Chapter 21
Weasleys Return
All hell broke loose. The screams flooded the air. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken. I noticed myself jumping outside of the window, not even thinking of my actions, I ran to the forest area. Savi and Nessie were the only guests at the wedding I thought about at that moment.
I sniffed the air around me, picking up on their scent, and trying to find the route that would lead me to them the fastest. Finally, I started hearing noises and the heartbeats of people. There were definitely more than four, and I felt like my legs started moving even faster.
Through the trees, I saw Savi, standing straight, surrounding herself and the three people on the ground with a blue bubble. Five black-hooded figures were standing on the other side of her shield, shooting spells at her. With every spell, I noticed, Savi crying out loud. An instinctive growl left my lips. My vampire animal instincts took over, and I no longer felt any connection with my human self. The Death eaters have awoken a mother lion, and the lioness was very protective of her cubs.
I ran to the hooded figures and one by one broke all their necks, ripping the head completely off the last one's shoulder. I looked at Savannah now, she was still crying and shaking. I put my hands out to her.
"Easy, baby girl. Everything is alright now, I'm here, you're safe." I whispered, taking cautious steps toward her. "Can you lower your shield for me, sweety?"
With another loud sob, I saw Savi's hands start to shake and the blue bubble disappeared completely. I ran up to catch her, as she fell to her knees. My hands wrapped around her back, soothingly patting it, as she still cried on my shoulder.
"Shhh…shhh…They're gone, you did well. You protected everyone." I repeated. "Everything is going to be fine now."
"No…Mom…it's Fred." Savi spoke each word in between shallow breaths. My eyes went to the three silhouettes on the ground, and I stood up immediately to check what happened.
I sat down next to George and Nessie. On the ground in between them, Fred was lying, his own breaths were even shallower than Savi's. I smelled blood, there was a lot of it, all coming from a quarter-sized hole in his stomach.
"I'm…dying…"Fred whispered in a question.
"No, of course not. You can't." George shook his shoulders, shaking tears away in the process.
"I…don't…want…" Fred spoke again, which made George shake throughout his body.
"Do it." Nessie looked at me, I saw tears running down her face too, she was holding his head on her legs, brushing his hair through her fingers. "Please, mom…Please, for me."
I knew what she was asking of me. I've never done that before. Maybe it was the adrenaline in my body after just killing five people in less than a second or maybe it was the look on my daughter's face or maybe it was just the fact that I couldn't stand losing another person dear to me. Maybe, it was all of those things at once that made me choose to comply with her wish.
"Savi," I spoke for the first time. "Grab George, try finding Carlisle."
"But…" My second daughter started.
"No, I can do this. I need you to find grandpa and bring him here." I spoke calmly, reassuring both her and myself with my words.
"What's happening? I'm not leaving Freddie!" George exclaimed when Savi tried getting him to stand up.
"We don't have much time! If you want Fred to live, this is the only way, I'll turn him, but I can't have you here. You're human, your blood would only make it harder for me to stop!" I yelled at my friend and saw understanding and hope in his eyes.
"C'mon." Savi gently tugged him.
Nessie was now sitting in front of me, holding the second Weasley twin's hand in hers. I looked at Fred again, his messy ginger hair and scared brown eyes, which had tears in them. I noticed his heart rate getting slower with every beat. It was now or never.
"I'm so sorry, but it's going to hurt," I whispered to him.
I turned his face the other way, so I could have clear access to his jugular. As I bit his neck, I felt the stream of hot human blood enter my throat. The taste was like nothing I've tasted before, definitely couldn't compare to any animal I've ever hunted. It was even harder to stop than I thought, I kept thinking of Carlisle and my daughters and the man on the ground. My prey. No! My friend, one of the best ones, Fred Weasley. A loud scream came from the forest, somewhere not far away from here. Hearing that noise scared me and I pushed myself off of Fred's body. Another second later, I heard the man I just bit produce his first agony scream as well.
I wasn't afraid someone going to hear the screams, let them come. I'll take care of them. The more Death Eaters I kill now, the less there will be trouble for everyone else in the future. Everyone else. What happened to other guests and Weasleys? Where is Harry? How long was I gone?
"Mom! Mom!" I heard Savi's voice turning hysterical from the forest.
"Stay here, don't move, have your wand ready. I'll be back in a second." I spoke to Ness and disappeared into the forest, tracking Savi's scent.
I found her and George in the same position that I just left Ness and Fred. The man was on the ground, screaming in pain.
"What…" I started but couldn't finish the sentence as I saw a bite mark on George's neck, in the same place I left one on Fred's. "Who did that?"
"No one." Savi shook her head, looking up at me. Shock, confusion, and disbelief were clearly written in her eyes. "He fell and started screaming, a second later I saw a bite on his neck. What the hell is going on?"
I couldn't answer that question, I've never seen anything like that. I've heard stories about twins feeling each other's pain, but not having the source of the pain of the other appearing on their bodies as well. I needed Edward and Carlisle, their knowledge and guidance, I was just as lost as my girls were on this matter.
"Stay here," I spoke, trying to sound calm, so as to not scare my daughter even more than she was already. "I'll find out if we can come back to the Burrow and find your grandpa. Put your shield up, just in case."
I stood up and noticed a blue bubble making its presence again. I ran, still confused, my mind was a total mess at that moment. I thought I was about to get a headache. Too much, too much for just one night. As I entered the Burrow's lands, I noticed the stink of blood, it was everywhere, and a few bodies in black hoods were scattered across the backyard.
"Bella!" Edward called, bringing everyone's attention toward me. "I was so worried, are the girls safe?"
My siblings were all standing outside. With the smell of blood around, I could piece two and two together. There were injured people in the house.
Edward was standing next to me in a second. "Your eyes…"
"I need your help. Is Carlisle around?" I asked.
"He's in the house, some people got injured, but everyone's alive."
"Okay, come with me, you can help me get Fred and George here…they're transitioning. Oh god…What will I tell Molly and Arthur?"
"Wha…"
"I saw everything, I'll prepare them." Alice smiled encouragingly at me. I nodded my head in gratefulness.
"I'll explain later, there was no other way." I shook my head and took his hand in mine, showing him the way.
I ran to Savi and George first, the former immediately was scooped up by Edward and held in a bear hug. "You alright sweetheart?"
"Daddy." She cried.
"We're going back to the house, everything is okay." I heard him whisper, as he wiped the tears off her face.
"I'll get Fred and Nessie." I let them know and ran further into the forest.
Fred's screams were quieter, but he also had a huge hole in his body, definitely affecting the transition. I sat next to my daughter; she took my hand in hers. It was always easier for her to communicate through her gift when she was anxious or upset.
"Yes, we'll be going back now. Everyone's alright. Dad already took George and Savi." I replied to her question. A weak smile appeared on her face, and I heard another question appear in my head.
"I think I love him?"
"I know." I smiled at her, and she took her hand back. "Hop on."
Nessie climbed on my back, and I lifted Fred's body off the ground. He was moving erratically in my arms, trying to push me away, but the weak human strength that he was using to do that wasn't bothering me. Nessie didn't let go of his hand even while I ran home.
I saw Arthur's red hair before we reached the forest line. I ran straight to him, and he gasped and pointed to the house. My siblings, everyone but Alice were still avoiding the house.
I walked in and saw everyone running around. Carlisle was given orders to the wizards. His training at St. Mungo was coming in handy. Molly looked up at her other son in my arms and cried in…relief?
"Thank you, thank you for saving my boy." Molly cried. Of course, I didn't think she would use a Cruciatus spell on me, but I was definitely not expecting her to thank me? I turned her son into a vampire!
"You're…welcome?" I spoke surprised.
"Molly, I know you want to be with them both right now, but it's not safe. Newborn vampires can't control their thirst." Carlisle took a second to join our conversation. "It would be better if they change at our place."
"I'm their mother! I won't leave them alone!"
"They won't be alone." Esme sat next to her. "I was there during Rose's and Emmett's change; I won't let anything bad happen to your sons either. But your house is full of people, who need your help. While you tend for your other children, let me tend for yours."
