Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
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Diagon Alley was still in a hive of activity. But three young witches walked through it with purpose. At least, one of them seemed confused.
"Why are we here?" Cho asked as she followed Ginny and Hermione through the alley.
"You wanted answers to a question and we know where to find the best source," Hermione smiled.
"At least she'll know more than we do," Ginny smirked as they stopped in front of a curio shop.
"The Lion's Heart?" Cho's brow was raised in askance. "Sounds like a pub."
"Exactly what I said when I first came here," Ginny smiled. "It was about three years ago. I was searching for a gift for Harry and I suddenly ended up here. The keeper is nice. He eventually set all of us together."
"All of you?" Cho looked confused. "As in all for of you?" Hermione and Ginny nodded.
"In one year even," Hermione laughed. "I can't believe he talked them into a serenade. Must be hell for Ron."
"I didn't even know my brother could sing," Ginny laughed as well. Cho was now confused as ever.
"Wait a minute, Harry and Ron... serenaded you? Isn't that a bit old fashioned. I must admit it must be romantic."
"Believe me, Lian's a hopeless romantic," Ginny sighed. "I'm sure some of it would rub off on Ian." Both girls looked at Cho teasingly and she merely blushed.
"Do you think you could get the answers here?" Cho asked.
"We KNOW we're going to get answers," Hermione said in full confidence that Cho never had seen in the former Gryffindor. The entered the shop only to be greeted by a warm welcome.
"Hello girls," Shiva said from behind the counter. "This is a pleasant surprise."
"It is," Ginny said as she hugged the blue-haired lady. Hermione did the same and Shiva smiled warmly at Cho.
"Hello," she smiled. And after a judging look, her face brightened. "Perfect," she mumbled.
"Pardon?" Cho asked in bewilderment. Even Hermione and Ginny were confused.
"Nothing, my dear," Shiva smiled all too warmly. "What bring you ladies to the Heart?"
"We were wondering if you could dispense any information you have on a certain Violet eyed man," Ginny smiled as she looked at Cho with mischief.
"Lian?" Shiva asked confused. But Hemione smiled at her.
"Ian," she said. Shiva's expression was priceless. It was a mixture of shock, happiness and worry. The girls didn't even know that it was possible.
"You found Ian?" she asked slowly.
"I did," Cho said softly. She didn't know what urged her to say that. But it came out anyway. "Is he your boyfriend?" Shiva laughed mirthfully as she said that.
"No," she said. "I am happy to say that I fell for his brother."
"Brother?"
"Lian," Shiva sighed. "He was sweet and caring. Still is. But I sense that it's not him you're asking, is it?"
"No," Ginny said. "As I said, what do you know of Ian?"
"Truthfully?" Shiva asked.
"Yes," Hermione said. "Like how is it that he said his age was more than he seemed."
"Oh," Shiva's smile fell a bit. "He said our ages slowed after we reach a certain age? Yes? It's a complicated spell that was cast upon our fathers. It became hereditary after that. Only two families are blessed or cursed, depending on your perspective, with this. The Valinas and the Lionhearts. I am the Valina's only daughter and Lian and Ian were the Lionheart's sons.
"Despite this... spell, we had lived like normal people although in my sixteenth year, I was cursed to be encased in ice. Ian was lost in a void as he lured a Dark Mage in a place where time and space didn't matter. The only one I that I'm positive who lived through the ages was Lian."
"About Ian?" Ginny asked.
"Ian, yes. Ian was the opposite of his brother. Lian was calm and Ian was restless. Where Lian takes things by stealth, Ian liked to barge in guns blazing, so to speak. Lian's main element was Holy Light and Ian's main element was Darkness. But they were still the best of friends.
"It was amazing, really, that Light and Dark worked together. It was this bond that made them powerful.
"Then, Lorelei die, Ian wasn't the same again."
"Lorelei?" Cho asked. When Shiva had said her name, it was filled with pain. Somehow she had felt her pain and her heart was hurting.
"She was my dear cousin," Shiva said. "Almost my age. She was the sister I never had. I shouldn't be telling you this but when she died, Ian went berserk. He loved her more than anything. She was his life. They shared a soul."
