Disclaimer: I do not own Harry and Co., I never will. They are all from the
grand imagination of JK Rowling.
A/N: Well, I'm trying to make my chappies longer, don't know if it will work well though. Let me break it down for you. Fred is NOT going to hurt Hermione, so no worries there, eh mate? (Alas, I cannot pull off being Austrailian, and I so wanted to.) Ah, thankies to the wonderful reviewers, without you, my little world does not exist! In this chapter, I will introduce my own characters, heh. I hope you like them, because from here on in, they're regulars. Now, on with the show.
Double Trouble
Chapter Four
Hermione flushed with pleasure, her cinnamon eyes shining. "Well, now that I've gotten everyone's attention, who's up for some grub?" When her question was met with confused glances, she laughed aloud. "Sorry, my cousin must've rubbed off on me. I meant, who's hungry?"
Without waiting for anyone to answer her, she swung around and headed for the dining room, where Molly had just finished setting out the food. A knock at the door stopped her, and she turned, surprised. "Expecting anyone Mrs. Weasley?" She called into the other room.
"I'll get it!" Ginny raced off to the front door, leaving a bemused Harry and an amused Ron in her wake.
"Mental, that one." Ron nudged Harry. Harry just smiled indulgently, his eyes softening.
"Well, she is your sister, Ron." Harry smirked.
"Ah, but she's your girlfriend, you chose her, I didn't." Hermione glanced at Harry in shock. Harry blushed, and Ron had the decency to look guilty.
"Why wasn't I informed?" Hermione mock glared at her friends.
"Yeah, why wasn't she informed?" Ron turned to Harry, smiling brightly.
"Better yet, why weren't WE informed, Ronald?" Bill glared at Harry, while Charlie flexed his arms a little for emphasis.
"Does this mean I'm getting the six brother talking to?" Harry cringed, trying to hide behind Ron, all the while glaring at his friend; it was all his fault anyway.
"You bet." Charlie growled, as he advanced. Bill was about to pounce when Ginny entered the room, slightly pale. "Ron, get Mum." Ginny's voice was tiny as made her way to Harry.
"There's no need for that, Virginia. I'm quite capable of retrieving your mother." Dumbledore's tall frame shadowed Ginny as he entered the room.
"Ginny who is tha-Oh! Dumbledore!" Molly bustled in, "What in the world brings you here."
"Molly, might it be better if we discussed this elsewhere?" The twinkle was gone from Dumbledore's kind blue eyes, his face grave.
"Oh, yes, of course." Molly looked faint. "Kids, lunch is in the dining room, er.you could take it outside, into the backyard. It's nice out there."
"There's a few hungry visitors with me, Molly. Do you think that they-"
"Of course! Tell them to come in, there's plenty for everyone." Molly interrupted him.
Dumbledore nodded, then disappeared for a few moments. Bill and Charlie had already gone to the dining room, leaving Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione in the room with Molly when Dumbledore reappeared with his 'guests'.
"These girls haven't eaten in a while." He trailed off as they stepped around him.
Hermione gasped, clutching at Ron's arm to keep from collapsing. "Oh Gods! What happened?"
The four girls with Dumbledore stood staring in shock at the group. "H- Hermione?" One of them, a girl with auburn hair and a tear-streaked face, asked hopefully, then her face screwed up as she threw herself toward Hermione. "Oh, it's all my fault! If I hadn't come, none of this would have ever happened!"
Harry, Ron, and Ginny all exchanged a glance as Hermione consoled the distraught girl. "Is everyone okay? Uncle Joe? Aunt Mary? Steven and Jon?" Hermione sounded as anxious as the girl, who just nodded in return.
Molly took one look at the lot, and then at Dumbledore. When he beckoned her, she nodded. "Ginny, Ron, I'll be back shortly, be good while I'm gone, and see to it that these girls get something to eat." And with that, Dumbledore and Molly disapperated, to find Arthur.
"Erm, Mione." Ron looked at his friend. "Uh, if I could interrupt for just a moment, who are these girls?"
