**Annalise's POV**
"It's nearly time," Fred says, checking his watch. I feel my stomach clench with fear. The Order has come up with a plan to get Harry from his aunt and uncle's house. They are going to have seven decoy Harrys ride with seven Order members to seven safe houses, then take portkeys to the Burrow. I volunteered mine and Fred's place as a safe house, then Fred volunteered to be a decoy. Because someone needs to be here it means I can't go out with them, so I'll have to sit here and wait, hoping that they all get to the Burrow alive. The thought makes me want to be sick.
"Hey," Fred tilts my chin up, "we're going to be fine."
"You'd better be," I huff, hugging him tightly, "I'll come to the Burrow as soon as Fleur and Bill get here."
"Okay," he kisses me on the cheek, "I love you."
I grab him and kiss him.
"Don't you let them hurt you," I tell him fiercely.
"I won't."
He kisses me again and heads out. I try to keep myself busy, but I just end up pacing and watching the clock. The hands seem to be ticking agonisingly slowly. In my head I follow the plan. They'll be arriving now. Taking the polyjuice potion. Pairing off. Getting ready to leave.
I start pacing faster. They'll be in the air now. This is when they're most vulnerable. Fleur and Bill shouldn't be too far away, I'm one of the closest safe houses. Every second feels like days. Should they be here? Has something happened? With no way of knowing, my head is full of worst case scenarios. What if they got trapped at Harry's house? What if they were ambushed? What if none of them-
There's a crash outside and my wand is in my hand. I rush to the door and fling it open. Bill and Fleur/Harry are hurrying across the lawn. I feel a rush of relief, then see a gash across Fleur/Harry's face.
"What happened?" I demand.
"When your father died" Bill gasps, his wand pointed at my chest, "where did you leave flowers?"
"What?!"
"Answer!"
"Under an apple tree," I say, "Bill, what's going on?"
"We were ambushed," he says, ushering Fleur inside, "had to check it was really you."
He bends over Fleur, tending to the cut. I follow them, terror gripping me.
"Ambushed?" I echo, "what-"
"There were death eaters waiting for us," he says, straightening up, "they killed Mad-Eye. The others... I don't know."
I look around at the clock. We have ten minutes before our portkey is due to go. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I'm never sitting around and waiting again. Bill goes into the kitchen and returns a few minutes later with three strong cups of tea.
"Where's the portkey?" he asks. I point to the old hat on the coffee table and sink into an arm chair. If Fred is hurt...
"Let's get ready."
We stand around the hat and I grip the rim. I close my eyes and feel the jerk as we're lifted into the air. We land outside the Burrow. Mr and Mrs Weasley, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lupin are all there. Mrs Weasley pulls Bill into a hug, but he pulls away, looking to his father.
"Mad-Eye is dead," he says, "Mundungus disapparated. Did everyone else make it back?"
"Inside," Mr Weasley nods. I break away from them, running for the house. I knock into Tonks, but don't pause to apologise.
"FRED?"
"Here!" he steps out of the living room and catches me around the waist.
"Are you okay?" I ask desperately, grabbing his face.
"Fine, fine," he says, "George, less so."
He leads me into the living room where George is lying on the sofa, a giant hole in the side of his head. I feel my head swim and everything goes black.
"It wasn't the ear, you're just ugly."
"We're identical, you just called yourself ugly."
"Will you two shut up? She's coming around."
I blink to clear my vision, but hold still, feeling very woozy. The twins and Tonks are leaning over me. Someone has put a bandage over George's ear.
"You're alive," I say faintly. George grins.
"Not easy to get rid of," he says, "it doesn't look that bad, does it?"
"It looks really awful."
"Thanks, Anna."
Fred helps me up onto the sofa beside George, on the side that still has an ear. The rest of the Order comes filing into the room.
"What's happened?" Fred demands, his hand on my shoulder.
"Mad-Eye's dead," Bill says. I hear George's sharp intake of breath and look down at the floor. Tonks is crying into Lupin's shoulder. Bill goes to a cabinet, taking out a stack of glasses and a bottle of fire whiskey. He pours it out and passes it around.
"To Mad-Eye."
We all raise our glasses. I throw the whiskey back, feeling it burn in my throat. I lean my head against Fred's arm. I'm sad that Mad-Eye is gone, but so relieved that Fred is still here.
"There's work to do," Lupin sighs, "Bill-?"
Bill nods and together they leave the room.
"I should go too," Harry says quietly, "if Voldemort finds out I'm here..."
"Don't be stupid," I snap, standing up, suddenly angry, "all this was for you, to get you here where you'll be safe. You're not going to go wandering off and make Mad-Eye's sacrifice for nothing."
Harry stares up at me in shock. I take a deep breath.
"No one else is going anywhere," I say, "we're all going to bandage up any wounds and go to bed, is that understood?"
No one seems about to argue, so I sit everyone down, patch them up and order them to bed. Finally it's just me and the twins. I turn to Fred.
"Sit," I say, pointing at the sofa. He sits down beside his brother and I start tending to a gash on his neck. Whatever fire has kept me going suddenly burns out and I bite my lip, trying to keep the tears back, but they flow.
"Hey," Fred wipes them away, "it's going to be okay."
