Chapter Eight

The Unintentional Break-In

She fell out of the fireplace with as much grace as blind dog in a run did. She was sprawled on the floor, the soot sticking to the tears on her face. She let out a gasp as something she hit, a barrel of some kind, came toppling towards her. She grabbed it quickly, and rather clumsily, but it was too late, a few of the things had fallen out and were making loud thuds on the ground as they bounced. She cursed and gathered them up, dropping them back into the bin, wondering briefly why they were selling bouncing balls before she hurried towards the door that left the shop.

She yanked on the handle and found it was locked. "Damn!" she cursed whispering 'Alohomora'. She cursed to herself again; of course the door wouldn't open to that. She focused her power, something her mother had begun teaching her before she died, and pressed it out to the door. She heard the locks turn slowly and click into place, unlocking the door. She grinned and reached towards the door when a sudden stiffness hit her.

She cursed again, this time silently. Someone had hit her with a Stupefy spell. Because of her Elvin blood the spell did nothing more than immobilize her but that was enough. Lights flooded the store and she heard a gasp behind her. The counter curse was spoken and she could move again. Dreading what she would see, she turned and found her face to face with the Weasley twins, their wands pointed at her.

"What are you doing here at nine thirty at night?" asked Fred coldly, his wand pointed directly at her heart.

"And how did you get in?" George asked, his gaze harder than she had ever thought his joking face could ever get.

Lenore drew in shallow breaths nervously her emotions strung high. "I'm sorry," she said eyeing their wands. "I didn't mean to break in or anything, I came via floo." She was shaking now. She had had too much in one-day, too much emotion. Snape hitting her had already sent her emotions haywire but the wands were scaring her. She knew both twins were most likely part of the Order.

"Why?" Fred asked, his cold gaze never faltering.

"I…" she couldn't seem to speak. A tear escaped her eye, much to her horror. "I…"

Something flickered across George's face and his wand was lowered. "What happened, Leo?" he said moving towards her, concern in place of the hardness.

"George! She could be—"

"No, Fred. It's her." His arm came around her for support, he had obviously seen that she was about to collapse.

"Her eyes are darker, almost black. Lenore's were a light hazel."

"They change." She muttered feeling awkward as George walked her forward.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs. I have some Strengthening Potion up there. It should help." He brushed past his twin, who looked annoyed. "Coming, Fred?"

Fred grumbled something and turned off the lights as they took her towards a door in the back and opened it, revealing a staircase. Fred entered first, displeasure still on his face as he hurried up the stairs. George, despite her saying she could walk, helped her up the stairs and into a room. The room was large, about the size of her room back at Hogwarts with a similar lay out, minus the piano and window seat. Door marked 'Lab' was at the other end of the room and two other doors lead away from the main room. A kitchen sat in a corner next to a table, which had papers spread about on it and three mugs of, what looked like, tea still steaming.

"Take a seat, Leo." George said before disappearing into the 'Lab'. Lenore glanced at Fred, who was still eyeing her distrustfully before she sat down slowly at the corner of the couch. She hadn't meant to come here to alarm them, she just didn't know any other place in England that she could floo to. She had just wanted out. "Come on out just a friend." George's voice drifted into the room.

He emerged with a girl hot on his heels. The girl was rather short, a rather plump build but she was attractive to say the least. Her face was round and had scattered freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were a soft brown and framed by dark lashes. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail with several strands hanging down, as if it had fallen because of a hard day. The rich brown color had streaks of natural auburn in them and the two strands that hung in her face were a vibrant blue. She wore a black tank that did little to hide her rather ample chest size. Her jeans were baggy and flared out around the knee with smears of paint and other things on them. She smiled weakly at Lenore before moving to stand by Fred.

"Here, drink it before you tell us what's going on."

She nodded and obeyed, trying to figure out how she would…or if she even could tell him why she had stumbled into their shop at night. He took the empty vial from her and sat down on the other end of the couch. Fred and the girl moved to the armchairs that were facing the couch. "I'm sorry about falling into your shop at night. I…I just had to get away." The potion didn't do much other than calm her down and give her the strength to think straight.

