Chapter Four: Starry Nights

The darkness of the night was something to be grateful for. The four of them had kept a low profile for almost a full week. They had hardly any food to eat. Gwen fell onto the grass again. The grass was their bed and the sky was their blanket? Gwen let out a chuckle. That was too romantic for her. Harry used to tell her the sky was the best blanket you could ever have. He loved the sky…Harry.

"When you're on a broom, and only the sky is your limit, Ginny—it's the best feeling ever." Harry said smiling to himself as he and Ginny sat looking up at the stars.

"Yeah—I know. I have flown before, Harry." Ginny said laughing. Harry turned his head and smiled at her, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"I just miss it, is all, Ginny." Harry fell onto the grass and Ginny fell onto him, her head resting nicely on his chest. "The grass is our bed and the sky is our blanket. It's the most romantic thing in the world, isn't it?" Ginny snorted loudly.

"Um—it's the cheesiest thing in the world, I'll give you that." Ginny sighed with a smile on her face and then turned to hug him. "But I like it, Harry." Harry patted her bushy red hair.

"This is probably what I'll miss the most, Ginny." Harry said looking up with a huge smile on his face at the peaceful starry night.

"The stars?" Ginny asked slightly offended.

"Yeah," Harry said not taking his eyes off of it. "Just—laying here—with you…it's just peaceful, you know? If only we could lay here forever. When I'm gone—just look at the stars and you'll see me okay, Ginny?" Ginny hugged him tighter, pressing her face against his body.

"We might be able to change things, Harry." Ginny said stubbornly and Harry kissed her forehead for it.

"Right," he said dreamily. "Yeah...of course we can."

Gwen was thrown out of her trance by Noxolo who had just came back from her search for food. Gwen conjured a goblet and gave it to Noxolo who pointed her wand and whispered, "Aguamenti," Water filled the goblet and she drank it hungrily.

"Find anything?" Gwen asked, looking up at the stars again.

"No," Noxolo answered lying down also. "Nothing at all. Hope Arthur and Sebastian have better luck." Noxolo let out a sigh, closing her eyes. "It sure is peaceful out here though, huh, Gwen?"

"Yeah it is," Gwen said smiling. She could see Harry's face beaming down at her. It was the best feeling in the world.

"You think Ronny's safe with Fred?" Noxolo asked turning her head slightly to look at Gwen.

"I hope so," Gwen replied. She hadn't seen her son for almost two years now. Did he even remember her? Gwen doubted it.

"Arthur's back." Noxolo said. Arthur was holding a whole basket full of fruits. He placed the basket down on the ground and Gwen and Noxolo sat up, each taking an apple.

"Found a tree about a few miles that way," Arthur said pointing at the direction. "Pretty sweet, huh?" There was a huge smile on his scarred up face.

"Pretty sour," Noxolo teased. "It's good all the same though, Art. Thanks." Arthur laughed taking a bite from the apple.

"Where's Sebastian, anyways?" Noxolo asked. "Didn't you two leave together?" Arthur nodded swallowing the chunk of apple.

"We split up about a mile down. I don't know where he is. He'll be back though. He knows where we are." Arthur took another bite and looked up. "See there he is." Sebastian waved at them and dropped down three oranges.

"Three," Noxolo said. Sabastian nodded with a frown.

"Yeah all the other ones weren't ripe. I ate one already though. A greener one then these three but it wasn't too bad. Apples?" Arthur nodded and Sebastian grabbed one. "We're going to die of starvation if we don't find a place soon." Gwen nodded in agreement.

"But where?" Gwen asked.

"If we got to Fred's the Ministry will definitely have surveillance there." Noxolo suggested with a frown.

"You're right," Gwen agreed nodding her head. "But it's the only place we've got."

"We can apparate into his house, right? I mean—Voldemort's gone. There's no reason he still has protection charms up." Arthur suggested. Gwen thought for a while, laying back down and looking up into the sky again.

"Let's sleep here tonight, just to be safe."

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They arrived at Fred's early the next morning. Fred was sitting with his legs on the table and a cup of steaming coffee in the other. At their sight, Fred jumped.

"Holy—!" Fred yelled staring at them. "Ginny? Ginny!" He lunged forward, taking Gwen into his arms. "By God! You're here! I read about you in the news paper! Some scene you guys have caused!" Gwen smiled looking around at the house.

"We're Mum? And Ronny?"

"They're fine, Ginny. They're both sleeping right now. Take a seat." Fred conjured several chairs and they all took a seat around the table. "So how you been?" Gwen looked at Fred with some pity in her eyes. He looked much older than George did. Sure George was the one who had to infiltrate the Ministry but Fred had all of a sudden had to be a father to Gwen's son. And he had to take care of their mother, who Gwen knew was getting sicker by the day. The responsibilities had taken its tow on him. Fred looked nothing like the Fred Gwen remembered. He had a beard and short haircut, whereas George was still sporting his long straight hair and a clean shaven face.

"I've been okay, Fred. You look like hell though." Fred smiled scratching his beard.

"Thanks," he let out a small cough and looked at his cup of coffee. He looked up at them again. "You guys hungry? I got some leftovers in the fridge." Arthur immediately stood up, but seeing as no one else did, he fell back onto his chair. Fred laughed shaking his head.

"Still the same old Arthur. I'll get it for you. You want anything, kid?" Fred looked over at Sebastian who nodded his head. "Still a mute, huh?" Fred walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "I have roasted chicken and—" Fred opened the cupboard. "Well I guess some beef jerky. What you guys want?"

"Both," Noxolo said smiling over at Fred who couldn't see. "Haven't had real food in a while, Fred."

