Chapter One
The flames burned around her but she felt no heat, she never did. They danced with smoke and ash as if by a tune only she could hear. She weaved her arms in an ancient dance and called upon her Celtic ancestors to watch over and protect her, to give her strength in the tough times to come. Something was coming, that she knew; she could feel it crawl within her skin, just like she could feel the passion of something else coming. One wanted her dead, the other wanted her heart, and she would be forced to choose love or duty to those whose power runs freely in her veins.
The flames died around her and suddenly the scenery changed before her brown eyes, but this time her eyes were not brown, but the color of ash. She was transported to the cliffs that were not too far off from her small remote home in England. With her red cloak billowing out around her she walked slowly towards the edge and peered out to the raging waters that crashed below her. A lone figure in a dark blue cloak looked up at her from the beach below. Their piercing stormy eyes met hers and suddenly the waves died down.
"I know who you are." The deep voice whispered up.
"I am Fire." She replied.
"I know what you are, and I will find you." He said.
"You will never find me, Water." She replied. Suddenly she was falling, falling down from the cliffs she loved so dearly.
"If I slept as much as you, Virginia Weasley, they'd have to nickname me Rip Van Winkle." The ever-annoying voice of Ginny long time best friend, Hermione Granger, commented as she chucked a red pillow in the direction of the red head's sleeping form. The girl in question immediately arose and shot a glare to her brown haired elder.
"I had another dream, I couldn't help it." At the tone of voice, Hermione sat down gently on her friend's bed and gave her a questioning look.
"Does it have to do with the Four?" She asked.
"He was in it, but I can't remember what he looks like. All I could see were his eyes, a violent silver-blue like a raging storm. He seemed, almost evil, in a way; I can't describe it exactly. He must be Water, for that is what I called him in my dream."
Hermione grasped her necklace delicately. Dangling from its thin silver chain hung a small pendant in the shape of a pentagram, her personal tool for magic. Her wand would always get her good grades with her studies at Hogwarts, but her true power was deeper and older, as time itself. Her name to the world was Hermione, her name to a select few was Earth. She was the strongest of the Four Powers that was said to aid in the upcoming battle with Voldemort. She was every virtue her ancestor possessed, strong and wise, a leader among others with a knowledge of the ages.
"I fear that it may be a warning, that our fourth power may, or already has, turned to the dark ways. We are strong as two, even stronger if we find the third, but if one of us is taken away, our power is barely useful, especially if one of the powers turns dark. Dark magic, as immoral as it may be, is still very much stronger than white magic, good magic, it always has been and always will be, why do you think it took such little effort for Voldemort to gain followers as fast as he did? But with dark magick, with power, comes great responsibility, for if we turn to dark ways, it will damn our soul for eternity, unless of course the witch or wizard is so dark that they become immortal, become indestructible, much of what people are saying Voldemort is right now."
"Then we must not let him win, we have to find the 3rd and 4th powers fast. If one of them has changed over then we'll need all the time we can get to persuade them to come back to our side, to join us. If we lose our powers end with us, the magic of the Ancients will no longer survive." Ginny exclaimed as she reached over to grip her friends hand.
"If the Ancient Powers die, all magic will cease to exist, for even the modern magic of wizards today dates back to the days of Merlin the Great, Morgan the Enchantress, Brigid the Fair and many others. Our powers and those around us will simply…cease to be." Hermione explained with wise concern in her deep cinnamon colored eyes, deep green flecks reflected gently when the light of the sun hit it just right.
As the two pondered the weight of the world a loud knock rang swiftly from the door just seconds before two breathless looking boys emerged from the other side.
"Ronald Weasley, there is such thing as privacy!" The red haired girl fumed at her older brother, brown eyes glaring dangerously into clear blue ones.
"What? Have we interrupted a some lousy girl talk?" Ron replied, clearly amused at the idea. Harry glanced away hoping to avoid a big confrontation altogether between the brother/sister duo fight.
"We could have been in our underwear for all you know!" Ginny hollered back to her sibling. As Hermione hid a slight smirk, the two boys in question were blushing through the roots of their hair. Seeing an opportunity of embarrassment, Ginny quickly continued.
"I mean really Ron, I could still be changing out of my nightgown and Hermione out of her cute green teddy she so much enjoys to wear. You know, the shear one." She smiled dangerously. After receiving a slight smack to the back of her head by the girl beside her she overly enjoyed the way her brother's face quickly matched the color of his hair.
'Oh this is priceless.' She thought smugly to herself.
"Now what did you two come barging in here for in the first place?" Hermione, the no nonsense one, asked.
"We came to tell you breakfast was ready and to hurry up cause we're going to Diagon Alley to buy our school stuff later." Harry rushed quickly.
"All this trouble just for that?" Ginny asked. Though her childhood crush on the famous Boy-Who-Lived was long since over as of two years ago, he still had the power to make her insides jump every now and then when she was watching.
"Mum said we couldn't eat till you came down, and we're starving!" Ron spoke in a slightly begging tone of voice.
Hermione and Ginny shook their heads and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'boys' before grabbing their shoes and following the two taller males downstairs and towards the dining room for yet another famous Molly Weasley breakfast.
Two years back Arthur Weasley was given a promotion for his contribution with all the trouble that was suddenly sprouting due to Voldemorts sudden rise in power. Though in truth the Ministry was overworking poor Mr. Weasley as of late, with all the trouble the Death Eaters were causing cursing various Muggle artifacts and using them against Witches and Wizards. He rarely talked to his family about the chaos and problems that were arising, for in truth he didn't want them to fear about things they couldn't control. But with his raise and higher standing with the inner circles of the Ministry of Magic it did allow some better benefits for his family. The first was fixing up the house so now it was a quaint ordinary looking two-story house, without certain pests lingering in the attic. The second was allowing the younger Weasley's better school supplies, granted they were still not first rate items, but the robes were plain, simple and descent, the books were used but the bindings were together and none of the pages were ripped badly. New and better fitting uniforms hung nicely on both of the youngest Weasley's and a new owl (Athena), for Ron and Ginny to share was also a much appreciated extra.
"Girls, all you need left is your books, boys you're needed for robe fittings in five minutes. I'll meet you back here in an hour." Mrs. Weasley called out as she turned to go into a gardening shop.
"I have some extra money saved up, I was thinking of buying a book that might help us understand our powers more. Something about the four goddesses and what is expected of us during this battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Ginny exclaimed to the deep in thought, Hermione Granger.
"I don't think Flourish and Blotts will have such a book, but we can try. I have a sad feeling that if such a book exists, it would no doubtingly be in Knockturn Alley." She replied forlornly.
"Why do suspect that? The goddesses were good, their powers were good."
"Then no reason for a regular witch or wizard to read it right, other than as a history lesson? The story of the goddesses is no use to those who can't understand, but dark magic knows our powers. Voldemort," She whispered the name so people around her couldn't hear, "Voldemort and his followers know of our power and know what it could do to aid him, so they would be the ones to want to keep books on it. And of course, where else but Knockturn Alley could you go to find such dark magically items?" She finished still quieting her voice a bit.
"We can't just walk in there, we'll be identified the minute we step in that direction." Ginny noted.
"I know a few charms, they won't last for a very long time, but they may help us alter our appearances just for a little while, just enough so that we can go in, look, buy, then get out quickly."
"Well then, work quickly, Hermione." Ginny exclaimed as she shut her eyes.
Minutes later a dark haired gypsy like woman and a slightly older looking sinful blonde emerged within the confines that very few witches and wizards dared enter.
"I know you said we had to look older and more mature, but did you have to add two cent whore to the picture too? I'm not sure I can breathe properly in this outfit."
"Hush Gin, you look like a dark enchantress, absolutely stunning."
And that they did.
Ginny, the dark enchantress, had her now waist length dark curly hair pushed back off her shoulders. Tight low cut robes in dark blue matched contrasted her smoke gray eyes as her full lips were adorned with fiery red polish. A thin silver chain hung delicately around her neck and the small pendant of a Celtic knot stopped right over the swell of her now fuller chest.
"Well at least you have style." Ginny grinned as she saw her reflection in a passing window. Beside her Hermione, now a platinum straight flowing blonde grinned back. Hermione's outfit was not overly different from Ginny's, though Hermione's was done in a dark emerald green and showed a bit more of Hermione's fuller form. With eyes painted silver over violet irises and lips a dark mauve, Hermione's jewelry consisted of a simple thin silver choker and large hoops dangling from her lobes.
"Do don't happen to be harboring some deep fantasy do you?" Ginny smirked slightly.
"I figure we have to be very much different then what we're normally like, besides, I like it. I may not be bad, but it doesn't mean I always have to be perfectly angelic, right?"
"If you say so. Mind if I take a picture, I think Ron would have heart attack if he saw you dressed up that way."
"I don't know what you're talking about, he'd probably yell at me for attempting this to begin with. Nevertheless, we don't have much time so we must find that shop soon."
We continued to look through the dark twisted streets until we stopped at a store with an evil grinning dragon and gargoyle beside what looked like a spell book.
"Well, looks like the place we need. Good luck, and hurry." Hermione rushed before opening the creaking door and swaying inside.
On first appearance the place didn't look overly bad, Ginny thought. The bookkeeper was a short, slightly disturbing looking wizard with large hands and a wide belly. His hair cascaded down his back in silver threads and his ever-matching beard fell lightly down the front of his shirt, just short of his stomach. Hermione chose to start on a rack of books in the far right corner of the store, so Ginny decided to start on the left back corner and work her way front. Passing by the shelf labeled 'Potions, Hexes, and other mild Curses', Ginny slowly made her way down towards an interesting section that was labeled "Controlling Other's Minds and Other Odd Musings."
"Oh Morgan? I found that book father was obsessing over." With a quick glance over her shoulder, Ginny noticed that Hermione was walking her way. Remembering their undercover identities she suddenly got into character.
"It's about time Siren, now he can finally stop bothering us about it. I swear I don't know why he insists in going to those dreadful meetings; the men there aren't even good enough to bother with. Now, Malfoy's parties are much more entertaining." Ginny sent a sly smile to Hermione hoping to intrigue the bookkeeper into opening up any information they might have that could be of use. But the bookkeeper, though his ear did twitch and his eyes briefly looked up from the form his was filling out, gave no other clue that he was paying attention, or willing to offer information.
They paid for the book, but not before gaining a curious glance from the owner before exiting and walking back towards the safety of Diagon Alley. They made it through the darkened streets with very little trouble. With only an occasional glance from a male every now and then and two who openly approached them asking if they'd like to go out for a drink. Politely declining, though Hermione really put on a show by letting her blood red painted nails linger over the older man's cheek seductively, the two emerged back onto the streets of Diagon Alley with minutes still left on their charm.
The two girls started advancing forward in the direction where they would soon meet the rest of their shopping party. Suddenly a tall figure in a dark blue cloak walked…no, Ginny thought, strutted past them into the streets of Knockturn Alley where they were mere minutes before. The figure's head turned and the last thing Ginny saw was a pair of silver-blue eyes…
'Like the stormy seas…'
And then everything was dark…
A/N: Well like it, hate it? I'm still toying with the idea so I figured I'd pop the first two chapters and see how they rate….let me know what you all think, thanks!
~Kandimoon