Revelations

A lot of wedding guests gathered their families and friends and disapparated, while the others created emergency portkeys and quickly disappeared. The Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and the Cruz family were all helping the guests move away to safety while simultaneously fighting death eaters. There were many people running away from the venue, but the death eaters did not chase them. Instead, their focus seemed to be on specific targets.

Even as Chloe gripped her wand tightly with full concentration, a loud scream erupted out of nowhere. Suddenly, the air was filled with attacks. What seemed to be Harry's voice, spoken as though from a loudspeaker, warned everybody that the wedding had been attacked by death eaters. The death eaters had somehow been sneaking into the wedding.

"DAMN IT!" Chloe cursed.

Meanwhile, the Lestranges were having a get-together.

"So, you killed my wife, then?" Rodolphus growled at Molly. "Time for revenge!"

"Prepare to die!" Rabastan raised his wand.

Molly stood glaring at the brothers, her wand raised in defiance. As a Prewett and as a Weasley, she was more prepared than ever. Bellatrix's taunts rang in her ears yet again as though showing her that day's events: "What will your family do when Mummy dies just like Freddie?"

A dark-blue light shot out of her wand. Alarmed, the brothers began to shoot curses at her.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" It was Neville and his band of Aurors. They were now escorting everybody safely away from the venue.

"You should let me handle them, Neville!" Molly shook her head. "I am not letting a young man like you get into this danger!"

"I fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, Mrs. Weasley! As an Auror, I consider myself capable enough to handle everything." Neville confidently said.

"Arthur! Long time, no see!" Lucius growled. "In for a game?"

"Why, yes, Lucius!" Arthur nodded. "I'd like to see your pathetic arse move back into Azkaban, after all, wouldn't I?"

"Fleur, you go with them!" Bill insisted. Fleur shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"NO, Bill! I can't leave you here alone!"

"I am not alone! Nothing matters more to me than your safety." Bill said, wiping away her tears.

Fleur held his hand and said, "I am not going anywhere! I can still fight! Even the British government recognizes me as the only French and non-British to have fought in the Battle of Hogwarts!" Fleur insisted.

"You want to stay away from these rogues!" Bill said.

"I want to help!" Fleur demanded angrily.

"Fine! In that case, check if everybody is safe. Should you find anyone in danger, you know what to do." Bill said.

"Kick the death eater's backside!" Fleur's eyes sparkled.

"NO! You take the guests to safety! We will handle the death eaters!" Bill held her shoulders.

Fleur scowled. "Where do you suggest I take them? It's not like the death eaters won't notice that foodstall!" She pointed at the stall.

Her face grew pale. "That's Clodagh Gabbers, right?"

Bill's heart sank. He turned around. Indeed, Harry's cousin's girlfriend was very close to the death eaters.

Chloe noticed that someone in the bushes seemed to be cursing under their breath.

"We can't, Goyle! Someone is here! We need to wait for the others to take position!"

"Okay, but what is the time?" Goyle asked.

Crabbe pulled out a pocket watch and said something. But Chloe did not hear the time. Instead, she saw a familiar pocket watch with gold edges amidst the bushes. She had located the hiding place for the two of them.

"Why doesn't this thing come properly?" He furiously banged the clock. The glass shattered, and goosebumps erupted in Chloe. Her heart suddenly felt heavy.

Her wand gripped tightly in her right hand, and she slowly made her way to the bushes.

"Crabbe, someone has seen or heard us!" Goyle said it in panic.

"Quick! Distract them!" Crabbe furiously muttered.

Goyle did the next thing he could think of. He threw the gold pocket watch right at Chloe's face.

Her instincts made her catch the watch. Her suspicions were confirmed. This was the watch that belonged to her father. Mr. Gabbers used to keep this watch in his shop!

Tears flooded her eyes, anger throbbed in her veins, and a sharp thirst for revenge took over her as she looked up in time to see Crabbe and Goyle jump out of the bush.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" She bellowed. Goyle's wand flew out of his hands. Chloe quickly grabbed and broke the wand.

