"Get off her, Fenrir," Petra said irritably. Harshly, she shoved me away from him.
"Get your bit over with, Petra," Bellatrix said. "Just get the ring so we can go once Draco ends Dumbledore."
"Well that's easy enough," Petra said, wrapping her hand around my throat and lifting me slightly in the air. "I just have to kill her." My body shuttered as I scratched at her hands, desperately gasping for breath. Pushing me toward the edge of the tower, she said, "This'll be quicker." My eyes were wide as I hung over the edge.
"Draco," I gasped. He wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was staring harshly at the ground.
"Goodbye, Valerie," Petra said before she let go. I screamed, beginning to plummet toward the ground.
"Valerie!" Albus shouted. I changed forms and flung out my wings, hoping I was quick enough, but, though I was significantly slowed, I hit the ground hard, letting out a loud squawk. I changed back, gasping for breath. My breathing was harsh and ragged. Blood covered the ground around me. I couldn't move.
I didn't know how long had passed before I saw a blurred image of Petra crouch before me and pick up my hand. She tried to wrestle off the ring, but it stayed, eventually blasting her away from me. "Come on, Petra! Forget the ring!" Snape shouted. My vision went in and out as someone picked me up and began to move me toward the castle.
"Valerie," a voice shouted, but it was dulled as if coming from far away. I opened my eyes and saw Remus standing over me. I groaned as a harsh pain overwhelmed me, but I rolled over all the same. A crowd had gathered around my bed and one two down from me. I got up, crying out in pain and ignoring Remus' attempts to get me to lay down. My head pounded and the rest of my body ached.
"Valerie, you need to lie down," Madam Pomfrey said.
"No," I protested. "Where is he?"
"Valerie," Remus tried again, grabbing onto my elbows.
"Where is he?" I shouted, fighting from his grip and instantly having to brace myself against the bed. "Where is Draco?"
"Valerie, he-" Harry said.
"Tell me he didn't do it," I demanded, trying and failing to keep my vision steady enough to look Harry in the eye. He shook his head. "T-Then he's not dead?" Harry looked away, refusing to meet my gaze. I let out a breath, sinking into the bed. "This is my fault. It's all my fault."
"Valerie, calm down," Remus said. "You were badly injured."
"I knew this was going to happen!" I screamed. "I figured it out! I knew! But I thought, I thought it was just going to be Draco! I could've talked him down, but I had no idea they would bring more. I didn't know-"
"Valerie," Remus said quietly.
"Molly, Arthur," McGonagall said, standing as they rushed in with Fleur and the twins behind them.
"Bill," Molly exclaimed, rushing over to him. "Oh, Bill!" George followed as Fred rushed over to me.
"Val," he said, hugging me gently.
"He's dead, Fred," I said, hugging him back and trying not to scream from the pain. "Dumbledore's dead."
"I heard," he replied. "I know Snape killed him." I nodded and turned to look at Bill. My body was trembling as I staggered over to him.
Fred supported me over as Molly said, "And he was going to be married!"
"And what do you mean by zat?" Fleur snapped. "What do you mean ee was going to be married?"
"Well, only that-" Molly began.
"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" Fleur thundered. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"
"No, that's not what I-"
"Because 'e will!" Fleur retorted. "It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill from loving me!"
"Well, yes, I'm sure," Molly replied. "But I thought perhaps, given how - how he-"
"You thought I would not wish to marry him?" Fleur snapped. "Or per'aps, you 'oped? What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" She took the ointment being applied to his marks by Molly.
"Our Great-Auntie Muriel," she said finally, "has a beautiful tiara, goblin-made, which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."
"Thank you," Fleur replied stiffly. "I am sure zat would be lovely." The two then hugged.
"You see!" Tonks said, glaring at Remus. "She still wants to marry him, even though it's been bitten! She doesn't care!"
"It's different," Remus said quietly, looking like he was trying to divert everyone's attention from the two of them. "Bill will not be full-werewolf. The cases are completely-"
"But I don't care either! I don't care!" Tonk shouted. "I've told you a million times!"
"And I've told you a million times," he replied. "That I am too old for you, too poor, and too dangerous."
"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," Molly said.
"I agree," I said. "Remus, I know you think you're too broken, but she wants you. Does that mean nothing?"
"This is not the moment to discuss it," Remus said awkwardly.
I had been leaning more and more on Fred the entire time and had now finally was fully leaning against him. Quickly, he picked me up and lay me down on my bed. "You need to rest, Luv," Fred said. "Madam Pomfrey said you broke both your shoulder blades, punctured your lung, and broke three ribs. You also have a bad concussion. Get some sleep, okay?"
......................................................................................
I sat between Fred and George for the funeral. I had mostly healed by then, but my body was covered in scars and I was still very sore. As a wizard went forward to speak, I heard without listening as I stared at the cold, pale face of Dumbledore. Dumbledore's body was consumed in flame when the man had stopped speaking and he sunk into the marble tomb. "Fred, I need to talk to you," I said. He followed me to the edge of the lake, the same place I had explained to him everything with Dad, Wormtail, and Remus in the fifth year.
"What is it?" he asked, looking at me with concern.
"I don't know if anyone told you, but the reason I was thrown off the tower was that Petra...my mother...was trying to kill me to get my ring," I said. "She wants it back more than anything, Fred, and she will kill anyone who stands in the way."
"What are you saying?" Fred asked, brows furrowed.
"I'm giving you a choice," I said, grabbing his hands. Looking into his confused eyes, I explained, "If she gets the chance, she will kill you, Fred, if we remain as we are, but if you leave me then she wouldn't see you as important to me."
"Valerie-" he began.
"Fred, listen to me," I interrupted. "Just listen." He quieted. "Either that or...we can face this together. It's unfair for me to make that choice so I'm giving it to you."
"Valerie, I love you more than anything," Fred said, cupping my cheek. "If I was going to be scared by something like that, then I wouldn't have asked you to marry me." Gently kissing my forehead, he promised, "I'm with you until the end."
"Okay," I replied softly, going on tip-toe to kiss him. "And for the record, I love you too."
"Valerie, will you marry me this summer?" Fred asked.
I smiled. "Yes."