Hermione looked up, her eyes full of tears, "Ginny, Ron, Harry, these are my cousins, from America."
"I'll go get Bill and Charlie, they'll know what to do." Ron practically ran from the room. Harry followed a moment later, saying that Ron might need help. Ginny shook her head, trust a guy not to know how to handle a situation like this.
"Hello." Ginny looked at each of the four girls. Hermione had finally managed to calm down the girl with her. "And you would be.?"
Another girl, one with black hair, stepped forward, "I'm Danielle. This is Skylar," She pointed to the blonde, "This is Raya." She then pointed to the brunette, "And that is Elizabeth." She gestured to the girl who had a death grip on Hermione. "She's a little emotional at the moment."
"Are you all sisters?" Ginny looked back and forth between them.
"I'll do you one better," Danielle grinned proudly, "We're Quads."
"Quads?" Ginny looked slightly confused.
"Yes, as in Quadruplets." Skylar spoke up her voice soft and melodic.
Ginny looked completely nonplussed. She had twin brothers, and that was a pain, but to have four? It was something she couldn't comprehend. "But.but.you don't look anything alike!" She spluttered.
"Oh, that's because we're fraternal." Raya laughed at the look on Ginny's face.
Elizabeth was now collected and standing with her sisters. Hermione was smiling slightly at Ginny's reaction. Most people reacted that way when it came to her cousins. They were quite rare indeed.
"So, are you all Witches?" Ginny was still having a hard time coming to terms with it.
"Yes." Danielle trailed off, as Elizabeth turned away, her arms about her, as if to ward off something quite distasteful. The other girls were patting her gently, or smoothing her hair.
"I'm sorry." Elizabeth whispered quietly, to no one in particular.
"It wasn't your fault!" Skylar declared vehemently.
"What wasn't whose fault?" Charlie entered, and then stopped, "Elizabeth?" His voice was soft, gentle. Ginny looked at her brother in amazement. So did Bill and Ron.
Elizabeth turned back around, her eyes wide and glassy. "Charlie." She trailed off then fainted.
Danielle took one look at her sister then swore. "Charlie, get her, take her outside into the yard, quick." No one had time for questions, or explanations, as Charlie rushed to do as Danielle said. "Now, Ginny was it? I need you to get a washcloth, and get it as cold as possible." When she saw Ginny's skeptical look, she sighed, "Trust me. They're both going to need it." Ginny nodded, curious, but hastened to do as the other girl commanded.
"Didn't she Vent?" Hermione looked vaguely ill as she watched Ginny leave. "Dear Gods, the lot of you know what happens when you don't-"
"Not now Hermione!" Raya brushed past her cousin, following Charlie as quickly as she could. Hermione ran to the backyard, vaguely noting the twins just inside the doorway. Charlie was in the center of the yard, sitting, cradling Elizabeth like a child as she jerked spasmodically.
"Hermione." Ginny stopped as she caught sight of her brother and Elizabeth. She pressed a hand to her mouth in horror as she watched the girl's limbs seize up, and Charlie fighting to keep her still.
***
Charlie held the girl in his lap tightly, knowing what was about to come. "It's okay, Elizabeth, let it out. Come on.let it out." His voice was lost among her slight moans, but she visibly relaxed.
"Come on.just let it out." Charlie shifted slightly as the hair on his body stood at attention. His gaze was trained on her face, but he knew what was going to happen.
White light pooled around Elizabeth's hands, her body relaxed completely and her head lolled back slightly. She cracked open her eyes, "Charlie.you don't, you don't have too." Her face contorted with pain and a scream cut off the rest of her sentence. Light burst forth from her body, enveloping Charlie, running through him and into the earth.
He felt the wave of emotion pass through him, first fear, then anger, then something so primal, that he wasn't even sure it could be an emotion. His consciousness tossed within the turbulent maelstrom of emotion until he was giddy. The primal emotion held him, pinned his body to the ground, as the others lifted his awareness from his body.
"Come," it whispered softly, "Come away with me."
