Time's Thief ~ George Weasley

Chapter One

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Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes was eerily quiet for a Saturday afternoon, only two customers had been through since twelve and it was nearly three o'clock. George had sent the other employees home an hour ago and he was officially the only one in the shop. He puttered around, rearranging the displays and cleaning the counters with a soft rag, but the actions were just routine, his mind was elsewhere.

He could remember the times when the shop was filled to the brim with children of all ages looking in wonder at the items for sale, when they would end up out of stock since so many people bought things. But the life seemed to have gone out of the place ever since...

George sighed and ran his aching hands through his short ginger hair. Sitting down at the round table in the back of the store, he pulled out the ledger and a pen. To his right was a pile of overdue bills and to his left letters from his family that had been left unanswered. As he went through the ledger, he began to open some of the bills. He was so focused on his job, he almost didn't notice the beautiful girl that appeared in front of him, her hair everywhere and her eyes wide with shock. When he did notice, he stood up quickly, knocking his chair backwards, and quirked an eyebrow, "Where did you come from?"

She ignored him and began looking around wildly, confusion written on her face. Finally, she turned to him, "Where am I?"

"Um, my shop?" George replied, puzzled, "Are you looking for something, or...?"

"Is this earth?" The girl snapped, her mouth dropping open when George nodded his head, "He actually sent me here? To live among these... mortals?"

She said mortals like someone would say cockroach, with a disgusted sneer. George quirked an eyebrow at her as she began looking around the shop with narrowed eyes. She reached out a graceful hand and picked up a Decoy Detonator.

"What is this?" She asked, staring at the little cone in obvious confusion.

"That's a Decoy Detonator. It causes a distraction when you let it loose so you can do whatever sneaky thing you want to."

It was her turn to quirk an eyebrow, "And what kind of idiot would come up with something like that?"

"My brother, actually." George said with almost no inflection, his voice always grew strangely robotic when Fred was mentioned.

"Hmm." She scoffed and tossed her hair, "Well, it wasn't nice meeting you..."

"George." He filled in.

"George. I'm Valkyrie, and I will take my leave now." She strode towards the door and made a shoving movement with her hand. The doors didn't budge so she made the motion again. George watched, confused as to what she was trying to do, until his sister, Ginny, walked in through the doors Valkyrie was trying to open. Ginny took one look at Valkyrie's disheveled appearance and turned to George, "Who's this?"

George shrugged and Valkyrie huffed, "My name is Valkyrie, Daughter of Time."

Ginny nodded slowly, "O-kay. George?"

"She just appeared out of thin air! It wasn't Apparating either." He explained hastily.

"Do you think she's crazy or something?" Ginny asked, drawing a horror-filled look from Valkyrie.

"I would never..."

"I don't know." George butted in, "Do you think Mum would know?"

Ginny nodded and set her yellow purse on the table, "Yeeah, I think she needs to see Mum."

"I'm not crazy." Valkyrie insisted, "Is this what all of you mortals are like?"

"Yeah, definitely not crazy." George muttered.

Valkyrie huffed again and threw up her arms, "Whatever."

Ginny approached her slowly, "Do you need a place to stay? We could take you home and maybe our mother could help... you."

Valkyrie crossed her arms, but internally she knew that she had nowhere else to go other than with these two strange strangers, "Fine."

Ginny beamed, "Great! Let's go, George?"

George shook his head, "Nah, I'm staying here for a bit. I'll join you for dinner though."

"Alright then, Valkyrie, looks like it'll just be us two." Ginny said, digging a glass of dirt out of her purse and walking up to the fireplace crackling merrily in the corner. Valkyrie peered curiously at the dirt, Ginny noticing her confusion.

"Have you never used Floo Powder before?" Ginny asked and Valkyrie shook her head.

"No, What is it?"

"Here," Ginny handed her a pinch of the dirt, "Just toss it into the flames and say, clearly now, where you want to go and step into the fire."

"Which is?"

"Oh, right. The Burrow."

Valkyrie nodded slowly, "Alright, this is strange though."

She tossed the powder into the fire and watched as the flames turned a bright ethereal green, "The Burrows."