The Death Toll

Never was there a more morbid air about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

People were hugging, crying, glad it was finally over. Everyone was jumbled in that one room and most were too tired to deal with the dead for now. But, they knew, someone would eventually have the terrible task of identifying the dead. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone off somewhere to recover, leaving the identifications and burials to Luna, Ginny, Dean, Neville, and the other members of the DA.

The members of the DA paired up and were givenna sheet to write down the names of the fallen and were assigned an area of the great hall. All of the Death Eaters and Voldemort were in a classroom down the hall, away from the other bodies, and the remaining members of The Order of the Phoenix offered to handle that room.

Seamus Finnigan and Katie Bell had the north-eastern corner of the hall. Katie was recording.

"Elizabeth Monroe, Ravenclaw." Seamus said, his voice emotionless.

"Faith Shacklebolt, Hufflepuff."

A cry came from across the room. George had found his twin.

"Adam Bennet, Gryffindor."

"Ryan Gordon, Hufflepuff."

"Dana Gifford, Gryffindor."

"Jackson McMillian, Ravenclaw," Katie whimpered. Jackson had been like her little brother, their parents were old friends.

"Colin Lewis, Gryffindor."

The pair came across two girls with identical features, identical blond ponytails, and identical determined looks on their cold faces. They were still tightly clutching their wands. The only thing that was not identical about them was the colour of their robes. "Rachel Williamson, Gryffindor. Lydia Williamson, Slytherin." Seamus` voice quavered a bit, and he couldn't bring himself to look at the girl he had befriended all those years ago, and her sister who, in death, looked peaceful for once.

This was too much for Katie. The tragic irony was too much. Between the twins, Fred, Jackson, and the countless others, Katie had reached her long overdue limit. She broke out in tears. The quill dropped out of her hands.

Seamus hugged Katie. He didn't need to say anything. He understood. Rachel had been one of his best friends.

Seamus looked at Rachel, the same as she had always been, loyal to the end. Her necklace she had made with her Dumbledore`s Army coin was still around her neck. Then, Seamus saw something out of the corner of his eye. A golden chain was also around Lydia`s neck. But hadn't she….Didn't she…?

Katie noticed it too. She knelt down hesitantly examined the Slytherin girl`s necklace. It was identical to her sister`s necklace.

"She…she did keep it after all. She kept her promise. That`s why she came back, she was one of us!" Katie gasped, her voice just above a whisper.

Katie thought of Ernie Macmillan, across the Great Hall, identifying corpses when his own brother lied among the dead.

Seamus was still staring at the twins, tears in his eyes. "I thought they hated each other. I haven't seen them peacefully together since…." He paused, thoughtfully. "Since about the Hogwarts Express, first year. The first time I met Rae and Lydia."