Blessed With Iridescent Wings

Lianna’s scream had bounced off nearly every wall in 12 Grimmauld Place. Walburga Black, who had been awoken by the horrified girl, joined in with a nasty hiss about traitors and thieves and caused her startled son to nearly fall off the couch he had been lounging upon. In the kitchen, Molly Weasley dropped the large glass bowl she had been washing.

“What the bloody hell is going on?” asked Ron, white faced as he burst into the twins’ bedroom. He assumed Lianna was dying or at least had been maimed by some out of control concoction. Harry peered over his shoulder, out of breath from the scampered run upstairs.

“Is Lianna hurt?” called Potter, he too peering around for the girl who had to have been turned into some boiled covered canary. She was nowhere in sight. The only two in the room were Fred and George, both with rather pleased smiles on their lips.

“Such little faith you have in us,” Fred said with a delight laugh.

“We wouldn’t hurt her, per say,” grinned George.

Fred nodded, “Just... annoy.”

“ANNOY? ANNOY?”

Ron and Harry peered down the dark hallway, a bright pink rising to their cheeks. Lianna stood with a rather furious look across her face in nothing but a white towel. Her thick lips were pursed, her eyes in dangerous slits and Ron swore he could see steam blowing out of her ears.

With her clutching to the top of her towel, she stalked down the hallway, stamping her bare feet as she went. Harry was the first to snort, Ron following soon after with a loud, out of control laughter.

“Your hair!” screeched Ron, “It’s – It’s!”

The look Lianna bore, the one the twins usually only snickered at, silenced Ron Weasley in a near instant. Harry covered his mouth, no longer laughing but his eyes shone with a brilliant glow that made the girl scoff.

“Both of you,” Lianna hissed, “Get out of here.”

Harry and Ron scampered off, smiles breaking through as they ran off. Lianna turned to face the twins’ doorway. Both were watching her from upon their beds, both with laughing eyes and amused smiles across her lips.

“Really?” She asked, “You really did this? Couldn’t you have at least dyed my whole damn head?”

“Slight mishap,” Fred burst out laughing, “Must’ve messed up the dye.”

“Messed up?” She cried, “I look like a fuckin’ Dalmatian!”

Sure enough, the gorgeous brunette locks that Lianna had once cherished so proudly were speckled with large patches of wet ginger red. Her hair was still dripping from the shower but they could still see the difference. Her bangs, which had clearly gotten most of the dye, were a brilliant Weasley red, a brilliant Weasley red that clashed horribly with her dark eyebrows and the thick patches of brown still shining through. Lianna’s hair really did look like a Dalmatian, a brown and orange spotted one at least.

“But you look so pretty!” George cried, nowhere near attempting to hold in his laughter.

“Ha. Ha,” She dryly laughed, picking at her now flamboyant orange bangs, “And how long is this going to stay in?”

“Week or two,” beamed Fred.

“Week or two?” Lianna didn’t look impressed.

“Though we could be wrong,” George teased, wiping the joyful tears away from his eyes, “We did have a miscalculation.”

“So help you two if my hair is still like this at school.”

Fred grinned, “Oh love, I would’ve thought you learned your lesson by now.”

“Lesson?”

George mimicked the look, “Don’t challenge us, Anna. You’ll never win.”

“Understand?” Fred sang.

“Understand?” Lianna asked, a rather cocky look slipping over her lips, “Clearly I don’t because this isn’t over yet, Fred Weasley.”

He grinned, “Not giving up than?”

“Oh no, this means war, boys.”

The twins couldn’t have been happier and they released rather loud laughs as Lianna waltzed out of the room, her wet spotted hair swaying behind her.

-----

Two mornings later, August 9th to be exact, Lianna was down in the kitchen snickering to herself. Mrs. Weasley, who had just placed a fresh plate of eggs in front of the girl, did her best to ignore the giggling as she shuffled back to the stove. She had already given her twins hell for what they did to the poor girl’s hair but it seemed that wasn’t needed with the rather maniacal sniggering coming the girl.

Heavy feet pounded down the stairs and Lianna looked up, half an egg hanging from her mouth, to see Ron Weasley burst into the kitchen. His face was filled with laughter, his bright eyes dancing.

“You are bloody amazing!” Ron cried, slamming his hands upon the large kitchen table. She quickly swallowed the egg, laughing at the delighted smile across the redhead’s face.

“So I’ve been told. I feel you saw the twins?”

