It was finally time. The war was surging in England, and it was time for the Americans to join. After all, it was the whole world that Voldemort looked to conquer, not just a single continent. The riders had left twelve and a half hours earlier, which meant that at any minute, my boss would be calling myself and the remaining few members to help with the fight any minute now via Patronus.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
"Aria! Jeff just sent his Patronus! It's time!" Leo called from behind me. I turned from the window I was staring out of and walked to him. He placed his hand on my shoulder and a flash of hesitation passed by his eyes. "Ready?" I nodded. I felt the familiar pull below my naval as we apparated from the Dragon Hatchery to Hogwarts.
When we came to a stop, I opened my eyes, not having noticed when I had closed them in the first place and sighed in relief. I looked around, but saw rubble. No enemies, no bodies, not even a student or teacher in sight. Wasn't this courtyard the main entrance to the school?
Where was everyone?
Pieces snapped together in my mind.
I was wondering why it took twelve and a half hours to fly to Scotland, even if it was from Virginia.
Leo wasn't hesitant to take me; he was hesitant to keep up the charade.
I saw red.
I embraced the anger, fully aware that it was the only thing keeping me from crying, from buckling down in defeat at my own stupidity and sobbing. I ground my teeth together and ran toward the large doors, flicking my wrist to open them. The one place I had forever wanted to visit, with its legendary beauty and I couldn't see anything but red.
I stalked into the Great Hall. My magic crackled around me. I caught sight of the one person I was looking for, speaking with a much older witch, and walked as darkly as I could. My anger was so much that I barley registered the bodies that littered the Hall, the cries of those who had lost a loved one.
Ones who an extra wand may have prevented their death.
I knew I was getting odd looks, some confused and some, those close enough to feel the magic sparking around me, terrified. Once I deemed it close enough, I attacked. "Jeffery!"
"Ah, hello Ari! May I intro—" I suppose being punched in the face would cut off your sentence. Unfortunately, before I could tackle him further and show him just how much fury I could possess, others on our team (Chris and Patrick, I think), grabbed my arms and held me back. I knew fighting was futile. I may be muscled for a girl, my whole 140 pound stature filled with muscle, but these guys were ginormous.
That didn't stop me from lashing out.
"Told you she'd take it well," Chris dryly laughed, sounding frustrated.
"You bastard! What the hell?! I'm not a child, I can fight, too, you know! What right do you have for tricking me into not fighting!?" I screamed.
"Calm down Aria. It's not as bad as you think. It wasn't much fun anyways, just so you are aware. And I'm your boss so I have every right!"
"This wasn't about my job! This wasn't about you! I had every right to fight against Voldemort! I've lost so much to him, and you think I care about my job being on the line?! You don't get it!"
"No, I get it! Everyone gts it! You're not the only one who's suffered! Get over yourself!"
"You have no right to speak to me that way! And everyone else has but you've gotten off easy! Since when has my business concerned you so much?!"
He snapped. "Since you went and got yourself knocked up by that Weasley!"
…ouch, that hurt. It made me feel like I had been slapped…so that's what I did.
I turned on my heel and began to stalk out of the hall, leaving his stinging, red cheek behind me. I felt what little dignity I had kept through my outburst (because let's be honest, he was right) leaving me as I glanced around at all the looks I was receiving. When my eye caught red hair, my heart just about stopped.
I was a fool to think he would've not been here. His brother is the best friend of the stinkin' Chosen One! Of course he would be here… I avoided looking in that direction. I knew what I would see there. Rejection and hatred from him, disgust from his family. It's what I saw all the time in America. Salem was notorious for it.
Once I was outside I took a deep breath, trying to relax my nerves, although it could have just as easily been the hormones I was attempting to calm. I looked around, and saw some of the dragons lying at the edge of the courtyard. I slowly approached them, allowing them to sniff me before they relaxed and let me near them. I found my personal favorite, a male Welsh Green hybrid (with what, we weren't sure) who had a tinge of blue to his hide. I sat down right next to him and curled into his side.
I had always had a great bond with magical creatures, but ever since I'd become pregnant, you'd think I was one of their mates.
My solitude was cut short by an all-too-familiar voice shouting from somewhere to my left and behind me, coming from the castle entrance and getting closer, "Aria!? Please, I want to talk! Ria!"
He used my nickname.
Why, why did he have to use my nickname? The one only he used?
I took a steadying breath, but refused to turn around. I wasn't really hidden; only from the right angle was I unnoticeable, especially if he didn't look over here. However, luck was not on my side and the next time I hear him was from right behind me. 'Ria?" he whispered. I sniffled, but refused to let him see the tears. I don't remember when I started crying, but I could feel it now. He sighed, and sat down next to me. "I know why you're mad at me."
I cut him off, "I'm not mad at you. I just don't feel like seeing rejection."
"Rejection? Ria, my ignoring of your owls was my way of keeping you safe. My family was in deep in this war, I didn't want to risk you or your family getting caught in the cross fire." I opened my mouth, ready to explain why that would not have been an issue, but my train of thought died with his next few words. "I love you Aria. I have from the moment I met you, more than you will ever comprehend. I'm not going anywhere," and I swear I hear his voice crack. There was a slight shuffle behind me and I lost my resolve completely when he said the last two words: "Please, Ria."
