Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 83: The Great War

The myth where your entire life flashes before your eyes as you die? Remained a myth. Sarah didn't see much.

As soon a she plucked the clover, she felt herself grow weak and her knees wobble. She crashed down on those flowers of destiny. And as she traveled for what seemed to a far away land, finally, she knew. She was home.

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She became aware of her senses slowly, surely, a warmth spread through her like her heart had started pumping blood again. It was beating.

She heard shuffling next to her and held her breath, stood incredibly still for the few seconds she heard a familiar voice, "Draco, is he alive?"

Her body had been discarded like it meant nothing into a crevice, Sarah couldn't see anything, she couldn't be seen, but she heard. She heard Narcissa, but nothing in return. Was Harry dead? It couldn't be. If Sarah was alive, so was Harry.

"Take him," Voldemort ordered, to whom, Sarah didn't know.

Some loud steps, chains clinking against each other, and a light grunt as someone picked up Harry. "But—" a hoarse voice trembled, Hagrid. "What about S—"

There was a whoosh sound, Hagrid didn't get to finish his question. She remained still until their footsteps were far away. She had been left for dead. Again. Only this time, she wasn't three, she wasn't helpless, she fought her way back to life, her way back to this earthly and grounding feeling of belonging.

She had been left stranding again, but she could swim back to her shore. She wasn't marooned anymore.

She stood from the icy ground and searched the grass for her wand. As soon as she had it, she started running. Although she would have given anything to simply Disapparate.

When she got out of the Forbidden Forest, she saw the troops of Death Eaters walking on the bridge, and the Hogwarts school in ruins. She hid behind a tree to observe it all and think it through. She had to go around, through the back of the castle and hide on the bridge. The bridge that'd been blown up by Neville and Seamus last night. That could be potentially problematic, but nothing a little magic couldn't fix.

She was panting, facing that tore in half bridge.

"Okay, what now?" Sarah thought aloud, scanning her surroundings, roaming through spells, trying to think of something to get her across. She flicked her wand toward a pile of bricks and and directed them toward the gap. As soon as she stepped onto one, it will fall, so if there was ever a time to perfect her balance, it would be now.

A deep breath in, a deep breath out and she started running, skipped on one brick at a time, making it fall as soon as she stepped off of it. She almost missed the last one, but it seemed the universe really cared to keep her alive. And she was grateful for that. She ran. And ran.

Finally arrived to watch the entire scene unwind. Voldemort standing between his own army and Harry's. Hagrid was holding Harry's still body, looking down at him completely heartbroken.

He's alive! We're alive! Sarah wanted to scream at them, especially at Fred, who's face was going to haunt Sarah for the rest of her life, because she was partially responsible.

I'm here, Weasley. I made it.

She had to stay hidden until the opportune moment. Even if it made her blood boil to hear Voldemort declare victory for those few minutes.

"Harry Potter is dead!" He sneered at all of them, getting the Death Eaters to join in on his gloating.

To Fred, it could only mean one thing. And it tore his heart to absolute shreds. His vision became dotted with dark spots, he found himself gripping on George's shoulder.