"I ca…" Molly cried.
"I know, I wouldn't be able to leave my kids to some strangers either. Transitioning to this new life takes about three days, you can come to our house whenever during those days, we are also connected to the Floo Network." Esme was patting Molly's back in comfort.
"And after…" Arthur asked.
"And after…We'll figure something out." Carlisle answered.
"I'm coming with grandma," Nessie spoke, still on my back, still holding Fred's hand tight in her own.
"I'm coming too," Savi spoke, sitting on the floor, holding George's hand, who was now shaking in pain on the couch.
Molly looked at my girls with an interesting look on her face and gave up. She kissed both of them on their foreheads. I left the house, still carrying both Fred and Nessie, while Edward did the same thing with George and Savi, Esme and Alice followed us.
"So, we're going home?" Rose asked.
"Edward and I will come back, see if we can help anyone. But I hoped you could take care of…"
"Of course." Jasper gave me a reassuring smile.
"Everyone, grab on to me or Bella," Edward said and I felt a few hands touch my arms and elbows. I closed my eyes and pictured our house. With a loud pop, all of us were already standing in the living room.
"Let's get them to the spare bedroom," Esme commanded.
We all went upstairs. Nessie jumped from my back when I put Fred on one side of the bed. She immediately pushed a chair closer and sat down on it, getting her hand back in his. Edward lowered George on the bed too and I saw Savi now sitting on top of the bedside cabinet, brushing George's hair off his face.
"Let us know if there are any changes," I whispered so that only full vampires could hear me.
Edward and I apparated back to the Burrow, holding hands.
"Wait. Before we go in…" Edward stopped me at the front lawn of the house. "Take a breath, how are you feeling?"
I took a breath, finally letting my emotions out. It felt like all the time I was on an autopilot mode and now that the girls were safe, and the Weasley twins too, the autopilot turned off. I wasn't crying, although I really felt like I should be. The events of this night were once again flooding my head, but now I could actually think about what happened.
"Oh, Merlin...Harry…Is he alright?" I asked.
"Him, Ron, and Hermione apparated a second after you jumped out of a window. They should be fine."
"What about Bill and Fleur?"
"Well, what kind of wedding would it be if something didn't go wrong?"
I looked at him for a second and then a loud laugh erupted from my mouth. Okay, Bella, you've definitely gone insane. Why was I laughing? This wasn't funny, in any way. The Ministry has fallen, the Minister of Magic was dead, and the Death Eaters have attacked the wedding and nearly killed Fred. There was nothing funny, and yet I was still laughing.
"Better now?" Edward asked a few minutes later, after both my laugh and my dry crying, which the first turned into, stopped.
"Much," I spoke sincerely, and he hugged me tightly to him. "Even better now."
We walked inside the house to see if Carlisle or anyone else needed any help. I saw Ginny helping Molly get the bandages back into the cupboards. Bill was as good as during the wedding even though I saw his arm broken right before I left. Fleur was now holding him in a tight embrace.
I noticed there were significantly fewer people in the house now. Amos waited for us to come back to see how everything turned out for his granddaughters but was now leaving to get some sleep too. Mr. and Mrs. Delacour started their travel back to France with their youngest daughter. This was the quietest the house has ever been.
"Molly, can we help you with anything else?" I asked.
"I don't really know, sweetie, if you don't mind cleaning up a little, I would like to lie down." She smiled, her eyes looked like they were about to close. Not even taking into consideration that it was way past midnight, so many things happened tonight, especially for her…
"Of course, get some rest." I brushed my hand on her shoulder and watched her go upstairs.
Months have passed since the wedding day, and yet Harry, Ron, and Hermione were God-knows-where still. I tried not to think about it too much, having two newborns in the house at the same time was enough headache, especially since they were also wizards and my daughters' mates.
Molly, Arthur, and Ginny visited our house most of the days, Bill and Fleur stopped by a few times, and Charlie came a couple of times too. Savi was always on standby during those visits, ready to pull her shield over the Weasleys in case one of the twins lost their self-control.
Speaking of the twins, no one still had any idea why George was turned when Fred was the one who got bit. Carlisle had his theory though, which made more sense than the theories I came up with. He believed that since George and Fred were identical wizard twins, they were both affected by my bite because there is magic flowing in my venom. He thought that since I was basically changing Fred's DNA, making him a hybrid, his identical twin could no longer stay just a regular wizard either. That theory was complicated and there was no way for us to prove it. However, just 27 years ago I myself did the impossible - got pregnant and gave birth while I was a vampire, so I decided that Carlisle's theory would be true unless we could prove otherwise. Magic was a weird thing and there was still so much to learn about it.
My eyes finally returned to their normal gold a few weeks ago, Fred's and George's were still a little orangish, but closer to gold than red. I sighed in relief when I heard them saying they were going to follow our animal diet. Carlisle started training their self-control a few weeks after they transitioned to this new life so that the Weasleys could visit the twins more often.
Christmas went by and there was still no news from the Golden Trio. We celebrated with the Weasleys and Amos. Tonks and Lupin came by as well, the former was showing already, pregnancy suited her well. It was incredible to see Uncle Remus so happy. As I watched him dance around Tonks the whole night, helping her out in every way possible, I wondered if all soon-to-be-dads were as overprotective as my husband and uncle or if it was just a coincidence.
Everyone received the knitted sweaters from Molly, and she looked surprised when Esme gave her a knitted sweater of her own. With tears in her eyes, Molly hugged Esme and immediately pulled the green sweater with the big letter 'M' in the middle of it on. We all sat down at the table in our house, and the humans, as well as my daughters, started eating the food. Esme, if she still could, would have definitely been blushing at the number of compliments she received for her cooking. My heart was filled with love toward her.
"Thank you for doing all of this." I hugged her in the kitchen after I helped get clean the dishes for dessert out of the cupboard.
"Are you kidding?" Esme smiled at me. "You've given me so much, Bella. I could never even dream of having such a big family, and to be able to cook for so many people…I'm so grateful to you for finding a place in your heart for me."
"You're the best mom a girl could ever wish for." I gave her another hug. "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart."
"Are we hugging Esme?" Emmett came into the kitchen with another pile of dishes and dropped them on the counter.
"We are!" I exclaimed and let Emmett crush both of us in a hug.
"Ah! You kids are going to squish me." She laughed.
A few nights after, Edward, Alice, and I were hunting in the nearby woods. It was so quiet in the forest area; I could hear the owls flapping their wings in the night sky. We were about to head back home when Alice stopped mid-run and gasped. She was having a vision and then immediately started looking around.
"What is it?" I asked both my sister and husband, who, I assumed, already knew what she saw as he too was looking around us. "I hate being with you two when this happens, I'm always let out."
"Sorry, love. Alice saw a Patronus lurking around the forest, it's coming this way, to the other side of that river." Edward explained.
"And?" I was still confused. So, what, there was a Patronus, it didn't mean it was for us. People who needed to contact our family all knew where we lived.
"Alice also saw Ron walking towards it." He explained further. "So, Harry and Hermione must be nearby too."
At that, my head snapped, and I was also looking around now. Surely, we would hear Ron's heartbeat or footsteps soon then. It felt like an hour has passed of us not moving an inch when finally, I heard something other than owls flying in the forest. As I started hearing new noises, I also saw a light coming toward us.
About twenty minutes later, I saw a ginger man emerge from the trees. His head snapped at us, wand pointing in our figures until he realized who we were.
"Cedric? Isabella? Alice?" He exclaimed and came closer to us. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We live nearby, were hunting in the area when Alice got a vision of you coming this way."
"Bloody hell, that's a crazy coincidence!" He exclaimed.
"Why are you here? Where are Hermione and Harry?" I asked.
"I don't know. I'm trying to find them." He shook his head guiltily. "I left a few weeks ago, we found one of the Horcruxes, and I was wearing it that night, it…makes you feel so angry…at everyone. I said some nasty things and left them…I didn't mean any of it, just couldn't stop myself from talking. Of course, when I realized that, they have moved already and with Hermione's protection charms, which are bloody good, I can't track them."