“Did I ever!”

“And how are they taking to their new haircuts?”

Ron beamed, “I think they were a little shocked, really, haven’t manage to figure out how you didn’t wake ‘em up.”

“Ah,” Lianna returned the smile, “That’s a secret.”

“Well however you did it, it was brilliant!”

Lianna had sung. She had gotten up far earlier than anyone else and waltzed down the hallway with a beautiful tune wafting from her lips. It had been enough to keep the twins relaxed when she slipped into their bedroom, wand ready in hand.

“When they retaliate, which I know they will, you are welcome to come watch my next attempt at winning if you’d like!”

“Oh Harry and I will be there!”

“Lianna, dear,” Mrs. Weasley called, her wand in hand as she magically whipped a bowl full of flour and eggs, “You didn’t completely shave my boys’ heads, did you?”

“Not all,” She replied back with a toothy grin, “Just enough for -”

“Oh Anna, dear!” sang the twins. Lianna could hear their footsteps coming down the stairs. Ron peered over his shoulder, trying to hide the snort when the two of them entered. Still draped in pyjamas, the two cocky boys who still held rather smug looks wandered around the table to Lianna who couldn’t contain her giggles. Both placed an arm upon her shoulder, leaning against her.

“Aren’t you two just lovely!” Lianna beamed, “I think I did a pretty good job especially since George over there wouldn’t stop moving.”

Carefully singed along the side and back of their heads was the large, pretty cursive lettering of, ‘Lianna was here!’ The back of their heads still smelt of chard hair, a rather putrid scent that Lianna kept gasping at when she had done the deed.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, “The three of you need to stop this nonsense before someone gets hurt.”

“Want a truce?” Lianna asked, her thin eyebrow raised and a rather cocky look upon her lips.

“Admitting defeat?” Fred teased back, scratching at the letters in his hair.

“Not unless you are,” She replied, eyes locked to his. They were soft in colour; gentle but always seemed to be laughing. She really did quite adore them.

“Sorry Mum!” George cried, “Looks like this nonsense will be going on just a little longer but don’t worry I’m certain little Anna here won’t last much more.”

“Try me,” she said with a scoff, pushing both boys off of her shoulders.

-----

The next morning Lianna awoke to find everything seemingly in order. Her hair was still a mess of chunky browns and oranges and she didn’t appear to have sprouted any extra limbs or boils. The room looked the same, still dark and dingy with outdated wallpaper and dust that never seemed to leave the walls no matter how much they cleaned. The quilt about Lianna’s waist, bright in colour, had pooled around her body as she sat up.

Across the room Hermione was showered and changed, her hands busy making her bed. Ginny was nowhere in sight but Lianna assumed she was either in the bathroom or already down in the kitchen waiting for breakfast.

“Ginny showering?” Lianna asked as she slipped from her bed. Hermione replied with a quick shake of her head, a yawn halting the words she had planned to use, “Can I use your shampoo again?”

Lianna had to toss hers.

“Here,” Hermione shuffled over to her open trunk, gathering the Muggle brand bottle and handing it off, “Honestly Anna, do you really think this is all worth it? Nearly every noise makes you jump!”

“I don’t mind,” laughed the cheerful Walden girl. She had come to somewhat enjoy her spotted hairdo. It was hideous, yes, but it made her laugh every time she saw it and it would continue to as long as it disappeared before September 1st, “They just like to... play with their food a little. I think they thrive off me jumping around more than they do actually pulling the prank.”

“Just go find them and tell them they’ve won.”

“No way!”

“Something is going to happen that you all are going to regret, Anna, I hope you know that.”

Lianna laughed softly, “We’ll be fine, Hermione. They’ve got some rules to follow.”

“Like what?” Hermione was still unimpressed.

“No death.”

“Lianna!” Her shrill voice rang out, “That is hardly -”

With a pair of clothes in hand and Hermione’s shampoo, Lianna released a little giggle, hurrying out of the room before she would gain another full blown lecture. She had been receiving a lot of those from the girl lately. Cautiously, Lianna stepped into the bathroom and after determining nothing was going to jump out at her and that the shower wasn’t going to turn her skin purple, she jumped in.

For about 20 minutes she hummed to herself, swaying as she danced to the variety of songs in her head while cautiously making sure that her already messed up hair hadn’t somehow turned green in the process. When Lianna stepped from the shower and she reached for the blue towel she had taken from the pantry on her way here, she noticed that the bundle of clothing that had been sitting upon it was missing.

