About eight months later, Minerva sent the members of the Order a patronus summoning all of them to the school, saying that Voldemort's domain over the school had ended and that they were on verge of a battle. When they got there, they found out that the trio was there and that they were the reason that Hogwarts was now free. Well almost free, it was on siege. The trio was nowhere to be seen, as Harry asked Minerva sometime before he could do anything. No one truly knew what was going on except for them and maybe the older witch. Within a couple of hours, the dark forces begun their attack as Harry Potter was not delivered as demanded by Voldemort. At that point, they arrived.
Fleur could not believe her own eyes. The three of them were actually quite mature. Obviously, all the time they spent alone must have made they grow faster than they should. The blonde was now trying to understand what was happening to her. To be honest with herself, she knew. The butterflies on her stomach, the need to protect. Her mate.
"Merde." She said under her breath. Noticing that the three of them worked together as one, she decided to stick around in case the needed any help. She needed to protect her mate after all.
"Are you ok, Fleur?" Bill was by her side and heard her cursing.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Zey are coming." She said as a bunch of death eaters fled in their direction.
"You have one hour." An evil voice sounded inside everyone's heads as the death eaters retreated.
They had some casualties, but Fleur was thanking Merlin that none of the Weasleys were wounded beyond repair and that most of the members of the order were still alive. And the trio had suffered little injuries, not that they really needed any help from her. Not the trio, actually, at some point during the battle Harry had vanished. A few minutes later, he reappeared, in shock and holding a flask.
Fleur observed closely and saw the boy ran upstairs.
"Are you really fine, Fleur? You seem off." Bill never left her side even though he found it strange the fact that his friend's eyes wouldn't leave the infamous trio, even in battle.
"Bill. I found her."
"Sorry?" He seemed confused.
"Merde. I found my mate, Bill." The blonde smiled at him, tears threatening to fall. "In ze middle of a fucking battle!" She was now beginning to feel her face warmer. He smiled.
"You can't stop looking at the three of them, your protectiveness towards them is almost irresponsible, given you roughly protected yourself." His smile got bigger as he followed his line of thoughts. "And we must not forget you referred to you mate as she…"
The Veela couldn't help but smile at him.
"Hermione Granger." He said. "Fits you both, I believe. You are both fierce."
"I still have to make her not hate me anymore." She said, seriously.
"You will work something out. I'll go stay with mom a little, love you. Good luck." He left her, both knowing that when the hour they had come to an end he would be back fighting alongside her. They both had decided that as soon as she found her mate they wouldn't be a couple anymore.
"Je t'aime. Au revoir." Their relationship wouldn't change that much, except for the sex part. But she could live with that. She was saying goodbye to the boyfriend she had and later she would greet her best friend.
As the hour passed by she saw the inseparable trio walking outside the castle, Ron holding a crying Hermione. Not wanting to disturb them, she waited. A few minutes later Hermione and Ron reentered the castle and went straight to Minerva. She seemed to be exasperated. Fleur went there, not knowing what to do at that moment.
"… reckless that's what he is!" She heard the older woman say.
"Pardon. What 'appened? I saw 'arry going outside, where is 'e?" She asked the other three. She was closer to the professor as soon as she finished speaking, Ginny approached Hermione,
"'Mione, where is he?" she said.
The brunette, who had been looking at her feet since the professor's outburst, looked sadly at her friend. "He went to the Forbidden Forest." Needless to say another word. The redhead understood what happened and her face completely lost its color. In a blink Ron was beside her, helping her seat. Since her friend would he fine, she turned her gaze to the older women. As her gaze locked with Fleur's, Hermione froze. And Fleur once again felt her stomach drop and the butterflies.
"Miss Granger! I believe you were about to explain Mr. Potter's antics." The woman sounded slightly amused at the exchange occurring in front of her.
Hearing her name, the brunette snapped and looked at the professor.
"Sorry, professor. I believe you are familiar with Dumbledore's theory about the Horcruxes." Minerva nodded. That was something discussed within the Order. "We were chasing them this year so we could kill Voldemort." everyone near them tensed. "As Professor Dumbledore had already identified, the first one to be destroyed was Tom Riddle's Diary and then Marvolo's Ring, both destroyed here in school. We unveiled Salazar Slytherin's Locket which Ron wrecked, then Helga Hufflepuff's Cup which I dismantled and, most recently, Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem destroyed by Crabbe's accidental Fiendfyre. Leaving one last Horcrux which we believe is Nagini, Voldemort's snake. Apparently those are the Horcruxes he intentionally created." Realisation ran through Fleur, as she understood what was indeed happening. Minerva had a look of horror.
