Sorry it took a bit, but I actually wrote two endings and I was deciding on which one to go, but I think I'm finally done with this fic.
Chapter 65
"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery," Voldemort's voice broke trough all the sounds and made his way to everyone's mind, "Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately…You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now…Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me… One hour."
The voice ceased and everybody stood paralyzed at the sight Hogwarts had become in the battle. No one really had the time to stop and look around while death eaters and others were on them. George walked into the great hall with weak knees, beside his father. Both looked to each other with comforting smiles saying 'we made it this far'. Arthur swung an arm around his boy so both could help each other, to keep fighting some more when needed. When they arrived at the end of the great hall where they saw the rest of the Weasleys, Ginny ran to Arthur to give him a hug, then she went to George. Her nose was red and eyes were filled with tears.
"What's wrong, sweetie?", Arthur asked
Ginny just looked behind to the floor and there they caught Tonks and Lupin, laying side by side, not breathing. Molly was crying beside Bill, Fleur and Percy. They looked so innocent side by side, why did they go? So many asked. They did expected that not everyone was coming out alive, but they still weren't expecting this.
"Wher…where's Fred?", George asked looking around, feeling his heart pounding, "and Kat-mum, where's Kat?"
"I-…I don't know, sweetheart.", said Molly between sniffs.
"I-I gotta go and look for them!"
"Wait a bit, someone will go with you", Arthur said, trying to recover from Tonks and Lupin to help him
"No, I need to find them now!"
George barged out of there ignoring that Percy had called him. When he got out of the castle, his feet stopped to the sight of the corpse laying around the great ring. Some were students, others death eaters and snatchers, still it was a horrible sight.
"George", Percy said as he grabbed his wrist, "come on, I think they're somewhere inside the castle"
Percy pulled George to start walking as they went back inside. More dead bodies were in sight and George couldn't help looking to see if he saw a ginger or a blue-black haired one. George started to go up the stairs while Percy went down, on his way to the dungeon. He saw a body of a girl and, hoping it was not Kat, he went to check it. But the figure of someone coming up the stares startle him.
"Kat?"
There she was, coming up to him, half smiling, limping and with a few scratches.
"Thank Merlin, you're alright!", Percy said going down to her
"You too…and everyone else?", she asked with fear
"A few down, but-…George! George!", he called, looking up, "I found her!"
Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her up to the corridor. George was going down the staircases he had gone up to. He suddenly stop to take in that she was fine, standing there with a smile and shining eyes, knowing he was fine too. Both ran to each other the feet that that were in between to meet halfway in a hug that lifted Kat up. When they got apart, Kat jumped on him again to kiss him.
"You scared me", George said with a sigh
"I was too", she said as her smile faded, sounding serious
His smile faded too, feeling the vibe turning into tender and caring coming from her. His arms went around her again and he pulled her closer to him.
"Where's Fred?", she asked after they got apart
"I…I don't know"
"…What?", she snapped looking at him and Percy
"He-he left before we stopped to look for you and I haven't seen him"
"Why did you let him go?"
"I couldn't stop him, I tried to go after him, but I lost him."
Kat let out a sigh as she passed her hand trough his hair and George lowered his head, in disappointment.
"We're not gonna do anything here. He must be around the astronomy tower", Percy suggested.
Kat nodded as he started to walk and she glared at George. She saw he now felt guilty and realized she shouldn't have snapped at him, not since she has done worst than him. Slowly she grabbed his hand, gently and he looked to her. She gave him a smile filled with comfort and regret for yelling at him. He smiled back, feeling better and accepting her apology. Both started to go after Percy and caught up with him as they looked everywhere they passed trough and called Fred's name. The echoes called too, but no one answered. It was when they got to the fourth corridor that they heard whispers as they decided to enter. They saw Alice standing with arms crossed and a worried look on her face as she stopped to a body laying on the floor. Austin and Kurt were just stopping and going down to the body.
"Kurt!", Kat called as she went faster
The three of them looked as Kat almost ran to them, but stopped when her eyes caught the body.
"F-Fred?", she asked as Kurt got up
"Stay away, all of you", Kurt warned
"He-he can't-"
"Stay back", Kurt interrupted George who's mind was spiraling down as he saw himself laying on the floor.
Kurt went to Kat to stop her as her eyes seemed like they were about to burst tears out. Austin was over Fred, checking on him, but it looked hopeless.