"I know," I sob, "I'm just relieved that you're both alive."
I throw my arms around them, hugging them tightly.
"Can't-Breathe-"
I sit back, wiping my eyes.
"Let's get up to bed," Fred says, "do you want to sleep here?"
"Yeah," George says, "can you throw me a blanket?"
I grab a blanket and tuck it around him.
"If you need anything, just yell," I say.
"Got it," he winks and settles down. Fred leads me upstairs and we climb into bed.
"Are you okay?" I ask him. He nods.
"I thought he'd died," he says thickly. He covers his face with his arm. I snuggle up to him, running my fingers softly through his hair.
"He's fine, safe and mostly sound," I say soothingly. Fred uncovers his face, looking exhausted and nods.
"I've never felt so scared," he murmurs. I lean my forehead on his. I want to say something, but I can't find the words.
"Get some sleep," I say finally, "I have a feeling tomorrow will be busy."
Fred rolls onto his side and I spoon him, wanting to be as close as possible. It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep, but I lie awake until pink is tinging the sky.
As predicted the next day is very busy. George is exempt, but the rest of us are put to work cleaning and preparing for the Delacour's arrival. Fred and I are put on de-gnoming duty, which is fine by us. It takes us until lunch time to finish, then we have to set up all the bedrooms for the guests. Since the house is going to be so full, Fred and I have elected to stay at our place, George with us. We make up all the beds, then go in to check on George whose main ailment seems to be boredom.
"Tell me a joke, Fred," he says weakly, "just one."
"You," Fred says, "come on, Mum says dinner's ready."
We join the others around the table. For once, Harry isn't staring at me.
"The Order are coming around for dinner tomorrow," Mrs Weasley says, "Fred, Annalise, are you sure you don't want to stay here?"
"We're sure, Mum," Fred says, "George is going to stay with us too."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Mum."
Mrs Weasley purses her lips, looking worried.
"We'll come around in the morning to help out," I say, earning myself a sharp jab in the ribs from both twins. Mrs Weasley smiles, however, looking a little relieved.
After dinner we disapparate home, supporting George between us, just in case. He seems fine, however. We walk inside and Fred stretches.
"Good to be home," he says, "I'll show George up to his room."
I refresh the defensive spells, then take a quick shower and head up to bed. Fred is leaning beside the window, staring out into the night. I put a hand on his back and lean my cheek on his arm.
"Everything okay?" I ask. He nods, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"When we bought this place all I could think of is filling it with kids," he says, "little versions of us running amok. But now..."
"You're worried we won't win," I guess. He sighs, but nods.
"The thought has crossed my mind."
"Fred Weasley, you're not losing hope, are you?" I look up at him. He smiles and leans his forehead against mine.
"Just for a moment," he says, "now, come and jump on the bed with me, I want to make George as uncomfortable as possible."
The next morning George won't look either of us in the eye.
The days leading up to the wedding are very hectic. Between trying to prepare and working at the shop I'm starting to think that weddings are an utter waste of time. The day finally arrives, however, and we head over to the Burrow early to help with last minute details. At about half-past two I finally get a chance to get ready and dash up to Ginny's room where she and Hermione seem to have been hiding from a very stressed Mrs Weasley.
"It's a nightmare," Ginny says as I wriggle into my dark green gown, "she's gone completely crazy. Do weddings do that to all mothers?"
"Dunno," I say, sweeping my hair into a curly bun, "shouldn't you have your dress on?"
Ginny wrinkles her nose at me and changes just as Mrs Weasley pounds on the door, telling us we'll all be late. I grab Hermione's hand and we hurry down to the tent. Fred shows us to our seats, up with the family, and soon after joins us as. The wedding march strikes up and we turn to watch Fleur walk down the aisle.
"Beautiful," I breathe as she glides passed on her father's arm. The ceremony is beautiful and heartfelt with many a tears shed. As Bill kisses his new wife Fred and George let out catcalls among the applause. We clear the space and the rows of chairs are replaced by tables and chairs and a dance floor. Music starts up and Fred sweeps me into his arms, surprising me at how well he can dance.
After a few dances they cut the cake, then Fleur prepares to throw the bouquet. I hang to the side, feeling a little shy, but Ginny drags me onto the dance floor with the other single girls, nudging me playfully. Fleur throws the bouquet and I jump, reaching for it- And feel my hand close around the stems. Everyone claps and hounds at Fred, making us both blush.
"Now you'll have to propose," I tell him, cuddling up to him, "the flowers say so."
"Anna!" George flings an arm around me, "come and dance with me!"
"Are you drunk?" I laugh. George winks.
"Only a little," he says. He pulls me onto the dance floor and twirls me, making my head spin. We're both laughing when suddenly silence descends around us. In the centre of the dance floor is a patronus, a deep voice emanating from it.
"Minister is dead. Ministry has fallen. They're coming."
The patronus disappears and for a moment we all stare at the space it had occupied. Then someone screams and the world is thrown into chaos. Hooded figures appear among us. George pulls me back from one of them, pushing me behind him.
"Find Fred!" he yells, "get out of here!"
I begin searching the crowd, shoving passed people as they search for loved ones. I see Fred and reach for him. Our fingers are about to touch when someone grabs my shoulder and everything disappears.