Title: Avenging Angel
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Gabrielle Delacour
Warnings: Non-canonical death
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 723
Summary: Gabrielle sees her heroine die.
Notes: In this AU, the war happened when Gabrielle was seventeen (I'm not sure how old she would have been in canon, but I'm sure it was younger than seventeen).
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: New Year Zodiac Writing Challenge: Spring: Alt, Write about someone from the Delacour family (except for Fleur).
Big Damn Prompt Race Competition: 14. Character- Gabrielle Delacour
The Ultimate Patronus Quest Competition: Special Class H - Magical & Mystica Characters - 18. Thestral: Write about someone witnessing the death of a loved one
Gabrielle fell to the ground with a wince as a masked figured stood above her, a wand trained at the young blonde.
As she groped for her wand and realized she dropped it somewhere when she was hit by the curse, Gabrielle thought about what had brought her to this very moment.
She had wanted to come to Britain and fight in the war. Her mother had tried to stop her; she said Gabrielle was far too young for battle.
Gabrielle stood fierce and determined, though. "Mama, I'm seventeen. Legally, I am allowed to do what I want."
"It's not our battle!" Apolline Delacour desperately cried.
"Fleur is in Britain. That makes it my battle," Gabrielle retorted. Her voice softened when she continued, "Mama, I know you're scared for me, but Fleur and I have always stood side-by-side. We've always faced everything together. And I can't turn my back on her and her new family when they're fighting for their lives and freedom."
"I'm sure Fleur doesn't want you there," Apolline tried in a last ditch effort.
Gabrielle nodded sadly. "I agree. She doesn't, but I told her the same thing I'm telling you. In the eyes of the law, I'm an adult, and I can make my own decisions. And I'm choosing to go Britain and help with the war effort."
"What if you don't come home?" Apolline tearfully asked.
And Gabrielle knew her mama wasn't asking about what if she decided to stay in Britain because she loved it so much. "Then know I died fighting for a cause I believe in, that I died as a heroine."
Apolline grabbed her in a fierce embrace. "Be careful, my darling Gabby."
"Always," Gabrielle whispered.
It sounded so final, but Gabrielle knew, despite her parents and sister's wishes, she belonged in Britain fighting. It was the place her heart was tugging her towards.
And now here she was. Staring at the end of a wand held by what she knew was probably a viscous killer behind the terrifying mask.
She wasn't scared, though. She took a deep breath and with an unflinching gaze, she waited for the inevitable.
"Avada—"
He was interrupted by a curse sent his way, and then Fleur was in front of Gabrielle, fighting her would-be murderer. The younger Delacour watched transfixed as her older sister moved as gracefully as she danced. And then she remembered she still had a missing wand. She searched the grounds for the familiar stick.
She found it a few feet away and picked it up. She turned around to assist her sister in the fight just as the Death Eater sent the Cutting Curse at Fleur..
Gabrielle watched as it slashed Fleur's neck. And Fleur, with a wordless cry, went down as blood gurgled out of her mouth, staining her pale lips a hideous shade of red.
The younger Delacour fell to her knees and shook her head back and forth. It couldn't be. Fleur couldn't be gone. She was too intelligent, too skilled, too strong.
The Death Eater turned back towards her, and Gabrielle felt a wave of determination wash over her at the face of Fleur's sacrifice. "You killed my sister!" she yelled.
The Death Eater chuckled darkly. "Don't worry. You'll see you precious sister very soon," he promised. His wand wasn't even raised in a defensive manner; he didn't see her as much of a threat.
And why should he? He took down Fleur and she was the older one, the one with more magical experience.
He underestimating her would be his downfall.
Gabrielle clutched her wand in a tight grasp. "Maybe," she conceded, "But if I die, I'm taking you with me."
"How cute. You actually think you're a match for me," the Death Eater patronized.
She looked at where Fleur's body laid and did her best to stop the tears that wanted to fall. There would be time to grieve later, but right now, she had a heroine to avenge. Not only for herself, but for her mama and papa, as well as Bill and everyone else that loved the beautiful, vivacious woman that Fleur had been.
"You're going down," Gabrielle vowed as she raised her wand. No matter what happened, the man who stole her sister's life wouldn't live to see tomorrow. She'd make sure of across.