"N-no!", Kat cried as she pushed Kurt, but he and Percy pulled her, George was going blank as the tears came down
Kat felt tortured as Austin kept shaking Fred and calling him. Her knees started to trembled as she went down and her hand covered her mouth and she shook her head. George walked closer to her, clinching his teeth together to hold it in, still hoping. Austin placed two fingers on Fred's neck, to check his pulse again and after a couple of seconds he looked at Alice with a half smile, and she answered before he gave a little slap to Fred's face.
"You're alright"
Fred's eyes started to slowly open as he felt his lungs started to breath again. Kurt smiled looking down to Kat who's eyes opened wider than ever and her jaw dropped. Then he looked and George and Percy who were also paralyzed.
"You did wonderful, Fred", Austin said as he helped Fred get up
Fred smiled to them and thanked them before he looked to his side to see his brothers a few feet away, still paralyzed, they were shock, but surprised too. Then he looked at Kat, she looked broken, but still surprised and shocked. He ran to them and Percy and George meet him a few feet from Kat in a hug. She stayed on her knees, looking down and breathing deep, trying to recuperate and put her heart back together. After they hugged, Fred looked down to Kat with shining eyes as if he was about to cry from joy. He went down to Kat, along with George and they hugged her at the same time. Her hands slowly grabbed Fred's shirt to pull him closer.
"You scared me, you git", she said in the hug, making them chuckled
They stopped hugging her and got up, pulling her up. After she felt her strength was better, she jumped on Kurt to hug him, then on Alice and then to Austin. The seven of them started to walk down the stairs, weak, but happy they were fine. Kat had taken Fred and George's hand as they walked down.
"So, we saw Fred was fighting on his own, and we joined him", Austin started to explain what had happened, "he was almost killed to be honest"
"Ah, yeah, saw my life flash before my eyes", Fred commented
"When a death eater threw a curse at him, Austin also knocked him down to make the death eater think he got to him", Kurt continued
"While me and Kurt distracted the others from coming, Austin explained to Fred what to do."
"Risking his life just to teach me how to play death", Fred added with a chuckle
"Why?", Kat asked Austin
"We figured that if something happened to him, we would have lost you too", Austin answered and Kat stayed in silence, not knowing what to say, mainly because it was trough, "anyways, he did amazing in just one incredible, very quick lesson, better than both of you", Austin added with a chuckled to Kurt and Kat
"Oh, please! I could have done better", Kurt said, "I just didn't want to make Kat feel bad"
"No way! I did better than you!", Kat said
The way down, they kept arguing, but Fred kept winning. When they got to the great hall they took care of those from S.I. that were harm and that were gone. The whole time Kat didn't let go of Fred or George. Kat look across the great hall to the Hogwarts' entrance and saw Harry going out. Her eyes opened wide as she realized what he was doing. She ran out, slipping from Fred and George's hands, but they followed.
"Harry!", she called in the great ring, stopping him
"Don't, Kat, I've made up my mind. I have to do this", Harry was firm, "go with Ron and Hermione, kill the snake, that is all you have to do. Help them, they have done more enough already."
Kat looked to his eyes and his decision was sure. She couldn't do anything, but nod and assure him she would keep helping. Kat wrapped her arms around him to give him a hug before he walked out. The three of them stayed watching over as Harry left their sight. After a minute Kat turned around, but her eyes were staring blankly to the ground.
"Kat, don't think about it", George said as her eyes fell on him
"It's perfect!"
"Kat, no! It's too dangerous", Fred added
"Yeah, but it's worth the shot", she looked at them with a firm stare, trying to convinced them, "since when did you two go soft?"
"This is different than when we were in Hogwarts, Katy"
"Fine, I'll do it alone, maybe Kurt will help me"
She passed by them to go into the castle as they groan and followed her, calling her name. She stopped when Ron and Hermione also went into the great hall.
"I just bumped with Harry"
"Yeah…we couldn't really stop him", Ron said with an arm around a broken Hermione
"Here", she said as she gave Kat one of the Basilisk's fangs they had, "used this in case you see the snake, it's the only way we can kill it"
"Alright.", Kat said taking it and putting it in her bag
After Hermione and Kat looked at each other and went for a hug in which Hermione let a few tears run. Ron took Hermione inside the castle while Kat turned to Fred and George with a decided look.
"So what exactly is the plan?", George asked as the three of them were running down the Hogwarts grounds
"Kill the snake", Kat answered
"Kat!", Fred called, pointing out it wasn't much of a plan
They kept running and they started to pant after their feet went faster and they entered the forest and ran trough the big roots from the threes and made way trough the darkness of the night.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Kat stopped with a gasp and her hands covering her mouth when a green light flashed the forest. Fred and George stopped behind her and they saw the scene. Harry was laying on the floor, not moving and Voldemort was falling down, as if he was weak. Fred and George started to pull Kat away, but she kept struggling.
