I was exhausted going to bed that night, missing Fred even more than usual. It was comforting, however, to be sharing a room with Luna while Dean took the third, smallest bedroom.

Dinner was a bit livelier with two more faces and I didn't feel quite so much like I was intruding on Bill and Fleur's newly married life.

Afterwards I followed Luna up to the room I had been inhabiting for the last few months where we each got ready for bed in the night clothes that Fleur had given us to use. Since most of my possessions had burned down along with the cottage, something that was confirmed when I went back with Bill several days later, I had accepted Fleur's kindness for the few different outfits she provided to rotate through. She had graciously done the same for Luna since her arrival and I didn't think I could really claim to dislike Fleur anymore.

"Marnie, can you see the Nargles? They must be swarming my head like mad," Luna suddenly declared once we were ready for bed.

I turned around after pulling back my blankets to see Luna sitting up in her own bed, looking quite distressed.

Despite us being friends for so long, I still didn't completely understand Luna when she made such statements. As children we had all read the same books up in the meadows near Ottery St. Catchpole, but I had never discovered the same creatures or plants that Luna often claimed as fact. Even in my career where I was privy to more sensitive information on magical creatures, I had still never heard of such things.

But that didn't matter. The expression on Luna's face, devoid of its usual dreamy charm, looked more unsettled and I knew what that face meant.

"What if I held your hand until you fall asleep, would that keep the Nargles away?" I asked, seeing the slight relief wash over her before she nodded and moved over towards the wall to make room for me in the single bed.

I climbed in gently, letting her pull the blanket back over the both of us before I settled down onto the pillow and clasped my hand over hers between us. It was tight, but Luna was much leaner than Fred, so it wasn't nearly as cramped as I had been in the past.

It took a while before I heard Luna drop off and her breath even out. I watched her blonde hair gleam in the moonlight spilling through the window beside her head and let the warmth of her hand keep me grounded even though sleep still felt a ways off yet.

It wasn't until what felt like hours later that my eyes finally started to grow heavy and I closed them despite feeling as if I were still awake.

"Are you sleeping, dear?" a familiar voice filled me with warmth, and I was glad I hadn't dropped off just yet.

"Dad?" I asked, smiling before I even turned over in bed to follow the sound of his voice.

"Of course, not. I can practically hear your thinking, love," my mouth moved in reply before I managed to open my eyes.

The contentment I had felt waking up to the sound of my father's gentle provocation crashed around me while I tried to catch my breath like I was suddenly drowning. I knew before realizing that my father looked about fifteen years younger or the fact that I was no longer in Shell Cottage, that my father was still dead. I couldn't even delude myself in my dreams that my father was still alive, and I was all too familiar with this feeling to know that I was catching another glimpse into my mother's life.

My eyes opened in time to see my father sitting up on his side of the bed, something I knew never changed after my mother went to stay permanently at St. Mungo's. He looked worried with a pained expression in his eyes that I had glimpsed several times during my childhood whenever my father didn't think I would notice.

The frown I felt form across my mother's face told me that it was an expression she was familiar with as well.

"You know Marnie will have us up early tomorrow," my mother spoke softly but I knew it was to try and provoke my father into speaking his mind rather than actually being concerned about whatever hour I was going to wake them up at in the morning.

My father sighed tiredly, bringing his hand up to brush across his face before he looked over at my mother who was still laying on her side of the bed.

"What would I ever do if it became just me and Marnie?" my father's voice cracked under the pain evident in his tone. Hearing that pain, my mother finally sat up to move in closer to him, bringing her hand up to hold onto his. "I can't ever teach her magic like you can or prepare her for school."

My father looked almost frightened, like this was what plagued him at the pit of his stomach. The whimper that escaped from my mother's lips was the only indication of the crippling anxiety I could feel deep in her gut. This was the fear she had felt when considering her unwilling abandonment from me and my father and it made me all the more miserable for the life I had been denied having a healthy mother. Of course, my mother never got to live the life she intended but feeling her personal fear for the future she ended up with made my stomach knot and my mind want to scream and break all over again.

"You know, muggleborns don't get the same advantage that Marnie and Harry have. Even if Marnie doesn't get to have any magical advantage from exposure, I'm sure she will be just fine," my mother managed to give her reassurance even though I could feel the burning in her chest.