Then a painful sort of exhilaration slammed through him, tore at his soul, ripped away anything human left in him as he sped toward the sky.
"I am all that you need." He sighed, blissful. But something was pulling him back, and he didn't want to go, he fought, but it was too strong. He slammed back into his body with jarring force, and then everything was black.
***
"Are they going to be okay?" Charlie groaned softly as something cool was pressed to his splitting head. His body drew in on itself, curling him into a fetus position. He wanted the light, he wanted the painful bliss, wanted it so bad that it hurt. He had almost forgotten what it felt like, grounding for Her. The purity of the one emotion, the primal force that quite literally ripped him from his body, the pain and pleasure of the union with the Universe. How he could ever have forgotten was quite beyond comprehension.
"Elizabeth?" He croaked, and then winced. It felt as if he'd had the Cruciatus performed on his throat.
"Shhh." the mysterious voice admonished. "Your throat is lacerated. You shouldn't be talking." He drew a shuddering breath, her screams echoing in his ears. "Here, drink this." He didn't even open his eyes, just swallowed, and then gagged at the horrid taste, but his throat did feel better.
***
"What the hell happened out there? I want answers and I want them now!" Arthur paced furiously outside his son's bedroom, the normally easy-going man agitated. Molly faced Dumbledore, tears streaming openly down her open face.
"Arthur, there's no reason-" Dumbledore began.
"Yes there bloody well is! That's my SON lying in there unconscious. Now I want to know what happened."
"Well, he grounded her." Dumbledore's voice was low, his face showing his many years, the twinkle gone from his eyes.
***
"He did WHAT?" Bill looked at Danielle as if she had grown another head. She lowered her eyes.
"He grounded her." Skylar stated again.
"What the hell does that mean?"
***
"It means that she used him to force her magic into the Earth." Hermione looked at her friends.
"What sort of Witch is she?" Harry asked quietly, the images of the light and the sounds of their screams still fresh in his mind.
"She, or rather they, are Elementals."
***
Molly squeaked, a fresh onslaught of tears threatened to fall.
"Elementals?" Arthur breathed, sinking against the wall.
***
"What are Elementals?" Ron looked confused, and Ginny was aghast.
"Elementals are Witches or Wizards who were born on a specific night under a full moon. They gain the power of the elements as well as magic. When they use this special power, they have to vent. Usually, if done within a few hours, it's quite harmless and painless, but apparently Elizabeth had been holding it back a few days. She couldn't Vent without a grounder, and Charlie refused to let anyone else near him or her. So she had to use him."
***
Bill looked at the girls in front of him, his eyes wide. "Y-You're all Elementals?"
"Yes," Danielle sighed, "I'm Water, Skylar's Air, Raya's Fire, and Elizabeth's Earth. We were born on the Summer Solstice beneath the full moon." She shook her head, her eyes grave. "That's why we had to come here. Somehow, Voldemort found out who and what we were, no matter that we're Muggle born, our kind are extremely rare. Y'see, erm.it's kind of hard to say this. Okay when an Elemental gives up their virginity, a measure of protection is given to that person, making that person almost impossible to hurt. Never in the history of Elementals has there ever been a set of Quads. Voldemort thought that if he could get us, then we would just give ourselves up, maybe to protect our family, and he would have four times the protection. What he didn't expect was for us to fight him."
***
"They fought Deatheaters?" Molly looked faint as Dumbledore nodded.
"I had to get them away, to somewhere safe, where nothing like that could happen again. If they hadn't fought, then I don't know what would've happened. We probably wouldn't be here having this discussion. I brought the girls to you because I know I can trust you, and Hermione is their cousin. If anyone would understand this it would be Hermione." Dumbledore stopped as Madame Pomfrey stepped out of the room.
"He's fine, just a little tired. When he wakes, he'll be as good as new. It was just a slight shock to his system. Now, Molly, he's to have plenty of rest, and I daresay he'll be as right as rain in the morning." Molly nodded, then stepped aside to let the short, kindly old MediWitch through.
