Stay With Me

Chapter 3

Just then, the yard glowed with blue light and one pair after another materialize: Fred & Mr. Weasley, Bill & Fleur, Ron & Tonks. 

Ron was still "Harry," but Hermione didn't hesitate, enveloping him in a fierce hug. As he transformed back into his own battle-weary self, he looked mildly abashed to be in such close proximity to Hermione.

"Hey ya -- Well... thanks." Ron fumbled as Hermione kept her arms around him. Ron looked around only not to see Olivia.

"Deserves that. Brilliant, he was. Wouldn't be standing here without him." Hermione looked at him making him blush.

"Really?"

Ron finally broke from her hold. "Always the tone of surprise." He said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are we the last? Where's George?" Suddenly... silence. Mr. Weasley eyed all and turned to Lupin. "Remus. Where's my son?"

Arthur Weasley, trailed by the others, stopped dead. Molly looked up, her face saying it all. Fred came up on his father's shoulder, eyes stinging with tears as he saw his brother. As if sensing them, George stirred.

"How do you feel, Georgie?" Fred asked his brother who smiled up to him.

"Saint-like."

"Come again?" George opened his eyes and lifted a blood-crusted finger, and pointed to the dark cavity in the side of his skull.

"Saint-like... You see, I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?" Fred rolled his eyes at his brother.

"With the whole wide world of ear- related humor at your disposal, you go for holey? Pathetic." George huffed a small laugh at Fred.

"Reckon I'm still better-looking than you. Better-looking than Bill, that's for sure." Bill doesn't smile. Next to him, Fleur looked equally grim.

----

"Fucking swamp!" Olivia yelled out in the open air as she tripped. "I hate this fucking place." She mumbled as she kept a hand on her bleeding side. 

"Olivia!" Liv stopped walking and looked around.

"Dad!" She yelled back as she stood up from were she had fallen. "Over here!" She waved her arms a bit and saw the black mass that was her father.

He walked over to her from the shore as she slipped and fell her way to him. "Have I told you how much I hate swamps?" Liv asked her father as he helped her out of the mud.

"Yes actually." The two smiled and laugh a bit. "Are you hurt?" He asked her as he saw the hand on her side.

She pulled it away from the cut, her hand was full of blood. "Eh, had worse. Nothing life threatening," she smiled up to him, "promise." Snape nodded and let out a sigh of relief.

"Good, now get to the Weasleys and quick." Olivia frowned, but nodded her head. "I'll see you soon." He kissed her muddy head before Apparating away.

"Love you." She whispered into the wind, hoping it would carry to her father. Liv groaned and put her hand back on to her side. "And back to walking I go." She mumbled before she indeed started walking again.

---

"Mad-Eye's dead." The room went still. "Mundungus took one look at Voldemort and Disapparated."

"Mad-Eye reckoned You-Know-Who would expect the real Harry to be with the most skilled Auror. He knew he'd be in the most danger." Lupin told the people in the room. Harry couldn't really focus on what he was saying. His sister could be dead for all he knew, his niece might be motherless.