Wedding at the Weasley's
Natsu was usually the one with the heaviest, deepest sleep, and the last one to wake up, to the exception of Lucy when she was drunk. But that morning, he woke up first, ripped out of his dreams by the smell of bacon. For a dragon-heightened sense of smell like his, there was no fighting the delicious scent of bacon. He slithered out of his sheets, dodging Happy, Lucy, and Wendy on his way to the kitchen.
- Oh, hello dear, whispered Molly, conscious there were other people sleeping not far from her. Did I wake you up?
- The bacon did. I can't resist that.
She smiled. A few seconds later, Wendy appeared next to him, her eyes still half-closed, but her nose sniffing the air just the same. She was, after all, a Dragon Slayer too, and her senses were just as sharp as Natsu's.
- I'm not used to have people joining me in the kitchen so early in the morning, said Mrs Weasley with a hint of regret in her voice. Here, take this. As we say, the early birds...
She tossed them a couple of freshly cooked, crispy slices in a plate, which disappeared very quickly. After swallowing hers like a hungry monster, Wendy asked with the tiniest voice :
- Mrs Weasley...
- Please dear, call me Molly.
- Molly.. What's this strange clock in the living room? Who are those people on the golden hands?
- Ah this! she smiled. A magical clock. Each one of the hands represent a member of my family : Arthur, myself, and our seven children, and we can track the whereabouts of everyone. If you look at it right now, it should point to "home" for some of us, and "traveling" for the others. The "mortal peril" part can have me quite worried, I must admit.
She chuckled, sadly.
- Ron's hand used to point to that from time to time, when he was following Harry in all those crazy adventures... And sometime because of his own stupidity! Like that time he stole his father's flying car because they missed the bus...
She stopped, lost in her memories.
- So where are everyone then? I only met you two and Ronald so far!
Her smile came back, brighter! She spoke even a bit too loud, possibly pulling Erza out of her sleep.
- You'll meet everyone soon! My twin sons, Fred and George, left yesterday morning to take their older brother, William, but we all call him Bill, to his stag party!
- Stag what?
- Stag party! His last party as an unwedded man! Probably went drinking all night long in some pubs somewhere. I'm not sure in what state they'll be when they'll come back! Anyway, what was I saying... Ah yes! well you obviously have met Ron already. My daughter, Ginny, left for France a couple of days ago, to meet with the bride's family and help them plan for the wedding. She will come back tomorrow with all of them! And tonight, Charlie should arrive! I'm really excited to see you two meet him!
- Why's that?
- He's a dragon trainer! Actually, a dragon caretaker to be precise, but to me it's dangerous all the same.
- He... trains dragons? You guys still have dragons?
His excitement showed all over his face, as well as some concerns. In their world, all Dragon Slayers - as few as they were - had been raised and taught magic by dragons. Until one day, the exact same day, all the dragons left in their universe disappeared, leaving Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel and others without their adoptive mentors. Since then, Natsu had spent his whole life searching for his reptile "father", until he managed to find him back, only to see him slaughtered soon after by Acnologia, the World-Eating King of Dragons. To know that in this new world where dragons could be trained and cared after... A whole lot of question popped through his head.
- Didn't you mention seven children? asked Wendy, ignoring him.
- Yes well... I suppose we can say Percy will be working and not joining us.
By the look on her face, they knew this topic was over.
- I can't wait to meet everyone, cheered Wendy to come back to a happier topic. I have never been to a wedding before!
This sentence alone was enough to get Molly so excited about the young girl's new experience that she forgot the rest of the bacon in the pan...
The twin brothers and Bill were the first to arrive at the door, sometime soon after everyone had woken up and joined the gigantic diner table, big enough to remind them the ones in the hall of Fairy Tail. They looked fresh as mint, much better than anyone should look after a night drinking.
- Mom, your Hangover potion is a miracle, declared one of the twins as greeting. I don't feel anything, not the slightest headache! That's...
He stopped, staring at the faces of all these strangers in his his own home.
- Well well, said the other one, identical. Looks like you had a party of your own!
