Petrified (Fred Weasley Love Story)

Chapter 19 - He's Back

"Are you ok?" I yelled over the roaring sound of flames around us. He nodded, grasping me in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're alive" he whispered in my ear. I pulled back and looked at him with a smile.

"Back at ya".

"Charlotte!" I heard him yell. I look back to see Voldemort's eyes on me. Dumbledore takes this opportunity to suck him up into a spinning vortex of water.

Harry stands, and I reach out to pull him back but he's already walking towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore quickly sends him back with a wave of air to get him out of harm's way, and I'm at his side, but Voldemort's already broken out of the spell from Dumbledore's spilt second diversion of attention.

Suddenly I feel myself leave the ground and Harry calls my name, trying to grasp my hand but I'm pulled away and left hanging high in the air. This time I am not frozen though, but everything around me is distorted slightly, like I'm encased in some sort of bubble.

I understand why when glass begins to rain, missing me in my bubble and then being directed straight at Harry and Dumbledore. "HARRY!" I scream, but I'm no use, suspended in the air.

"Charlotte!" I hear and look over at the source. Fred screamed my name, but he can't get to me through the glass being shot across to room. I press against the bubble, trying to push out of it but it's solid. I press my palm to the inside.

The whistling of glass flying through the air stops and I look over to see Voldemort's manic smile had disappeared. His eyes twitched to me, and sand was surrounding me in a hurricane.

"Fred!" I screaming for him, the hurricane swirling,  but moments later, falling away to nothing.

Fred was on his knees, yelling my names and staring at the spot where I floated. I called back to him but it seemed he couldn't hear me, like I wasn't here at all.

Harry crumpled to the ground and Dumbledore was beside him instantly, but Harry convulsed and shook all over, his eyes clouding over in white murkiness and his voice took on a hissing, low tone.

"You've lost old man" he hissed. His body began to jerk and he grunted and groaned in pain.

"Harry" I whispered, watching uselessly. Dumbledore reached his hand out to him.

"It isn't how you are alike. It's how you are not" Dumbledore told him.

Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny ran in from one of the many doorways, looking around the destroyed room and stopping short when they saw Harry on the ground. They joined Fred, George and Roze and looked at Harry with sorrow.

"You're the weak one. And you'll never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you" Harry spoke in ragged breaths.

He was forced over and a blackness emerged from his chest and sand circled around him, but then everything froze. Everything except Harry, Voldemort and myself.

"Stop!" I yelled. Voldemort and Harry's eyes fell on me.

"Charlotte, they are all weak. You are strong and better than any of them could ever be. You are better suited for a life with me" Voldemort said, looking at me.

"I will never be with you, I am not your daughter. I had loving parents, who you killed! You covet me because I am of value as a weapon" I spat back. I looked at Harry and made eye contact. "You could never love" I repeated the words from Harry's mouth, staring down Voldemort with all the hate I had for him.

"You will see differently" Voldemort replied in anger and turned to Harry. "You're a fool Harry Potter, and you will lose everything" Voldemort told him as he hovered above him. He held his hand out towards me when the fireplaces lit up with green flickering flames, people emerging , including the minister. Voldemort's hand lowered as he and the minister made eye contact and many of the people lifted their wands.

Voldemort disappeared into a hurricane of sand once again, but with the new wizards, he didn't have time to get me too, but once he had disappeared, the bubble he had around me did too and my stomach dropped as I fell to the ground. I heard bones crack as I hit the floor, but somehow stayed conscious.

"He's back" I heard Fudge's annoying voice, but my eyes stayed glued shut, even when I tried my hardest to open them.

"Charlotte" I hear Fred's voice and my heart lifts. His warm hands are on my cheek and my arms, warming me. "Charlotte, open your eyes. Please open your eyes" he begged.

Opening my eyes felt like prying open a metal crate that had been nailed shut, and then welded for good measure, but I was rewarded with the most gorgeous brown eyes staring into mine.

Fred leaned over me, concern etched on his handsome face and his thumb stroked my cheek.

"Char" he breathed, a relieved smile appearing on his lips.

I smiled back at him. "You bloody idiot" I half laughed, half coughed. The look of confusion on his face was priceless. "If you ever do anything like that again, I will turn you into a gnome." I told him, glaring playfully as he was still confused. "You didn't let me tell you I was in love with you too" I said, clearing up what I was talking about.

Fred's eyes widened and the smile that spread on his lips was amazing. "And I do, I love you Fred. I'm in love with you" I whispered.

"I'm in love with you too Char" he replied. I managed another smile before my eyelids snapped shut, too heavy to hold open anymore. Last I heard was Fred yelling for help before I faded away into darkness.