ATHENE {remus lupin}

SIXTY SIX

Athene gathered her thoughts and forced herself to be sane again.

All she could see was Fred's face. Fred's lifeless, black eyes and twisted expression. As if there was a ghost of a laugh still painted on his face. Molly's broken expression. All of the dead bodies. 

The witch forced herself to think about Remus and Fleur. The man she loved and her best friend. Tonks and Celine too. And Ashley. The mere possibility that Ashley Smith could be alive should be enough to keep her going. 

Athene forced herself up off the ground and allowed her feet to drag her back up towards the castle. She tried not to look around her, knowing that the bodies would drive her insane.

The fighting had indeed ceased, there were still dead bodies covering the ground, but the screaming and sounds of spells clashing had mostly stopped. Instead, there were silent sobs as friends cried over the loss of someone they loved.

She walked towards the courtyard to enter the castle, wanting to avoid where she had seen Fred's body. It was empty, but through the pillars she saw a man on his knees, and a tall figure, dressed in full black with long, silvery blonde hair. Athene's breath hitched, she didn't need to get any closer to know it was Lucius. Part of her wanted to turn and run, but the way that the figure in front of him was knelt, and the way that Lucius held his wand in the man's face forced her to push forwards.

It was Remus.

Athene stared in horror as she realised that the man on his knees was Remus Lupin, and that it was indeed her father who was standing over him.

"Father," she shouted harshly, not thinking twice.

Lucius spun around to stare at the witch, he smirked and drew his attention back to Remus.

"Athene, go..." Remus said weakly.

Athene ignored him and turned to her father, "I thought you'd been called back, Lucius. I wonder how he'd feel if he knew that you were betraying him. Aren't dogs supposed to be loyal to their owners?"

Lucius spat in her direction and then looked at Remus, "you'd both know a lot about dogs, wouldn't you? Werewolf..."

Athene had been gently pulling her wand out of her pocket but the second it was in her hand it was gone. She flipped around, trying to figure out who had disarmed her.

 A flash of blonde hair darted behind a pillar. Fucking Draco? She stared at the boy and stunned him, he fell backwards. Lucius didn't seem to care.

"Go," Remus pleaded with her.

"She's useless now," Lucius laughed. "She can watch you die, werewolf. Perhaps it'll show her what a huge mistake she made."

Athene squeezed her fists and stared at her father, and then at Remus. She closed her eyes and inhaled, Remus was shaking her head at her.

"I'll kill the werewolf, first." The man said cruelly. "Then you, Athene."

"What would mother say?" Athene tutted.

Lucius laughed again and rose his wand so that it was pointing at Remus' face, "I'll enjoy this."

Athene stared at him and focused all of her energy to the front of her mind.

"Ava-" Lucius begun fiercely. 

Athene spoke the two words which she had vowed to never say again. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was terrified to open them.

When she did, her father lay slumped on the floor and Remus was staring at her in shock. Her eyes filled with tears and she sat beside her father's body. She didn't touch it, or even look at it.