Soteria

CHAPTER 11:

"GO! RUN!"

Sweat was running down from her temples to her neck as she panted severely.

"NO! I-I'm not going to leave you!" Ivy cried out.

Hands grabbed onto her arms tightly as she stared into his brown orbs.

"Listen to me, Ivy, you have to leave! You have to run! O-or they'll kill you! G-go find Ron and Hermione!" He took a swallow. "W-we can't handle losing another sister. You have to survive, Ivy!"

"I thought the order was about us all fighting together! I will not stand by and watch you all fight while I run away like a coward!" Ivy yelled out in response and stepped away, his hands falling from her arms. "I am going to fight back, George! For Mrs. Weasley, for Fred, Ginny, Neville....Harry!"

George sighed and chuckled, asking himself, "Why do I even bother? You'll never comply." He grabbed her and embraced her tightly for one last time as he whispered, "J-just don't die, alright?"

"You should take your own advice." She murmured against his chest. "You don't die either."

He grinned and stepped back. "I won't; it'll take them a lot more than a spell to get rid of me!"

Their laughter was short-lived when a red spell suddenly shot beside them.

Ivy turned and saw a death eater grinning back at them, his wand raising once more. She was pulled back behind George's back as he stepped forward, wand raised, the offensive spell striking the shield he had cast.

Another death eater emerged from behind Ivy, chuckling. She spun around and raised her wand, sending a stupefy towards the newcomer. 

The death eater deflected it and sent a diffindo that struck her arm. 

She felt blood trickle down from the gaping wound and gasped in anguish. He then chuckled and sent another, which she deflected hastily. Gritting her teeth together, Ivy sent a confringo that ignited the death eater's robe. She grinned as she watched him panic, where he soon after let out a groan when a cutting hex that she launched, struck him in the chest.

From behind, she heard George's panting.

The death eater lifted his wand and uttered the infamous curse, hurtling a green light straight towards her. 

Her eyes widened, and she ducked, the curse striking someone else. She whirled about in terror as she feared who it might have struck.

The death eater that George had been duelling fell to the ground with a thud.

George breathed heavily as he sneered down at the lifeless felon. 

Ivy let a sigh of relief elude her lips when she saw George standing, his heart still beating strongly. Unaware of the other survivor, she hurried over to embrace him.

"YOU BITCH!" The death eater suddenly screeched out as he raised his wand once more, casting the identical spell that had slain his comrade.

Everything happened in slow motion as George shoved Ivy aside, causing her to fall to the ground, where she raised her head, and watched as the spell meant for her impacted George instead, sending him tumbling to the ground with a thud.

"NO!" She cried out.

Gaping at his slumped figure, she hoped that this was one of his pranks, that he would rise, and that his heart would continue to beat.