My father turned to look into my mother's eyes with tears brimming around the edges. He obviously didn't ever want my mother to even entertain the idea of her absence in our lives and it made this scenario so much more painful to witness since I already knew the outcome. In only a few short months from this moment, a year tops, my father would come to live his worst fear and too soon after that my father would be gone from my life completely.

It was too much to watch this moment between my parents, two of the most important people who I would wake up to find absent from my life all over again.

"I don't have anything against muggleborns. I can only hope Lily teaches Marnie and Harry both as they grow up together. I just—Penn was the strongest person I ever knew. My brother could do anything, and I was always so in awe of my older brother. And now—" my father sobbed unexpectedly, my mother folding herself over to embrace him tightly.

I knew my uncle had died in the first war before I was old enough to remember him. But I also knew how close he and my father had been despite going off to different schools while Penn went off to Hogwarts and my father went to a muggle boarding school.

"Being strong isn't enough. How do I stand a chance being so weak?" my father completely broke down after that.

I could tell my mother wanted to reassure him but didn't speak over his wracking cries that were only muffled from his arms as he bent over into them. My mother curled around him as best as she could while I sobbed violently from inside her mind.

"Marnie, are you awake?" another voice somehow cut through my own misery that woke me up for what felt like the second time that night.

I frantically opened my eyes to stare directly up into a familiar set of fiery blue ones framed with vibrant red hair.

For a second I thought it was Fred, stealing away in the middle of the night to come and see me. But the haze cleared at the urgency I could hear in his voice and I saw immediately knew that of course it was Bill instead.

"It's Harry. We have to go to the school. Everyone needs us," Bill explained hurriedly before I could even rise myself from the bed I was still sharing with Luna.

Luna had already stirred beside me, sitting up with her hand still clasped in mine. It was remarkable that we had been able to keep holding hands while we both slept, especially when I had had such a nightmare that still tugged at my mind, but that was hardly relevant now at the moment.

"Is this it?" I asked, knowing Bill would understand my meaning.

During my time at Shell Cottage, I had entertained Bill with several conversations entailing our predictions with how this war would pinnacle and we always agreed that it would most likely begin and end with a summons from Harry when he finally finished his journey given to him by Dumbledore.

It was completely surreal to think that less than a day after Harry had left on his mission with Hermione looking like Bellatrix Lestrange that things were moving along so quickly after so many months of nothing. I had suspected Harry had a solid lead when he left but that hadn't tipped me off to think that maybe this could all pinnacle so soon. But maybe Harry hadn't know that himself either.

I nodded in response to Bill without any further delay before moving to retrieve my discarded robes from the end of my vacant bed. Bill looked satisfied that we would move more quickly now before he left the room, most likely to go round up Dean and Fleur. Luna and I only took a few hasty moments to get ready before we also filed out of the room without comment.

The adrenaline from my nightmare had transferred into a determination that carried me down and out of the cottage. The other three were already assembled on the beach just outside the protective charms when we hurried ourselves outside. Dean looked like maybe he hadn't slept at all, given that it was still the middle of the night and he was still wearing the same clothes he had arrived in yesterday. Fleur was also standing there gripping tightly onto Bill's hand.

"Look, it's a message from Ginny," Dean announced once we sidled up next to the others, holding out a familiar looking coin that I recognised as Hermione's communication device from the DA meetings. "It reads for us to go to the Hog's Head pub."

I gazed at the coin, thinking it was an ingenious idea for the DA to use our old coins. It also made me more relieved that Dean was now staying at Shell cottage since I knew my own coin was buried along with the other burned remnants of the Cottage. We would have been delayed in our response to the school otherwise.

Without further instruction other than a summons and location, the five of us disapparated into the night. A sudden blaring noise assaulted my ears as soon as we popped up in front of the derelict pub in Hogsmeade.

Bill took the lead without much hesitation before we all filed into the pub.

"Merlin, there's no end to you people. This isn't some damned reception hall," a gruff voice caught our attention from behind the counter the moment we entered.

Immediately looking over from inside the door I inhaled sharply as my mind tried to comprehend recognising someone else tonight who I knew to be dead. With his long white beard and bright blue eyes he looked very much like our old headmaster. But upon closer inspection, while he regarded our group with blatant disdain, I could see that this man in fact was not the Dumbledore we knew, but a Dumbledore nonetheless.

