RP: Do you know where Shell Cottage is? When: March 2, 2000 Who: Gabrielle, George – eventually Bill and Fleur? Possibly other Weasleys? Where: Knockturn Alley (later Shell Cottage or the Burrow) Private/Public: Private Rating: Adult (subject matter) Warnings: Teenage prostitution, possible violence Summary: George finds Gabi living on the streets of London after having been missing for nearly a month. He brings her to Bill and Fleur. (This will be tagged in next week, but we wanted to get it up now so that we can play at what happens next before then).
Gabrielle curled further up into the corner she was sitting in, trying to make herself invisible and pulling the worn cloak tighter around her hair to keep it from catching attention. The men coming out of the pub didn't look very friendly, and they were many. They shouted after a woman walking down the street, one of them made an obscene gesture Gabrielle only too well knew what it meant.
She shuddered, hugging teddy closer as they walked past her, not breathing until they'd staggered out of the alley and into another street. Then she let the cloak fall from her head, leaning her head back against the cool wall of the house.
'It's all right, Edgard,' she told the worn smelly teddy bear in French. One of the few possessions she could not bring herself to get rid of. 'They're gone now. It's safe to sleep.'
Sleep. It had been easier in her bed at home, or even at school, but she didn't dare to go back home. Probably couldn't even if she tried as she didn't know how. Even if she did find a way home they'd only send her back to school and Professor Malheur. To be his whore. The thought made her want to throw up, but she knew it was no use. Who would believe her? The Veela. The slut. The trouble maker. At least now she got something out of the deal, be it alcohol or a meal or some place to sleep for a night. Besides, what good was school anyway for someone as stupid as she was?
She shuddered in the chill of the early spring night. 'One day, Edgard,' she whispered quietly, making sure she wasn't heard. 'One day soon we'll find Shell Cottage. Fleur is there, she will help us, she will save us, we can even meet 'Arry Potter there, he knows Fleur and her husband Bill.' She closed her eyes, wishing it to be true, trying to imagine her sister, with the handsome husband in the places she'd seen in the pictures her mother had shown her over Christmas. She'd only met Bill once, but he seemed nice, then again he was also a man, but perhaps he was not so horrible? Then again, she'd known enough men to know looks were deceiving and marriage was not a deterrent. The man yesterday had been married, though he had not been handsome. Fat on the other hand. His wife had been out of town for a couple of days, the kids away at Hogwarts – and he had decided to have some fun.
Not that it mattered; she'd gotten a bed to sleep in and a hot shower. It was better than sleeping here, safer, well at least with him it had been safer, some were violent. She didn't like the violent ones. Once it had been days before she was pretty again. Another noise from the pub caught her attention and she curled up again, pulling the cloak back up to hide her hair. She didn't have the energy tonight, she just wanted to sleep and be left alone. She hugged the teddy bear tighter as she once more tried to disappear into the shadows of the wall, hoping the drunk man staggering out into the street wouldn't see her.