Chapter One
An introduction, of sorts
It was a hot summer day---wait, wasn't that a bit of a...what's the word...hmm, well wasn't "A hot summer day" redundant? Didn't "summer" suggest warm, which implies hot, weather? No, it did suggest hot weather, Spring suggested Warm. Summer only implied warm weather, but suggested hot. So saying a hot summer day was ridiculous. It was like saying wet water. Actually, now that we're on that subject, some people do say "the water is wet". Isn't that just a tad bit...obvious? I mean, after all, water is a liquid substance, and liquids are wet. So---Never mind, this isn't the point. Now...where were we? Ah, yes---
It was a summer day, the weather was hot, as it was meant to be. Years from now summer would probably be cold due to global warming, which muggles choose to ignore, and how ignorant is that?! I mean they take everything for granted they don't even care---oh right...Where were we? Oh. Yes. The bees buzzed, the birds chirped, the gnomes walked in dizzying circles after being thrown, it was a normal summer day. As normal as any day could get for an under-aged wizard. Only One year, four months, two weeks, four days, thirteen hours, five minutes and twenty seven seconds (no make that twenty-five--four--three!) to go. As in that would be the day she would no longer be under-aged. Did I say she? I meant he. No, actually, she. No, just kidding he. It was a he. Rather he was a he. He was also a weasley. A weary Weasley. As weary as any eldest weasley could get. And he was the eldest weasley, Teddy didn't count. Okay, Teddy did count. But his last name was weasley, it was Lupin. So technically he was the eldest Weasley. Being in a big family meant taking a lot of responsibility, which meant as the eldest Weasley child he, meaning Fred, had to baby sit. On top of that he had the heavy responsibility of filling in his deceased Uncle's, whom he was named after, shoes. How absurd was that? He was named after his father's most beloved Twin brother, but did he ever think of how that would affect the brown, yes BROWN, haired boy? Being a brown haired weasley went against everything. It was like a wizard without magic. Absurd!
Though if he did tilt his head up and to the left, directly into the sun glare, his hair looked like a ruddy red-brown. In a sea of red he was always recognized, and always felt out of place. In school nobody saw him and thought "oh a weasley", which back during his Father's days had been a bad thing. The weasley's were always a large family, but they used to be a large, poor family. Not any more. Yet, Fred still longed for the red locks his sister and cousins had. Maybe that was why his closest cousin was Louis Weasley, with his golden locks, much like his mother Fleur Weasley. Louis was the only one who felt like a black sheep, like he didn't deserve the last name weasley. They also looked uncannily alike. If it wasn't for they're hair they could be twins. Fred did not know this but his father was secretly happy, and sad that his son had someone so close to him. If Fred had been a twin, it would be Louis. Fred was so much like his Uncle and Louis so much like George, it was spooking, and saddening.
Enough of depression! Let's get back to the burrow weary weasley! At this moment Fred was sprawled under a tree pretending to read and pretending to watch his younger sister Roxanne and her friend...uh...uh...well, her friend. If only he could tune them out one hundred percent he would be happy. After all, all they did was scream, squeal and giggle. Fred never knew how much teenage girls could be annoying until his sister, and cousins, became one. Louis and him were working on a concoction that would completely tune out squealing girls or any unwanted interruption. So far there had been no luck. A few missing ear drums, but no luck. For a minute it was quiet, and then the squealing started up again. This time louder than before. Fred looked up, expecting to see a giant bird stretching his massive claws toward the screaming girls to carry them away, but instead found two grinning blond boys. Teddy and Louis. Fred nodded lazily, and smacked his face down into the cool grass, breathing in its sweet fragrance and wishing he had been an only child. Surely he would have no squealing friends.
"Where's Victoire?" Fred mumbled, rolling his eyes at Victoire's name. She second eldest weasley by several months. Fred loathed the beautiful red/golden beauty, not only because she was a veela demon bent on destroying Teddy's good nature and leave a pond of drooling boys (who happened to be his friends) in her wake, but because his parents and uncles and aunts were oblivious to the true nature of Victoire. She wasn't a human, but a creature. Of the Vilest sort. Louis grinned and did his famous one armed shrugged. He too couldn't stand his sister. Well, he tolerated her...barely. And only for his parents sake. Fred turned slightly, his chin now resting in the grass and raised one eye brow at Teddy. Teddy lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender and gave out a long suffering sigh, knowing not to defend Victoire against Fred. "She went on some rant last week, before we left my Grandmother's house, something about giving her proper respect." He sighed again, then continued, "We broke up." The again hung between the trio silently, as did the reservations. Fred and Louis both knew to not be excited about the return of they're best friend Teddy, at least not any more. Soon Victoire would whirl back in and snatch Teddy up and he would once again be lost to them. "Just in time for Ava and Talon's return." Louis finally said, his voice some what reserved and excited. Fred scrunched up his nose and turned on his back.