“Really?” Lianna muttered to herself. It had to have been the twins and sure she probably wouldn’t have heard them with the amount of humming in her head but this was a silly prank, a childish one. This was a prank she had pulled on Alex after he lit the bottom of her hair on fire in third year. This was a prank Chelsea pulled on Susie when Susie insulted the pretty Muggle dress her mother had shipped to her for Easter.

Warily, Lianna stepped from the bathroom, towel clutched around her body. This couldn’t be their retaliation, there had to be more than just stealing her clothes from the bathroom. Sure enough, when Lianna stepped into her shared boudoir she realized what they had done.

Another loud screech left her mouth only this time it wasn’t horrified, it was furious. Her bright blue trunk lay wide open, not a stitch of fabric in sight. The sweater she had let Ginny borrow was missing from the redhead’s bed and even her damned housecoat, the one she barely used had vanished from the corner of the tall armoire.

All pieces of clothing she owned, all pieces that she cherished as much as her hair were missing, and another angry yell fled her lips. The only thing that remained looked to be a pair of orange panties, her favourite pair at that, which lay silently upon her pillow. She trudged over, grabbing them and scoffed at the black writing written across the bottom; Fred and George were here!

Well didn’t that just bite her in the ass, Lianna thought, clutching the ruined undergarments and stalking out into the hall, towel secured around her body. Harry had passed her coming down the stairs, opened his mouth to ask what was up but the rather scary glare she shot him caused the 15 year old to silence in a near instant.

George had been the one to answer the door. She could hear his chuckles behind the wood, snickering as the serpent shaped door handle turned.

“Now if I didn’t know any better,” beamed the tall redhead, “I’d say you had some sort of motive, Anna. Second time you just strolled on in with nothing on but a towel no less!”

“Shut up, George.”

His grin only grew. Lianna placed a hand upon his chest, pushing the boy back into his room roughly.

“You two!” She snarled, “You hit low this time!”

“Don’t like your new present?” Fred beamed. He was sitting upon the edge of his bed, upon his finger the strap of one of her bright pink bras. He was spinning it lazily and though he knew the ass kicking he deserved, he couldn’t have felt prouder. Lianna did have very good tastes in lingerie.

“Really?” Lianna asked, completely unimpressed. Her hand laid open, waiting quite impatiently for the bra. She was to angry to feel embarrassed. Fred passed it over, his grin never fazing, “Where are my clothes?”

“Here and there,” answered the smug Weasley twin, “You’ll have to find them.”

Lianna placed a stiff hand on his chest, pushing him roughly into the bed. Fred toppled backward with a loud laugh, “Where are they?”

“Want a hint, love?”

“That would be nice.”

“Try the kitchen.”

She released an angry scoff, one that both boys silently cheered at. Getting on Lianna Walden’s nerves had seemed difficult especially when the girl was willing to deal with nosebleed nougats and fainting fancies but they had found that dear little Lianna was rather found of her appearance and that seemed enough to bring a rather large rise out of her.

Lianna stalked over to the neatly folded clothing upon the twins’ dresser. Mrs. Weasley had just done laundry a little while ago. Snatching a pair of pants and an oversized grey t-shirt, Lianna moved to leave only pausing when she reached their open door.

“By the way,” Her pale eyes glared at their smiling faces, lifting the orange underwear into the air, “These were my favourite and because you ruined them, this is nowhere near over.”

“Excellent!”

She slammed the door in their grinning faces.

-----

The morning of August 11th, Lianna had rushed about 12 Grimmauld Place searching for the one Faerie she knew could cause more damage than any other. Turnox and his brooding self were found in the living room, floating above the piano and peering down at the white keys.

“Piano is a beautiful instrument,” said the Faerie. He needn’t turn to hear the mortal girl walk in, “I did enjoy listening to your mother play.”

“She’d do it again if you asked her, you know?” Lianna muttered, rubbing the orange and brown mess on her head. “She loves showing off.”

“That may be,” His voice was deep, smooth and comforting. It was a ploy that all Dark Faeries held, a ploy to lure victims in, “but she is far from fond of me.”

“I suppose,” replied Lianna, “I could ask her if you want. I’m sure she wouldn’t say no to me. Since I gave her that cake she’s been pretty tolerant lately.”

Turnox released a deep chuckled, “You want something.”

