Angel

Chapter 3: Grimmauld Place

With a soft thump the group landed in the hallway of the House of Black, otherwise known as Grimmauld Place. Angel looked around in interest, taking in the glooming feeling she got from the depressing colors and the little light that shone through the windows.

Raven, she noticed, wasn't feeling too comfortable either, but was hiding it rather good. Although, she could tell, this Remus Lupin seemed to have seen through Raven's deception. Either way, Angel wasn't too happy to be in this house, but being with Raven made it all the more bearable.

She did wonder why he seemed a bit distant. As if he didn't really know her any more. But yet, he had remembered her name, hadn't he?

They tiptoed down the hallway, although Angel didn't know this was to be done to not wake up the portrait of Mrs. Black, that was now hidden behind two curtains, and entered the kitchen. Remus put down their stuff and unshrunk it.

"We'll take it upstairs later on. But let's have some breakfast first, and then you can tell us more about Angel, here."

"Indeed you can, Harry. I was not aware you would be bringing guests?" The four people in the kitchen were quite startled. In the door opening Dumbledore had appeared and he was looking at Angel with great interest.

"I do realise I have not yet proparly introduced myself," he said and stood up. With a slight incline of her head she then said, "my full name would be Angel Lilith McClannon. Or Angel, for short." She grinned.

It was the first time that Harry saw a glimpse of surprise on the Headmaster's face before it was schooled back.

"So there is still someone alive from that family. I must say, I thought they had died in the first war against Voldemort."

Angel nodded. "Well, yes, most of them had. Only my father remained alive, and me obviously. My mother was a muggle, went by the name of Jones. My father nearly got killed in the last fight he had entered. He managed to get away, but lost most of his magical powers, and they never did return. He felt it was safer to let the magical world think he perished, while he could recover and see me grow up in the muggle world. Unfortunately, my mother an he died two months ago in a plane crash. Master Shanaka arranged for me to be a legal adult so I could travel wherever I wanted. Which was going back to England, back to my dearest twin brother Raven," she inclined her head in Harry's direction, "who had called out to me only a month ago. Too bad the paperwork wasn't finished by then, or I could have come much sooner."

Dumbledore smiled softly at her. "My condolances for the loss of your parents. But, why are you calling Harry 'Raven'? And your twin brother? I mean, you do look a lot like him, but I find it a bit difficult to believe he has a twin."

Angel laughed. "Sorry about that. It's just that we were as close as twins, and most people believed we actually were. As for me calling him Raven, well, I actually think I should have called him something else, but it's his nickname."

"And how is it that you have met each other?"

"Well, my father got himself a job in Little Whinging about four years after the war. So we moved in at Privet Drive number 5. Imagine his surprise when he found out the son of two of his former colleauges lived right next door. We were both only 5 years old at that time, and within a day we were the best of friends. Unfortunately we moved when Raven turned 6 years old. My dad got a new job in Japan, and I was to go to school there. So yesterday was the first time in 10 years that we have seen each other."

She gave Raven another big hug. He just seemed a bit stunned at this. By listening to her story he had remembered more, but not all of it. In fact, he only remembered the curiousity he had felt when he saw them moving in, and the enormous sadness he had felt when they moved away. Also, there was this eery feeling he got that the Dursleys did something to him, something Angel and he should regret, a lot.

"But Angel," he decided to speak up on this matter, "why is it that I can't remember any of that? I mean, I do know that I know you, I remembered your name, but I can't think of the rest. Although, I get the feeling the Dursleys have something to do with it..." he trailed off.

Dumbledore looked up a bit shocked. "Harry, you have let her come here while not remembering all about her? You do realise that could have been dangerous."

Harry gave Dumbledore a hard look. "You must understand that I did remember her name, and my senses told me she was safe."

Angel still looked at him in shock. "You really mean to tell me that me that you forgot everything else about what we did? About who you are, about us?!"

Hmmm, she definately doesn't seem happy about it, Harry mused. Of course, he wasn't happy with it either.

"Yes, that is what I mean."

He could see the looks Remus and Tonks were giving them.

"Very well then," Angel said, "it seems as though we have to use our means of communication to get up to date with each others lives. Is there somewhere we can sit comfortably? Preferably on pillows?"

Everyone just looked at her in bewilderment. "Relax, it's something Raven and me have done loads of times, it's just that he doesn't remember right now. He will after we did this."

Remus opened up the door to the living room that was opposite the kitchen. "You can sit comfortably in the living room, I guess."

Angel entered first, and the rest followed, although Harry was a bit worried about what they were actually going to do with him.

When he entered the room Angel was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, with a few pillows behind her. She motioned for Harry to sit across from her, and he did, feeling a little silly.

"Just take a few pillows and put them behind you. Make sure your knees touch mine, and then just relax. I know what to do, and soon you'll remember as well, Raven."

She leaned forward, and made sure their foreheads were touching, and their hands were intertwined. Harry felt it was quite an intimite position, but kept his eyes locked with Angel's. He knew that the others had settled on the couch to watch what was going to happen. Strangely this didn't make him so very uncomfortable as he would have thought.

