I have never been so scared and so in awe at the same time.
Hundreds of witches and wizards, both adults and children alike, are fighting to the death... fighting for the end. I find myself separated from my family in the midst of it all, randomly cursing Death Eaters, beasts, giants.
It was in the midst of all this that I heard her above everyone else.
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"
I knew right away who it was... after all I had been married to her for almost thirty years.
I, however, had been surprised by her outburst and the uncharacteristic cursing. Molly was always telling off the children for using bad language, so hearing these words made me look in her direction without even worrying if I would be cursed for my sudden lack of concentration... especially if my little girl had been hurt.
My heart caught in my throat when I realized what my wife was doing and as soon as my feet recalled how to move of their own accord, I had torn off after her.
The crowd was forming a tight circle as I tried my best to claw through them. They were awed by the bravery of my wife, and even I had to admit I would have never realized what a skilled duelist she was. Sure, I had known her temper was quick to flare and I always found it amusing how she could make even the largest of our boys cower in fear, but I had never imagined her as a fighter... She had always been the healer. I felt silly now... having spent all this time trying to protect her when she was perfectly capable of holding her own.
I had reached the front of the crowd just as Bellatrix began with her taunts. I felt a nauseating sense of grief wash over me when she threw Fred in Molly's face. It was then I felt a hand reach for mine and I turned to see my baby girl at my side. A hand was over her mouth in horror and she was paler than I had ever seen her in my life.
I knew without even asking what she was thinking. I knew that if her mother fell she would think it was her fault. But I knew my Molly and I knew how fiercely she wanted to protect our children from the horrors of the war. She was no longer fighting out of rage that her daughter had almost been killed; she was fighting for the end of it all. Her worst nightmares had come true with the loss of Fred, and I had seen her face contort in grief when she saw Hagrid holding Harry limp in his arms...
For the second time in mere minutes my wife uttered words I had never heard her speak before. I was surprised as the crazed Death Eater fell in a heap on the ground – an oddly surprised look etched upon her already still face.
It had felt like everything was over at that point, but I remembered the other fight going on just meters away from my wife. The dark lord had blown away his opponents in a moment of sheer fury at his best lieutenant being destroyed.
Ginny screamed then, and I realized what was happening. His wand was pointed directly at Molly and I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach.
I was running now. I knew I'd never make it to her in time, but I didn't know what else to do. My Molly... Mollywobbles... love of my life... mother of my children... Would I be able to live without her? It didn't seem plausible.
I had almost reached her when I heard someone yell out a shielding charm and deflected the curse.
I didn't even look up to see who had saved my wife – I only had eyes for her at this moment. My arms went around her roughly and I pulled her to my chest, burying my face in her hair. I was sobbing now, but it didn't matter. She was alive.
I was surprised that she hadn't turned to put her arms around me; she didn't try and calm my tears. When I finally looked at her I saw she was making the same face Ginny had earlier. One hand was over her mouth while the other clutched at her heart. I finally tore my gaze away from her to see just who had saved her from certain death.
Harry Potter.