Chloe pointed her wand at Crabbe and said, "Accio wand!"

The wand flew from Crabbe's hand, and she caught it. To her fury, Crabbe burst out laughing. Blood pounding in her ears, she made to break the wand. Suddenly, it moved, and a toy popped out of the other side.

Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter.

"Trick wands! I told you it works, Goyle!" Crabbe said.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Chloe bellowed, her wand pointing at them.

"Why should we tell you?" Goyle scowled.

"Don't waste time with a filthy little mudblood! We have work to do!" Crabbe hissed at Goyle.

"I will not let you go anywhere!" Chloe bellowed.

"GABBERS! MOVE AWAY!" It was the eldest Weasley—the Curse Breaker.

"Mr. Weasley?" Chloe said.

"MOVE!" He bellowed. "RUN!"

"I am not going anywhere, Mr. Weasley!" Chloe said.

Crabbe and Goyle took to their heels, and Chloe began running after them.

"STUPEFY!" Chloe bellowed. Crabbe and Goyle were stunned but still managed to run.

"NO!" Bill bellowed.

"Trust me, Mr. Weasley!" Chloe shouted back at Bill, and now Fleur had caught up with Bill.

"REDUCTO!" Chloe was bellowed at a wall by Crabbe and Goyle. The wall exploded, and Crabbe and Goyle were trapped.

"Ouch!", "Move out of my way, Goyle!", "Hey!"

Meanwhile, Bill raised his wand, ready to catch up with Chloe and the death eaters. Suddenly, Fleur fired a curse at a death eater behind Bill.

"See! It's why you need me!" She smirked at Bill.

"Thank you, Fleur! But, please listen to me! Go to Mum and Dad. Don't stay here." Bill said gently.

Fleur shook her head, tearing up again, "Don't send me away, Bill!"

"It's for your own safety, Fleur!" Bill held her. She snuggled into his chest, sniffling.

Bill, however, took Fleur away.

"Bill, no!" Fleur said.

"Percy! George! Take Fleur with you!" Bill called out to his brothers who swiftly appeared.

"Don't take me with you! Go and help your brother!" Fleur said.

"After we have ensured your safety, Madame!" George winked.

When Fleur turned around, Bill had already run into battle. Sniffling, Fleur went inside where Molly and Mrs. Cruz were waiting.

"Where is Audrey?" Fleur asked.

"In battle!" Percy said. "Gotta go, Fleur!"

"No, Percy!" Fleur said, "George, no!"

But the brothers had left. Fleur saw them joining Charlie in the distance.

Chloe stood in front of Goyle and Crabbe, fury etched across every line of her face. Her father's pocket watch continued beating calmly as though nothing had happened. She put it in a side pocket.

Suddenly, her father was walking by the trees, enjoying the greenery.

"Chloe! These things are called weeds!" He cheerfully waved at her and pointed down. "Weeds grow wild and profusely, denying food and space for essential crops to grow!"

He grew moist until Chloe furiously swiped at her eyes. When she looked again, her father was gone.

"WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS?" She growled at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Why do you care?" Crabbe or Goyle shot back.

"I repeat, how did you come across this?" Chloe growled.

"Let me distract her, Crabbe!" Goyle said. Despite Crabbe shouting, "NO!", Goyle took out a diamond bracelet and said, "Hehe, this is a little present for you!"

Chloe's eyes widened, her heart racing, her brow sweating, and her hands trembling. The image of her father talking about the weeds returned. This time, her mother stood by his side.

"Weeds are like parasites, Chloe!" Her mother nodded at her. "Never be one! Never allow one to come near you!"

"ACCIO BRACELET!" Chloe bellowed and caught the bracelet. Crabbe and Goyle took off into the chaos.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Chloe bellowed, making the duo fall into the muck with a sickening crash.