Dumbledore stepped into the room and smiled. Elizabeth sat on the bedside, brushing Charlie's flaming hair from his face. She looked a little wan, but more worried than anything.
"Elizabeth? Madame Pomfrey said he'd be fine. Now, dear, we must get you off to bed. I'm sure that in the morning you can see if he's any better. But for now, you need your rest." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again as she barely tore herself away from his bedside. Ah, to be young and in love. He chuckled as she made her way out of the door.
***
Hermione looked up as Danielle, Skylar, and Raya entered, leading an exhausted Elizabeth, as Bill hovered outside the door. "How's he doing?"
"Dumbledore says he'll be fine." Skylar settled Elizabeth on a makeshift pallet in the floor of Ginny's room, tucking the covers about her still body. Harry, Ron, and Ginny eyed the girls with undisguised curiosity and awe.
"You told them, huh?" Danielle looked at Hermione, aware of the looks being thrown her way.
"What I want to know is how you all know my brother." Ron stared at each of them.
"Well, erm.are you aware that Charlie was in the States for a year?" Raya asked. When each of them nodded, she continued. "Well, he was there, working for the American Dragon Farms, out in a place no one would think they'd have Dragons. Right in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Elizabeth, with her ability, was on the Dragon Team, one of the best actually, and when Charlie came, she sort of saved him. A Ridgeback, one of the fiercest, was nesting, and Charlie there got a little too close. Nearly had him when Elizabeth used her Magic to calm the Mother. It was then that Charlie first learnt what a Grounder was. Elizabeth was still holding him when her body Vented, and it went through him. Put them both out for days. For that whole year, they were inseparable. She even contemplated leaving the States for Romania, just to be with him, but couldn't bring herself to leave."
Skylar and Danielle nodded, looking at their sister. "She was heartbroken, but they promised to keep in contact. He Owls her everyday."
"So, how old are you?" Harry asked.
"Oh," Skylar began, "We're twenty."
"But, that's so young!" Harry exclaimed.
"So, you've been facing Voldemort since you've been eleven."
***
Hermione left the room, and the squabbling, to see how Charlie was. Why hadn't she been told about Charlie and Elizabeth? For that matter, why hadn't anyone told her about Harry and Ginny?
"Oi Hermione! Wait up." She turned, looking for the source of the voice. Fred stood behind her, an indecipherable look on his face.
"Yes?" She asked, a little suspicious. "If you want me to test a new product, the answer is and always will be no!"
"I'm hurt!" Fred exclaimed, walking toward her. "Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did, but sure."
Fred smirked, "Well, it's more of a favor. If you say yes, I'll be indebted to you for eternity. I just need this one small insignificant little thing. I'm sure you can handle it."
"For Gods Sake just tell me what it is, Weasley."
"Well, Angelina just broke up with me, and she's invited me to a party in a couple of days, I know she thinks I'll show up and begin mooning over her, so that she can Lord that fact over me. So I was wondering, would you come with me? As my date?"
"To make Angelina jealous?" Hermione shook her head, "Have you gone mad? I'm not just some toy to be passed around." Then she smirked, "Sounds like fun, when and where?"
Fred did a double take. "Did you just say yes?"
"I do believe so."
"Wow, I like this new you." His voice grew husky, "But we've got to make it believable, I want her to be screaming with pain." He stepped closer, effectively pinning her to the wall. He slowly brushed his lips against hers, and then pressed them to hers hungrily.
"Ahem." Fred jumped away from Hermione as if she'd burned him. "Was I interrupting?" George glared at his twin, his eyes flashing dangerously. He hadn't heard anything, he had just been coming up the stairs when he saw THEM snogging. If there was one thing he was never going to share with Fred, one thing at all, it was the girl of his dreams.
*Someone's jealous * Fred thought, "As a matter of fact, you were, so would you kindly leave?"
* ____________________________________________________________________ * A/N: Heh, a good place as any to stop. So, Hermione has gone BAD! And what about her cousins? Elementals? Wow. I never seen that one coming. Nine pages, a new record. Anyway, don't forget to Read and Review, my friends. Until Next time.
