The Ensconced (A Fred Weasley Love Story)

Shattered Glass

It was all a blur, a memory being viewed from foggy glasses.

I went into a magical rage, blue light just pouring out of my body.

I collapsed shortly after, due to the intense use of my power. Fred transported me to an empty field when I began to shake and fell into one of my 'incidents.'

Fred didn't tell me anything too gruesome, but judging by the bandages up and down my body, it must have been a bad fit.

Does it really even matter what happens to me now?

Grandpa...

I was brought back to reality. Blinking, I looked straight at the large marble coffin in the middle of the ground. Everyone around me was either crying or whispering about Grandpa.

I sat in the back, a black cloak covering my body and face. I still had to hide my presence among these witches and wizards. Due to that, Fred and the other Weasleys had to stay away from me. I was forced to sit by myself and mourn silently to myself.

We were next to the Black Lake, where Fred and I had first had lunch at Hogwarts. Hundreds of golden chairs were set up in rows to accompany the many people who showed up to pay their respects.

Tears continued to pour down my face.

He's dead, he's dead, he's dead was the only thing I could say in my head.

I glanced at his cold body in the equally as cold tomb. I shuddered, and looked away. My mind began to list the stages of decomposition which only made things worse.

Fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay, and the remains.

It's crazy, how at the end of the day, a body is just that- a body. Without a soul or a functioning brain, or whatever one thinks drives the life force of a living creature, the body decomposes. It's of no use anymore, except for nutrients for other living things.

What happens after death? Do we just cease to be? Is there an afterlife? Or are we reborn, stuck in a never ending cycle of reincarnation? What if there was nothing? If that was it? Just an end.

I can't believe he's gone. I had just been talking to him! Then he disappeared, and was killed.

Snape, that bastard! Grandpa trusted him!

My fist clenched itself. A surge of anger washed over me. I needed to hit something, badly.

Before I could, the sadness came back.

He's gone. My Grandpa, my Poppy, my Pop Pop, the only person I looked up to. I trusted, admired. The man who took the fatherly role in my life. Protected me my whole life. Dead.

My fist unclenched, and my hands covered my face. I sobbed.

Just another death.

Is it me? Am I just cursed, to lose whoever I care about in my life? I know I didn't kill Grandpa like I did my parents, but here I am again. Left alone. 

Not that I don't care for Grandma, but she's colder. Stricter. I love her with all my heart, but Grandpa held a special place in my heart that no one else could ever fill.

He was Grandpa, Albus Dumbledore. The Great Dumbledore. Struck dead faster than I could say 'Stop!' Weak in his last moments, begging on his knees. If he could die, how is the resistance to Lord  Voldemort ever going to win? He was supposed to lead us to victory, be the voice of reason and support. We, and I, never lost hope with his guidance. What will happen now?

Sure, people always say "Oh, he'll live on in your heart," but I want him physically. I want him here. The only person I want to be comforted by Grandpa's death is Grandpa. But he's dead.

I cried openly now. I didn't care what I looked like.

Some wizards and witches began to say their eulogies, but I paid no attention. Who were they to talk about Grandpa? They didn't know him like I knew him.

...But did I really know him? There's so much information he didn't tell me, so much I didn't know about him.

He was my Grandpa. There's nothing more to it. I loved him.

I could hear him now- "Belle, do you realize how many refer to the dead in past tense? As if they're history, like they will never be acknowledged again. I prefer to refer to them in the present tense. It's not as if they are gone from our lives forever, we will all meet again. Maybe not in this world, but certainly the next. Just meeting an old friend."

I love him.

I sobbed.

 ________________________________________________________________________

So this is really short, but of course I had to include the funeral!

There wasn't much to include in this, but I had to get across the point that Belle is broken by this loss, her whole foundation rocked.

Guess who saw Ghost on Broadway? This girl! It was amazing. I cried. Definitely one of my favorites! I'm listening to the soundtrack now!

Anyways, QCC?

:-)