Raven (Fred x oc)

113. Shock and Delight

Suddenly, the hand in mine suddenly squeezed back. I gasped, hastily blinking away my tears as I stared at his face. "Fred?" I whispered, cupping his cheek. He groaned. I cried out in surprise as the others let out similar noises of shock. 

"What happened?" he groaned. I screamed, wrapping my arms around him tightly as I began crying again. 

"Oh my god," I sobbed. "Fred, I thought I'd lost you!" 

"Shh, I'm right here, love," he assured. He pulled away from me only to be tackled in embraces by the rest of his family. Turning away from him, I gave a cry of surprise. There was a ghostly figure staring at me. "Valerie, who is it?" Fred asked. 

"Snape is dead," I explained, staring at him. Kissing him, I said, "I'll be back." I followed Snape out the door and stared at him. "Who?" I asked. 

"Voldemort," he explained. "You need to tell Harry the truth." I swallowed and nodded. 

"About the fact that he's a Horcrux?" I asked. He nodded. Turning, I saw Harry standing, staring into the Great Hall. "Harry," I said. He approached me. 

"I'm sorry about Fred," he said thickly. 

"He survived," I said. He looked up in surprise before smiling, a small one but a smile nonetheless. I led Harry into the Headmaster's office and paused, trying to figure out how to phrase this. "Harry, when I left the Room of Requirement the first time...I saw Dumbledore's spirit. He told me to come in here." 

"What? But Snape-" 

"He was in here," I said. "He was a double agent the entire time. He only killed Dumbledore because of that wand. The Elder Wand and because he was dying anyway. The most important thing though is that...when Voldemort tried to kill you...you became the seventh Horcrux." Harry stared at me without saying anything. "You have to die in order for him to die." Harry stood there a moment, not saying a word before I said, "I'll let you collect your thoughts." 

I left, leaving him alone before remembering what Voldemort had said, summoning Harry into the woods. I hesitated by the Great Hall, staring in at Fred as he laughed with George. A pain growing in my heart, I turned away and went outside. I walked all the way into the forest and stopped outside a clearing to make myself invisible. 

Suddenly, I felt something rip through me. I gasped in shock seeing who was before me, going over back the way I had come. "Dad," I whispered tears in my eyes. He turned, winked at me and turned back. I followed after them. It was Dad, James, Lily, and Remus. Remus?! When did he die? 

When I came to where they had stopped, I saw Harry holding a small stone. "You've been so brave," Lily said. 

"You are nearly there," James said. "So close. We are so proud of you." 

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked. 

"Dying?" Dad asked. "Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep." 

"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over," Remus added. 

"I didn't want you to die," Harry said. "Any of you. I'm sorry. Right after you have your son...Remus, I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry too," he replied. "Sorry I will never know him. But he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life." 

"You'll stay with me?" Harry asked. 

"Until the very end," James said. 

"They won't be able to see you?" Harry checked. 

"We can only be seen by you and Valerie," Dad said. 

"Valerie," Harry repeated. 

"We had to pass back through her to get here," Dad explained. 

Looking at his mother, Harry said, "Stay close to me." I followed out of sight as the group of five made their way to the clearing. Finally, I stopped, suddenly feeling this wasn't something I wanted or needed to see. But I couldn't bring myself to go back. I stayed where I was until suddenly the four spirits came back to me. I looked up. 

Feeling pale, I asked, "I-Is he?" Dad shook his head. 

"Not yet," Dad said. I nodded before suddenly beginning to cry again as I looked at them all. 

"Dad was it ever possible?" I asked. "To live in a world where I had all of you?" He stayed silent but watched me with tears in his eyes. Dumbledore walked through the woods and approached us. We stood in silence waiting for something. I wasn't entirely sure of what. Snape joined us next, causing Dad and James to look at him with that kinda expression. Rolling my eyes, I snapped, "Even in death, seriously?" Dad let out a laugh, causing James to smile. 

"I'm sorry, Severus," James said finally. "We were cruel to you, I know that now." 

"I'm sorry too," Snape said. "By the end, I was as bad as you were." 

"Finally," Lily muttered. I smiled. 

"I would've liked to have had you around growing up, Lily," I said. 

"I think we would've gotten along," she agreed with a wide smile.

"James, remind me once Valerie dies to never let her around Lily," Sirius whispered, but loud enough we could all hear it. "Those two would be trouble." With a serious expression on his face, James nodded as if he was having some kind of war flashback. I laughed along with Lily before the smile fell and I saw another figure approaching us. 

"Harry," I breathed. He looked at the group at large. There was something following behind him. It looked like a tiny Voldemort. I walked up to it and forced it to pass on before going back to the others, accidentally bumping into Harry on the way. 

"So...that's it?" Harry asked, looking at me and the others. "I-I'm dead?" 

I frowned. "I don't know," I admitted. "I mean...you seem almost in between. Wait, I have an idea." 

"What?" he asked. 

"I think I can send you back," I said. 

"Back?" he repeated. 

"Back to life," I explained. "But we need to creep back. They're going to check if you're dead. We need to make sure they check before I send you back." Harry silently led the way and I followed, stopping out of sight. I was too far away to hear, but I saw someone check Harry's heart and pronounce him dead. I had grabbed his invisibility cloak so I stood invisible. Next moment, I grabbed onto Harry, finding I could still physically touch him and pulled him towards his body. Forcing the spirit back into the body, I backed away and saw it had worked. 

I backed away again, hiding in the woods with James, Lily, Dad, Remus, Snape, and Dumbledore as we all turned back. I knew they'd be coming back to the school soon. There was something I needed to do in order for this to work. I rushed back, the spirits following me with curiosity.