𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

twenty

After Aurora and George laughed over Charlie and had a dance, they split up and mingled with other people.

Tonight had been both strange and wonderful, to say the least. From her argument with Harry to Charlie flirting with her and then her and George laughing it off instead of him getting angry, Xenophilius Lovegood nearly broke down into tears over his deceased wife, Pandora, as he spoke to Aurora about Pandora's close friendship with Diana before Luna pulled him away.

She now sat down, watching George laugh with who we was speaking to, a soft smile on her face. Harry slowly sat beside her, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." She quietly said, "I'm over it."

The two sat in silence for a few passing moments. Harry noticed Aurora's gaze and broke the silence, "Do you– do you think you and Cedric would still be together had he lived? If he walked in here and was alive... what would you do?"

"That's not a very fair question to ask, Harry."

"I can't imagine it. Loving again after losing someone you loved..."

She traced her finger over the base of her champagne glass, "You did the same thing, just in a different way than I did. It's easier than you think, when you've found someone you truly love and trust. Falling in love with George was easy, I didn't feel any guilt about it, I still don't."

On the dance floor, Zoya and Fred were hardly dancing. Just hugging one another tightly as they swayed back and forth, "You're gripping me like a bloody vice, Fred." Zoya mumbled, voice muffled in his chest.

"I don't wanna let you go. Not again."

"I might be going somewhere that isn't on this Earth if you don't loosen up and let me breath." She quipped back. He reluctantly loosened his hold on her. She picked up her face and rested her chin on his chest as she looked up at him with a dopey smile, "See? Right here."

Just then, a Patronus shot through the tent and landed in the middle of the group. Everyone stood around it, the crowd gasping.

Aurora and Althena stood together, quickly alarmed by the situation.

Kingsley's voice echoed through the bright ball of light, "The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic... is dead. He has been killed by Lavinia Black. They are coming."

At that moment, Death Eaters flew through the tent. Fire broke out as people began to apparate away or stay to fight.

Zoya and Fred were blasted apart by an explosion. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes narrowing on a Death Eater standing over Fred with his wand raised.

"Reducto!"

She ran over to Fred and knelt beside him. She put her hands on either side of his face, "Freddie?"

His eyes stayed shut, his body not responding. She dodged a curse a Death Eater sent towards her before another curse followed over her head shortly after. She turned to see Estella standing near her, wand raised.

The two nodded at one another before Iniya ushered her to take cover. Zoya turned back to Fred, tapping his face, "Fred!"

His eyes slowly peeled open, a small smile creeping up on his face, "Zoya Kien, you're my hero." He quietly said, quoting Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

She sighed and helped him up, blasting a Death Eater that was coming towards them. At that moment, her three best friends ran towards her. Fred looked down at her, and she knew that look.

"No. I'm not leaving you." Zoya said firmly.

He pushed her towards Hermione. She gripped Zoya's free hand, her other hand held onto his until she couldn't, "See you soon, love." Fred said before she was gone within the blink of an eye.

From across the tent, Romare apparated Margot and Circe back to their home to keep the two safe. Maxwell fought alongside Bill, Ginny, and Charlie, holding off three Death Eaters.

Aurora was blasted out of the tent, landing on the grass with a loud thud. She scrambled to her feet, coming face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange.

She smiled manically, and the two wasted no time dueling one another. To Bellatrix's surprise, however, Aurora was putting up a strong fight. Aurora blasted Bellatrix onto the ground, and before she could even think about doing more, Bellatrix flew up into the air in black smoke.

Just then, a green flash of light flew past her, and she watched a Death Eater fall to the ground lifelessly. She whirled around to Remus, who looked absolutely panicked.

"I suppose now you can call me a hypocrite." He said.

"We can talk about that later."

The two ran back inside, and Remus ran to protect Tonks when he saw that Althena was with Aurora. The two took cover behind a table that fell over. She had to hold Aurora down after she kept trying to kneel up to make sure George was okay.

"He's fine, Aurora! You need to get out of here!"

"What? No!"

"Harry got out with the other three, but it's not just him they want." Althena hissed.

"I won't leave you all."

And Aurora didn't let up. She fought with everyone else, refusing to leave until the Death Eaters were either gone or dead.

Althena killed the last Death Eater using Avada Kedavra. Turns out it wasn't just Remus who was sick and tired of it all and would rather use an Unforgivable Curse than see loved ones die.

Aurora and George ran to one another, hugging each other tightly in relief. But their attention was quickly shifted to the group gathered around something in the corner of the tent. They walked to them, gasping lightly when they saw Nhan Kien lying lifeless on the ground.

"He saved my life." Luca sadly said, "And- Zoya, she–"

Luna rubbed his shoulder softly and pulled him away.

Fred knelt down beside Nhan with tears threatening to escape his eyes, "Zoya doesn't bloody know."