"You guys should've come here sooner. The Ministry isn't going to check here. I faked my name when I bought this place. Think I'm an idiot, Ginny?"He

"Well—" laughed Gwen smiling at Noxolo who beamed back.

"Hey, hey. One more word and you won't have breakfast. Alright, here you go." Fred placed the food on the coffee table and fell back onto his chair again.

"You been talking to George?" Sebastian asked taking a bite of the chicken. Fred shrugged letting out a small sigh.

"Every once in a while. The guy's busy with stuff all the time. You-Know-Who's gone—and he's still busy. The guy should just come home and enjoy himself—like we use to."

"The world's rebuilding, Fred. He's needed." Noxolo said, her mouth full of food. "These are really good by the way. When'd you become such a good cook?"

"Thanks, but uh—mum cooked that one. I've been kind of—" Fred seemed to trail off, taking a sip of his coffee then leaning his head backwards and letting out a sigh.

"What is it?" Gwen asked putting down her fork.

"Nothing," Fred said still sighing. "Just mum's condition is getting worse. Nothing I can do about it. Getting her her meds is pretty much taking up all the money I have left. Ronny's been a pain. Running around knocking things over. The kids got your stubbornness, that's for sure, Ginny."

"I'll bet," Gwen said frowning at Fred. "I'll take care of him now, since I'm here. Sorry to dump him on you—"

"No, no. If I don't do it who will? The kid's my nephew. Of course I'll look after him. I'm just tired. And feel...kind of useless. I mean—I didn't help out during The War at all. All I did was babysit."

"If it weren't—"

"I know, Ginny. I know. Doesn't change how I feel one bit, though." Gwen frowned, looking at her older brother. Things were so different. It was completely different than what should've happened—Voldemort's gone…and somehow they're still on the run.

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Gwen awoke, startled. The door outside was banging loudly as Gwen and Noxolo crept out of their room. Fred was the first to get to the door, followed by Arthur and Sebastian.

"What's going on?" Noxolo asked as the two of them reached the door.

"Don't know," Arthur said looking worried.

"You guys hide—" Fred couldn't finish his sentence. The door blasted open, sending Fred flying backwards and hitting the wall behind the television set, which he landed on, breaking it. The house swarmed with wizards and witches, their wands pointed at the four of them. Foremost among them were Lemanski and Padma, their wands both pointed straight at Gwen's heart.

"Ginerva Weasley," Lemanski said smirking. "You are under arrest. And Fred over there can join you for harboring fugitives." Gwen and the rest of them were taken swiftly back to the Ministry of Magic and thrown into a detainment room. Sebastian was the first to have been pulled out of the room. Noxolo sat with her eyes closed, her head pressed against the cold stone wall.

"Just close your eyes," Hermione told her as the two of them sat. "Don't worry, Noxi. It'll be okay." Noxi moaned as her eyes closed. Her legs were battered. Bellatrix had attacked her...and now was pursuing them. "Don't worry, Noxi. We'll get out of here. We can beat her." Noxi was sixteen then, her magic just beginning to build.

"What if she beats us?" Noxi asked, scared. Her hands were shaking. The stone wall was blasted in. Hermione stood up with her wand pointed at Bellatrix.

"Hermione Granger," Bellatrix shrieked. "Such a disappointment. I thought you would've propose as a better foe." Hermione threw a curse at Bellatrix who dodged out of the way.

"You're nothing, Bellatrix. I can beat you with my eyes closed." Bellatrix shrieked with laughter.

"You're the one running away," Bellatrix threw a jinx at her but Hermione flicked it away. Noxi's heart was pounding in her chest. She wanted to stand up and fight. She wanted to help Hermione…but she couldn't. As the water dripped from the roof of the underground sewer, Hermione and Bellatrix continued to fight. They were practically equals in strength, technique, and agility.

"You've hurt enough people! I won't let you hurt anyone else!" Hermione threw a combination of curses. A few of them hit Bellatrix, sending her flying. She landed on the wet ground. Hermione stood over her, her wand pointed. "This is the end—" but Bellatrix had pointed her wand upward at Hermione, and a blast of light flew from its tip, hitting Hermione's chin and flipping her in the air. She landed with her face slamming against the wet stone floor.

"Hermione!" Noxi yelled. Her heart had almost stopped. Hermione…her mentor…her best friend. She stood up, the pain in her leg almost unbearable. She pointed her wand at Bellatrix, who had just stood up also. "Exelliarmus!" Bellatrix's wand shattered in her hand as the blast knocked her to her knees. At that moment, Noxi was sure she wanted to kill her. No, not just kill. She wanted to torture her. She wanted to cut her piece by piece. She wanted to see the pain on Bellatrix's face. She wanted to see the light of life leave Bellatrix's eyes. She wanted to enjoy Bellatrix's slow painful death…

The double metal doors of the detainment room sprung open. In came Lemanski, his face bloodied. He was panting hard, almost falling onto the floor in front of Gwen. "He's here…he's—going to kill us all. You have to help us. You're the only one—" Lemanski passed out on the ground. Gwen and the others left the room. There were whole crowds of people running—all in one direction…towards Greyhen's office. Gwen reached Greyhen's office to find it almost impenetrable. It was completely blocked by crowds of people…who whispered among themselves. After pushing for several minutes, the gang found their way through. What they saw on the ground horrified them. Padma was on the ground unconscious…though still breathing. Next to her, however, was George. Blood was still spilling from the open wounds on his body and face. He was almost completely mutilated. His throat had been slit. George laid on the ground, covered in his own blood. He had been murdered and Greyhen was nowhere in sight.