A/N : BEAR WITH ME PEEPS, I should've thought of a better title. This is the 2nd to the last chapter until we arrive at Deathly Hallows *sheds tear*
Have fun with this VERY long chapter ifykyk ;)
As it seemed, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry wasn't meant to remain in peace, as many feared. On one occasion, Sirius had heard that Harry had received a box of chocolates from a girl named Romilda Vane. Although Hermione had warned him that she was planning on slipping him some Love Potion, an oblivious Ron found all the chocolates and ate them all, finding himself madly in love with a girl he barely knew.
And the two boys hoped that Horace Slughorn (who was the current and my former Potions teacher) could brew an antidote to cure Ron of his confounded state. He managed to save him, but the young Weasley got poisoned by a fatal and strong poison after offering him and Harry a drink. But he was luckily saved by the latter.
But despite all the mishaps happening, love and happiness were always found in the darkest of moments. After winning the Quidditch House Cup, Harry and Ginny became a couple, news that all of us were so rejoiced to hear. Sirius broke into emotional hysterics, saying that the new couple greatly reminded him of Harry's parents. Even Hermione and Ron had gone back to being friends after a certain problem.
The school year was nearing its end, which also meant that the students were also preparing for their examinations.
Three months after Hope was born, I returned to my Auror training and was to graduate by the second week of July to become an official one.
For a moment, everything seemed to be perfect despite we were still in the midst of the war.
That was until the thirtieth of June.
Members of the Order we're assigned to patrol a different part of the castle. Mcgonagall and Flitwick had gone off toward the dungeons, Bill to the direction of the Astronomy Tower, and Tonks and Remus were assigned together.
Both Sirius and I were leaving for the west side of the school, watching the empty and quiet corridors, as the students had returned to their respective common rooms, our wands gripped tightly in our hands.
"You look different." I commented, glancing sideways at a yawning Sirius, who burst into laughter.
"What? Older for my age? Or more handsome?"
he said teasingly, smoothing his hair like a
handsome celebrity, I chuckled and nudged his shoulder playfully.
"Come on, spill the beans, what's the secret to looking handsome and young?" I smirked, clutching my leather jacket tighter to my body.
He grinned. "My secret to staying young? Starts with the letter s and ends with the letter x –"
"OK! Shut up!" I exclaimed in disgust, flinging my arms up in the air and he laughed again.
"As if you and Moony didn't do that one October night in his cottage, New Year of '96, your wedding night, and your honeymoon!" Sirius said sarcastically, my whole face turning scarlet.
"Wait- how come you know about the New Year incident –" I asked, perplexed and my eyes widened.
"Oh, heard the whole thing, you two forgot to silent proof the room, poor Moony didn't really put a silencing charm." he stuck his tongue out and I smacked his arm.
We went on for hours, strolling the castle grounds and patrolling the corridors to make sure that everything was in order and nothing bad would happen. I was growing sleepy and my legs were hurting from all the walking.
"That's it. I'm going back to report this to Dumbledore, my legs aren't bloody working anymore!" I said, heaving a loud sigh.
"Me too, this time we make Albus do this —"
Sirius stated, but he never got to finish his sentence because, at that moment, a loud crash came from outside the castle, followed by a scream.
"God almighty..." I muttered in a terrified whisper when I saw the Dark Mark hanging in the sky, above the Astronomy Tower.
This wasn't good.
"Death Eaters! Death Eaters in the castle!"
"Minerva, this way!" the pale voice of Tonks shouted, from somewhere.
Before I could even make a move, Sirius immediately sprinted out of the corridor as fast as he could, I yelled his name and followed suit but he didn't seem to hear.
I had to get to him and help him – I couldn't bear to lose him again if I didn't hurry. My breath was beginning to pick up as my legs darted faster. There were more than a dozen Death Eaters and not even half the amount from our side.
