"Victory was supposed to feel like freedom. Instead, it felt like counting the names of everyone who never made it home."
__________________________
For several seconds, Katherine remained exactly where she was.
Her arms were still wrapped around Harry.
Her face was buried against her brother's shoulder, and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath her hands.
Alive.
He was alive.
After everything she had seen, everything she had believed, the simple fact still felt impossible.
She had spent what felt like an eternity convinced that she had lost him.
Now she couldn't bring herself to let go.
Eventually, though, something caught her attention beyond Harry's shoulder.
Movement.
Katherine lifted her head.
Her eyes travelled slowly across the courtyard.
The battle had almost completely stopped.
Smoke drifted lazily through the air.
Broken stone covered the ground.
Several wands lay abandoned between the rubble.
Students were beginning to lower their weapons, though nobody had completely relaxed yet.
And then Katherine saw them.
Four familiar figures stood several metres away.
For one horrible second, her heart stopped.
Blaise.
Theo.
Pansy.
Draco.
They were standing together.
Surrounding them were several unconscious Death Eaters.
Katherine's entire body tensed.
Harry noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
She didn't answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on them.
Draco was holding his wand loosely at his side.
Theo had one arm hanging awkwardly by his side, his robes torn and covered in dust.
Blaise had a cut across his forehead.
Pansy was breathing heavily, her hair dishevelled and her hands shaking slightly.
They looked exhausted.
They looked terrified.
But more importantly—
they were standing over Death Eaters.
Katherine's hand instinctively moved towards her wand.
Harry followed her gaze.
His expression hardened.
"Katherine..."
"I know."
Neither of them moved.
The four Slytherins noticed them watching.
Pansy looked at Katherine first.
Her expression changed instantly.
YOU ARE READING
We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley
Fanfic________________________________________ It's always been the two of them. No one else. In fact, they had never expected to need anyone else. Hogwarts changed that. School proved that family isn't just about the blood that runs in your veins, you c...
