Wolf-Blood (Harry Potter Fan-Fic) Sequel

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He was also battle worn, his face was covered in smudges of dirt and various cuts. His red hair was tasseled and the look of fear on his face could speak of many horrors that had claimed the castle that night. But instead, it was the shape of a monster that frightened him. They had made eye contact and slowly the eyes of two people stared at each other. Both were filled with tears, and yet no word was spoken, no rain fell.

"Will he die?" His voice was barely audible and with his question he had looked away, perhaps he couldn't face the truth that she would bring.

She too looked away, and back at her mother's letter, it was stained with her tears and most of the ink had become to smudge. But, something else had changed, something was new and different about the letter. Filled with a sliver of hope Scarlet whipped out her wand, a surge of emotions made it almost impossible for her to recite the charm, but she was empowered to do so.

"Aparecium." She whispered, feeling the magic flow from her fingers into the wand and out onto the parchment.

Slowly her tears dispersed revealing a few sentences written in a purple ink. Invisible ink.

Remember to save a life, one must be taken.

Scarlet stared at the words, she understood what they meant but who would pay the price? She could, if she wanted to. She loved Fred dearly and she wouldn't ask any member of his family to take his place, but then if she were to swap with him it could break his heart. The last sentence clearly meant that the armour would keep him alive but to remove it would kill him. What was worse was that he couldn't wear it forever, every movement dimmed the glow clearly his life was hanging in the balance.

"What is it?"

George had appeared over her shoulder. He quickly read over the note, then paused to take in what he had just read. He stumbled backwards and fell on his behind. A few minutes of silence passed between them, before he cleared his throat to gain her attention.

"I'll do it."

"What?!"

"I'll do it. I'll take his place." He replied simply avoiding Scarlet's gaze.

"Absolutely not!" She crawled over to him, holding him firmly by the shoulders. "That wouldn't achieve anything, we would just lose the other half. I won't allow it!"

"Then who else will agree to such a task?" He questioned her, brushing her hands off him.

"Certainly not your family..."

"Then who?" He shouted at her tears in his eyes.

"Um..." Her lips trembled as she overworked her brain to think.

"Who?!"

She looked away still searching for someone who would agree to her desire. The floor entertained her beginning to become a pool beneath her feet.

"Who?!" His voice raised to its maximum, piercing her ears.

"I don't know!" She shouted at him and finally what little deference she had left crumbled away and she was left with nothing but emotion.

She must have cried for hours. Birds had flocked from the forest suddenly and their departure mattered nothing to her. There was no one that could save Fred, he would have to die. The realisation shook her to her core and destroyed her very sanity. Her heart would be left broken, just as the Weasley family would be at his demise. The sun had begun to rise, and she didn't even notice that George had carried her out of the common room. Although, it was more as though he was dragging her lifeless body.