Lianna opened her mouth, opened to reply but it shut instantly. She gazed around the quiet room for awhile peering at the dark wood furniture covered in white dust and the heavy drapery that framed two large windows. Outside the sky was pale and looked cold but she was certain once 9 o’clock hit it would be another horrid scorcher. The heat wave hadn’t seemed to pass yet, much to her dismay. Finally she turned back to the terrifying Faerie. He was still hovering above the piano.

“I need your help.”

“With what, Lianna?”

Quietly she muttered to him the thoughts of her plan and how she only needed to get Ron and Harry up and they would be set. She needed witnesses or it wouldn’t be as funny. It’d give Ron something to hold over his brothers’ heads and would keep the young Weasley quite happy for awhile. She was even certain the nervous Harry Potter would get a kick out of it.

Turnox replied, his thick arms crossing over his chest, “No.”

“Please Turnox!”

“No.”

“Please! I’ll never bug you for anything ever again!”

“No.”

“Oh my gosh, would just help me this once?”

Turnox gazed down at the human girl. She looked frustrated and discouraged as she stared up at him with large, begging eyes. Her body was covered in a pair of tight shorts and a loose t-shirt Mrs. Weasley had found stashed in the bread box yesterday evening.

“Please Turnox!” She begged again, stomping her foot childishly, “I’ll never ask you to do anything like this ever again.”

“It is cheating.”

“It’s not!” She fired back, “There’s two of them and one of me. I think I can enlist a little help.”

“You are not enlisting a little help,” snarled the Faerie, “This is madness.”

“But they took ALL my clothes, Turnox!” Lianna cried, waving her arms about, “I found my white dress up the chimney! My white dress, Turnox!”

“Silly human girl,” Turnox muttered, “Why have you not asked Oceana? She would be far more inclined.”

“Oceana can’t tap into the mind like you can and I don’t want to see their... thoughts. That’d be gross. I just want to hear it. Ron and Harry will get a kick out of it too. Think about it as helping Harry! It’ll give him something laugh at before tomorrow morning!”

“You have always been determined, Lianna,” said the demon like creature, “But I still do not believe -”

“What is with all this sensible talk? You’re a Dark Faerie, Turn! You’re supposed to be all for the manipulating and instigating and -”

“You are stereotyping again, Lianna.”

“PLEASE!”

The tiny creature moved from the piano and hovered towards Lianna’s face with a grim look. The pool of shadows he called eyes blinked and when there was the slight nod, a brief one Lianna released a hoot of laughter.

“I’m going to go get Ron and Harry! Meet us at the twins’ room!”

“Silly human girl,” Turnox muttered again, not a hit of emotion on his face.

Yesterday, Lianna had spent the whole afternoon and evening searching for her clothes. The twins had hidden them in the most oddest of places. A pair of her shorts had been found in the drawer the cutlery was hidden in and when she went to dry her hands in the bathroom, three sweaters had replaced all the towels. The twins had stashed some of her panties and bras under Ron’s bed. The boy had been too nervous to bring them to her so when Lianna gathered them up in her hands, she flung a pair of knickers straight at his face. She had never seen his cheeks so red before.

The door to Harry and Ron’s room slammed the second Lianna manage to get it unlocked. Harry sputtered awake, jumping up in his sleep with a horrified look. He began searching for his glasses.

“What? What? What’s going on?” Harry cried, blinking with tired eyes as Lianna rushed towards Ron’s bed. She shook him happily.

“What bloody time is it?” Ron muttered into his pillow.

“5 in the morning!”

“Are you mad?” screeched Ron. He leapt up in bed, mouth agape as he stared at her with shocked eyes.

“No!” She said happily, “I just thought I’d let you two come watch me prank the twins. C’mon! C’mon! I got Turnox to agree!”

“Now?”

“Unless you don’t -”

“No!” Ron barked, a yawn cutting him off, “No, we’re coming. C’mon Harry. Don’t want to keep this one waiting. Complete nutter, gotta be the only reason she could actually like my brothers.”

Lianna rolled her eyes, her excitement overriding the annoyance as the bright grin on her face continued to shine, “Pfft, just hurry up you two.”

-----

Quietly, the three of them moved up the stairs and towards the twins’ bedroom. Turnox was floating silently beside the door and motioned that both boys were still sound asleep. Lianna had filled them in on the plan briefly before, a quick mention in passing that had gotten Ron rather excited.

“You’re bloody evil,” Ron said with a beam, watching as Turnox slipped back from the twins and landing politely on Lianna’s shoulder.

