Semper - Fred Weasley

I felt numb. Everything that was happening around me seemed miles away. I knelt in the middle of the room in the arms of Charlie who went down on the floor with me.

Arthur’s and Moody’s voices were far away as they untied Remus‘ body and carefully laid it on the floor. He was gone. And it was my fault. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t scream.

I just sat there and stared at the lifeless body, the lifeless body of the man who was once so happy, who had finally found his peace, loved by Sirius, loved by his daughter. The Marauder, the mischievous boy, now just an empty shell.

I felt Charlie pick me up and hold me bridal style in his arms while he said something to me, but his words didn’t reach me. I should feel sadness, pain, loss.. Something.

But I felt nothing but an all-consuming emptiness. My vision blurred before my eyes and my mind wandered to better days, better memories.

„Good morning class. My name is Remus Lupin and I’m your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher,“ the man in the wrinkled robes said while writing his name on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. He had scars on his face but the warmest smile I had ever seen.

The moment I found out who he was. Our life together had only just begun, who had the right to take him away from me now? If there was a God, how could they allow such a thing? How could they punish me like that? I deserved it, I deserved to be punished for my mistake. But why wasn’t it me whose life was ended?

It should have been me.

Fred

“What happened?“ we were sitting in the kitchen waiting for the others to return when Dad sprinted through the door. I saw Charlie carrying someone and behind him Moody with another body in his arms.

I jumped out of my chair and ran towards Charlie when I saw that he was carrying Penny. And then my eyes fell on Moody, who was carrying Remus in his arms.

„Molly, come upstairs.“ Arthur said as panic broke out in the kitchen, Bill was on his feet helping Moody carry Remus up the stairs.

George stood behind me and surveyed the scene before him, just as clueless as I was.

„What happened to her?“ I asked my older brother, looking worriedly at my girlfriend, she didn’t move, her eyes were wide open but there was no life in them. Only the slow rise and fall of her chest told me she was alive.

„Remus is dead.“ Charlie said and I took Penny from his arms. I heard Fleur say something in french and George put an arm around our brother’s fiancée.

„Penny, sweetheart? Do you hear me?“ I looked at her, searching her face for a reaction.

„She’s in some sort of shock I think. Can we put her somewhere?“ Charlie asked and
Fleur recovered from her first shock and spoke.

„Bring her into the living room, put her on the couch there, I’ll take a look at her.“, said the part veela in her strong French accent, George reacted first and opened the doors for me, we went into the room where I carefully placed her at the biggest couch. I knelt down next to her and stroked her hair.

„Penny, talk to me.“ I said softly, but again, no response.

I looked up to Fleur for help and she motioned me to step aside. She pulled out her wand and waved it over Penny a few times while we eyed her suspiciously.

„After Bill’s injury, I learned some diagnostics and healing spells, I’m not really good at them, but I’m sure I could see serious injuries.“ The blonde woman shrugged, and after a moment, she was finished, she put her wand in her pocket and looked at us.