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I felt the scorching heat of the dragon's fiery breath as I ducked to avoid its thrashing head. Bright orange and yellow streams of flames soared above me, causing the back of my neck to sting.
“On the count of three!” I heard someone yell from amongst the dozen of us gathered around, struggling to be heard over the chaos that had erupted when the dragon started throwing its weight around the enclosure. The dust stirred up by its wings made it near impossible to recognise any individual amidst the group. Quickly, I reached for my wand in its fireproof holster strapped securely to my forearm and shuffled a few steps right to get into a better position to point my wand at the dragon's face while avoiding its raging movements.
Our plan was to have one of us manage to hit it in the eye, which was known to be a dragons weak spot. Taking a deep breath, I steadied my arm and lifted it another inch or so higher, trying to focus my aim as much as I could. Holding my ground, I counted down with everyone else until our final cry of "three!"
“Stupefy!” I shouted with all my might. A chorus of voices echoed my call as a swirling vortex of red sparks exploded from our outstretched wands towards the dragon, which had proposed a much more difficult challenge than normally. For a moment it seemed like none of our spells had hit its mark, but then the dragon's eyes rolled back and it swayed unsteadily, before finally collapsing in a heap on the ground. Everyone cheered in relief as I quickly stepped away from the fallen beast, whose deep breaths indicated that it was in a peaceful slumber. We had needed to put the dragon into a magical sleep to transport it to a better habitat away from where it was currently living. With victory in sight, I grabbed some watter and headed towards the exit gate. Little did I know that hundreds of kilometers away, a battle was about to be fought that would decide the outcome of an entire war.
The cushy brown armchair in the corner of my apartment had seen better days - its upholstery frayed and threadbare in places from numerous repairs. Mum had taken it upon herself to make my home more hospitable when my family had visited a few years back, bringing with her a slew of handmade quilts, photos, and potted plants; though I had attempted to keep some alive, they had all withered away as if sensing my lack of a green thumb. It brought to mind memories of Hogwarts, spending morning classes in the the green houses, before making visits to Hagrid's later in the day. Although I had never had Hagrid as my Care of Magical Creatures teacher those who did were lucky. I could picture Hagrid outside his stone hut teaching my younger siblings about magical creatures—of hippogriffs, thunderbirds, and unicorns. But all too quickly, those thoughts were derailed by reality. War clouds loomed over Britain and Hagrid had been forced out of his position at Hogwarts months prior.
A heavy sigh escaped me as I ran my hand through my short hair. I glanced to my left, where my friend Alyssa was sprawled in a similar armchair to my own, sipping on a tall bottle of butterbeer. The light from the fireplace flickered off her long, straight blonde hair, which was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and her deep cerulean blue eyes were glazed over with a faraway stare. She had her wand clutched tightly in one hand and tapped it gently against her knee as she sipped.
I leaned forward in my own chair and grabbed the small orange radio that sat on the coffee table between us. I'd missed the last Potterwatch broadcast and wanted to hear the latest news, but to do that I needed to know the password. My fingers quickly spun the silver dial, searching for the correct station while mumbling possible passwords under my breath. After several minutes of trying —and failing—to guess the correct word, frustration boiled up inside me and I angrily flung the radio back onto the table with a loud crash. Alyssa rolled her eyes at me before raising her wand and muttering a quick reparo, to fix the damage my temper tantrum had caused. Taking another sip of butterbeer, she returned to watching the fire while I started guessing again, becoming increasingly agitated with every failed attempt.
“Oh, just give it a rest Char, they never tell us anything new that we don’t already know.” Alyssa told me using the old nickname I had forbidden her to call me. Why must she always try to rile me up? My fists clenched as I stared at the small, silver portable radio in my hands.
“You don’t understand!” I snapped, rubbing my forehead wearily. “My whole family is out there, fighting against them and where am I? Going about my daily life like nothing's wrong. My sister is leading a rebellion at Hogwarts, my youngest brother is out there with Harry Potter, Fred and George are broadcasting their message to the wizarding world through an underground radio station, and the rest of my family is part of the Order of the Phoenix! It's only Percy and I who aren't doing anything, and I really don't want to be roped in with that prat.” I vented my frustrations at Alyssa, one of my few friends on reserve. We had been close for the past five years; she was probably the person I trusted most after my family.
