Shooting Star

Chapter Sixty-Seven

It wasn't long before Kingsley came and told us it was time. We took Teddy to Tonks' parents, apparated to the Hogs Head, and got in that way.
We went into Hogwarts through a portrait of Dumbledore's sister and into the Room of Requirement. After the initial greetings, Remus pulled Sirius aside. I wish he had pulled him father away. I didn't want to hear what he said.
"What's up, mate?" Sirius asked.
"If anything happens... Would you guys take care of Teddy?" Remus asked.
"Nothing'll happen."
"But just in case, Sirius?"
"Of course."
"Since Harry's godfather, once he's married or old enough, he can..."
"Yeah." Sirius nodded.
The two clasped hands, and I almost burst into tears. Unfortunately, there was no time for that.
Instead, I pulled Neville over and examined the many cuts and scars he had now from those asshole Carrows who were working here now. "God, Neville." I said.
"I know. Gran already made a fuss over it. I'm fine, though.
We made Tonks and Ginny stay in the Room while we went out. Ginny wasn't even technically supposed to be here.
I locked eyes with Severus just once, then something happened, and he and McGonagall had themselves a little duel before he flew out the window in all his Death Eater glory. Sirius squeezed my hand, and Harry turned to look at me.
A high pitched voice shook the building. Some of us had never heard it before, but everybody recognized it as his: Voldemort's. He commanded us to give over Harry Potter, or they would attack. I grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him closer.
"Well." McGonagall said loudly. "Shall we put up protections?"
She brought the suits of armor to life. "I've always wanted to do that." She sounded exceedingly satisfied, and those of us near her couldn't help but smile.
We all assisted with the protections and prepared ourselves for the coming battle.
I had no earthly idea where Harry was, or Ron and Hermione for that matter, and it scared the hell out of me. I knew I couldn't dwell on that. They were adults, practically, now, and they could take care of themselves. He was doing what he had to do, and I was going to have to be able to live with that.
I sat apart from everybody else with Remus and Sirius.
"I lost Harry once." Sirius said suddenly.
We both looked up at him. I didn't feel like talking; I felt like throwing up, and finding my child. "What?" I said.
"When he was five, you were working a weekend, and so it was just him and me, and we were playing hide and seek. I looked for a bloody hour and couldn't find him. But then he jumped out and went 'Ha! I got you, Daddy!'" Sirius continued.
We both continued staring.
"Sirius, what was the point of that story?" I finally asked.
He shrugged. "Just getting things out in the open." He cracked a grin.
The Weasley twins bounded up to us. "Boys, Eliza." They both bowed elaborately.
"Twins." Sirius countered with a smile.
I tried to swallow back the lump in my throat and forced a smile. These kids were about to fight a war. "Hey, boys." I said.
"Looking lovely, as ever." Fred kissed my hand dramatically.
"Lovely seeing you." George kissed my other hand.
I forced a laugh. "Yeah, you too."
George slung his arm around me. "Treating my girl right, Black?"
"As always." Sirius smiled.
"How's the baby, Remus?" Fred asked.
"Good. He's with Tonks' parents." Remus said.
"There's my proud papa." George grinned.
"Fred! George!" Mrs. Weasley called, pointing at them.
"He's not Fred, I am!" George said.
"Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother." Fred said with exasperation as they bade us goodbye and went to their parents.
"I'm only kidding. I am Fred." Fred grinned as his mother hugged him. Even Percy Weasley was here.
"Gotta give them points for trying." Remus smiled.
"I love you guys." I told them. "Thank you both, for everything."
"Don't talk like that, Taylor. Everything'll be okay." Sirius said.
But what if it wasn't?
"Fine, Black. Don't say you love me too." I said.
"I love you too." He said.
"I love you too." Remus said. "Thank you, Sirius. I--"
"Not you too, Moony."
"Did you just call him Moony?" Fred interrupted from a few feet away.
"Pardon?" Sirius said.
"It was you guys?" George demanded.
"What?" Remus asked.
"You're the Marauders!" They chorused.
Sirius and Remus exchanged smiled. "Yeah." They said.
"So if you're Moony, who're you?" Fred asked Sirius.
"Padfoot." Sirius said.
"Who are Prongs and Wormtail?" George asked, intrigued.
"James Potter was Prongs. Wormtail was Peter Pettigrew." Remus said.
"Would you look at that, Fred! We're friends with legends." George clapped his brother's shoulder and they walked away laughing.
"We're gonna have to get your autograph's when this is over! Big fans!" Fred called to them.
For just that moment, I almost forgot that we were about to wage a war.
We all went outside to wait for it all to start. Sirius grabbed me and kissed me. "I love you." He whispered, holding my face.
"I love you too." I said.
I lost track of all that happened in the battle. I knew I killed some people, but I couldn't remember who.
I know I saw Ron and Hermione kiss right before it happened. That was the bright side.
I remembered seeing Nymphadora Tonks fall to the ground and screaming. I hadn't had time to do anything else, because another Death Eater attacked.
Teddy Remus Lupin.
I wanted to find my son.
I remembered seeing Percy Weasley clutching a body, but being unable to see who it was.
I saw Bellatrix Lestrange facing Ginny Weasley and started over to them.
"Not my daughter, you bitch!" Molly Weasley stepped in front of her daughter and raised her wand.
You could hear a pin drop as Sirius Black raised his wand and said very quietly, almost inaudibly, "Avada Kedavra."
There was green light, and Bellatrix Lestrange fell to the floor.
Then the battle raged on.
Voldemort's voice echoed again over the crowd, and everybody stopped. He was 'mercifully' allotting us time to care for our dead and wounded, and then if he didn't have Harry Potter, he said not one of us would be left standing.