Beauty and the Beast (Remus Lupin)

90.

"You have fought," a high, cold voice spoke, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."

Remus and Rose looked at each other as she continued to hold Fred. "Yet you have sustained heavy losses." Voldemort said, "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. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

Rose shut her eyes as she looked down. There were no words to describe just how emotionally drained she was. Everything was hurting her.

But the voice continued, "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."

Rose looked back up at Remus. They didn't need to tell one another anything. He had perfectly understood her just by looking in her eyes. The pain and misery were seen perfectly as she wore her broken heart on her sleeve.

She was hurt, yes, but now the thought of having to tell his family about his death devastated her in ways she had never felt before.

To tell George that his brother, his best friend is gone. To tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley their son is dead. To tell them that he had died because of her own safety...She couldn't imagine it, she didn't want to imagine it. Their reactions or what they'd say...

~

Rose sat where it had happened, she was unable to go into the Great Hall (where they were taking the dead).

Someone was running down the hall, Rose looked up and it was George.

"Is everything alright? You've seen Remus right? He was in a nasty duel with Dolohov but I got their just in time and stunned him..." George met her eyes, "What happened...?"

She went to open her mouth, but nothing came out. There was no way in hell that she was going to tell him about Fred. Truth was, she wasn't even sure if the rest of the Weasley's knew just yet. "Ro...?" George walked closer.

"The Great Hall..." She spoke weakly, "go..."

George left without saying anything else. Rose knew she couldn't stay in that spot forever, so she got up and made her way over while taking her time. As she got nearer and nearer, more tears came down her face.

The grief was dragging her down with each step she made closer to the hall.

When she opened the door, she saw Trelawney covering Colin Creevey's body with a blanket, pronouncing him dead. Right next to him, Sprout covered Lavender Brown's body. Each person she saw laying their made her stomach twist into knots.

Up ahead, the Weasley's all stood there surrounding Fred.

Rose slowly walked over but stopped next to Fred instead, the one person she hadn't expected to see was too laying dead next to Fred.

"No." She kneeled down besides Tonks, "No, no, no, no! Please!"

"Rose." George came up behind her, "Come on..."

Rose fell limb in his arms, everything she was feeling made its way to her surface. Everything, everyone was gone. People she practically grew up with, her cousin, and Fred. It was too much. It was all too much to take in.