Embers of the Heart ; George Weasley

Eleven - 2.0

A very shot chapter, but it's on purpose.

- Julie

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Fred forgot his wand.

I noticed it after he left, when I was helping one of the new arrivals. I healed her as quickly as I could without fault, then grabbed the wand and left to find him. Without it, he didn't stand a chance, so I hurried as much as I could for my pregnant belly. I asked everyone I met if they'd seen him, and a few pointed me in a direction.

Finally, I asked Lupin who told me that Fred was supposed to be on the seventh floor corridor, so up I went, and it took a while for me, a pregnant woman to get up that many flights of stairs. While being a student at Hogwarts, ones body got used to the many flights of stairs, but now after having graduated two years ago, and I was pregnant, I definitely felt out of shape.

Breathless and with my hand pressed to my side, I finally reached the seventh floor corridor. My heart pounded, not just from the exertion but from the fear of what I might find. I scanned the hallway, looking for any sign of Fred.

"Fred!" I called out, my voice echoing through the empty corridor. Panic surged through me as the silence stretched. Where could he be?

Then, I heard it— the faint sounds of a skirmish coming from around the corner. Clutching Fred's wand tightly, I hurried towards the noise, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Fred struggling against two Death Eaters. He was holding them off with sheer physical strength, but without his wand, he was at a severe disadvantage. I raised his wand and aimed it at the nearest Death Eater.

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted, the spell hitting its target squarely and sending the Death Eater's wand flying from his hand.

The second Death Eater turned towards me, his eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't be here." he snarled, raising his wand.

"Stupefy!" I cast the spell before he could react, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Fred turned to me, surprise and relief flooding his features. "Aurora, what are you doing here? It's not safe!"

"You forgot your wand." I said, handing it to him. "You can't fight without it."

He took it from me, his grip firm but his eyes willed with worry. "You shouldn't have come. It's too dangerous for you and the baby."

"I couldn't let you fight unarmed." I insisted, though my knees were starting to shake from the exertion and fear. "We need you."

Fred nodded, his expression softening for a moment. "Thank you. Now, let's get you back to the Great Hall."

"No." I said firmly. "I'm not leaving you. I can help."

Before he could argue, more Death Eaters rounded the corner, their wands raised, chasing a certain Percy Weasley.

"Hello, Minister." Percy said as he spun around to face the people chasing him. Fred raised his own wand, and so did I, ready to fight these people off. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" Fred barked out a laugh, even as he shot stunning spell after stunning spell at the Death Eaters. "You actually are joking, Perce... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were—"

Boom.

An explosion.

Then...

Nothing.