Dennis Creevey pulled on his brother's arm. "C'mon Colin, we got to go." Colin looked around the Great Hall, his eyes ...falling on face after face that were all set in the determined way that meant that they knew what their odds were, but that they would still fight nonetheless. Colin felt his own face match theirs. He looked at his brother and best friend and shook his head. Hogwarts needed fighters, and Colin would be one of them.
Dennis blanched for a second before gritting his teeth and balling his hands up so tightly, his knuckles turned white. "Then I'm staying too."
Colin's face lost its color and he rapidly shook his head. "No, Dennis! You can't. You aren't even of age yet!" He pushed his brother to follow the other underage Gryffindors, but he stood his ground.
"Neither are you, Colin!" Dennis pushed his brother back and they both reached for their pocketed wands simultaneously. The glared at each other for a second before Colin broke it, looking away and frowning. "You have to go, Dennis."
"Why, huh? What if I want to help Harry? What if I want to fight for wizard-kind? What if I don't want to leave YOU?" Dennis said loudly, not quite yelling, but not in normal tones either.
They were both quiet for a moment, Dennis fuming, Colin thinking. Then Colin looked at his brother with tears in his eyes and two rolling down his cheeks like two pioneers of the twin river that were sure to follow. "Please Dennis," he said brokenly. "You're only fourteen. What if I die tonight? And what if you stay and die too? Imagine what that'll do to Mum and Dad, how broken they'll become." Colin took a deep breath, obviously trying to regain his composure. "You have to go. For them." He said hoarsely.
Dennis looked at his brother for a moment before throwing his arms around his brother and holding him like Colin was a life vest and Dennis was stranded in the Pacific. Colin hugged him back, knowing very well that it could be the last time he held his breath, but hoping against it. "You take care of them if I don't come back." Colin said into his brother's mousy brown hair. Dennis pulled back and nodded, tears on his cheeks as well. He stepped away from Colin and walked to the door that would lead him to a whole different world than the one his brother was entering. Before exiting the Great Hall, he turned around and looked at Colin still standing at the Gryffindor table.
"Promise you'll come back to Mum and Dad!" He yelled loud enough for everyone in the Hall to hear.
Fresh tears pricked Colin's eyes and he shook his head. "I promise!" He yelled back.
"Now promise you'll come back to me." Dennis's voice came out broken and utterly terrified.
Colin felt like he had been kicked in the chest but he managed a smile for his little brother, his best friend, his partner for everything. "I promise that I will come back to you, Dennis!"
He never did.