"Ah, the long lost Black children." Fred said on a yawn. The prodigal Black twins, Fred thought with a wry smile. They're story was almost as famous as Harry Potter's. Almost.
The gist of the story, which had been recounted over and over again it gave Fred a headache just thinking about it, is that Sirius apparently had more free time on his hands when in hiding than we thought. The Mother, a Leila Winesky, had been about two months pregnant when Sirius died, and fearing for her children's lives (she was a little bit of a nut, but since the Malfoys were the only relations that weren't in Azkaban, she feared they might take her babies from her) she left the country. Since Leila was considered loonier than Loony Lovegood and her father combined nobody really paid attention when she disappeared, some even thought her dead...that is until Avangeline and Talon Winesky showed up 13 years later. Apparently odd things had been happening to them, and following their mother's death they found letters to a school called Hogwarts. They're search led them to Harry Potter's doorstep. When HP opened the door he got the shock of his life. There in front of him was a young male version of his beloved God-father and a female-version. The shock of the discovery had barely died down when the custody battle began. Since the twins were magical, and behind, it was decided they'd attend Hogwarts as the first Thirteen year-old first years in over a century. Second it was decided The Twin's last names would be changed to black. And third, and most importantly, was the living arrangements. Until the age of 17 the twins would spend half the summer with the malfoy's and half with Harry or Andromeda Tonks. Holidays would be split up as well.
And so we return to the present time. "Mm, I still think Ava is the most delicious---" "Louis!" Teddy snapped. "Prude." Fred muttered, rolling onto his stomach, then back onto his back.
The squealing picked up again, this time followed with giggles and squeaks, but much much louder. After a few moments a deep, firm voice said, "Stop." Amazingly, it did. Fred looked up, a scowl on his face. Speak of the devil. Rather devils. The black twins were trudging up the hill that led to the tree where Fred, Louis and Teddy were. Why? Fred had no idea. Talon, with his brooding wolfish looks, never gave the trio the time of day, but his sister on the other hand did. She spent all of her time with Louis or Teddy, and even Fred when she had too. Fred's scowl deepened as Ava grew closer. Her skin was as pale as snow, her hair as black as coal, and her eyes...they were the palest amber, almost a soft gold. Apart from her eyes she looked like a female (goddess) version of her father. Fred hated her for that. And he hated her for hating him. Why she hated him, he didn't know. Her pale eyes swept over him, as if not seeing him, and landed on Louis. The oncoming reunion would be vomit worthy. "Louis, Teddy! You weren't at the house when we got here---" "Fred." Talon's monotone voice broke over his sisters melodic rambling, effectively silencing her. She blinked a few times, ran hand through her sleek black hair, and looked at Fred. "Oh, Fred. Hi. I didn't see you, must've been your hair---" "Ava." Talon cut her a glance, then gave an apologetic nod to Fred.
Fred was more baffled by Talon's presence and defense of him that he nodded back and stared dumbly at both of them. "What I meant to say is, it looks like you did something to your hair, I wasn't suggesting that because of your bland brown hair you were any less visible than your red-headed---" This time Talon didn't speak but merely elbowed Ava in the side. She grunted and fell silent. She didn't apologize or try, and fail, again to rephrase what she had been saying. Fred gritted his teeth together and ignored the stab of pain he felt, always felt, and stood. Louis hurriedly scrambled up, prepared to follow if he left, while Teddy slowly rose to his feet with wolfish grace. It shouldn't surprise him, since his father was a werewolf after all. "My sister and...her friend are leaving, I'm supposed to be watching them. Good-bye." Fred muttered, running a hand through his brown hair. He started off after them, Louis running ahead of him and Teddy trailing behind.
"Ariella!" A soft voice called behind him. Fred paused, then turned as the name sounded again. He blinked at Ava who seemed to be some what uncomfortable, what with her hands clasped in front of her and then pinched, uncertain expression on her face. "What?" Fred asked. "Ariella," Ava repeated, then continued after Fred's quizzical look "That's Roxy's friends name. I think it'll come in handy." She waved a hand, then as he turned away he heard her say, "I wouldn't be to friendly, she's half in love with you and your 'gorgeous' brown locks." She snorted. Fred grinned. "You think my bland hair is gorgeous?" He turned back around, then grinned wider as her mouth fell open. He watched her flounder for words then finally gasp out. "No! That's what she said!" She crossed her arms, then slid him a sly looked as she smirked at him. "Plus, I prefer blonds." Disgusted with himself Fred turned away. Of course she preferred blonds, she preferred Louis. It wouldn't be long before the two sent out wedding invitations, Fred thought sourly.
Fred marched off down the hill, then up another, following the sounds of his sister's high pitched giggles, and ignored the words ringing through his head. There was only one thing he knew for certain, something he couldn't change. He absolutely hated his bloody hair. Sure he could die it, but then people would know it bothered him. If only he could change his hair like teddy...
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