Bill, gentleman and quieter than his brothers, just smiled and walked up to his mother to kiss her hello. A large scar crossed his face, like a lightning cross the sky, a scar big enough to actually impress Natsu and Gray.
- What dya think happened? whispered the first to the second.
The Ice Mage just shrugged. Hermione, although it was not her own home, took it upon herself to do the introductions. To say that Fred and George were ecstatic about those newcomers would be an understatement. And that was before they were introduced to a flying, talking blue cat. After that, they could not get enough of the little animal.
- You see, whispered Sirius into Natsu's and Lucy's ears, back when I was at school with James and Remus, we were the best, most famous prankster Hogwarts had ever seen! But those two dare challenge our throne! Cocky little pricks! So I got a good prank in mind to teach them who's still the master, and it involves that little spirit of yours, miss...
He could not elaborate, as the twins approached to bombarded the pretty blond with questions, but his playful wink let them know that he was not done...
Charlie arrived later in the afternoon. He was a a smaller, bulkier chuck of redhead, built like a small fortress, with massive hands riddled with little scars and patches of burnt skin. But his manners were as gentle as his stature was impressive. Of course, it didn't take long before Natsu took him apart from the crowd and spent litteral hours asking him questions, sometimes letting out a horrified cry, sometimes clapping his thighs with stars in his eyes.
An hour before dinner, the last guests arrived, led by Ginny. The young woman was pretty, her hair even more fieiry than her mother's, but the only thing that caught the mages eyes, was the look on her face. Despite her warm greetings to her parents and brothers, the long embrace with Hermione, and the polite handshake to the world travelers, they all saw the same things. The broken heart. The broken soul. The same darkness in her eyes that Zeref had, after spending 400 years trying to kill himself for having lost his only love. Her hands felt cold, even to Gray.
The french guests however, were the most beautiful human beings they had ever saw, and that was a lot coming from Fairy Tail, whose most beautiful female members were on the front pages of magazines on a monthly basis. From the mother to the youngest daughter, all three women had long blond hair, shinier than Lucy's, deep blue eyes, and a neverending nobility and each and single one of their movements. Next to them, the father looked so ordinary he could have been absent just the same. It took the boys a long moment, and a lot of explanations about their Veela's blood.
The dinner was long, packed, and even could have been joyful if not for the death of Mad-Eye barely 24 hours prior. They discussed the planning for the wedding, 5 days later, discuss who would be coming or not, how they would setup the tables, what would be served for dinner.
No matter how big the house was, it was not built for THAT many people. So Mr and Mrs Weasley ended up sleeping in the living room themselves, while Natsu and Gray were to share the space left in Ron's Room, Erza, Wendy and Lucy in Ginny's.
The next days were tough on Fairy Tail. They were bored. The families had no plans for them to take part in the wedding preparations, and their only occupation was to patrol the area, again and again, with no threats on the horizon. It was only on the third day that the real work seemed to start.
- Erza! whispered Hermione from the top of the stairs. Get your friends up there, now!
Five minutes later, the mages were packed in Ron's room, Wendy having to sit on Lucy's lap so everyone could fit in.
- Mrs Weasley's doing everything she can to keep us from planning, explained the young witch. She thinks that it will made us reconsider dropping out.
- What do you mean?
- In theory, explained Ron, we should go back to Hogwarts, the Wizarding School, right after the wedding, for our last year of study. But we have a mission. A job to do.
- The Horcruxes.
- Yes. I've been doing some studies, told Hermione, piling up books into a small bag next to her. The more I read about it, the less I could believe the mad bastard actually did seven. The books explained how creating just one rips your soul apart, making it unstable. And piecing it back together seems even more unlikely, and it would require him to first repent for his sins, then accept the unbearable physical pain that comes at a price for the spell. I can't believe that You-know-who would dare go through the experiment.
- Anything about how to destroy them? asked Erza, focused on the goal.
- A bit.
Hermione picked up a book from her pile and opened it almost to the end.
- We need something as dark and powerful as the Horcrux itself. Harry destroyed the first one with a basilisk fang, filled with its incurable venom... So, long story short, I know a couple of ways to destroy them, but none that we can get our hands on...
She sounded depressed, almost beaten.