"Neville!" Luna exclaimed excitedly from beside me, interrupting my interpretation of the situation to look up and lay eyes on the familiar boy standing in an open passageway behind a hidden portrait, much like the portrait door into the Gryffindor common room.

"Luna, Marnie, Dean!" Neville called out enthusiastically and waved to Bill and Fleur.

Luna led the way towards Neville and we all followed without further regard to the mystery man. We were here on a mission after all and I was now confident that we were in the right place after seeing Neville. I was also familiar enough with the secret passageways leading to and from Hogwarts to not give much thought as to where we were obviously heading. The literal light at the end of the tunnel told us that we were almost to our destination but I could suddenly hear the sounds of eager voices and applause on the other side. It became obvious once Neville opened the portrait door on the other end and our group stepped out to see a fairly large group of Hogwarts students circling Harry.

The room opened into a was of red, blue, and yellow cloaks with matching banners hung haphazardly around the room. There were also several hammocks hanging from the ceiling while others were floating from what were probably precarious hovering charms. Several Prophet articles had also been clipped out and hung up as a show that the students of Hogwarts had obviously been trying to keep up with the rest of the world and what was happening outside in the war.

"HARE!" I stilled in my descent from the hole in the wall to catch the ever familiar frock of orange hair making its way through the crowd of several people who were now staring at me along with the newest arrivals.

The only other face I caught was Harry's who looked relieved to see me before he politely averted his gaze once Fred finally came into view.

Without finding my voice first, Fred crashed into me and I latched onto him as if my life depended on it. The brevity of the situation definitely made it feel that way at least, knowing that despite the specific details as to why we had been summoned, it was all ending tonight.

I turned my head up to meet Fred's gaze but he captured my lips instead. It was just as energetic and without abandon like every other part of Fred has always been. In the midst of all the chaos and distance and hurt we had all endured over the past year—years—this was a moment separate from all of that, a definite specialty of Fred's.

I couldn't stop the smile spreading on my lips and felt Fed return it in kind. It didn't matter that we were currently surrounded by friends, family and other students who were all preparing to do whatever it was we had all been summoned here to do.

"So, Freddie, what's the plan?" I asked once our lips parted with a little smirk, the first one I had managed in months since before my home burned down.

Fred returned it easily, always consistent even in the midst of all this chaos.

"The best kind of plan, Hare. The one we make as we go along," Fred beamed back before I saw another head of orange hair enter my sightline from behind Fred's shoulder.

"George!" I exclaimed, the only word that could provoke Fred to loosen his grip to allow his twin to embrace me as well.

"Hey, Mar. Ready to kick some Death Eater arse?" George asked with a matching mischievous grin to his brother.

I would forever be grateful for the normal Fred and George always provided. It didn't matter if we were sneaking down to the Hogwarts kitchens in the middle of the night, inventing joke items in the confines of the twins' bedroom at the Burrow, or going off to fight in some sort of good vs. evil battle, the twins always did everything with a smile and a fiery determination that I let wash over me to ease my nerves. And to them, it didn't matter if their best friend wasn't as present or even as sane from the gripping on my mind that never let me feel completely at peace like I used to, they treated me just as they always had. I truly had the best friends anyone could ask for.

"Born ready," I gleamed back at them, earning a matching set of nods before I turned to see Harry leaving the room rather quickly with Luna in tow.

I had missed most of the conversation around us due to my reunion with Fred, but I trusted Harry knew what he was doing and that he would be well supported with Luna by his side. Ginny also had a fiery look in her eyes but I couldn't figure out what exactly had caused it.

"We should get a message to the other Order members," Fred announced suddenly, squeezing my hand, and not letting go once George separated himself from our embrace.

The twins immediately got to work with Neville helping, all of them orchestrating messages to reach outside the school to everyone else. I silently stayed by Fred's side, absorbing the calm and determination from the twins while we waited for everyone to heed their invitation.

The first to arrive was Angelina, followed almost immediately by Katie, Lee, and Alicia. I hadn't seen any of them in months since I hadn't left Shell Cottage for any of the more recent broadcasts. Despite not letting go of Fred's hand, Angelina and the rest of them crushed me into their arms before George managed to explain the situation.

After that, it didn't take long for more members to arrive; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus and Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and other Order members who filtered in until the Room of Requirement was definitely maximising its capacity. Thankfully, it seemed that the room expanded to accommodate the others but it was still a rather tight fit until the entrance reopened with Harry and Luna returning.

