rain outside. She was almost sure she was catching cold. Quickly a warm blanket was draped over her shoulders and a pair of warm hands guiding her to the couch of the Weasley's home. It was 3 A.M. when she had gotten there and with tears trickling down her cheek, she thrusted herself into her savior's chest. "Shh...Rhiannan, its okay.....Everythings alright." the soothing voice said as he stroked her hair.
Rhiannan's "father" had died, and that left her fatherless, because her other guardian was off spying for Professor Dumbledore. She had seen the death, too, and it wasn't a pretty sight. His blood oozing on the ground as the man laughed, but somehow didn't touch her (but why?). She had sent out an owl to the only other person she could trust, and him along with his father came to the rescue. For the next few weeks before her fifth year of Hogwarts would start she would stay at the Weasley's. Arrangements for Vance's (her father in a way) memorial where being made.
For the next few all she could manage were a couple of words between sobs, "I'll.......Get..........whovever......"
"Shhh....Don't think about that for now," he said as he had his hand raise her head so he could look at her kissing her forehead lightly.
Eventually Rhiannan had fallen alsleep, safely in her savior's arms, dreaming of a better tomorrow. She, nor the anyone in the Weasley family, were ready to face what they were going to experience.
When the new Sun had arisen over the Weasley's home, Rhiannan waking up and smiling softly at her savior of last night, arose and walked outside and sitting on their grass staring at the newly arisen sun. "sometimes I wish.. Life was simpler. "
When the rest of the Weasley's had waken up everyone was in a scramble, trying to cheer up Rhiannan, and getting ready for Ron's guest, Harry, while Mr. Weasley worked on arranging a in memoriam service (he and Vance had been quite close back when they went to Hogwarts they were in the same house and year. )
Rhiannan pretty much spent most of her time with the twins, trying her hardest to laugh when they would use on of their infamous tricks. But instead of laughing - tears would trickle down her face, each trick somehow reminding her of her somewhat-like father. There was no reason to hide it, so she'd keep breaking down and two concerned guys would try to cheer her up.
"I really appreciated all you guys have done, " Rhiannan announced at the dinner table. "I really do, ya know? I mean, you all barely know me, yet you've taken me in." She said, a smile forming for the first time today.
"Rhiannan?" George Weasley nervously asked after dinner.
"Yeah?" She said as she looked at him, sitting on the grass of the Weasley home, staring into a radiant falling sun.
"I..I..Just wanted to tell you..No matter what, I'll be there for you. I mean..I know..Its awkward coming from a guy in Gryffindor, especially when you're two years younger and in Slytherin..and well, you're a girl..But you can always talk.." he said having trouble getting his point across, its not like he had romantic feelings for her...It was just any guy in this case would be awkward.
"I know what you mean. Thanks," she said as she smiled.
"Do you know why you got sorted into Slytherin?"
"Yeah - I could tell you..But you'd have to swear not to tell, " she said matter-of-factly, somewhat distant, as if not really wanting to talk about it but in a way wanting to talk about it, as if she needed to tell someone.
"If you'd like to tell. Then you can, but you don't have to. " He said in a concerned tone.
"Well....The hat told me..You need to be with family...I was all confused but last year when I was with Severus during detention I asked him - since like it was my birthday and he always said he'd tell me in my third year who my actual father was...." She paused for a moment trying to pick the right words to say. "Lucious Malfoy he raped my mother....Got her pregnant.... And then made sure she died after she had me, kept me alive for who knows what...." Rhiannan said, ready to start to cry again.
"Rhiannan," George said he began to hug her stroking her hair, whispering "It'll be okay." But while he did that, he thought about why Lucious would keep her alive. Maybe because she had something that he wanted? And most of all did Draco know?
Sniffing a bit Rhiannan left George's comforting hug and began to speak again, struggling with saying the words she wanted to say, "Draco's my half brother. He doesn't know, and I don't know if I should tell him, I mean what if he tells his father, than I could be killed? But I've always wanted a brother. You have it so lucky. I'm sorry - I shouldn't be so envious, but I am. You have a house full of brothers and a sister and two wonderful parents. I've lived in this huuuuge house with maybe two occupants at most. " She sighed.
