Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fourth Year // Chapter 3

I slowly opened my eyes to see the burnt remains of a few tents surround me. I sat up and rubbed the side of my head where I hit it. As I pulled my hand away I noticed some blood on my hand. 

Just great, alone, lost, and bleeding. Just what every fourteen-year-old needs to finish off her summer. I slowly got to my feet and started to walked through the debris on the ground. I finally noticed there was an erie green glow in the area. 

That's when I looked up.

I saw in the sky a bright green glittering stream leave the woods about twenty or thirty feet away. I looked up into the sky and about fainted. I saw a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like green gas, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue.

My heart dropped and I held back screams and tears. I'd seen the mark from work that Bill and Charlie would bring home from Hogwarts. It was HIS mark ... the Dark Lord's. I started running and scanning the burnt tents looking for any familiarity. 

Finally, up ahead I saw the rows of tents, where our tent was, completely fine well and unharmed. I ran down the line of tents, hoping my family was still in our tent. I got my answer as soon as I got ten tents away.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS?!" Dad screamed. "SHE IS YOUR LITTLE SISTER!!!"

"IT'S NOT LIKE I DID THIS ON PURPOSE!" I heard Fred shout back in reply. 

"GOD DAMN IT FRED! LORI IS ONLY FOURTEEN! SHE CAN'T DEFEND HERSELF!!!!" Percy's voice screamed. 

"CAN WE STOP WITH THE POINTING BLAME AND JUST SEARCH FOR MY TWIN SISTER?! EVERY MINUTE WE ARE HERE, LORRINDA IS OUT THERE! HOW DO WE KNOW THE MINISTRY ISN'T ARRESTING HER LIKE THEY ALMOST DID TO HARRY AND US??!" I heard Ron yell over everyone. I picked up my pace and opened the tent flap and walked in.

"Could you guys be anymore louder?" The tent went silent as everyone looked over and saw me. Before I could even register who it was, one of my brothers bounded over and pulled me into a tight hug. After a moment, I realized it was Percy.

"Don't ever get lost again!" He muttered into my shoulder. He rubbed the back of my head as we walked over and sat down on the sofa. Dad rushed over and knelt down in front of me. He lifted up my face and instantly started to cry. 

"You're beautiful face, you've gone and got it scratched again." He rubbed some blood off of my face with his thumb. "I thought you promised a certain young lad you wouldn't go hurt yourself anymore." He joked.

"Well, next time I'll try and find out if the Death Eaters are planning to attack me." I laughed. No one seemed to find it as funny as I did. However, Bill did come over and take a look at my cheek. 

"Looks like a simple healing spell will do the trick. However, Mum should take a look when we get home tomorrow morning." Bill said as he waved his wand over the small cut on my cheek. Once he was done, I didn't even get a chance to say a word to him before Fred, George, and Ron all fell on top of me and nearly squashed me to death.

"I'm sorry, Ri Ri! I should have never let your hand go!" Fred said as he burrowed his head into my shoulder. 

"I should have told him to keep hold of you!" George added as he squeezed my right arm. Ron just clung onto my torso. He wasn't crying or anything ... just hugging me. I got my arm loose from under Fred and reached down and messed up his hair. We must've stayed in that pile for about twenty minutes before Dad ushered us all off to bed. 

***

All of us awoke the next morning still tired and still shaken up. Dad packed the tent away with magic as we children started making our way into the woods. When we approached the Portkey placed we noticed a large group of distressed Witches and Wizards who were desperate to get home.