Weasley Twins - A Fate You Can't Escape

Chapter 107 - Lessons in Heartbreak

Today is the first day of classes after the break.  I spotted Ginny Weasley when the students returned from the station, but she's been rather elusive since.  The Carrows seem rather gleeful to have the children back in the castle.  They happily hex many of the students as the pass by.

I see a seventh year Gryffindor girl, healing a young Hufflepuff in a side corridor.  I watch as she wipes his tears with her sleeve, whispering comforting things to him.  I recognize her from Sludhorn's potions  class, Lavender Brown.  As she stands, I see a long pink mark across her face.  Is this the injury Ginny mentioned in her letter?

Finished with the boy, she heads my way, our eyes meeting as she passes.  Her face is expressionless, but I stumble back as one word echoes loudly through my head; flower.  Sorrow fills me as I realize what that means.  She is on the list.  She would be a casualty of this cruel war.

Tears burning in my throat, I follow the familiar path to the kitchens.  I say a quick greeting to the elves, before taking the tunnel to the tapestry.  I hope Ginny has left a note for me.  I missed her over the break.

As I climb the last step, I see a square of white on the stone wall.  I peel it off and unfold it.  After whispering the code, the words appear.

'H,

So first off, no updates on Luna. My parents tried to talk to her father, but he refused to see them. I wonder if he's been contacted about a ransom or something.

Second, some more personal news.  Fred proposed to he girlfriend over Christmas.  They are engaged and planning a summer wedding.  I am so sorry.

Also, there's a small bag of sweets for you on the floor under this note.

Love,

G"

He proposed.  The love of my life proposed to another girl.  I feel like I'm going to be sick.  He has really moved on.  In five months, he had gotten over me, started a relationship, and proposed to her.  Did I even mean anything to him at all?  Was I that forgettable?  Or had everything just been terribly one-sided, and I was too blind and dumb to see it.

I scoop up the bag of candy off the floor, shoving it into my robes along with the now blank note.  I go about my day, feeling hollow.  I grade papers and schedule detentions in a haze.  I am numb, running on autopilot.  My mind struggles to grasp the realities of life.  It's like I'm stuck inside a glass fish bowl, the outside world muted and distorted. 

My feet carry me through the halls to dinner, not really aware of anyone around me.  But then some one says my name, and the fish bowl shatters.

"Hazel?"

My eyes focus in to find Professor Snape looking at me from across the hallway.  The dam breaks, and all the emotions hit me.  I burst into tears and run to him.  He clutches me close close as I sob hysterically into his chest.  His long fingers run through my hair as he shushes me softly.

"What happened?"  He asks in my ear.

"I..."  I hesitate, not wanting to say it out loud.  I pull back slightly, looking into his eyes, silently giving him permission.  He understand, and I fell his presence as I replay Ginny's note in my mind.

"Come with me."  He says, pulling away.  He takes my hand and leads me to out rooms.  Once there, he pours us both a glass of fire whiskey, and pulls a small wooden box from his bookshelf.  We sit on the rug, and he opens the box.  Inside is a collection of photos.  He pulls one out and hands it to me.  The first thing I notice how young he is.  Clad in his school robes, I would guess him to be in fourth or fifth year.  Next, I notice the girl beside him.  Her red hair falls in waves, her smile bright, green eyes shining.

"Lily."  I murmur, recognizing the girl I've been compared to a few times.

"I loved her.  With everything I was.  But she loved someone else.  She married him and had a child.  And I grew to resent her for it.  I held on to that, hating James, even hating Harry.  I let it destroy me."

He had been in love with Harry's mom.  I guess it makes since why he always looked like Harry's existence tortured him.  In a way, I suppose it did.

"Now look at me."  He takes the photo back, placing it in the box.  "Alone, friendless, and bitter.  Don't let this turn you into me."

I take a long drink from my glass.

"Sorry to break it to you, Sir, but I'm already there.  Alone, friendless, and bitter."

"But it's not too late for that to change."  He shakes his head.

"Oh?  And it is for you?"  I retort with a humorless laugh.

"I'm afraid so."

"Nonsense."  I declare.  "Lupin got his life together in just the last few years..  Now he's happily married with a kid on the way."

"Well, he's not a well known Death Eater."  Snape grumbles.

"But he is a werewolf."  I remind him, putting a hand on his arm.  "And after all this is over, you'll be free from the Death Eater title.  You'll be free to chose your own path."

"If only it was that easy." He closes his eyes.

***

I try to keeps Snape's advice in mind as the days pass slowly. Anger burns through me at times, making me want to blame Fred, blame the girl. But I don't want my life to be about how he broke my heart. I can't let it.

I am carrying a stack of graded papers to Slughorn's office, when I hear shouting. Curious, I follow the noise through the castle. As the noise gets louder, I recognize the voices; Ginny Weasley and Alecto Carrow. I pick up my pace, worried that someone is about to get hurt. I skid around the corner, nearly running into Ginny.

"You are nothing but a spoiled brat. Who do you think you are to stop me?" Carrow growls, wand drawn.

"Ginny Weasley, you ugly troll's butt." The ginger girl says proudly. "Stupify!"

The spell hit the woman, sending her falling backwards onto the floor. Ginny tosses a dung bomb by the woman before grabbing the arm of a younger student and fleeing the scene. All too familiar with the strength and range of the twin's dung bombs, I follow suit.

I continue to follow Ginny through the castle. She ducks and weaves around students with purpose. I almost lose her a few times, but manage not to. When we hit the seventh floor, I realize where she's going. I turn left when she goes right, making sure I don't have a visual of her actually going into the room of requirement.

I circle back down, out of breath when I finally reach Slughorn's office. I knock on the door, breathing heavily when he opens it.

"Good afternoon, Sir. Sorry I'm late." I wheeze, bending over slightly.

"Goodness, Miss Taylor. Did you sprint all the way here?" He muses, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, sir. I got distracted chasing a student who cursed a teacher. Unfortunately I lost her mid pursuit." I bring the graded papers to him and set them on his desk.

"Thank you." He puts them in a drawer. "Any chance you could prep these lacewing flies for the first year class? They always manage to mess it up."

"Sure thing, sir." I grab the supplies and sit down to work. As I work, my mind wanders.

After what Ginny did today, I'm not sure how she'll be able to finish out the school year. I'm sure both Carrows will have it out for her. Is she just planning on camping out in the room of requirement? Is she going to try to go home?

Either way, I have a feeling Ginny has something up her sleeve.

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