Love
~Me~
A/N: Well, I'm trying to make my chappies longer, don't know if it will work well though. Let me break it down for you. Fred is NOT going to hurt Hermione, so no worries there, eh mate? (Alas, I cannot pull off being Austrailian, and I so wanted to.) Ah, thankies to the wonderful reviewers, without you, my little world does not exist! In this chapter, I will introduce my own characters, heh. I hope you like them, because from here on in, they're regulars. Now, on with the show.
Double Trouble
Chapter Four
Hermione flushed with pleasure, her cinnamon eyes shining. "Well, now that I've gotten everyone's attention, who's up for some grub?" When her question was met with confused glances, she laughed aloud. "Sorry, my cousin must've rubbed off on me. I meant, who's hungry?"
Without waiting for anyone to answer her, she swung around and headed for the dining room, where Molly had just finished setting out the food. A knock at the door stopped her, and she turned, surprised. "Expecting anyone Mrs. Weasley?" She called into the other room.
"I'll get it!" Ginny raced off to the front door, leaving a bemused Harry and an amused Ron in her wake.
"Mental, that one." Ron nudged Harry. Harry just smiled indulgently, his eyes softening.
"Well, she is your sister, Ron." Harry smirked.
"Ah, but she's your girlfriend, you chose her, I didn't." Hermione glanced at Harry in shock. Harry blushed, and Ron had the decency to look guilty.
"Why wasn't I informed?" Hermione mock glared at her friends.
"Yeah, why wasn't she informed?" Ron turned to Harry, smiling brightly.
"Better yet, why weren't WE informed, Ronald?" Bill glared at Harry, while Charlie flexed his arms a little for emphasis.
"Does this mean I'm getting the six brother talking to?" Harry cringed, trying to hide behind Ron, all the while glaring at his friend; it was all his fault anyway.
"You bet." Charlie growled, as he advanced. Bill was about to pounce when Ginny entered the room, slightly pale. "Ron, get Mum." Ginny's voice was tiny as made her way to Harry.
"There's no need for that, Virginia. I'm quite capable of retrieving your mother." Dumbledore's tall frame shadowed Ginny as he entered the room.
"Ginny who is tha-Oh! Dumbledore!" Molly bustled in, "What in the world brings you here."
"Molly, might it be better if we discussed this elsewhere?" The twinkle was gone from Dumbledore's kind blue eyes, his face grave.
"Oh, yes, of course." Molly looked faint. "Kids, lunch is in the dining room, er.you could take it outside, into the backyard. It's nice out there."
"There's a few hungry visitors with me, Molly. Do you think that they-"
"Of course! Tell them to come in, there's plenty for everyone." Molly interrupted him.
Dumbledore nodded, then disappeared for a few moments. Bill and Charlie had already gone to the dining room, leaving Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione in the room with Molly when Dumbledore reappeared with his 'guests'.
"These girls haven't eaten in a while." He trailed off as they stepped around him.
Hermione gasped, clutching at Ron's arm to keep from collapsing. "Oh Gods! What happened?"
The four girls with Dumbledore stood staring in shock at the group. "H- Hermione?" One of them, a girl with auburn hair and a tear-streaked face, asked hopefully, then her face screwed up as she threw herself toward Hermione. "Oh, it's all my fault! If I hadn't come, none of this would have ever happened!"
Harry, Ron, and Ginny all exchanged a glance as Hermione consoled the distraught girl. "Is everyone okay? Uncle Joe? Aunt Mary? Steven and Jon?" Hermione sounded as anxious as the girl, who just nodded in return.
Molly took one look at the lot, and then at Dumbledore. When he beckoned her, she nodded. "Ginny, Ron, I'll be back shortly, be good while I'm gone, and see to it that these girls get something to eat." And with that, Dumbledore and Molly disapperated, to find Arthur.
"Erm, Mione." Ron looked at his friend. "Uh, if I could interrupt for just a moment, who are these girls?"
Hermione looked up, her eyes full of tears, "Ginny, Ron, Harry, these are my cousins, from America."
