From the playlist:

Mad World - Demi Lovato

Fire Escape - Acoustic - Imaginary Future

Ch. 26 - The Aftermath

Emmeline had to cover her eyes as they apprated into the cold sunlight of the lawn, blinking a few times as her vision adjusted. She stood, taking her hand off the petrified Death Eater she'd brought along like the rest of her colleagues had. In the aftermath of the battle, Ministry Aurors and Hit Wizards were either taking Death Eaters into custody, or levitating people away on stretchers - some with sheets over their faces.

The very jumpy Minister of Magic approached, scowling at his damaged property as Sturgis escorted him back up to the house. Minchum was a pale, thin man, with thin lips that curved up disapprovingly at the destruction.

"Minister, are you alright?" Edgar inquired.

"Fine Bones, just fine thanks to Mr. Podmore here. It's fortunate he arrived when he did - we were able to make it out of the house just before they broke through my security." He trudged over to a scorched topiary, taking one of the burned branches between his index finger and his thumb and frowning as it crumbled into ash. "Bollocks. Years of growing, gone to waste."

Emmeline had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Voldemort had nearly killed her friends, and this pumpkinhead was worried about his trees. She was glad she blew them up. He piddled off after a minute or two, and Edgar and Sturgis nodded to each other, following behind him like guard dogs.

"Someone help!" a woman shouted from their right. Everyone turned to see Dorcas running towards them with tears streaming down her face, and sharp, shuddering breaths escaping her throat.

Alice caught her just as she flung herself into her arms. "Doe! What happened?"

"It's Benjy! He's...He's…"

Though she never finished her thought, they all knew how the sentence might end.

"Oh Merlin...Doe," Marlene began, reaching towards her and laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Remus stepped over one of the Death Eaters. "Where is he? Take us to him."

Still clutching Alice for support, Dorcas began to lead them back in the direction she'd just come from, and Frank motioned for the rest of the group to follow.

James turned to Lily.

"We should go with Dorcas," she urged.

"I want one of the mediwizards to look at you."

"I'm okay."

"Please, Lil. You scared the hell out of me."

"I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't stomach the idea of not being beside you for it. I just chose the wrong place to apparate; Severus was right there."

"If I ever see his ugly greasy face again, I'm going to-"

"James, you shouldn't have taunted him."

"-I'll make him regret that he was ever born-"

"James," Lily said again, grabbing his hand and pressing it to her stomach. "You shouldn't have taunted him…"

He looked down at her, realizing. "...You're right. Godric Lily, you're right."

"I know I am."

"I'm sorry…I'm so…" His hands went up into his hair. "...Oh Merlin, that wouldn't have even been close to worth it."

"I know."

"Prongs!" Sirius called, hanging back for him.

"You go on," said Emmeline. "I'll stay with Lily and flag down a healer."

"Okay…Okay, we'll take care of Dorcas, don't worry," James called over his shoulder as he caught up with the rest of the group.

Dorcas led them into the nearby orchard and stopped in an area where the mangled trees showed signs of a struggle. They did not see a body at first. Still unable to articulate Benjy's fate, Dorcas, her lip quivering, pointed shakily at the ground before collapsing back into Alice's arms.

"…Oh sweet Merlin," Frank breathed.

That's when Remus noticed that the stones on the ground were not stones at all.

They were Benjy Fenwick's body, blasted into pieces.

His eyes began to lose focus.

"PUTAIN!" Sirius swore, jumping back against Marlene after realizing he'd been standing on top of an ear.

Everybody stared at the scene before them in disturbed silence.

"I didn't kn-know how to c-carry his body back," Dorcas sobbed.

Peter stumbled backwards and wretched violently behind a tree. James patted his back, trying desperately to keep his own lunch down.

"This is...this is just sadistic, even for a Death Eater…." Alice remarked with tears rolling down her cheeks. "This lacks all honor."

Regaining his nerve, Frank shed his jacket and laid it on the ground. "We'll gather him on here so that his family has something to bury."

…

Several minutes later, most of the scavenging group returned to Lily and Emmeline, but looked considerably more ill at ease than when they left.

"Where's Doe?" Lily asked as a healer continued diligently examining her.

"Alice and Frank took her home with them," James replied, still trying not to gag. He turned to the mediwizard. "How is she?"

The young witch gave him an encouraging smile. "They're both just fine."

He heaved a sigh of relief and kissed his wife's head.

Emmeline looked worriedly at Remus. "You're pale as a sheet..."

"...Benjy's dead," he muttered, choosing to omit the details of his demise. Benjy had been their classmate a year above them at school, and Remus was simply too shocked to process that he was gone. He would tell her another time - once his hands stopped shaking - about how they'd just cleaned up his remains bit by bit.

"Poor Dorcas," Lily muttered as the beginnings of tears prickled the corners of her eyes. She noticed Peter looked disoriented. "You okay, Pete?"

Peter continued to stare off into space, as his mind had retreated somewhere else; somewhere safer.

"...Mate?" Sirius clasped his shoulder, causing Peter to jump back and whimper. He looked as if he would fall over if you blew in his direction.

"We'll take him home," James offered, putting his arm around Peter. "I think we all could use some rest."

…

The sun was beginning to dip towards the west by the time Remus and Emmeline apparated home. Fatigued from the battle, Emmeline kicked off her shoes and trudged upstairs with Remus following behind. It wasn't until he saw the half-packed suitcase that he recalled what they'd been fighting about before they left.

They both stared at the suitcase uncomfortably. After a torturous pause, Emmeline started towards it, and Remus feared she would continue packing; but instead, she began removing all of its contents. He sat silently on the edge of the bed and watched her return every article of clothing to the wardrobe until finally, she picked the empty suitcase up off the bed and put it back in the closet. Only then was he able to relax.

Once everything was put away, Emmeline crawled into Remus's arms and wrapped her legs up around him. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean a thing I said. Not one word."

"Me neither, and I didn't mean to scare you by packing, I feel terrible. And Benjy...If something had happened to you this afternoon, I never would have forgiven myself for that stupid argument."

Thankful to be holding her, Remus buried his face in the space between her neck and her shoulder. "I'll think about that the next time I'm about to blurt out something hateful."

"So will I…"

"…I don't want you to leave…"

"…I know. I'm not going anywhere."

They remained there until they eventually fell asleep in their clothes, with the light of the sunset streaming through the windows and their wands still in their grips.