- That's at least a first step, smiled Lucy to try and cheer her up a bit.
- Yes well... At least I could also confirm that destroying the Horcrux will destroy the part of the soul locked in it. So i'm absolutely positive that, if we can destroy them all, we can kill the Dark Lord.
- What's the plan, then? asked Gray.
But Hermione could not answer. The door swung open with force, scaring them all, and an angry Mrs Weasley appeared in its frame, red with rage. She took a deep breathe, and tried to make it look like everything was normal.
- Kids, if you are all done with your tasks, I have napkins that needs folding, and sheets that need sorting! Chop chop!
- I feel like a damn house-elf, whispered Ron, far enough from Hermione, exiting his own room head low.
Later that day, at dinner, when Fred entered the living room to take his seat, he found another Fred sitting in his place, next to George. They stared at each other, baffled, for a few seconds, before both exploded in outrage, demanding to know what was going on, making so much noise no one noticed Sirius biting his own hand not to laugh.
George, used to have only one mirror image of himself, took a while to find his words again.
- How the hell... What? Who?
Both Fred claimed to be the real one, accusing the other to be an imposter, and then begged George to believe them to be the original. First George thought of a Polyjuice prank, but everyone else was accounted for at the table.
- What's the name of the first wheeze we decided to drop? he asked, sure only one of them would know the answer.
- The blinding bubblegum! They both answered in unison.
He fell back on his chair, gobsmacked.
- I... I don't know who's who? he muttered
- George? What's that bubblegum thing? asked Molly visibly concerned.
He ignored her, deciding it would be more worth his time trying to know which one was his true twin rather than explaining that they never found the way to stop the eyes from bleeding with this candy...
The two Freds were almost fighting hand to hand when Sirius could not handle it anymore and burst in laughter.
- Alright, alright! That's enough, Gemini. Thanks you very much, that was perfect!
The Fred that used to be seated next to George suddenly disappeared in a puff of smokes, replaced by two weird looking, round-headed, blue creatures. Lucy, at the end the table, thanked her spirits with a laugh, and sent them back to their realms with a gentle twist of the golden key in her hand.
- Give my regards to the others! she said before they disappeared.
It took a moment to explain the twins that Gemini could imitate someone with both the skills and memories, and then the rest of the evening to convince them that she would never sell them the spirit, even to "become the greatest pranksters of the universe", no matter how much they would beg or claim how unfair it was that she accepted to do it for Sirius. They did, in the end, accept to pay tribute to their master for the greatest prank anyone had pulled on them.
As the lights in the house were slowly turned off one by one, Ginny Weasley decided to open her mouth, in her overcrowded bedroom.
- 'Mione, you gotta let me come with you, she declared, whispering.
- What are you talking about? she asked, trying to play innocent.
- You know damn well what I'm talking about. You're not coming back to school, are you? Mom is doing all she can to prevent you from making plans. She thinks that the busier you are, the bigger the chance you'll drop this and go back to Hogwarts. You and I both know this will never happen. Especially with Fairy Tail here.
Erza, Lucy and Wendy all kept quiet in their sleeping bags, holding their breaths.
- You're right, Ginny. You-Know-Who will not die all on his own, someone needs to take care of it. But...
- Don't give me that dragoncrap, Hermione! They killed Harry! They, killed, my Harry! And you think I will gently sit in the school benches will my brother and my best friend go off fighting the bastard, risking their lives? Ain't gonna happen. I'm coming with you. So you need to get me in the loop.
Hermione sighed heavily, while the others waited, awkwardly spectator of the argument.
- I knew this was coming. Ron didn't want to think about it, but I knew it.
- So it's settled.
- Yes it is. I'm sorry, Ginny, but you're not coming.
Ginny sat up in the darkness, full of rage, but Hermione did not let her speak.
- It's not that we don't want you. I mean, no, Ron doesn't want you, because he's scared for you, but that's not the point. We need you there. We need you so our cover story with the ghoul can hold. We need you to make sure the school doesn't fall completely into their hands.
- What do you expect me to do ? Seriously? They appointed Snape as new Headmaster! Damned Snape! Keep the DA alive without you? Be Neville's sidekicks?
