Aria Black and the Battle for Hogwarts

The Funeral

I pull out my watch that the twins gave me, and look at it. They are near Surrey. I apparate to where the watch says they are.

It's an open field, but I smell food. I make my way to the smell, and whisper, "Guys?"

"Stupefy!" A voice calls.

I am thrown to the floor, and five figures surround me.

"Kingsley!" Fred exclaims, sinking to his knees beside me.

I meet Fred's wonderful eyes. "Hey, Rapier." I say mischievously.

Fred smiles down at me. "Hey Ari. I-"

"I love you." I tell him.

He looks taken aback, as do the others around him.

"I heard you all last night, and how your password was my name, and how you said that you loved me!" I cry.

Fred grins. "I do love you. Lots."

"Okay, lovebirds, time to pull this session to a close, Aria can move again." George says.

Lee helps me up and I give him a hug. "River." I greet.

"Aria." He replies.

I look up at Remus. "Romulus is a stupid name."

My godfather smiles. "The stupidest."

The guys lead me into their tent and I look to George. "Angelina's family is dead."

His eyes widen. "Dead? Is Angelina okay?"

I nod. "They were the family in Wiltshire you lot reported." I say quietly. "I thought you knew."

"Why was Ange in Wiltshire?" He asks helplessly, sinking down to sit on a cot.

I give him a pitiful look. "Her family moved there shortly after you left for Potterwatch."

George runs his fingers through his hair nervously. "I could go see her, but how not to get caught? Hmm-when's the funeral? I'll go to the funeral. Does she hate me for not being there? I-" He murmurs.

"George!" I exclaim. "The funeral is in a few hours, and if you're going to go, we need Polyjuice Potion. It takes too much preparation to make in a day's time. Who can we steal it from?"

"We don't have to." Kingsley pipes up. "We have some for when we have to disguise ourselves."

Remus kneels down and looks through a briefcase containing various potions. "We don't have enough for more than one person." He admits sadly.

Fred and Lee look at each other.

"You can go, George." Lee says. "Send Angelina our condolences."

George nods. "Who can we get hair from?"

I smile evilly. "I'll take care of this one, boys."

So I apparate to the nearest Muggle town and stupefy an old Muggle man waiting for his fish fry. Boy, would George love to dress up as an old man. I pluck a few hairs off his head. The old man has some "nice" clothes on, so I take them too and leave him in his underwear (yuck).

When I come back to the tent with a flask of hairs, and old man clothes, they are surprised.

"Here you go." I say, handing Remus the hairs.

I hand George the clothes. "Aren't they just lovely?" I say, smirking.

He rolls his eyes. "I can't kiss Angelina as an old man!" He exclaims.

"I'm sure your tongue can lighten her up a bit." I say. "Or, the old Elmer's tongue, that is."

George huffs. He downs the potion all in one, and almost spits it out. "This old mad is a real bloke." He says. "Tastes like piss."

I roll my eyes and turn away as he puts on the clothes.

"I'm done, Aria." George tells me. "Let's go."

I turn to Fred and kiss him passionately.

"The funeral should be starting soon." Remus interrupts.

"Love you, Fred." I say.

"Love you too Ari."

I hug Remus and he whispers, "Stay safe."

Lee hugs me, and I wave goodbye to Kingsley.

George grabs my shoulder and I apparate us to the place where the funeral is held.

"Your name is Elmer." I hiss.

I scan the beautiful garden, looking for Angelina. She's not by the casket, or by the trees.

"There!" George whispers, pointing to the lake. Angelina faces the lake, head down.

I take George's arm and usher him towards her.

"Go slower." I hiss.

He does this fake limping thing hat makes him look more like a wounded puppy than an old man. Eventually we get to Angelina, and I give her a hug.

"Ange, I've got-"

"Where were you?" She demands. "I've been waiting for ages! Tonks and Andromeda don't know, and you can't just disappear before your best friend's funeral!" Angelina finally notices George. "And why the bloody hell do you have an old man with you?"

"Angelina, meet George Weasley a.k.a. Elmer." I say, unfazed by her anger at me.

Angelina looks at George. "George? You're here? How?"

George hugs her. "Do you want me the kiss you?"

She raises an eyebrow. "Not with that old codger's lips I don't!"

"I'm still here for you, babe." George says.

I smile at her. "Ange, I'm going to go welcome the guests. You two can catch up."

They're not even paying attention to me. George is asking questions about the baby and how Angelina's doing.

I just tiptoe away to bump right into Oliver Wood.

"Oh, Wood! I'm sorry."

He smirks. "Oh, you're alright, Aria. We need to stop meeting at funerals." He says.

I smile. "There needs to stop being so many funerals. Thanks for coming. Angelina could use some support."

I think back to last time I saw him where I recognized his eyes.

"Wood?" I ask before he walks away.

Wood whirls around, and grins a freckled grin at me. "Yes?"

How can I get him to be open about his parents? Blimey, I dunno!

"Nevermind." I say. "Have a good day."

When we're seated for the ceremony, George and I sit next to Angelina. Alicia is not here, she has an intense surgery to view in her Healer training. Katie and Leanne are present though, and seated a few rows back. Tonks and Andromeda sit up with us. Molly, Arthur, and Ginny sit right behind us.

"A moment of silence for these beautiful people." The dark haired minister says. He's a Muggle. Angelina's Muggle friends and family are here too.

The minister looks up at the crowd. "Melody, Simon, Connor, and Allie were all great people. Connor and Allie had their entire lives to live."

Angelina sobs loudly into her hands. George drapes an arm around her to most people's disgust.

"But they are done suffering, done feeling pain, done feeling sorrow and loss. Nevertheless their memory lives on inside each of us. The Johnsons will be remembered and cherished in our hearts." The minister raises an imaginary glass. "To the Johnsons, our friends."

"To the Johnsons." The crows echoes.

I glance over at Angelina. She does not look any better.

Everyone offers their condolences to Angelina, and are ushered out. George's Polyjuice Potion is finally wearing off, so he hugs and kisses Angelina while I say my silent goodbyes to my best friend's family.