Chapter Text
* The Astronomy Tower *
Dumbledore was falling.
She didn’t realize it until afterwards--too long afterwards--but the streak of white plummeting to earth past her peripheral gaze drew her eye. She stuck her head out of the hallway window, glancing out with a curious frown, because “something white” did not just fall out of the high tower every day--
Her eyes caught his image just in time as his body hit the stone courtyard below.
His beard had trailed upwards with his robes. His eyes were staring up at the night sky, and reflections of stars shimmered in his half-moon glasses, slowly turning green above. He seemed to have a melancholy ambivalence about him, as if he were well aware of his predicament and unbothered.
And then Albus Dumbledore disappeared in a cloud of dust and red, and Audrey Winchester realized exactly what it was she had seen, and let out a scream.
* * *
A flash of lightning filled Rey’s room as she flailed awake in bed. The remnants of her scream ricocheted back along the walls before a peal of thunder joined it. Rain splattered the house, threatening to send it off into the ocean, spreading teary faces over the panes of her window-glass.
Her heart raced; her breath threatened to break her lungs--
Heavy footsteps outside, then--
“Rey!” Sam said, throwing open the door of her room first, almost stooping lower to make it past the frame. “Rey--?”
Dean shoved past him, rushing to her bedside. He knelt down, and in an instant was holding her face in his hands, trying to make sure she was fine. He was hot and his palms were sweaty, and Rey squirmed and swatted at him.
“Rey, talk to me; are you--?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Rey managed, hearing the cracking in her voice. She hoped in vain Dean wouldn’t see the tears rolling down her face. He brushed his thumb over them, frowning.
“What’s wrong?” John ran to the door, looking grizzly and unshaved in his wrinkled nightshirt. Sam murmured in soft tones, and John caught his breath.
“Rey, you can talk about it,” Dean said gently. “To us; especially to us, we get it. Hardest part of the job sometimes is the dreams. Okay?”
“I’m fine,” Rey murmured again, propping herself up on her elbows. Dean moved back immediately to give her space; even being such a big burly older brother, he was very easy to move. “M’gonna get some tea, I think.”
“Tea’s good,” Sam said from the doorway, offering his usual polite smile.
Rey looked up at him, standing there in his loose pajamas, then at John rubbing his face. Dean nodded in agreement. “Tea’s a great idea. I could go for some tea myself, actually.”
“It’s going to be family tea, isn’t it?” Rey asked.
“Probably,” Sam said.
“Family tea at 2:57 in the morning,” John mumbled, wandering down the hallway. “Hopefully not a nightly tradition--” but the rest was cut out by a yawn.
“C’mon then,” Dean said, offering an arm. Rey took it, tugging herself out of bed, and the Winchesters trudged downstairs to the kitchen.
The pot on the stove was hastily taken off before it could squeal with too high a pitch. Steaming hot water was poured into their cups, and Rey couldn’t help but smile at her gruff father and his weather-worn hands clutching a brightly-colored “PROUD PARENT OF A GRYFFINDOR!” mug.
Sam sat down himself after pouring the drinks, Dean all the while chiding him on what a great house-husband his brother’d someday be. And then there was a soft silence in the room as they waited for the teabags to do their magic and Rey to speak.
She looked down at the cup, hands clasped tight around it. It was hot--too hot--but she didn’t really mind that right now. The past few weeks were swirling about in her mind; all of June blurring into a single image.
Dumbledore was falling, his white robes billowing upwards, his face placid with death.
She let out a shuddering breath, the steam coming up and kissing her face and eyes. It was almost like being an oracle, she thought, and almost absurdly wondered if Professor Trelawney would quiz her on each of their cups after the tea had been drunk.
“Rey?”
John’s voice was soft and kind. Sam had remarked sometimes that she had to be their father’s favorite; he never had that sweet a tone with the boys. Dean would reply that Sam was foolish: boys had to be tough, and that would get them bickering over who cried more, obviously it’s you Dean--
“Audrey?”
Her face jerked up to her father’s. John had leaned in, and his warm hand was resting on her arm. His beard was streaking with grey, finally breaking away from matching his dark eyes.
Rey took a breath, and all at once her brow crumbled. Her shoulders sank; her face paled and heat welled up again behind her eyes.
“I saw him die,” she mumbled. “The Headmaster. I saw him fall.”
