The Other Potter: Book 7

And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

Hermione and I eventually stood up – painfully – and walked downstairs – painfully – to breakfast, where Harry was staring at a pile of presents. I never got around to getting him a present.

He’s gonna hate me.

“Happy birthday, Harry!” said Hermione, hurrying into the kitchen and adding her own present to the top of the pile. “It’s not much, but I hope you like it.”

“Come on, then, open Hermione’s!” said Ron.

She had bought him a new Sneakoscope. The other packages contained an enchanted razor from Bill and Fleur, chocolates from the Delacours, and an enormous box of the latest Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes merchandise from Fred and George.

“Yeah, I kinda didn’t get you anything.” I said awkwardly.

“You’re alive and that’s all I could really ask for.” Harry said with a small smile, and I couldn’t meet his eye because I was afraid of bursting into tears.

“Do you remember what happened to you Willow?” Bill asked, and I shook my head.

“Nothing.” I lied.

Hazza, Ronaldo, Herman and I did not linger at the table, as the arrival of Madame Delacour, Fleur, and Gabrielle made the kitchen uncomfortably crowded.

“I’ll pack these for you,” Hermione said brightly, taking Harry’s presents out of his arms as the four of us headed back upstairs, painfully.

“I’m nearly done, I’m just waiting for the rest of your underpants to come out of the wash, Ron—”

Ron’s splutter was interrupted by the opening of a door on the first-floor landing.

“Harry, will you come in here a moment?”

It was Ginny, Ron came to an abrupt halt, but Hermione took him by the elbow rugged him on up the stairs. I followed –painfully – though I kept staring after the door, then after a moment, Ron ran down the stairs and opened it. 

“Oh,” said Ron pointedly. “Sorry.”

“Ron!” Hermione was just behind him, slightly out of breath.

I was standing on the stairs breathing heavily, and I felt completely pathetic. As I glanced down at my arm I realised I was. Bellatrix was right.

I couldn’t even defend myself against them. I was a coward. Why hadn’t I fought back? Why hadn’t I taken down Voldemort myself? Why couldn’t I have done anything?

I was pathetic.

Utterly pathetic.

I sat on the stairs because I couldn’t walk anymore. Half of my wounds hadn’t healed because of dark magic and even breathing was agony.

I don’t know how long I was on the stairs for, but a wild Fred appeared and my friends were gone. Awkward.

“Hey,” Fred said, bumping his shoulder into mine playfully.

“Ow,” slipped out of my mouth because it actually hurt. There as probably a cut or something there.

“Sorry,” Fred said, looking worried. “How do you feel?”

“Pathetic.” I said honestly, and I wondered if that was a side effect of Bella’s curse.

“Well Georgie still loves you, so you can’t be that pathetic.” Fred smiled, and I smiled back half-heartedly. “You’re going aren’t you?” he asked. “Ron, Hermione, Harry and you. You’re gonna go find a way to kill you-know-who aren’t you?”