"What happened after that?" Ginny asked softly. There was pain in her voice. She could only imagine what it was like to loose a loved one. As she looked at Cho, she saw her face saddened by this story. Cho knew how it was like to loose someone precious.
"You don't want to know," Shiva said gravely. By her tone, Hermione knew it was dreadful.
"Please," Cho's voice was soft as she pleaded. Shiva yielded to her worried face and serene expression and sighed.
"He killed the man responsible for her death," Shiva said but the girls felt that she was hiding something from them.
"What happened after that?" Cho asked.
"He fell into the void," Shiva sighed as she looked at her eyes. "That's the last I've heard of him. Of course, I've been a sleep for a millennia. How is he?" Cho sighed in sadness. "That bad huh?" Cho began to tell her how she found him and how he had lost his sight. Shiva listened intently at her explanation with a smile. She didn't seem worried about Ian being blind. It seemed like she knew.
Cho finished her story with a sigh.
"At least he has you," Shiva said softly making her blush. "In any case I'm quite miffed that he didn't even bother looking me up."
"He seemed busy at the time," Ginny said.
"Lian didn't even tell me he saw his brother," Shiva frowned. "I'm going to have a word with him," she said threateningly. But her face brightened as she faced the girls.
"Is there anything good you can tell us?" Hermione asked mischievously. Shiva matched her smile and offered them some tea.
Their session had begun.
*** ***
"And that's all I know," Harry said as he looked at Ian, studying his features. Ian could have been a great poker player. He had a calm demeanor that glowed around him like an emotionless being of death and destruction. Harry wouldn't be surprised if he was exactly that.
"Thank you," Ian sighed. But his smiled tuned mischievous as he lay on the grass. "So enough about me. What's with you and Virginia?"
"Don't let her catch you calling her that," Harry laughed. "But jokes aside, I thought you already knew."
"I knew you were engaged was wondering if you ever flew her to the moon, if you know what I'm saying," as usual, Ian was blunt. Harry blushed at the implications of his words and said nothing.
"Never?" Ian asked as if the silence was an answer. "It's all right, really. But there are times that a woman needs to be assured that they are loved."
"By rocking her world, if you know what I mean?" Harry blushed even more.
"Easy, Harry. You might get a nosebleed if you keep blushing like that," Ian teased. "And no, that's not what I mean. I meant.... When was the last time you did something romantic?" silence followed. "I'm sure. Now all we need to do is let her know you still love her. That goes for you too, Ronald." Harry looked up and turned to see Ron right behind them.
"We're already getting married," Ron blushed.
"So? Must the romance stop just because she has a ring on her finger? Do not underestimate the woman's need for romance. They need assurance, boys." Harry mused at this. Ian was making sense. But how to go about it?
"You know, you're a brusque version of your brother," Harry said with a sigh.
"Lian had a lot to work with you. Fortunately the hard part is over," Ian smiled as thoughts filled his head.
"You may be right," Ron said as he sat down with them.
"How's the wedding hanging?" Ian asked. Ron sighed as he looked at the two.
"Dismal," he said. "There' a lot of planning and I'm not sure I could afford it all." Ron's ears went pink with that revelation.
"I'm sure that Harry would help," Ian said.
"No offence but I don't want to seem like I'm desperate," Ron smirked. "I'll figure it out."
"Make it a double wedding," Ian sighed in exasperation. "It's cheaper, lovely and the girls would be happy. Lian would be angry if you made all his works in vain."
"Perhaps," Harry smiled. "What say you Ron? It would be nice."
"We need to discuss this with the girls," Ron smiled as well. "I'm game if they are."
"That's the spirit," Ian said as he stood up. "Well, I'm off."
"To where?" Harry asked.
"Diagon Alley," he said. "I need to pick out something lovely."
"Try the Lion's Heart," Ron said. Ian frowned in thought and then smiled.
"Sure," he said.
"We'll come with you," Harry offered as he stood beside him.
"Thank you," Ian smiled. He then wrapped his arm around Ron's neck and pulled him close.
"So, Ronald. How loud does your fiancé shriek in ecstasy?" he said with an oblique smile. Ron blushed and shouted a disclaimer in his ear.
Wincing in pain, Ian laughed as he and the boys went to the Alley.
End of 10.
A/n: what did you think about it?
