Song for this chapter: When It's Cold I'd Like to Die - Moby

TW death, violence, blood

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I eventually move and get off the ground long enough to bring my son's body to the Great Hall.

There are rows and rows of the dead taking up a good portion of the room. I see the entire Weasley family crowded over a body and weeping. As Regulus and I walk past I take a closer only to find out that Fred Weasley is dead. My heart hurts at the fact that he was only twenty years old.

Regulus lays Atlas's body down on an empty cot next to Jack's body.

He has blood splattered on his shirt and tears rolling down his face. There's blood all over my clothes and I can feel it drying on my face.

I look between the two corpses in front of me and feel utterly numb. It hurts so bad. I kneel down between the cots and hold Atlas's cold hand and sob.

Parents should never outlive their children.

Regulus sits beside me and wraps his arm around me, pulling me against him. I let my head fall against his chest as we both cry over the body of our son and I cry over the body of a friend.

I don't know how much time has passed, but eventually, someone comes over to us.

"Oh, Meredith, Regulus," Molly Weasley says. "I'm so sorry, dears."

I look up at her through teary eyes. Her eyes are red and her face is splotchy from crying.

"I'm sorry, too, Molly," I tell her.

She nods solemnly then her expression hardens. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news," She trails off, looking at Regulus and me with pity, "But they got Remus and Tonks."

"What?" Regulus asks.

I stare up at Molly, trying to process what she just said.

"I'm so sorry," She says. "Their bodies got brought in shortly after Fred."

I stand up, Regulus right behind me, and Molly nods to her left. I look over and see Remus and Tonks lying dead on cots, both of their hands reaching out for each other.

"No, no, no," I mumble. My eyes flicker between all of the bodies surrounding me. My son, my childhood friend, my closest friend, my friend and favorite person to go on missions with. My family. "No, this can't have happened."

Molly frowns, looking devastated. "I'm sorry," She says sincerely.

Regulus grabs me and holds me as I cry. His body is shaking as he cries, and I bury my face into his shoulder.

"Teddy," Regulus mutters quietly.

I cry even harder at the mention of him. Teddy Lupin will grow up without his parents, never knowing their faces, or what their voices sound like, or how much they love him.

I cry until the tears run out and I'm on the brink of collapsing due to exhaustion.

Eventually, I sit down on the floor next to Atlas's body. I just stare straight ahead, not feeling anything but pain and devastation.

"Everybody, come outside," Someone yells from the entrance to the Great Hall.

It's enough to pull me back to reality. I make eye contact with my husband before both of us are joining everybody else outside.

Judging by the color of the sky, it's the early hours of the morning. Smoke and ash cover the ruins of the courtyard, and clouds hang low in the sky. The entire sight is unsettling on its own. Across the bridge is Voldemort, followed by his entire army.

Voldemort nears closer, Nagini at his side, and I spot Hagrid behind him.

"Who's that Hagrid's carrying?" Ginny Weasley asks, stepping forward only to be held back by her father. "Neville, who is it?"

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort yells.

Ginny runs forward. "No! No!" She screams. Arthur grabs her by the arm and pulls her back.

"Silence!" Voldemort yells. "Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me.

The entire courtyard is silent. I feel a tear roll down my cheek but wipe it away.

Voldemort walks back to his followers. "Harry Potter is dead!" He announces. They all start laughing, and Voldemort laughs with them as he turns back around to look at us. "And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us, or die."

Nobody moves an inch.

"Draco," Lucius Malfoy beckons. "Oh, Draco."

I turn around to see Draco Malfoy standing by a pillar, staring across the courtyard at his father.

"Draco," Narcissa Malfoy says, "Come."

The seventeen year old boy hesitates but eventually moves forward to join his parents. He nearly bumps Regulus as he walks by.

Regulus holds his hand out. "Don't do it," He mutters.

"Ah, Regulus Black," Voldemort says. "Interfering with my plans again? Let the boy pass or I'll see to it that someone takes care of your other son and your little baby girl."

Regulus's jaw tenses and he grits his teeth before stepping back beside me.

Voldemort smiles evilly as Draco joins him.

"Well done, Draco. Well done." Voldemort hugs him awkwardly, wand aimed toward anyone who might try to stop him.

Draco goes to his parents and his mother wraps her arm around him and pulls him aside.

I watch as Neville Longbottom limps toward Voldemort, holding the Sorting Hat, and all eyes are on him.

"Ah, well, I must say I'd hope for better," Voldemort says. All of the Death Eaters laugh. "And who might you be, young man?"

"Neville Longbottom."

There is more laughter.

"Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks-"

"I'd like to say something," Neville interrupts.

Voldemort stares at him, visibly angry. "Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say,"

"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," He starts.

"Stand down, Neville," A Gryffindor boy calls.

"People die every day. Friends, family," Neville pauses. "Yeah. We lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us, in here." He points to his heart. "So's Fred, and Remus. Tonks. Atlas. All of them."

I hold onto Regulus's hand tighter and he squeezes my hand back in reassurance.

"They didn't die in vain," Neville says before turning to Voldermort, who is starting to laugh. "But you will. Because you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us! For all of us! This is not over!" He reaches into the Sorting Hat and pulls out the Sword of Gryffindor.

Harry goes falling out of Hagrid's arms and gets up from the ground running. All hell breaks loose. Voldemort stares at Harry with a shocked expression.

"Harry, here!" Draco yells, throwing his wand to Harry.

"Confringo," Harry says, aiming the wand at a group of Death Eaters. They all go stumbling back onto the ground.

Voldemort fires back spells at Harry, missing every time. A bunch of Death Eaters start to apparate away and Bellatrix screams for them to come back.

Everyone goes running back into the castle, so I grab Regulus by the arm and drag him with me back into the castle just in time as Kingsley puts up a protection spell.

Death Eaters are firing spells but they all go bouncing off of the wards. I grab my wand and fire spells back, managing to stun a couple of Death Eaters.

The ward breaks and the remaining Death Eaters storm the castle as Voldemort chases after Harry.

I end up in a duel with a woman in her early twenties. She aims spell after spell at me but I dodge every single one. However, she also manages to dodge every one of my spells.

We go back and forth for a few minutes before something catches her eye on the other side of the Great Hall and she lets her guard down just long enough for me to get her.

"Confringo," I say. Her robes catch on fire first before she bursts into flames.

I'm about to help Regulus take on another Death Eater when all of the sudden they start retreating. One by one all of the Death Eaters flee until there are none remaining.

I lower my wand and look at Regulus.

"It's over," I say.

He nods, "It's finally over."

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I promise there are no more deaths. There will be one more chapter then an epilogue. You've made it through the hard part.