- That would be a start yes, but...
- Merlin, Hermione! Don't do that to me!
- We need you as backup plan.
Ginny shut the snarky remark coming up in her throat.
- Backup plan?
- In case we fail. In case we never come back. We need someone who would be able to continue the fight. If you tag along and none of us make it back, everyone is screwed.
- But...
- That's smart, commented Erza from her blanket, for the first time. She was eager to see this discussion to an end.
- But wouldn't we have more chance if we all went together from the beginning?
- Not really. This is a secret operation, we need to move in the darkness. If half of Gryffindor is missing, they'll start asking all the questions we don't want to answer, and put all our loved ones in danger, your parents first in line. You have to trust me, Ginny. I thought this through, I really did. Pros and cons and all that. Do know what it's like to prepare half a dozen letters to you and the others in case I'd die out there? It was not the most pleasant experience, but knew that was the best choice. It's best like that.
- Screw you, muttered the redhead, while she turned back in the her bed, face toward the wall, accepting her defeat.
On the next day, Ron and Hermione both locked themselves in a room for an hour with an strange old man who had just arrived, someone introduced to the Fairy Tail mages as the Minister of Magic. By the look of it, and the way this man left at the end, the meeting didn't go so well...
Erza was looking at the preparations downhill, impressed by the way the giant tent was setting itself up. If she was spooked by the unexepected sound of footsteps behind her, she didn't show anything of it.
- It all looks so... normal to me, declared the voice of Sirius in her back, but it suppose it's all so strange for you folks, isn't it?
She didn't turn, but answered nonetheless.
- Strange is not the word. It would rather say... easy. Our guild has been destroyed what... three times in the past years? Maybe four? And everytime, we rebuilt it, bigger than before. It always take several weeks, sometime event months, we carry the stones and wood beams on our backs, we hammer our nails... It's exhausting. But we would give that up for nothing. It's our guild. Our home, our work. I'm not sure we would care so much about it if it just built itself.
The wind blew her scarlet hair in her face.
- I understand, but this is not a home we're building down there. It's a tent, for the wedding. It will be down by next week.
She silently understood the nuance, though she decided not to give him this satisfaction. Sirius talked again.
- But I know what you mean. I saw how you fight. It's all in the heart, isn't it? You put yourselves whole on the line, body and mind, and you give it all ?
She nodded, impressed.
- Harry was like that too. So was his father. It was not about magic, not about technic. Not even about power, or blood. It was about what matters, and giving everything for it.
"Just like us", she thought. But more than his words, she picked up on the heaviness in his voice.
- You could be like that too, she answered gently, finally turning to face him, if you left that guilt behind.
His eyes were suddenly casting lightnings, but he tried to give her a way out.
- Sorry, what did you say?
- I said that your guilt is holding you back. It weighs on your voice, on your hand, I could feel it in your magic. Us swordsmen, we have a saying : " let our blades do the talking". It's not an image, it's a reality. We can feel our opponents feelings, their dreams, their pain, their hate, what they fight for, all of that in the clash of the blades. At least when you achieve a certain level. And while you were wielding a wand, I could feel it just the same. Your attacks speak of nothing but guilt.
He stared at her, biting his lip, torn between the hate of the truth and his need to bite back to protect himself. But she didn't flinch, standing tall in her armor.
- You don't know what you're talking about, was the only thing he managed to say.
He looked ten years older, like he had not slept in decades, his skin even paler than usual. He took a step back to turn away and leave, but she stopped him with her hand on his shoulder. He could feel the weight of the metal glove through the robe.
- I do.
He exploded, pushed her hand away with force.
- What could you possibly know, kid? James was my best friend! The most important person in my life! And when he died, I was far away! I left him alone to face Death itself! I failed every single promises I had ever made to him that, just because old man Dumbledore told me to! Then the universe gave me another chance, with his son. And I failed him just the same! He lived in a damn cupboard his whole life, grew up with horrible people who hated him. And when I finally get back to him, what did I do? I let him die, standing right beside me, as close as you are now! Now you look me in the eyes and you tell me, if Natsu and Lucy were die horribly when you could have been here to help, would you not be devoured alive by guilt? If they had left you their only child, and you had let him die too, would it now swallow you whole? You tell me!