“In the Astronomy Tower?” John murmured. Rey nodded, looking down at her tea. It was darkening, the drink spilling out over the water like a cloud over the sun. “You can talk about it, if you want, Rey.”
They’d known she was there. They knew the general details; the fight. Albus killed. Neville hurt. But she hadn’t told them; she’d put it off.
In her breast, she could feel it burning. She knew it needed to come out.
She took another deep, shuddering breath, tried to sip her tea but found it too hot still, and remembered.
Neville had whipped around as soon as his girlfriend had screamed. A moment later he was beside her, strong body pressed at her back, looking out past her at the grounds below. She had covered her mouth with her hand, and tears were forming behind her glasses--behind her she heard his breath choke up in his throat.
Then their eyes turned upwards to the Astronomy Tower, and the night sky above, blazing with vile light. The green glow caught in Rey’s large glasses, and the image seared its way into her mind:
The Dark Mark. The serpent winding its way out of a shrieking, fire-eyed skull.
Death had come to their school.
Somewhere far behind her, Ginny had gasped and Luna had let out some high, surprised yelp. The world seemed to be spinning, as if she’d stepped all at once into a dream. Dumbledore dead? The Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower? This couldn’t be happening--
“ON YOUR GUARD!”
The yell had come from somewhere else, and Rey looked around. Down the hall, there were members of the Order of the Phoenix, running--
“Oh! Hello there, kiddies!”
And that voice, that vile voice--
She looked over just in time to see the woman descending the stairs at the end of the hall. Down from the Astronomy Tower, her black robe billowing out like smoke, hair knotted with vicious curls, eyes wide and as vicious as her crooked toothy grin.
Then Neville had pulled Rey around behind him, blocking off her sight of Bellatrix Lestrange.
“A girlfriend! Oh, baby boy, do yours parents know?”
And then a male voice behind Bella’s roared. A bolt of light burst the ceiling above them--
Neville pushed her back as the stones came down, and Rey landed in a daze on her back, her head still trying to comprehend everything happening. Dumbledore dead--Dumbledore dead?--
Stones shook the earth at her feet, and a wave of dust coated over her face. Her glasses showed the world through a filter of ashen gray, and she took them off quickly, blinking and trying to find Nev--
Yells rolled forth, rebounding off the hard walls. The Order had pushed itself in front of the DA--she could catch the back of Professor Lupin’s back as he intercepted a bolt of red light and directed it harmlessly into the wall, shattering the stone--
Nev--
Coughing on the ground in front of her, Neville, lying amidst the fallen rocks. Debris from the ceiling muddled his black hair, and through his robes and the dust she could see scarlet blood spilling down his leg.
Rey scrambled forwards, grabbing at the rocks and pulling them off him. Behind her, Ginny and Luna came quickly, trying to brush their friend off--
“AVADA--!”
Lupin braced himself in front of them all, readying a shield--
Ginny yelled defiantly, hurling the stone past their former teacher. The Killing Curse cut off as the sharp CRACK! of impact sounded in the hall and the Death Eater’s head rolled back like broken clay. He stumbled--another taking his place.
Tonks joined at Lupin’s side, hair a fire-red, shielding the students as the group of Death Eaters spilled out from the stairs into the hallway. Rey could see them better now; jet black robes almost writhing to extinguish the light--then she turned her gaze back to Neville, brushing the dust off his face. He was wincing at her touch; after a moment she saw two small cuts on his cheeks start to bleed.
“Come on, girl; we need to get him up--” McGonagall’s voice, and Rey looked up, finding the elder witch knelt at Neville’s side as well. She grabbed hold of one arm; Rey grabbed the other, and they pulled Neville to his feet. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t stay, his legs swaying under him, then he came to his senses, shook his head, and looked around at them.
“What’s--?”
But the rest was cut off as the roar of spells exploded around the hall again. At the front line, Ginny had joined the Order’s side, Luna with her, and down the hallway away from the fray, Bellatrix was striding with a peal of laughter that shook the paintings in their frames.
The Order advanced, pushing the Death Eaters further back into the hallway. McGonagall ordered something that sounded like “Get back,” but Rey could not hear it; Neville had rushed to Ginny and Luna’s side, and Rey moved quickly with him. Then there was no barrier between them and danger anymore; the twisted faces of hatred and rage and dark evil glee met her eyes.
Fear grasped hold of her heart for a timeless second; icy fingers that gripped and squeezed. Ahead of her was no school test. Ahead of her were murderers, gleeful and looking at her as an acromantula looks at fresh meat.
