"Harry, we need to move..." I whispered, my voice raw with the ragged sobs that had been escaping my mouth for the last few minutes.

"No." Harry gasped, his voice weak. Dumbledore's death was ripping him apart, bit by bit. He'd known him longer than I ever did, but Dumbledore's death was a mere pinprick of pain compared to the twisting in my heart from Sam's death.

But then I remembered Harry didn't know Sam was dead yet.

"I've got him." A soft voice said from above us, and I saw Ginny wrap her hand around Harry's, pulling him to his feet. I stumbled to my feet, hands shaking almost violently. Ginny saw, and wrapped her free arm around me, letting me lean on her.

A blur of sobs and screams from students and teachers blended together in a harmony of pain as Ginny sheperded us through the crowds, my eyes trained onto the floor. The point glasses had fallen over, the Gryffindor rubies glistening like blood.

Thinking of Sam's blood that still coated my shoes, hands and jeans I felt sick, the world spinnning. Why did this have to happen? Why? Why now when everything seemed to be falling back into place.

"We're going to the hospital wing." Ginny announced.

"We're not hurt." Harry snapped.

"McGonagall's orders. Almost everybody is up there, Ron, Hermione, Gennie and her dad...."

"Ginny, who else is dead?" Harry said.

Ginny exchanged a look with me. She knew.

"Samantha," I somehow choked out. Using her full name detatched her from Sam, the girl I knew. Knew, Knew, Knew. The past tense sounded so sour in my own thoughts. "Where's Cole?"

Ginny gave me an exhausted look. "He's still with her.... Wanted to be left alone."

"How did it happen?" Harry said abruptly. He was never close with Sam like I was, but he respected and liked her, I knew that.

"Cameron." I spoke the word like a dirty word, something that should be tossed and threw away.

"But we didn't see her... Malfoy said he stood over a body..."

"That was just Bill, don't worry, he's stil alive..." Ginny said, though her voice trembled. "If Arthur hadn't stepped in, it could have been a lot worse..."

"Arthur." I gasped, "Is he okay?"

"He's alive," Ginny said reassuringly, though she sounded uncertain. "Though Greyback got him and Bill... They--Madam Pomfrey said they won't look the same anymore..."

"But everybody else is okay?" I urged, desperate to see Arthur and everybody else, know that the worst was over now.

"Neville and Flitwick are hurt, but Madam Pomfrey said they'll be fine..."

We had reached the hospital wing, and I let go of Ginny's arm to hurry inside. Neville was asleep at one end of the hospital wing, the rest of our friends and family huddled around two seperate beds.

Ron, Hermione, Luna, Remus and Tonks were around one bed; while Gennie sat with Camille, Alia and Ben--surprisingly--around another. I got a glimpse of Bill's face, grotesque, slashed and blood covered as Madam Pomfrey worked on him.

I gave Ron a wobbly smile as he stood by his eldest brother, before rushing over to Arthur's bed. Gennie rose as she saw me, practically strangling me in a hug, a sob escaping her.

"Cole?" I questioned.

"He's doing bad, really bad." Gennie whimpered. "He wouldn't let her go, he's in a trance, wouldn't listen to me... He wanted me to come here, but I shouldn't have left him.... Oh God, Rory, I think this is going to tip him over the edge, I'm so bloody scared."

"Well we'll be here if he does." I said shakily, looking over her shoulder at Arthur.

He looked bad.

One side of his face was soaked in blood, his left ear lobe missing. Deep cuts lacerated all down his neck and onto his collarbones, making it seem as if a cheese grater had been ran across him.

"He'll be okay." Alia said to me, her voice far away. I glanced at her. Her eyes were black, mascara and eyeliner smudged around her eyes. Her arm was protectivley around Camille who was sniffling. "I mean it could have been worse.... Greyback could have turned, the bastard."

"Remember it was my dream to be a werewolf," a weak voice mumbled, and a collective gasp was heard as Arthur began to open his eyes. "Really regretting that now, sorry Remus."

"That's fine." Remus said with a smile. "I think everyone is glad you're okay."

"What happened?" I asked urgently to Arthur, sitting next to him and grasping onto his blood streaked hand.

"I was outside the dungeon--no, the tower!--and I was trying to stop them going through! And then Bill he helped me out because I'm a crap shot.... Um, and then that Greyback guy appeared and attacked Bill so I managed to get him away and took a couple of hits from him myself.... But then he managed to get past with a few of his mates and I went out cold...." Arthur said hazily. "Then Sam took me up here, managed to stop the bleeding, she pretty much saved my life..."