Most of us were experienced in dueling, Tonks was one of the top Aurors and I received lots of training from Mad-Eye Moody himself. But it was practically impossible to get the upper hand.
My eyes were forming with tears of worry as I hurried down the hallways. I was running so quickly that I must've sprained my ankle, but I didn't care. I nearly fell over but managed to stop myself before I could.
My eyes grew wide and almost screamed at the most despicable sight I had ever seen in my life.
Two figures sprawled on the floor.
One unconscious – but I couldn't see their face properly.
The other figure seemed to be feeding off the lifeless body, blood dripping from his chin and onto the floor.
"NO!" I screamed, aiming my wand at the flesh-eating figure, and thought of the spell that immediately popped into my head. "STUPEFY!"
My state of shock made the spell barely effective.
It didn't do much apart from sending the figure thrown a few feet away from the bloodied body.
I observed the unconscious person lying on the floor with a pool of blood and I let out a dry sob.
Tall lanky body, long red hair, freckles, and ear piercings – Bill Weasley.
He couldn't be dead. Please, don't let him die.
The first thought in my mind was to dash to his side, shielding him from battle and trying to see what I can do to save him, choked sobs coming from me.
"Well, well, aren't you a beauty." the figure who attacked Bill snarled.
I looked up and saw the figure more clearly, and though his face was splattered with blood, I recognized the person's face, or rather – monster – standing in front of me.
I've seen him in papers and heard his name over a million times, yet he was more terrifying than I imagined, more terrifying than the monsters told in children's stories.
Fenrir Greyback was slowly walking toward me, his body was tall and stocky, his face and hair were graying, and his eyes were huge and navy.
The description of him from every person that I met was worse, there was no trace of humanity left in him as his eyes were desperate and craving for blood, no mercy at all. He was panting slightly from the impact that my spell had caused but seemed completely unharmed.
"Well, well, if it isn't Sirius Black's sister." he snarled, his grin flashing his sharp teeth.
My whole body was paralyzed with shock, not able to stand up as beads of sweat trickled down my forehead and I attempted to jerk away.
"Y-you're the reason why he has to suffer." I said dangerously, glaring at him with all the remaining courage I had. He laughed malevolently, his fingernails dripping with Bill's blood.
"Oh that husband of yours, such a perfect match you two make. An oblivious, childish fool marries a blood traitor and a disgrace to your family name, I'm sure Mummy wouldn't be so happy." he said tauntingly.
Before I could react, he grabbed ahold of my throat and raised me to the air, my hands trying their best to break free from his strong grip.
"But in fact, you still have one last chance of redemption, join the Dark Lord's side, bring back honor to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, unlike your two useless brothers." he growled, his breath drew nearer and nearer to the side of my neck, as I closed my eyes.
However, just as I was ready to feel any sort of pain, a roaring voice boomed from the end of the corridor.
"GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF MY WIFE, YOU FOUL, LOATHSOME, EVIL, HAIRY-OLD PSYCHOPATH- REDUCTO!"
The werewolf seemed to have barely realized what had happened at that moment when he was blasted backward, high into the air and hitting the wall behind with a very loud crash. I finally broke free from his grasp and fell to the floor, coughing for air.
"Remus..." I breathed in complete relief, still paralyzed in my spot.
I could barely breathe when I felt his arms envelop me into a bone-crushing embrace. I hugged him back and I could hear pounding loudly in his chest.
"Oh thank God," he croaked, planting a frustrated kiss on my lips that I reciprocated. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? What did Greyback do to you-?"
"Remus, I'm fine, I'm alright!" I gasped, scrambling out of his hug. "But Bill isn't! Over there!"
I pointed a trembling finger over his shoulder as he spun around quickly.
His eyes flew wide at the sight of Bill's body and immediately rushed to him, his hand grabbing Bill's wrist to check his pulse. His clothes were now stained in the pool of crimson red.
"He's still alive, but his pulse is weak," he breathed, then looked back at me. "Darling, go! Help the others, I'll take care of Bill!"
