English Project :
R(ole)
A(udience)
F(ormat)
T(opic)
Role : Ginny Weasley (POV)
Audience : Harry Potter fans (teens)
Format : a one-shot from Ginny's point of view
Topic : Fred's death in the Deathly Hallows (7th/last book)
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Ginny
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I felt the breath lodged in my lungs leave my body as my heart stopped beating abruptly. The shock was still seeping through my bones, my mind trying to absorb the chilling sight that met my eyes. It wasn't until I heard my poor, devastated mum's wailing that I was forced back into reality.
This was real.
The cold, hard slap of reality was too much. I couldn't find the strength in me to stand; breathing alone was a hard task. I sunk down to my knees, kneeling on the right of my fallen brother. I shakily let out a breath and tried to hold the contents of my stomach down. The sight of him left me nauseas.
Fred Weasley, the other half of the infamous and mischievous Weasley twins, was dead.
He had died blocking passages from the wretched Death Eaters, trying to prevent them from entering. Fred hadn't been lucky, for he had stood too close to the wall that had been blasted to bits. The force had knocked the life out of him, and the rest of my family that remained living. My beloved parents were kneeling side-by-side, tears falling for their son. My fellow brothers and I, all battered and broken, let our own flow out, mourning our brother.
It was strange. It all felt so surreal. This wasn't supposed to happen. Looking around, I saw many others in the position we were in. I don't know what I was expecting; it was a bloody war, with many casualties. The Wizarding World had fought together to take down the rising Voldemort and his ever so faithful band of Death Eaters. It didn't matter whether you were a pureblood, half-blood, or even a Muggle-born, everyone knew that all the blood would just splatter about and blend into one big mess on the walls and floors of Hogwarts.
It was also peculiar that not even an hour ago, Harry had finally defeated Voldemort. The Boy Who Lived could carry on the title. Everyone knew he would save our lives from the cruel clutches of He Who Shall Not Be Named.
Harry Potter was our (my) knight in shining armor. He was the one who would slay the evil monster that was Tom Marvolo Riddle, and he most certainly didn't fail to please. Although we all knew the outcome, we still held our breath. When Voldemort sauntered in with Harry's seemingly dead body, I felt the same heartbreak and angst that everyone who was still living felt now.
Fortunately, he was just a great actor who fooled the darkest wizard in history. Harry won the war, and now we had to deal with the aftermath. There were so many casualties from both sides, and it was difficult to tell the traitors from the supporters of the light. They were all grieving their lost loved ones.
I inhaled deeply and turned back to my family. There was mum and dad, both shaking and wailing. Their red hair was matted with dirt and blood, as was all of ours. My eldest brother Bill and Fleur were sitting across from me. Fleur was sobbing uncontrollably while Bill comforted her and failed to keep his own tears at bay. Charlie, oh Charlie stood a few feet away, with his fists and jaw clenched. He didn't even bother to wipe his tears.
I looked up to my left, at the brother seated next to me who caused our family so much pain when he wanted nothing to do with us. His wired glasses were cracked and dirty, and his expression was stoic and collected. Anyone would've thought that he was unaffected and uncaring, but I knew better. After living with him for almost 12 years, I could most certainly read him and all our brothers. His blue eyes gave away his sorrow that we shared. Percy had been fighting by Fred's side when the explosion had occured. This experience had scarred him (and everyone else) deeply.
I raised a comforting hand to his back, and smiled weakly at my older brother. He simply blinked in acknowledgment, and I turned my attention to my youngest older brother.
Ron was crying quietly at Hermione's side, his arms around her as they found solace in the other. I felt my heart warm up at the sight of them. Like Bill and Fleur, it was clear that these two were soul mates. Hermione would be the one to bring my brother's happiness back. This war had caused so much damage that will take years to undo. At the thought of damage, I turned to the remaining half of my older twin brothers.
George Weasley, who was normally all smiles and laughter, who lived life to cause mischief with his twin, who no longer had a twin.
All seven of us Weasley children, six boys and a single girl, were as close as siblings could be while growing up. But we could never have the bond Fred and George did. We were all siblings, but they were twins. No one could ever tear or understand that bond. They were not only the other's brother and twin, they were best friends. If you saw one, you'd see a spitting image of him at his side.
The moment Fred stopped breathing was the moment George broke. The pain we felt was nothing compared to his. Seeing him leaning over his twin's chest, crying his broken heart out, brought a wave of fresh tears to all of us.
We all subconsciously huddled closer around Fred and George, and wrapped our arms around our remaining family members. This moment was for Fred, who was a true hero who would never be forgotten for as long as we live.
I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned to see brilliant green eyes that shimmered through the glass with tears that matched the ones in my own brown ones. Ron and I pulled the hero of the Wizarding World into the group.
Harry stood with an arm around his two best friends and a hand gently holding one of my own. He gave me a comforting squeeze, and a sweet smile. One that clearly said that everything would get better with time. After returning one of my own, I turned my attention back to my brothers.
We stood there for what felt like hours, and it might've been, no ome really knows. I reminisced all the times I was pranked by them, all the times I joined in on some, all the times that Fred comforted me when I got sad or nightmares after my first traumatizing experience with Tom Riddle. All those times he was alive.
My attention was stolen away when a gleam of light caught my eyes. I raised my head and watched as the sun rose beyond the horizon. As the others turned to watch the sun rise, we all basked in the light the rising sun brought, and spent the moment in Fred's memory.
That was when we realized that life will continue. As scarring as the whole ordeal had been, life would go on with or without us. Leaning my head against Harry's shoulder, I came up with a resolution that I'm sure everyone else did.
It's the start of a new day.
A new life.
We will continue on.
We will never forget you, Fred, along with those who fought, like Tonks and Remus, Lily and James, Sirius, Severus, and Dumbledore.
We will live on.
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A/N: honestly, Mrs. Harvey is probably the only person that read this. But hey, it's a one shot after Fred's death (sad sad sad sad sad).
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We Will Live On
Fanfic• | One-shot after Fred's death from Ginny's point of view | •