Everybody exchanged a look. "What?" Arthur said, trying to bring a smile onto his face. "Do I look that bad without an ear lobe? It's a damn shame, I was going to get this ear pierced this summmer...."

"Art..." I trailed off, squeezing his hand. "Sam... She's...."

"No." Arthur whispered, his eyes welling up with tears. "She can't... No, no, I saw her like twenty minutes ago.... She told me to say hi to her brother for her, and.... Oh God... No...."

"The good always die young, the world is a bitch." Ben said solemnly, who up until this point had been silent.

"It was Cameron, wasn't it?" Arthur sobbed, his damaged face screwing up in pain. He tried to roll to his side. "I have to, I have to kill him, no he can't do this anymore, no...."

"Arthur, no." I whispered, my voice breaking as I put my arms around him to restrain him from getting up. "No, you're not going anywhere, you're staying here, with us."

Arthur lent onto my shoulder as sobs began to rack his body, and we held onto each other as if lives depended on it--a warped role reversal of the previous summer. That was how it always worked between the two of us, we were each other's remedies when we were at our worst. Draco letter in my pocket seemed heavier as I gripped onto Arthur's arm.

"I--I knew her since I was nine, when she had pigtails and shiny shoes... I--I she was like a sister to me, and she helped me when I was dying and now--now I didn't do anything when she was."

"You were hurt, you couldn't do anything, Art, none of this is your fault." I soothed, though my vision was blurry from tears. "She's with Jia, she's taking down Cameron, she's getting exactly what she wanted."

"But we didn't want her dead." Gennie said in a hollow voice. She shut her eyes. "God, there was so much blood.... So much..."

"I'm sorry to intrude." Madam Pomfrey had appeared, looking unsettled. "I need to attend to Mr Wilde's wounds."

Reluctantly I let go of Arthur, but I clutched onto his hand as Madam Pomfrey began dabbing green oitment all over his neck and collarbones. "I'm here, don't worry." I mumbled to Arthur as he winced in pain. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Can you fix those with charms?" Camille asked meekly, looking sick as Madam Pomfrey pulled away red stained bandages from Arthur.

"No charms could work on either of them," Madam Pomfrey said, glancing over at Bill. "There's no cure for werewolf bites."

"But it wasn't a full moon." Alia said, seeming to want to be optimistic. "Surely they won't be...?"

Everybody looked at Remus. "No, I don't think that Bill or Arthur will be true werewolves," said Remus, "but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and--and they might both have some wolfish characteristics from now on."

"Oh God, I'm going to grow a tail, aren't I?" Arthur sniffled, trying to inject humour into the situation.

Gennie cracked a smile. "No, but you'll probably have a craving for raw meat like I do--well actualy, you won't have a problem with that. And be more active in the night, more intune to animal's feelings..."

"More Space Invaders and cats for me, doesn't sound too bad." Arthur said. He glanced at me. "Suppose you'll be the one phoning me at three am to get me to sleep."

"Suppose so." I smiled weakly, just glad that Arthur was alive and joking around already.

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state--"

"Ron--Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.

"No!" Remus looked wildly around, waiting to see if any of us would contradict Ginny. But he collapsed into a chair beside Bill, hands over his face.

Gennie hesitantly approached her father, placing a hand on his shoulder, looking pleadingly at Tonks for help as for what to do.

"How did he die?" whispered Tonks. "How did it happen?"

"Snape killed him," said Harry. "Rory and I were there, saw it. Dumbledore immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak--and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him--"

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned. Luna's mouth trembled. Camille let out a little sob while Alia stared with a locked jaw straight ahead, willing herself not to cry.

"--more Death Eaters arrived--and then Snape--and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra." Harry couldn't go on, his voice breaking.

Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Nobody paid her any attention except Camille, who whispered through tears, "Shh! Listen!"

Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singing a broken and beautiful song. There was something so haunting about the notes that brought an audio to my grief for both Sam and Dumbledore, a song that echoed through the walls.

I wasn't sure how long we all stood there listening, all caught up in the song that eased the pain and brought to life the emotions we felt. But it felt like a lifetime passed when McGonagall opened the doors and entered, robs ripped and hair awry.