"Now's our chance", she said as she was pulled
"It's too late, Kat", Fred said, "we have to get out of here"
"No, it's not, didn't you noticed? Harry made him weak! Harry is like-Harry is like a horcrux. He's weaker now.", Fred and George looked at her like she was onto something.
"Someone's there", a death eater said as he looked around, "surround the forest!"
A few death eaters walked away while Bellatrix checked on Voldemort. Kat, George and Fred and started to run away from there, but they heard one death eater called to them and they started to chase them. Kat started to climb on one of the threes and the guys followed, quick, until they sat on a branch. The death eaters passed by, but one stayed behind, looking around. Kat got her wand out and pointed to him panting and with rage; she whispered the curse and a green light hit him, making him hit the ground. Then she whispered 'that was for Harry'.
"Nooo!", Ginny cried out as Arthur hold her from going any further to Voldemort after he shouted that Harry was dead
Between the death eaters they keep pushing and passing Fred, George and Kat to the front, making gasping sounds from the surprise. The three of them were being hold by death eaters beside Voldemort.
"These three wanted to play the heroes", Voldemort said with a mocking voice to his followers who smirked and a few chuckle, "now these two are yours, but as I recall…this one is on our side"
Before Kat spoke they pulled her back and the death eaters holding Fred and George pushed them to where they belonged. They turned and moved to go back to help Kat, calling her, but Arthur, Percy and Bill had walked to get them. Kat on the other hand was struggling to get free, but she slowly stopped when she saw the snake sliding around Voldemort. After they pulled Fred and George away, Voldemort called Draco, along with his parents. He hesitated to go, but ended up doing it anyways. Kat felt her wrist being free from the grips and started to slide a hand in her messenger bag while Neville walked closer to Voldemort and started to talk. Kat took out the fang Hermione gave her and held it tight in her hand.
"It's not over!"
With a swing Neville took out a Gryffindor sword from the hat he had on his hand and everyone took guard. Harry moved and fell off Hagrid's arms, causing everyone to gasp and smile. Draco ran out from his parents and threw Harry his wand and he caught it. When he passed by and stopped, a death eater went to him with his wand out, Kat raised her wand and a green light shot out. Draco looked at her and she just said 'we're even' trough her eyes before she turned and ran to the snake who was sliding away, feeling the fang. Neville was pushed back after being pushed by one of Voldemort's spells, and Fred and George took off to Kat, ignoring is father calling them. The snake had turned to Kat, about to attack, but Kat stood strong, in front of it. She heard George called her and opened his hands, telling her to throw the fang at him, which she did and he held it high to attack while Fred pointed his wand at it. Naggini kept looking at Kat while she acted like she was going to attack her, distracting her. Kat raised her eyes to Fred and George and she looked to her side, spotting two familiar death eaters pointing at them. She turned to black smoke, flying to Fred and George and taking them away from the snake. They appeared in the great hall were more of the fighting was done.
"Why you did that for?", Fred asked as he sat on the floor beside George
"They were going to kill you", Kat said on one knee in front of them, "stay here"
Before they spoke she ran out to the great ring again were her former parents stood with a smirk. She swung her wand to them, shooting a blue light, but they block it, with the same smirk. Fred and George had stood again to help the other fight as they went to the great ring and saw Kat fighting with her parents, with the odds against her. Her parents turned to smoke, flying away and she followed in smoke too. Fred and George called her as they started to run. They got out of the great ring pushing away the death eaters that were still there and when they hit the bridge, they looked at each other, not realizing how the hell they got out of that alive. When it had Kat involved, nothing could stop them. As for her, she had stop half way in the bridged to fight the death eaters and her back was facing the castle. The devious eaters suddenly stopped fighting and she stopped too to take a breath. They looked over her and smirked at each other as they saw Fred and George running to her.
"Let's play one last game, sweetheart", her mother spoke as her eyes trace over her again
Kat turned around to see the guys running to her and soon realized they were going to be involved.
"Run!", she yelled and they slowly stopped to listen, "get away from them!"
But two trays of smoke passed trough her, blowing her hair to her face. When she opened her eyes, Fred and George were gone and the two trays of smoke started to surround her; she could hear Fred and George calling for her.
"You can only safe one", the men spoke with fading voice as the smokes flew away.
