Charlotte Weasley

Charlotte Weasley - Prologue

When the war was finally finished and Voldemort had been vanquished once and for all (hopefully-- you never know, Voldemort always seems to have a way of coming back) the fighters, weary from their battle, sat down in what was left of the great hall to say a final goodbye to all of their loved ones. The bodies were lined up in rows, and mourners gathered around each one. The death eaters had long since apparated away and taken their own casualties with them. The sound of muffled cries mixed with anguished screams had died down throughout the late afternoon and the early morning. Now the hall was mostly empty, save for some. The few remaining sat at one of the long house tables in the flickering light of a dozen candles and the air was chilly as the windows hand been obliterated into fine dust that floated in the air.

"They died heroes deaths, you know." Arthur Weasley murmured, attempting to console his wife. Mrs Weasley's face was blotchy red and tears were dried into her skin.

"I-I know. It's just so hard. I'll never see him again." She croaked, her voice quavering.

"Molly, why don't you sleep a while? Maybe after some rest you'll feel a little better." Minerva McGonnagall suggested, clutching the mug of tea in front of her.

"I guess you're right." Molly sniffled, getting to her feet.

"I think everyone is sleeping in either the Gryffindor Tower or one of the other house dormitories. Do you want me to go with you?" Arthur asked, his forehead creased with consern.

"Arthur, it's okay. You can stay here, I'll be back in a few hours."

The others around the table said their goodbyes to Mrs Weasley as she walked out of the dark and shadowy hall.

Harry spoke up for the first time in a while, his arm still around Ginny's shoulders, "Do you think the Death Eaters will try to group up again?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt cleared his throat, "I don't think they will, honestly. Without Voldemort there they don't have anyone to rally around. His main Death Eaters like the Lestranges are dead. We need to start sorting out a plan though. This has changed things."

Everyone that was sitting around the table seemed to take a deep sigh of relief. Kingsley had a way of speaking that made them believe everything he said. Even if it wasn't true, it could be true and it was much more comforting than the alternative.

The flickering candlelight cast shadows across everyone's faces; they all looked tired but alert. Everyone still had a hand wrapped around a wand.

"I should go find Neville and Luna so we can switch for watch duty." Harry stood up, Ginny with him. They were all taking turns to stand in the main entrance of Hogwarts to make sure that no Death Eaters decided to come back for a return visit. They had, of course, put up precautionary spells and enchantments and strengthened the existing ones, but one can never be too careful.

----

Molly walked through the dark castle, attempting to sidestep massive chunks of stone and collapsed statues. Even though it had been decades since she had last been here, she seemed to remember how to walk around the castle like it was just yesterday that she had taken an OWL in Defense Against the Dark Arts, failed it, and sought consolation with a certain red haired individual. That had been the start of everything. Fifth year, a moment of need, and old Arthur Weasley, she had always known he was a nice guy but she had never known him. Until then.

It was theraputic to walk through the hallways by herself, creeping past the sleeping portraits, and find her way in the dark. It wasn't the first time she had walked through Hogwarts after nightfall.

Lost in her thoughts she almost forgot about what had happened today. Almost. Upon remembering it, she felt even worse-- because she had forgotten for a moment.

She thought of all the people who had died, she wished that she could have spent more time with them, truly told them what they meant to her. Mrs. Weasley wished she could do something, anything, for any of them. They had paid the ultimate sacrifice and there was no going back.

FLASHBACK

Remis Lupin walked up the stairs to where Mrs. Weasley was crouched next to the dead body of Percy, then Ron, then Harry.

"It's not real, Molly!" he cried out to her, wishing that she could understand that this nightmare would never happen in reality but his attempts were in vain, Mrs Weasley couldn't shake the image from her head.

"Oh, but it is. It will be, atleast for someone." Mrs. Weasley replied, her eyes red and puffy, "Will you protect them - if Arthur or I die?"

"Of course, Molly. You would do the same for us."

Mrs. Weasley remembered what he had said, it made her feel comforted, hopeful even. They would have to take care of Teddy, since no one was left for him. Just like poor Harry, if Mrs Weasley knew anything, she wasn't going to let Teddy grow up with anyone anything like the Dursleys. Where was Teddy? Then she remembered, Teddy was with Tonk's mother.

"How can I repay him?" Mrs. Weasley cried out to the dark, her voice echoing around the corridor. Mrs Weasley didn't care who she helped, if it was just some random stranger it would be fantastic, it would help her get over the loss of Fred, she knew it. The others; Harry, Ron, Hermione, any of them really were always playing the part of the hero and sacrificed everything for the greater good. It never seemed to Mrs Weasley that she was a hero though she desperatly wished to be one.

Then her answer came, a chance to be a hero. Not quite in the way she had expected. A little baby lay forgotten on the floor by a massive statue of Godric Gryffindor. No one had noticed the baby because they had all been distracted by the casualties. "Teddy?" she cried out, in a way relieved, but then relized that Teddy would be much older than this newborn.

Mrs. Weasley walked up to the cloth-wrapped child, hands out stretched. The baby was a girl. Out of the blue, a name popped into her head as suddenly as the baby had appeared.

"Charlotte," Mrs. Weasley echoed her thoughts.

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