Raven (Fred x oc)

80. Loss

I screamed. A terrible, blood-curdling scream echoing through the entire room. I covered my mouth with my hand as I let out a sob. He stumbled back, falling into a thin, grey veil. I saw the ghostly form of my father emerge from the other side and stand there staring at my horrified face. Bellatrix let out a triumphant scream as Harry stared at the veil expectantly.

"SIRIUS!" he cried. "SIRIUS!" Dad's face contorted to one of sympathy as he looked at Harry. He sprinted towards the veil, but Remus stopped him.

I stared at Dad's face, terrified and horrified at once as I trembled and Remus said, "There's nothing you can do, Harry."

"Get him! Save him! He's only gone through!" Harry shouted.

"It's too late, Harry!" Remus retorted, still holding him in place. "There's nothing you can do about it now."

"Valerie, he's not dead!" Harry shouted, looking over at me. One look at my ghostly face and he knew. I finally broke down. Dad came toward me, but I backed up, too scared to let him move on. I sobbed, backing up until I felt the stair behind me.

"Raven," Dad said quietly, crouching down next to me.

"No," I whispered, shaking. Raising my voice, I screamed, "No, you're not dead! You're not dead, Dad! You're supposed to live! You're supposed to- you're supposed to-" I broke off, sobbing bitterly. Harry tore off out the door and Remus approached me.

"Where is he, Valerie?" Remus asked, giving me a comforting hug. I shakily pointed at him. Looking where I pointed, he said, "Hi, Sirius." Dad smiled at his friend.

"Raven, please tell him that I'll be okay," Dad said.

"H-He s-said," I began, my breathing so erratic I could hardly get a word out. "He said h-he'll be o-okay."

"Raven, you need to let me go on," Dad said, tears in his eyes.

"No," I protested tearfully.

"Raven," he said quietly. "I will always be with you, and not as a spirit. I'm apart of you, Raven, and I always will be."

"I love you, Dad," I said tearfully. "I'll miss you."

"I love you too, Raven," he replied. Silver tears rolled down his cheeks. Shaking, I raised my hand and he hesitantly raised his. The pain from his passing through was nothing compared to the throbbing of my heart. I sobbed the moment the physical pain was gone, fully breaking down. Remus hugged me tightly and helped me to my feet.

When I couldn't stand, he picked me up and carried me into the lobby of the Ministry just before Voldemort disappeared. Harry lay on the ground, shivering with obvious pain in his expression. Remus set me down and I ran over to Harry, hugging him tightly as I began to cry again. "He was there!" a wizard shouted. "I saw him, Mr. Fudge! I swear, it was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he grabbed a woman and disapparated!"

"I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too," Fudge replied. "Merlin's beard! Here! Here!"

"If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "You will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them."

"Dumbledore!" Fudge exclaimed in amazement as I struggled to my feet. "Black! You - here - I - I."

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men and win again," Dumbledore retorted.

"Valerie, let's get you out of here," Remus said. I nodded weakly.

"What are you doing?" Fudge snapped. "She stays here!"

"Take her back to Hogwarts, Remus," Dumbledore said.

"Now, listen here-" Fudge began, but Remus apparated before then. He helped me into Hogwarts and into the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey helped me to bed and gave me some sleeping potion. Before I drank it, I asked Remus, "Can you stay with me?"

"I won't go anywhere," he promised. I took my potion and fell asleep.

......................................................................................

HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED RETURNS

In a brief statement Friday night confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned to this country and is active once more. "It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord - well, you know who I mean - is alive and among us again," said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters.

"It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe that the dementors are currently taking direction from Lord - Thingy. We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence that will be delivered free to all  homes within the coming month."

The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the Wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was "no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more." Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy, though it is believed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry itself on Thursday evening.

Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Witchery, reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamont, was unavailable for comment last night. He has insisted for a year that You-Know-Who was not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but recruiting followers once more for a fresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the Boy Who Lived-

With a sigh, I shut the newspaper and sunk back into my bed. I was still in the hospital wing. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all a few beds from me, but I hadn't felt like speaking to them. I heard the door open, but I didn't have the heart to care. Soft voices came next but it also didn't interest me. "Hey, Luv." I looked up, surprised. I tried to smile, but I couldn't. With a sigh, he sat down next to me and grabbed my hand.

"What're you doing here?" I asked weakly, sitting up.

Wrapping his arms around me, he said, "I had to make sure you're okay." I swallowed painfully, burying my head in his chest. "At least they cleared his name."

"It doesn't matter anymore," I said, tearing up.

"I'm sorry," he said, hugging me tightly. "I'm here for you, whatever you need."

"Thank you," I replied, holding onto him.