Casualty of Love: Turning Tables

Is Now Really The Time?

Emmy's POV

"The Death Eaters are about to penetrate the castle... Get ready everyone," I heard someone say. I began to shake. Something bad was going to happen. I just knew it.

I gripped my wand tightly with both hands, trying to steady myself before I would have to fight. I went over a few ideas in my head including knocking Fred unconscious and dragging him to a broom closet where we would be safe--but I acted on nothing.

"Emmy...I have something to ask you," Fred said, pulling me aside where we were out of earshot. 

I looked around frantically, waiting for the Death Eaters to show up. "Yeah?"

"Marry me."

"What?" I asked, not fulling comprehending what was happening.

"Emmalyn Murs, will you marry me?"

"Is now really the time?" I asked anxiously, though still reeling from his question. His face softened.

"Yeah, I think it is. I've wanted to ask you for ages but there's always been another day--a better moment. I've always been putting it off thinking next time, next time will be perfect. But now, honestly, there probably isn't a next time, so it has to be now. Because if we're going to die here, I want to die next to you knowing that you're mine. If we get out of this alive then I swear to God Emmy, I'll give you everything. We can buy a house and settle down. We can get a dog, have kids, whatever you want. But if we don't, I want the life I'm missing out on to be the one I spent growing old with you."

Tears flooded my eyes. Our future together flashed before my eyes but it was just out of reach. Blurry and dark as if it was something unattainable. "Yes, Fred. Of course I will!" I managed to get out throwing my arms around him in a hug. I held him tight. I never wanted to let go. I wanted to freeze time so this moment would never be able to pass and whatever was about to happen wouldn't.

He looked down at my face after releasing me and ran his thumb over the tear streaks on my face. "Now let's go kick some Death Eater ass!" he said enthusiastically, grabbing my hand and leading us to his estranged brother Percy.

I couldn't manage a smile. I should be the happiest person in the world right now but a darkness is pressing down on me. Something is about to happen. Something that I couldn't even remember because my brain couldn't handle it.

I didn't want to speculate. I didn't want to even think about the possibilities. I couldn't.

The Death Eaters folded in on us then. The dueling was a big blur. We were holding our own. I vaguely noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione joining us as we battled. 

"Hello, Minister! Did I mention that I'm resigning?" Percy said to the man he was battling with.

"You're joking Percy!" Fred shouted over the noise, looking at his brother with glee just as he stunned the man he was dueling. "You actually are joking, Perce... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were--"

There was an explosion. I flew back, hitting my head on the wall behind me. I could feel Fred beside me but something was different. The vibrant energy he carried with him was absent. Gone.

I opened my eyes groggily, quickly looking to Fred. I ran my hands through the fiery hair that I loved. The warmth was still radiating from his body but there was no mistaking what had happened. His eyes were wide open, looking straight at me but not seeing a thing. His face was still stretched in laughter but there was no question that he was gone. "No, Fred! No, no, no!" Percy said, shaking Fred.

I stood up and walked backwards into the wall. This couldn't be happening. No. Fred can't die. He is the most alive person I knew. He's my...soulmate.

I couldn't even get any tears to fall. I couldn't react. My hands shook at my sides against my will. My breathing slowed the point where I feared it would stop altogether. My Fred.

No wonder I couldn't remember this vision--no wonder my mind shut it out. But somehow I knew that it wasn't over. There was more. Something else was going to happen.

Curses flew by us again. "Get down!" Harry yelled. But I couldn't. I couldn't make my legs move.

All I wanted was to be with Fred and I knew then, as the curse hit me, in that millisecond of thought that I had left, that I would be.

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I don't really have anything to say except that I didn't even know it was going to happen until it did.