My Wings Are Black

Fred was silent, staring out the window at nothing in particular. It was a Hogsmeade trip today, and he was meeting up with George and Lee Jordan later in The three Broomsticks to discuss the latest plans for Weasley Wizardry Wheezes whose shop in Diagon Alley would soon be up and running when the twins finally walked out of Hogwarts, qualified students. They had no need for N.E.W.T’s. Look at Percy, they’d gotten him licking stamps for the Minister of Magic.

Even the thought of his childhood dream couldn’t put a small smile on Fred’s face as he looked down at his hands where he clutched a letter from Odette. He re-read the words over and over, hearing her voice inside his head as if she was whispering the sweet poison into his ears. He could see the truth behind each word she had penned to the parchment, but nothing could ever change the secrets they would both forever have to hide behind. The secret of them. It was starting to rip Fred apart and he didn’t know how to handle it anymore. Angelina was a distraction. Someone to hide behind whilst he really stared at Odette’s pale hand linked with Draco’s. Even he could see why everyone would believe them, they were perfect for each other, Slytherin Royalty. They both stalked the school with a grace and confidence some teachers lacked. Each step they both took always seemed to mark their spot, their kingdom. What was Fred in all of this? A mere pauper.

But she loved him. In a way she had never loved anyone before. And he loved her so bad, it hurt to breathe.

“I close my eyes and imagine he is you….when I kiss him I am really kissing you…I would like to be your secret Fred for you will always be mine.”

Again, her voice whispered her words inside his head, each syllable echoing till he was gripping his red hair painfully in his fingers, the letter crumpling in his hand. He moaned softly to himself, wishing life was easier, wishing he could simply be with her…that he didn’t have to live in the fear that someday she would be killed by either side of the magical force, that she wasn’t arrested or even worse that she would stand beside Voldemort and kill him, kill Fred and his family with a second glance. It was what she was trained to do…would love change it? He didn’t know the answer…and neither would Odette really, until the day ever came when they were facing each other on different sides of No Mans Land.

Fred stared out the window and jumped when someone cleared their throat loudly. He had thought the Common Room empty, the straggling seconds years that had been lurking gone to play Gobstones in the rare sunshine by the Lake. He turned around and saw the familiar face of his twin brother.

Fred’s smile was twisted slightly, his face not masking his anxiety. “I thought I was meeting you and Lee in an hour?” he asked his brother quietly, looking away. His voice faded but he knew George was listening.

George sighed, running his hands through his hair, “Fred, who are you fooling?”

Fred looked at George, a quizzical frown in his face, “What?”

“It’s not fair to use Angelina the way you’ve been doling. She’s a nice girl with feelings, maybe you haven’t’ taken that into account.”

Fred spluttered for a moment, “I have, I don’t know--”

“Save it Fred!” George snapped, his face falling into an angry mask, his eyes darkening with sudden rage at his brother. “Don’t lie to me anymore Fred. Just don’t okay? You’ve been doing it for months and I’ve been waiting, I’ve been waiting for you to turn around and tell me everything. But you haven’t. And now it’s too late Fred!”

Fred blinked at his twin, a lump forming in his throat as he felt the pain of his other half, “George, I’m-”

George held up his hand, “No, Fred. Just say it. Tell me what I can see in you, what I can see in your face when you look at her. I need you to talk to me like you used to. I’m your brother, I’m not just your brother, I’m your twin! I’m suppose to know these things.”

And Fred found himself falling into his slightly younger brother’s arms, his twin, his missing piece, bringing his arm around the familiar muscular body of George to hug him close. He suddenly realised he had been missing this feeling of completeness. The feeling of always knowing the other. George was right, Fred had forgotten about his twin in all of this. And Fred found himself holding back tears as he looked his brother in his identical brown eyes, “I love her. I love her with all my heart and it’s killing me.”

George clasped Fred to him, feeling his pain and his confusion, their bond renewed once again, and then he sat back and listened as his twin finally began to talk and tell George everything. Fred hesitated once before looking into George’s open eyes, and then knew if he couldn’t trust George, there was no-one he could trust. Because George would never betray him, it just didn’t happen.

“George. She’s a death eater.”

George blinked, and then cursed softly, “You know how to pick them Fred. I’ll give you that.”

