Another chapter? Sure, why not...In this chapter we meet some Weasley's.
Night steals in pacing the floor
One of the many things that made Harry an exception Auror was his extreme clarity. There had been jokes that Harry's mind worked like a Pensieve, he was able to venture into any memory and live it all over again. The Auror's saw it as a blessing. Harry saw it as a curse.
It was incredibly exhausting for his brain to always be on edge. To always be on the lookout for danger. Taste became poison, smiles became sinister, laughter became screams. It was like being a soldier constantly in battle. It made him good at his job, but not very good at his life.
While everything else about him felt foggy, his mind was clear. While his physicality felt drenched in water, his mind was on fire. He couldn't turn off this magical ability to see things as if they were happening all over again. It just happened. It could be triggered by a sound, a smell, the expression on someone's face. It could be a phrase, the feel of a jacket, the taste of something sweet.
As he was falling asleep it was the breeze coming through the window that did it. The cold air sweeping across his cheek took him somewhere before his head could even hit the pillow….
The killing curse missed him by inches. He was sure he felt it brush against his hair. Despite Voldemort's direct orders not to kill him, a large amount of Death Eaters had chosen not to listen.
The dust from the rubble rose up, filling his lungs, choking him. He could barely see through the smoke, only the occasional flash from a spell lit up his surroundings. Sometimes it was better not seeing. The music of the night were the cries of curses, screams of pain and pitiful wails of those left behind. The overwhelming smell of death and burnt flesh made his eyes water but he couldn't get away. He was needed.
"Stupefy!"
The Death Eater was blown back with such force he fell off the balcony. Through the smoke he could see a flash of red hair. Harry grinned at his best friend.
"Nice one, Ron."
Ron had remained his greatest friend for seven years. He often wondered if this was like having a brother. The Weasley's were the closest thing he had to family. He just needed them to get out of this alive.
Ron winked. "Can't have you dying just yet mate. I may need to use you as a human shield later."
They were up in the Astronomy Tower, part of a group who'd gone looking for the wounded to send down to those acting as healers. In the corner, almost hidden from view, Hermione knelt over a lad with a particularly nasty gash in his leg. When Harry went to take a closer look he instantly regretted it. The white bone was poking through. He gagged. But Hermione was made of stronger stuff. So far he hadn't seen anything faze her. Even the cuts on her face hadn't made her flinch, even though the one on her eyebrow and on her lip looked particularly nasty. Her brown curls were tied away from her determined face as she muttered spells over the wound. She looked beautiful.
"This is Jason Voyd." Despite the chaos she kept her voice calm and collected. "He's been up here for hours, lost a lot of blood. Had the intelligence to play dead."
Jason gave a grimace of thanks as he gasped through the pain, his face pasty white. "I didn't want that thing to come back. He lost interest when he thought I'd died."
"Thing?" mouthed Harry.
"Greyback." Hermione mouthed back.
Inwardly Harry swore. The healers would be able to fix his leg. They would not be able to fix the curse he now would live with for the rest of his life.
A large explosion from below jolted him out of his thoughts. The screams of agony pierced through him like a hundred knives.
"Stay with Jason." Hermione ordered the boys. "I'll go. Get him help quickly. And stay safe."
Harry wanted to protest but she disappeared into the smoke before he could open his mouth. It was typical Hermione. He'd told her he wanted her to hide away for this, but she'd glared at him so fiercely he quickly backtracked. Deep down he knew she was right. She was an incredible fighter and the only one in their group who knew any healing spells. As usual she was the only one who was really prepared.
Even though he lifted him as gently as he could, Jason still cried out in pain when Ron lifted him. The blood was draining from his face and he was starting to sweat too. They didn't have much time. As they made their way back to the healing bay Harry held out his wand ready to defend. Although the Astronomy Tower had been won back by their side, their defences wouldn't stay strong forever. Voldemort's army was increasing by the hour while theirs was diminishing. The faces of Tonks and Lupin swam into his head. He quickly dismissed them. There would be time for grieving later – not now.
They were almost at the hospital wing when another scream shattered through the steady sound of battle. Ron went pale.
"Ginny!"
Harry caught Jason as Ron sprinted to the source of the noise. He almost followed, but Jason had slipped into unconsciousness. He was dying. Murmuring a prayer that they would be fine, Harry made his way into the hospital wing.
Molly Weasley was waiting with bandages they'd hurriedly made out of cloaks. Her normally warm face was white with fear but somehow she managed to crackle with energy. Even with her mouth set in a grim line, she was still the same lioness.
Harry didn't stay long. Ginny's scream was still echoing in his ears. When he saw the corridor was empty he broke out into a run.
"Ginny?" He shouted, desperately hoping he could be heard over all the noise of battle. "Ron?"
"Harry! We're here!" It was Ginny. His thighs burning from exhaustion, he forced himself to run faster into the empty classroom.
Fenir Greyback was not in his wolf form, but he wasn't entirely human either. Even though he hunched over, he still managed to be twice the size of any human. His eyes were as black as the night, seeing everything and nothing all at once. Blood clung to his sharp teeth and dribbled down his chest.
Ginny at his feet, her ankle twisted. Harry could see in the struggle she had lost her wand. It lay forlorn snapped in two on the stone floor. Ron was stood in front of his sister, frantically making shields to protect them. The shields wouldn't last long. And Greyback would attack before you even managed to point your wand at him.
So Harry did what he was prone to doing in these sort of situations.
Something very brave.
And also something very stupid.
He threw a rock at him.
When Greyback turned around he snarled, spittle flying from his mouth, his dirty fingers curling up like claws and his eyes darkening to black.
As a child, Harry had frequently found himself getting into scraps with Dudley. Or rather, he'd been at the receiving end of Dudley's fists. It reminded him of the same relentlessness, seeming to get stronger after every attack. Like Dudley, Greyback used his same brute strength. It was only the adrenaline running though Harry's veins that allowed him to keep up. But he was starting to slow down.
Harry could feel himself starting to panic. It felt like a duel with only one end. His.
When he fell back and hit his head against the stone wall he knew it was over. He closed his eyes and waited for death.
However just as he was certain he breathed his last, he felt himself be shoved to one side. It was the agonizing cry that made him come to his senses and open his eyes.
Ron had thrown himself between the pair and lay on the floor screaming as Greyback clawed at his face. The claws had made their way into his eye sockets and he was squeezing his skull. Blood was soaking into his friends red hair. He had seconds.
"Reducto!" Harry yelled.
The werewolf blew into pieces and the force of the spell lifted Harry off of his feet and sent him flying backwards. The back of his skull met the stone wall and the pain was blinding. Light shone in front of his eyes and he desperately wanted to stay lying on the floor to recover. But it was not over yet.
"Harry!" Ginny was crying as she held her brother in her arms. His blood was pooling onto the floor. "Get help! Harry! Harry! Harry!"
Will Ron be okay? Or is he a goner?
Also, I feel like 'Harry did something very brave and also very stupid' is basically a description for the entire series. Gotta love him though. Stay tuned!