"Harry, what's going on?" George asked, the three of us with Angelina managing to be closer to the door this time to speak with Harry directly.

"We're fighting. Everyone is meeting at the Great Hall to get organised. Voldemort's on his way," Harry was as foreboding and straight to the point as usual, in line with his typical level of doom and gloom.

He met my gaze briefly but neither of us had any words of comfort or consideration. We both knew it would be a miracle to make this out alive, especially considering who we both were in this war.

But that didn't stop me from pulling out of Fred's grip to step forward and bring Harry into a strong hold, all our emotions tucked into our arms before I retreated only a moment later. We knew how we both felt, how we were the only family we had left and that we would do anything for each other.

Fred's hand returned to mine by the time I stepped back beside him and he gave his own nod to Harry before moving to pull me out of the room to the Great Hall where all the students had already started to head. But our efforts were halted at the unexpected sound of Mrs. Weasley's gasping shock.

Fred and George whipped around to see their next older brother walking in through the entrance from the Hog's Head.

"I was a fool!" Percy exclaimed abruptly, much to the shock of those who were left in the room, mostly those who had red hair.

Part of me felt the need to give the family more space, but Fred's secured hand around mine didn't give me the option. The twins instead started to list all the ways they had unfavourably regarded their brother over the past year to which he heartily agreed to. It was definitely a new look on Percy, but after Fred and George got all of what they wanted to say off their chests, they looked satisfied enough to leave the more emotional reunion to their parents.

xx

It didn't take long making our way through the familiar corridors until we arrived at the Great Hall. The Gryffindors and most of the Hufflepuffs were already assembled with the Ravenclaws and Slytherins filing in behind us. Fred pulled me to where we noticed the red-clad students were already assembled since the four long dining tables were pushed to the sides.

Professor McGonagall appeared shortly after, immediately taking command of the situation. It seemed that Snape had already taken his hasty leave, affirming to Fred that he was still a coward. I didn't say anything to the contrary, focusing instead on the younger students who were led back towards the Room of Requirement to seek safety. Not once did Fred loosen his grip while George and Angelina kept pace with us. We were soon delegated up to the Astronomy tower to set up defensive spells and protect the school from above.

I had briefly run into Remus and Tonks on the way since they were supposed to guard the opposite side of the tower; but not without Remus first showing me a new picture of Teddy. The little boy with bright blue hair looked equal parts like his mother and father in the moving picture and I couldn't wait to meet him and finally be able to introduce myself as his godmother and spoil him rotten.

From our vantage point in the Astronomy Tower, we saw it the moment the defenses broke around the castle and the Death Eaters stormed the school. My breath stopped while I looked on for only a moment before wisps of black floated around us before solidifying into Death Eaters around us.

That was when Fred finally let go and we were immediately locked in battle. I didn't mean to get separated from Fred since I knew we would be stronger together. But once I successfully landed a stunner on a Death Eater who obviously hadn't been prominent enough to have his own wanted poster, I took off down the stairs looking for Fred.

It was a dangerous game of dodging and retaliating before I heard the unmistakeable sound of Fred crying out. He sounded frustrated and something more foreign in my ears; he was scared.

I immediately took off down the corridor, thankfully not coming across any other Death Eaters since I really wasn't paying enough attention to my surroundings.

As soon as I turned the last corner into the main corridor leading out of the Entrance Hall I stilled at the sight of Fred, George and Percy locked into combat with Antonin Dolohov. I didn't know where Angelina was, most likely having been separated like I had, but the rushing memories of my mother's came roaring to the surface as I remembered how Fred's uncles had been murdered by this man.

With this unnerving thought coursing through me I sprinted towards Fred. None of them saw me, George locked into battle to the side while Percy and Fred squared off against Dolohov together. It was Fred's wand who was caught in a curse that kept his focus away from the wall behind them. I could already tell from down the hall that the structure was severely compromised and that it was starting to teeter.

I didn't think while I kept sprinting until I was pushing Fred away from the endangering stones that started to crumble moments after I shoved Fred hard to the ground. Both of us were spared by the deadly avalanche but it was Dolohov's wand that posed the next threat. I didn't feel afraid when I knew I couldn't retrieve my wand fast enough to block the curse. Percy was separated from us through the rubble and George had been forced out of sight, though Fred continued to look up at me intensely while I braced myself, confident and soothed by the fact that I would block Fred.

