Closer To The Stars || Fred Weasley

30. Possibilities

"Harry!" Lorette yelled through all the screams. "Harry?! Where are you?!"

"Lory we have to get out of here!" Fred shouted, trying to get her to move.

"No! No! I have to find Harry! They'll kill him if they find him!" she shouted back in distress. "Fuck! Where is he?!"

"Lorette we do not have time!" Lucas yelled. "We have Hermione with us and they'll try to kill her before they go for Harry Potter!"

"I have to find him-" Lorette persisted.

"We have to get Hermione to safety!" Sofia scolded.

Lorette was barely registering anything her family was saying. The chaos was getting to her and she felt like she could collapse.

"...have to...I have to...Harry...have to find Harry..." Lorette mumbled distantly.

Fred grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him and break away from her trance.

"Lory! Lory! Look at me!" he yelled. "Hey, hey, look at me. We will find him. I promise. But we need to help Hermoine first."

Finding comfort in her best friend, Lorette took a deep breath and agreed. Taking his hand, they followed the rest of their families, but she couldn't deny the glimpse of hope that coursed through her when she saw any short brown-haired boy run past her.

The screams were getting to Lorette and she was losing her grasp on reality. She felt heat all around her and saw the flames devouring the tents and fields.

"This way!" Tito ordered, directing the families into the forest. "We need to get to the portkey!"

A few hours later, or at least what felt hours it could've been minutes for all Lorette could know, but she had lost track of time. Either way, after all the fear had simmered down, the families returned to the field, still looking for Harry, and now Ron and Hermoine. With no luck, Lorette was losing hope and had inevitably imagined the worst.

That was until they finally found Ron and Hermoine crouched next to Harry with Crouch and the rest of the ministry surrounding them. Thank heavens.

"Stop! That's my son!" Arthur yelled as Crouch began to approach the three children with his wand raised.

"Harry!" Lorette shouted in relief, running up to hold the young boy in her arms. "Oh thank god you're safe." she sighed. "Are you hurt? Did they find you? Did they try to hurt you?" she asked protectively, examining Harry to make sure he was in one piece.

"Yeah, Lory, I'm just fine." Harry said with confusion.

Lorette and Harry weren't close and he didn't know about her relations with James and Lily and Remus and Sirius. So it was odd for her to be so worried and protective of him.

...

When Harry was younger and the Dursleys were willing enough to bring him to a park or restaurant- or let him leave the house at all, really- the De Rossis were always there, keeping an eye on him. Ever since Lorette could remember, she had watched her godbrother, Harry Potter live his miserable life with his miserable aunt and uncle. She and Sofia had even talked to him before and played with him when he was young enough not to remember her. Of course, when James and Lily were still alive, they brought Harry over to see the family, but when they died, Petunia and Vernon were much less willing to bring Harry around wizards.

So even though Harry had only met Lorette in his first year, Lorette had known Harry her whole life. She felt like she owed it to James and Lily to look after him.

...

"Which of you conjured it?!" the minister questioned, his wand still raised.

"Crouch you can't possibly-" Arthur pleaded.