"Oh my!" was the only thing she was able to say.
"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!" Voldemort's voice echoed inside the castle a while later. They ran towards the entry, Minerva leading them followed closely by Hermione, Ron and Ginny and Fleur was right after them, sensing Bill beside her. As they got outside, Hagrid came into sight, carrying Harry's body. A painful scream could be heard. It came from McGonagall and as followed by his two friends and Ginny. What happened next was almost too quick to register what was really happening. Neville stepping in front of them, the Sorting Hat being summoned by Voldemort to later be set on fire on the boy's head; the centaurs ending their neutrality; The House Elves coming to battle leaded by Kreacher and Dobby. Fleur didn't miss a sudden movement near Hagrid and the fact that Harry's body had vanished; Neville branding silver and striking the snake with it. And then hell broke loose. Without noticing, she and Bill were fighting four death eaters shoulder by shoulder with Hermione and Ron. The problem was, each time one of the death eaters fell, another one appeared. At some point, Ron and Bill were replaced by Ginny and Luna and now the four women were fighting Bellatrix. A Killing Course was shot, the next thing that Fleur sees is an enraged Molly Weasley in front of them confronting the crazy woman.
"You will not touch any of those girls. You won't mess with my family!" The redhead roared.
Soon they were dueling, both to kill. Molly's rage didn't budge and at one point Fleur saw the crazy death eater begin to relax and make jokes about her family, then she saw a flash o light striking Lestrange right on her heart and heard a high-pitched scream. And in front of her she saw a flash coming from Voldemort towards Molly be absorbed by an invisible shield. Then she saw Harry Potter appearing out of nowhere. Gasps and cheers were heard around the castle. She heard Hermione and Ginny gasp and say his name. Fearing both of them would run towards him, she placed her arm in front of them, protectively as she was in front of the three younger girls. Looking at Hermione, she saw that the girl was actually holding her friend, who had an angry look on her face. Harry shot an apologetic look towards them, one that Fleur could only imagine was directed to the red headed girl.
The hole battlefield seemed to have been frozen.
"I don't want anyone else to try to help." Harry said, this time towards his friend. "It has to be me." She nodded.
Everyone was in shock, watching as both wizards battering, and Harry spilling lots of things to Voldemort. The hole exchange Fleur stood in front of the three younger girls wand in hand, ready to protect them with her life if it came to it.
"I am the true Master of the Elder Wand!" The chosen one shouted. Causing the snakelike man to roar in fury.
"Avada Kedavra!" He shot at the same time that harry shouted: "Expelliarmus!"
The Elder Wand was seen flying, apparently refusing to kill its master. The spell casted by Voldemort rebounded and hit him. Quickly Fleur and some other members of the Order casted bounding spells into the closest death eaters, whom were still in shock. She could hear Hermione's voice casting them too but the girl soon stopped and ran towards her friend, hugging him the other two younger ladies in pursuit. Fleur smiled.
"Oh, I have been hoping I could see this look soon." Bill side hugged her. She didn't have words. She was just happy that it was finally over.
The death eaters that hadn't been held prisoners, fled. That would be a hell of a hunt, Fleur thought. The Order divided itself in two, as part of them secured the new detainees and the other part assisted Minerva rebuilding the most damaged parts of the castle. The House Elves took charge of refurbishing the rest of the castle.
Fleur spent the next day with Bill and her family, having flooed her family to reassure her mother that she was fine. Most students were going home today, after Minerva had made sure that their parents were fine. Those that had nowhere to go would stay in school until the new minister, Shacklebolt, and Minerva, the new Headmistress, figured what could be done for them. She was caught off guard when Hermione approached her.
"Hi." The brunette said, shyly. "Uh, I wanted to thank you for your help while fighting Bellatrix."
"Not zat you needed eet but, de tien, 'ermione" She suppressed the blush that was emerging to her face by looking at her feet. And missed the other girl's blush.
"Hermione dear, come here! You are family too!" Molly said as saw the younger talking to Fleur.
"I… Uh, I've got to find professor McGonagall. Excuse me. I'll come back later."