Angel started whispering to him.

"Just forget about everything else. The only thing you should think about is finding out more about me, that's the only thing you should remember. It might feel funny for a while, but you'll remember what to do."

So Harry concentrated. He looked at Angel's eyes, and something inside him remembered he had done this before, that they had used this to talk about things nobody else should know about. Their little secrets, the way the Dursleys treated him. Then he felt a sort of pull on his mind, and he was off. Images whirled around in front of his eyes, but not his. No, these were from Angel. Seeing her board a plane, stepping out again in Japan, going to school there, learn magic, fighting, discipline and a whole new life style. He watched her interact with her parents; her father with black hair down to his shoulders, and joyfull light green eyes. Her mother, also black haired, with dark blue eyes. He could see she resembled Angel in character. Then he felt the immense shock going through Angel upon hearing the news that the plane crashed and her parents had died. An old man, who was friendly and had guided her in school comforting her, setting up papers for her, feeling a strond emotional pull he knew to be from himself. Knowing he had needed Angel, and she finally arriving on his doorstep.

Then the funny feeling returned and he was back in his own body, slumping over backwards from the force of it all and falling back on the pillows breathing harshly.

Angel was doing the same. She had witnessed the Dursley's telling Raven that she had not existed, that he was a foolish boy to think he could have friends. They locked him in the cupboard for weeks, until he had locked his memories of her away. He stopped doing controlled magic, being punished for even mentioning magic in the Dursley's house. She saw him finding out about magic (again), buying his wand, and all his adventured at Hogwarts. Then she saw Cedric fall dead to the ground, saw Sirius fall through the Veil. She now knew why Raven had cried out to her, he couldn't consciously remember her, but deep inside his mind he knew there was someone who would, and could, help him get over this. And she knew she could. But she would have to change and undo a few things first.

Remus, Tonks and Dumbledore could only look in surprise at what was happening in front of them. Both teenagers had sat –somewhat intimately, Remus added- relaxed, staring into each others eyes. Then their bodies had suddenly jerked forward, as if in pain. Then nothing happened for at least five minutes, until they both collapsed onto the pillows, panting as if they had just run a marathon.

When the two had regained their bearings, Harry sat up and said: "I certainly remember now. I must also admit Angel, that I would love to meet Master Shanaka. He seems like a wonderful man. Also, I was wondering if you've noticed how we both end up with nearly the exact same injuries at around the same time? Which would explain why I had so many headaches last year, since you seemed to get bashed on the head rather frequently." He grinned at Angel. Now that he remembered everything, even the way the Dursley's had made him forget about Angel, he knew she was the best thing that ever happened to him.

"Of course I realised that. Seeing as how we are practically twins, it's no wonder. We also get sick at the same times. There is, however, a slight downside to this right now."

Her face contorted into a frown.

"What do you mean, Angel?" Harry asked, looking at her in wonder.

"Well, you must have seen the hospital scene, from about three months ago. That one is also the reason my parents were on the plane by the way."

"I did see that, but since I can't understand Japanese, I don't know what was being said. I'm guessing it wasn't too good?"

Angel sighed loudly, and looked a bit down. "No, it wasn't good. They found out I have a type of cancer only magical people get, and there's no cure."

Harry fell silent, as did the others who were listening.

"So, I've got it too, huh?" Harry asked her. Angel could do no more than nod.

"How long?" he asked.

"Two years at the most," she said. Harry nodded and seemed to retreat into himself for a minute. Then he lifted his head up and said:

"Well, I guess it's time to kick Voldemort's ass, then."

They both stood up and walked into the kitchen. Here, Harry got another surprise. For waiting in the kitchen were the newly arrived Weasleys, and Hermione. They shouted: "Surprise!!!!" and then fell silent looking at Angel.

Harry, for his part, had forgotten about his birthday, until Angel gave him a little shake. "Oh, wow, uh....sorry guys, I just wasn't thinking about my birthday for a moment," he said.

Angel rolled her eyes. "That's not why they're all silent. Sometimes I really wonder about you..." but she smiled when she said it.

"Anyway, my name is Angel, Angel McClannon, and I'm - "

"- sort of my twin - " came Harry's voice.

"- sister. Although he - "

"- didn't remember it - "

"- Until just now." Angel finished for him.

The Weasleys twins grinned and said at the same time: "This is so wicked!"

Then they burst out laughing.

Meanwhile Remus, Tonks and Dumbledore had gotten over their shock of hearing Harry had probably only two years left to live, and had decided to call an emergency Order meeting starting in an hour. Then Remus and Tonks moved into the kitchen, where everyone was greeting Angel and gathering the birthday presents on the kitchen table.

When everyone was seated, Mrs. Weasley got a huge birthday cake out of the oven and lit the candles on it. Harry's eyes went very big, because he'd never had a birthday cake before. He could see tears forming in Mrs. Weasley's eyes. Quickly he blew out the candles and waited with cutting the cake, until they had finished singing him his birthday song.