"I'll go get Bill and Charlie, they'll know what to do." Ron practically ran from the room. Harry followed a moment later, saying that Ron might need help. Ginny shook her head, trust a guy not to know how to handle a situation like this.
"Hello." Ginny looked at each of the four girls. Hermione had finally managed to calm down the girl with her. "And you would be.?"
Another girl, one with black hair, stepped forward, "I'm Danielle. This is Skylar," She pointed to the blonde, "This is Raya." She then pointed to the brunette, "And that is Elizabeth." She gestured to the girl who had a death grip on Hermione. "She's a little emotional at the moment."
"Are you all sisters?" Ginny looked back and forth between them.
"I'll do you one better," Danielle grinned proudly, "We're Quads."
"Quads?" Ginny looked slightly confused.
"Yes, as in Quadruplets." Skylar spoke up her voice soft and melodic.
Ginny looked completely nonplussed. She had twin brothers, and that was a pain, but to have four? It was something she couldn't comprehend. "But.but.you don't look anything alike!" She spluttered.
"Oh, that's because we're fraternal." Raya laughed at the look on Ginny's face.
Elizabeth was now collected and standing with her sisters. Hermione was smiling slightly at Ginny's reaction. Most people reacted that way when it came to her cousins. They were quite rare indeed.
"So, are you all Witches?" Ginny was still having a hard time coming to terms with it.
"Yes." Danielle trailed off, as Elizabeth turned away, her arms about her, as if to ward off something quite distasteful. The other girls were patting her gently, or smoothing her hair.
"I'm sorry." Elizabeth whispered quietly, to no one in particular.
"It wasn't your fault!" Skylar declared vehemently.
"What wasn't whose fault?" Charlie entered, and then stopped, "Elizabeth?" His voice was soft, gentle. Ginny looked at her brother in amazement. So did Bill and Ron.
Elizabeth turned back around, her eyes wide and glassy. "Charlie." She trailed off then fainted.
Danielle took one look at her sister then swore. "Charlie, get her, take her outside into the yard, quick." No one had time for questions, or explanations, as Charlie rushed to do as Danielle said. "Now, Ginny was it? I need you to get a washcloth, and get it as cold as possible." When she saw Ginny's skeptical look, she sighed, "Trust me. They're both going to need it." Ginny nodded, curious, but hastened to do as the other girl commanded.
"Didn't she Vent?" Hermione looked vaguely ill as she watched Ginny leave. "Dear Gods, the lot of you know what happens when you don't-"
"Not now Hermione!" Raya brushed past her cousin, following Charlie as quickly as she could. Hermione ran to the backyard, vaguely noting the twins just inside the doorway. Charlie was in the center of the yard, sitting, cradling Elizabeth like a child as she jerked spasmodically.
"Hermione." Ginny stopped as she caught sight of her brother and Elizabeth. She pressed a hand to her mouth in horror as she watched the girl's limbs seize up, and Charlie fighting to keep her still.
***
Charlie held the girl in his lap tightly, knowing what was about to come. "It's okay, Elizabeth, let it out. Come on.let it out." His voice was lost among her slight moans, but she visibly relaxed.
"Come on.just let it out." Charlie shifted slightly as the hair on his body stood at attention. His gaze was trained on her face, but he knew what was going to happen.
White light pooled around Elizabeth's hands, her body relaxed completely and her head lolled back slightly. She cracked open her eyes, "Charlie.you don't, you don't have too." Her face contorted with pain and a scream cut off the rest of her sentence. Light burst forth from her body, enveloping Charlie, running through him and into the earth.
He felt the wave of emotion pass through him, first fear, then anger, then something so primal, that he wasn't even sure it could be an emotion. His consciousness tossed within the turbulent maelstrom of emotion until he was giddy. The primal emotion held him, pinned his body to the ground, as the others lifted his awareness from his body.
"Come," it whispered softly, "Come away with me."
Then a painful sort of exhilaration slammed through him, tore at his soul, ripped away anything human left in him as he sped toward the sky.