That night Rhiannan slept in Fred and George's room, sleeping on Fred's bed, while he slept on the floor. Both of the twins presence made her at ease as she slept, not dreaming a sweet dream, but not dreaming a nightmare.
When the famous boy who had lived came ot Weasley's house he noticed a girl, who was around his age, standing in a pair of tight blue jeans and a black tank top, and her red hair pulled into a braid. At first he thought, "Ginny?" but it wasn't her. For one thing Ginny wouldn't be allowed to wear such clothes, and Ginny had no sooner walked into the room, clutching a diary.
"Ron whose this?" Harry asked curiously. What kind of girl (besides Hermione) would be at the Weasley's during the summer? Maybe she was a cousin or something. The girl did look a lot like a Weasley tall and with the same fiery red hair.
"Oh, you know that girl in Slytherin? The one that's purposely spilt up from Draco, that's her. " Ron told Harry, who was quite shocked, a Slytherin girl here?!
Rhiannan noticing that she was being talked about smiled lightly, "I'm not just a girl in Slytherin, Ron, I'm Rhiannan Morrison, Slytherin extradorinaire, heh, yeah right." She giggled.
When Rhiannan left the room, racing upstairs to get the twins up (Sleepy heads, she called `em.) She was in a lot better condition emotionally.
"Ron, why is um..Rhiannan here? She's not staying, right?" Harry asked. It felt rather odd for a Slytherin to welcomed easily into a home with such nice people..Why would they want to associate with a Slytherin?
"Actually, Harry, she's staying in George and Fred's room...Don't worry none of them are romantically involved with her, that'd be just plan nasty if they were...Her dad, I suppose that's what you'd call him, just died. "
"Oh..," Harry said. He felt somewhat bad for thinking that she was here to kill the Weasley's to make pledge to Lord Voldemort.
Rhiannan tugged on George's shoulder.."Wake up sleepy head! Its noon already. How are we supposed to get some good pranks done if you two sleep all day long?"
And in came flying a dozen a letters, all addressed to Rhiannan.
Author Notes: this is about the seventh time I've written the prologue. And I think I like this version..Hopefully I won't get to nitpick and redo it (again).
***********
When Rhiannan Morrison had walked into the Weasley's home, she was quivering and shaking, it was pouring rain outside. She was almost sure she was catching cold. Quickly a warm blanket was draped over her shoulders and a pair of warm hands guiding her to the couch of the Weasley's home. It was 3 A.M. when she had gotten there and with tears trickling down her cheek, she thrusted herself into her savior's chest. "Shh...Rhiannan, its okay.....Everythings alright." the soothing voice said as he stroked her hair.
Rhiannan's "father" had died, and that left her fatherless, because her other guardian was off spying for Professor Dumbledore. She had seen the death, too, and it wasn't a pretty sight. His blood oozing on the ground as the man laughed, but somehow didn't touch her (but why?). She had sent out an owl to the only other person she could trust, and him along with his father came to the rescue. For the next few weeks before her fifth year of Hogwarts would start she would stay at the Weasley's. Arrangements for Vance's (her father in a way) memorial where being made.
For the next few all she could manage were a couple of words between sobs, "I'll.......Get..........whovever......"
"Shhh....Don't think about that for now," he said as he had his hand raise her head so he could look at her kissing her forehead lightly.
Eventually Rhiannan had fallen alsleep, safely in her savior's arms, dreaming of a better tomorrow. She, nor the anyone in the Weasley family, were ready to face what they were going to experience.
When the new Sun had arisen over the Weasley's home, Rhiannan waking up and smiling softly at her savior of last night, arose and walked outside and sitting on their grass staring at the newly arisen sun. "sometimes I wish.. Life was simpler. "
When the rest of the Weasley's had waken up everyone was in a scramble, trying to cheer up Rhiannan, and getting ready for Ron's guest, Harry, while Mr. Weasley worked on arranging a in memoriam service (he and Vance had been quite close back when they went to Hogwarts they were in the same house and year. )
Rhiannan pretty much spent most of her time with the twins, trying her hardest to laugh when they would use on of their infamous tricks. But instead of laughing - tears would trickle down her face, each trick somehow reminding her of her somewhat-like father. There was no reason to hide it, so she'd keep breaking down and two concerned guys would try to cheer her up.
