Jealousy is Love's Best Friend (Book 1)

Chapter 16

BOOM

For the second time that night there is a shattering explosion from the first floor. The six teenagers are blasted apart, the floor that they are standing on crumbling under the impact. The vicious sounds of battle have been replaced by an eerie silence that seems to overtake the entire castle. Coughing and wiping the dust out of his eyes, Remus sits up, nearly crying out in shock.

The walls have tumbled down, the floor covered in a heavy level of rocks and dust. All the Death Eaters have vanished, as have the teachers. Wincing slightly at the pain in his legs, he stands up and limps over to a clear spot on the floor. He sees James walking lifting a heavy looking piece of wood off his legs, and rushes over as fast as his injured legs will carry him to help. The soon locate Lily, who immediately takes James's hand, followed by Marlene, then Sirius. Sirius wraps his arms tightly around Remus and whispers in his ear; "I am not losing you again."

"So there were Death Eaters in the hospital wing?" Asks James, bringing his quiet conversation with Lily to the whole group. "That's odd, all the rest of them were down here on the first floor. They must have been looking for any rogue students. I woke up when you guys were at dinner, then heard, you know, his voice. Then there was that massive explosion and I figured that you guys would probably come looking for trouble, or at least you, Sirius, so I decided to try and find y- hang on, where's Peter?"

The change in his tone is so dramatic, and everyone immediately feels guilty not realising the small, mousey boy is missing. They start desperately searching for him, blasting away rocks, lifting fallen planks of wood, their cries of "PETER" reverberating around the castle. Then James's strangled voice shrieks,

"NO!"

Stomach lurching, Lily is followed by the others to where James is kneeling. They begin to pull away at the debris to see what James is screaming at, each of them letting out a sob of horror when they catch a glimpse.

There lays Peter's lifeless body, limp and pale, buried under ashes and dust.

***

James throws himself across Peter, his body heaving with great, racking sobs. Remus grabs Sirius's hand and they kneel beside their friends, not bothering to conceal their grief. Lily stands a few metres away, head buried in Marlene's chest, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

Peter. The shy, mousey boy. The one who had never been as good looking, clever or funny as the others. The humble boy that idolised his friends, looked up to those that were what he wanted to be. The one that, despite never being as popular as those around him, found belonging and safety in those that he was loyal to. The boy that was never strong enough to fight, but could love with his whole heart.

Dead.

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No!!!!!!!!! Peter!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of short chapter today, but I hope you like it. Oh, by the way, this story is set in the last school term of the year, the term before the long holidays. Just thought I'd let you know so everything makes sense.

(Yes, I know it was snowing in the beginning of the story which is seasonally inappropriate for England. Fight me)

Anyway, byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee