Lily Potter (Harry Potter's Twin)

Chapter 81

I flew down the tallest tower at Hogwarts. My heart raced, I felt tears run down my face, mixing with the blood from the gash. This would be the first of many scars...

Then, I saw him. A crumpled figure with limps distorted in awkward positions.

I was very well aware that this was to happen. However, witnessing the scene tore my heart out. There was still no preparation for seeing him here, spread-eagle, broken: the greatest wizard I had ever, or would ever, meet.

Dumbledore's eyes were closed; but from the strange angle of his arms and legs, he might have been sleeping. I wanted to reach out and straighten the half-moon spectacles upon the crooked nose, or wipe the trickle of blood from the mouth, but I couldn't move from my kneeling state.

I closed my eyes, my breathing so heavy I felt as though I would pass out.

I glanced at the Dark Mark above me. It twisted and went in and out of focus. Its transparency made me frustrated. Something that represents an act so evil shouldn't be whimsical. I looked down at the dead headmaster. The Mark cast a green, hollow glow upon his white face. Perhaps that is why Voldemort chose this green light. It made the dead look worse.

A noise broke me from my trance. Glancing up at the great oak doors, I saw people flooding out. People were fleeing. As I watched, feeling as defeated as ever, Hagrid's Hut became engulfed in thick, hot flames. Voices were yelling, Fang was screaming, the fire was crackling, yet it all mixed in my brain into a big melting pot on incoherent sound.

My gazed stayed glued in the direction of the Death Eaters. Spells shinned occasionally. And then, silence. The flames were put out. It was over.

The great oak doors opened, students came towards my direction. I was confused before I remembered I was directly under the symbol of the death, next to a victim of death. Harry and Hagrid would soon be here.

The crowd murmured and gasped, all unsure what to do. The teachers and students alike were dumbstruck. Harry made his way to the front of the crowd to were I kneeled closest to Dumbledore's body.

I heard Hagrid's moans and cries of pains carry over the crowd. I looked at Harry to see his sported a similar cut to mine on his cheek, no doubt left from his duel with Snape. Harry reached out and straightened the spectacles and wiped the blood from the mouth.

Harry mourned silently, just staring at the body as I was doing just moments ago. He seemed to realize the severity of the situation, the crease between his eyebrows growing more and more intense. He suddenly broke from his thoughts, looking down at his knee. He picked up the locket he worked so hard to get. It was open, something was obviously wrong. He pried out the paper that was jammed into where the picture would have been. It was a note. Harry unfolded the note, scanning it in the light cast from the lantern of evil above us and the light of many wands raised behind us. He sighed deeply before crumpling the note in his palm.

The locket was not a Horcrux. Dumbledore, in his eyes, died for nothing. I moved closer to him.

"C'mere, Harry, Lily..."

I got up, my brother did not. Hagrid nodded at me.

"Yeh can' stay here, Harry... Come on, now..."

Harry still did not move. Hagrid's hand on his shoulder was trembling. Then another voice said, "Harry, come on."

Ginny's hand enclosed around Harry's other shoulder. He obeyed without much thought, it seemed. She grabbed his hand, then grabbed my hand, leading us back to the castle. She smelled of flowers, a comforting scent. Incomprehensible voices battered me, sobs and shouts and wails stabbed the night, but we walked on, back up the steps into the entrance hall. Faces swam on the edges of my vision, people were peering at us, wondering, whispering, and the Gryffindor rubies glistened on the floor like drops of blood as we made our way to the marble staircase. The Death Eaters must have broken our hourglass.