“I know Charlie,” She said softly. “I'm sorry you aren't there with them but nobody's going to judge you for not fighting! Here, hand it over to me – let me give it a go.” She held her hand out for the radio and I obliged reluctantly. After minutes of fruitless effort, we both began to lose our temper at the stubborn little device. Alyssa's foot tapped impatiently against the worn wood floor boards as she jabbed her index finger at one of the many knobs dotting the face of the aging radio. “Come on, you damn piece of junk!” She shouted in frustration and continued to quickly guess station names in desperation. “Dumbledore, Phoenix, Weasley, Potter—Ah ha! Lightning!"
The relief was almost palpable when Fred and George's school friend blared from the box. Alyssa hastily set down the radio on the coffee table between our two chairs. Lee's panic-stricken voice came through loud and clear, causing me to sit up straighter in my seat. Was something wrong?
"This is River and for those just joining us, this is not a drill! Lightning has struck! All of those of age I ask for you to take up your wand and join us; we are outnumbered by You-Know-Who's army and desperately need help. You-Know-Who has given us a one hour period in which to collect ourselves, and we have 50 minutes left before fighting begins again - please come! Aparate into Hogsmeade and go to the Hogshead; the bartender will direct you from there." Fear rushed through my veins like an icy wind as I listened to his words - I knew without a doubt that my family was there.
I needed to get there, to see that they were okay and do what I could to help. Alyssa must have known what was going through my mind when she looked at me with determination before saying,
"Well grab the emergency portkey I know you have to England and let's get a move on!" Her cocky smile shone brightly in the waning light of the fire. I looked at her in surprise - "You're coming with me?" She nodded confidently before replying, "Of course. I'm not letting you do something dangerous without me!"
I scrambled over to the mantelpiece, grabbing the faded picture of my family and me. The frame was cold against my fingertips as I darted back to where Alyssa stood, her eyes glued on the portrait. I paused for a moment before declaring “Home.” and activating the portkey. My stomach twisted into knots as a blinding light spiraled around us. When I felt solid ground beneath my feet again, I squinted against the dimness of the alleyway and stumbled towards her side. Before taking note of my surroundings, the alleyway was dark, the only light provided by the waning moon and the stars. The puddles of rain water reflected the light back up as if it were a mirror.
“Are you ready?” I questioned her, my feet itching to apparate away towards the place I knew my family was. She silently nodded, gripping onto my arm tightly. Knowing what we had to do, I turned on the spot and felt the tug of apparition take us away from the safety of the muggle world and into an unwelcome adventure.
I gasped in horror as we stepped onto the deserted cobblestone street. Instead of the silence I had expected, it was sheer anarchy. Every building was buzzing with noise and frenzied activity, some with a mass of Hogwarts students pressed against the windowpanes, while others were completely abandoned by their former shop keepers who had fled for their lives. Screams and shouts rang in my ears as hordes of people rushed through the streets, some desperately trying to escape while others raced towards the looming castle in the distance. As we inched ever closer I felt my heart sink - Hogwarts was in ruins. The glorious towers that once stood proudly in all its glory now sprawled across the grounds like broken toys, chunks of stone missing from the walls, flames licking at an entire wing of the castle. Remembering what the radio broadcaster had said I hurried to the old pub I had frequented when younger, grabbing onto Alyssa's hand so as to not lose her in the crowd.
Pushing our way through the large mass of people, we finally made it to the entrance of the Hogshead. The smell of alcohol and sweat hit me as we burst through the door, causing me to take a step back as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Once inside we weaved our way through the crowd clamored inside. Some were drinking, others huddled in worried groups and some were already preparing themselves for the battle that would soon continue. The bartender, Aberforth Dumbledore, recognized me instantly from the tell tale sign of my red hair and motioned for us to come closer.
“What can I do for you Weasley?” he asked gruffly, his eyes scanning us carefully.
“My family is up there, in the castle. We need to find them,” I said urgently, my heart pounding in my chest. Aberforth nodded, his expression softening slightly.
“They’re in the Great Hall,” he cautioned us. “We used to be able to access the castle through a hidden passage, but that's been blocked off for security reasons. The protective enchantments around the castle have weakened, not enough for apparition, but enough that one can walk right in. Be careful though—we don't know what creatures are lurking about on the grounds.” With that, he melted away into the crowd. Alyssa took my hand, her grip firm and unwavering.
"We'll find them, Charlie," she said softly. Her voice was determined, but I could hear the fear lurking beneath the surface. I knew that she was just as scared as I was, but it was comforting to have her by my side.
