Chapter 2: Hit the Floor

I know I'll never trust a single thing you say, you knew your lies would divide us but you lied anyway, and all the lies have got you floating up above us all, but what goes up has got to fall.

Hit the Floor – Linkin Park

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George sat on the staircase in the entrance hall of thirteen Grimmauld Place. They were using extendable ears to try and hear what was being said in the kitchen where the meeting of the Order was taking place, but couldn't make out much.

"This is making no sense," said Ron, exasperated. "What on earth are they on about? Who the hell is Orion?"

Hermione shrugged. "Perhaps if you shut up we might hear more," she suggested curtly.

"I don't think so," said Fred, "they're leaving, quick." Everyone handed the extendable ears to him and he waved his wand, sending them to his room. They watched as people began spilling out of the kitchen.

"Hey," whispered Ginny, "when'd Snape get here?"

"He didn't-" George began but saw Snape and a girl they'd never seen before leaving the kitchen, talking to Sirius and Remus.

"Who's she?" asked Ron quietly, "Orion?"

Hermione sighed. "Ron, if that was Orion why would they be talking about her as if she wasn't there?" Ron shrugged.

"She looks really quite odd," said Ginny slowly.

The girl did indeed look slightly strange, even for a witch. She had long black hair that fell to her waist and skin so pale it looked as if she had no blood. Her eyes were different colours; her right was black and cold, the other pale grey. She was tall but this may have been due to the fact she wore high heeled black boots with silver buckles and chains running along them. She was dressed entirely in black, black trousers, and black t-shirt and a black long sleeved shirt that was open. A cloak was wrapped around her shoulders. Her face was stained with blood, but she herself was not bleeding. They noticed as she walked that she limped, favouring her left leg. As her cloak swung while she walked they glimpsed the two blood stained swords that hung around her waist.

She looked warily round the hall and stopped when she saw them gathered on the stairs. Remus noticed and followed her gaze, then he sighed, beckoning them down. They stood and followed Hermione down the stairs.

"I thought we told you not to sit out here during meetings," he said, absently running a hand through his greying hair.

Ron shrugged. "We were hungry." Remus rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Well, seeing as you're here we'll introduce you. This is Veronique Veero; she'll be at Hogwarts this year, in the fifth year. Veronique, this is Ron Weasley, two of his brothers Fred and George and his sister Ginny. This is Hermione Granger. Ron and Hermione will be in your year at Hogwarts."

The girl looked at each of them and they all felt like they were being thoroughly examined. Finally she looked at Sirius.

"Where's Sky?" Sirius was about to answer when there was the sound of running feet coming down the stairs.

"Veron! Veronique! I'm here!" She looked up to see a white haired and grey eyed boy of her age running down the stairs.

"Keep it down," hissed Sirius, "you'll wake Mother, and we don't want that."

Sky frowned. "What's wrong with her?"

"Have you met her? Everything's wrong with her!"

He shrugged. "She seemed nice enough to me. Hey, Veron, where's Mum?" Sirius stared at him in amazement and turned to Remus who shrugged.

Veronique looked at her brother and sighed. "Mother isn't coming."

"Oh so she's clearing up at home then."

"No, she's dead."

Sky deflated and sunk very slowly onto the steps. He started shaking and put his head in his hands. "No," he whispered. "Not again, no."

"Again?" Ron whispered to Hermione. "How many times did she die?" Unfortunately Veronique heard him and she turned to him wearing a glare that would frighten a braver person than Ron Weasley.

"Don't be stupid Weasley, he means again as in another person dying. My mother and father are both dead, though my mother was alive up until a few hours ago." Sky was shaking uncontrollably now. She looked at him and sighed again, before turning to Sirius. "Could you help him please? I'm no good at this." Sirius nodded and sat beside Sky, trying to calm him down.

Sky looked up, glaring at his sister. "And how did you escape? Were you the one that killed her to save your own life?" he yelled.

"Skylar stop being ridiculous," she snarled, reminding Hermione and Ginny very much of a wolf. "You want to know how I escaped then look at me. I'm covered in other people's blood Skylar. Death Eaters' blood. I killed them, not Mother. Want proof? Here." She unhooked her swords and held them out for Sky to see. "Enough proof for you? Want more? Then give me a Pensieve and I'll show you. I know I didn't like mother, you know I didn't like mother, but I would never kill her." When she finished the entire hall was silent and everyone was looking at her.

Remus took hold of her arm to lead her from the hall but she screamed and swirled around, pointing both swords at him. She was breathing heavily and looked panicked.

"Hey," yelled Sirius. "Leave him alone." He also tried to take her arm.

"Get off me," she screeched, looking incredibly scared. "Leave me alone." She was breathing heavier and heavier and suddenly she doubled over and was violently sick.

Everyone stared at her and people began whispering to each other. She had her eyes closed and was shaking. Nobody moved.

She let out a small whimper and tried to move away from the mess she had made but she found she couldn't move. She was surrounded by witches and wizards.

Their wands were all pointed at her.

She couldn't move, she wanted to escape.

She wanted to be home and safe, not surrounded by people who wanted to hurt her.

"Help," she whispered followed by, "Don't hurt me, please, don't hurt me."

She knew begging wouldn't work but she tried anyway.

Skylar stood and began slowly moving towards her.

Someone was moving towards her, wand at the ready, ready to hurt her. She whimpered and tried to move away to no avail.

Sky bent down and held his hand out to her, palm in front of him, fingers spread upwards and outwards.

The hand was raised ready to hit her.

"Veronique, it's me. It's Sky, your brother. Remember me? Look at me. Please."

The voice taunted her, told her she would never make it out alive.

"Look at me, please."

"Look at me while I'm talking to you."

"Look at me Veronique."

"Look at me now."

Veronique slowly lifted her head. She was still shaking and everyone was still watching.

She saw white hair.

She saw a hand palm up being held out to her.

"No one is going to hurt you. I swear that no one will hurt you." She looked up into Skylar's grey eyes and slowly placed her palm against his. He pulled her into a hug and she cried against his shoulder.

"I promise that no one will hurt you."