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Diagon Alley was still in a hive of activity. But three young witches walked through it with purpose. At least, one of them seemed confused.
"Why are we here?" Cho asked as she followed Ginny and Hermione through the alley.
"You wanted answers to a question and we know where to find the best source," Hermione smiled.
"At least she'll know more than we do," Ginny smirked as they stopped in front of a curio shop.
"The Lion's Heart?" Cho's brow was raised in askance. "Sounds like a pub."
"Exactly what I said when I first came here," Ginny smiled. "It was about three years ago. I was searching for a gift for Harry and I suddenly ended up here. The keeper is nice. He eventually set all of us together."
"All of you?" Cho looked confused. "As in all for of you?" Hermione and Ginny nodded.
"In one year even," Hermione laughed. "I can't believe he talked them into a serenade. Must be hell for Ron."
"I didn't even know my brother could sing," Ginny laughed as well. Cho was now confused as ever.
"Wait a minute, Harry and Ron... serenaded you? Isn't that a bit old fashioned. I must admit it must be romantic."
"Believe me, Lian's a hopeless romantic," Ginny sighed. "I'm sure some of it would rub off on Ian." Both girls looked at Cho teasingly and she merely blushed.
"Do you think you could get the answers here?" Cho asked.
"We KNOW we're going to get answers," Hermione said in full confidence that Cho never had seen in the former Gryffindor. The entered the shop only to be greeted by a warm welcome.
"Hello girls," Shiva said from behind the counter. "This is a pleasant surprise."
"It is," Ginny said as she hugged the blue-haired lady. Hermione did the same and Shiva smiled warmly at Cho.
"Hello," she smiled. And after a judging look, her face brightened. "Perfect," she mumbled.
"Pardon?" Cho asked in bewilderment. Even Hermione and Ginny were confused.
"Nothing, my dear," Shiva smiled all too warmly. "What bring you ladies to the Heart?"
"We were wondering if you could dispense any information you have on a certain Violet eyed man," Ginny smiled as she looked at Cho with mischief.
"Lian?" Shiva asked confused. But Hemione smiled at her.
"Ian," she said. Shiva's expression was priceless. It was a mixture of shock, happiness and worry. The girls didn't even know that it was possible.
"You found Ian?" she asked slowly.
"I did," Cho said softly. She didn't know what urged her to say that. But it came out anyway. "Is he your boyfriend?" Shiva laughed mirthfully as she said that.
"No," she said. "I am happy to say that I fell for his brother."
"Brother?"
"Lian," Shiva sighed. "He was sweet and caring. Still is. But I sense that it's not him you're asking, is it?"
"No," Ginny said. "As I said, what do you know of Ian?"
"Truthfully?" Shiva asked.
"Yes," Hermione said. "Like how is it that he said his age was more than he seemed."
"Oh," Shiva's smile fell a bit. "He said our ages slowed after we reach a certain age? Yes? It's a complicated spell that was cast upon our fathers. It became hereditary after that. Only two families are blessed or cursed, depending on your perspective, with this. The Valinas and the Lionhearts. I am the Valina's only daughter and Lian and Ian were the Lionheart's sons.
"Despite this... spell, we had lived like normal people although in my sixteenth year, I was cursed to be encased in ice. Ian was lost in a void as he lured a Dark Mage in a place where time and space didn't matter. The only one I that I'm positive who lived through the ages was Lian."
"About Ian?" Ginny asked.
"Ian, yes. Ian was the opposite of his brother. Lian was calm and Ian was restless. Where Lian takes things by stealth, Ian liked to barge in guns blazing, so to speak. Lian's main element was Holy Light and Ian's main element was Darkness. But they were still the best of friends.
"It was amazing, really, that Light and Dark worked together. It was this bond that made them powerful.
"Then, Lorelei die, Ian wasn't the same again."
"Lorelei?" Cho asked. When Shiva had said her name, it was filled with pain. Somehow she had felt her pain and her heart was hurting.
"She was my dear cousin," Shiva said. "Almost my age. She was the sister I never had. I shouldn't be telling you this but when she died, Ian went berserk. He loved her more than anything. She was his life. They shared a soul."