"But why are you in this forest? They can be anywhere." Alice asked.
"Dumbledore left me something in his will." He took something out of a pocket and showed us. To me, it looked like something in between a flashlight and a lighter. "It's a deluminator, I was playing with it one night and then it started talking to me, in Hermione's voice. I've been following its directions for a few days now."
"When was the last time you slept?" Edward asked concerned.
"Or ate?" I added.
"I nap here and there, but the Snatchers are everywhere, they track every muggle-born wizard who tried to flee. I packed some food with me before I left, so I've been trying to save it as much as I can, but if I don't find them in the next couple of days, I might need to find somewhere I could find more food. Merlin's beard, whose Patronus is that?!" He exclaimed, pointing at the other side of the river. My head snapped back and I saw a silver doe, coming closer and closer to the river bank.
"We assumed it was yours," Edward spoke.
"No, mine is a terrier."
He jumped low to the ground, and we all followed. I started hearing quick footsteps that just a moment later sped up to a run, someone was running towards us. The Patronus, disappeared a second after the footsteps came to a stop. I stood up, taking my wand out of its holster when I heard someone whisper, "Lumos."
"Harry?" I asked surprised, but I was right. On the other side of the river stood Harry, his eyes looking at the four of us in shock.
"How did…" He started speaking. "Was that your Patronus?"
"This seems to be the question of the day," Alice noted.
"No, mine is a mountain lion. Edward's a big wolf." I shook my head, but then remembered my dad saying something about Lilly and James being soulmates, so much that even their Patronuses were one. "Your mom's was a doe. I know it can't be hers, but maybe someone who cared deeply for her?"
"The only friend of theirs who's still alive is Lupin," Harry spoke, shaking his head.
"Remus's is a wolf too." I shook my head.
"Guys! We haven't seen each other in months and you two are having a debate instead of hugging one another!" Alice exclaimed.
"She's right." I chuckled and ran towards Harry, jumping across the river. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed, not too tight.
"How come you're here?" Harry spoke to someone behind me. I noticed Alice or Edward helped Ron cross the river and now all of us were on the same side of it.
Ron looked like he had hoped that this point would come up later, if at all. "Well, I've…you know…I've come back. If…" He cleared his throat. "You know. You still want me."
There was a pause, in which the subject of Ron's departure seemed to rise like a wall between them. But then, I noticed Harry walking toward the ginger boy and giving him a hug. "Good to have you back, mate."
"Is that the Horcrux you were telling us about?" Alice asked Ron, pointing at Harry's neck. I looked at the locket and saw Harry take it off.
"Yeah, it's been a nightmare, having it around," Harry spoke, turning it in his hands.
"Too bad there are no basilisk fangs around." Ron chuckled and we looked at him questioningly. "Harry destroyed the diary with one. Basilisk venom is poisonous."
"Well…so is ours," Alice suggested. "I mean maybe if one of us bites it…"
"It might work." Edward smiled and put out his hand toward Harry. "It's worth a try, isn't it?"
Harry put the locker in Edward's hand and my husband pulled it to his face. He put the locket against his teeth and a second later, pressed down on it. As soon as that happened a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream escaped the locket. A dark blood-like mixture dripped off it into the white snow. Edward threw the locket on the ground at his feet and started spitting vigorously.
"Well…" he coughed up the last of the black liquid. "That was disgusting. 0/10, wouldn't recommend doing that."
"You've actually destroyed it!" Harry's face was amused when he picked it up.
It was then when I noticed something gleaming in the light of Harry's wand, I moved forward to the iced river surface and looked down. The ice reflected my distorted shadow, but deep below the surface of the water, something else glinted. A great silver cross...
"There's something in the bottom of the river."
I heard everyone coming closer to me and I dropped to my knees at the pool's edge. Harry angled his wand so as to flood the bottom of the pool with as much light as possible. A glint of deep red...It was a sword with glittering rubies on its hilt...
"The Gryffindor sword!" Harry exclaimed.