She said nothing, but her left hand discreetly tightened on the handle of her sword at her hips. She tried to push back the horrible images of this scenario away from her head.
- I grew up a slave, she answered after a long moment. As far as I can remember, there's nothing but this cursed island, the cell I slept in, and the rocks I carried during the day to built a stupid tower. I remember Jellal. Simon, Wally, Millianna. Shou. They were my friends, my only light, in this horrible existence. The old man, Rob. He was a member of Fairy Tail, you know? I never knew how he got trapped there, but he saved my life. He died to save my life. And to give life to our rebellion! My very first breath of freedom, I took it on the back of a friend who died for me, when I was just eleven years old. I escaped, only by leaving all my friends behind, left for dead. I abandoned them. So yes, I know what guilt is.
He stared at her, gobsmacked, his own anger vanished and replaced by the horror of her story. Erza Scarlet, raised a slave. Worst, she was not finished.
- Almost decade later, I found them again. Actually, they found me. I was so sure they had died on the island! But it was even worse a fate, they kept building the tower. For eight years, they were still enslaved, and I was living my life, free on the outside. So yes, I know what guilt feels like. So much that I tried everything to save them. I even gave my life away. And you know what happened? I didn't die, but Simon did. Once again, another friend died so I could live. So, once again, yes. I know what I'm talking about.
She took a deep breath, exhausted just by the sheer thought of those painful, haunting memories. Even years later, it was not really easier. She kept talking.
- And I'm not the only one. Gray tried to take down a demon by himself when he was just thirteen years old, and his mentor, the woman who had raised and trained him, had to sacrifice her life to undo the mess. A least three people chased and tried to kill him since then, just so they could get revenge for her death. Natsu had to bring death to his only brother, just recently, even though there's much more to that story. Lucy got almost the whole guild destroyed because she hid her last name from us when she joined. We all have our stories, and we all know guilt very well, the weight it carries.
Sirius didn't know on which foot to stand. He danced from one to the other, awkwardly.
- I suppose you know how to get rid of it, then, or you would not bring that up.
She felt like smiling, but she could't.
- You don't. You just live with it, not despite it. Harry's life, Jame's life, they're either the weight holding you back, or the wind that push your forward. Which one, it's up to you, but I have the feeling they both like to be the second.
He scratched his hair, tried to bring back is rugged smile.
- So young, and yet as wise as she's pretty.
He had put his carefree, charming persona back up as quickly as he had lost it. This kind of armor does not disappear overnight. After all, she still carried her own for all to see.
- You got a big mouth, for a dog, she smiled.
She turned back to the fields. Beneath, the tent was almost finished. Gray and Natsu were fighting, Molly was giving directions to Lucy and Wendy. It almost felt like Fairy Tail.
- Thanks Erza. I owe you one.
She ignored him, and as she listened to his footsteps getting away, she allowed her heart to soften a bit for a minute.
As pretty much everything in the wizarding world, looks could be deceiving. The wedding tent, big enough to hold maybe two dozen persons from the outside, could actually hold at least a hundred on the inside. The chairs and benches had been setup, a crowd of waiters and caterers in white had arrived an hour earlier (and, to their surprise, sniffed by Natsu, either to memorize their odor, or for the smell of the food they carried with them...), the white and golden garlands had been hung, and much more. The guests were arriving by the dozens, among them a certain number of fair ladies from France, attractive enough to get George and Fred putting on their brightest smile and offer their services with hope. Gray might have even followed, if not for the terrifying stare of Erza.
Tonks and Lupin joined too, dressed to their best, the miss arboring a lovely blond color in her hair that was unmistakably inspired by Lucy's.
- Hey folks! greeted Remus with a smile! How are you doing ?
- We're fine, answered Gray at the entrance of the tent. Keeping a sharp eye. Come on in, Lucy and Wendy will get you to your places.
- You are not joining?
- Nah, answered Natsu on the other side. Erza, Happy, Icehead here and myself are gonna stay out, keep patrolling. Don't want anyone messing up this lovely day. Lucy and Wendy will be stay inside, making sure we can evacuate if there's a problem.