"I am all that you need." He sighed, blissful. But something was pulling him back, and he didn't want to go, he fought, but it was too strong. He slammed back into his body with jarring force, and then everything was black.
***
"Are they going to be okay?" Charlie groaned softly as something cool was pressed to his splitting head. His body drew in on itself, curling him into a fetus position. He wanted the light, he wanted the painful bliss, wanted it so bad that it hurt. He had almost forgotten what it felt like, grounding for Her. The purity of the one emotion, the primal force that quite literally ripped him from his body, the pain and pleasure of the union with the Universe. How he could ever have forgotten was quite beyond comprehension.
"Elizabeth?" He croaked, and then winced. It felt as if he'd had the Cruciatus performed on his throat.
"Shhh." the mysterious voice admonished. "Your throat is lacerated. You shouldn't be talking." He drew a shuddering breath, her screams echoing in his ears. "Here, drink this." He didn't even open his eyes, just swallowed, and then gagged at the horrid taste, but his throat did feel better.
***
"What the hell happened out there? I want answers and I want them now!" Arthur paced furiously outside his son's bedroom, the normally easy-going man agitated. Molly faced Dumbledore, tears streaming openly down her open face.
"Arthur, there's no reason-" Dumbledore began.
"Yes there bloody well is! That's my SON lying in there unconscious. Now I want to know what happened."
"Well, he grounded her." Dumbledore's voice was low, his face showing his many years, the twinkle gone from his eyes.
***
"He did WHAT?" Bill looked at Danielle as if she had grown another head. She lowered her eyes.
"He grounded her." Skylar stated again.
"What the hell does that mean?"
***
"It means that she used him to force her magic into the Earth." Hermione looked at her friends.
"What sort of Witch is she?" Harry asked quietly, the images of the light and the sounds of their screams still fresh in his mind.
"She, or rather they, are Elementals."
***
Molly squeaked, a fresh onslaught of tears threatened to fall.
"Elementals?" Arthur breathed, sinking against the wall.
***
"What are Elementals?" Ron looked confused, and Ginny was aghast.
"Elementals are Witches or Wizards who were born on a specific night under a full moon. They gain the power of the elements as well as magic. When they use this special power, they have to vent. Usually, if done within a few hours, it's quite harmless and painless, but apparently Elizabeth had been holding it back a few days. She couldn't Vent without a grounder, and Charlie refused to let anyone else near him or her. So she had to use him."
***
Bill looked at the girls in front of him, his eyes wide. "Y-You're all Elementals?"
"Yes," Danielle sighed, "I'm Water, Skylar's Air, Raya's Fire, and Elizabeth's Earth. We were born on the Summer Solstice beneath the full moon." She shook her head, her eyes grave. "That's why we had to come here. Somehow, Voldemort found out who and what we were, no matter that we're Muggle born, our kind are extremely rare. Y'see, erm.it's kind of hard to say this. Okay when an Elemental gives up their virginity, a measure of protection is given to that person, making that person almost impossible to hurt. Never in the history of Elementals has there ever been a set of Quads. Voldemort thought that if he could get us, then we would just give ourselves up, maybe to protect our family, and he would have four times the protection. What he didn't expect was for us to fight him."
***
"They fought Deatheaters?" Molly looked faint as Dumbledore nodded.
"I had to get them away, to somewhere safe, where nothing like that could happen again. If they hadn't fought, then I don't know what would've happened. We probably wouldn't be here having this discussion. I brought the girls to you because I know I can trust you, and Hermione is their cousin. If anyone would understand this it would be Hermione." Dumbledore stopped as Madame Pomfrey stepped out of the room.
"He's fine, just a little tired. When he wakes, he'll be as good as new. It was just a slight shock to his system. Now, Molly, he's to have plenty of rest, and I daresay he'll be as right as rain in the morning." Molly nodded, then stepped aside to let the short, kindly old MediWitch through.
Dumbledore stepped into the room and smiled. Elizabeth sat on the bedside, brushing Charlie's flaming hair from his face. She looked a little wan, but more worried than anything.
