"YOU HAVE FOUGHT VALIANTLY. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forced to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.
"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."
Numb.
Lorelei could not move.
She sat too still. One would think she was dead. Not blinking. Breaths slow. The only sign of life was her shaky hands; one sitting on top of Embry's hand, and the other sat on Remus's.
She had screamed, screamed so loud that one would have thought she was being tortured by Bellatrix herself. She had fallen to her knees at her godfather's head, and she hasn't moved or said a word since.
Molly cried over Embry's body, the boy becoming like a son to him. Arthur sat next to his wife, caressing her back to try and ease the pain. Ginny had run in, crying out as well as Embry and Ginny had become the closest of friends. Bill held Fleur as she silently wept for Embry, the boy spending a lot of time with the newly weds during their time at Shell Cottage. Percy sat near Fred, thanking anything above that it was not his brother who was dead, though his heart broke to watch Lorelei lose another person.
George allowed his own tears to fall as he stared at Lorelei's seemingly hollow figure. She looked dead, and he could not help but feel more tears fall as she twitched slightly. Lorelei moved her hand slowly to push back some hair from Embry's eye, his terrified expression haunting her memories. Remus and Tonks next to her dead but reaching out to each other. Lorelei felt another sob leave her chest, but she refused George's touch. She refused Fred. She refused everyone as she sat between two of the people she loved most in the world. Dead.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron ran in a few moments later, Ron running to his family. He seemed to count to make sure they were all alive. His eyes fell onto Lorelei's shaking figure, wondering how much more could the girl take before she lost it. Had she lost it? Hermione choked a sob as she stared at the dead and wounded people around.
Harry stared at Lorelei, eyes drifting to Remus, Tonks, and Embry. He could hear Voldemort's words in his head: He had allowed them to die for him. It was his fault. Lorelei was in pain because of him. He felt the world closing in on him as his breathing became ragged. He hurt Lorelei. It's his fault. Harry seemed to run from the Great Hall before anyone could even say a word to him.
"Lorelei, my love," George called softly, knowing she had ignored him for the past few times he had called for her. He felt awful. He had lost Lorelei during the battle, not knowing where she was. He went mad looking for her. He couldn't explain the relief he felt when he saw Fred half-carrying Lorelei, though Lorelei's head was bleeding rapidly and she had a slight limp. His heart seemed to drop at her tears, at Percy walking behind them with a body in his arms. Embry didn't deserve death. Lorelei's eyes finally moved to George's. "Lorelei, what can I do?" It seemed to always be the question George asked. It seemed Lorelei had lost everyone close to her. He imagined, just for a moment, that Fred or himself had died... he knew the mermaid would be acting worse.
"He's dead, George," Lorelei croaked, the Weasleys looking up at the sound of her voice. "Remus and Embry. They're both dead! I promised him I'd keep him safe. I promised him we'd be a family!" She screamed, tears cascading down her face as George moved to pull her into his embrace. She gripped his sweater tightly as she sobbed, Fred wiping tears from his own face.
Fred didn't know what to think. He moved to stand and pull both Lorelei and George into him, Lorelei between the twins as she cried. Fred would never forget her screams when her eyes locked onto Embry's face; he would never forget having to hold her back as she tried to reach out for his dead body. Fred would never forget the pain Lorelei has faced her entire life because of Voldemort. George felt Lorelei fall to the ground again, her legs seemingly weak after the night of battles.
Lorelei's eyes moved from Embry to around the Great Hall where more dead people lay. She saw Uriah, dead with Ursula sobbing over his body. Oliver Wood walked in with Creevy's body on his shoulder. Lavender Brown, someone who Lorelei remembered fancied Ron, was dead with her neck torn out from Greyback. Florence and Clara walked around, aiding the injured. Lee held Bethany close as they sat near the Weasleys. Seamus, Dean, and Luna were walking around to help the injured. Neville could be seen standing by the entrance of the hall. Everyone seemed to not know what to do until a voice seemed to bellow:
"Harry Potter is dead."
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A/N
Hi... to be fair, I NEVER planned on killing Fred. At first, maybe, but Lorelei's relationship with the twins is too strong for that kind of heartbreak. After all that she lost, I felt she and George wouldn't make it if Fred died. Embry taking his place? Now, that was a last minute decision. I was going to put Bethany there, make her a larger character, but Embry just fit too well. I've seen all the comments!! I'm glad some are happy, hehe. Happy reading!