We made our way out of the Hogshead and onto the grounds of Hogwarts, dodging the chaos of the crowd as we went. The sky was dark, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke. Never before had the walk from the village to Hogwarts seemed to take as long. The castle loomed before us, and I felt a knot form in my stomach as I took a closer look at the damage that had been done. The castle was a shell of its former self. The battlements on the towers were crumbling, the walls were scorched, the windows were shattered, and the ivy was tattered, torn, and burnt. Smoke was still drifting from the windows, from the roof and from the courtyard. Even from a distance I could see dead bodies laying on the once lush green land of Hogwarts. My stomach clenched at the thought that my family could be out there unmoving on the school turned battlefield.
We finally arrived at the entrance of the castle and walked straight through the torn off door, only pausing to climb over what appeared to be a troll club. It was dark inside the castle, the wooden beams above were scorched, and the floor was littered with glass and ash. The walls were crumbling and the once shining suits of armor had been reduced to powder. The ceiling was black with soot and smoke, and as we made our way through the horrific scene we found it challenging to avoid the puddles of sticky blood.
Remembering what Aberforth had said we made our way to the Great Hall. I walked into the room, dreading what I may find. The tables and chairs that were usually a part of the conversations and laughter of students had been pushed to the side, and the ceiling which usually reflected the bright sky above had become pitch black. But nothing could prepare me for what I saw next: a line of dead men and women, children included - my heart clenched in horror at the sight. This place had been my second home for years, and now it was destroyed beyond repair. It felt like someone had punched me in the gut as I took in my surroundings.
Looking around frantically, I spotted my family. I tried to count the redheads but I couldn't make out who was there from a distance. It sent me into a jog towards them and Alyssa had to run to keep up with me. When we were half way there Alyssa gave a gasp, halting me abruptly in my tracks. Turning to follow her gaze, I suddenly found myself gasping too- lying there next to Remus Lupin was Tonks. I felt something inside twist painfully within me, as if I were being punched by grief. Tonks had been my classmate back at school and one of my closest friends. We'd kept up with our friendship after I moved to Romania, she even came to visit me. She had met Alyssa on her second visit there, they had bonded over their love of teasing me, and they had written letters frequently to each other over the years. Now here she lay still - no laughter ringing out ever again.
I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself, before turning back to my family. The crowd had parted allowing me a clear shot of them. My heart stopped and my vision clouded over. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My sister Ginny was huddled over the body of one of the twins, her eyes red rimmed and puffy, It was a sight that would haunt me forever. For some reason the pain felt even worse because I was unsure of which twin it was. My brothers dead and I'm not even sure which brother it is .The pain was unbearable. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Alyssa standing there, her expression one of sorrow and understanding. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me. I needed her now more than ever.
"They need to pay for this. H-he didn't deserve this," I whispered hoarsely, my voice cracking with emotion. "We have to fight for them, for my brother and Tonks and everyone who has been lost. The death eaters can't be allowed to stand for this" Alyssa nodded, her eyes slightly watery.
"I'm with you, Charlie," she said. "We'll fight together." Taking a deep breath I continued towards my family. Each step felt like I was pulling my feet up from sinking quicksand. I needed to reach my family yet I dreaded it. The only thing that kept me going was Alyssa's hand on my shoulder, guiding me through the throng of people. At last we found ourselves next to my family. Ginny looked up at me, her eyes bloodshot and teary. I took a deep breath and knelt down beside her.
"Ginny, which one?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, hating myself for having to ask.
"It's Fred," she replied, her voice cracking with emotion. "He... he didn't make it. K-killed in a blast." She stumbled over the word killed. My heart sank at her words. I felt tears well up in my eyes as the reality of the situation truly hit me. Fred was gone- one of my brothers, one of the people I loved most in the world. I wrapped my arms around Ginny, pulling her close to me as she sobbed.
"We'll get through this," I whispered, trying to reassure her as much as myself. "We'll fight for Fred, and for everyone else who has been taken from us. We won't let them win."
It was then that the rest of the family had noticed my apearance. Molly, my mother, was the first to spot me. She let out a sob, and I could see her face contorting with pain. I rushed to her side, pulling her into my arms. We stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other, both of us trying to find the strength to get through this. Finally, my father spoke up.
"Charlie, I'm glad you made it," he said, his voice heavy with grief. "We need all the wands we can get. A-and, its good to have the family together." Dads lips turned into a bitter smile, tears dripping down his face as he tried to remain strong. But we would never all be together again, a savage part of my brain thought, because Fred is dead. Trying to distract myself I turned to the rest of the family. My eyes first fell upon my youngest brother, his hand clasped with Hermione, It had been nine months since I had last seen him and in that time he seemed to have aged a decade. His face was thinner, there was a look in his eye that had not been there before, and he had a large scar on his shoulder that was exposed from his tattered t-shirt. Hermione too seemed older and thinner. Her eyes carried the same look as Rons did, as though they had seen far too much of a world that should never be seen.