I had successfully killed one of the Death Eaters. But before I can even finish off the next one, they all escaped with the others. When I had finally found Sirius, we thought we had both seen Bellatrix among them. He wanted her dead, but before he could make sure of that, she was gone too.
"Where are the others –" Sirius breathed shakily, but his question was cut off when we caught the sight of a mass crowd, gathered around the foot of the tallest tower, and someone was laying there on the grass.
My heart was pounding as my mind flashed horrible visions of any close acquaintance, friend, relative or worse, Remus' dead body but I tried pushing those bad thoughts to the back of my head.
Sirius grabbed my hand instantly and both of us moved forward slowly to see what was going on. And at that moment, I felt my whole body freeze. Dumbledore, in the middle of the crowd, laying on the ground without any signs of life, his signature gentle smile was nowhere to be found, and his blue eyes were closed, never to open again.
Rebueus Hagrid was sobbing loudly, and crouching down beside the fallen Headmaster's body was Harry. I felt like my lungs had stopped working, I couldn't believe it, and I felt a single tear roll down my cheek at the sight.
Ginny came forward and knelt next to Harry, throwing an arm of solace around him, although she herself looked pale and shocked after the battle.
"C'mere, Harry..." Hagrid sobbed.
"No." I heard Harry let out a small sob.
"Yeh can' stay here, Harry... Come on, now..."
But the young boy wouldn't let go of Dumbledore's body, not wanting to go anywhere and leave his side. Sirius immediately rushed to Harry, pulling him into a tight and comforting embrace as he too, cried softly.
"We're going to the Hospital Wing." Ginny whispered, pulling Harry upward.
"I'm not hurt." Harry said, a bit bitterly.
"It's McGonagall's orders," said Ginny. "Everyone's up there, Ron and Hermione everyone —"
"Come on, Prongslet." Sirius sniffed, helping Harry get back on his feet.
When we all reached the hospital wing, everyone was there. Ana was sitting on one of the beds, Madam Pomfrey tending to her injured arm which was wrapped with thick layers of bandages as she winced in pain.
Sirius rushed to her side, sweat dripping from his face along with worry. "What happened? A-are you hurt... who did this –"
"Calm down, Black, I just- broke my arm," she mumbled. "I was dueling Antonin when he made the wall behind me explode, I would've been dead by now if it weren't for the Longbottoms' son. But I'm alright, Poppy says it'll take a few weeks to heal."
Sirius then looked at Neville, who seemed fast asleep on another bed. Then, he smiled.
"He really is Frank and Alice's boy." he laughed.
"The next time I see that brother of yours, I'll strangle that son of a donkey until he dies" Sirius growled under his breath, Ana patting his shoulder to reprimand him and calm him down.
I looked over Hermione's shoulder and saw an unrecognizable face lying on Bill's pillow, so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque. Madam Pomfrey was dabbing at his wounds with some harsh-smelling green ointment.
"No charm will work on these," said Madam Pomfrey. "I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites."
"Bill won't be a true werewolf," said Remus, sighing. "But that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and – and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on."
My hand found its way to my chest, where I had received the same scars three years ago.
"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said all of a sudden. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state –"
"Ron – Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.
"No!" Remus looked wildly from Ginny to Harry, collapsing into my arms, his breath becoming unsteady.
"He is," Sirius said quietly, Ana looking at him with wide eyes, completely in disbelief. "Selene and I... saw him, he's gone."
"How did he die?" whispered Tonks.
"Snape killed him," said Harry. "I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was ... Dumbledore was ill, he was weak."
Sirius ran his hand through his hair, cursing under his breath.
"He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak – and then Malfoy came through the door and Disarmed him –" Harry continued.
Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth, and Ron groaned. Luna Lovegood's mouth trembled.
"– more Death Eaters arrived – and then Snape – and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra." Harry couldn't go on.
"That foul, good-for-nothing twat," Sirius grumbled. "I knew all along – there's no way he could've switched sides. He was a Death Eater all along."
"Snape was a highly accomplished Occlumens," said Remus, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. "We always knew that."
"But Dumbledore swore he was on our side!" whispered Tonks. "I always thought Dumbledore must know something about Snape that we didn't ..."
"I'd love to know what Snape told him to convince him." I said spitefully.
"I know," said Harry, and we all turned to stare at him. "Snape passed Voldemort the information that made Voldemort hunt down my family. Then Snape told Dumbledore he hadn't realized what he was doing, he was really sorry he'd done it, sorry that they were dead."
"And Dumbledore believed that?" said Remus incredulously. "Dumbledore believed Snape was sorry James was dead? Snape hated James ..."
"And he didn't think Lily was worth a damn, either,' said Sirius, anger burning in his veins "Because she was Muggle-born ... 'Mudblood', he called her ... remember? During fifth year?"
After many moments of lamentation and silence, the doors of the hospital wing burst open, Mr and Mrs. Weasley were striding up the ward, Fleur just behind them, her beautiful face terrified.
"Molly – Arthur –" said Professor McGonagall, jumping up and hurrying to greet them. "I am so sorry –"
"Bill," whispered Mrs. Weasley, darting past Professor McGonagall as she caught sight of Bill's mangled face. "Oh, Bill!"
"You said Greyback attacked him?" Arthur asked Professor McGonagall distractedly. "But he hadn't transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?"
"There will probably be some contamination, Arthur," said Remus. "It is an odd case, possibly unique ... we don't know what his behavior might be like when he wakes up ..."
Mrs. Weasley took the nasty-smelling ointment from Madam Pomfrey and began dabbing at Bill's wounds.
"And Dumbledore ..." said Arthur. "Minerva, is it true ... is he really ...?"
Professor McGonagall slowly nodded.
"Dumbledore gone," he said in shock.
Mrs. Weasley was sobbing. "Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks ... it's not r – really important ... but he was a very handsome little b – boy ... always very handsome ... and he was g – going to be married!"
"And what do you mean by zat?" said Fleur suddenly and loudly, causing all of us to turn to her with surprise. "What do you mean, 'e was
going to be married?"
"Well – only that –"
"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me any more?" demanded Fleur. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me? Because 'e will!" Fleur drew herself up to her full height and throwing back her long mane of silver hair.
"It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill from loving me!"
"Well, yes, I'm sure," said Mrs. Weasley. "But I thought perhaps – given how – how he –"
"You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per'aps, you 'oped?' said Fleur, her nostrils flaring. "What do I care how 'e looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" she added fiercely, pushing Mrs. Weasley aside and snatching the ointment from her.
The four of us just fell silent at the scenario.
"Our Great Auntie Muriel," said Molly after a long pause. "Has a very beautiful tiara – goblin--made – which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."
"Thank you," said Fleur stiffly. "I am sure zat will be lovely."
To mine and everyone else's surprise, Fleur accepted Molly's embrace, flinging herself into her arms and crying over her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, sobbing as well and gently patting Fleur's head.
I was completely bewildered. Had the world gone mad? I turned around.
Remus was looking as stunned as I was, Sirius raised his eyebrows with a blank face, and Ana looked a bit sympathetic and caressed her broken arm.
"Sounds like the wedding's continued, eh?" Sirius attempted to joke, nudging my arm, but he cleared his throat and went silent again in embarrassment.
Mcgonagall approached us four with a small smile and with a curtly voice she said. "Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world."
With that, we blushed at the same time.
A/N : I'm not an expert at writing action scenes, so let's pretend this chapter wasn't a messy one :)
Anyways, I've spent the entire week planning Deathly Hallows events- the last chapter of Half-Blood Prince will come next !!
Stay tuned and stay healthy besties ^^
- jxlvpin