Yellow (George Weasley)

73 - Limbo

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I noticed a lone hand peeking out from beneath the stone. Fred was buried beneath the remnants of the wall. I continuously screamed his name as I pulled off the rubble, my hands trembling. But there was no response.

"No—Fred! No!!" I buried my face into his neck, wailing as I held him as tight as I could. His skin was already slick with my tears. I was desperate for my cries to wake him up. I couldn't live a life without Fred, I couldn't bring a baby into this world without it's uncle—without my best friend. Footsteps echoed through the corridor behind me, but right now I didn't care if they did kill me.

"Leah?" I reluctantly looked up at the soft sound of my name. Through my tears I saw George, Percy, and Kingsley standing a few feet away. George's face twisted from confusion to pure heart break as he realized who I was clutching to. "Freddie?" He croaked, his voice barely escaping his throat. "No, no, no!" He cried rushing to crouch down by his brother's side. "Freddie! Are you there!?"

The battle raged just down the hall, and a part of me couldn't believe the world hadn't stopped. It had to have. The world could never go on without Fred Weasley. "We need to move his body and keep going, George. I'm sorry." Kingsley came up behind George and attempted to pull him off of his brother but he kicked and screamed against him. My heart shattered at the sight and even more tears came down.

I moved aside slightly as Percy moved towards Fred, sobs escaping his lips as he clutched onto his younger brother's t-shirt. His forehead resting against his limp chest. He suddenly shot up, pushing George's hands aside to press two fingers into the side of Fred's neck. "I-I think...I think I feel a pulse!" He gasped, desperately pressing his ear to his chest as he felt the other side of his neck. "It's weak but I think I feel it!"

Percy scrambled to his feet and ran the fastest I had seen him, disappearing around the corner. "What happened?" Kingsley turned to me.

"The wall." I breathed out through my tears, pointing to the now gaping hole. I felt defeated. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the broken man in front of me.

From where I pointed, a black vapor billowed into the room like a snake. Death Eater Augustus Rookwood formed at the end of the hall, the cloud vanishing around him. He flashed a devious smile before turning the corner. Before I could stop him, George was chasing after him like a mad man.

"George!" I screeched as he disappeared down the hallway. I tore after him despite Kingsley's pleading behind me. Just as I rounded the corner I saw George tackling the cloaked man to the ground. He instantly started berating him with his fists, the passionate hatred he held couldn't be satisfied by a simple flick of his wand.

"Your wand, George!" I yelled, panicking when I realized I had left mine on the floor of the corridor.

Rookwood's finger tips grazed his own wand before he was able to grasp it once again. "Crucio!!!"

George was thrown back against the wall, shaking as the curse relentlessly coursed through him. He screamed out until I could hear his voice beginning to get hoarse. Kingsley caught up to me, holding me back before I could interfere and lifting his own wand to the Death Eater. Suddenly, that feeling entered the room again. I felt dizzy as a crushing pain filled my head and the voice returned.

"You have fought valiantly...but in vain." Rookwood was distracted for a moment and with a quick hand movement Kingsley threw the man against the stone wall, rendering him unconscious.

George twitched as he struggled to grasp ahold of his wand, his body still vibrating from the unforgivable curse. "I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste." The voice continued to echo through the halls. "I therefore command my forces to retreat until the sun rises. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity."