Cold Skin

Thirty-Nine: Gianna

The air was hot but she ran cold. Gia always ran cold. Even when she was with Theo, Gia ran colder than the average person. But the outside world was suffocatingly hot and humid for May and she felt her jumper sticking to her elbow creases.

She watched as Lee Jordan's brow creased as he fired nonverbal hex's at the doors. Watching him usher 6th year and below students down to safety away from where she knew everything would be destroyed.

The windows were already a pale blue and she saw the wards go up. She heard hundreds, if not thousands, of Wizards, put up protective charms, but she was the most protected one here. Fighting on both sides yet neither side. She was the true neutral. The true spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Severus Snape could play his part for the Dark Lord but he was suspect from the beginning but everyone in the order knew her loyalties. Or did they? Did she even know what she would choose if a wand was put to her throat? Theo? James? Harry? Remus and Sirius? Draco? Where did they all stand when they all knew where Gia stood? Or didn't stand.

She watched the mass amounts of dark hooded figures run to the bridge. A tall blue figure was standing alone on the bridge. A Gryffindor. Had to be. No one of any other house would be just inside the wards, alone, with that amount of dark wizards in front of them.

Gia slowly approached the grand staircase with Lee. Hell-bent on keeping silent about the shortness of breath and wave of dizziness she was feeling. James would send her home faster than one could apparate.

She couldn't leave. Something was pulling her down to the bottom corridor. She had learned in recent months to follow those instincts, they usually led to good things.

If that were the case the world might not have ended so quickly. She saw the world end and she felt herself move quickly to the wand in her pocket but it was as if time slowed down. Time ticked by in her head every half second that she spent fumbling with her wand to protect the younger students.

Death Eaters flocked the halls of Hogwarts. Black clouds were the only way to describe what she saw. Silver masks and black hoods. She swore one lifted to give her a glimmer of a hint of who it was so she let them pass. She couldn't see. Not a single thing.

"You let one pass, Gianna!" Came a gruff yell from behind her. She turned when a red flash went over her shoulder.

Fred, Percy, and James stood in a lopsided triangle and fired hexes from every angle. She fell between James and Percy when Fred pulled her from an unknown curse.

Her eyes went wide when she stood between her brother and ex-lover. She watched as his eyes studied every new feature on her face. "Unknown new non-verbals, Gee. Be careful." James said to her. He grabbed his little sister's hand and pulled her closer to him.

Fighting next to James came second nature to Gianna. She knew which side he favoured and he knew the same. He knew that she neglected to pull her hands in when firing so he held her hand the entire time. Keeping her close. Safe. Always his top priority.   

Keep everyone safe. His family. If that was the sole trait of a Slytherin she was sure James Remus Lupin-Black would have been the best one in the house. As it was not, he was a Gryffindor at heart. Do everything possible, risking one's life to keep everyone he loved safe.

Fred stayed at her side. Watching her. She saw when her eyes locked with ones so familiar but darker. More evil. They were not the ones she grew to love. They were bloodshot and cruel. Gia would be beaten. Here and now she would sacrifice herself here for those men to live.

"Gianna don't you dare!" Fred shouted behind her. Reaching for her jumper. He couldn't quite grab the flailing witch as she threw disarming spells at the tall brunette in front of her.