A/N: Hello, This is a kind of introduction to my lovely little world. As
you can tell, the only person I made up was Nerine. Harry, Fred, Ron,
Hermione, Hagrid and Dumbledore belong to a genius named JK Rowling.
Viviane belongs to another genius named Marion Bradley Zimmerman. A.k.a., I
don't own Harry Potter or Mists of Avalon. And the Yule Rite that Nerine
was doing came from a handy site that I fail to have the name to right now,
but I will find it out later. Thanks for reading, and everyone have a great
holiday, whether it be Yule, Christmas, Kwanzza, Hanukkah or whatever else
is out there so I guess at the sake of not ruffling anyone's feathers...
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!
So here I give you, The Season of Love
~*~*~December 21st, 1995~*~*~
A majestic Christmas tree stood in the center of the empty Gryffindor Common Room. The fairy lights, gold and scarlet ornaments twinkled in what scarce light was in the room, courtesy of the roaring fire in the fireplace. There, admits the shadows, were two bodies laid on the couch. One, the tall, red-headed boy everyone knew as the new Quidditch Keeper and Captain, and the other body on top of him, the smartest student the school had ever seen, despite the fact she was born of Muggles. She suddenly stirred, breaking the silence of the room.
"Ron?"
"Yeah 'Mione?"
"Are you happy with me?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you still always fight with me over the littlest things."
"Mione, you should know this by now. I love making you angry. The way your eyes dance when you're about to cry, it makes me just want to hold you and tell you I'm sorry over and over again. I never mean it to really hurt you." Ron put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "Besides, if I started agreeing with you, don't you think that would be more cause for worry then if I were still arguing?"
Hermione snuggled closer to him, leaning her head under his chin. "I suppose your right. I love you Ron. I'm not sure what I'd do if I ever lost you and frankly I don't want to think or live that."
"You won't ever lose me Mione. I'd fight to be with you every bloody second. Hell, I even burped up slugs for you, you know." Ron stated poking her in her side, causing Hermione to squeak.
"I know. I love you more than life itself Ronald Weasley."
"And I love you more than there are flavors of Bertie Botts' beans Hermione Granger." Ron gently pulled Hermione's face closer before capturing her lips in a sweet, yet desire filled kiss. When pulling away, she smiled, resting her head back under his chin. Watching the fire dance for what felt like hours, they both fell asleep in each other's arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
He still remembered how to get to the room. The room where It once stood. Where It showed his mother, his father, his family. The only things different with It was that It was gone. It was gone and she was there. He always wondered why It had always shown him his family instead of her. He had met her that day he met the entire family. The family that practically adopted him. But he didn't care. It was gone and she was there in his arms. He wondered what he could possibly done to deserve her, that and what made him so lucky that her brothers, though his best friends, except Percy sometimes, didn't pound him to the ground for stealing their 'baby sister'. He wondered that and infinitely more until her soft voice broke the silence.
"Harry? Are you ok?"
He blinked. "I'm fine Gin. Just thinking about things."
Virginia Weasley looked up at him from her position. "About what?"
"Something that happened before you came here."
"Oh." Ginny sat quiet for a few minutes. "Do you want to talk about it? I...I mean since I feel half guilty about 1st year and To..."
Harry putting his finger on her lips to silence her cut her off. "Gin. How many times do I, now not just I, but your parents, your brothers have to tell you it's not your fault! Bloody Hell, even Dumbledore knows it that lowlife Malfoy's fault. You are in no way, shape or form guilty for the Chamber. Tom was using you. Using you to get to me. Like he always does."
Ginny thought she was going to cry. She did know that it wasn't her fault, but she never understood how Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived had chosen her to give his heart to when she was the one that lead the one person who wanted him dead more than Draco Malfoy to the man she loved.
"I know Harry...and I'm still so sorry about that. But please...if there's anything you want to tell me...I will listen...." Ginny pleaded. Finally, Harry relented.
Sighing, he began to tell her what Ron and probably the rest of her family left out the Philosopher's Stone. Pulling her closer, he began his story.
