Chapter 33 (Ava)

My body felt numb. I didn't know how long it had been since Voldemort's announcement, but it had felt like hours. Carrying bodies into the castle had been tiring work- not just physically but emotionally, and I was becoming more and more worried- I hadn't seen Neville for hours, and had no idea where he was. I feared to look at the face of every body that was carried in. Until-

"Ava."

Neville's voice rang out across the Great Hall, and my whole body sagged with relief. We moved towards each other, stumbling into a clumsy embrace.

"I thought you were dead," Neville whispered, "I hadn't seen you for... for hours-"

"We're fine," I murmured against his cheek, "We're fine."

He squeezed me to him tightly, and after a moment I pulled away, "Come on, there's still a few more bodies."

We moved out of the hall, walking past Fred as we did. He gave me a small smile and I managed one back, but I still felt hollow inside.

As we turned the corner, I spotted a smaller figure slumped in the corner, and Neville's hand instantly wrapped itself around mine. The air rushed out of my lungs.

"Colin," I whispered, and I felt bile rise up in my throat, "Oh, God..."

I hadn't realised he'd snuck back in to fight- I hadn't known, otherwise I would have stopped him. I suddenly felt the guilt for all these deaths crush me, and I stepped back, pulling my hand away from Neville's.

"I'm sorry, I... I can't..."

I didn't wait to see Neville's reaction, and simply turned away. Part of me considered going back to the Great Hall to see Fred, but the knowledge that Remus' body was right there was too much to bear. Instead, I approached the doors and stood outside, staring around me at the destruction that the battle had caused.

I dropped my head, expecting tears to fall, but none came. Perhaps I'd seen so much death I'd become numb to it. Perhaps I'd lost the ability to feel. Perhaps I feared that we were losing this war after all, after everything that had happened.

I refused to stop fighting though. I wouldn't allow everyone's deaths to go by without being worth something.

"Ava."

I gasped loudly as Harry emerged in front of me, dropping the Invisibility Cloak from his head.

"Harry," I whispered, "You're... what are you doing?"

He blinked at me, looking as though he were in a dream, "Ava... I have to... I have to go. To the Forbidden Forest-"

"No." I stopped him, "Don't say that. There's a way... Everyone here still wants to fight. We won't let you die-"

"I have to die, Ava," He murmured, and I stared.

"No you don't. You don't have to be a martyr, Harry. This isn't how it ends-"

"Stop!" His plea was weak, "Ava, I'm not being a martyr. I do. I have to die."

I shook my head slowly, and he began to speak again before I could.

"The mission I went on- the one I wouldn't tell you about," He began, "I was searching for something called horcruxes- they're a part of your soul that allows you to live longer. You can only die if the horcruxes are destroyed. Voldemort... he split his soul into seven. We've almost destroyed them all, but..."

I stared at him, willing him not to say what I thought he was going to say.

"A part of Voldemort's soul lives inside me, Ava. He can't die unless I die."

"No-" I started to say, "That can't be true. Who told you this?"

Harry's eyes darkened, "Professor Snape. Before you say anything," He spoke quickly as I tried to cut him off, "He's dead. He died and he gave me his memories. I just looked in the Pensieve. Ava... he was on our side all along. Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. Snape... he loved our mother. Lily. And he helped me to destroy one of the horcuxes. He's on our side. He's telling the truth. I have to die."

I opened my mouth, and closed it again. I couldn't think of anything to say to solve the issue. He couldn't be stopped. I closed my eyes.

"Can I... Can I show you something?" He asked, his voce vulnerable, and my eyes opened as he lifted the Cloak over my head.

"Yes," I whispered, but I felt as though I were walking through a dream as Harry led me across the castle grounds. I didn't want to think... didn't want to consider the fact that he would have to die. He was the only family I had left. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, so the neither of us spoke. It was only when I realised that we'd reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest that I was awakened to my senses.

"Here," Harry whispered, pulling the Cloak off and opening his trembling hand to show me the Snitch that Dumbledore had left for him. My eyes studied the inscription on the outside.

I open at the close.

I looked up at Harry, and our eyes met in mutual understanding. This was the close.

"I am about to die," Harry murmured against the surface of the Snitch. After a moment, we heard the Snitch break open. Harry's hands were shaking too much, so I lifted my wand and pointed it at his hand, whispering, "Lumos."

Inside the Snitch sat a black stone, with a crack down the middle. I looked up at Harry, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"The Resurrection Stone." He told me softly, and my heart faltered for a moment. I reached my hand out, and covered the stone in his hand.

"Ready?" I asked, and he nodded. Together, the two of us turned the stone over three times.

