You know the drill.
I appreciate all your support, honestly, it means so much to me you don't even know.
Chapter 15: Tears Don't Dry
Kat sat there, wrapped in Fred's arms. The smoke from the fires raging down the hill burned her already swollen throat.
She hated Fred.
There were no other words for it. He dragged her away from Boston. In her heart, she knew Boston would be fine, she had to be. It didn't make her feel any better about leaving her behind.
The clearing was eerily quiet as they waited for something, anything to happen. Tense and stiff, the only sound coming from Kat's sniffles.
More thudding footsteps approached and Fred raised his wand again, his other arm now gently holding Kat to him. Then he lowered it. There was shouting but Kat just kept her face buried. "Hey, Love," Fred whispered, "she's here."
Kat's head snapped up, knocking Fred in the chin, and swiveled to see Boston and Hermione walking towards everyone. In a rather graceless move, she flung herself out of Fred's arms and scrambled to get to her feet to run to her friend.
They collided, Kat wrapping her arms tightly around Boston's neck and Boston pulled Kat in by the waist, her arms interlocking behind Kat. They stayed like that for a long moment.
Ron had run to Hermione and was in the process of looking her over when Hermione looked around and saw they were still missing someone. "Harry?"
"No. I thought he was behind you," said Ron.
"No. We got separated. I fell," Hermione explained. "Boston came back to get me." Everyone sent a quick look to the girls who still had not separated.
"He'll get here," George assured everyone. Everyone nodded shallowly, knowing that there was a chance he might not.
Boston tensed but didn't let go. She looked over Kat's shoulder at everyone else, who quietly shifted from foot to foot. She would have to make sure they find Harry, then send an owl home, make sure she was the first to talk to him herself.
Kat released Boston, holding her at arm's length, looking for injuries. Boston was doing the same thing to her friend. There was a bruise forming on Boston's cheek. Kat ran her thumb over it and Boston winced slightly. Boston ran a thumb against Kat's cheek, wiping away the salt tears that hadn't stopped.
Kat's eyes got wide. "Draco and Cissy." Boston just looked at her friend. "I didn't see them," Kat continued. "I have to go find them." Kat started to move back down the hill but Boston stopped her. Kat, her eyebrows coming together, her nostrils flaring, looked at Boston's hands on her arms. "I know you don't like them, but they are my family, as much as anyone," Kat hissed the last part.
Boston didn't move, and her face became unreadable. She cast her eyes, glittering with tears and smoke, to Fred who was watching apprehensively next to George. She motioned with her head for him to come over. Fred did not hesitate and walked to stand behind Kat. Boston pushed her friend into Fred's arms, which caged her in again. Boston saw a look on Kat's face that she had never seen before, but she knew what it was: Betrayal.
Boston nodded and the tall boy took Kat back over to where George and Ginny stood. Ginny looked at Kat and cringed away from the image. Kat had dirt coating her face, sticking around the tear stains. Her eyes, red and bloodshot, didn't move from Boston's face.
Even when Kat and Boston fought, it wasn't like this. It was never like this. Kat was never this quiet.
"Let's sit while we wait," suggested George. No one said anything but they all came closer to the four and they sat in a small group. Boston was the only one who was not sitting. She had turned towards the fires, still blazing, and drew her wand. Kat got the image in her mind again. Warrior Goddess. Boston would protect them for as long as she could.
It was nearly 30 minutes of silence when Arthur, Bill, Charlie, and Percy came up the hill. Boston had raised her wand but lowered it when she saw the sea of red hair.
"Is everyone here?" Arthur asked.
Boston shook her head at the same time George said, "Harry."
Arthur took a quick look around, checking that George was right and that everyone was unharmed. Arthur looked to Boston again, a pleading look in his eyes. She nodded once.
"Right. Bill and I will go find Harry and Charlie and Percy, you get everyone home." Bill nodded at his father.
"We're coming too!" Hermione called, standing quickly with Ron.
"Not a chance," said Arthur.
"We are going. With or without you Mr. Weasley." Hermione stood her ground, stubborn as always.
Boston moved forward as if to say she was going to whether she was welcome or not.
"Don't you dare," Kat growled.
Boston shot her a look that was almost an apology.
"Fred, George, and Cedric can get Ginny and Kat home. You need Percy and I to help dad," said Charlie.
Arthur looked down and shook his head a few times, mulling it over. He glanced at Boston for help but she just looked away. "Fine. You kids get home quickly, your mother is probably worried enough." He looked to the three children he was bringing back into the campground. "Stick to me, you understand?" They nodded.
The Ministry had gotten the Muggle family down and the fire was nearly out, Death Eaters scattered and Ministry officials where now busy with tracking them down. Just over the hill, the campground was black with soot, few flames flickered in the night.
Fred had gotten them both to their feet when a green glow filled the clearing. All faces turned towards the sky.
A giant green skull lit up the sky in a deep green, a snake crawling out of its mouth and slowly twisted itself around, making a figure 8 knot under the skull. It was eerie just how slow it actually moved, as if it wasn't aware of the horrified onlookers.
Boston blanched, taking a step back and falling to the ground, her eyes still on the evil green symbol in the sky. Fred didn't even put up a fight when Kat pushed out of his arms to Boston. Kat fell to her knees next to her friend, scanning her face.
Boston still had her eyes glued to the sky. Kat placed a hand on the dark haired girl's shoulder. Boston's head whipped violently toward Kat, no longer shock, but an unleashed sort of rage in her face.
Then she was off, shooting down the hill towards the origin of the skull faster than what was possible. Kat thought she might have been apportating every few meters to make her trip faster.
"Boston!" The scream ripped from Kat, but the dark haired girl was already gone.
"Damn it!" Bill yelled, looking at his father then at the group. "Get them home now!" he yelled at George.
Bill ran after Boston first, the rest following quickly after, all with wands out. Ron and Hermione were the last Kat saw before the darkness took them from view.
She shot a look to the horrible mark maring the sky and let out a scream that had her tasting blood.
"We're going home, Love," Fred hissed in her ear. He dragged her towards the old boot that George, Ginny, and Cedric were already standing around.
"Just let me go." Kat's voice sounded small and frail.
Fred ignored her. "Grab the boot, I'll set the timer for 10 seconds." Everyone but Kat and Fred grabbed hold of the portkey. With his free hand he waved his wand, muttering the rest charm, and shot out to clutch the boot.
It felt like sidelong apparating, traveling by a portkey she hadn't touched. Like half the world was being ripped away and gravity was a little too strong.
No one landed with any sort of dignity, crashing into the wet earth with ankle shattering force. Fred still held strong to Kat's middle as he rolled to avoid landing on her. She was still crying.