"How much could have possibly happened in the few hours since you left our shop for you to 'have to get away'?" asked Fred, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"I had dinner with the slimy no good bastard." She retorted, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Wait, what is going on here?" asked the girl, obviously confused.

"Do you mind if we tell her?" George asked as Fred remained mute.

"Only if I get to know who 'her' is."

George laughed. "Lilith meet Lenore, or Leo." They girls nodded their hellos. "Leo was brought to live with her father, who unfortunately is Snape, when her mother was killed."

"I'm sorry." Sympathy poured from the expressive eyes.

She shrugged. "Why are you here?" Fred asked, some of the malice gone from his voice and eyes.

"I had to get away and I said the first name that came to mind. I came out and was planning on leaving but…well you know how I come out of the floo." She said looking down. George chuckled and even Fred cracked a grin. "I'm sorry I disturbed you."

"Why did you have to get away?" asked Lilith.

She shook her head. "I was forced to eat dinner with him tonight…"

"Take it that it didn't go to well." Fred spoke brining George and Lilith their tea and pouring a cup for Lenore.

"Well the last time he and I had a meal together I ended up almost burning the Great Hall down because of my magic."

The twins looked at each other and then at her in pure shock at what she said. "You still have accidental magic?" the girl was, again, confused.

She accepted the drink with a soft thank you and stared at the rim. "Sort of, I'm a quarter elf so my magic is great anyway and it plays into my emotions too much."

"You didn't burn down his rooms did you?" asked George.

She chuckled and shook her head. "No but he was spewing off a load of bull about why he deserted my mother and me and…the subject changed to how my mother died." The twins looked uncomfortable. "I knew everything that happened because of what I call and After-Vision, after it happened….I saw it all." A tear ran down her face.

"You poor thing," gasped Fred, sympathy pouring out from his eyes.

"He kept telling me to stop talking about it but I couldn't. I kept shouting at him when he…" she swallowed hard and took a sip of the tea. She didn't really care much for the drink but it was something to do. "He hit me."

The twins sat up straighter. "He hit you?" Fred growled.

The girl looked as uncomfortable as Lenore felt. She nodded slowly. "No wonder you wanted to leave." muttered George shaking his head.

"I just had to get out of there, my emotions were going off the wall. I'm really sorry about bugging you though." She knew her face was flushed.

Both twins waved it off. "Nonsense." Fred said before glancing at Lilith. "Are you all right, Lily?" The girl nodded but even Lenore could tell it was a lie. "Come here," she obeyed, her head bowed. Fred pulled her into a hug and Lenore watched the scene curiously.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

"A few months ago she was in a bad relationship, someone she had been forced into dating by her parents for the past two years and he used to hurt her." Fred said softly, rubbing his hand up and down her back as the girl's face became unreadable, even the brown eyes were now guarded.

"I'm sorry, Lilith." offered Lenore honestly.

She shrugged. "It's all right."

"Tonight, I suppose, I was kind of asking for it. I was mocking him, shouting and screaming. It was—"

"Nothing justifies a person to hit another." She whispered, cutting her off. "No matter how much you were insulting him. He was the adult and shouldn't have done that."

"We will be speaking with Professor Dumbledore the next time we see him." George said determinedly.

"Maybe we should try and owl him, he hasn't really come to the shop much other than today and opening day." Fred discussed seriously.

"There's no need to talk to him about it!" she said in a panicked voice. "It was nothing."

"That's what I used to say." Lilith said, raising her eyes to meet Lenore's.

Fred sipped his tea slowly. "I don't trust that man."

She scoffed at him. "If I had a choice I wouldn't even be in the same country with him. I hate him with every bone in my body. He is a liar and a deserter."

George patted her hand gently. "Would you like to sleep on the couch tonight? I don't trust him in the same rooms as you." He said shaking his head.

She smiled weakly, her heart warming at the offer. He hardly knew her but he was already looking out for her. She shook her head slowly. "No. Thank you anyway but I have my own rooms at Hogwarts, away from his."

