Harry Potter and the Marauders' Revival

Chapter 6

Fires burning, the school she once knew reduced to a shadow of its former glory. Arya walked across the sea of corpses ,from both sides of the war, littering the Viaduct courtyard on her way to the Great Hall. Voldemort had called back his forces while she was battling Rabastan, who quickly apparated before Arya had a chance to curse him, now all she wanted was to make sure that the remaining people she loved were safe. When she entered the great hall, it was unrecognizable, dead and injured were gathered there accompanied by their loved ones wailing over their loss. Arya hoped in her heart of hearts that they were all still okay.

She saw a familiar group of red-haired people along with one semi-bushy haired girl and a blonde one gathered around a particular group of bodies.

"Fred? Luna? What happened?" She asked, fear rising up inside her.

Fred turned to face her, tears in his eyes. "Mum threw herself in front of curse meant for me...I-I'm the reason she's dead." Fred said, tears falling heavily down his face.

"Oh Freddie..." Arya said holding him close. "I'm so sorry..." She whispered.

"So am I." He said, pulling away and wiping his face. "There's something else Arry."

Luna was looking at her with tears in her eyes. "There was nothing anyone could've done."

"What? What's happened? Wait, where's Aerys?" She said looking around but meeting their sorrowful gazes at the mention of his name. Her eyes widened. "No."

"I'm so sorry Arya." Luna said crying now.

"Let me see him now!" She said pushing past them angrily and through the group before she arrived at the gut-wrenching, heart breaking sight of what they were all gathered around. The first body was Mrs. Weasley, dried blood on the side of her face as she appeared to be sleeping peacefully, no sign of any injury. The next was Remus lupin, whom she saw killed. The next after was probably the most traumatic thing she had ever witnessed, the bodies of Seamus Finnigan and Aerys LeStrange were laying beside each other, their hands still intertwined with each other.

Arya gasped in horror as she dropped to her knees, sobbing violently into her hands. Her cousin, brother and best friend laid unnaturally still before her eyes. She went to his side, clutching his hand, continuing to cry.

Arya then felt two people crouch on either side of her, her mother and her sister, both with tears in their eyes as they comforted her. "It was Voldemort. Arthur saw the whole thing." Sniffled Nymphadora. "They died holding each other, they couldn't live without each other, so they died together." She said, a tear running down her face as Arya moved the hair out of Aery's face, holding back a large sob.

"Can..can I hug him? One last time?" Arya asked, sniffling.

"Of course dear." Andromeda said, wiping a tear from Arya's face, smiling sadly at her.

Arya then moved closer to Aerys, lifting his torso from the ground carefully as she held his limp body, his hand somehow unwavering from its place in Seamus'. She cried in his shoulder as she held him. She began to feel a strange heat radiating from him, she looked at her mother, worried, and then back at Aerys who then burst into flames along with Seamus both immediately turning to ash.

Arya gasped in horror once again, remnants of Aerys sitting in her hands falling through her fingers. "I...I got to hold him again...even if it was the last." She said, wiping away her tears and standing up, starting to walk away before she heard a soft gasp come from her mother, followed by quiet cooing.

"Arya... you have to see this." Hermione said, staring at where Aerys and Seamus once rested in complete shock.

Arya turned back around to see what they were all shocked by, immediately her eyes widened when she saw it for herself.

Two beautiful infants laid next to each other, covered in ash and holding each other's hands as Seamus and Aerys were only moments ago. It seemed that like the phoenix, they both were reborn from the ashes, most likely the raw will of Aerys and love that he had for Seamus allowed his love to share in the rebirth.

Arya kneeled in front of them, tears of joy falling down her cheeks as she realized her best friend was never really gone. She scooped them up in both of her arms, smiling at them as their tiny ash-covered hands marked her face.

"What's going to happen to them? Seamus's parents were killed and Aerys' parents are bloody deranged. They have no family." Fred asked.

"Wrong. I'm their family now, I'll raise them as my own with or without anyone's help." Arya said, looking into Aerys' innocent violet eyes as he sucked his thumb.

"Of course you'll have help love." Andromeda said, putting her hand on Arya's shoulder. "Nymphadora, Fred, Luna, Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron. Anyone who calls you their friend will always be there for you as you have been for them." Andromeda said, smiling at her.