Muggle (Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Chapter 22

I swayed to the side as I felt a voice infiltrate my mind. George wrapped his arm around me which seemed to steady both of us. "You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

     "Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste.

     "Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. 

     "You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. 

     "I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted you friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

     Death Eaters went up in columns of black spoke all around us. "We need to get to the Great Hall," Lupin spoke. His hand was intertwined with Tonks' and I was glad.

     We slowly walked towards the Great Hall. It was the place many flocked to. "Georgie," Fred appeared by George. I pulled away from George slowly and held my arms out to Fred.

     "Hey, Freddie," I quietly spoke, "good to see you."

     "You saved my life, Cate. I can't ever repay you," Fred whispered into her hair. 

     I held tightly onto him. The man who was like my brother that had protected me before. It was time to repay that help. "She's my future wife and carrying my child; not yours," George teased his brother. Fred weakly laughed and pulled away from me. 

     George wrapped his arm around me. It seemed like a loving gesture, which it was, but I knew he didn't want me to disappear from his reach. I didn't want to leave his side either.

     "Cate," I looked up at George, "have you thought of names yet?" 

     My mouth dropped open. "We haven't even known for sure that I was pregnant until I nearly died. Of course I haven't thought of names," I realized I sounded quiet rude but George ignored it. 

     "You're right," George spoke. "I was just trying to-"

     "Defuse the tension," I cut in. "I just haven't thought of any. Do you have any names that come to mind?" Thinking of names was a way to think of the light at the end of the dark tunnel. 

     "Cecelia," George put the name out there. "It was one of the names Mum and Dad almost chose for Ginny. Rosalie or Rosaline, but I'm more partial to the name Emmaline. If you don't like those names, than that's all right. But I do require our daughter to have a nickname."

     I lightly laughed and moved his arm from around me back to his side. He was confused and also seemed a bit hurt until I intertwined our fingers. "What if our baby is a boy?" I asked.

     George's face returned to a happy state. Dirt covered his face and dried blood was apparent in a few places. He stopped talking as soon as he realized I wasn't listening. "Have I got something on my nose?" George asked. I slid my hand behind his neck and pulled his lips onto mine. 

     Someone cleared their throat and we broke apart. Fred stood there with a grave face. "Percy was hurt. Rookwood led him into a trap. He'll be fine but he's unconscious right now."

     George and I breathed a sigh of relief as we realized Percy would be fine. "Thank you, Freddie," I told the twin. 

     I tasted salt and I realized that both George and I had been crying as we kissed. He didn't try to hide it as he pulled me into a hug. His chin rested on the top of my head. Never had I cared about height but I was loving George's tall stature at that moment. 

     "We need to involve your father's name somehow," I muttered into George's chest. He nodded and I felt his lips on the top of my head. 

     "Thank you," I could tell it wasn't just about using Dad's name. 

     "I like the name Jasper for a boy. Or Poppy Faye for a girl.  But the name Alec Edmund Arthur has a ring to it."

     "Poppy Emmaline Faye," George mused. "I like it. Now, for a boy, what about Jasper Callan Arthur?"

     I smiled and looked down at my barely existent baby bump. "I hope this baby is a prankster," George place his hand on my stomach. "They'll go to Hogwarts and carry on Fred and I's legacy."

     "I'll be so proud," I muttered, a small grin on my face. But it soon faded away as I looked at the Great Hall. 

     Those who could stand seemed to be wavering on their feet. A centaur had a terrible injury that kept him from getting up. He seemed to be shaking just from the effort of laying on his non-wounded side. 

     "I hate this war," I whispered to myself. My hand went to my stomach and it bathed it in soft golden light. 

     "Oh, Cate!" Molly came towards me and pulled me into a tight hug till she remember I almost died. "You gave us such a fright! But Fred told me you saved his life along with the lives of Tonks and Remus. I can never thank you enough!" 

     Molly began to cry and Dad led her away. He shot me a look of gratefulness. I returned it with a smile of happiness yet it was doused in sorrow. "I can't believe I actually save them," I whispered. George's hands found their way to my upper arms and he gave them a light squeeze. 

     "You did," I sighed but he stopped me, "but you can't save everyone. It just isn't possible. Be glad just as we are. Fred is still with us as are Tonks and Remus. You saved your future brother-in-law from death and that is something we can never repay. Cate, you aren't the savior, but you can bloody well be a bright light that helps those she can."

     "I love you," I blurted. George chuckled and lowered his head towards me. 

     "I know," he pecked my lips. I huffed in return. 

     "Where's my 'I love you too', George?" I teased. 

     He smirked. "You'll be hearing that for eternity, if I have any say in it."

* * * 

Feel free to comment baby names for either a boy or girl. You can also comment on the names I suggested and I will take that into account. Thanks so much for reading this story and this chapter of Muggle. I feel so blessed that this book is something people enjoy to read!

     ~Lillana45897