Chapter 7
Bill was aware of a disturbance behind them near the door. Turning, he saw George and Percy carrying Fred's body between them. People drew back from them, clearing a path to the centre of the Hall where Bill, Fleur, Arthur and Molly stood. Bill heard gasps as people recognised Fred; one or two whispers: "Which one is it?" and a cry of "Fred! No!" from Lee Jordan, who was standing a few yards away.
Then there was a high-pitched scream from somewhere near the raised platform at the end of the Hall, as Ginny saw the body. Bill whirled round, and caught Ginny in his arms as she ran forward. She was fighting against him, trying to get to Percy, George and Fred; but Bill held her tightly until Percy and George had laid Fred's body down next to Remus Lupin's. Then he let her go, and she collapsed sobbing to her knees next to Fred. Bill knelt beside her, his arms round her, hating himself for forgetting her earlier, for letting the sight of her adored brother's body be the first clue she had to his death.
Molly had also fallen to her knees, and was lying across Fred's chest, her whole body shaking. Arthur knelt beside her, stroking her hair, tears coursing freely down his cheeks. Bill couldn't remember ever having seen his father cry before. George knelt cradling his twin's head gently between his hands. His face was stiff and expressionless, his eyes wide. Bill turned away, unable to bear the look of utter desolation in his brother's eyes. Percy was standing to one side with Fleur, both of them looking slightly awkward. Bill remembered with a jolt that they hardly knew each other.
Suddenly Ginny was struggling in Bill's arms, pulling away from him. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you warn me? You told everyone else! Wasn't I important enough? Let me go, Bill Weasley! I hate you! I hate you! How could you let me find out like this? How could you? I hate you! Let me go!" Bill knew that Ginny was only lashing out at him because she needed a target for her shock and pain, but he felt that her words – so similar to what he had been thinking himself just minutes earlier –were more than he could bear right now. With a sob, he released Ginny, who pulled away from both Fleur and Percy's hands reaching out to her, and stood by herself at Fred's feet crying.
Bill scrambled to his feet, shaking with the sobs he could no longer contain. Dimly, he was aware of Fleur on one side of him and Percy on the other, with their arms round him. For a few minutes, the world seemed to contract, so that he felt that there was nothing and no one beyond his grieving family gathered around Fred's body, no past and no future.
Then others joined them. Hermione was hugging Ginny: and Ron was beside Percy, who released Bill to sling an arm around his youngest brother's shoulders. They were all here now. Except Charlie. Bill pulled a shaking hand across his eyes. Charlie – how Bill wished he was here now. He would be on his way, Bill knew. There was no way he would let his family fight for the freedom of all of them and stay away himself. But quite where Charlie had been working lately Bill was uncertain. Would he back in time? In time for what? To see Voldemort defeated? That seemed so unlikely now with so many dead and injured. And Harry – surely Harry would give himself up now. Bill knew him well enough to realise that he would not allow more people to die in an apparently hopeless cause if he could prevent it. The thought that Fred had died for nothing was a terrible one, and fresh tears ran down his scarred face. Fleur pulled him closer, whispering words of comfort in a mixture of French and broken English.