I opened my eyes, my hands still wrapped around Harry's, and gasped. Standing around us in a circle were four figures.

There were Remus and Sirius, who I'd seen so many times in my life but looked so different now. Sirius looked younger, and more relaxed than he'd ever been in life. He was smiling at the both of us, his eyes sparkling. Remus had less grey in his hair, less lines on his face, and despite his recent death seemed content with where he was.

The other two figures I'd seen in photos, but never in real life. When my eyes fell upon them, I tightened my grip on Harry's hands.

James and Lily Potter- our Mum and Dad- looked just like Harry and I. My father had lopsided glasses and wild messy hair- the same hair which Harry had inherited.

My mother's hair was much longer than mine, but still the same shade, and her smile almost broke her face in two.

She stepped forwards, looking between the two of us.

"You've been so brave. Both of you."

I glanced at Harry, who was staring at her desperately. My eyes stung with tears as my gaze returned to her face.

My father smiled softly, "You are nearly there, Harry. Very close. We are... so proud of you."

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked, and my grip on his hands became so tight that my knuckles turned white.

"Dying?" Sirius asked gently, "Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

Remus reached forwards, "And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over."

Harry shook his head, his unkempt hair falling over his eyes, "I didn't want you to die. Any of you. I'm sorry. Right after you'd had your son... Remus, I'm sorry-"

My throat closed up, and my eyes filled with tears.

"I am sorry too." Remus' voice was soft, "Sorry I will never know him... but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."

There was a pause.

"And he will have his godmother." Remus finished. I shook my head quickly.

"I can't..." I gulped, "Remus, I'm so sorry. I was right behind you and I could have stopped Dolohov. Everyone's dying. I'm going to be alone."

"You have your friends, Ava." My father spoke up, "Your friends, and Fred. They will help you."

"But..." I inhaled sharply, "I won't have any family left-"

Harry let go of my hands, suddenly pulling me into a fierce hug so tight I didn't think I could breathe.

"Ava," Sirius whispered, "You've managed so well this far. You can carry on. For Harry."

"Without him I have no one... I'll be alone." I finished lamely as tears spilled onto my cheeks.

"You're never alone," My mother murmured, "We're always with you. Always watching. And you have been so brave, Ava. Carry on being brave. That's what makes you what you are."

Harry pulled away, and placed his hands on my shoulders, "You must go back to the castle. Once I'm dead, you can win this battle, and win the war."

"Let me come with you," I cried, my face crumpling. Harry shook his head.

"If you come with me, Ava, then you'll only be fulfilling Voldemort's mission for you from two years ago- you'll be bringing me to my death. Instead, go back and carry on fighting."

I nodded slowly, and he took my face in his hands, "You've been everything I could have hoped for in a sister. Thank you, Ava."

"Thank you," I whispered to him, before I turned to the others.

"Thank you to all of you. You've all made me the person I am today, and I couldn't be more grateful. Make sure Harry is alright. I will..." I closed my eyes, "I will see you all again sometime soon."

"Goodbye," Harry gulped as I broke away from him and turned on my heel, my gaze following my mother and father one final time before I stumbled away from the Forbidden Forest.

My footsteps were slow as I walked through the darkness, and I couldn't tell if I was walking in the right direction. I didn't know how much time passed as I walked- it could have been minutes, or hours. My whole body felt oddly numb, and I only realised where I was when I noticed the trees thinning. I turned to the right and walked towards the castle.

Where there had been a loud, violent battle before, there was now dead silence. I stepped in through the Entrance Hall doors, and the moment I did, someone came rushing forwards.

"Ava!" Fred shouted, "Ava, I've been so worried! I didn't know where you-"

He stopped short when he caught the expression on my face.

"What's happened? What's wrong?"

I knew I couldn't tell anyone what Harry had told me. What he had done. Instead, I shook my head numbly, and said the thing that was closest to what I'd experienced.

"Remus."

Fred's arms slid around me, and he held me to his chest tightly. I inhaled his scent, and felt grateful that I still had Fred. If I were to lose him too... I didn't think I could take it. I thought of my father reminding me that I had Fred, and I felt a spark of hope inside me. I imagined what my life would have been like if my parents had survived, if they could have met Fred and got to know him...

"I love you," I turned my head up to look at him, my thumb reaching out gently to stroke his cheek. He lowered his own head and kissed my forehead gently.

The warmth from his body seeped into my own, and as he held me up in the Entrance Hall, I closed my eyes and thought of my parents, Remus, Sirius, and Harry.

Yet, as Fred murmured kind words into my ear, I was reminded that I wasn't alone yet. Not really. And we still had a battle to win. There was still hope.

There was still a chance.