The Art of Living - R. Black

thirty nine

Song for this chapter: When It's Cold I'd Like to Die - Moby

TW death, violence, blood

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I eventually move and get off the ground long enough to bring my son's body to the Great Hall.

There are rows and rows of the dead taking up a good portion of the room. I see the entire Weasley family crowded over a body and weeping. As Regulus and I walk past I take a closer only to find out that Fred Weasley is dead. My heart hurts at the fact that he was only twenty years old.

Regulus lays Atlas's body down on an empty cot next to Jack's body.

He has blood splattered on his shirt and tears rolling down his face. There's blood all over my clothes and I can feel it drying on my face.

I look between the two corpses in front of me and feel utterly numb. It hurts so bad. I kneel down between the cots and hold Atlas's cold hand and sob.

Parents should never outlive their children.

Regulus sits beside me and wraps his arm around me, pulling me against him. I let my head fall against his chest as we both cry over the body of our son and I cry over the body of a friend.

I don't know how much time has passed, but eventually, someone comes over to us.

"Oh, Meredith, Regulus," Molly Weasley says. "I'm so sorry, dears."

I look up at her through teary eyes. Her eyes are red and her face is splotchy from crying.

"I'm sorry, too, Molly," I tell her.

She nods solemnly then her expression hardens. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news," She trails off, looking at Regulus and me with pity, "But they got Remus and Tonks."

"What?" Regulus asks.

I stare up at Molly, trying to process what she just said.

"I'm so sorry," She says. "Their bodies got brought in shortly after Fred."

I stand up, Regulus right behind me, and Molly nods to her left. I look over and see Remus and Tonks lying dead on cots, both of their hands reaching out for each other.

"No, no, no," I mumble. My eyes flicker between all of the bodies surrounding me. My son, my childhood friend, my closest friend, my friend and favorite person to go on missions with. My family. "No, this can't have happened."

Molly frowns, looking devastated. "I'm sorry," She says sincerely.

Regulus grabs me and holds me as I cry. His body is shaking as he cries, and I bury my face into his shoulder.

"Teddy," Regulus mutters quietly.

I cry even harder at the mention of him. Teddy Lupin will grow up without his parents, never knowing their faces, or what their voices sound like, or how much they love him.

I cry until the tears run out and I'm on the brink of collapsing due to exhaustion.

Eventually, I sit down on the floor next to Atlas's body. I just stare straight ahead, not feeling anything but pain and devastation.

"Everybody, come outside," Someone yells from the entrance to the Great Hall.

It's enough to pull me back to reality. I make eye contact with my husband before both of us are joining everybody else outside.

Judging by the color of the sky, it's the early hours of the morning. Smoke and ash cover the ruins of the courtyard, and clouds hang low in the sky. The entire sight is unsettling on its own. Across the bridge is Voldemort, followed by his entire army.