Fred smiled, “No-one must ever know about us George. Only you and just because it’s you. Please, promise me.”

George smiled softly, “Remember the time you transfigured Percy’s pillow into a pile of worms when you were nine by an accident with dad’s wand and we both swore it wasn’t us.” Fred laughed and nodded, “Well, I didn’t tell then…I’m not going to say anything now. I don’t like the situation Fred but I know you’ll do the right thing in the end and hopefully so will Odette, Dark mark or not.”

Fred laughed and hugged his brother again, “thank you Forge.”

“No problem. I’ve missed you Greg”

~

The next day was a Sunday and Odette was lazing near the lake with Draco, his hand lazily trailing up and down her arm which was gleaming palely in the weak sunlight. Draco’s arm was hidden but underneath his white shirt, Odette’s trained eye could see the slightly swollen mark on his inner arm. Her own was prickling uncomfortably, burning occasionally and she tried not to wince when it happened though at the same time, Draco’s fingers would twitch as of to scratch at his own skin.

Draco snorted in amusement suddenly and Odette looked at him, his humour seemed loud in the quiet of the day. They were alone at their location, and only the faint chatter of students could be heard. “What is it?”

“I heard Fred Weasley broke up with that blood traitor Angelina Johnson, and she broke his nose.”

Odette frowned, sudden fury as never before rising up through her body as she thought of Fred being hurt, however mild a broken nose was. Her hand twitched violently and her fist enclosed around her wand and she refrained from growling under her teeth, trying to bury down the killer inside. Another part of her was singing, Fred had broken up with Angelina, did that mean he had received her letter with open arms? Was he going to take her back?

Draco was watching Odette as she thought of all of this and she was unaware of being watched. For the first time in a long time, Odette’s mask wasn’t on, and her emotions could be seen flashing across her face and eyes with every thought and every word of whispered emotions. And then Draco suddenly leapt up, as everything began to fall into place for him. He had been ignoring it for so long when it had been staring him right in the face.

“I’ve been such a bloody idiot,” he spat at Odette and began to walk away. Odette got up, running after him, her Hogwarts robes fluttering after her.

“Draco, wait, what are you talking about?”

Draco whirled on her, his face inches from hers. She had never seen him look so angry, so murderous and for the first time since she’d know him, she sae the Death Eater and not the scared boy. “I’ve been ignoring it. The looks you’ve given him, the stares he’s given me. And now, everything just makes sense…I know you’ve been sneaking off at night, Crabbe and Goyle seen you climb out the portrait hole! But I ignored it, thinking it must be for the Dark Lord, but it wasn’t was it?”

“Draco!” Odette cried desperately, acting like she had no idea what he was saying, “You’re making no sense.”

And then Draco did something that shocked Odette, bringing his hand back, he slapped her hard and fierce across the face causing the stunned girl to fall backwards, holding her nose which began to leak a small amount of blood. “I’ve been a fool, a fool blinded by you…” he whispered and he leant in close, his lip curling in distaste, “tell me, look at me, and tell me that there’s nothing going on with Fred Weasley.”

Odette’s eyes widened and her mouth froze at being asked the direct question, “Draco…why are you doing this?”

Draco closed his eyes, trying to hide the hurt at finally understanding he wasn’t the one for her. Because as much as Draco tried to deny he could have real feelings for anyone, he knew he loved Odette, and not in the way she loved him, but in the way it appeared she loved Fred Weasley, who may as well be a scum sucking troll.

“You’re nothing more than a blood traitor Silver, “ he whispered, allowing venom to seep into his voice, and he refused to look into those green eyes, “You’re both going to die.”

And then he was thrown backwards as Odette finally snapped once again, like she had with Snape and Draco was jinxed with a silencing charm and then knives were stabbed through his body as his best friend cursed him with the Cruaciatus Curse. He writhed on the ground for several minutes before she stopped it.

He fought back, his wand slicing through the air and causing a spell that sliced the skin from her cheek in an ugly gash causing blood to leak from the wound. She shrieked and jinxed him again,. This lasted for several minutes before Draco lay on his back, gasping and bleeding, Odette kneeling over him, her hair ticking his face.
“You don’t know what I’ve done Draco. To some extent you do, but you’ve only been doing this a year. I’ve been subjected to this life since I was a girl. I was never given the choice of what to think or who to love. You don’t understand Draco, you’re nothing but a child. Don’t try to understand me and my decision. Just keep it a secret, keep me safe, keep him safe for me even if I do die. I love him Draco, I love him with all my heart but I’m afraid I’m going to cause him his death. What if the Dark Lord finds out, please help me Draco, don’t be another enemy.”

