Two Years later

The last two years had been tough for Sasha, she had faced a new demon in Professor Umbridge, lost Fred and George as they flew out of school early, dealt with the pitying glances and stares from everyone at school and fought at the department of mysteries. She had eventually graduated and whilst she visited the Burrow often and was a staunch member of the order she had spent most of her year since graduating working at the twins shop and caring for her mother who was still battling depression and the drink.

Now at eighteen years old she was struggling herself to find a place in the world. A world which was becoming increasingly darker and more dangerous, especially for muggleborn witches such as herself. She lived at home with her mother and for the most part felt pretty cut off from the wizarding world. She wanted to live with the twins but the last thing Dumbledore had said to her was that she must remain with her mother where she would be safer, his death had been another terrible blow but she had somehow managed to keep it together, perhaps because she wasn't there and she felt she needed to be stronger for Harry. Or maybe it was because his death was still so recent it was yet to sink in properly. Charlie and herself still wrote to each other often, they exchanged letters at least once a fortnight and their friendship was more open than ever, omitting the part that they were in love with one another and the fact that they haven't seen each other in over two years.

Princess

I have good news, despite everything that it going on I have managed to get some leave and will be home for Bill's wedding. I can't wait to see you again, I'll be arriving a couple of days before the wedding so I'll see you then.

Yours

Charlie

When she receives the letter she feels herself smile for the first time in a long time, a genuine smile at least. She could not express how much she missed and needed Charlie and the thought alone scared her too. She had finally let go of most of the guilt around Cedric's death, although it may be that the guilt had simply been eclipsed by all the other things going on. It is with her mind swimming with these thoughts that she heads home to the day before Charlie arrives and gets ready to pack for her own trip to the Burrow. A trip she always relished since her own home had become so cold, so unrecognisable from the happy childhood home she had known.

Sunlight is beginning to creep over the horizon when Charlie arrives at the gate to his home and for a moment he simply stands and gazes at his own childhood home, a familiar homely joy filling him as well as slight apprehension at seeing Sasha again. He really had wanted to come home and be with her after Cedric's death but work had not allowed him and since then he had talked himself out of it each time. She was too young, although now she was eighteen, he shakes his head as soon as the thought enters it, she isn't interested like that. Instead he heads towards the kitchen and begins to make himself a cup of tea.

By the time the house begins to stir he has begun to make breakfast, knowing full well his mum will take over and re do everything.

"Charlie dear," Molly squeals as she enters the kitchen and pulls him to her in a bear hug and he smiles as he holds her just as tightly.

"Hi mum," he replies when she finally lets him go and bustles around the kitchen ordering him to sit down. An hour or two later the whole family are awake and eating breakfast all talking about the wedding, although Charlie notices that Harry is unusually quiet and preoccupied, it made his own chest clench a little to imagine the suffering he had been through, he was sixteen but looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, he does have the weight of the world on his shoulders he supposed.

"Where's Sash?" Fred asks suddenly and they all look up and around at each other,

"She was supposed to be here like an hour ago," George adds glancing at his brothers as if to ask their advice.

"I'm sure she just got caught up getting her stuff together and making sure her mums okay," Ron says, his mouth still full and the general consensus is that this is exactly what had happened and so the family continued to reconnect and prepare for the wedding that would take place in a couple of days. By the time it reaches early evening though the Weasley's are beginning to get worried about where she may have got to.

"We should go and get her," George says as they are setting the table for dinner and Fred nods his head in agreement.

"She probably just lost track of time," Ron suggests but the others are no longer convinced.

"Have you ever known Sasha to lose track of time, she's an older version of Hermione?" Harry says,

"Hey," Hermione retorts but she knows its true and their is worry beginning to creep into all of their tones as they speak now.

"Besides she'd never be later knowing that Charlie would be here," Bill says and there is no mocking in the statement and even the twins don't say anything, that's when they truly begin to worry for their friend.

"I'm going to get her, Bill, you know where she lives can you aparate me there," Charlie says abruptly as he stands and Bill stands too, along with their father.

