The Big Dipper

The Battle of Hogwarts: Part Two

Ursula coughed, dust from the explosion filling her lungs. A cold breeze told her that the side of the castle had been blown away, and a warm sort of wetness meant there was blood trickling down the side of her face. Her ears rang and she blinked rapidly, black spots dancing in her vision. Someone's arms were around her — she was pressed against someone's chest — she heard a groan, and looked up to see a familiar lopsided grin —

"Ursula," whispered Fred, reaching up a hand to brush a loose curl out of her face. His voice was weak, his chest rising and falling rapidly, and the side of his head was sticky with blood, but he was alive, and for Ursula that was enough. "My darling Ursula."

"Fred," sobbed Ursula, burying her face into his neck. "Oh, Fred."

They did not need words to express how ardent their love was, how much they had missed one another, and how overjoyed they were to be reunited. Nor did either offer an explanation; that would come later, much later, when the war was over and they were safely out of it.

Recognizing this, Ursula lurched unsteadily to her feet, dragging Fred upright by the collar of his shirt. They were surrounded by the wreckage of the terrible attack on the corridor, Ursula's Shield Charm just enough to protect them. She saw Percy and Ron struggling together through the debris, while Harry and Hermione reached for one another for balance as they took in their surroundings. From the other end of the corridor came Persephone, Genevieve still perched safely atop her back, the dragon's enormous head looming through the dusty haze that filled the wrecked hallway.

"If you die," said Ursula, pushing Fred against the remaining wall, "I'm going to kill you."

And then, not caring that Percy or Ron or Harry or Hermione were watching, she kissed him, her hands cupping his jaw, his arms around her waist. Fred turned, pinning Ursula against the wall as he deepened the intensity of the kiss, and then —

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Ron, and Fred and Ursula broke apart.

"When this is over, I'll kiss you again," promised Ursula, staring into Fred's warm brown eyes, the eyes of the man she loved, whom she had missed so much. "So you had better not die, Weasley."

"It's a promise, Black," said Fred, grinning at her.

Even though it pained her to leave him to the uncertainty of battle, Ursula returned to Persephone, flashing a smile back at Fred as she once again mounted her dragon. Persephone roared, shaking any remaining dust off the rafters and scaring those standing in the ruined corridor, before taking off through the hole in the wall.

As Persephone flew towards the nearest giant, Ursula felt a renewed sense of confidence. She would make it through this battle because she had so much to fight for. She would fight until her last breath if it meant those she loved had a better future awaiting them. As Persephone flew towards the giant, there wasn't an ounce of fear in Ursula's body.

~~~

"My Lord."

Lucius's voice was desperate and cracked, one eye closed and puffy. He sat in the darkest corner of the dilapidated building known as the Shrieking Shack, with peeling paper on the walls and all the windows boarded except for one. The sounds of the assault on the castle were muffled and distant. The single unblocked window revealed distant bursts of light where the castle stood, but inside the room it was dark except for a solitary oil lamp.

Lucius averted his eyes from the Dark Lord, who stood alone in the center of the room, as he turned his snakelike face towards Lucius, rolling his wand between his fingers contemptuously.

"My Lord... please... my son..."

"If Your son is dead, Lucius, it is not my fault." There was only cold indifference, perhaps even disgust, in Voldemort's voice as he spoke. "He did not come and join me. Perhaps he has decided to befriend Harry Potter?"