Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

62.

The scream from Harry was enough to put everyone in a state of sorrow. Sirius's body disappeared through the archway behind him yet didn't come out the other side, truly initiating his departure from the world. Harry had just lost his last bit of family at the hands of a Death Eater and his mind was numb from the idea that Sirius was dead. Remus had to step forward and hold Harry to stop him from trying to leap through the archway in hopes of retrieving his godfather. But everyone could see that Remus looked broken at the sight of seeing his last best friend being taken to the place where everyone he ever held dear lay. Sophia cupped her hands over her mouth as tears leaked out of her eyes, cringing at the sound of Harry's sobs and feeling her heart break in two. She loved Sirius. He was like an Uncle to her and man spent most of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Sirius died a wanted man.

Remus couldn't comprehend what he was doing and didn't realise that he was making a huge mistake. He could only console Harry silently while also consoling himself, forcing his emotions to be locked away once again. He didn't see the Death Eater that was beginning to advance towards Sophia, who stood obliviously with tears stains on her cheeks. He only saw Bellatrix Lestrange flee down a corridor to which Harry forced himself away from Remus, running after her in a pit of rage.

Sophia barely had time to make a sound as a grubby hand clamped over her mouth and apparated away before anyone noticed. She disappeared and it only took five seconds after for Hermione to suddenly look around the room, not seeing her best friend who had been left unprotected for a split second.

"Sophia!" she called out and the Order turned their heads to her at the sound of the name. "She's gone!"

Remus whipped around in his place to look where he had left his daughter, only to see nothing but her wand on the ground and her nowhere in sight. As if his world couldn't crash anymore, the fear and panic that he had been feeling for so long suddenly returned with full throttle. He rushed over and picked up the light brown wand while shakily breathing, almost expecting to see her suddenly appear to retrieve it. But when she didn't, he looked around at the members of the Order that stood with expressions of shock and concern.

"Remus-" Nymphadora went to speak but he rushed towards the Death Eaters' that had been secured with the body-binding spell in the corner. He grabbed hold of Antonin Dolohov's cloak in his fist and jerked the man up to face him.

"Where is she? Where did they take her?" he demanded, his tone deep and threatening. Dolohov only laughed manically in his face with his rotting teeth on full display for Remus to see.

"The Dark Lord wants her as well as Potter," Dolohov sneered with a crazed look in his eyes. "She's the key to his rule."

---

King's Cross station was bustling as normal at the end of the school year. The Hogwarts Express docked into the platform and students immediately rushed off to greet their parents. The news had gotten around that Dolores Umbridge had been found dazed and mindless in the Forbidden Forest amongst hostile Centaurs. The relationship that once was civil between Wizards and Centaurs was now tarnished, just as the Ministry now was at the news that Lord Voldemort had indeed returned. Cornelius Fudge himself saw the Dark Lord standing over Harry Potter's unconscious body as Albus Dumbledore stood back from the barrier that the man had put around him and Harry. The Daily Prophet had a sudden changing of sides and stated that Harry Potter was right all along and that Fudge would be resigning from his place as Minister of Magic.

The Daily Prophet's front page had the picture of Harry after he had awoken from his unconscious state, and he stood with Dumbledore looking beaten and broken. Also on the front page, were two columns on either side of the main article. One said about Sirius Black now being proved innocent, yet has died at the hands of his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. The other column displayed a picture of Sophia Lupin in her Hogwarts uniform with the title 'MISSING' over the top. The article went on to describe what she looked like and that if any information was found on her, that it should be reported to the Ministry of Magic.