"George, we need to talk."

George looked over at Sephie with a grin that quickly faded from his face. Usually, that sentence meant, 'I wanna snog so make excuses and let's go.'

Not this time. Sephie was biting her lower lip anxiously, and George's heart dropped. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

He rose and followed her out of the living room, feeling the eyes of their friends and siblings follow their exit.

They reached the porch and Sephie stopped, fingers nervously toying with the necklace and ring around her neck.

"So... what do you want to talk about, Seph?" he asked casually, leaning back against the railing.

"Us."

George's heart fell even more, but he kept his grin.

"What about us?"

"I... I think we should cool it for a while, George."

At this, he stood up straight, staring at her in disbelief. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't this. "WHAT?! Sephie, you don't mean that...."

"Yes, I do. I don't think it's right to cling to each other... while you're out in the world... and I'm stuck at Hogwarts...."

"Oh. So you don't trust me?" he asked quietly, realization dawning in his eyes. "You think I'd cheat on you?"

"No! I just...."

"Or maybe you want freedom to date other guys? Is that it?" Now George was upset. He had practically proposed to her, and now she was throwing it in his face.

"NO! George, this isn't about that, damn it! This is about us being far away from each other, for so long...."

"I thought it would work, Sephie. That we could MAKE it wok. I... I guess I was wrong."

"George, I..." she reached out to him, but he brushed her off.

"Don't touch me."

She was oddly silent before she picked up his hand and, with a snap, ripped the necklace off of her neck. She placed it in his palm and closed his fingers. When she spoke, her voice was cold. "Fine."

She spun on her heel and stormed into the house. He watched her go, silently fuming, deeply hurt. He tightened his hand around the ring for an instant, then conjured an envelope and a quill.


~*~

Sephie-
I guess you're right. This is the way it has to be.
-George


Sephie let a tear slide down her cheek as she gently opened the envelope and slid out the necklace and ring. George was gone. He was back at the Burrow... and she might never see him again.

~*~

George had been gone for fifteen minutes before cursing and stomping came from the general direction of Sephie's room. The strange thing was, she wasn't speaking English....

"Ese hijo deslizadizo de una perra! Lo ha ingannato, quel jackass!Heilige Scheiße, bin ich gehabt worden! Er verdrehte sie herum! Eu não posso acreditar que lançou como aquele! Eu não signifiquei aquele, mas deixo-lheo para fazer aquele... "

Ron looked over at Hermione, who had her hand over her mouth.
"I didn't know Sephie spoke Spanish.. or Italian.. or German... and is that Portuguese?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, it's Portuguese, but no, Sephie doesn't speak ANY of them.. but I speak Italian and German, and Ginny speaks Spanish, and Mariah knows Portuguese...."

Ron was looking at her oddly as Sephie came down the stairs, still ranting in other languages. Hermione said something to her, but Sephie wasn't listening.

Finally, exasperated, she yelled, "Sephie, quando il hell voi ha imparato l'italiano?!"

Sephie stopped and stared in a daze, saying, "Hermie, what the hell are you talking about? I don't speak Italian!"

"Sephie, you were just cursing George out in numerous languages! Plus, I asked that last question in ITALIAN."

"Herm, you've been into Crookshank's catnip again, haven't you?"

Sephie went to go upstairs.

~I can't believe she doesn't believe me!~ Hermione thought furiously.

Sephie half turned. "You're raving like a lunatic, of COURSE I don't believe you!"

Hermione froze. Ron looked, puzzled. "Herm, did you...?"

"Ron, shh!"

She thought furiously for a moment, ~Sephie, don't act like a baby!~

"I am NOT acting like a baby, Hermione Kaitlin Lupin!" Sephie growled.

"Sephie, Hermione didn't call you a baby," said Ron curiously.

~I'm not speaking out LOUD, Sephie,~ thought Hermione weakly, sinking onto the couch.

"Hu- oh. Oh!" Sephie stopped. "Wow."

"Yeah." Hermione sighed. Ron looked utterly frustrated and went upstairs.

"Sephie, give me your hand." Sephie held out her right. "No, the scar hand."

Sephie gave her an odd look and let Hermione take her left hand in her own left hand.

A small jolt hit them both. Then, with one thought, they thought, ~Ginny...~

~Huh?~

~Ginny, it's us! Herm and Seph!~

~Where?~

~In you head, stupid!~

~Shut up, Sephie... oh my God. This is awesome!~

~We know. We're gonna need to talk.~

~I know. We're going back to England tomorrow. *sigh* It'll have to be tonight.~

~Tonight's full moon,~ reminded Sephie.

~Yeah, so?~

~I've inherited my father's... dislike for the moon,~ she said sourly.

~Oh, suck it up you baby!~

~HERMIONE!~

~What, Gin? You know I'm right.~

~Still...~

~Yeah... breaking this connection, now,~ said Sephie's sulky voice.

She let go of her sister's hand and the connection shattered.

"Let's go find Lexi," Hermione said, standing up.

When they got to the backyard, they saw an amazing sight: Lexi standing there, eyes closed, as Draco floated, Indian style, about five feet off the ground. As they watched, Draco cracked an eye open and said, "Hello, ladies."

Lexi turned. With her concentration broken, Draco fell the few feet to a ground with a yelp. "Can't you WARN me before you do that?"

"So... Lexi... find a new talent?"

Lexi flushed. "More like... rediscovered it," she muttered.

"Oh... real- ow!"

Hermione smiled. "We've found a new - ~one ourselves,~ she finished in Lexi's mind.

"Whoa."