"Elizabeth? Madame Pomfrey said he'd be fine. Now, dear, we must get you off to bed. I'm sure that in the morning you can see if he's any better. But for now, you need your rest." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again as she barely tore herself away from his bedside. Ah, to be young and in love. He chuckled as she made her way out of the door.
***
Hermione looked up as Danielle, Skylar, and Raya entered, leading an exhausted Elizabeth, as Bill hovered outside the door. "How's he doing?"
"Dumbledore says he'll be fine." Skylar settled Elizabeth on a makeshift pallet in the floor of Ginny's room, tucking the covers about her still body. Harry, Ron, and Ginny eyed the girls with undisguised curiosity and awe.
"You told them, huh?" Danielle looked at Hermione, aware of the looks being thrown her way.
"What I want to know is how you all know my brother." Ron stared at each of them.
"Well, erm.are you aware that Charlie was in the States for a year?" Raya asked. When each of them nodded, she continued. "Well, he was there, working for the American Dragon Farms, out in a place no one would think they'd have Dragons. Right in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Elizabeth, with her ability, was on the Dragon Team, one of the best actually, and when Charlie came, she sort of saved him. A Ridgeback, one of the fiercest, was nesting, and Charlie there got a little too close. Nearly had him when Elizabeth used her Magic to calm the Mother. It was then that Charlie first learnt what a Grounder was. Elizabeth was still holding him when her body Vented, and it went through him. Put them both out for days. For that whole year, they were inseparable. She even contemplated leaving the States for Romania, just to be with him, but couldn't bring herself to leave."
Skylar and Danielle nodded, looking at their sister. "She was heartbroken, but they promised to keep in contact. He Owls her everyday."
"So, how old are you?" Harry asked.
"Oh," Skylar began, "We're twenty."
"But, that's so young!" Harry exclaimed.
"So, you've been facing Voldemort since you've been eleven."
***
Hermione left the room, and the squabbling, to see how Charlie was. Why hadn't she been told about Charlie and Elizabeth? For that matter, why hadn't anyone told her about Harry and Ginny?
"Oi Hermione! Wait up." She turned, looking for the source of the voice. Fred stood behind her, an indecipherable look on his face.
"Yes?" She asked, a little suspicious. "If you want me to test a new product, the answer is and always will be no!"
"I'm hurt!" Fred exclaimed, walking toward her. "Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did, but sure."
Fred smirked, "Well, it's more of a favor. If you say yes, I'll be indebted to you for eternity. I just need this one small insignificant little thing. I'm sure you can handle it."
"For Gods Sake just tell me what it is, Weasley."
"Well, Angelina just broke up with me, and she's invited me to a party in a couple of days, I know she thinks I'll show up and begin mooning over her, so that she can Lord that fact over me. So I was wondering, would you come with me? As my date?"
"To make Angelina jealous?" Hermione shook her head, "Have you gone mad? I'm not just some toy to be passed around." Then she smirked, "Sounds like fun, when and where?"
Fred did a double take. "Did you just say yes?"
"I do believe so."
"Wow, I like this new you." His voice grew husky, "But we've got to make it believable, I want her to be screaming with pain." He stepped closer, effectively pinning her to the wall. He slowly brushed his lips against hers, and then pressed them to hers hungrily.
"Ahem." Fred jumped away from Hermione as if she'd burned him. "Was I interrupting?" George glared at his twin, his eyes flashing dangerously. He hadn't heard anything, he had just been coming up the stairs when he saw THEM snogging. If there was one thing he was never going to share with Fred, one thing at all, it was the girl of his dreams.
*Someone's jealous * Fred thought, "As a matter of fact, you were, so would you kindly leave?"
* ____________________________________________________________________ * A/N: Heh, a good place as any to stop. So, Hermione has gone BAD! And what about her cousins? Elementals? Wow. I never seen that one coming. Nine pages, a new record. Anyway, don't forget to Read and Review, my friends. Until Next time.
Love
~Me~