Trembling with fury, grief, and relief, she safely put the watch and bracelet into an inner pocket.

She towered over them like Goddess Durga before killing the demon Mahisha.

"S-Spare us!" Goyle shook with fear. Crabbe spared him a disgusted look.

Chloe began laughing. "Spare you?"

"Kill us, then!" Crabbe spat. "We will not give you the trouble of dueling! Lord Voldemort shall rise!"

Chloe glowered at Crabbe. "Kill you? Before you can dream of that monster, answer me! Where did you get the pocket watch and bracelet from?"

"Is that all you want?" Goyle trembled with fear. "Go to Riddle Mansion! Take all the money you find there, but don't hurt us!"

Chloe could tell he was mocking her.

"Shh, you fool!" Crabbe hissed. "Let us see what she does! If she could, she would've finished us off earlier!"

"Tell her, Crabbe! About the little trip you and I had to Elm St. Edmund when the Malfoy boy murdered that old fool, Dumbledore!" Goyle said.

Crabbe glowered at him. "SHUT UP! It wasn't the Malfoy boy who killed the bumbling old idiot!"

"What did you do?" Chloe glared harder than ever, pretending to be strong. She was shattered within. But she pointed her wand aggressively at Crabbe and Goyle, ignoring the commotion. An entire foodstall collapsed, and more screams were heard. But Chloe did not waver. Her heart sank even deeper, although she did not know why.

Dudley sat on the ground beside the Grangers, who were playing with Teddy. The baby was giggling merrily, and Dudley watched. Perhaps soon enough, he and Chloe...

But he did not have the time to complete that thought.

Just as suddenly, the door ripped open. A young man of Dudley's age with blonde hair just like Dudley's stood towering over them. His gray eyes were filled with sadistic glee. His rat-like face sneered at them with pure malice and contempt, "Well, well, look what we have here!"

He raised his wand and said, "AVADA...!"

Dudley pounced on him, "RUN, Mr. and Mrs. Granger! WITH THE KID!"

The Grangers did not need to be told twice.

"Here, you take him and go!" Nathan pushed Emily and joined Dudley. Together, they held Draco Malfoy against the wall.

"Okay, boy. You run." Nathan said.

"Run? Only after I have finished you mudblood lot!" Draco laughed.

"Not you," Nathan kicked Draco. "YOU!" Nathan pointed at Dudley as Draco lay whimpering, holding his manhood.

"I am not running anywhere! I have to look for Chloe! You, on the other hand, have to go, sir. Emily and Hermione would be anxiously waiting for you!" Dudley said.

"Now, look here. I once met Vernon Dursley. probably around 1991 or something. I did not know about your family or your connection to Harry Potter then. He sure seemed like a tough guy, but he loved his wife and son! So, you better run away, boy!" Nathan growled. "Don't show your toughness with death-eater scum!"

Draco pointed his wand just as Dudley screamed and jumped in Nathan's way.

"CRUCIO!"

"NO!"

Dudley felt as though a million knives were being thrust into him. Draco was clearly enjoying the show. Nathan kicked Draco in the shins.

Furious, Draco screamed, "AVADA KED..."

Dudley was faster, despite the pain. He dragged Nathan out of harm's way and forcibly pushed him out. The beam of green light missed Dudley by a whisker.

"RUN, Mr. Granger!" Dudley bellowed. Nathan had no choice this time but to act quickly.

Dudley was worried about Chloe. He was worried about the others as well. He wanted to do his part, even if this would not go down as something as big as the Battle of Hogwarts.

Just when Draco's second beam of green light came, Dudley dove out of the way and grabbed him.

Dudley was not the Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast for no reason. The force with which he grabbed Draco knocked the wand out of his hand. Draco resisted with all his might as his wand fell away.

Dudley began raining blows on Draco right on the floor. Just as the mob had thrashed Dudley when he had first started working at George's shop the previous year at Diagon Alley, Dudley extracted every bit of revenge. Draco retaliated by punching and kicking Dudley.

