Prelude to the End by Eve-the-Charlotte
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Pairings: Hinted Bill/Charlie; mentions Bill/Fleur.
Inspiration: The Killers, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Linkin Park.
Warning: Character death.
*Eight*
Paris was beautiful at the moment, especially with the view of the Seine. Charlie Weasley, citizen of Great Britain and resident of Romania, was currently sitting in a small, quaint café overlooking the beautiful, beautiful Seine River, which was alit with the lumination from the street lamps. However, the river was not the reason Charlie was here, and the reason Charlie was here was much more beautiful than any body of water, and so much more heart-wrenching and heart-breaking.
William Arthur Weasley, most often called Bill rather than William, was approaching Charlie with tears streaming down his face and eyes that looked so completely dead. Bill Weasley sat down and Charlie reached over and covered Bill's ungloved hands with his gloved ones. The gloves Charlie wore were a present from Bill and his wife for Charlie's birthday and were made of the finest dragon-hide in all of France. And now Bill's wife was dead, and the gloves were an insignificant, yet painful reminder of her.
Bill leaned over the table with his tall, thin lankiness and wrapped his arms around Charlie and sobbed like a small child. And Charlie let him, for even though he could never in an eternity understand what it would be like to lose a dear wife, he could sense his elder brother's pain acutely and that, in turn, made Charlie's heart and soul break apart and down.
After a moment, or perhaps forever, Bill loosened his grip, and Charlie pushed him away softly, quietly. They then began to speak about many things, about Bill's newborn daughter, about where Harry, Hermione, and beloved ickle Ronnie might be, and just about how the war might spread to the continent, from the land the two had left behind some time ago. The baby, named Victaire, would be left in Romania with an American couple who worked with Charlie on the range for the time being. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were alright wherever they were, because they had to be. The war would not spread to the continent, not as long as both Bill and Charlie had a breath left.
They then ate dinner.
After that, the two walked home to Bill's old house, which the older would soon sell so he could move to Romania with Charlie. Victaire was over at her mother's parents' home in the countryside, so she was safe though she was not present. The two men simply stayed in the living room, on the couch, that night, for ghosts could not haunt them there, not with the both of them.
The morning sun came far too soon for either of their tastes, yet they both awoke and started the day regardless. Bill made tea while Charlie made the toast and the two both ate their breakfast in complete silence. Afterwards, they showered and put on fresh clothes. Bill was to depart to the countryside mansion to pick up Victaire, and Charlie was to pick up more supplies in Romania. They were to meet up at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, to figure out what to do next.
Before the two men departed, the younger kissed his brother on the cheek. The elder kissed the younger on the lips, soft and chaste. The two then breathed out the words that would keep them strong even in their hours of darkness and utter helplessness:
"Until the end, love."
*Eight*
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