- You really thought this through, congratulated Tonks.
The two mages shrugged. It was Erza's plan, not their own.
- Go ahead, repeated the black haired ice mage. There's a line behind you now. We kept you a sit near the dog's spot.
- Padfoot is in here?
- Sure is.
- Merlin...
With a mix of a grimace and a smile on his face, he led his wife inside to be met by Wendy, while Lucy was busy trying to handle the mess Hagrid was making. She was helped by a lovely young witch just as blond a her, dressed in a bright yellow dress and a giant sunflower in her hair.
The two young men stayed outside for another hour, taking care of guests until they were pretty bored, but still happy being allowed to ignore the problems cause inside by the terrible aunt Muriel. Natsu scoffed, hearing the old woman pestering against Lucy, Ron, the bride and everyone around.
- I'm glad I ain't in here, he said. I might end up burning the whole place down if I had to speak with that old hag. But where the hell is Erza?
- I have no idea... Oh look!
In front of them, out of the house and in their direction, were coming Mr Delacour, and at his arm, Fleur, looking more stunning and radiant than ever. Her simple white dress just enhanced her natural beauty, her blue eyes shining in the sunlight like diamonds. A few steps behind them, Erza was following, like a bodyguard. She was not wearing any fancy dress, and gods knew she had quite a few in storage, but her massive Lightning Empress armor. It was specifically designed to withstand electrical threats and lightning power (perfect against Laxus), but in this case, she had picked it only for the white and golden colors on it, matching the tone of the ceremony.
If you were to ignore the giant lance in her right hand, of course. She moved silently, holding it straight, like a walking cane, giving Fleur's short walk an official, almost military vibe. The white ribbons in her hair, tying them in small buns, made a like younger, a bit like a child playing in an toy armor too big for her. Her eyes, however, were telling a completely different story. Focused, she was not looking a Fleur in front of her, not even at her friends waving at her at the entrance of the tent, but at everything else around, soaking up her environment like a sponge under water.
When the bride entered the tent, the whispers of exclamations and amazement were audible even from the outside. The free Fairy Tail mages were now the only ones outside, to the punctual exception of a few waiters and waitress, preparing the food platters.
- Come on, gently said the team leader with a smile. Let them enjoy their little time of peace. You know your positions. Go.
Natsu just smiled, Happy on his shoulder, and jogged away at steady speed. Gray touched his forehead with two fingers, and waved goodbye, taking off in the other direction.
Time went by, and the sounds of laughter and music quickly filled the atmosphere in and outside the venue. The food poured in, and empty platters poured out. Natsu was looking from above, carried in the air by Happy. The only threat in the horizon was the color of the sky, as the slowly setting sun seemed to be determined to turn the heavens into a sea of blood.
- You alright there, Happy? he asked.
- Aye sir! But you are starting to get heavy, we should land soon.
- Alright, no problem buddy. Looks like nothing ain't gonna happen today anyway. Man, I'm so boooored! And Lucy and Wendy are in there eating all those delicious hors d'oeuvres!
- And this fish!
- I don't think they have fish, Happy...
- They are wizards, maybe they could make some!
- Maybe, my friend. We'll ask them.
But as he was just saying those words, a silver, lynx-shaped, shooting star fell from the sky with grace, and landed just at the entrance of the tent.
- What the hell...?
Even from his far-away spot, Natsu could hear the words spoken inside.
The ministry has fallen. They are coming.
There was first a terrified silence among the guests, then interrupted by a loud bang, synonym of the magical barriers being blown apart. People started to scream and run around, some even teleported out.
Wendy and Lucy did their best to calm things down, force people back into line and head to the house in safety, but pretty much everyone ignored them, but Hagrid, Luna and her father.
At the same moment, two dozens of masked and hooded figures appeared out of thin air barely a hundred meters away from the field and the tent. But before they could take a single step forward, before the one in front could issue a single order, Erza Scarlet came to meet them. She had switched her gear to her Heaven's Wheel Armor, the two giants wings of blades sticking out of her back, and a sword in each hand.
