Raven (Fred x oc)

100. Second Wedding

"I'll see you inside," I said quietly to Fred. I had transfigured my appearance so I had long black hair and dark eyes. Because my relationship with Fred was common knowledge, I had to act like we weren't together while everyone else could see it and I looked different. As I took my seat, I subconsciously gripped my wooden ring tightly. 

The usual veil appeared around me. I frowned. Everything was in chaos, but it was blurred. People kept moving through me, blocking my vision. I saw only flashes. Blue light. Hermione. A beaded bag. With a harsh gasp, I came back to reality. The ceremony had just finished. I got up, dazed, and staggered to the edge of the tent. 

Approaching me, Fred said, "Here." It took me a moment to realize he was handing me a drink. 

"Right, sorry," I muttered, going back to looking around the room. People were dancing. Hermione and Ron were dancing together. Polyjuiced-Harry was talking to Viktor Krum. Lee Jordan was dancing with Ginny while Harry, who had just moved to the edge of the tent, looked on with a jealous expression.  

Lowering his voice, Fred asked, "Valerie, what are you looking for? What's wrong?" Before I could answer, a large silvery-blue thing flew through the top of the tent into the centre, a lynx. 

It was Kingsley's voice that said, "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." Someone screamed. 

Breathing harshly, I grabbed onto Fred and hissed, "I have to go." Forgetting about the cover, I quickly kissed him. Letting go, I apparated, disappearing just as Death Eaters appeared. I backed up slightly, looking up at the building I had gone to. Once I had registered that I was at Grimmauld Place, I got inside as quickly as I could. 

Once I got inside, the only noise was my heavy breathing. I looked around, the eerie silence causing my heart to pound in my ears. "Severus Snape?" Moody's voice said. Before I could respond, my tongue curled in my mouth, attaching to the roof of my mouth. It loosened again and I looked around, trying to figure out what else Mad-Eye had set up against Snape. 

A horrifying image of Dumbledore rose up from the end of the hall. I screamed, seeing the sunken eyes and pale, waxy skin. "STOP!" I screamed. "I didn't kill you!" The figure exploded into dust just before it would have hit me. I coughed, fanning the dust away from me. I came further in. I hadn't been here since I'd stopped working at Hogwarts. 

I went up to my room, smiling as I spotted everything just as I had left it. I moved in front of the mirror and transfigured myself back. Stripping out of my dress, I moved over to my dresser. Grabbing a white tube-top, baggy, high-waisted blue jeans, and a black sweater. "Kreature," I said. With a snap, he appeared. 

"Mistress!" he cried, rushing towards me and wrapping his arms around my legs, the highest he could reach. "They said you were dead!" 

Crouching down, I hugged him back, saying, "I'm still alive, Kreature. They haven't gotten me yet." 

"Yet!" he shrieked. 

"Look, they want me dead, but I'm not going to let that happen. But I need your help." 

"Of course, Mistress," he replied. "What do you want Kreature to do?" Before I could reply, I suddenly heard a crash from downstairs. Placing a finger to my lips, I signalled for him to remain quiet. As silently as possible, I grabbed onto his wrist gently, pulling him to hide with me by the bed, out of sight from the doorway. 

I had to hold back a scream as the door banged open. I covered my mouth, breathing heavily through my hand as footsteps moved through the room. They kept coming closer and I cursed my grandfather for making it impossible to apparate in and out of here. Before I could think of an escape plan, the figure moved around the bed and I let out a scream before recognizing her. 

"Hermione!" I cried angrily. Getting up, I saw that Harry and Ron were there too. With a sigh of relief, I wrapped Hermione in a hug before hugging Harry. "Thank Merlin you all got out alive." To his surprise, I hugged Ron next. "Do you know if everyone else is okay?" They shook their heads. 

With a sigh, I led them into the sitting room. Hermione sat down, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Ron moved to the window to peek out. "Can't see anyone out there," Ron said. 

"I'll go make us something to eat," I suggested. "Come on, Kreature." When we had gone down to the kitchen, a silvery figure appeared. I cried out in shock at the sight of the magpie. 

Fred's voice said, "Everyone is safe. Harry, Ron, and Hermione got out. Don't reply. We're being watched. I'll reach out again when it's safe. I love you." The magpie shimmered before disappearing. Kreature remained standing awkwardly by the door. 

I sighed, moving over to the table and sitting down. Glancing into the silver, reflective vase in the centre of the table, I saw that I looked at least ten years older. I had completely forgotten my purpose for being in the kitchen and instead simply lay my head on the table. Before I had thought much about it, I had drifted fast asleep.