"NO, HARE!" Fred screamed with wide eyes but I knew he still couldn't get up and out from under my weight.

I smiled and waited only seconds before I turned over my head just to watch the green strike hit me squarely in the chest.

"MARNIE!" Fred shouted my name again but I was too relieved to regret my decision or how I executed it.

"I saved one," I whispered back but couldn't get anything else out when my chest immediately seared with too much pain to get any more air in or out of my lungs.

Instead my eyes closed reflexively before opening once the pain disappeared instantly. I was taken aback to find myself standing strangely in the meadow of my childhood. Even more impossibly, directly in front of me was my family, all the members I hadn't seen in years; some for most of my life. James and Lily Potter stood hand-in-hand, my god-parents who I only got to know through my dreams. Next to James was Sirius, looking older than the other two; just like he had two years ago. The only time I saw Sirius in my dreams now was his last look of grief and longing before he died, when he had tricked himself into thinking that the last thing he saw before dying was my mother. After that I couldn't delude myself of how much Sirius had loved my mother and had instead let her go to fall in love with my father in lieu of actually moving on from his first and only love. Remus was also there, undeniably the man who had helped raise me. I was more shaken seeing him here since I now understood that everyone here was dead, including me. I didn't want Remus to be standing here and felt like crying because now Teddy's father and godmother were both standing here and Teddy would grow up similar to me; hopefully with his mother and godfather who would tell him how much we loved him in the short time we knew him.

The last two stepped forward and it felt so very easy to go to them, knowing how much more of my family was before me now than back among the living.

"Dad!" I jogged forward into his waiting embrace and was relieved to feel his solid arms around me.

When he finally let me go, I turned to face the last man standing there, one who had died much too young. I had never gotten the chance to properly say goodbye to any of these people, but he was the one I regretted most.

"Cedric."

His smile was untouched by grief, as big and infectious as I remembered.

"Hello, Marnie," his voice was as inviting as normal and I moved forward instantly to fall into his arms in relief.

"Y— you all died for the war. H—have you come to take me away now?" I felt the obvious reluctance to move on to the after world, knowing there were still people I loved who would continue on without me.

Teddy would become a man, raised by Harry without me. Angelina and George would get married, and I would miss it. Harry would move on from being the Chosen One but wouldn't have any family to help him heal.

And then there was Fred… but I had saved him and now George wouldn't have to be alone.

"Do you want to come with us, Marnie?" Lily's soft voice caused me to step back from Cedric who kept my hand in his while I looked over wide-eyed to gaze between each of my family members.

"I—I don't really have a choice, do I?" I knew even magic couldn't bring someone back from the dead.

But my father's sad and loving eyes made me think that I was missing something important.

"Lena," Sirius spoke but I smiled that my mother's voice didn't sound quite so sad this time now that Sirius wasn't speaking his last words. "Her necklace absorbed the curse. You're dying love, but you're not dead just yet."

I deadpanned at Sirius's words, feeling all of my emotions well up into my throat now that I was going to have to make an impossible choice.

"I don't want to leave all of you," my voice broke while each one of them looked back with their own knowing expression.

"But we have never left you, darling," my father replied softly.

"We will always look after you, Marnie," Remus added warmly, but focusing on him only caused my tears to finally spill over.

"Teddy… he'll be like me and Harry. He won't have his parents or godmother to look after him if I stay," I cried out, feeling my answer in my heart but it was still an impossible decision to make.

"Teddy will know how Nymphadora and I both loved him. Seeing how you and Harry grew up, I know he will be loved despite everything. That doesn't have to be just your responsibility, Marnie. Go back and live your life, don't carry us as your burden, but know how we all died for a better world that my son and everyone else will live in," Remus's words were just as wise and resounding as ever.

"We have to go see Harry now, love. Even death doesn't give us time to speak properly," James spoke but my eyes widened to contemplate what was going on back at the battle.

"Go to them, Marnie, you are so strong and brave. A true Gryffindor, and we are all so proud to count you as a daughter," Sirius's parting words replaced my memory of his vulnerable expression while I watched desperately as he, James, Lily and Remus faded from sight.

"Go darling, I will always be with you and we will see you again. I need to go to Harry now, too, but we will always be with you. You two are my pride and joy," I shared one last fierce embrace with my father before he too faded before me.

This left me standing with the boy I had once loved, and still loved in my heart. It had taken a long time to come to terms that I would always love two men, but no longer in the same way. Seeing Cedric in front of me made that definitive line in my head blur. I had missed Cedric so much so, that I crumbled into his arms when he wrapped me into another embrace.

"I love you, Marnie. I will always love you, my brave fairy," Cedric's words filled my chest and it felt even more difficult to stay resolute in my decision.

"Do you want to stay with me forever?" I asked, thinking that Cedric's answer might sway me yet.

"Of course I want to be with you forever, love, but your forever is back home. You have a chance to return and I would never want you to stay here just for me," Cedric gently propped my chin up with his finger for me to look into his caramel coloured eyes.

His stare was as sure as it always had been and I sobbed out loud when we both knew now that I was going back. He smiled through my tears and finally closed the distance between us for a good-bye kiss. I pressed in further, surprised to smell that same outdoorsy scent I remembered so well.

"I'm not ready to die," I whispered with equal parts conviction and pain.

It was so tempting to have Cedric take me away with him, but I knew that was no longer an option. What I had spoken was the hardest truth I had ever admitted. Cedric also knew it was true.

"You have to go back, you know why…" he whispered when we finally pulled apart.

"Fred—" I replied with tears between our lips.

One last time Cedric looked me in the eyes and nodded before he completely pulled back and kissed me on the forehead, then walked off into the sunset. It was then, being all alone that I realised the ground I was standing on was where the cottage had once stood. Like in reality, there was no actual house anymore, but I recognised the gardens and pond on the edge of the lot.

"Fred…" I pictured the familiar red hair that I always saw flicker in my mind's eye whenever I was grounding myself and then immediately felt my heartbeat quicken in my chest and my vision started to turn black. The silhouette of Cedric became blurry and I was no longer standing in the meadows near Ottery St. Catchpole.

My eyes jolted open and everything turned black as I scrambled for breath.

In the depths of the darkness I could hear someone sobbing over me hysterically. I couldn't bear to hear such a sound coming out of his mouth, because Fred had always been my blissfully carefree best friend. I wanted to soothe the love of my life and comfort him in any way I knew how. I forced myself to reach up, feeling the heaviness in my arm that made it take effort to move, and my eyes still closed.

The sobbing hitched violently and I wondered if by bringing my hand up to stroke whatever part of Fred I had in my grasp was all it took to comfort him.

"It can't be. I—Marnie? Love, are you there? Love please, please come back to me," Fred started desperately chanting above me and I forced myself to open my eyes under his pleading.

Another sob broke out over Fred's lips and I could feel the wet tears running down my face from Fred's eyes. He bowed his head down before locking eyes with me, keeping his eyes open while he ran his lips over my face like he couldn't afford to take his gaze off of me. "You're alive." Those words became another mantra over Fred's lips until I felt others huddle in around me from wherever I was laying down.

"It takes more than the killing curse to get you, eh, Mar?" George appeared suddenly in my vision with his typical wicked smile, although his own cheeks were red and damp from the obvious tears staining his skin.

The next several minutes were an overwhelming barrage of people leaning in to embrace me. I couldn't manage to say anything so wound up letting my grief stricken friends and family collapse over their own relief. But once Fred pulled everyone back to finally grant me some space, albeit he never let go of my hand and constantly looked at me to ensure I was still with him, I realised there were a few key faces missing.

Fred obviously saw it and sighed heavily. He looked over silently and I followed his gaze to see both Remus and Tonks laid out on makeshift cots. They were holding hands and looked peaceful, but I knew with certainty now that my so-called dream had been real. Seeing Remus in the meadow had meant that Remus was gone from this world, and I had been so close to joining him.

My throat ached as the sobs broke through and Fred wrapped me up in his chest to let me grieve. He stroked my hair and pressed me close until my throat wouldn't let any more noise come out. I kept going over my meeting in the meadow over and over in my head. Until near the end when they all had to leave.

"H—Harry. Where's Harry?" I asked pushing myself out of Fred's grip.

I looked frantically up into his eyes only to watch Fred look away from me for the first time, causing my fear to plummet into my stomach.

"No one's seen him in a little while, Marnie," I turned to look at Ginny who had been the one to answer my plea.

She had tears of her own dried on her cheeks and looked nearly as scared as I felt.