Draco grabbed Dudley and pushed him hard against the wall. Dudley punched Draco's belly.

"Ow!" Draco bent clutching his stomach. Dudley jumped and, using his elbow, pummeled Draco's back. Draco howled in pain. Dudley used both his fists and began striking at Draco's back repeatedly. But Draco punched Dudley hard in the face. Dudley's head hit the wall.

"C-Chloe...!" Dudley whimpered. "Oh, no! Harry!"

"Aha! Want your mummy?" Draco sneered, having not heard Dudley properly.

"I will remind you of your mummy, you sick bastard!" Dudley screamed with a sudden bust of energy. He pushed Draco on to the floor and kicked Draco's face.

Spitting blood furiously, Draco caught Dudley's throat, trying to strangle him.

Dudley struggled hard and stood up. Draco attacked him but this time, Dudley twisted Draco's hand, making Draco scream. Dudley kicked Draco's shin.

Draco fell on his knees, panting. Dudley was crying and panting.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Dudley asked Draco.

"Why do you care? You're nothing but a filthy little mudblood!" Draco sneered.

"And you are clearly an asshole!" Dudley yelled. "What do you gain from hurting innocents, from ripping apart families, from all this murder and racism?"

"A pure-blood society! Free from mudbloods like you!" Draco spat.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA!" He shot a curse at Dudley. Dudley dove out of the way. Draco's curse hit the main pillar, crumbling it.

Dudley grabbed Draco and roughly dragged him into the wall. Draco's wand fell. He had to take it when Dudley stomped his foot.

Draco yelled in pain and grabbed Dudley's leg, pulling him down. As Dudley fell with a groan, Draco ran forth.

Grabbing his wand, Draco suddenly yelled, "SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Dudley dove out of the way, but not before the curse sliced off his cheek. His head hit the wall, and he stumbled out into the open, bleeding profusely.

Draco laughed at Dudley as the entire foodstall collapsed on his head. Dudley watched in horror as his vision blurred into nothingness. All he could hear was, "DUDLEY!"

"What did they ever do to you?" Chloe demanded, tears running down her face. "What have you done to them?"

"You seem to read our minds, girl!" Crabbe spat, "What will you do? You filthy little mudblood!"

"CRUCIO!" A hoarse voice said behind Chloe. She felt as if a million knives were being thrust into her. She let out a scream.

When the curse was removed, she looked up to see Lucius Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, pointing their wands at her. It was as if time stood still. The wind seemed to wait with bated breath.

Chloe stepped forward slowly. Goyle jumped then, causing a twig to snap into two.

That triggered it. Chloe and the trio of Lucius, Crabbe, and Goyle fought neck to neck with various offensive and defensive spells.

Chloe felt multiple cutting curses on her skin but did not care. She would die avenging her parents if need be. Furiously swiping at her eyes, she retaliated with more curses. Her hands had begun trembling and her knees had grown weak after fighting three death eaters at once. She might not make it!

Visions of a future with Dudley she had dreamed came up in her mind. She was wearing a white gown and he was dressed in a black suit as Harry Potter himself officiated the wedding. She was on a bed clutching Dudley's hand shouting in pain as Ginny Weasley helped Chloe deliver her and Dudley's baby. She and Dudley were sending off their daughter and their son to Hogwarts!

Perhaps that would never happen. She might have joined her parents before she knew it.

"CHLOE!" It was Hermione and Ginny. They furiously joined in and shot spells and curses at the death eaters.

"You've done a wonderful job, Chloe! Those three are badly injured!" Hermione was saying. "You know the theory and practicals so well!"

"We need to get you to safety first!" Ginny was saying.

Chloe's vision had blurred. Lucius, Goyle, and Crabbe respectively stood from left to right, now growing blurred. Chloe felt as if she was sinking into the ground. She was losing the fight. Muffled voices of "CHLOE!" rang in her ears as her knees finally gave away and her eyes were shut.