"Four years ago, in this exact room where we're sitting, held a mirror that showed the person viewing into its lens the object of their desire. For your brother, it was finally making a name for himself after Charlie, Bill, Fred, George and Percy. For Professor Dumbledore, it was socks. For me, it was seeing my family. And yes, seeing and knowing my family has been one of my greatest desires, but it was not the one that I was expecting. What I wished I saw was you. I've always wondered why I didn't. I knew from the beginning that I loved you, but I dismissed it in my head that maybe it was because my family had something to do with getting the Stone or, even worse, that you didn't love me."
Ginny sat there in awe. She tried to imagine what it felt like to not know your family, but there were too many of the Weasley redheads popping into her brain that she couldn't. Finally she got her voice back.
"Harry, I don't know why it didn't show me for you, but I know that now, you do have a family. You have Mum. And Dad. Charlie, Billy, Fred and George, Ron, and Me. You'll always have me. Because I'll always want you." She curtly kissed him. After a short bout of 'tonsil hockey' she replied, "And don't forget about Sirius, Remus and Nerine. Think of the better life you'll have with them then those horrid Muggles." With that, she giggled and Harry smiled for the first time that night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
He had been looking for her everywhere. If he wasn't so worried about her, he would have cared more about the compromising position his little brother and the smartest witch of the entire school were in, but when they said that they hadn't seen her, he ran frantically out the portrait hole where he ran into Harry and his sister coming down the staircase from the previously off limits third floor. After Ginny asked what was wrong, he saw it. A plume of smoke was coming from outside and everyone knew that Hagrid was on holiday with his mother, who had come out of hiding after last year. Running his hand through his now spiky hair, he quickly asked Harry for the invisibility cloak. Throwing it over his shoulders and calling goodbye, he ran outside.
After running all the way through the school and across the grounds, he saw her. She was standing in front of a fire by the edge of the non-frozen lake. He took the cloak off of himself and was about to go behind her, when he saw a circle of seashells, holly and mistletoe around her. He stopped in front of the circle and strained to hear her words.
"From the darkness is born the light, From void, fulfillment emerges...The darkest night of the year's at the threshold, Open the door and honor darkness. Powers of Air step forth from darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along with you the essence of pine. Remind me of Spring as I face this Solstice night. Powers of Fire step forth from darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along the first glint of Tomorrow. Remind me of Summer as I face this Solstice night. Powers of Water step forth from the darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along the bittersweet memories. Remind me of Autumn as I face this Solstice night..." She heard a snap from behind her. Turning around, she saw him staring. Not with fear though, with love. She moved to the edge of the circle, put her hand through, and coaxed him to enter. Once he passed, she closed the invisible curtain and prompted with her hand for him to have a seat on the green blanket that was under the array of candles but away from the fire.
Smiling, she continued. "Powers of Earth step forth from the darkness. Enter the circle as the dark gives way to light, Bring along the land that now slumbers. Remind me of Winter and this cold Solstice night..." another snap tore them from the gaze of the fire. As she turned around, she saw black hair with glasses holding onto a shorter redhead. Smiling, she mumbled something inaudible, turned and pointed to her redhead to move to the other side near her 'entrance'. With him sitting down she continued again.
"Dark my surroundings and cold be this night, but Thy Labor, Blessed Mother Has reborn the Sacred Light. The Child Divine. The most honored Sun shall return with the sunrise. Again, Two shall be One..." Another snap, another smile from her, for this time she saw another tall redhead and his chestnut haired brain.
"Hark! Behold the Rebirth of the King of the Woodlands! Behold the Oak King, strong and vital he rises! Awake thy Mother, Thy Lover, Thy Lady- Awake Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. All hail the Oak King, His rebirth; a promise. All hail the Divine Child, Giver of Life. All hail the Blessed Sun, reborn to the Mother for he retakes His throne at end of Solstice Night! "
With a slow nod, she spoke a one word order. "Repeat." Repeating her words came many different levels of their voices. "Before my circle tonight I close, Blessings I ask for this house and kin. Tomorrow at daybreak when I arise, a special flame I will carry within. A gold candle upon my alter I'll light, Adding will to the Sun King's intent. To climb aloft to the vaulted skies, for strength by thee times three I've sent to He...So Mote It Be." As she snuffed out her candles and broke the shell circle she looked to everyone and smiled, tears forming in her eyes.
