A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction of any kind, so concrit would be much appreciated.

Flashes of light danced in front of her eyes, bursts of colour reassuring that she wasn't blind. Tears burned her eyes, the heat from unrestrained fires burned her face, the anguish of death around her burned her heart. Where to go? Where to hide? Where to run? Who to go to?

Alone.

The word echoed through her mind, the emotion coursing through her veins, the weight of the thought crushing her heart. Helplessly, she looked up from her spot in the ground, cloaked in the shadows of the field, wandless, friendless, powerless. Hopeless. Shrinking back into the darkness as she saw the Death Eaters pass by, Catherine hugged her knees to her body, willing herself to simply melt into the ground and vanish, never to be heard again. She didn't want to be alive right now. Death was better than this.

Throat too raw to scream, the girl laid down fully when she was left alone on the field, thought to be one of the countless dead bodies left there. Dark blue gaze raising to the skies above, she whimsically counted the stars, delirium taking over her. No one could hurt her now. There was no one there to hurt her. Alone. Utterly alone. Maybe one of those stars would drift down and pick her up. Maybe they'd take her to heaven.

And then. Then, she would walk up to God and demand answers. What had they done to deserve this? What had all these people done? They had just been sitting in a park, enjoying a pretty day, finally at peace after the attack four years ago. They hadn't felt a need to look over their shoulders all the time anymore. They hadn't felt the need to look into everyone's eyes and measure their honesty. They hadn't felt the need to clutch their wands tightly anymore. They hadn't felt the need to feed their babies lies about how everyone who went out after dark was evil so they would never be tempted to leave the house. They had simply gone with all their friends and family to celebrate a birthday. A small child's birthday. And now even he was no more.

What, God? What?

Laughing mirthlessly into the still night air, Catherine sighed, the breath in her lungs leaving in a rush. She felt boneless, like jelly. Funny, she had made raspberry jelly for today's picnic. Aaron had been happily eating it. Baby boy loved himself some raspberry jelly. Maybe there was some in heaven. If there was, she'd make some sandwiches and would feed them to her little boy. Her little boy who was so fragile that a simple green flash of light killed him. Where was Beth? Head suddenly snapping to the side, the dark-haired girl gently smiled as she saw her sister lying right next to her. Slowly, she reached over and took up her still-warm hand in hers and cradled it gently.

"I'm going to join you soon, sissy. And then we can talk to God, okay? And Mum'll be there, too. And dad. And Aaron. God, Aaron…"

The name died on her lips just as the hope in her heart did. The eternal flame that had been burning in her ribcage, telling her that everything would be alright, that someone would find them started dying. Bit by bit by bit. It flickered and wavered, the proverbial candle simply refusing to extinguish. Why wouldn't her hope die!? Why wouldn't it die if she wanted to die?

Darkness started creeping into her sight from the sides, and her lids got heavier, her body willing her to fight it. But sleep felt so good. Sleep was fun. She had always been told that sleep was good for you. Repaired the body. Renewed the magic in your veins. Mm, sleep sounded so good right now. The candle in heart was almost gone. Good. Maybe then she could get some peace. Slowly inching towards Beth, Catherine rested her head on her bosom and hugged her body close. Reaching down, she pulled Aaron upwards until he was resting on top of Beth and she could hug them both.

Burying her head in her sister's soft hair, she softly said, "Here I come, God…watch out for me…"

Death stops for no one.