Not a single review? Thanks, guys. Even though there were 70-odd hits, I guess the story wasn't good enough for an actual review. Guess I'll just have to try harder with this next chapter. If no one reviews, I'll get the hint and stop posting.

Chapter 2

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"So you were in the war?" Dru asked. She and George were sitting in an all-white kitchen, cradling Earl Grey that George had brewed while he filled her in on what had happened in Britain over the years that Voldemort had terrorized the people. He nodded absentmindedly, his gaze far away. "It was that bad?" She had seen looks like that on some of the people they questioned after a traumatic experience. He grimaced and sipped at his tea.

"America was lucky to not be involved," was all he said. Dru nodded. The American Wizarding Society had not been touched by the Dark Lord over the years, so they had had no cause to get involved in the war eight months prior.

"What are you doing here now, then?" George ran a hand through his ear length hair, mussing it even more than it already had been.

"There were a few Death Eaters that escaped before they could be taken to prison, and I've been tracking them for a few months," he glanced at Dru and smiled wryly. "You stumbled in the coffee shop just as took their wards down. What I wasn't expecting was a patrol to attack me, otherwise I would have been there sooner." Dru grinned back.

"I have a bit of a habit of getting into trouble," she informed him. "I must have discovered hundreds of secrets that the Maw held for us." Her grin turned sheepish at his confused expression. "It's what some of the students call Merlin's Academy for Witches and Wizards. It's a lot like Hogwarts." George physically jerked in surprise. Information about schools were closely guarded secrets. Dru rolled her eyes at his reaction. Honestly, she thought. You would think that I was going to attack the school.

"I was pen pals with a Hufflepuff called Hannah Abbot for a while. She told me a lot about Hogwarts." George relaxed slightly, apparently assured she wasn't going to go through with some dastardly plan to take over Britain. His look of relief turned into a frown when his gaze focused on something over her shoulder.

"Why is there a hawk pecking at my window?" Now that he had said something, Dru could hear a soft tapping noise coming from the sole kitchen window. She slowly turned around, noting a twinge in her back from some curse or another that had gotten through her shield. Smiling slightly, she got up and wrestled the small window open. A puff of hot, wet air hit her in the face, and she wrinkled her nose as Amanti strutted in.

"Sorry, it's just my messenger hawk. Nell must've stopped by my apartment." Amanti let out a soft coo, and held up her leg. "Yes, your majesty," Dru said sarcastically. George muffled something that sounded suspiciously like a snigger, and she turned to glare at him. He, at least, had the grace to look guilty. Amanti just cawed again. Magical hawks had egos the size of China, and she was starting to wonder why she had gotten one in the first place. She fumbled a bit with the knot, but eventually managed to untie the bit of paper.

"Well, what does it say?" George asked, apparently having recovered from his laughing fit. Dru unfolded the paper and read aloud:

Dru,

Tim and I went back to your apartment to check up on you, but it was trashed! Luckily, Amanti was still here. Girl, what have you gotten yourself into this time? Where are you? Tim and I'll be at my apartment, so come find us when you get this. We're worried about you.

Nell.

"'This time'?" George smirked.

"Shut up!" Dru flushed, refusing to admit to herself just how hot the man looked at the moment. She looked down at the note again, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. "Do you think it was the Death Eaters?" She asked, looking back up at George.

"I don't know." His shit eating grin was still in place. "How many other wizards have you angered lately?" Dru glowered at him, before tearing off a bit of paper at the bottom and pulling a pen out of one of her many coat pockets.

"What should I tell her?" George looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "We should stop by your apartment first. Try and find some clues as to how they knew who you were, let alone found your apartment." Dru nodded, nibbling on the end of her pen.

Nell,

I don't know what's going on. Stay where you are. If these people found me, they might find you. It's not a good idea to tell you anything more through Amanti. I'll see you guys soon.

Dru.

She folded the paper up, and held it to Amanti's eye level. "Take this back to Nell," she told the bird. "Peck her if she tries to leave the apartment." Amanti cooed haughtily as if to say 'I'm no guard dog', but stuck her leg out anyways. Dru tied it on and Amanti was out the window in seconds.

"Nice bird you've got there," a dry voice came from behind. She spun around, having forgotten about her back, and flinched at the unexpected sharp pain. George was next to her in an instant.

"What is it?" He asked, holding her by the shoulders. Dru grimaced and gently removed herself from his hold.

"I think my backs a bit bruised, that's all." A hand placed on the small of her back made her gasp in agony. She whimpered slightly and tried to move away, but George yanked off her trench coat and pulled up the hem of her wife beater.

"Dru, this is a bit more than a bruise," he said quietly. She craned her head around, trying to see the space George was staring at. She could barely see the bloody mess, but it still made her stomach roil. George held up her trench coat, and they could both clearly see the holes and dark blood stains that hadn't been apparent before against the black material.

"I really didn't think it was that bad," she said, surprised. George shook his head and placed the coat over the back of one chair.