- Stop right there! she yelled. This wedding is under the protection of Fairy Tail! You will not take one more step further!
A few whispers roses among the ranks, one of them clearly recognizing her from the scrap a few days earlier. At the exact same time, Natsu, propulsed high in the air by the power of dragon fire, landed violently on his feet right next to her, leveling the ground around him and charring the grass with a ring of fire. Gray walked quietly to her right, not as fond of the big entrance, hands in his pockets and shirtless, as was his habits.
Natsu smashed his fists together, bursting sparkles, and grinned with a deadly smile. The man in the front took a deep breathe under his mask, fighting his fear, and declared:
- We have information that Sirius Black is among the guests of this wedding! Deliver him and we will leave immediately!
Erza smiled.
- Dance, my swords!
Eight silver swords appeared in circle around her, and started to spin. She waved her hand, and all eight blades rushed forward and stuck in the ground, just centimeters away in front of the Death Eaters.
- As I said, this wedding, and each one of its guests, are under the protection of Fairy Tail. Turn away.
The man grunted in disgust and turned to his sidekicks.
- Go. Get Black.
Then he rose his wand toward Erza, but Gray had already anticipated.
- Ice Make : Wall!
A massive wall of ice, at least three meters tall, rose from the ground in the blink of an eye and intercepted the first volley of spells.
- Go! Apparate behind them! yelled a voice.
The frozen barrier did not last long and soon exploded under consecutive explosive spells and bursts into shards. But Natsu and Erza were already in movement, dashing the the brittle fragment, too thin and fragile to cut their skin.
- Karyu no Yokugeki!
Mimicking Erza's look, large wings of fire sprouted out of his back as he cut across the ranks of the Death Eaters, his scarlet-haired friend by his side. Her bladed wings cut through clothes and flesh, tearing them apart, his own setting them on fire and propulsing them backward with the strength of a hurricane. But, as if they had agreed silently upon it, the mages had aimed for arms and legs, doing their best to avoid unnecessary killings. Their previous experience had left a painful scar on their souls, and their were not in a hurry to add more to it.
A few screams still filled the air, as one had lost his arm in a bloody geyser, and two others were rolling on the floor trying to put off their robes on fire. Still, Natsy and Erza looked around in surprise, as not so many of the twenty-ish initial foes were still there, not even half of them!
Screams of panic then escaped out of the tent.
- They went inside! screamed Erza. Go get them!
She ducked and rolled, spinned and stuck her right sword in the foot of an attacker, then knocked him out cold with her iron-gloved left fist.
- Karyu no Hokou!
The roar of fire from Natsu turned the whole battlefield into a sauna, but he hit no one. Gray heard a different kind of scream behind him and turned. He saw Fred Weasley pushing his brother out of the tent with force, looking back, screaming "Protego" over and over. George was holding the side of his face with both his hands, grunting in pain, rivers of blood pouring between his fingers. Fred pushed him again in the back, forcing him toward the house, while a hooded foe came out behind him and launched another spell. Gray twisted on his hips and invoked a giant spear in his hand.
- Ice Make : Lance !
He launched the spear with an expert precision, and hit the Death Eater right in the extended upper arm. The man was hit with such a force that he rolled over twice in the air before crashing on the floor, holding his broken arm and crying out.
- Shit! They keep teleporting out! yelled Natsu
- Go back inside ! repeated Erza.
Gray was already on his way, and when Natsu turned around, he spotted Lucy, Wendy, Ron and Hermione, already out of the tent. Lucy was waving at him desperately, trying to get him to understand that he needed to joined her.
- Natsu! she yelled! Get over here!
Without as much as thinking, Natsu, grabbed Erza by her iron collar with an unbreakable grip, and pulled her back. Her eyes widened with surprise as she almost took off the ground when he ran, dragging her behind like she was nothing but a flying-kite.
When she finally touched back the ground, almost choked to the point of fainting, so dizzy she could not even yell her anger at the Dragon Slayer, nor asked where was Sirius, she only heard the voice of Hermione saying :
- We need to go, now!
A firm hand grabbed her shoulder, again, Natsu tried to protest something, and then the void pulled her in, twisting her insides in all the wrong ways.