Allowing my gaze to continue on I next saw George. He was sitting on the ground, his head in his hands, his body shaking with sobs. I could see the deep pain etched on his face, the loss of his twin brother weighing heavily on him. I felt my own heart breaking at the sight of him. I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, George," I said softly. He looked up at me, his face a mask of grief and anger.
"It's not fair, Charlie," he said through gritted teeth. "It's not bloody fair." I didn't know what to say, so I just sat down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. We sat there, in silence, mourning the loss of our brother.
It was a heavy silence, the kind that weighed down on your soul and made it hard to breathe. After a while I lifted my head and continued to observe my family. Bill stood with his arm around his wife, while Fluer rubbed his back with one hand. Knowing that Bill had all the comfort he need, I took a look at my final brother Percy. I was shocked to see him there with us. He had left the family over a year ago, and I had thought he would never return. But there he was, standing a few feet away from us, his eyes downcast. I stood up, making my way towards him. Percy looked up at me, his eyes full of regret.
"I'm sorry, Charlie," he said, his voice hoarse. "I was wrong to leave. I...I just didn't want to believe that Voldemort was back." He stumbled over the name, as if it was something he couldn't bear to say.
"It's okay, Percy," I said, my voice softening. "We all make mistakes, but we're family. We'll get through this together." As I said those words, I felt a sense of determination flood through me. We had all lost so much, but we still had each other. And we still had hope. We would fight for our loved ones, for our freedom, and for our future.
We stood there as a family for what felt like an eternity but must have only been five minutes at most, before I noticed something was off. Glancing around I couldn't tell what it was, but as I rested my eyes on Ron and Hermione I realized what was bugging me.
"Where's Harry?" I asked. My family turned to me, their eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. It was a question they were all wondering, but afraid to ask.
"I don't know," Ron said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He was with us just 15 minutes ago, but then he disappeared." Ginny looked up sharply,
"What do you mean disappeared! He didn't go into the forest did he?" I didn't understand what Ginny meant about the forest, but a tremble of fear seemed to run through the rest of my family. I was also surprised to see Ginny so worried about Harry. Sure I cared for the kid, but I wasn't nearly as close to him as Ron or the twi-Fred is. I hadn't realized Ginny and Harry had become friends.
"I really doubt it, Ginny," Hermione said reassuringly, "I think he just went to check some stuff out in Dumbledores' office." Charlie watched as Hermione shared a significant look at Ron, whose face dawned in comprehension. He nodded in agreement to what Hermione said, however Ginny still seemed worried. She glanced at the watch on her wrist,
"There's only twenty minutes until the hours up," Once again Charlie didn't understand what this meant, but it caused Hermione to bite her lip nervously. "I'm going to go look for him." Ginny said decisively. Charlie was still at a loss for why Ginny seemed more worried for Harry than Harry's two best friends.
"I don't think you should Ginny. I'm sure he's fine. He's Harry," Ron said, shrugging, "He likes to mourn by himself, you know." Ginny still seemed unsure,
"Well I probably should help Neville find more bodies anyways, so I'll just keep an eye out for him as I do." Mum seemed as though she wanted to stop her from leaving, but instead just gave Ginny a big hug before letting her leave the Great Hall.
As Ginny left, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle in the pit of my stomach. I knew that we were facing a war, and that danger was lurking around every corner, but something about Ginny's worry for Harry made me feel like there was something I was missing. We stood I silence for several minutes, each in our own thoughts until it was broken by a boy. He had brown hair, a round face, and was around the same age as Ron and Ginny.
“I’m sorry about Fred,” the boy said to Ron. “I’m glad you and Hermione are alright though.” Ron nodded in acknowledgement.
“Thanks, Nev. It's good to see you made it through too.” Hermione looked over at him with concern in her voice.
“Have you seen Ginny? She was looking for Harry.” Neville shifted awkwardly on his feet, averting his gaze from Hermione's questioning one.
“Er—yeah. I saw her helping out a younger girl…and Harry too." Ron and Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at Neville's revelation that he'd seen the missing wizard, but before either of them could ask questions Neville added hastily,"He had his invisibility cloak on. He promised me he wasn't giving himself up, just told me if I have a chance to 'kill Voldemort's snake'”. Ron and Hermione exchanged a look of dread before they quickly dashed out of the Great Hall. Charlie took a look at the rest of his family's reaction to this news and found them in similar shock; while his mother had collapsed into his father's arms, George had crumbled in on himself further and begun to sob even harder, Bill had gone pale white, and Fleur was now crying openly. It seemed their worst fears about what Harry was doing were being confirmed by both Ron and Hermione's reactions. Charlie went still as a cold voice surrounded the halls, causing screams,
"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters, my death eaters out number you and the boy-who-lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist man, woman, or child will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."
