International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 109

I feel empty when Fred let's go of me again. He seems happy that I finally managed to defeat the man that has been haunting me since I was ten years old, but I don't share the feeling of happiness. My best friend is dead and even though I killed the man who killed her, it won't bring her back.

While the tears roll down my cheeks, I help Fred move Flora's body to a shielded corner. Fred said it would be better to hide the body so nobody could step on it when they pass. Before we leave the corridor, I take one last look at Greyback's body the floor below us before turning around and walking out of the corridor, trying to make sure nobody else gets hurt in this fight. For Flora.

We bump into Lee and George in a corridor on the second floor. I knock the Death Eater Lee was fighting with one curse. Lee looks up and when he sees me, his face lights up and he smiles brightly t me. Bowing down to grab the Death Eater's wand, he compliments: "It was a good idea to grab their wands."

George has knocked out another Death Eater and looks around with a frown. "Where is Flora?"

The tears I just wiped off my cheeks begin to fall again and I place a hand in front of my mouth to silence the cry that escapes my lips. Lee looks at me with wide eyes and wraps his arms around me for support. Looking at Fred, he asks with a serious voice: "What happened?"

"Flora died," Fred whispers and I feel my legs give up. Lee holds me standing and I am thankful he does otherwise I would have fall onto the ground. George has tears in his eyes when he looks at me and Lee whispers softly: "I am sorry for your loss, Elena."

She will never be my maid of honour, I think while the memory of how happy Flora was when I showed her the ring fills my thoughts. She will never attend the wedding, she will never-

Fred takes me in his arms to calm me down. Lee begins to cast some Concealment charms and I hear George says something to his brother. I cry in Fred's suit jacket and he holds me tightly. She already planned our wedding.

"We need- we need to-" I begin and let out another sob. Fred presses me closer and when I am calmed down a bit more, I mumble in Fred's chest: "Flora planned part of our- our wedding, we need to- we need to honour her by going with her- her plan."

Fred lets out a chuckle and loosens his arms from around me. He looks into my eyes and nods. "We will, love, we will."

I nod and whip the tears off my cheek. After a deep breath, I look at the three men around me. "We need to make sure no other casualties are made." For Flora.

George hugs me tightly when I have let go of Fred. After he has let go, he nods at his brother and best friend. "Elena is right, Let's go help the others."

The four of us run through the corridors, down the stairs, and enter a balcony that looks over the middle of the battle. All over the stairs and in the hall, I see Death Eaters and students fighting. A man (I think Yaxley – I recognize him from the security checks at the Ministry) is duelling Professor Flitwick and next to them is Kingsley fighting a masked Death Eater.

Before we get into the fight, I press a kiss on Fred's lips and say with a stern voice: "You will get out of this alive or else you will be in big trouble!"

Fred smiles and nods before pressing another kiss on my lips. From behind me, I hear George cast a spell and yells at me and Fred: "Now is not the time, you lovebirds, go fight some of those Death Eaters."

I can't help but laugh at George's remark and turn around to send a curse to the nearest Death Eater I see, the man is fighting Flitwick. Fred, George, and Lee run down the stairs on the left, while I sprint down the stairs on the right. From the corridor behind me, I see Neville run towards me while holding armfuls of Venomous Tentacula. He runs past me and throws the plants at the first Death Eater he sees.

After fighting off a masked Death Eater who tried to get Neville, I hear the heavy wooden front doors behind me burst open. Three gigantic spiders run through the front hall and all the fighter around me run away from the monsters.

Neville sees me and grabs my wrist. While dragging me behind him, Neville sprints through several corridors before he lets go and I follow him to another part of the castle. We reach the green houses when Professor Sprout is handing some older Hufflepuffs different pots with plants in it.

"We have some interesting ones at the back," Neville calls out and sprints past the older woman into the green houses. Confused, I follow him to the last two greenhouses where Neville throws me a pair of gloves and earmuffs. After placing a pair of earmuffs over his own ear, he gestures to one of the bigger pots in the corner.

Together, we grab the bigger pot and run past Sprout and the students in the direction of the castle. I am panting and sweat runs down my forehead when we reach the balcony that looks out over one of the courtyards. We place the pot on the broken edge of the balcony. With a wave of his wand, Neville casts a spell over it before screaming: "For Harry!"

With those words, we push the pot over the edge and I lean over it to see what is happening next. The pot breaks when it falls on the ground and the plant begins to grow at rapid speed. Three Death Eaters who were hiding in the courtyard from the fight let out screams and try to run away while the plant wraps its roots around their ankles.

Footsteps sound from behind us and I turn around while grabbing my wand form my cloak. A dark figure comes with drawn wand at us and I quickly cast a protection spell. Neville turns around as well and cast a Stunning Spell at the Death Eater. The man falls on the ground and I send Neville a smile.

I gesture the boy to follow me and begin to run through the corridors. I have no idea where we are going, but whenever we see a Death Eater, we hit them with at least two Stunning Spells – saving several students.

Suddenly, the high and cold voice we heard in the Great Hall before the battle started returns. Both Neville and I freeze on the spot.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."

A Death Eater appears from behind Neville and I hit it with a curse.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste."

The Death Eater blocks the curse and Neville sends one, which the man blocks as well. Before I can fire another curse, the voice continues: "Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

As commanded, the man opposite us lowers his wand and turns around on his heels to run into the other direction. Neville and I share a look and I see the same look of confusion that is written on my face on Nevilles.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

My eyes shift to Neville who looks at me with wide eyes. He mutters something to himself and begins to run past me into the castle of Hogwarts. Without another thought, I follow Neville through the castle to the Great Hall.