"I'm coming too, it's dangerous out there these days," he explains briefly and they quickly leave the house and aparate to an alleyway not far from Sasha's house.

As soon as they arrive they know something is very wrong, smoke is billowing into the air and there are the sounds of sirens and screams everywhere. Fear enters the pits of their stomach, fear that is multiplied as they round the corner and see dark mark floating heavily in the sky above the wreckage that used to be Sasha's house.

"No," It's the only word that Charlie can force from his mouth as the three men stand and look at the crumbling brick work and hum of activity going on around them.

"Quick, we need to see for certain, the ministry will be here any minute," Arthur says urgently pushing both of his sons forward and into the shell of a house. Despite being destroyed, sound seems strangely muffled once they entered and it takes a few minutes to realise that there are still wards up. Death eaters had gotten through the wards on the house then, they were getting stronger, a thought that makes all of their stomachs clench uncomfortably.

"Sash," Bill whispers into the darkness as they begin to hunt around the house, "Sash it's us where are you sweetheart?" he tries again but still silence. Then out of the darkness they hear a whimper and all move towards it lighting their wands as they go.

"Princess?" Charlie is breathless as he calls her, his heart stopping as their wand lights fall on her face.

Sitting in the corner of the room, her mothers head held in her lap, Sasha is rocking and whimpering. Her mother is dead, Avada had been used it was almost certain and it looked like Sasha had put up a good fight, she is covered in cuts and bruises that are already forming and her wand is still gripped tightly in her hand.

"Sasha," Arthur starts moving towards her stopping as she raises her wand, her eyes unfocused and only sensing threat.

"Sash," Bill tries but the same thing happens and he too stops hands raised and backing away from her slightly.

"Princess," Charlie's voice is quiet and thick with panic for her and something in it makes her head snap round to him, her eyes coming into focus for just a second as she sees his face.

"Charlie?" she whispers before looking down and seeing her mother staring lifelessly up at her and screaming, she screams and screams until her throat is sore, her wand waving erratically in the air not allowing anyone near her, "Charlie," she says the name again at last as her knees weaken and her wand drops and he is there gathering her towards him, wincing as she does when his hands hit upon fresh wounds.

"I'm right here princess, I'm here," he murmurs and she looks up at him reaching a shaking hand for his face as if she doesn't believe he is there before she goes completely limp in his arms. Charlie turns his stricken face towards his brother and his father.

"Get her home, Bill go with them, I need to sort things out here," Arthur says quickly and they begin to move again before Charlie stops and turns back towards his dad.

"What about…?" he can't finish the thought aloud as he looks down towards the woman that looked so much like the girl in his arms, lying dead on the floor.

"We'll make sure she gets a proper burial, it'll be rushed through," he replies and with a nod they separate and leave.

"You got her final…" George's voice trails off as the family rush in behind him and take in Bill and Charlie's ashen faces and the unconscious Sasha held protectively in Charlie's arms.

"What happened? Where's your father?" Molly says in that scary calm voice that betrayed her panic and fear.

"Death eater attack, they… they killed her mum, Dad's there sorting things out," Bill says quietly and they all seem to freeze in shock.

"But… she…" the words won't form properly, the shock that is permeating the room is making it difficult to focus on anything much.

"She fought them off we think, won't know more until she wakes up, I'm taking her upstairs," Charlie says gruffly before turning and moving straight to his room where he settles her down on his bed and conjures up a chair to sit beside her.

"Charlie," he turns his head to see his mother in the doorway, holding a plate of food and a drink.

"I'm not hungry," he states wearily as he turns back to her watching her face, the frown lines and creases of pain and grief present even in unconsciousness.

"Be that as it may, you need to keep your strength up and I need to tend to her wounds," she says in her usual motherly way as she bustles forwards putting the food and drink on the desk before taking her wand out and starting her healing spells.

"She looks so broken mum," he whispers as he watches her and she stops for a second looking down at her son as he sat beside her unmoving as he watched her.

"She has just lost her mother in the most unimaginable way but she is strong just be there for her son, she needs you now," Molly says gently as she finishes placing the last bandage and then leaves quietly so that he is alone with her again.