And then that fear turned into rage, burning hot rage, and time resumed--
“Cru--”
“STUPEFY!” Rey yelled before the Death Eater ahead of her could finish. His grimy eyes widened a moment and he jerked back, batting the spell aside with a barked command. He was fast, readying himself again--
“Silencio!” she yelled, the spell bursting from her wand and hitting him smack in the throat. His curse came out as a squawk, then his eyes bulged and no more sound came out.
“REDUCTO!” Ginny yelled from Rey’s side--and the man flew backwards, tumbling down the hall like a limp sack of wheat.
From Rey’s other side, Neville countered a hex, battling down the hallway. The group advanced, giving the Death Eaters no shelter; no reprieve--
Suddenly Neville screamed in pain. Rey gasped, looking around--
Behind the group, snarling with glee, a lumbering man Rey had seen in the Daily Prophet stood, hair plastered around his face like matted mangy fur, beady eyes turning to meet hers. Fenrir Greyback’s hand--his nails unkempt claws doused with crimson--swung up from Neville’s back and slashed across her cheek, stinging her vision but not cutting deep--
The Order turned enough to spy him, starting to cast something--
“BOMBARDA!”
The yell had come with wicked resolve from down the hall, but Rey didn’t hear the final syllable. The world around her turned bright white-- a rush of heat seared against her face and chin and she realized for a moment she’d been thrown clear off her feet--
Then the explosion deafened her and she hit the ground, feeling the earth shaking through her ears followed by a high whining hum--she blinked but her eyes weren’t registering much; the world around was a blurred mural of dampened watercolors running off the page--
She tried to sit up, finally clinging to the wall to do so, and looked around, head swaying on her neck--
The explosion had crippled the hallway. Chunks of fallen ceiling littered the floor like sand on a beach; dust choked the air and the singe of the fire burned into her lungs. She coughed, blinking, and the world came into sharper focus: the DA was scattered, the Order trying to hold down the fort. Greyback had been tossed to one side with the rest, but he was already on his feet, and Nev--
Where was Nev--?
The wolfman looked over to her and Rey realized she was at the end of the hallway, far away from the rest. Her hand fumbled, reaching for her wand, but it wasn’t in her grasp; she looked around the floor hurriedly, his large form starting to stalk towards her--
Then he looked to the side, at the stairs for the Astronomy Tower. He paused--then rushed towards them, growling a laugh--
Rey found her wand, grabbing it from the ground--from the tower, there was a yell and suddenly Greyback fell from the stairs onto his back, lying as still as a statue with his arms and legs drawn in, immobilized. Rey looked up as Harry burst out, panting wildly, eyes frenzied.
“Harry?”
He glanced her way, chest heaving, and for a moment Rey thought she could see tears glittering on his cheeks. Then the sounds of battle reached him and he turned, sprinting down the hallway into the fray.
Then Ron was at her side, grabbing hold of her arm and heaving her to her feet.
“Hey!” he said, face covered with dust and soot. “Are you all right?”
Through the ringing in her head, she nodded, looking back to the fight--
A few members of the Order were holding the line, Harry at their side. Ginny had gotten back to her feet, and Ron ran past Rey quickly to keep his sister safe. Rey moved after him, stumbled once, and took two deep breaths.
She looked up again, and her heart sank.
Neville was on the ground, lying under debris--and this time he didn’t seem to be moving much. Luna had knelt at his side, a conjured stream of water moving from her wand over his wounds--and in an instant Rey had sprinted to him, falling and looking him over. He looked like Hell had risen up around him; his face and body smeared with the after-effects of fire and blood, chest barely moving with jagged breaths.
Another yell echoed through the hall from the battle.
“Go on, Rey,” Luna murmured. Rey looked up at her, then starting to shake her head no-- “Yes; they need help. And you’re a much better dueler than I am! I’ll make sure he’s fine; go!”
Rey looked back to Neville again, anguished--then let anger take her again, hoisting herself up and sprinting to the fight--
“Impedimenta!” Harry yelled, and the sandy-haired man Ginny was dueling staggered back a step. Ginny sent a hex rushing his way--blocked by another one of the Death Eaters-- Rey readied her wand--
McGonagall and the Order members moved in front of them, blocking the way of the fight, trying to keep the children safe. Beyond them, shouting was accompanied by blasts, exploding the hallways again and again--
Harry slipped by, joining the teachers, and Rey moved over to Ginny’s side, seeing her arms shaking.
“Are you all right?” Rey asked, taking hold of her arm. Ginny’s eyes darted her way quickly, wide, then she nodded, trying to catch her breath.
“Stupefy! Reducto! Incendio!” McGonagall’s voice boomed out, sending the Death Eaters scattering. Harry moved past her, running, and Lupin tried to catch him--but he slipped away, rushing down the hall. Ginny gasped next to her--then Rey ran after him, worried; the Order would hold their own, but Harry alone--?
Down the hall and the stairs--more rubble from the ceiling; more chaos with students wandering, confused, afraid--Ernie Macmillan and a group of Hufflepuffs nearest her, looking up at the sounds of battle.
“Rey?” Ernie said as she stopped near him, blond hair ruffled up, “What’s going on--?”
“Ernie,” she said, pushing at him to move back and glancing over her shoulder. “You have to move; get everyone and move away, now! Down the halls; lock doors, just--”
Behind her, a Death Eater came rushing down the stairs, robes billowing black like wings of ash--
Rey moved in front of Ernie and the others as they retreated, the Death Eater roaring a curse her way. She rebounded it off, sending it shattering into the painted face of some poor wizard. The man advanced, shouting out another curse--
“Protego Horribilis!” Rey shouted, the shield of white pulsing out from her wand, the curse crackling to nothing against it. The other students slammed a door, locking it; Rey retreated a step, finding the marble staircase at her feet; Harry went outside--?
The Death Eater growled, eyes narrowed to wicked little slits--then he grinned--
“Glisseo!” he yelled, and the stairs under Rey’s feet turned to a slide of slick glass. She flailed, yelping and falling hard onto her back, rolling and tumbling down the long, steep decline, arms coming up to brace her head as much as she could. The world went end over end, spinning--then she reached the ground and her knee cracked down into the stone hard, sending a jolt of pain and numbness up her leg. She gasped, looking up and around weakly; the entrance to the Great Hall was open nearby--in it, more frightened faces--
A low chuckle moved into her ears, and she looked up at the stairs as they shifted back to normal, the tall man in his dark robes striding down them. A sneer carved its way up his pale face, and he raised his wand.
“Stupefy--” Rey said, trying to move back on the ground but her leg throbbing with pain. The Death Eater knocked the spell aside easily, taking his time, revelling in this now.
“Reducto--” --knocked aside, he came to the bottom of the steps, almost upon her, thin lips murmuring a curse she’d never dare speak herself--
Rey’s eyes darted behind him at a large bit of stone that had been blasted off the wall. “ACCIO!”
The Death Eater paused his curse, confused--and then the stone came hurtling in against his back, knocking the breath out of him and knocking him clean off his feet, sending him sprawling out against the ground. He blinked, dazed, trying to collect his wand--
“Stupefy!” Rey shouted, the spell exploding against him almost point-blank. The Death Eater’s body jerked and rolled back with force, unconscious.
The battle above was slower, the sounds lessened. Rey tried to get up but her knee yelled at her when she tried to bend it. She pushed herself around, having to get on all fours before she could stumble up, and for the first time she saw the ground.
It was bright red.
She blinked, confused, then she looked over dazedly to the House Point Hourglasses. Dust and soot had tarnished their colors--but one stood emptied completely. The Gryffindor one; its rubies scattered to the floor like blood.
She looked in at the students in the Great Hall, panting, wanting to ask if they were okay but not finding the breath to do so, then out at the wild June night. She could hear a shout out there, then little more. For a summer night, this one was neither sweet, nor warm.
Rey paused in the kitchen, sipping her tea now that it had cooled. John and her brothers were silent, listening, their teas all but forgotten. They made an attempt to drink as well, but the drink was mostly for her anyway.
“After that,” she murmured, “I went out and found Harry with Hagrid. Hagrid’s hut was on fire; I helped them put it out as best I could. Then… I went back in, and everything was done. Whoever was injured went to the Hospital Wing, so I went to try and find Nev. I got put in a bed next to him.”
She sipped again. Suddenly she felt very tired.
“M’gonna go see him tomorrow,” she said. “We should go to bed. It’s late.”
The three men blinked, unsure what to make of that. She set the tea down and swayed in her chair. Her lip trembled, then she started to cry softly, unable to stop herself, and her family moved in close, hugging her tight and keeping her warm.