I turned my head first, just peeking at him from behind my hair. What I was able to see made me whip my whole head around and my eyes widened, from surprise or a repressed excitement, I don't know. In that moment, I knew he meant every word he's ever said to me. How could it be otherwise with him letting tears trail down his own face and a small, blue, velvet box with the simplest, most elegant, and the most perfect ring, sitting inside?
"I wish I could do this in the right order, but I guess I already screwed that up. I love you Ria, and would give my life for you, so—"
"Yes!" I cut him off.
"What?" he blinked stupidly back.
"Yes, you dingbat! A thousand times yes, just stop trying to protect me so much!...I mean, assuming you really do want to…"
"Really?" he asked, his tone mocking. "I did just ask you, or attempted too, didn't I? What would make you think—"
"Oh, hush, I haven't made sense in a while." I shrugged, letting him put the ring on, pull me to my feet, and yank me into his arms. I loved his hugs. I felt warm, protected, loved. Everything a girl wanted to feel.
"C'mon, we should go back inside. And you'll have to meet the rest of my family…although mum seems convinced you two met already…" he scrunched his eyebrows together.
I gave a nervous laugh, and rubbed the back of my neck. "Huh, funny story there. See, a couple weeks after you left…no, actually it was more like twenty minutes (here he gave me an incredulous look), your mom showed up and said that this was where her son was staying, and why there was a woman here instead. Once we established that it was you who was…is…something…her son, we got to talking. She had brought you a casserole and didn't want it to go to waste, so she had me sit down right in my barracks and eat it with her. Funny woman…she also seemed convince that there was something going on between us, not that she was wrong…must have been her mother senses…or the fact that every time she wormed you into the conversation I blushed and couldn't finish a thought…" I finished as we walked into the Great Hall.
He of course, found this hilarious, and started laughing like a drunkard, drawing the whole hall's attention to us…again. I rolled my eyes, and as we neared his family (who, might I add, seemed to think I was the next Messiah or something from how they were looking at me…or maybe it was his odd guffaws), I began to slow, only to be dragged along by the arm by the man-boy who was apparently desperate to reach his family.
"Loving-family-of-mine, this is my fiancée, Aria. Ria, my older brother; Bill, younger siblings; Percy, George, Ron and Ginny, and my mum and dad."
I smiled tentatively, and was taken completely by surprise…mostly…or not really since I knew enough about her to know that this was really common…when his mom pulled me into a hug and told me to just call them Molly and Arthur.
Then, his siblings began to argue who amongst them would hug me next…Percy just rolled his eyes and pushed forward, giving me a small hug, and welcomed me to the family. This seemed to only upset them further, because then there was no proper order to go in.
I couldn't help but smile, being reminded of my own family.
My smile dropped as soon as it appeared.
I felt Charlie Weasley, ever the one to notice things, squeeze my hand, and look down at me in concern.
"Aria, when can your mother begin planning a wedding," Molly drew my attention back to her.
Wow, she has amazing timing. Time to spill the beans that Charlie didn't even know existed.
"Um, well, there was a Death Eater attack…they found out that I was the one behind the annihilation of one of their strongest bases overseas, in America, and went tooth for tooth…my parents were murdered three weeks ago, my older brother and younger sister a week later…They were muggles and never stood a chance…" That was harder to say then I thought it would be.
Charlie let go of my hand and wrapped it back around my shoulders, pulling me into his side.
"I have an old family friend if that will work," I suggested, breathing deeply.
'Of course, dear, whatever you want," Molly said, smiling warmly. Ginny and George then proceeded to argue over a date for our wedding (who was getting married here?!), while Charlie introduced me to their own family friends, most of whom were members of the Order of the Phoenix, and of course, including Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. I was thankful that no one brought up the fact that I was carrying a child and we had barley just agreed to get married.
"Aria," a voice said from behind me. I ground my teeth, knowing I'd have to face what I did. I turned around and was able to glare, while also looking apologetic. "Look, I should've found a better way to say it, but we both know that what I said was, at least, partially true. I wasn't gonna let you fight for the same reason I didn't let you fly. Also, I spoke to Professor McGonagall, and she agreed that, since we all know you won't take maternity leave unless we locked you up in a closet, we're transferring you to the Britain branch of the Dragon Hatchery and when you get too big to work there, you will just be the Care of Magical Creature's class assistant…" he trailed off, looking nervous, most likely from my blank expression.
I yipped in happiness and hugged him. He staggered back in surprise, but didn't take long before hugging me back just as fiercely. He was like another brother to me. All the guys on the team were…which was why I was not surprised to feel myself enveloped in a group up with guys who all smelled like dragon's breath and sweat.
My family, right here.
"Heat me now, British Man, you hurt her and you will regret the day you ever laid eyes on her…but congrats on everything!" he said as he pulled back and walked away.
…I never said he was normal…
I turned around to see a very nervous looking Charlie, looking at Jeffery's retreating back and scuffled the ground with his feet. Bill and I made eye contact, but couldn't hold back long before we were cracking up into hysterical laughter, soon to be joined by the rest of the family, even in this broken and suffering time.
Yeah, this was my family. It wasn't normal. In fact, it was far from it. It was Wrong.
But it felt so…
Right.