He nodded slowly. Fred frowned at her. "Why did you feel as if you had to get away then?"

She looked down. "I can feel his presence in the castle. I don't know why, I could do the same with…with my mother. I knew she was there and when she wasn't. I didn't want to feel him, if you understand what I mean."

All three of them nodded. "You are welcome to stay here anytime you wish, Lenore. The couch turns into a bed, neat little contraption Fred found in a Muggle store with Lilith's help." George said with a smile.

Lilith blushed as Lenore laughed. "It's called a couch-bed and thank you."

"Anytime," Fred answered.

"Would you like to go back now?"

She nodded at George. "If the man followed me he'll be getting pissy right about now."

George stood up and helped her to her feet. "I'll walk you downstairs then."

"Thank you. I'm sorry again about this. Goodnight Fred, Lilith, it was a pleasure meeting you." Lenore said with a half smile.

"You and I should get together some time, hang out, have girl talk." Lilith said, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "Sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

"I'd love that." She responded before moving towards the door.

She had just started down the stairs when George followed her. As he shut the door behind him she heard Lilith say: "She's lived through abuse before, the reasoning and excuses…." Her insides froze but she forced herself to pretend she heard nothing. Lenore had never been a very good actress but no one had seen through the mask she had in place for a long time. It had happened when she was younger, her crush at the time took interest in her but he was a horrible sort. She had hid the bruising for nearly three weeks before she gave up and told her mother. Despite all the forced shields of bravery, sarcasm, and cunning she knew deep down she was scarred by those events just as Lilith was scarred by what happened to her.

Lenore stopped in front of the fireplace and forced a smile at George. "Thank you again for everything."

He shook his head, handing her floo powder. "Don't mention it, remember, you're part of the family." He said with a smirk that caused her to laugh.

She took a handful of powder and threw it in the fire. "Goodnight." She said before saying: "Hogwarts, Keller's rooms, Mort est dans le vent." She spoke the password softly and jumped into the green flames.

She flew out the other side, barely missing her nice maroon rug. She moaned, her head now hurting. She cast a cleaning charm on herself when she heard raised voices in the hall. Getting to her feet she moved towards her portrait and opened it slightly, peeking out. Snape was busy shouting at McGonagall, both of them looking pissed at each other and something else.

"….find out where she went!"

"I told you before, Severus, her rooms only track the in-coming floo not out going!"

"So you're telling me there is no way to know where she went or if she was in some kind of danger!"

"Stop shouting at me, it was your fault she ran off anyhow."

"My fault! Listen you panty-waist idiot, she ran off because—"

"Refrain from childish insults if you please. And she ran off because you got her mad."

"No, I ran off because he hit me." She said swinging the portrait open.

Both adults looked at her in shock. "You hit her?" McGonagall said in horror.

"Where have you been? Do you know how worried we were!" Snape snapped at her.

"Really, surprising, it took you sixteen years to be concerned with my welfare? Charming." She said with a disgusted ease. "Would you two please lower your voices or take your argument elsewhere, I'm trying to sleep."

She started to close the portrait when a hand hit the picture, causing Cassandra to cry out in alarm, telling Snape to watch it. "Where did you go?"

"To my bedroom, where else?"

"You weren't—"

"How would you know anyway, you can't get in. Now leave me alone." She said irritably, slamming the portrait shut.

She heard McGonagall lecture Snape for a moment before their voices faded away. Annoyed and wishing she had taken the twins up on the offer to sleep on their couch, she walked into the bedroom and was surprised to find her nightclothes already laid out for her. Shaking her head, too tired to figure out how and why, she pulled the black cotton pants on along with her gray shirt, both of which had Tinkerbell (a Muggle fairy) and had the saying 'When in Doubt…Pout' written in scattered places. She took down her hair and curled up under the covers in the room. The lights dimmed and turned off and she let out a sigh before she fell asleep. Her first day in England had been eventful. She was almost scared what tomorrow might bring.