Twisted (Charlie Weasley)

Chapter Forty-Nine

The first moments of the battle weren't as insane as I thought it would all be. Students were being rushed to evacuation, Order Members were placing more enchantments around the castle... and the statues began to move. People were moving rapidly in every which way, but no one was sending curses to harm, or more importantly, curses to kill. There were no signs of those I had walked away from in my youth. None of my parent's old buddies, or family members I had long since moved on from. The castle still felt heavy with anticipation, and then Voldemort's words began to echo around us. 

I stood in the far corner of the Great Hall. I had yet to see Poppy since I left her to talk to Percy, but Fleur stood by my side as tough as I remember her being when I first saw her compete in the Tri-Wizard tournament. I often wondered if she remembered me from back then, or if the traumatic events from that day erased me from her memories... I knew I would never forget anything about that day. The tragic incident that happened on that day made me feel guilty for having any good memories at all from it... but it would always be the day I found out I was going to be a mother. That I had a chance at a family my mother wouldn't be able to touch. That I could have the life I always imaged for myself. 

"Thank you," Fleur said softly from beside me, causing my reminiscing to cease immediatly as I turned to see what the woman was thanking me for. She wore a determined look on her face as she simply stared ahead, "Thank you for welcoming me into the family Indigo. For accepting me."

I gave her a small smile, "Tu es ma sœur Fleur." 

A smile spread across her face as well as we both turned back to pay attention to Kingsley who was now addressing all of those that remained in the great hall. All of the students under age had been lead from the hall, along with all of the Slytherin students... but many Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students all remained behind. As instructions were dolled out slowly we all began to leave the hall. I followed after Fred, George, and Percy. The twins bugging Percy as if he never left seemed to quieten the sound of my heart pounding in my ears.

As we walked I stuck out my hand to Percy, "My name is Indigo." I said softly, "I am the mother of your nephew and Charlie's fiance." 

He smiled, "So it is true, the dragon lover settled down?"

"I would hardly say he settled down... He just found more convenient healing." I laughed, which brought a confused look to the younger Weasley male. "I am a healer," I said softly, "It is how your brother and I met... I got a job in Romania, and well you could say that the rest is history."

Percy smiled for a moment before frowning... "My nephew... what is his name?"

"Arthur." I said softly, "My son's name is Arthur Alastor Weasley." 

George turned back at us, "And I am his favourite uncle!"

"As if!" Fred shot back, "I think we both know Bill is the kids' favourite uncle." 

I laughed, "I would say that he had no favourite uncle... but that would be a lie. It is Bill."

It seemed to be a strange thing to laugh about at this time, but being around the twins had always made me feel more relaxed. I could tell that the two young men were tense, that they weren't the same carefree people that I was used to, but they were still trying to lighten the mood of what was happening. 

We were making our way to defend the passages of the school, doing our part to keep the death eaters from entering the school and giving Harry as much time as we possibly could to help him find whatever it was he was looking for. The castle was quiet in a way I had never seen it before, there were no other people wandering the corridor, no voices drifting through the stone hallways. Everything around us all seemed empty, and that was terrifying. It wasn't how I remembered Hogwarts, and I didn't want this to be the version of Hogwarts that I remembered when I looked back at the castle years from now. When I told my son about the school I had so many good memories of, I didn't want this battle to be the first thing that would pop up in my mind's eye.