She turned to the body now next to her and proceeded to kiss him deeply. Once the kiss broke, she looked into his stormy gray eyes, the only Weasley to really have them. Even George, his twin didn't have those stormy eyes, and replied quietly, "Thank you so much Fred. I'm not sure how you knew I was out here, but I think your presence made it all the better." Fred Weasley for once in his life was speechless. He looked into her cerulean eyes and enveloped his body around hers. "Oh Neri, this entire ceremony was beautiful. Because it was cast by you. By your heart. I'm sure that whoever was supposed to get the message got it. Whether I or they or all of us had something to do with it, I dunno, but I do bloody well know this. You were magnificent, and I'm sure that our worlds will coincide perfectly. Hell, This is the first time I've seen something like this so...so.... Blimey I've lost my words. All I know Nerine Viviane Black is that you are beautiful. Your world is beautiful, and I love you so much for it."
Nerine faltered. Had the man she loved really said that? She didn't care if he did or it was Zephyr or Boreas playing tricks on her, but all she did was jump in his arms. "Frederick Weasley, you have no idea how happy you just made me." She hugged him until she realized she was depriving him of air. She then saw the four pairs of eyes and smiles and smiled back. "You've all made me extremely happy by being here. Happy Winter Solstice everyone!"
"Happy Winter Solstice Nerine!" the chorus answered. Fred smiled and tilted his head to Nerine's ear, whispering dangerously close to her. "Merry Yule Neri."
Shocked, she kissed his nose and replied quietly, "Merry Yule Fred." Suddenly snow began to flurry around the couples. Ron, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Fred looked in amazement. Nerine just giggled. "She's heard us. She's heard our hearts. And she's happy that we're all here together." She leaned into Fred's body as they trudged through the flurries back to the castle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~ From his office window, an old man with white hair gathered his thoughts. Behind him was a tall brunette, dressed in flowing blue robes and seashells adorning her hair.
"You are quite the miracle worker Viviane. Merlin would be proud of how your taking your second chance with this." the white haired man replied without looking at his guest.
"Thank you Albus. I know you and Merlin were good friends. I just hope this works better than before. They're all meant for each other you know. She's seen it go terribly wrong before, but she's learned. They must all come together to stop Him Albus. The Hero can not do it alone. He must have his knights and Her watching, waiting, helping...loving him. And in return, The Hero and the Power will defeat the Dark Lord and the Loyal, the Brain, The Heart, The Jokester, The Hero and The Power will be together forever."
"Then let us hope that they stay as they are now, and not let anything hinder them thus far."
So here I give you, The Season of Love
~*~*~December 21st, 1995~*~*~
A majestic Christmas tree stood in the center of the empty Gryffindor Common Room. The fairy lights, gold and scarlet ornaments twinkled in what scarce light was in the room, courtesy of the roaring fire in the fireplace. There, admits the shadows, were two bodies laid on the couch. One, the tall, red-headed boy everyone knew as the new Quidditch Keeper and Captain, and the other body on top of him, the smartest student the school had ever seen, despite the fact she was born of Muggles. She suddenly stirred, breaking the silence of the room.
"Ron?"
"Yeah 'Mione?"
"Are you happy with me?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you still always fight with me over the littlest things."
"Mione, you should know this by now. I love making you angry. The way your eyes dance when you're about to cry, it makes me just want to hold you and tell you I'm sorry over and over again. I never mean it to really hurt you." Ron put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "Besides, if I started agreeing with you, don't you think that would be more cause for worry then if I were still arguing?"
Hermione snuggled closer to him, leaning her head under his chin. "I suppose your right. I love you Ron. I'm not sure what I'd do if I ever lost you and frankly I don't want to think or live that."
"You won't ever lose me Mione. I'd fight to be with you every bloody second. Hell, I even burped up slugs for you, you know." Ron stated poking her in her side, causing Hermione to squeak.
"I know. I love you more than life itself Ronald Weasley."
"And I love you more than there are flavors of Bertie Botts' beans Hermione Granger." Ron gently pulled Hermione's face closer before capturing her lips in a sweet, yet desire filled kiss. When pulling away, she smiled, resting her head back under his chin. Watching the fire dance for what felt like hours, they both fell asleep in each other's arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
He still remembered how to get to the room. The room where It once stood. Where It showed his mother, his father, his family. The only things different with It was that It was gone. It was gone and she was there. He always wondered why It had always shown him his family instead of her. He had met her that day he met the entire family. The family that practically adopted him. But he didn't care. It was gone and she was there in his arms. He wondered what he could possibly done to deserve her, that and what made him so lucky that her brothers, though his best friends, except Percy sometimes, didn't pound him to the ground for stealing their 'baby sister'. He wondered that and infinitely more until her soft voice broke the silence.
