Lean On Me (SEQUEL)

Chapter 15

Athena

"Today's the day, there's no need to be nervous. You'll do good, and trust me. Don't focus on winning, just focus on getting out alive." I said, gripping Harry's shoulder tightly. His wand was held in his hand. He was gripping it so hard it made me believe he thought he'd lose it.

"I know, I'll be alright." He assured me. I think I was more scared than he was.

"I know you will, Harry. You always are." I said, pulling him into a hug. "I love you. I'll be right here when you're done." I smiled. His eyes were photographs of his mothers. His face held James's. He grinned. I let him go. "Good luck, Harry." I placed a kiss on the top of his head. He didn't want to part. I knew his terror matched mine, he just didn't want to show it. I gave him a little push to start him on his way. I pointed at my heart and at him. He knew what it meant. I used mine and Remus's gesture with nobody else but him. Harry was special.

I turned, fighting away the tears. My heart ached for the young boy. I wished I could take his place. Fred saw me turn, and enveloped me in a hug. I accepted it, grateful for the embrace. I let out a sigh of indifference as we pulled apart. "You doing alright?" My head shook as I looked at the ground. I didn't want to cry over this. Harry would be okay.

"Just worried." I told Fred.

"He'll be fine, Athena." He said, trying to ease my nerves.

"I hope you're right. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him." I paused for only a few seconds. "I'd hate to see a world without Harry Potter." I laughed, humourlessly.

"You won't have to." My fingers danced around the pendant hanging from my neck. I felt the familiar engraving of the F.W. It gave me some relief.

"What we talking about over here?" George joined us. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder. Fred gave him a look.

"Nothing much." I shrugged and smiled at him. George and I shared a glance. "Take me away from here." I said, motioning for him to pick me up. He did so, and began to walk away from Fred with me in his arms. Fred looked at us with a questioning gaze, unsure of how to react.

"Hey," Fred finally chimed. "Hey! Come back with my girl!" He shouted, chasing after us.

"Go!" I urged as George climbed out of the portrait hole, still holding on to me. "He's catching up!" I told him, looking back. A laugh escaped my lips. He began to run a little faster. He ran far enough that the Entrance Hall came into view. We paused when a tall, dark figure stepped in front of us.

"What would you three be doing?" He asked. Fred skidded to a halt behind us, almost bumping into us.

"I could ask the same question, Snape." I said, dryly. "Shouldn't you be catching up with your old buddy Karkaroff?" The words were cold as they fell from my tongue. He gave a snide look, not knowing what to say at first. He wasn't sure what I meant. Maybe he was, and he was acting that way to avoid suspicion. I wasn't supposed to know about the dark marks that littered their arms. It was a secret well kept.

"Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you, Black." Fred and George were taken back at his statement. Snape and I had plenty issues since the discourse outside the hospital wing last year. His tone was no surprise to me. "Maybe you should be giving Potter some last minute help. He'll need it." He gave a sideways smirk that made my blood boil.

"Come off it, Snape. We were just having fun. That's something you should learn how to do." Fred said. With that, I jumped down from George's arms and turned around.

***

I sat in the seat next to Fred. George was beside me. The rest of the Weasley family occupied the space surrounding us. I held Fred's hand tightly in my own. It gave me comfort knowing he was beside me. Sometimes, he made me feel like nothing could go wrong. I didn't speak. I was too sick to my stomach. From the moment Harry appeared before us, I was silent. I usually wasn't. Times like that were hard to come by. This was a whole other circumstance.