Falling (asleep) | Fred Weasley fanfic

The Phoenix Lament

Months had passed since Christmas and life had gone back to its normal weirdness. I was studying and working harder than ever to graduate as soon as possible. Dora had returned to our house the same day I did and I had told her about the Remus incident during Christmas.
„I know he likes you, Dora. I read his mind!"
„You shouldn't have!" There was a pause. „What was he thinking?" she asked curiously and I chuckled at her hypocrisy.
„Well, Molly hates Fleur and wants you as Bill's wife, right?" I began and she nodded. „So she mentioned you had declined her invitation to Christmas and I gave Remus a little hint about you feeling down. Of course, he got it because he started asking himself if it was because of him that you were down. Anyway, Harry mentioned to Remus that your Patronus had changed and he totally freaked out. But before Harry could finish talking about your new Patronus, Percy and the Minister arrived."
„That's it?!"
„Nooo, wait! Of course, I read his mind after Harry described your new Patronus. Harry thinks it's because of Sirius, but Remus knows it's because of him! He felt bad about it because he thinks you should have never fallen in love with a werewolf. And he feels he won't be able to push you away for much longer," I added and giggled.
„For Merlin's sake..." Dora giggled as well.

One night, Dora and I received notice that we had to patrol Hogwarts, because Dumbledore would be leaving the castle. We arrived and met up with Remus, Bill and Professor McGonagall.
„Professor!" I cried as soon as I saw McGonagall running to the Astronomy Tower.
„Death Eaters!", she shouted and I followed her.
Soon we were each fighting against a Death Eater, along with Ginny, Neville and Ron. Dora was fighting an enormous blond wizard who was sending curses flying in all directions, so that they ricocheted off the walls around them, cracking stone, shattering the nearest window —
„Harry, where did you come from?" Ginny cried.
„Take that!" shouted Professor McGonagall, and I glimpsed the female Death Eater, Alecto, sprinting away down the corridor with her arms over her head, her brother right behind her. Harry launched himself after them.
„Neville, are you — ?" I heard Harry ask. Neville's pale, round face was flat against the floor.
„M'all right," muttered Neville, who was clutching his stomach, „Harry... Snape 'n' Malfoy... ran past..."
„I know, I'm on it!" said Harry, aiming a hex from the floor at the enormous blond Death Eater who was causing most of the chaos. The man gave a howl of pain as the spell hit him in the face: He wheeled around, staggered, and then pounded away after the brother and sister. Harry scrambled up from the floor and began to sprint along the corridor. I kept fighting my Death Eater. I had an advantage over him because I knew which spell he was going to use every time before he even cast it. From the corner of my eye, I saw Remus carrying a very hurt Bill, covered in blood. They were headed to the Hospital Wing.
„Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted and the Death Eater fell to the floor. „Incarcerus," I muttered, pointing my wand at the petrified Death Eater, and went to help Remus and Bill.

Pushing the doors open, Harry and Ginny had entered the Hospital Wing. Neville lying, apparently asleep, in a bed near the door. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Dora, Remus and I were gathered around Bill's bed near the far end of the ward. At the sound of the doors opening, we all looked up. Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him; Remus moved forward too, looking anxious.
„Are you all right, Harry?"
„I'm fine... How's Bill?"
Nobody answered. Bill's face was unrecognizable, so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque. Madam Pomfrey was dabbing at his wounds with some harsh-smelling green ointment.
„Can't you fix them with a charm or something?" I asked the matron.
„No charm will work on these," said Madam Pomfrey. „I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites."
„But he wasn't bitten at the full moon," said Ron, who was gazing down into his brother's face as though he could somehow force him to mend just by staring. „Greyback hadn't transformed, so surely Bill won't be a — a real — ?" He looked uncertainly at Remus.
„No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf," said Remus. „But that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and — and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on."
„Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. „Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state —"
„Ron — Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.
„No!", Remus and I shouted in unison. I walked over to my sister and began crying on her shoulder.
„How did he die?" whispered Dora. „How did it happen?"
„Snape killed him," said Harry.
„Professor Snape?" asked Luna in disbelief. „But —"
„I was there, I saw it," said Harry. „We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was... Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak — and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him —"
Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned. Luna's mouth trembled.
„— more Death Eaters arrived — and then Snape — and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra." Harry couldn't go on.
Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Nobody paid her any attention except Ginny, who whispered, „Shh! Listen!"
Gulping, Madam Pomfrey pressed her fingers to her mouth, her eyes wide. Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singing in a way I had never heard before a stricken lament of terrible beauty. How long we all stood there, listening, I did not know, nor why it seemed to ease my pain a little to listen to the sound of their mourning, but it felt like a long time later that the hospital door opened again and Professor McGonagall entered the ward. Like all the rest, she bore marks of the recent battle: There were grazes on her face and her robes were ripped.