Awakening (Fred Weasley)

FIVE

"Elle!" I was jostled awake by Fred.

"I'm up! I'm up!" I said groggily.

"The Order is needed at Hogwarts."

"For what?" I said, suddenly fully awake.

His eyes locked with mine and I knew. The battle is beginning.

"Oh," I whispered as I gripped his hand tightly.

I stood up, pulling him up with me. I turned to face him.

"I just woke you to say good bye..." he trailed off, looking at the ground.

"I'm going, Fred."

"Elle, please don't."

"I can't just sit here, safely, while everyone else is out fighting. I can't. It's not in my blood. I have to fight. I just... can't."

"I've nearly lost you three times. I can't lose you again."

"Wait- three times?"

"When your mum was killed. That nearly took the Elle I know and love away from me-"

What if I lose him? He's talking about losing me, but what if I lose him? Fred is my world, the love of my life. There's no one else for me.

"How am I going to live without you if you get killed?" I yelled, frustrated and scared.

Fred fell into silence.

I shakily held my hand up to his cheek. His hand came up to rest over mine. "I can't lose you," I whispered.

He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Okay," he finally said. I let my hand drop down to my side and he rested his forehead on mine.

I nodded. "I love you, you know."

He smiled. "And I love you."

Just then George came in. "You guys ready?"

I grabbed my wand, looked at Fred, and nodded.

Betty came in behind George, her pregnant belly clearly concealed with a charm.

"You're going?" I asked, surprised. I'm surprised George is letting her honestly. She's carrying his child after all! But I also know Betty and she's like me; there's no way she was going to be left behind.

"Of course I am," she replied.

The next thing I knew, the entirety of the Order was apparating to Hogwarts.

Of course we had to make a dramatic entrance. It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

Time passed in a blur of protective spells and running around everywhere, as I didn't yet know where I was most needed. I do know that I lost Fred at some point. "Black!" I heard my name called.

I turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt. I went over to him at the same time Dad did. "Yeah?" We said at the same time.

Kingsley looked at us both, as if trying to decide which of us he actually wanted. "Both of you, go to the Astronomy Tower."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

Dad and I looked at each other and started in the direction of the Astronomy Tower.

"Elle?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Please be safe. Don't do anything stupid."

"Me? Do something stupid? Never!"

"I'm serious."

"Of course you are. That's your name."

"Not like that. I am seriously telling you to not do anything stupid."

I sighed. "I won't. But I don't want you to do anything stupid either."

"I promise I won't. I need to be around to see you and Fred get married."

I laughed. "Good."

At this point we arrived at the Astronomy Tower. Dad and I turned to get into our positions. Before I took a step, I turned back towards Dad. I launched myself at his back and hugged him. It took him a moment, but he turned around and hugged me back. This could be the last time I hug him, so I poured all of my love towards him into this hug. Dad seemed to do the same.

We stood like that for a couple minutes before Dad let me go. "I love you," Dad told me.

"I love you too," I replied.

At this, we finally turned and went to our positions.

Sirius's POV
I just hugged my daughter for what may have been the last time. Elle reminds me a lot of her mother. Every time I look at her, I see Anne.

"Protect her, Anne," I whispered.

"She needs a chance at life. She and Fred need a chance at the life me and you should've had. So please, love, protect them," I whispered, so Elle couldn't hear.

Fred's POV
I lost Elle during all the chaos. One minute she was there, the next she wasn't. I tried looking for her for awhile, but I couldn't find her; it was too chaotic.

I tried getting her to stay home. She was her stubborn self, so she refused. I knew she would refuse, but it was worth a try.

I hope she makes it out alive, even if I don't. I want a life with her. I need a life with her.

I was going to try to find her again, but I was ordered to go somewhere else.

Elle's a brilliant witch. She knows how to take care of herself. She'll be fine. I know she will.

Elle's POV
I gasped at the sight of a protection shield being put up around Hogwarts. It was strangely beautiful.

It was oddly quiet after the shield was put up. It was the calm before a storm. It sent chills through me. Voldemort is right outside of the shield. Death is right outside of the shield.

A loud noise startled me. Voldemort and his forces are starting to break the shield. I watched as spells and more spells hit the shield. These spells didn't seem to be strong enough, because they halted for a moment.

Then one did seem to be strong enough to, with enough anger and hatred to break the shield by itself. Voldemort.

The battle is truly beginning.