"Harry, Aurora what happened? According to Hagrid you both were with Professor Dumbledore when he--when it happened. He says Professor Snape was involved in some--"

"Snape killed Dumbledore." I said bluntly.

She stared at me for a moment, then swayed alarmingly; Madam Pomfrey quickly pushed a chair forward for her.

"Snape," repeated McGonagall faintly, falling into the chair. "We all wondered... but he trusted... always... Snape... I can't believe it..."

"Snape was a highly accomplished Occlumens," said Remus, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. "We always knew that."

"But Dumbledore swore he was on our side!" whispered Tonks. "I always thought Dumbledore must know something about Snape that we didn't..." .

"He always hinted that he had an ironclad reason for trusting Snape," muttered Professor McGonagall, now dabbing at the corners of her leaking eyes with a tartan-edged handkerchief. "I mean... with Snape's history ... of course people were bound to wonder... but Dumbledore told me explicitly that Snape's repentance was absolutely genuine... wouldn't hear a word against him!"

The doors of the hospital wing burst open, making them all jump: Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were striding up the ward, Fleur just behind them, her beautiful face terrified.

"Molly--Arthur--" said McGonagall, jumping up and hurrying to greet them. "I am so sorry--"

"Bill," whispered Mrs. Weasley, darting past Professor McGonagall as she caught sight of Bill's mangled face. "Oh, Bill!"

Remus and Tonks had got up hastily and retreated so that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could get nearer to the bed. Mrs. Weasley bent over her son and pressed her lips to his bloody forehead.

Fleur sidled up to me, lightly patting my forearm. "I have 'zeen your seester." she said softly. "She and the baby are 'vell. She couldn't come--too 'veak, but sends her love."

Happy tears came from my eyes, relieved that my sister and niece were safe at least. "So the baby is fine?"

"Perfect." Fleur declared with a misty smile. "A full 'ead of ginger hair too."

The two of us exchanged a small smile, before Fleur moved over to Bill with a frozen expression, all warmth from talking about Lacey vanishing.

"Dumbledore gone," whispered Mr. Weasley, but Mrs. Weasley had eyes only for her eldest son; she began to sob, tears falling onto Bill's mutilated face.

"Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks... it's not r-really important... but he was a very handsome little b-bo... always very handsome... and he was g-going to be married!"

"And what do you mean by zat?" said Fleur suddenly and loudly, her stillness vanishing. "What do you mean, 'he was going to be married?'"

Mrs. Weasley raised her tear-stained face, looking startled. "Well--only that--"
"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" demanded Fleur. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"

"No, that's not what I--"

"Because 'e will!" said Fleur, drawing herself up to her full height and throwing back her long mane of silver hair. "It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!"

"Well, yes, I'm sure," said Mrs. Weasley, "but I thought perhaps--given how--how he--"

"You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per'aps, you hoped?" said Fleur, her nostrils flaring. "What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" she added fiercely, pushing Mrs. Weasley aside and snatching the ointment from her.

Fleur began mopping up Bill's wounds and I felt the atmosphere in the room change--I could tell that at last everybody was changing their opinion of her.

"Our Great-Auntie Muriel," said Mrs. Weasley after a long pause, "has a very beautiful tiara--goblin-made--which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."

"Thank you," said Fleur stiffly. "I am sure zat will be lovely."

And then, I did not quite see how it happened, both women were crying and hugging each other. Arthur was grinning wildly, and gave me a smile as if to say look, things can get better.

"You see!" said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Remus. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"

"It's different," said Remus, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely--"

"But I don't care either, I don't care!" said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. "I've told you a million times... So has your daughter, now that I think of it..."

I smiled at Gennie, who was looking fondly at her father and Tonks. It struck me that Gennie had never known a mother in her life, and that maybe that was part of her motivation to get her dad and Tonks together.

"And I've told you and Genesis a million times," said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, "that I am too old for you, too poor... too dangerous..."

"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," said Mrs. Weasley over Fleur's shoulder as she patted her on the back.

"I am not being ridiculous," said Lupin steadily. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you," said Mr. Weasley, with a small smile. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so."

He gestured sadly at his son, lying between them.

"This is... not the moment to discuss it," said Lupin, avoiding everybody's eyes as he looked around distractedly. "Dumbledore is dead. ..."

"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world," said Professor McGonagall curtly, just as the hospital doors opened again and Hagrid walked in.