When everybody had eaten their cake, Mrs. Weasley was the first to give him a gift. Carefully, he opened the wrappingpaper and inside were several shirts, varying from emerald green, to dark blue, and a sweater. They seemed to be his size. Thanking her, he laid the present aside, and let the twins give him their present. It contained a box filled with new products from their joke shop, as well as a new jacket.

Ginny gave him a small book with several pictures of Harry with his best friends. She admitted to pressing Colin Creevey into making these for her. She also got beat red when Harry hugged her and gave her a sound kiss on the cheek, amidst much yelling from the Weasley's.

Ron gave him a new watch. Apparantly, his father had made a promotion at work and so Ron had a bit more to spend. He also had been saving money for this.

Hermione gave him a book on different sorts of magic, although most were explained as being myths. But it sounded interesting.

Remus gave him a small wood carving of the animagus forms of the Mauraders (excluding Peter's) and a werewolf. He also gave Harry a hug and a promise to talk to him later.

Tonks gave Harry a few new trousers, and jeans. How in the world she had gotten his size, he really didn't want to know, but he was glad with the clothes either way.

Harry turned to Angel and asked her, "alright, now that I remember again, you have to tell me. Do you still have Lils, Sal and Force?"

Her grinnning face told him enough. The rest of the people present could only look on in confusion when Angel walked towards some strangely shaped packages and handed Harry three of them.

"Of course I kept them. Expecially Sal will be most pleased with being back with you. I just don't fit his standards."

Harry unpacked the first package, revealing a wooden box with air-holes in it. He carefully opened it, and started hissing softly. Everybody in the kitchen started at the sound. Some hadn't ever heard Harry speak parseltongue and those that did, had forgotten he could do that.

Out of the box came a yellow snake, about three foot long. It was a yellow python, which seemed delighted to see Harry again, for he didn't stop hissing for several minutes. He only stopped when he was wound around Harry's neck and shoulders. Harry's smile was broad and he stroked the snake's head.

Harry turned towards Angel and said, "well, according to Sal it was difficult for him to make his demands clear to you, but overall he is rather content with the treatment you gave him. Especially the rubbing on his head."

Angel just burst out laughing.

Harry bent forward to open another package. Inside the wrappings was a violin case. He slowly opened it, and stroked his fingers lovingly over the violin inside. The violin obviously was a magical one, since it grew in size to fit his now 16 year old body, instead of a five year old, and hummed slightly, asking to be played.

So carefully Harry took the violin out of the case and set it up. "Hello Lils" he murmured. This made Remus start rather violently.

"Harry, you called this violin 'Lils'?"

Harry nodded. "It seemed fitting to me, although I don't know why."

"That would be because your mother used to play the violin, as well. She was a natural. And she was often called 'Lils' by her closest friends. I don't know what happened to her violin. I think she stopped playing it before you went under the Fidelius Charm."

Now it was Angel's turn to look up sharply. "Then I am quite certain this was hers. My father only told me that Harry would be the only one able to play it, and that he had gotten it from a former colleague who wanted him to keep it safe until the rightful heir came forward."

Harry stroked the violin even more softly now. It seemed he had something more of his mother, then. Slowly he began to play. It was a soft song, and even though he hadn't played since Angel had moved away and had taken the violin along, he knew exactly what to do to get the best out of the violin.

After the soft song, he played a cheerful Irish tune, which had everyone happy. When he finished it, he put the violin back in the case carefully. He hadn't even noticed that most of the other Order members had come in, and had been listening as well.

Finally, he opened the last package. The form was strange to most, but Harry knew that Force was laying inside, waiting for him to take him into his hands again. The package revealed a sword, inside a sheath. Carefully, he took the sword out. It gleamed in the kitchen light, and everybody's breath caught as they saw some sort of power sparking of Harry. Then he put the sword away.

Turning to Angel, he embraced her and mumbled something in her ears that made her blush slightly.

When he made a move to pack all his presents away and move out of the kitchen, she stopped him. There was something important he had to do first.

Looking into her eyes, he knew what was expected of him. So he took out his wand and held it carefully. He stroked it a few times, remembering the feel of it.

He looked up at Angel again, and she nodded. Then Harry grabbed his wand in both his hands, and with a huge SNAP, he broke his wand in two pieces.

For a moment everything was dead silent, until everyone yelled at once: "HARRY! What the hell do you think you're doing?!?!"

A/N: well I hope I made everybody happy with this rather long chapter (for me it's rather long). And yes, a cliffie. But not to worry, I'm already working on the next one.

I wanted to thank the few people who sent me reviews, hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. I certainly went a bit overboard with this story: some cool powers, OC person, illness for both of them (more about that later), how's he going to handle snape, kicking voldie's ass... Pfew, it's a lot I admit. Just felt like writing a story like that. And no... he will not have such a close relationship with Snape as in my other stories, although it might change later on.

Well, gotta wright more of the next chapter, so I'll stop bothering you all with these notes. Please do review!