Charlie's knees gave way and he felt the ground beneath him spinning. Alyssa, who'd been forgotten in the wave of grief that had burst over the Hall, grabbed his elbow to help steady him. When Charlie looked into her eyes, he could see that she too was on the brink of collapse at this news of their last hope being extinguished. The Hall suddenly emptied, with many having rushed off ahead to find out if it was true. Alyssa gripped his hand tightly as they made their way into the Entrance Hall, and in the distance Charlie saw Voldemort's forces closing in. He glanced back at those still by his side and a chill ran through him - their numbers were indeed much smaller.
Professor Mcgonagal led the group, tears streaming down her face as she witnessed confirmation of Harry's death, her yell carrying through the silent grounds. However, he could barely manage to stay on his feet when he heard the anguish in his siblings voice as they called to their lost friend. The group seemed to take the responsibility to caused the death-eaters and Voldemort as much pain as they could through their words as they screamed insults at the army which was joyously laughing at the death of Harry Potter. For a brief moment, their cries echoed through the air until Voldemort demanded silence.
In that moment, I felt helplessness consume me. I did not believe I could feel any worse yet still I felt a wave of revulsion wash over me as I watched Hagrid reluctantly set Harry's body at Voldemort's feet like an offering, and Voldemort seemed to be relishing in it with a cruel smirk on his face. But Charlie was brought out of his disgust by his brother Ron’s cry of
“He beat you!” It sent daggers into Charlie’s heart – did Ron have a death wish? His brother seemed oblivious to the danger of provoking Voldemort, but thankfully the rest of the Hogwarts defenders took up the cry before the Dark Lord could retaliate. They were quickly silenced again.
Voldemort continued to march up and down, sneering at Harry with malice. He hurled insults as he went, but suddenly an uproar in the crowd seemed to break Voldemorts train of thought. There was a loud bang, a grunt, and a flash of light from somewhere in the throng of Hogwarts defenders. Puzzled, Charlie squinted through the darkness and saw Neville standing tall with defiance, having broken free from Voldemort's silencing spells. What is wrong with these kids? Charlie thought wearily. Every single one of them seemed to be attracted to danger like moths to a flame. He regretted the loss of Harry Potter deeply, but getting yourself killed would be no help - It would be better if they kept their heads down until there was an opening in which they could attack.
Voldemort slowly turned his attention from the lifeless body of Harry Potter to Neville Longbottom, who stood with fierce determination despite the danger he was putting himself in. Charlie's stomach tightened as he watched the sorting hat burn atop Neville's head. The smell of singed hair filled the air and Neville's face contorted with pain, yet still he held firm. I watched helplessly as the hat slowly burned on Neville's head, and then everything seemed to happen at once. Centaurs galloped towards the castle alongside a small giant that caught the attention of the Death-Eaters giants - but all eyes soon returned to Neville as he took a deep breath and brandished a silver ruby jeweled sword, slicing off the head of Voldemort's pet snake. Then Hagrid's voice cut through the chaos, shouting frantically for Harry's body that was likely being trampled in the chaos. Suddenly the air was filled with Thestrals who flew to join the fight, adding their strength to overpower the Death-Eaters.
Everyone scrambled back into the great hall, their robes billowing behind them. I ran after them, wand in hand. Suddenly, a figure clad in green stepped forward from the crowd and my wand came up instinctively before recognizing the familiar face of Professor Slughorn. I lowered my wand and kept running, though I briefly considered staying to take on the death eaters who had followed us into the entrance hall. Suddenly, an army of house elves emerged from around the corner, their tiny faces furrowed with rage. This was enough to strike fear even in the bravest of hearts.
The air was thick with tension as I hurried into the great hall. My eyes widened as I saw two furious duels taking place - one at either end of the room. On the left, my Mum dueled against Bealitrix Lestrange, the most feared witch in Britain. Across the room, Lord Voldemort squared off against Professors Slughorn, McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt. I watched with a combination of pride and fear as Mum ended Bellatrix Lestrange once and for all. My heart leapt when I saw Voldemort lash out with his wand, blasting away his opponents one by one. He then set his sights on Mum and terror gripped me. But before he could attack, a voice roared from behind us: "Protego!" All heads turned to Harry Potter, standing tall and proud, wand extended.