"Hold still,"' he ordered. "Mum taught me a bit of healing magic. I think I can patch you up." He waved his wand with a look of concentration and Dru wriggled a bit as her skin itched and stretched to seal the wounds. "There," George declared, sounding pleased. He cast a cleaning charm on her skin and clothes and then handed her the coat. "Do try and be more careful." Dru smiled slightly.

"Thanks," she murmured, tugging on her trench coat. "I don't think that the hospital could've done a better job." George blushed and looked away. Dru grinned at the reaction.

"To your apartment, then?" He asked gruffly. Dru nodded and pulled out her black dogwood wand.

"We'll have to side-along, cause the wards only let in certain people," she told George, sidling up alongside him and wrapping an arm around his waist. She waved her wand and the world twisted, pulling them into the air.

She blinked rapidly, her world righting suddenly. Nell had been right- her apartment was a mess. The furniture had been turned over, and the picture frames were smashed. Books from the book case were strewn all over the floor, and she mourned at the torn pages and bindings. She realized that the side-along had been unnecessary, because her wards had been torn to shreds. George walked around, waving his wand in complex patterns.

"It looks like they traced your magical signature," he said, putting his wand back into his robes. Dru nodded. That would be the most obvious conclusion.

"How did they not find me back at your apartment, then?" She asked. Her Auror training had just begun, so she didn't know much when it came to tracking. George shrugged.

"My guess is that this is just a warning." He walked through the living room, careful not to step on anything, and into the kitchen. "They probably have to regroup. We gave them a pretty bad beati-." Dru looked up sharply from where she had been grimly perusing her remaining collection of unharmed books.

"George? What is it?" She walked quickly into the kitchen. The man was hunched over a note, clenching the edge of the table harshly. She walked up beside him, careful not to step on any broken dishes, and read over the note.

We know about Druid Carney, Weasley. We know all about her, and her friends and family. I imagine she's rather special to you if you fought through a patrol to save her. Unless you want another person you love to die, you will leave us alone.

Dru snorted. "Honestly! We hadn't even met at the time." George unclenched his hand from the table and dropped the note to the table.

"He'll kill you either way," he said lowly. A muscle twitched in his jaw and he spun around, kicking at the broken plates littering the ground. Dru wondered why he was so angry, and then something clicked.

"Who did he kill, George?" She asked softly. George looked down at her, his frustrated expression morphing into one that looked uncomfortably like anguish.

"My twin… And my da," he muttered, smoothing his hair down where his right ear used to be. "His name's Rookwood. He killed my brother during the final battle of the war, and when he escaped from custody, da went after him. His body was sent back to the Ministry." Dru placed a hand on his arm, not saying anything. George smiled bitterly. "I don't want revenge. I just want justice." Dru smiled and squeezed his arm.

"Well, I guess that means I'll just have to help you get it," she told him, releasing his arm and sending an incinerating spell at the offending note. "Don't worry about him trying to kill me. I'm an Auror trainee. We can take care of ourselves." A true smile lit George's face, stunning Dru.

"I'm sure you can," He murmured. Dru shifted uncomfortably.

"'We should probably go check on Nell and Tim," she said, breaking the silence. Georges grin grew at her obvious discomfort.

"Yes," he replied. "We should."

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"DRU!" Nell jumped onto the taller girl and hugged her so hard, she couldn't breathe. "Your nasty Amanti kept pecking us every time we tried to leave," she said sourly, once she had let go of Dru. "And who is this?" She asked, her attention focusing on George- who was admittedly good looking, Dru thought as Nell gave him her best set of flirty eyes.

"You're taken," she told Nell, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the suddenly uncomfortable George. "Where's Tim?" The man in question walked out of the kitchen and smiled at the trio.

"Merlin, he's huge," George leaned down to mutter in her ear. Dru elbowed him in the ribs, but couldn't hide the smile that broke over her face. Nell rolled her eyes at the exchange and flopped down on the couch next to Tim, who had just sat. Dru and George, after a bit of prodding, each took a chair.

"Are you going to tell us what's going on, now?" Nell demanding, her large eyes flashing dangerously. Dru sighed and started out at the beginning, leaving out the more personal parts, reasoning that Nell didn't need to know about Georges misery. About half way through, Nell jumped up and started pacing around.

"Your family is in Australia at the moment, so they're safe enough, but what about you?" She asked angrily. Her eyes darted to George. "This is your fault," she told him. Tim pulled the small woman back down onto the couch.

"It's no one's fault," he said softly. "But I am concerned for Dru's safety as well." George seemed to sink down in his seat under the intense stare of the oddly matched couple. This wasn't something Dru and George had discussed.

"I won't let anything happen to her," he told them, just as Dru said "I don't need looking after!" Nell scowled at Dru.

"You will let him look after you if you are going to be helping him. I don't like this one bit," she informed her friend. Dru sighed. Nell was a forced to be reckoned with when she was determined.

"Fine," Dru ground out. Nell suddenly brightened, and Tim looked vaguely amused.

"Great!" The girl exclaimed. "Now, what can we do to help?"

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The mysterious phoenix will turn up in the next chapter, for those of you wondering. If there is a next chapter, which is entirely up to you! Review, and tell me what you think.