He was shaking with tears, a vast, spotted handkerchief in his hand.

"I've... I've done it, Professor," he choked. "M-moved him. Professor Sprout's got the kids back in bed. Professor Flitwick's lyin down, but he says he'll be all righ' in a jiffy, an' Professor Slughorn says the Ministry's bin informed."

"Thank you, Hagrid," said Professor McGonagall, standing up at once and turning to look at the group around Bill and Arthur's beds. "I shall have to see the Ministry when they get here. Hagrid, please tell the Heads of Houses--Slughorn can represent Slytherin-- that I want to see them in my office forthwith. I would like you to join us too."

As Hagrid nodded, turned, and shuffled out of the room again, she looked down at Harry. "Before I meet them I would like a quick word with you, Harry. If you'll come with me..."

Harry stood up, murmured "See you in a bit" to us, following her out of the ward.

Everybody began muttering quietly to each other, exhaustion setting in. But Gennie kept looking anxiously at the door, waiting for Cole to appear. He'd been gone for a good half an hour now, and I was praying he hadn't done anything stupid.

But then the door slammed open and silence fell as Cole entered. His classic rock t-shirt was soaked in blood, jeans ripped with claw marks and grazes, trainer soles falling off. But what was most startling was the figure in his arms.

Sam.

He cradled her body as if she was a baby, one small hand dangling in mid-air. He'd wrapped his hoodie around her, and she was swamped by it, tufts of blonde hair barely visible.

Hermione let out a sob as Cole passed her wordlessly. I thought of all the additional classes Sam and Hermione shared, the revision plans constructed, friendly competition rife in exams... As much as it got on my nerves, I longed for nothing more than Sam boasting about the seven hours of revision she'd done.

Cole stopped at the bed opposite Arthur's, placing Sam gently on it. He kissed her forehead tenderly, before sitting down on a chair next to her. He stared straight ahead, eyes haunted and empty.

Gennie let out a sigh of relief, and approached her boyfriend. She placed a hand on his shoulder but he brushed it off, murmering, "Leave me alone, Gen."

Gennie retreated back to her dad, looking distraught as Cole sighed deeply, rubbing one hand on his forehead. Gennie gave me a pleading look, and I got to my feet, and knelt in front of Cole.

"Cole?" I whispered softly. I noticed fresh blood was trailing down his arms. "Are you hurt?"

He didn't speak, though tears began to stream wordlessly down his face. Gently I placed my hand on his knee, and something in him snapped.

Cole slapped my hand away so quickly that I lost my balence, landing with a flump on the floor. Cole seemed shocked by this, jumping up and pushing his chair back.

"No, no, no I didn't mean to hurt you, no don't be mad, please.... Please don't be upset, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

I got to my feet, raising my hands. "I'm fine, look you just shoved me, I'll live."

"No it's not fine, I could have hurt you, I'm always hurting people!" Cole shouted, his voice high. "If I hadn't been so nice, oh no he never would have met her, he never would have hurt her, destroy her..."

"Cole..."

"I SHOULD HAVE SAVED HER!" Cole howled, wounded, punching the wall aggressivley.

And again.

And again.

And again.

There was blood across his knuckles by the time Gennie had sprinted to him, rescuing him from his destructive trance by wrapping her arms around his frame. Cole collapsed onto her with shuddering sobs, Gennie holding onto him.

"I-I had to protect her, promised her, promised her I'd always protect her." Cole mumbled, his face a broken glass. "I--I saved her from him hitting her, why couldn't I save her from a spell?"

I knelt in front of my mess of a best friend, feeling empathy for him. "I know how you feel, Cole, I really do. Your heart feels tight and fills your whole chest, and all the good memories you had with your best friend are replaying over and over again."

Cole whimpered as a confirmation.

"But you have to be strong, you have to draw all the sadness into an anger that can destroy those who hurt you." I said though my voice was shaking, memories of both Kayley and Sam rising up in indentical tidal waves in my mind. "Sometimes to be build up you need to fall down."

"That's great and all, Rory." Cole chuckled, his smile a broken hinge. "But right now, I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing."

- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

A/N I've missed writing so much, I really love this chapter :-)

Song of the chapter: Human by Christina Perri 

Any thoughts of what is going to happen next chapter? It's going to be emotional fyi.

Also, quick question--who do you think suits playing Arthur better? Will Darbyshire or Phil Lester? I can't decide oops