"I really appreciated all you guys have done, " Rhiannan announced at the dinner table. "I really do, ya know? I mean, you all barely know me, yet you've taken me in." She said, a smile forming for the first time today.
"Rhiannan?" George Weasley nervously asked after dinner.
"Yeah?" She said as she looked at him, sitting on the grass of the Weasley home, staring into a radiant falling sun.
"I..I..Just wanted to tell you..No matter what, I'll be there for you. I mean..I know..Its awkward coming from a guy in Gryffindor, especially when you're two years younger and in Slytherin..and well, you're a girl..But you can always talk.." he said having trouble getting his point across, its not like he had romantic feelings for her...It was just any guy in this case would be awkward.
"I know what you mean. Thanks," she said as she smiled.
"Do you know why you got sorted into Slytherin?"
"Yeah - I could tell you..But you'd have to swear not to tell, " she said matter-of-factly, somewhat distant, as if not really wanting to talk about it but in a way wanting to talk about it, as if she needed to tell someone.
"If you'd like to tell. Then you can, but you don't have to. " He said in a concerned tone.
"Well....The hat told me..You need to be with family...I was all confused but last year when I was with Severus during detention I asked him - since like it was my birthday and he always said he'd tell me in my third year who my actual father was...." She paused for a moment trying to pick the right words to say. "Lucious Malfoy he raped my mother....Got her pregnant.... And then made sure she died after she had me, kept me alive for who knows what...." Rhiannan said, ready to start to cry again.
"Rhiannan," George said he began to hug her stroking her hair, whispering "It'll be okay." But while he did that, he thought about why Lucious would keep her alive. Maybe because she had something that he wanted? And most of all did Draco know?
Sniffing a bit Rhiannan left George's comforting hug and began to speak again, struggling with saying the words she wanted to say, "Draco's my half brother. He doesn't know, and I don't know if I should tell him, I mean what if he tells his father, than I could be killed? But I've always wanted a brother. You have it so lucky. I'm sorry - I shouldn't be so envious, but I am. You have a house full of brothers and a sister and two wonderful parents. I've lived in this huuuuge house with maybe two occupants at most. " She sighed.
That night Rhiannan slept in Fred and George's room, sleeping on Fred's bed, while he slept on the floor. Both of the twins presence made her at ease as she slept, not dreaming a sweet dream, but not dreaming a nightmare.
When the famous boy who had lived came ot Weasley's house he noticed a girl, who was around his age, standing in a pair of tight blue jeans and a black tank top, and her red hair pulled into a braid. At first he thought, "Ginny?" but it wasn't her. For one thing Ginny wouldn't be allowed to wear such clothes, and Ginny had no sooner walked into the room, clutching a diary.
"Ron whose this?" Harry asked curiously. What kind of girl (besides Hermione) would be at the Weasley's during the summer? Maybe she was a cousin or something. The girl did look a lot like a Weasley tall and with the same fiery red hair.
"Oh, you know that girl in Slytherin? The one that's purposely spilt up from Draco, that's her. " Ron told Harry, who was quite shocked, a Slytherin girl here?!
Rhiannan noticing that she was being talked about smiled lightly, "I'm not just a girl in Slytherin, Ron, I'm Rhiannan Morrison, Slytherin extradorinaire, heh, yeah right." She giggled.
When Rhiannan left the room, racing upstairs to get the twins up (Sleepy heads, she called `em.) She was in a lot better condition emotionally.
"Ron, why is um..Rhiannan here? She's not staying, right?" Harry asked. It felt rather odd for a Slytherin to welcomed easily into a home with such nice people..Why would they want to associate with a Slytherin?
"Actually, Harry, she's staying in George and Fred's room...Don't worry none of them are romantically involved with her, that'd be just plan nasty if they were...Her dad, I suppose that's what you'd call him, just died. "
"Oh..," Harry said. He felt somewhat bad for thinking that she was here to kill the Weasley's to make pledge to Lord Voldemort.
Rhiannan tugged on George's shoulder.."Wake up sleepy head! Its noon already. How are we supposed to get some good pranks done if you two sleep all day long?"
And in came flying a dozen a letters, all addressed to Rhiannan.