Draco stared into her tear filled eyes, asking himself why she couldn’t see how he loved her, but then he gave in, finally putting his arm around her and bringing her to his chest as she cried and he held her, promising her he would help her protect the boy she loved.

From the distance, Harry Potter watched the exchange with curious eyes, and placed the Extendable Ear back in his pocket.

~

The week of school was torture for Odette who still hadn’t been able to talk to Fred. He hadn’t approached her since his break-up with Angelina and maybe she had gotten the signs wrong. Perhaps he simply got tired of Angelina but still didn’t want Odette.
She stared out the window at the Quidditch grounds during a boring Transfiguration class of Animagi, which everyone else found exciting. She yawned and then jumped as a switch came down on her desk. She looked disdainfully into the eyes of McGonagall, and waited for her to say something.

“Do we bore you Miss Silver?” the Professor asked, “You do know this topic is important for your examinations next year. It would be wise to pay attention.”

“I already know everything I need to know about being an Animagus,” Odette drawled at the teacher, whose eyebrows shot up,

“Oh, then please tell me how?”

Odette looked around at her class, all who were staring at her curiously, wondering how she was going to answer that question. She smirked, sending an evil glare towards Hermione and then rolled her eyes. She might as well just show everyone.

The whole class gasped as suddenly where Odette was sitting, a great black eagle appeared with the same green eyes as the girl. The bird of prey stared around at the class cunningly, and ruffled her feathers. She then looked at McGonagall, whose lips were pursed into a thin line, and eyes were wide in shock. Odette shook her feathers becoming a girl again, and then smirked. “You’ll find my name is on the list of Animagus in the Italian Ministry of Magic. I grew up there and did my test with that Ministry when I was fourteen. I learned early.”

McGonagall sniffed a “Well done,” and then walked away, leaving Odette feeling triumphant.

By the end of the day, everyone knew of Odette’s talent and Draco found it amusing, having known about it all the time. Both students were still nursing sore spots from their battle but were on good terms none the less. Draco’s heart was still aching but he believed that would ease with time…hopefully. More stares and whispers were directed their way then usual but Draco basked in the glory as did Odette. She smirked at Draco, who smirked back and squeezed her hand. Odette raised her eyes to the Gryffindor table and after a moment, Fred rose his to meet hers. They stared at each other for a moment before Fred gave a small smile, showing he had heard the ‘secret’ and a wink to say he was impressed. Odette felt a warming glow rush through her body at that and then after eating a bare amount of dinner, returned to her dorm.

It was near midnight when she heard the tapping on her window, and after ignoring it for a moment, got up from her warm covers as Styx began to complain. She opened the window, gasping a smile as she looked at Fred hovering outside on his broomstick.

He smiled cheekily at her, “Come on then swan,” he taunted, “aren’t you going to follow me?”

He disappeared up in the sky and Odette just shook her hair back, stepping onto the ledge and walking into the air. She dropped for a moment, the cold breeze biting her skin with iciness as she began to transfigure herself. Her wings beat strongly as she carried herself upwards and she span a few times in the air, it had been a while since she had last done this and it felt good to be free again. Though in reality, she was never really free.

She landed by Fred on the tallest turret of the Castle where he lay on a soft blanket. He looked at her with admiring eyes, and then allowed her to sit beside him, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer, as if nothing had happened between them. He kissed the top of her head, “Well, that explains a lot.”

Odette chuckled, “Yeah, I suppose it does.”

Their hands linked together and they both gazed down at them, Fred sighed, “George knows.”

Odette’s eyes flickered up to him, “Do does Draco. He guessed. But he won’t tell, I know he won’t.”

Fred shook his head, “Neither will George…I’m sorry Odette.”

She smiled sadly, “I’m sorry too.”

Fred brought her closer to kiss her lips, and as they fell backwards onto the blanket, a shooting star ahead shot through the sky, warning the young star-crossed lovers to cherish the moment, because everything was starting to unravel and dark times were brewing, threatening to rip them apart forever.