Chapter 25: Sacrifice of the Prewett Brothers

Fabian Prewett lowered the Omnoculars from his face, smiling deviously, his eyes glinting with the promise of adventure and mischief.

"Is the intelligence reliable?" Gideon, his twin brother asked, huddled down next to him.

Fabian just shot him a fearless look. "Brother, you worry too much! Kingsley is pretty much 100% certain that is the Dark Lord's safehouse!"

Gideon shrugged. "One of use has to be prudent."

Fabian just barked out a laugh. "Since when would you ever describe yourself as prudent? The moment there is a whiff of danger and excitement, you are right there along with me!"

Gideon allowed himself a small smile. "True. But only because you drag me into it!"

"Liar," Fabian snorted. Though he let it drop for now. "You think our darling sister's boys will have any sensible ones in the bunch?"

"Perhaps," Gideon floated. "There are six of them, so the chances are already higher that some won't be such prats like we are! Though I doubt it will be Fred or George. Imagine – who would have thought Molls would be blessed with such devilishly handsome twin brothers, and then she goes and has twin sons?"

"It's the Prewett genes. Fertility runs in the family," Fabian chuckled. A small lull in the chitchat now reigned, which in itself was a rarity for the two brothers. Thick as thieves they were – always had been. Not even their darling older sister, Molly, had been able to curb their worst impulses, despite her natural instinct to mother them from a very young age.

"Mothering is what Molly does best. Though seven children, and one of them's a girl? I'd say it's a just punishment for her trying to curb us, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, indeed!" Gideon chortled. "She sent me a picture, didn't you know? Gin-Gin is teething! Imagine – a daughter for her at last! It's what Molls has always wanted!" Another pause as the twin brothers continued to case the house. "You're sure you sent the Patronus to alert Dumbledore and the others?"

"Positive," Fabian affirmed. "As soon as they get here, we move in!"

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that."

Fabian and Gideon whirled around to find no less than five Death Eaters outflanking their position from behind, stalking closer to encircle them. Three of them had their masks off so that the moonlight cast a chillingly ethereal glow on their faces: the brothers Lestrange, Rodolphus and Rabastan. The twins also recognized Antonin Dolohov amongst this small battalion, probably here to check the perimeter.

Neither of the brothers Prewett showed any fear, however, both of them raising their wands and making a sweep of the Death Eaters slowly surrounding them with steely gazes. They'd faced worse odds in worse jams than this.

"This time, we do it together," Gideon murmured low.

"I was about to say that," Fabian concurred, for once his playful side subdued.

Gideon sent Rodolphus a cocky smirk. "Evening, Rodolphus. Where's your firecracker of a wife? I thought the Lestranges came in a complete package."

"I don't see her, Gideon, unless she's hiding her bewitching good looks under one of these kabuki face-lifts" Fabian played along, gesturing to the remaining pair of Death Eaters who kept their identities concealed.

Rodolphus sneered. "My wife's whereabouts should be of no concern to you. You should be more concerned with giving your last words. You die tonight, Prewetts!"

Fabian let out an almost put-upon sigh. "Well, I always did want to go out in a fabulous blaze of glory! En garde, ye dirty pureblood numpties! Stupefy!"

"Impedimenta!" Gideon almost spoke over his brother.

The two masked Death Eaters were immediately dispatched and out for the count.

"There," Fabian smirked. "That oughta even the odds!"

"I thought our odds were still pretty good with those puppets still standing!" Gideon whooped, getting sucked into the thrill of the fight already, as he toed one of their crumpled adversaries with his boot.

Antonin Dolohov snarled and silently hand gestured to the Lestrange brothers to move in, the trio of Death Eaters meaning to choke the twins off. Fabian grinned wickedly.

"Oh ho! Brothers on brothers! I have to hand it to you boys: props for keeping it clean! Family feuds really are the best!"

The two pairs of brothers then leapt in and began to fiercely duel: Fabian on Rodolphus, Gideon on Rabastan. Occasionally, the sets of brothers would fire at the Death Eaters threatening their respective better halves. Sometimes, they even switched opponents until both duels looked like they were part of one larger, crazy pattern dance.

Finally, Gideon bellowed, "Diffindo Derma!" slicing a significant cut across Rabastan's torso, which immediately began gushing blood. Rodolphus snarled and yelled "Avada Kedavra!" but missed.

In the near distance, pops of nearby Apparations could be heard, and Fabian gritted his teeth. "We just have to hang on, Giddy, old boy! The Order is almost here!"

Antonin Dolohov anxiously glanced back from where he was supervising the fight. If the Order and Dumbledore showed up before they could finish this, then they would be the ones outnumbered. And the Dark Lord had to be removed from this compromised area at once!

He suddenly had a spell come to mind, one that his friend Severus had recently taught him – a cousin of Diffindo Derma, if you will.

"Oh, you lot are taking all bloody day about it!" Dolohov now finally had no choice but to leap into the fray. "Sectumsempra!"

A huge gash suddenly appeared in Gideon's neck, spilling precious blood and he went down with a shocked howl.

"Giddy!" Fabian screamed. "Bombarda!"

"Protego!" Dolohov deflected.

"Stupefy!"

The red bolt of light hit Dolohov square on, and he went down with a crash. Fabian parried Rodolphus with a quick Bombarda curse and strutted over to Dolohov, standing over him. He could hear voices just beyond the next crest: Shacklebolt, Moody and others.

"Not so tough now, are ya, you…?"

He had no time to block with Protego.

"Avada Kedavra!" Dolohov grunted with the last of his strength before he was pulled under into unconsciousness.

The flash of green light erupted directly in Fabian's shocked face; it was the last thing he would ever see. Shouts from the Order were rising, growing closer. Gritting his teeth, Rodolphus Lestrange struggled to his feet and hobbled over to where Gideon Prewett lay sprawled on the ground, groaning and still bleeding out.

Rodolphus grinned cruelly. "Avada Kedavra!"

Another flash of green, and Gideon joined his brother. It may have been a mercy killing, but still, a hard-earned one. Rodolphus helped his own bleeding brother to his feet, eyes darting about furtively.

"Help me grab him," he ordered, turning to an unconscious Dolohov. "Out of here, quickly!"

Hoisting Dolohov between them, the Lestrange brothers hobbled away and vanished into the mist, charging for the safe house where Death Eaters were already fleeing as the Dark Lord was spirited away to the next hidden headquarters. Moments later, Dumbledore and his cavalry came charging over the crest of the hill too late. All they could find left of whatever scrimmage had occurred here were the broken bodies of the only siblings of Molly Weasley (neé Prewett). Meanwhile, the two masked Death Eaters, left behind by their friends, were swiftly captured once they came to.

John Dawlish and Frank Longbottom gave themselves the job of informing next of kin, by transporting the Prewett twins' bodies back to their sister's house in the Devon countryside, a frequent meeting place for Order strategy sessions. Most people in the resistance to Voldemort had codenamed it 'The Burrow.'

Light from the main house spilled out onto the front lawn as the pair of Aurors emerged from out of the night, baring tidings of condolence and the remains of their dead. Baby Ginevra at her breast, Molly Weasley could only hold a shaking hand to her mouth before collapsing with a plaintive and agonized wail into her husband's arms.

She could not be comforted.