Unexpected | Bill Weasley

~55~ The Battle

We found Tonks right away, and helped her.

The walls and ceilings started rumbling, and outside Grawp the giant was meandering past, swinging what looked like a stone gargoyle torn from the roof and roaring his displeasure.

"Let's hope he steps on some of them!" said a voice.

I turned around to see Harry, Ron and Hermione back outside.

"As long as it's not any of our lot!" I yelled to them.

Ginny sent a well-aimed jinx into a crowd of fighters below.

"Good girl!" roared a figure running through the dust towards us, it was Aberforth, his gray hair flying as he led a small group of students past. "They look like they might be breaching the north battlements, they've brought giants of their own."

"Have you seen Remus?" Tonks called after him.

"He was dueling Dolohov," shouted Aberforth, "haven't seen him since!"

"Tonks," said Ginny, "Tonks, I'm sure he's okay –"

But Tonks had run off into the dust after Aberforth. Ginny and I turned to the three teenagers.

"They'll be all right," said Harry. "Ginny, Fawn, we'll be back in a moment, just keep out of the way, keep safe – come on!" he said to Ron and Hermione, and they ran away.

I raised my wand and Ginny hurried off.

"GINNY WHERE ARE YOU GOING" I yelled.

But she kept running off. Swearing, I turned back around, with my wand raised. I decided to stay put, just in case someone came back. After a few minutes, I saw Harry, Ron Hermione, Draco, and Goyle fly on brooms out of the Room of Requirement.

"Draco!" I called out, but almost just then, Fred and Percy backed into view ,both of them dueling masked and hooded men.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione and I ran forward to help: Jets of light flew in every direction and the man dueling Percy backed off, fast: Then his hood slipped and we saw a high forehead and streaked hair –

"Hello, Minister!" bellowed Percy, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" shouted Fred as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee.

"You actually are joking, Perce. . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were –"

The air exploded. I could see it, almost in slow motion, a large piece of wall flying at Fred. I grabbed Fred and pulled him to the ground. Breathing heavily, I sat up slowly.

"Are you alright?" I asked Fred.

He didn't answer. I looked at him to see his eyes closed.

"Fred!" I choked out, reaching out a finger and pressing it on his wrist.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt a faint pulse.

"FRED!" screamed Percy, running to us.

"He's alright." I said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione ran off, and I turned to Percy and Fred. Fred had woken up and I grabbed him.

"Let's go!" I yelled. "Come on! DRACO!"

I looked around, but I couldn't see my nephew anymore.

You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest...One hour...

Voldemort spoke those words. It was suddenly silent. I walked with Percy and Fred to the Great Hall. Right away, I saw Tonks and Remus and I ran to them, hugging them tightly.

"Are you alright?" I whispered.

"I'm fine." said Tonks.

Remus hugged me.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked.

I looked around, looking at the dead bodies laying across the Great Hall. I saw the Weasley's, hugging Percy and Fred. Kingsley and Mad-Eye were helping Poppy with the injured.

I spotted Bill, Lucas, Damon and Sirius kneeling over someone.

"Bill! Lucas!" I yelled. "Sirius! Damon!"

I ran to them and gasped. The whole world seemed to stop. I couldn't breath. He couldn't be. He can't. There's not way. My best friend. No he can't.

I looked at Finley's lifeless eyes, staring up at the ceiling. Bill, Lucas and Damon were crying and Sirius stood there staring. I knelt down.

"FINLEY!" I screamed. "NO FINLEY NO!"

But there was nothing I could do or say.

Finley Moore was dead.