Running AIAOY 7

Chapter 5

"Clearly this isn't going to work."  Rebecca said, picking up the locket off the ground that was now dented, burnt, and hot to the touch.  The three of them, Ron still resting, had spent the morning casting spells of every conceivable type to try and destroy the horcrux.  The result was not success, but a rageful Potter.

"Clearly!"  Harry shouted as he stomped off.

Rebecca tossed the locket from one hand to the other and found that the metal was warm too.  With a heavy sigh, she lifted the golden chain over her head and clasped it behind her head.  The weight of the locket on her chest left a sick weight in her stomach too.

"Is that smart?"  Hermione asked.

"We have to keep it safe."  Rebecca furrowed her brow.  "At least until we learn how to destroy it."

"Seems strange."  Ron looked up at Rebecca from where he had watched the others trials with a foggy look behind his eyes.  His arm had yet to heal past the point of pain management.  "Dumbledore sends you off to destroy these horcruxes but not how to destroy them.  Doesn't it bother you?"

Rebecca's shrug was the only answer she offered on her way back to the stump that acted as her seat.  Later, just as her eyes had shut to rest a while, the radio beside Ron crackled to life.  The sound breaking the silence that had laid over their camp for hours startled them, but the familiarity of the voices pouring out put them at ease.

"This here's Potterwatch, you've got me, River."

Rebecca leaned closer to the radio at the sound of Lee's voice, wondering if she dared hope to hear Fred as a part of whatever this was.

"You've got me, Jupiter."  

Ron rolled his eyes at George's choice of name.

"And then there's me..."  Fred's voice caught Rebecca's breath in her throat.  "Rapier.  First, a moment of silence for the deaths of this..."

Rebecca remembered criticising Fudge's daily announcements in fifth year, how disgusted she had been at the lack of an attractive radio name, how 'Rapier' had been her example.  She didn't think that Fred had remembered that.

The programme went on and, far too quickly, it was nearing an end.  The three announcers had gone over the effect of the battles in the Muggle world with 'Royal,' or Kingsley.  They had touched on Pals of Potter, with 'Romulus,' who was really Remus.  For the last segment, Fred and George ran through 'News on Chief Death Eater.'  This was to alert those in the regions where Voldemort's most recent movements had been reported; to warn the towns that should be extra vigilant in precautions.

"And that's Potterwatch for now.  Keep safe out there, wherever you're listening from."  Fred spoke their farewells, and Rebecca could feel him talking to just her and not anyone who was listening.  "These are dark times, that's true..."  Fred cleared his throat and Sirius laid his hand on his shoulder.  "But no one's taking our sunshine away."

The radio cut out and the others scattered off towards other responsibilities while Rebecca stayed in front of it, frozen as she tried to keep Fred's voice in her ears longer.  With how he had ended the broadcast, Rebecca knew for a fact that Fred had been talking to her.

"Eat."  Hermione was the one to approach Rebecca once the sun had set and dinner had nearly finished.  Both boys insisted that Hermione go to Rebecca instead of them, especially as the air around Rebecca grew heavier and heavier with anger as time passed.  "You have to."

"I don't technically have to."  Rebecca snapped.

Hermione didn't say anything in response but didn't know where the heat of Rebecca's words had come from or why it was directed at her.