✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

19 | B O N D

I'm standing in the ashes
of who I used to be.

   OF COURSE IT was a bad idea, and Fred was perfectly aware of this unpleasant truth. Nothing would he prefer more than to keep Ember in his brother's little cottage by the seaside, knowing her all safe and secure. But also did he know best that there was nothing that could keep Ember Potter from fighting in this devastating war, right at her brother's side.

   He watched the back of her head, messy black waves whipping up and down in the shadows surrounding them, as she headed further down the tunnel that lead up towards the castle.  Every now and then she was throwing a glint behind her back, hazel eyes locking with Fred's, as he threw her an encouraging smile whenever she turned her neck. But as soon as her gaze wandered back towards the darkness in front of them, his face showed a sorrowful frown.

   Nothing did he want more than to keep her safe. As safe as possible, in the midst of a raging battle. And this wouldn't be just a walk in the park. Though calm, Ember was also an impulsive young lady; a characteristic of hers he had to learn the hard way back then when she vanished to seek for Peter Pettigrew. All he could do was to stick close to her as long as he could — and hopefully this would be until the end of the war.

   The tunnel ended at the feet of a ladder. Ember once more glanced at Fred.

   "Up you go, love", he smirked, the muscles of his face aching with this under normal circumstances often used mimic. "Or do you want to turn around and go back home?"

   Ember shook her head, but said nothing, her lips were pressed together to a thin line.

   "Are you alright, Emmie?", he asked, stepping closer to her.

   "Well, that's it, isn't it?", she said. "This could be the end."

   "So let's make it a happy ending, will we?", he chuckled, and it felt so dreadfully wrong. Her face remained in this tensed expression, and Fred cupped her face in the palm of his hands. "Everything will be fine, Emmie", he said, looking straight into her red rimmed eyes.

   "How can you tell? This is war, Fred", she whispered. 

   "We can turn around and leave, if you want to", said Fred once more, but he knew that wasn't what the raven haired girl wanted. And he was right.

   Ember threw a last glance into the tunnel they came through, before she grabbed a firm hold around the ladder and started climbing. The way up felt almost as long as their journey through the tunnel, and Ember announced the end of it with an "Ouch!", as her head bumped against a solid ceiling.

   But right in front of her, the dim light of her wand revealed the outlines of a small door.

   Fred pushed past her, before he opened it and light flooded Ember's hazel eyes, so she squeezed them shut.

   "No Remus, no Bill", Fred whispered at her, after his own eyes scanned the Room of Requirement. He spotted George and Lee close to the exit. The room was quite crowded, filled with students and graduands of Hogwarts, but no sign of any Order members. "C'mon."

   He took Ember's hand, watching her eyes blinking against the light, then fully opening. She bit her lip and gave a small nod, before he pulled her with him into the room.

   Heads turned towards them, first a few, and the chatting slowly died, as more and more eyes landed on the impossible.

   Ember's death had been announced in the Daily Prophet, but never had a single word been written about her still being alive. Dozens of widened eyes and parted lips were now directed at Ember Potter, the girl that just had stepped out of the darkness behind her. Well and alive.

   "Oh goodness!"

   A loud squeal sounded up, and Ember was torn out of Fred's grip, as a girl with whipping blonde curls threw herself around Ember's neck, followed by a fiercely grinning ginger with tears in her eyes.

   "You're here!", Susan Bones half laughed, half sobbed as she pulled Ember into a bone crushing hug.

   "But you — you're — how?", Hannah Abbott shrieked, looking close to a mental breakdown.

   "Long story", Ember replied, wildly smiling at her two best friends. "But it needs to wait. Have you seen Harry?"

   "He's gone with Luna", George's voice appeared next to Fred, as he and Lee stepped closer. Lee's fingers immediately intertwined with Susan's. "She's showing him the Ravenclaw tower. He's looking for something." George's eyes landed on his brother. "Remus will murder you for bringing her here", he said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

   "Well, as if anyone could have kept her from fighting", Fred replied with a wink at Ember. "She would have skinned me alive, if I had actually tried. A terrible thing to do to this handsome face of mine!"

   "But I prefer Remus to not find out I am here at all", said Ember and stared at the door as if she feared Remus could appear in the threshold every given moment. "I'll try to find Harry, maybe I could help him finding whatever he's looking for."

   "I'm with you." Fred stepped closer to her, not at least slightly thrilled by the thought of Ember leaving the shelter of the Room of Requirement. But he knew he couldn't stop her, and he had a promise to keep.

   He expected her to complain, but the second her hazel eyes met his, she nodded and went for the exit. Her hand outstretched for the doorknob, lots of eyes on her, she froze as a small click sounded and the door slowly opened.

   Harry and Luna stumbled into the room, out of breath. Harry's emerald green eyes widened for a second, before he pulled his sister into his arms.

   "You shouldn't come here", he muttered, while Luna was closing the door behind them. "Remus said you're safe ..."

   "Didn't want to miss the party", Ember told him, cracking a smile, as they let each other go. "What's going on?"

   "He knows I'm here. We will evacuate the castle. He's coming."

—