"Harry? Are you ok?"
He blinked. "I'm fine Gin. Just thinking about things."
Virginia Weasley looked up at him from her position. "About what?"
"Something that happened before you came here."
"Oh." Ginny sat quiet for a few minutes. "Do you want to talk about it? I...I mean since I feel half guilty about 1st year and To..."
Harry putting his finger on her lips to silence her cut her off. "Gin. How many times do I, now not just I, but your parents, your brothers have to tell you it's not your fault! Bloody Hell, even Dumbledore knows it that lowlife Malfoy's fault. You are in no way, shape or form guilty for the Chamber. Tom was using you. Using you to get to me. Like he always does."
Ginny thought she was going to cry. She did know that it wasn't her fault, but she never understood how Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived had chosen her to give his heart to when she was the one that lead the one person who wanted him dead more than Draco Malfoy to the man she loved.
"I know Harry...and I'm still so sorry about that. But please...if there's anything you want to tell me...I will listen...." Ginny pleaded. Finally, Harry relented.
Sighing, he began to tell her what Ron and probably the rest of her family left out the Philosopher's Stone. Pulling her closer, he began his story.
"Four years ago, in this exact room where we're sitting, held a mirror that showed the person viewing into its lens the object of their desire. For your brother, it was finally making a name for himself after Charlie, Bill, Fred, George and Percy. For Professor Dumbledore, it was socks. For me, it was seeing my family. And yes, seeing and knowing my family has been one of my greatest desires, but it was not the one that I was expecting. What I wished I saw was you. I've always wondered why I didn't. I knew from the beginning that I loved you, but I dismissed it in my head that maybe it was because my family had something to do with getting the Stone or, even worse, that you didn't love me."
Ginny sat there in awe. She tried to imagine what it felt like to not know your family, but there were too many of the Weasley redheads popping into her brain that she couldn't. Finally she got her voice back.
"Harry, I don't know why it didn't show me for you, but I know that now, you do have a family. You have Mum. And Dad. Charlie, Billy, Fred and George, Ron, and Me. You'll always have me. Because I'll always want you." She curtly kissed him. After a short bout of 'tonsil hockey' she replied, "And don't forget about Sirius, Remus and Nerine. Think of the better life you'll have with them then those horrid Muggles." With that, she giggled and Harry smiled for the first time that night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
He had been looking for her everywhere. If he wasn't so worried about her, he would have cared more about the compromising position his little brother and the smartest witch of the entire school were in, but when they said that they hadn't seen her, he ran frantically out the portrait hole where he ran into Harry and his sister coming down the staircase from the previously off limits third floor. After Ginny asked what was wrong, he saw it. A plume of smoke was coming from outside and everyone knew that Hagrid was on holiday with his mother, who had come out of hiding after last year. Running his hand through his now spiky hair, he quickly asked Harry for the invisibility cloak. Throwing it over his shoulders and calling goodbye, he ran outside.
After running all the way through the school and across the grounds, he saw her. She was standing in front of a fire by the edge of the non-frozen lake. He took the cloak off of himself and was about to go behind her, when he saw a circle of seashells, holly and mistletoe around her. He stopped in front of the circle and strained to hear her words.
"From the darkness is born the light, From void, fulfillment emerges...The darkest night of the year's at the threshold, Open the door and honor darkness. Powers of Air step forth from darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along with you the essence of pine. Remind me of Spring as I face this Solstice night. Powers of Fire step forth from darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along the first glint of Tomorrow. Remind me of Summer as I face this Solstice night. Powers of Water step forth from the darkness. Enter thy circle as dark gives way to light. Bring along the bittersweet memories. Remind me of Autumn as I face this Solstice night..." She heard a snap from behind her. Turning around, she saw him staring. Not with fear though, with love. She moved to the edge of the circle, put her hand through, and coaxed him to enter. Once he passed, she closed the invisible curtain and prompted with her hand for him to have a seat on the green blanket that was under the array of candles but away from the fire.
