|| Star-Crossed ||

50

CAROLINE POTTER

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Harry asked as we walked towards the Burrow. We just got off the train and I barely spoke the whole time. "I don't want to talk about it, Harry." I said. "Is it Draco?" he asked. "Please, just let it go." I said. He sighed and nodded. When we got inside, I said hi to everyone and then I spent most of my time alone. Draco has never ever acted like that before. Even when we were on a break and we fooled around, he was always gentle. The way he spoke to me and told me to get on my knees and the way he just kicked me out after. It's like I was trash he was just throwing away. I felt used. I felt worthless. I felt like nothing.

"You're being unusually quiet," I looked up and Remus sat down next to me. "Hi Remus," I said. "What's wrong?" he asked. I shook my head and forced a smile. "Nothing, I'm fine." I said. He smiled. "You are so much like your mother, she also never wanted to burden others with her pain" he said. "I'm not in pain," I mumbled. "Yes, you are." he said. I sighed and looked at him. "Is it about what happened to you this summer?" he asked. "You know about that?" I said. He nodded. "Harry told me," he said. I scoffed. "Sure, why don't we tell Rita Skeeter. Make sure everyone knows." I snapped. "He didn't mean any harm. He was worried about you," he said. "He doesn't get it. I don't want people to know." I said. He looked at me with concern. "Why?" he asked. "Because ever since Harry and I have come to the wizarding world everything that happens to us is a public event. The newspapers capitalize on our pain, everything bad that happens is put on display for money or to be scrutinized. After Sirius died, we had to stand there while people took our picture. My heart was breaking and my entire world was shattering and they took pictures of it." I said. "I know, I can't imagine how hard that was." he said. "That's the thing. That's what is so hard about this, about what happened to me." I said. "What is it?" he asked. "Everything Harry and I have been through, we've done it together. Our parents death, Cedric's death, Sirius's death, all of it. All that pain, I could do it because I had him. I had someone who knew exactly what I was going through. But now, I was- I was r-r raped. And Harry doesn't know what that's like. I'm completely alone and I don't know how to do it." I said. Remus looked at me with sorrow in his eyes. "You aren't alone. We may not know what you're going through but you are never alone." he said. I nodded. He hugged me and I took a breath. "One day this war is going to end, it will end. And you're going to have a life that doesn't belong to anyone but yourself. It's going to be amazing." he said. "Unless this war ends my life," I said. His face fell. "Don't say that," he said quickly. "Remus, you know the prophecy. For neither can live while the other survives. Harry and I have to die. There's no other way," I said. "We aren't having this discussion!" he exclaimed. "Maybe not now, but one day soon we will be." I said. He faced away and I sighed. "It's ok, Remus. I've made my peace with it." I said. "You're just a child," he said. "We're all just kids," I said. All of the sudden, there was an explosion. Then that laugh. That cackling, manic laughter. "Bellatrix Lestrange," I said. Remus looked at me. "Caroline, No!" he exclaimed. But I was already running. I ran out of the house and into the flames that surrounded the house. "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" she screamed. The rage fueled me as I ran through the trenches. I got to a clearing and drew my wand. I dodged a curse and threw one back. Then Harry ran over. "It's Bellatrix!" I said. "And others," he replied. We threw curses at them and Ginny ran to us. "Ginny, what are you doing?!" Harry exclaimed. "Get down!" I yelled. We ducked and dodged the killing curse. Remus, Tonks and Arthur came running over and surrounded us. "I told you not to go!" Remus exclaimed. "She killed Sirius!" I snapped. Just then, they disappeared into black smoke. Then, in the distance, the burrow exploded. "Molly," Arthur said. We ran to them and everyone stood there as the burrow went up in flames. Fred and George walked over to me and they both slung and arm over my shoulder. "It's going to be alright." George said. "We have to soldier on," Fred added. I just nodded. "Soldier on," I said. And I watched the only place I've ever called home besides Hogwarts burn to the grounds as tears fell to my cheeks. Just another casualty in this war.