Hi, I'm Official Space Teen and this fic was written for two competitions; 'After the war' and 'Flashbacks'. Hope you like it!

Trigger warning: Death and upsetting themes

It'll be Alright

It's been ten years since it happened. Not a day goes by where I don't miss him. Not only was he my brother, he was also my idol. Coming back to Hogwarts for the ten year anniversary bring back so many memories, so many painful reminiscences that I can't bear to think about. But being here, seeing the place where it happened on this night ten years ago, takes my back to a night of my life I never want to relive.

There was a sharp knock at the door. My mother tensed and my father got to his feet. I was reading in the corner of the living room at the time and looked up nervously from my book. My family had been on edge ever since the attacks on Muggle-Borns. We had heard terrifying stories of whole families being killed by Death Eaters. The one thought on our mind that night was; 'Could we be next?' Unfortunately, the news the awaited us on the other side of the door was much worse than we could have imagined. Calmly, Dad walked up to the door, arming himself with the umbrella stand that stood in the hallway.

"Who is it?" He asked. There were no traces of fear in his words, but I could see terror in his dark brown eyes.

"It is I, Samuel Thorn." A deep voice replied. "I am a messenger from the battle. I come baring news."

Mum looked at me, puzzled, lines of worry in her face. She got up to join Dad, and gestured for me to join them. "Come, Dennis."

I obeyed. Dad reluctantly opened the door, the umbrella stand still at the ready. The open door revealed the sight of a fairly tall man wearing dark green robes. He didn't look like a Death Eater, but he wore the solemn expression of one.

"Is this the residence of the Creevey family?" The messenger inquired.

"Yes…" Mum answered. "Why do you ask? Why are you here?"

Mr. Thorn gave a small pause. "I am sorry to inform you that…" He gave a small sigh. "That at eight o'clock last night, Collin Creevey was killed during the Second Wizarding War."

I couldn't believe the words the man had just uttered. Surly they were a lie, some cruel joke. Mum turned paper-white at the news and dad just stood there, in shock, dropping the umbrella stand.

"What are you talking about?" Mum muttered. "How could this be? He was at a friend's house last night. He will be home shortly…" Her words sounded hollow and dry.

"Miss, Collin Creevey's body was identified on the grounds of Hogwarts. We have reason to believe he snuck into the battle without the knowledge of the Hogwarts professors. He is believed to have been struck with the killing curse at around eight pm. Please come to the grounds the collect the body." The messenger turned to leave but stopped. "I am truly sorry for your loss." He added before dissaperating.

Mum began to cry. Tears fell from her eyes as she lowered herself to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Dad was silent his eyes fixed on where the messenger had stood. I could see pain in his eyes. I didn't really know what to do. I wanted to cry, to kick and scream and shout. I wanted to hide, to leave my despair behind and not look back. The closest thing to this I could do was run. I felt my legs beginning to move and I went with it. I sprinted hard and fast out the open door, through the gate and out onto the road. I kept going down the street. I didn't know where I was going or why I was going there, but I knew I couldn't stay put. Thoughts of Collin ran though my head, memories from when we were young. I remembered the day he got his letter from Hogwarts, the excitement in his eyes. I remembered the day I got my letter, the pride in his eyes. I thought about how young he was at the age of death, how I would out-live him. How he would never grow any older then sixteen. I tried to outrun my sadness but it caught up to me. Hot tears began to fill my eyes and they stung. I was overwhelmed with despair. I felt trapped and helpless, like the world could just take those I held most dear without warning. I don't know how long I ran for, but at some point I stop, near a clearing far from my home. Exhausted and confused I knelt in the long grass of the reserve. The emotional pain filled me up so much that I couldn't bare it. I pounded my fits against the hard ground, welcoming the physical agony that the notion brought. But I just couldn't shake the sorrow. I began to yell and scream with all my might, but I felt like no-one could hear me. I yelled until my voice went rasp and pounded the soil until my hands were with numb with pain. And then I just wept. I wept for my brother, my hero, my idol. I don't recall at which point Mum and Dad found me but when they did, they just knelt down with me. Mum hugged me tight and Dad put his arms around my shaking shoulders. We sat there, in silence until the tears dried up and the pain in my hands had faded. I remember my Mom whispering softly in my ear; "I know it hurts now, Dennis. But one day, and don't know when, it'll be alright."

I'm brought back to the present by a pulling at my trousers. I look down to see Collin Jr. staring at me with big, brown eyes.

"Is Daddy alright?" He asks sweetly.

I nod, looking up to see we are standing in the Great Hall; all wands around me are raised, in honour of those who died in the war. "I'm alright, Collin." I mutter, point my lit wand to the roof. "It'll be alright."