"What happened after that?" Ginny asked softly. There was pain in her voice. She could only imagine what it was like to loose a loved one. As she looked at Cho, she saw her face saddened by this story. Cho knew how it was like to loose someone precious.
"You don't want to know," Shiva said gravely. By her tone, Hermione knew it was dreadful.
"Please," Cho's voice was soft as she pleaded. Shiva yielded to her worried face and serene expression and sighed.
"He killed the man responsible for her death," Shiva said but the girls felt that she was hiding something from them.
"What happened after that?" Cho asked.
"He fell into the void," Shiva sighed as she looked at her eyes. "That's the last I've heard of him. Of course, I've been a sleep for a millennia. How is he?" Cho sighed in sadness. "That bad huh?" Cho began to tell her how she found him and how he had lost his sight. Shiva listened intently at her explanation with a smile. She didn't seem worried about Ian being blind. It seemed like she knew.
Cho finished her story with a sigh.
"At least he has you," Shiva said softly making her blush. "In any case I'm quite miffed that he didn't even bother looking me up."
"He seemed busy at the time," Ginny said.
"Lian didn't even tell me he saw his brother," Shiva frowned. "I'm going to have a word with him," she said threateningly. But her face brightened as she faced the girls.
"Is there anything good you can tell us?" Hermione asked mischievously. Shiva matched her smile and offered them some tea.
Their session had begun.
*** ***
"And that's all I know," Harry said as he looked at Ian, studying his features. Ian could have been a great poker player. He had a calm demeanor that glowed around him like an emotionless being of death and destruction. Harry wouldn't be surprised if he was exactly that.
"Thank you," Ian sighed. But his smiled tuned mischievous as he lay on the grass. "So enough about me. What's with you and Virginia?"
"Don't let her catch you calling her that," Harry laughed. "But jokes aside, I thought you already knew."
"I knew you were engaged was wondering if you ever flew her to the moon, if you know what I'm saying," as usual, Ian was blunt. Harry blushed at the implications of his words and said nothing.
"Never?" Ian asked as if the silence was an answer. "It's all right, really. But there are times that a woman needs to be assured that they are loved."
"By rocking her world, if you know what I mean?" Harry blushed even more.
"Easy, Harry. You might get a nosebleed if you keep blushing like that," Ian teased. "And no, that's not what I mean. I meant.... When was the last time you did something romantic?" silence followed. "I'm sure. Now all we need to do is let her know you still love her. That goes for you too, Ronald." Harry looked up and turned to see Ron right behind them.
"We're already getting married," Ron blushed.
"So? Must the romance stop just because she has a ring on her finger? Do not underestimate the woman's need for romance. They need assurance, boys." Harry mused at this. Ian was making sense. But how to go about it?
"You know, you're a brusque version of your brother," Harry said with a sigh.
"Lian had a lot to work with you. Fortunately the hard part is over," Ian smiled as thoughts filled his head.
"You may be right," Ron said as he sat down with them.
"How's the wedding hanging?" Ian asked. Ron sighed as he looked at the two.
"Dismal," he said. "There' a lot of planning and I'm not sure I could afford it all." Ron's ears went pink with that revelation.
"I'm sure that Harry would help," Ian said.
"No offence but I don't want to seem like I'm desperate," Ron smirked. "I'll figure it out."
"Make it a double wedding," Ian sighed in exasperation. "It's cheaper, lovely and the girls would be happy. Lian would be angry if you made all his works in vain."
"Perhaps," Harry smiled. "What say you Ron? It would be nice."
"We need to discuss this with the girls," Ron smiled as well. "I'm game if they are."
"That's the spirit," Ian said as he stood up. "Well, I'm off."
"To where?" Harry asked.
"Diagon Alley," he said. "I need to pick out something lovely."
"Try the Lion's Heart," Ron said. Ian frowned in thought and then smiled.
"Sure," he said.
"We'll come with you," Harry offered as he stood beside him.
"Thank you," Ian smiled. He then wrapped his arm around Ron's neck and pulled him close.
"So, Ronald. How loud does your fiancé shriek in ecstasy?" he said with an oblique smile. Ron blushed and shouted a disclaimer in his ear.
Wincing in pain, Ian laughed as he and the boys went to the Alley.
End of 10.
A/n: what did you think about it?