Smiling, she continued. "Powers of Earth step forth from the darkness. Enter the circle as the dark gives way to light, Bring along the land that now slumbers. Remind me of Winter and this cold Solstice night..." another snap tore them from the gaze of the fire. As she turned around, she saw black hair with glasses holding onto a shorter redhead. Smiling, she mumbled something inaudible, turned and pointed to her redhead to move to the other side near her 'entrance'. With him sitting down she continued again.
"Dark my surroundings and cold be this night, but Thy Labor, Blessed Mother Has reborn the Sacred Light. The Child Divine. The most honored Sun shall return with the sunrise. Again, Two shall be One..." Another snap, another smile from her, for this time she saw another tall redhead and his chestnut haired brain.
"Hark! Behold the Rebirth of the King of the Woodlands! Behold the Oak King, strong and vital he rises! Awake thy Mother, Thy Lover, Thy Lady- Awake Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. All hail the Oak King, His rebirth; a promise. All hail the Divine Child, Giver of Life. All hail the Blessed Sun, reborn to the Mother for he retakes His throne at end of Solstice Night! "
With a slow nod, she spoke a one word order. "Repeat." Repeating her words came many different levels of their voices. "Before my circle tonight I close, Blessings I ask for this house and kin. Tomorrow at daybreak when I arise, a special flame I will carry within. A gold candle upon my alter I'll light, Adding will to the Sun King's intent. To climb aloft to the vaulted skies, for strength by thee times three I've sent to He...So Mote It Be." As she snuffed out her candles and broke the shell circle she looked to everyone and smiled, tears forming in her eyes.
She turned to the body now next to her and proceeded to kiss him deeply. Once the kiss broke, she looked into his stormy gray eyes, the only Weasley to really have them. Even George, his twin didn't have those stormy eyes, and replied quietly, "Thank you so much Fred. I'm not sure how you knew I was out here, but I think your presence made it all the better." Fred Weasley for once in his life was speechless. He looked into her cerulean eyes and enveloped his body around hers. "Oh Neri, this entire ceremony was beautiful. Because it was cast by you. By your heart. I'm sure that whoever was supposed to get the message got it. Whether I or they or all of us had something to do with it, I dunno, but I do bloody well know this. You were magnificent, and I'm sure that our worlds will coincide perfectly. Hell, This is the first time I've seen something like this so...so.... Blimey I've lost my words. All I know Nerine Viviane Black is that you are beautiful. Your world is beautiful, and I love you so much for it."
Nerine faltered. Had the man she loved really said that? She didn't care if he did or it was Zephyr or Boreas playing tricks on her, but all she did was jump in his arms. "Frederick Weasley, you have no idea how happy you just made me." She hugged him until she realized she was depriving him of air. She then saw the four pairs of eyes and smiles and smiled back. "You've all made me extremely happy by being here. Happy Winter Solstice everyone!"
"Happy Winter Solstice Nerine!" the chorus answered. Fred smiled and tilted his head to Nerine's ear, whispering dangerously close to her. "Merry Yule Neri."
Shocked, she kissed his nose and replied quietly, "Merry Yule Fred." Suddenly snow began to flurry around the couples. Ron, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Fred looked in amazement. Nerine just giggled. "She's heard us. She's heard our hearts. And she's happy that we're all here together." She leaned into Fred's body as they trudged through the flurries back to the castle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~ From his office window, an old man with white hair gathered his thoughts. Behind him was a tall brunette, dressed in flowing blue robes and seashells adorning her hair.
"You are quite the miracle worker Viviane. Merlin would be proud of how your taking your second chance with this." the white haired man replied without looking at his guest.
"Thank you Albus. I know you and Merlin were good friends. I just hope this works better than before. They're all meant for each other you know. She's seen it go terribly wrong before, but she's learned. They must all come together to stop Him Albus. The Hero can not do it alone. He must have his knights and Her watching, waiting, helping...loving him. And in return, The Hero and the Power will defeat the Dark Lord and the Loyal, the Brain, The Heart, The Jokester, The Hero and The Power will be together forever."
"Then let us hope that they stay as they are now, and not let anything hinder them thus far."