GT
I chuckle at the twins' statement.
"Let's have breakfast and then go to the lawyer's office," Ash says, taking a seat at the table, "and then I'll show you guys around here, so you know where to go and where not to go. But until I have the time to go over this beast with a fine tooth comb, I'd prefer it if you didn't wander."
"What do you mean?" George asks.
"Father was a very paranoid dark wizard, who didn't want anyone to sneak around and steal his things, or be where they weren't supposed to be," Ash says, "so there are nasty little things all over the house. So, unless you have a death wish, don't wander."
Fred and George look at each other, and I could see the wheels turning in their head. They were going to find an excuse to wander the house.
"Listen to her on this," I tell them, "if she's saying that it's dangerous, than it's really dangerous."
"But Gin," Fred says.
"No, I don't want to have to explain to the imbeciles you call a family and law enforcement why you died on my property. Though I specifically told you not to wander," Ash cuts in coldly.
"But you have just a high chance of dying," George sulks.
I look at Ash and the others, and suddenly start laughing.
"No, she doesn't," Draco gasps.
"What do you mean by that, of course she has just as high a chance of dying as we do," Fred insists.
There was a brush on my mind, and I open to it, feeling the other three as well.
:Should we tell them, are they trustworthy?: Ash asks.
:They might be fools, but they are wise fools. They know when to keep a lid on things,: I mention.
:Earth, Ice?: Ash asks.
:I have no problem with letting them in on our secret, you did judge them,: Draco drawls.
:No problems here as well,: Blaise finally answers.
"I don't have to fear death, because there is nothing that can really kill me," Ash says out loud.
"Infamous last words," George mutters.
I could feel a charge in the house, as Ash holds out her hand. A knife appears, and I sit up straighter in my chair.
"Oh, this is going to be good," Draco mutters.
"Have you heard about the prophecy, foretelling the end of the Dark Lord?" Ash asks, spinning the knife in her hands.
"Who hasn't heard the prophecy about the boy wonder," Fred answers.
"There was another prophecy, one that came first. About five people, with the power of the elements that will rise up and defeat him, the boy wonder -- just a universal back up plan, one that is proving to be, annoying," Ash begins, "this first prophecy, about these five elemental beings. The first of which is death, and then there's fire and ice, then earth and air."
"Death?" George asks.
Ash unbuttons the shirt she had been wearing, showing a tank top underneath, she drapes it over the arm of my chair.
"Death," Ash confirms, turning the knife in her hand.
She draws it up the skin of her arm, before turning the point and pushing it through. Her face draws up into a grimace for a second. Holding it up so that they could see it, straight through, the twins stand up with a shout, grabbing the napkins off of the table and approach her, Ash brushes them off.
Pulling the knife out, Ash tosses it to the twins gently. They catch it, carefully. She takes a napkin out of their hands and wipes the blood off of her arm, showing that there was no wound left behind. Fred looks at her arm, and then down at the knife. He presses gently against the tip, making sure it isn't fake.
"What are you?" he asks.
"Death, at your service," she says, with a little mocking bow.
"Fire," I say, standing up, bowing as well.
"Ice," Draco says.
"Earth," Blaise says.
Fred and George look at all of us, realizing that they were in way over their heads.
"I take it this information won't leave this room," Ash mutters.
"Does this mean that wonder boy is officially on the dangerous prank list?" they ask in unison.
"Yes, it means that he's on that list. You can get revenge for him cheating on me," I say.
The two of them turn to me, their faces deadly serious, "he cheated on you."
"Multiple times," Ash supplies.
I look at her, "what, know thy enemies. He's the moron who made direct eye contact with no mind barriers."
Ash looks at the clock on the wall, then snaps her fingers. Food appears on the table.
"Alright, eat up you guys. None of you are staying here while we go into Diagon Alley. So I hope you can find something to do, that keeps you out of trouble," she says calmly, sitting back down at the head of the table.
"We have to get back to our shop anyways, we asked a couple people to cover for us," George says, filling his plate with food.
Conversation at the table petered out as everyone focused on eating, and the twins on digesting the information that they had been given.
"How is it, that without house elves, you can control the house?" Draco asks finally.
"This house is the ancestral home of my family, of my bloodline. It was gifted to us, and it listens to the Master or Mistress of the house," she answers, her voice quiet.
"Does that mean it will listen to me as well?" I ask.
"The wing that you choose will listen to you, the kitchens will listen to you, but the entire house only listens to one person," she says.
Fred and George freeze and look at me, "you're going to get a wing, of this house?!" they exclaim in unison.
"She's become a part of my family now," Ash says.
"I choose this, instead of becoming an orphan," I tell them.
"You really did get disowned, didn't you," Fred retorts.
"Yes, I really did," I say.
Fred and George stand up and engulf me in a hug. I wrap my arms around their waists, holding them close.
"Fred, don't you think we're due for a change?" George asks.
"What kind of change are you talking about?" Fred questions.
"A family one," he replies, "that is, if you'll have us."
"If that is what you truly wish, then who am I to deny you," Ash says, laughing, "but if anything is to be done, then we need to get going. And Ice, no cracks about taking in strays, because I can say the same right back."
Ash stood up from the table, picked up her shirt and put it on and walked out of the dining hall and into the entranceway. Everyone was following close behind her, the warnings that she had given still fresh in their minds.
"I'll take us to the gates, and then we can apparate from there to Diagon Alley," she says.
She closes her eyes, and a circle is drawn around us. I felt a slight moment of panic as the doors fly open and suddenly we're at the gates that we had walked through last night. I held onto Ash as she turned, closing my eyes against the uncomfortable feeling of apparition.
When I open them again, we're standing at the entrance to Diagon Alley.
"Everyone else is going to take care of what they need to, and meet us back here in a couple hours," she says, looking at everyone.
They nod their heads and walk away. I stand close to Ash as she makes her way to an imposing building in the business section of Diagon Alley.