A/N: So still no reviews. Does that mean I'm not giving you guys what you want. Are you no longer interested in this? Tell me something, please!!!!!! I was bugged like crazy when I decided to take the story down but now that I've put it back up, I'm getting nothing. Somebody please give me something. Please, I'm dying here!!!!!!!!!
ANNIKA
Annika sat on her bed thinking about everything Dumbledore had just told them. Everything from Angel saving the boys from Riddle Manor to Angel training to save her, Ginny, and Hermione. All of that was easily understandable and even easy to process. She was even able to wrap her head around the boys pretending to be dead so they could train without any interference.
There was only one thing Annika had a hard time processing, Angel was her twin. Dumbledore told the entirety of Angel's story with some help from Remus. Annika wasn't sure how she felt about her mother adandoning Angel. On the one hand, if the two girls were together, Annika wouldn't have had to face everything the Malfoys did alone. Still, she wouldn't have wished that fate on anyone. Except perhaps the Death Eaters but that would just be giving them a taste of their own medicine.
She hadn't spoken two words to Angel since the found out this news. She had just said that she needed time to process and came upstairs. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful to Angel because she was very grateful. It was more the shock of being brought back and finding someone else she was expected to trust. How could they possibly ask her to do that? Especially after what Fred did to her and her friends. She couldn't do it. She didn't think she would ever trust anyone new ever again.
A knock on the door broke her out of her thoughts.
"Anni (A/N: Pronounced: On-ee)," Harry's voice floated through the door, "It's Harry. Can I come in?"
"Okay." she said.
He opened the door and stepped in. She stared at him for a minute. He was wearing a pair of loose fitting jeans with a red t-shirt. His untidy hair was messier than ever. She assumed it was from the stress of helping the three girls readjust.
"Everyone was worried about you." he stated coming to sit next to her on the bed. "We didn't want to bombard you so I came up to see how you were doing."
She shrugged and stared at the wall.
"I mean I understand everything." she answered. "Even why you guys had to "die." It helped save Hermione and Ginny. I'm grateful for that."
"We saved you too." Harry reminded her.
"But I'm not important." she replied.
"You are very important, Anni . Don't let anyone ever tell you any different?"
Annika looked to the floor. She didn't want to debate this.
"Anyway, the thing that I can't get my head around is Angel." she changed the subject. "I mean, I understand that she's my sister but I can't vring myself to accept it."
"Why?" Harry asked generally concerned.
"Because, I spent years in the hands of the Malfoys. I had no one I could trust or depend on. I was all alone in a world house full of hate nad anger. Then after the Order resuced me, I was brought to Remus and introduced to you. I had to force myself to trust you. Then when I found out how much you trusted the Weasleys and Hermione, I tried very hard to trust them. And it worked. I found that I trusted them with my life." Slowly, Annika moved her knees up to her chest. Her vaginal region was still in agony and she was trying very hard not to rip open the scabs. She laid her head on her knees and looked at Harry. She felt the tears prickling her eyes. "Then because of Fred, who I trusted as much as I trust you and George, tricked me into going back to the hell hole. Then I come back and am expected to trust someone who's just been thrown at me. I want to trust her, I really do. I just don't think I can. Not after what Fred did."
The tears were falling now. She couldn't stop them. Harry wrapped his arms around her and started rocking her.
"I know how hard this must be on you, Anni, I do." he said. "I know trust is a fragile. One that takes careful consideration. It's so easy to take break and so hard to give out. But let me tell you somethings about Angel. After she found out the girl in her dreams was a real person going through that nightmare, she agreed to help free you without even knowing anything about you or us. She put everything she had into her training. Then when Remus told us she was your twin, we she worked ten times harder. She worked hard to control her visions when she was awake. And two nights ago, she went with George to Malfoy's room so she could help him protect you. I know it's going to be hard for you to see but she doesn't have any intention of hurting you. In fact, she's very excited to finally meet you."
"I know." she whispered. "But I don't think I'm ready."
"Look," Harry sighed. "She's seen second hand everything you've been through over the years. She knows and understands what you feeling about all of this. She'll understand if you're distant at first. I know how badly you want put your trust in her and I know it's going to be a long process. Angel knows it too. But in order for it to work, you have to take that first step. You have to try or neither of you will get anyone in your relationship. Please, just talk to her. It doesn't have to be about what happened. If that's really not something you wanna talk about. Just pull a topic out of the sky and start talking about it."
Annika thought about what Harry was saying. She knew that he was right. She had to at least try. She was scared but if she let that stop her than Fred had won. She wouldn't allow him to have that much power over her. So what? He broke her trust. That didn't mean everyone would.
"I want to talk to her but I want you to be here." she finally stated.
"That's not a problem." Harry answered. "Do you want me to go get her now?"
Annika nodded. Harry kissed the top of her head in true big brother fashion. He then headed out of the room. Annika took a few deep breaths. She had to keep reminding herself that, she could do this. Angel was her sister after all.
