Forgotten Girl

A Crown of Stolen Lives

She looked up from one of the Order members, her hands pausing in her binding. Something was wrong. Her eyes searched for Thia, landing first on the shock of red hair that lay in the line of the dead and then to the sobbing witch in her aunt's arms. No.

Her hands shook as she tied off the bandage, warning the man to be careful. Then quiet feet traversed the broken stones, finding their way between the rubble. Thia backed away as she sat beside Winna.

"Winna?" Lilli said softly, drawing her friend's attention. Tears made tracks through the grime on her face.

"Yes, Lilli?"

"I'm sorry," was all she said. Winna wrapped her arms around Lilli, and the two sat in silence for a while. Anguish filled every corner of the Great Hall as people filtered in, some carrying the dead and some carrying wounded. And yet somehow, it still felt empty. Like the loss was larger than anything that they could fill.

"I think it might be best if you go home." Thia murmured, resting a hand on Winna's shoulder, "You're in no condition to fight. Lilli, do you think you could get her to the Room of Requirement? If you can get through Ariana's tunnel, you can apparate." 

Lilli nodded, helping Winna stand and led her away. It wasn't until they reached the corridor outside the Room of Requirement that Lilli spoke.

"What happened, Winna?"

"Fred and I were fighting. He just wanted me to go back to Andy. He just wanted me to be safe. I... I went to walk away, but he pulled me back. Said he wanted to... to marry me when this was all over." Winna choked. She tucked her arms around herself.

"Oh, Winna." Lilli's already-fractured heart broke apart.

"Per— Percy and Ron blamed me. Maybe they were right. I mean, if I had just gone to Andy like he wanted me to, he'd still be here. If I'd gone back when he asked me to, he'd still be here."

"You don't know that," Lilli said firmly, "You can't prove that. At least this way he died knowing that you wanted to marry him." Lilli pulled her into a hug. Then Lilli stepped away, pacing until a door appeared in the wall. The pair entered, crossing to the mantel where a painting hung.

"Ariana, would you lead Winna to the other side? She needs to go home," Lilli asked the girl. She nodded. Lilli turned to her friend, "Go to Andy's, please. I need to know you'll be safe."

"Okay, Lils." And Winna climbed into the frame, following Ariana Dumbledore away from the place she once called home. Lilli wiped away tears as they began to fall, shoving down the dull ache that was filling her chest.

Don't fall apart, Lils, she told herself, slipping from the room, Not now. You've got to hold it together. Please.

~

Lilli had followed the flood of people into the courtyard, her heart pounding against her ribs. One arm wrapped around George, gripping her wand tightly. With the other, she pushed dirt-streaked curls from her face. 

"Draco," Voldemort croaked, "Draco." Lilli turned to look at the boy behind her. He refused to make eye contact with anyone, standing with his eyes focused on the ground.

"Draco, come," Narcissa Malfoy said softly. Lilli saw how it broke his resolve. Just as he went to pass her, she slipped from George's side to grab his hand. Draco froze, grey eyes focused on the ground in front of him.

"This isn't you, Draco," she murmured, "I know you're good. So, show that to them. You can save yourself. I'll vouch for you."

"And what of my mother, Ana? No one will save her." He growled, but he did not move.