The death eaters flew separately, one to the castle and the other to the entrance of the bridge, leaving Kat in the middle. She looked to both ends to see that filthy father of hers holding Fred by a foot, on the edge of the bridge, making him stare down. On the other end, her so called mother had George with his hands behind his back and his toes on the edge of the bridge; at least he could see Kat, but also see his brother on the edge of, what could be, his death.
"What are you waiting for, honey?", the men yell, "go on and save them!"
She wasn't stupid, she knew they would let go of them at the same time. Kat kept looking at both ends, thinking and thinking, but her mind was a blur. She could only think what could happen if she thought she lost them, again? She was about to tear up in frustration as her hand passed trough her hair. Before losing it, she spotted someone coming around the castle in a broom, it was Kurt, who speeded up when he saw the scene. Kat started to run and turn to smoke as she went to where George was as Kurt passed over her to Fred. The men let go of Fred to attack, but Kurt flew down to catch him. Kat suddenly felt she was pushed back, turning back to her body and falling on her butt. The women wasn't happy.
"Cheater", she said as she got her hand down
She got out a dagger from her belt and stab George on his waist. It was all so sudden, Kat couldn't really do anything, but gasp. Kurt arrived at the bridge with Fred behind him and both saw it. Fred's fist tighten around his wand as he started to walk faster. Kat got on her feet again.
"Let him go", she said, with pain from George's cries
The women grinned again as he hand on George's arms opened and Kat's eyes opened wide. George's body was going weak as his body was pushed to the edge and Kat jumped to grab it, but she felt him slipping away. She called him but his body disappeared in the fog under the bridge. Fred stopped a few feet away with his heart breaking and the woman and man disappearing in black smoke with grins that stayed planted in the air. Kat started to shake her head as she walked to the edge to jump, maybe it wasn't to late to catch him. But Kurt wrapped his arms around her to stop her and pulled her away from the edge, but her knees vended as she went down to the floor. Kurt let her there as he went back to Fred, who looked like he could also jump any second, but he was stronger struggling to get free from Kurt's grip. Both looked up as they saw trays of black smoke leaving the castle and a tension was off their shoulders. Voldemort was gone for good; the chosen one saved us all, but Kat didn't care anymore. Her mind was going blank as she raised her head to see the great ring, with people coming out of the castle, it was the good, and in the middle stood Harry. She wanted to be happy, but how if her world was now falling apart. Kurt pulled her up and she obeyed him. When she raised her head, she saw Fred looking down to her, with tears running down his cheeks, that's when she broke down and cried. Fred wrapped his arms around her to pull her closer to him. Who would have thought that these three would be falling apart, just when everyone started to celebrate and who would have thought that one of them was gone. Kurt just stood behind him, with out words, not knowing what to say. He was just there when they were done hugging to pull them away from there. They reached the great ring when everyone went inside the castle, but Kat stopped halfway, making the guys turn. She shook her head, not wanting to face anybody right now. Fred went back to her and hugged her tighter than he has ever done, giving her comfort and finding some himself. Alice came out alone and went to Kurt asking what had happened and he told her, he asked for Austin, but she mentioned he wasn't found. Something Kat heard, and made her cry out more. After a few seconds, they sat on a corner of the destroyed ground to hid from everyone, alone, in their arms, still not coping with it. After a few minutes Harry, Ron and Hermione came out, already aware of what happened hearing it from Kurt. They joined them in the comfort, trying to make things better since they knew it was going to take a long time for them to recover.
"Take Fred inside", Kat whispered to the trio as she got up and while Fred got up, Ron and Hermione nodded as Kat turned to Fred.
She hugged him again and then took his face in her hands and kissed him, deep and tender, but it was short.
"You should be with your family", she whispered to him
"Come with me, please, Katy", he said, in pain
"I'll be…I'll", she couldn't lie anymore, "I need some time alone right now…go, be with them, Freddie", she gave him one more kissed as his hands grabbed her wrists tight, telling her not to go.
Slowly she slipped away from his hands and Ron grabbed his arm, pulling him. Hermione and Ron took him inside, but Harry stayed behind, noticing Kat looked back to the bridge and with eyes that weren't sad anymore. The pain still lingered, but something else was there too, a thirst for revenge.
"Kat, please, don't", Harry spoke, "don't do this to Fred…not now"
"Harry…I have to do this, for me this is not over.", she spoke, with teeth pressed together in fury
"Nothing you do will bring him back…I'm sorry. The leas you can do is move on with Fred. He needs you."
"What about what I need? Understand."
Like that she turned around and walked away from the door. Harry called her, but she kept walking away with the breeze of the morning hitting her face and her heart pounding with blood running faster and burning. This was not over for her.