They had all left to go see Harry in the meadow. Was it the same meeting I had had with my family? That meant—I couldn't stomach what that meant.

I went to push myself up off the ground even though every muscle in my body lamented against it and Fred was also trying to keep my still. But the sudden sound of Voldemort's projected voice throughout the school stopped everyone short in their movements.

"Harry Potter is dead—the war is done," he declared proudly, as if there was never an alternate outcome.

I choked out my next breath, Fred pulling me close again but we both managed to get to our feet.

"No, no, he can't," I shuttered and watched Ginny cry out before her father pulled her into his grasp much like Fred was doing with me.

I came back, so can he. Harry has to come back. I thought this over and over again while everyone slowly filtered out of the front entrance into the reception area of the school.

Once we were all congregated outside, we were met by the procession of Death Eaters who had apparently been hiding out in the Forbidden Forest during the battle's interlude. I was missing a lot of details from what had happened, but I didn't care as my gaze zeroed in on Hagrid carrying such a familiar silhouette in his arms.

"HARRY!" I screamed louder than I ever thought possible.

This was the same feeling I experienced after the end of the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. But Fred wasn't trying to shelter me this time from the sight of my dead brother. There was no spared innocence in this war so all I could do now was try not to crumble under the weight of it all.

I didn't think I could move and questioned all over again if it was worth coming back from the meadow only to have Harry taken away as well. But everyone went hushed on our side when Neville stepped forward.

I watched with blurred attention, the dark tendrils in my mind gripping the remains of my motivation and sanity, but focused enough to see what Neville had to say.

"We'll never join you!" Neville proclaimed proudly, his grandmother agreeing from somewhere back in the depths of our crowd.

Before I knew what I was doing, I felt my feet move slowly but purposely towards where Neville stood.

The trill of Bellatrix's laughter could be heard from her position at Voldemort's side but I only focused my mind on my feet and planting them defiantly against the people who had taken my entire family away from me. Neville gently offered his hand when he turned to see me and I clasped it determinedly. This gained another round of amused cackling from my torturer and a gleam from Voldemort's snake-like gaze.

And to Voldemort's promise, Neville and I were made examples of for not bowing down to him. I felt the body binding spell through Neville's body first when his hand locked around mine before it transferred to me. I was helpless again to do nothing but watch as my autonomy was taken from me and the Sorting Hat on top of Neville's head caught fire. The wisps of flame soon caught my hair and it was the last burst of agony I felt before the world went dark again.

xx

"Hare, come on love, I know you're still breathing!" the déja vu of Fred's hysterical voice over me was not lost on me when I finally managed to open my eyes again.

Fred exhaled deeply when we locked eyes again. I could tell from the magical ceiling above Fred that somehow I was back in the Great Hall. I flicked my eyes around the room but there appeared that were no living Death Eaters that I could tell and everyone was quite subdued considering that the last thing I remembered was Voldemort announcing his indoctrination of the Wizarding World.

"It's all over, love. We won!" Fred beamed through his tears and I knew from that moment on that I never wanted to make Fred cry again.

"Harry?" I whispered desperately, my throat hoarse but Fred still made out my question.

"He's alive, I promise. It seems like conquering death is a family trait," Fred beamed even brighter before fixing me the most serious stare I had ever seen over his expression. "Marnie, you are never allowed to ever try to save anyone or face down a Dark Lord ever again. I can't—" Fred's voice cracked and his eyes filled with more unshed tears. "I can't watch you sacrifice yourself again."

Fred practically collapsed onto me then and I forced myself to find any residual strength I had to partially sit up and wrap my weak arms around his body. His clothing was tattered and covered in grime. But the warm skin I could feel, the laboured breaths in my ear; Fred was alive.

I folded myself into him and trusted that what he said about Harry was true. Fred was not cruel to deliver such false hope, so I stayed on the ground of the room where we had once shared hundreds of meals with our friends.

"I promise. I love you, Fred. I came back just for you," I whispered into his chest, feeling him heave another sobbing breath when he heard my words.

I would explain it all to him later, when I could fall into bed beside him back at the twins' flat, away from all the loss and destruction. I would describe the meadow and relay the kind words and admit to the crumpling loss I felt at deciding to come back. I would confess that it was all for him, but for now I would tell him how much I loved him, over and over, as many times as it took for him to grasp just how much I meant my words.

"I love you, too, Hare."