I stared down at it. How was this possible? How could it have come to be lying in a forest pool, this close to the place where Harry and Hermione were camping? Had some unknown magic drawn them to this spot, or was the Patronus, who led Harry here some kind of guardian of the river? Or had the sword been put into the pool after they had arrived, precisely because they were here? In which case, where was the person who wanted to pass it to Harry?
Harry pointed the wand at the silvery shape and murmured, "Accio Sword." It did not stir. "Help," he murmured, but the sword remained upon the pool bottom, indifferent, motionless.
"Sure, but what do you want me to do?" I asked.
"No, sorry, that's not what I meant." Harry looked at me. "Dumbledore had told me the last time I had retrieved the sword that only a true Gryffindor could have pulled it out of the hat. It comes to any Gryffindor who needs help."
"As much as I hate to say this, but I think Bella and I can't help you with that. We are both Hufflepuff."
Harry glanced at the bottom of the river again. With fumbling fingers, Harry started to remove his many layers of clothing. "A little privacy?" He asked and I immediately turned away. "Alice?"
"I have a husband; do you think I haven't seen a man in his boxers before?" She giggled, and I rolled my eyes, taking her by the hand and turning her to face my way.
An owl hooted somewhere as Harry stripped off. Merlin, what was tonight with all the owls in this forest? Harry's teeth were chattering horribly, and I heard him say. "Diffindo."
I heard the ice crack with a sound like a bullet in the silence. There was a splash that followed and then a deep breath before the surface of the water was broken again. For about a minute, there were no sounds, and I was beginning to worry until I heard Harry gasping for air. I turned around to see Edward and Ron helping Harry out of the water. Choking and soaking wet he came to face down in the snow. Somewhere, close by, I heard another person making their way toward us. Harry dressed up and looked visibly warmer. The sword was now in his left hand, in the right he was once again holding a wand.
Hermione emerged through the forest line and stopped, eyeing everyone startled. Her eyes stopped on Ron, and she walked right up to him, her lips slightly parted, her eyes wide. Ron gave a weak hopeful smile and half raised his arms.
Hermione launched herself forward and started punching every inch of him that she could reach.
"Ouch…ow…get off! What the…? Hermione…OW!"
"You…complete…arse…Ronald…Weasley!"
She punctuated every word with a blow: Ron backed away, shielding his head as Hermione advanced.
"You…crawl…back…here…after…weeks…and…weeks…oh, where's my wand?"
She looked as though ready to wrestle it out of Harry's hands and he reacted instinctively, "Protego!" The invisible shield erupted between Ron and Hermione. The force of it knocked her backward onto the snow. Spitting hair out of her mouth, she lept up again.
"Harry's going to get sick if we don't get him somewhere warm," Alice spoke, but it appeared that no one except for Edward and I were listening.
"Hermione!" said Harry. "Calm…"
"I will not calm down!" she screamed. Never before had he seen her lose control like this; she looked quite demented. "Give me back my wand! Give it back to me!"
"Hermione, will you please…" Edward started.
"Don't you tell me what do, Cedric Diggory!" she screeched. "Don't you dare! Harry, give it back now! And YOU!"
She was pointing at Ron in dire accusation: It was like a malediction, and I couldn't blame Ron for retreating several steps.
"I came running after you! I called you! I begged you to come back"
"I know," Ron said, "Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm really…"
"Oh, you're sorry!"
She laughed a high-pitched, out-of-control sound; Ron looked at Harry for help, but Harry merely grimaced his helplessness.
"Guys, can…" I tried interrupting their argument again.
"You came back after weeks…weeks…and you think it's all going to be all right if you just say sorry?"
"Well, what else can I say?" Ron shouted, and Harry was glad that Ron was fighting back.
"Oh, I don't know!" yelled Hermione with awful sarcasm. "Rack your brains, Ron, that should only take a couple of seconds…."
"I'm tired of this." I clapped my hands and looked at Edward and Alice. "Edward, grab Ron, Alice - Hermione, I'll take Harry."
A second later, Hermione's speech was turned into a scream as Alice picked her up and started running towards our house. I did the same with Harry, and Edward took Ron. Finally, a little bit of quiet.
Please review! As some of you probably guessed by now, the Battle of Hogwarts is coming up very soon!
