Charley Effie Black

Chapter 105 - Harry Potter Is Dead!

Charley sat in the great hall beside Nymphadora's body, her arm in a sling as she watched bodies being delivered. Oliver and Charlie Weasley flew in on brooms with the body of Remus Lupin.

Charley wiped tears from her eyes. Surely, she was imagining it. Oliver laid him down. He glanced around the hall, tears in his eyes. Once he had located Charley, he took a step toward her. He paused and looked at the person laying in front of her and muttered something to Charlie.

Oliver walked over quickly and looked down at Nymphadora. He sunk to the ground and broke into sobs as Charlie brought Remus over to Nymphadora.

Charley blinked back tears as she took both Nymphadora's hand and Remus's, intertwining them one last time. She then moved beside Oliver and cried with him. He held her close to him and sobbed. They clung to each other, mourning their best friends, wishing they could've told them one last time that they loved them.

Once their crying had calmed down, Oliver asked, "What happened to your arm and your head?" He gently touched the bandage around Charley's head that she had completely forgotten was there.

Charley smiled sheepishly at him. "I didn't come down here when you told me to," she softly admitted.

"Charley..." he muttered, wrapping his arms around her.

"But I'm here now. I'm not risking my life or the twins' lives anymore," she assured him, feeling at peace with herself and what she had done, knowing that Bellatrix Lestrange wouldn't hurt her or her family any more.

Oliver pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Bellatrix is dead," he told her quietly.

"I know," Charley admitted. "I killed her."

Oliver pulled her closer and repeatedly kissed the top of her head. "Stay here, Charley. Please don't go looking for more trouble," he quietly pleaded. Charley looked up at him and smiled before gently pulling him into a kiss.

She quickly pulled away to look at the other bodies. She recognized a few. Collin Creevey walked in with his camera around his neck, blood on his face. Neville walked behind him. "Neville, can I take a picture of you?" Collin asked as Neville called for a healer.

"Of me?" Neville questioned.

"You saved me," Collin stated, holding up his camera. "And I'd like to remember you."

"Let's have someone take a picture of us both," Neville told him with a smile. Charley offered to help and took a picture of the two smiling boys. The smiles soon stopped as Kingsley Shacklebolt walked in with Fred's body floating behind him. Percy Weasley sobbed as he walked beside the body. Charley rushed over and froze.

Charlie Weasley cursed loudly as he ran over to where the body had been laid down. He frantically looked around, his gaze falling on Charley. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and tried to steady his breathing. Charley's arms tightly wrapped around him.

.

Oliver and Charley left the great hall, not being strong enough to stay there alone. Everyone else was in the courtyard with Voldemort. Oliver led Charley to a random corridor where there was no blood and no dead bodies. "I'm glad you're okay," Oliver whispered softly, pulling Charley into a hug. He pulled away slightly and pressed a kiss to her lips. Charley immediately kissed back, letting the kiss get heated.

For a moment, they were two teenagers in love without a care in the world. Until Slughorn ran over. "Harry Potter is dead!" he yelled. "It's over."

Charley pulled away. "No. He can't be dead," she stated. This wasn't a part of her dream. Harry was alive when he killed Voldemort. Charley took Oliver's hand with her free hand and ran out to the courtyard where Hagrid was holding a lifeless Harry in his arms. Charley's grip tightened on Oliver's hand.

"Olly, he's not supposed to be..." she trailed off and turned toward him, burying herself in his chest.

"It's okay, Charley. It's okay," he tried to assure her. She turned back to the scene as Neville Longbottom stepped forward to confront Voldemort. Charley blocked out everything else. She was wrong. She should've stayed at Remus and Nymphadoras' house. She shouldn't have put her children in danger and she shouldn't have left Nymphadora.

"You!" Voldemort yelled. Charley felt Oliver pull her closer. She looked over her shoulder as Voldemort glared at her. "Pathetic," he spat.

A wave of bravery (or stupidity) washed over Charley as she grabbed her wand out of her back pocket and stepped up to Voldemort. She had nothing to lose. She felt McGonagall and Ginny step up on either side of her, and Charley could hear several other girls join in before Oliver made his way up to Charley.

Charley kept her wand pointed at Voldemort, not going to let up. She shot a spell his way. He blocked it and sent one back as the others all broke out into duels. Oliver remained by her side as they dueled Voldemort.

Voldemort flicked his wand and sent Oliver's wand flying. Oliver immediately stepped forward as if he were going to punch Voldemort. Charley watched as Voldemort pointed his wand at her, disarmed her before grinning evilly, making Oliver have to make a decision.

Oliver stepped toward Charley as Charley watched in horror as the killing curse was sent toward her. Oliver immediately wrapped his arms around her protectively. "Olly, no," she said, burying her face in his chest as she expected him to go limp in her arms, but he didn't. She could still feel his chest rising, and could feel tears dripping onto her.

Charley pulled away and stared in awe as Harry Potter stood with his wand pointed at Voldemort.