Time's Thief ~ George Weasley

Chapter Two

Valkyrie tumbled out of the large fireplace into a cozy, pleasantly warm kitchen. She stood and caught sight of herself in the reflection of the glass face of the clock on the mantlepiece. Her hair was blackened with soot as was her skin. With a huff of disgust she began dusting herself off with a nearby quilt, staining the patchwork in the process, just as Ginny walked out of the fire, much less dirty. Valkyrie looked down at her once white dress and sighed.

"So, this is my home." Ginny announced, gesturing around at the kitchen. Valkyrie took a good long look; there were several floating cookbooks over by the stove, everything was rather cramped, and she could smell something delicious cooking on the hot stove.

"It's... nice." She forced out, not used to such small quarters.

Ginny, either oblivious to Valkyrie's insincerity or just faking it, said, "Thank you."

At that moment, a short round woman walked into the room and started at Ginny and Valkyrie's presence.

"Ginny!" The woman cried out, running to envelope the ginger girl in a big hug, "And... who's this?"

"Valkyrie, daughter of Time." Valkyrie introduced herself. Unlike George and Ginny, this woman seemed to fully believe her. Her eyes widened and she said, "Oh, well I'm please to meet your acquaintance, Valkyrie. My name is Molly Weasley, but you can just call me Molly." She finished with a warm smile.

"Thank you." Valkyrie said, really meaning it. It was nice to know someone believed her in this gods-forsaken place.

Ginny, of course, had to go and ruin it, "Mum, she needs your help. She's a little..." She made a swirling motion with her finger against the side of her temple, the signal for "crazy".

Molly gave an understanding nod, "I see. Come into the living room dear, we'll get you some hot food and then get you cleaned up, how's that?"

Valkyrie crossed her arms in annoyance, "I don't need to eat anything except for nectar and ambrosia, so if you don't have any of that..."

Molly gave a mock frown, "Dear, did no one teach you it's rude to refuse food from your host? Come on, it tastes wonderful."

Valkyrie reluctantly agreed, not wanting to offend this nice lady. She followed Molly and Ginny into the living room where there was a long table that could fit about eight people at it. She sat down at the head of the table and Molly bustled into the kitchen to fetch a plate full of food. It was morning, and she still had some breakfast left over now that there were fewer people living at the Burrow. She placed a plate full of link sausages, eggs, and hash browns in front of Valkyrie before sitting down beside her. Valkyrie raised a forkful of sausage to her mouth and chewed thoughtfully before deciding that the food tasted delicious and that she was strangely starving. As she chowed down, Molly began to question her.

"So, dear, where are you from?"

Valkyrie answered through a mouthful of eggs, "Valhalla. It's where my father, Time, lives."

Molly nodded slowly, "So your father is... Kronos?"

Valkyrie frowned, "No, what? My father is just called Time."

"Oh, so... do you have special powers or something?"

Valkyrie gave a proud smile, "Yes, I do. Watch this..."

She placed her hand over the hash browns and began to chant. Nothing happened. Valkyrie's eyes clouded in anger and she banged the table with her fist, "Gods, he took them from me! How am I supposed to get back now?"

Molly raised her hands peaceful, "Calm now, dear. We'll help you find your way back, I promise."

Tears welled up in Valkyrie's eyes and she lay her head down on the table in defeat, "You can't help me, you're just a mortal."

As Molly began rubbing her back as she cried, George Apparated into the room with a bouquet of fresh flowers in his hand. Molly looked up from Valkyrie and her face turned sad.

"Excuse me," She said before rushing off into the kitchen. George's face fell, but he offered the flowers to Valkyrie anyway.

"Here, I thought they might help... somehow."

Valkyrie smiled sadly, "They won't, but thanks anyways."

She took the flowers from his hand and buried her nose into the blossoms, inhaling the scent deeply, "They smell nice."

"Their enchanted," George explained distractedly as he looked off into the kitchen where his mother was pointedly looking away from him, "So that they last for months and smell stronger."

Valkyrie nodded, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He said absentmindedly, running a hand through his longish ginger hair before walking off somewhere.

Valkyrie finished her plate just as Ginny appeared again, "How was the food?"

"Good." Valkyrie replied, "George gave me these flowers, do you have a vase for them?"

Ginny nodded and went into the kitchen to get one. As she rustled through the drawers, Valkyrie could hear a whispered conversation between Ginny and Molly.

"Mum, George is really hurting right now, and you're not helping. Why can't you just talk to him?"

"Ginny, dear..."

"No! Don't 'Ginny, dear' me right now. George needs his family right now. His whole family."

"I know, but I... can't."

Valkyrie heard a sigh from Ginny as the girl returned with a blue glass vase filled with water for the flowers. She put them in roughly and placed the vase on the sunny windowsill.

"Val, you can room with me tonight. Come on, I'm upstairs."

Valkyrie followed her up the rickety stairs and into a small bedroom with just enough room for a bed and a desk and a little left over floor space. Ginny gestured to the floor space, "I can make up a makeshift bed, but you can sleep in my bed if you want."

Valkyrie, suddenly feeling shy, shook her head, "I can sleep on the floor, it's fine."

Ginny nodded, "Okay then, it's settled."

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