AN: For the Fifty Ways to Say Goodbye Challenge (1/50) and the Opposite Day Challenge.
"Justin? Has anyone seen Justin?" Ernie calls when the battle comes to a halt.
The grim expressions they wear aren't good. Ernie swallows dryly, forcing himself to wear a brave face. "Come on. Where are you lot hiding him?" he laughs, but the sound is choked, like someone has his neck caught in a vice. "He was fighting the dopey one before... Come on. Where is he?"
Susan is the first to speak. Tears fall from her eyes the moment her mouth opens. "He...Oh, God, Ernie, he-"
Ernie shakes his head. He knows what's coming. You don't get that upset if someone has just decided to take a breather. "Where is he?"
Hannah rests a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I stumbled, and he tried to help me. Then... Ernie, I'm sorry."
She, too, dissolves into tears.
Without a word, he takes off running, bumping into others as he goes. He doesn't apologize. To hell with them and their own grief. He has to know, has to see it for himself.
Ernie skids to a stop where the line of bodies begin. Taking a deep breath that fails to steady him, he starts to search.
Not Justin. Not Justin.
Maybe they're mistaken. Maybe he'd just been stunned. The more bodies Ernie sees that aren't his lover, the more he starts to believe.
"That's it," he tells himself in shaky tones. "He's not here. He's out there, probably catching up to Hannah now. He's okay."
And he continues reassuring himself as he walks on, sparing a glance just quick enough to confirm that it's not Justin at his feet.
"Bet they'll feel silly when he shows up."
But then he stops, and it feels like someone has pressed a block of ice to his spine. He's cold. Every inch of him is frozen in shocked denial.
"No..."
Justin doesn't look as peaceful as some of the others. There's no thoughts of how he could be sleeping.
"Justin..."
His face is frozen in his final expression of concern and a touch of fear. He'd tried to save Hannah, and he'd paid the price for his heroism.
Ernie kneels beside him, scooping him into his arms, tears spilling out onto unfeeling flesh. It's almost like their second year, but now Ernie has no glimmer of hope that a potion will come along and bring Justin back.
"Please..." Ernie croaks weakly, wrapping his arms tighter around Justin like he can bring him back if he holds on long enough.
Ernie doesn't know how long he holds Justin. It feels like only seconds, but it has to be longer because Susan appears at his side, whispering something about the battle starting again.
"If you want to stay here, I understand," she says softly. "I know it's hard."
Ernie shakes his head, laying Justin's body down again and kissing his forehead with trembling lips. "Goodbye," he whispers. "I love you."
Then he climbs to his feet, wand at the ready. He will fight, of course. That's always been the plan. But now, he will fight for his fallen love.