As It Was *Complete*

2. Some Damn Respect

The Malfoys didn't rush off after that. Rather, they stayed and helped to round up other Death Eaters who were trying to escape. They were trying to redeem themselves, which seemed unnecessary to Astra, but it wasn't her place to say.

Narcissa was tending to the wounded with the healers, checking on those who were not fit to walk back into the Great Hall. Lucius was talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had been elected as Minsiter for Magic mere moments ago. Seems Lucius saved quite a few lives when he finally switched sides. Draco was surprisingly helping Neville across the courtyard, the latter still not able to put pressure on his leg.

Harry was giving a run-through of everything that had happened since they arrived at Hogsmeade earlier this evening. Only one part of the story really stuck out to Astra. The part where Severus Snape killed Dumbledore, who was already dying, so that Draco would not have to do it. Astra had no idea why, but she didn't want Snape to be down there on his own. So she slipped away from everyone and began making her way down to the boathouse.

She should have known she wouldn't get far on her own. "Where do you think you are going?" Maddi snapped.

"I am going to sit with Snape. He was a hero and should not be just left there, Mads."

Maddi rolled her eyes. "Well, I am coming with you," she said, linking her arm through Astra's and the two girls set off.

The courtyard looked horrific in the early morning light. Huge chunks of the walls had been blasted down, and large piles of rubble sat in the corners.

The glass was smashed and lying on the ground, crunching under their feet as they went. They had to manoeuvre around two dead giant spiders and what looked like the knee of a giant.

And then there were bodies. Many, many bodies lay in the courtyard. The Aurors were busily separating them. Death Eaters were lined in the courtyard, and students, teachers, order members, and Aurors were brought into the Great Hall.

It didn't feel right to Astra that the Death Eaters were being basically thrown to the ground while others were being carefully laid and put waiting to be collected by family members or funeral homes.

One Auror in particular looked to be in his 40s and was quite rough with some of the body's. When Astra saw him pick up a Slytherin boy and throw him over to the corner and then pick up a girl too, she snapped.

"Hey!" She screamed.

"What?" He asked, looking around, the girl still in his arms above his head. Her skirt haphazardly about her waist.

Astra marched up to him. "Have some damn respect for the deseased!" She snapped.

He laughed at her, the sweat dripping from his forehead and a nasty cut on his eye. "Are you fucking taking the piss kid? She was one of them."

"How do you know?" Astra asked, folding her arms.

"Well...I mean...she's a Slytherin, of course." He looked at her like she had been subjected to a brain injury.

"And?"

"That's more than enough. She was trash!" He shrugged and went to throw her.

"She was NOT!" Astra screamed. She had by now drawn a crowd, including the family she had just met and the minister and newly appointed Headmistress.

"Her name was Oliva Pently. She was in her final year here and had just been accepted to healer training at St. Mungos. Her mother just had a baby with Olivia's stepdad. She was so excited to meet her little brother this summer."

He hesitated.

"I am sure it was easy to discard of them when they didn't have names." She snapped.

"She was a Slytherin!" He spat in defence.