“Well you take all my clothes you pay the price,” Lianna explained, grinning as they waited patiently. Both twins were sleeping soundly with content looks that slowly turned into rather pleased grins. Fred muttered something, mumbled it far too quietly for anyone to hear while George rolled over onto his back, a light sigh passing his lips.

Harry snorted, “What are they dreaming of?”

“You will hear soon,” Turnox answered grimly, “Lianna, are you certain you wish for this? It may not be what you expect to hear -”

“Perfectly certain!” She said with a beam. All she could think of now was the horribly stained dress and the mountains of clothing she found stuffed in horrendous places. The worse had been ones tossed in Kreacher’s room. Lianna had gotten Sirius to grab them for her.

Ron was waiting with bated breath, his eyes locked to his brothers as he waited to hear something embarrassing fly from one of their mouths. George was the first to fulfill the boy’s wish.

“Alicia, oh Alicia the way you handle that quaffle -”

Harry, Ron and Lianna burst out laughing. Whoever Alicia was, George was having quite a pleasant dream about her that involved quaffles and various other things Lianna could only imagine would cause the boy to groan in the way he did.

Turnox, just as Oceana, could create illusions but unlike the exotic Water Faerie, Turnox had the ability to extort the dreams and desires and fears of his victim. With a quick snap of his fingers the images both Fred and George were beaming so happily at could instantly change, warp into terrifying images.

When Lianna had first met Turnox he had used the horrifying side of his power on her and the only reason she still stood today was because every illusion he created was never perfect. There would be something about the scenery or the person you dreamed off that was off. Desires were easier to decipher, easier to tell were false but the issue with determining your dream hadn’t come true was painstaking hard because it would vanish before your eyes leaving you with an empty, longing feeling.

Upon his bed, Fred laid with his arms and legs strewn wildly about. He liked space when he slept, Lianna had determined. Upon his lips was a rather pleased looking smile, one that continued to travel throughout his face.

“Stop,” Fred breathed. Ron hurried to his side like a kid in a candy shop, “Stop teasing, Anna.”

Instantly Harry and Ron both were gazing at Lianna with wide eyes. Her pale orbs mimicked giant white saucers. Part of her said that Anna was someone else. There were plenty of Anna’s out there and it didn’t mean -

“Oh Merlin Lianna!”

She couldn’t breathe as the blood rushed to her head and her cheeks turned the colour of her dyed bangs. Lianna began wilding tapping at Turnox, who in turn, released a loud huff. He had told her she would regret this but because of the soft spot the Faerie always held for the young human girl he snapped his fingers with a sigh. Instantly the twins bolted up in bed, alarm on their face as Harry and Ron continued to sprout tears of laughter.

“Okay, okay,” She muttered, pushing at Ron’s shoulder, “Get out of here.”

“Oh Anna!” Ron chirped but she swatted at his head and he took off at a run.

Lianna turned back to the twins, both trying to wipe their faces of sweat and complete utter confusion.

“Truce?”

They looked up to see her roughly gnawing at her bottom lip, her cheeks rosy as if she had just come in from a cold winter’s day. Down the hall they could still hear the muffled laughter of Ron, who would happily try and hold this over their head. It was too bad the twins were far too smooth and conniving to ever be caught in a situation where Ronald could blackmail them.

“Uh,” Fred scratched at the scorched letters in his hair, “Sure. Truce.”

Lianna nodded sharply and without a word, hurriedly rushed from the room. The twins were still trying to gather what had just occurred while the glowing dark ball upon Lianna’s shoulder sighed.

“I warned you, Lianna,” Turnox muttered when she reached her room.

“I know, I know,” She replied back, “Thanks for your help... I’ll see if Mom will play you a song later tonight, okay?”

“Tell her I would be honoured.”

Lianna just nodded. When Turnox disappeared with the blink of an eye, she wandered into her quiet bedroom. Hermione and Ginny were both still fast asleep. Flagwin, who had curled up with the bookworm late into the night, was still in the same place he had been the evening before.

Lianna collapsed upon her bed, ignoring the creaking of the springs as she rolled over and under the covers. That had backfired, hadn’t it? Last time she used Faerie magic to try and prank someone. She wasn’t certain how she felt. It was nice to know Fred thought of her that way but being attract and actually liking someone the way Lianna did were two different things.

Regardless of the nervous and panicked thoughts in her mind, a small smile still gently flitted over lips.