𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 | √

⎡98⎦

"Where's everybody?" I asked when we made back to the courtyard. It was completely deserted. Rubble was everywhere, but somewhere deep in my gut; I had a bad feeling. Without warning, I began to sprint, my mind racing, my vision blurred, only following where my feet would take me.

Frantically, I pushed open the doors through the castle and to the Great Hall. I looked around. Amongst the piles of rubble, were injured and dead. My breathing became erratic, my head pulsing. I ran down the aisle of those on the floor when I saw my dad hovering over my brother. I gasped in a shriek and dropped to my knees with such force, causing pain to shoot up my thigh; but that wasn't important.

James laid on a simple white sheet, his breathing was slow and struggling. He turned to look at me with a dazed face. He managed the smallest smile.

"Hey, Hazie."

Tears were streaming down my face before I could even notice. James was as pale as the sheet beneath him, and I could tell he lost a lot of blood. I cupped his scarred and bloody face gently.

"James, no, you can't do this. You have so much to live for."

"I love you, Hazel. You're the best sister a guy could ask for. Don't let this keep you from living a happy life."

With one last deep breath, James' life was stolen from him. I sobbed loudly, so loudly it echoed through the hall. I wailed and balled into my dead brother's chest, my father's arms around me tightly. We stayed there for a few minutes until my sobs died down.

I lifted my head. Behind me, I noticed the Weasley family. However, they weren't looking at me, they were looking down at a body. I stood up, tears still streaming down my face, and looked down at the ci. It was Fred, eyes closed without a heaving chest. I gasped and covered my mouth. Looking around, I saw George standing behind me with his arms around his body. He was looking at my brother. Suddenly he turned to me, and we both stood looking at each other in a moment of silence before we crashed into each other in a hug.

Sobs racked our bodies again as we crumpled to the floor. I might not have lost a twin, but I lost a brother, and I could connect with George only on a particular emotional level. But either way, the pain was still there, and it would take a long time to mend. We pulled away, and I gave him the smallest smile through my tears. Cupping his face gently, I wiped away the tears from his face and pulled his head down for a kiss on the forehead.

I walked away to look at the other bodies, but one certainly hit the spot. It was Lupin and Tonks right next to each other, hands so close it might have looked like they were holding them. No. No, no, no, no, no. Not right after Teddy was born. I made a mental promise that I would do my best to care for that baby whether or not Voldemort was defeated

I returned to my father and brother and got down onto the floor. I kissed James' head then got up to hug my dad, and we stayed there for a long time.

. . .

Later on, I found Hermione and Ron sitting next to each other, holding hands and heads resting against the other. I sat down a few steps down from them. Harry was nowhere in sight. He must've gone to the Forbidden Forest.

I rested my head in my hands until I heard footsteps behind me. It was Harry. He seemed shocked and dazed. I stood up to address him.

"Where've you been? I thought you went to the forest," I said.

"I'm going there now," he stated calmly, walking past all of us.

"Are you mad? No, you can't give yourself up to him," said Ron. Harry paused in his tracks.