The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

The Tribute of Bilius Weasley

The Tribute of Bilius Weasley

The entire school was positively ballistic. When they got back inside, the Great Hall was decorated with bright banners featuring the Hogwarts crest and colours and people kept coming up and slapping James on the back as the tables were covered with the end of term feast, sent up from the kitchens by the house elves. The difference in the room from the night before to now was incredible - the somber attitude of the loss that weighed heavily on their chests was replaced today by a unifying pride that seemed to engulf most everyone (aside from the Slytherins, that is). They'd honored the memory of Derek Bell in the most perfect way possible for him. Everyone seemed thrilled about the Hogwarts win.

Everyone, that is, except Bilius Weasley.

Bilius rejoined the Gryffindor table, but he sat at the very end, sort of apart from everyone else, and as they talked and made James retell the story of flying up above the game and the glinting of the brass bell in the tower, Bilius just stared at his plate, pushing about his roast pork and potatoes with his fork, not eating hardly anything at all.

Lily glanced over and spotted Bilius's quiet attitude and chose a moment to slip away from the loud crowd of happy-to-have-won Gryffindors to sit down beside him. "Hey there, Bilius," she greeted him.

"Hey," he said quietly.

Lily smiled a little, sad sort of smile, "It wasn't a bad game today, huh?"

"Yeah, not bad," Bilius replied.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Lily said quietly. "I know he was your best mate."

Bilius nodded, biting his lips into a tight line and pushing his plate away resolutely. He put down his fork. "Yeah, ever since we were kids. I don't really remember a time before I knew Derek... " Bilius's leg was moving beneath the table, shaking with nerves as he tried to hold back his emotions. He took a deep breath, "He would've liked the game today."

"Yeah, he would have," Lily agreed. "And if Alice had been here, she would've been rolling her eyes at how much importance we all put on the tourney all year."

Bilius nodded, "Yeah," he laughed - and then seemed to catch himself and his mouth very quickly set back into the hard line he'd had it in before, an almost guilty expression in his eyes.

Lily said, quietly, "It's alright to smile, Bilius.'

He shook his head. "You don't understand."

"You're right, I don't entirely, but I do have a pretty firm idea. Alice was my friend and she's gone, and my best friend in the world is Severus Snape, who everyone in Gryffindor hates and the Slytherins all hate me so we're basically separated all of the time, and then there's my sister, Tuney, who hates me for being a witch." Lily shrugged, "None of that is the same thing as losing a best mate the way you did, but... I do understand loss."

Bilius's voice was low, "I think Derek died for me - protecting me, I mean."

Lily stared up into Bilius's eyes.

"I can't... I can't remember much. I hit my head on a rock, and - I feel horrible because Derek's last few minutes are lost. I've lost the last of him I had. But I remember the green sparks. I remember something pushing me down. And I think... I think it was him. I think Derek took the spell that was meant for me. I think --" Tears were in Bilius's eyes now and he snuffled, "It should've been me that's dead, not him."

Lily put a hand on his shoulder as Bilius caught up a napkin and pressed his face into it. She leaned closer, "Oh Bil, that's not true. It shouldn't have been anyone at all, that's all there is to it. This never should've happened in the first place. None of the deaths that have happened because of Voldemort should've happened. They're all horrible nonsense." She rubbed his back gently, "Don't go blaming yourself for what happened. If Derek did push you down... if the spell was meant for you... then it only means that it wasn't your time yet. You're meant for something more than this."