Harry came back a few minutes later, with Angel in tow. When Angel stepped into the room, Annika took inventory of her appearance. They were definitely fraternal twins. Annika looked more like their father whereas Angel looked more like her mother. They both had butt length hair but Angel was a dirty blonde and Annika's was jet black. Angel had their mother's blue eyes too. Annika noticed, though, that they had the same body type and nose.
Angel was wearing a pair of tight jeans with a white camisole that showed off little cleavage. She wore a jacket over top of the cami. She had socks on but no shoes. As Annika took her inventory, Harry sat down next to her, while Angel walked over and sat on one of the other two beds. The girls smiled at each other for a moment but then looked to the floor.
There was an awkward silence as Annika processed what she saw. Then she stuck out her hand towards Angel,
"Hi, I'm Annika." she said.
"I'm Angel."
They shook hands and lasped into another awkward silence. Annika wracked her brain for something interesting to talk about but she came up blank. At a loss she brooched the subject that she wanted to avoid.
"I wanted to thank you for saving the boys from Riddle Manor that day." she stated. "And for helping me, Ginny, and Hermione escape."
"Don't thank me." Angel replied. "I was only doing what was right by everyone involved. Besides, I've come to consider everyone here the family I've always wanted. So I was just helping the ones I loved. I do wish, though, I had been able to save you all those years ago. If I would've known you weren't a figment of my imagination, I would've tried."
"Don't go there, please." Annika said solemnly. "I'm sorry that our mom gave you up at birth but I'm also very glad for it. I went through hell all those years. Some of the worst things you could possibly imagine. I know you've experienced them through your dreams but it's a very different experience when it's first hand. An experience I wouldn't wish on anyone. I'm glad we didn't know the truth back then. If we had, you two would've tried to save me and probably ended up with the same fate. I don't want you two to have to go through that."
"We didn't want you to go through that either." Harry stated placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I know." Annika replied.
Angel looked down at the comforter on her bed and bit her lip before she looked back at her siblings.
"As bad as this sounds, I think we're better off that it happened this way." she stated. "I mean think about how things would've been without the pain. Yes, Kristy would still be alive and Annika wouldn't have gone through hell. But we'd still be oblivious to each other. If Annika hadn't gotten taken, my visions wouldn't have started poking through. There wouldn't have been a reason for Annika to live with Remus and meet you Harry. The burning of Riddle Manor would've never happened which means I wouldn't have had to pull the boys out. Sure, we'd all be happy, except for Harry, who's screwed as long as Voldemort's alive." All three let out small chuckles. "But we'd spend the rest of our lives never knowing of each other's existence. Always feeling like a part of ourselves was missing. But right now we're together. Annika maybe battered and broken but at least she has two siblings to help her through it."
Sadly, Annika understood exactly what she meant.
"I know what you mean." Harry stated. "I've spent my entire life thinking that I didn't have any family out there who loved me. I eventually became okay with that. Then I got to Hogwarts and made my own family. A family that I was very happy with. I could deal with not having a real one. Then I met you two and know I can't imagine life without you. I know I wouldn't have changed anything as long as the out come was the same."
All three of them agreed to that point but before any of them could say anything else, the door burst open. Charlie, George, Ginny, Ron and Hermione stepped in. Ginny and Hermione looked much better than they had in two months. Pomphrey was able to to heal all of their broken bones and most of the cuts and bruises. The ones that had already scarred over were there to stay, unfortunately. They had both showered. Ginny hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Hermione's was in a messy bun. Ginny was wearing a pair of jeans with a plain black hoodie. Hermione was in jeans as well but wore a long sleeved pink blouse. Ron, who was in jeans and a t-shirt, had his arm around Hermione and she was hugging him around the middle. Charlie and George were in jeans and t-shirts as well.
"What's up guys?" Harry asked.
"We were on our way down to dinner and we'd thought we'd ask if you guys wanted to join us." Charlie answered.
Angel and Harry answered yes right away but Annika, who was used to getting the bare minium to eat, was still full from lunch. She opened her mouth to say this but George, who had crossed the room to her side, placed his index finger over her lips.
"Do you really think my mother will take no for an answer?" he asked.
"No." Annika sighed. "Fine, I'll go."
"Good." George stated and offered her his hand.
She accepted and he helped her to stand up. He pulled her arm around his shoulder to help support her. Annika noticed that Harry had already crossed the room and put his arm around Ginny. Charlie offered Angel his hand and Annika shot her a questioningly look. Angel simply blushed and took the preoffered hand.
The talk actually made Annika feel much better. She even managed a small smile as she let George help her down the stairs and to the kitchen. She was free and she had her family back. The only thing that could make this day any better was if by some miracle she was able to get her power back. She missed it almost as much as she missed her family.
A/N: If anyone is actually reading this, I thought I should let you know that Angel and Charlie aren't a thing yet but they will be before it's over. I'm not going to beg for reviews anymore but if the lack of them is trying to dissuade me from finishing, you can forget it. I will finish this story no matter what any says or doesn't say. I don't care. It's my story and I can do what I please with it.
