Fred and George are supposed to be boxing up things for their business when they apparate in my room. Well, it's Ginny's room, but my room nonetheless.

"We need to go now," Fred grabs my wrist. "Hogwarts is in danger. We think this is the end of the war."

"Good or bad," George adds.

I nod. I'm not dressed for the occasion; I'm wearing a grey pencil skirt and a white button-up blouse, but I'm guessing we don't have the time to change.

Even though they didn't go out today, Fred and George are matching. It's not unusual, something I've gotten used to seeing in my time here. They both wear beige turtlenecks, and Fred has a purple jacket overtop while George's is green. At least they'll be easy for others to tell apart today.

"How do you know?" I offer my hand to Fred. He takes it and we apparate downstairs.

"Ginny sent a patronus," he tells me. "We're going to take the Floo to Aberforth's. There's no time to explain."

"How do we alert the others?" I ask.

"Lee's already covered that with Potterwatch," George explains. "He's meeting us there."

We each take turns getting in the firepit and going. Fred goes first, and then I'm up next. With just George and me left, I offer him the biggest smile I can muster, even though it's a rather pathetic attempt at a grin.

He furrows his brow. "Come along. It'll be fun."

I don't think he'd say that if he had suffered at the hands of Landry.

We end up at the house of a man named Aberforth and that is where we wait for Lee. Once he's arrived, we meet Ginny and head through a tunnel. After a bit of a journey, where Ginny pays me no mind, we end up in what they call the Room of Requirements, which I would've thought was a myth if I hadn't known that's where Dumbledore's Army had been uniting.

Inside, there are a ton of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws, but no one from my house. I'm thankful that I'm not wearing my uniform because I would stick out like a sore thumb. Harry Potter is here too, and Fred tells him that Aberforth is getting frustrated.

Eventually, Harry says that he is looking for the diadem of Ravenclaw, but I sit back in silence and listen since I haven't got a clue where that could be. Eventually, Harry and a girl name Luna depart, leaving us there to chat.

Fred and George distract some of the younger students with fire-cracking toys they have from their shop. The two are really good with kids. I imagine Fred and me, with a gaggle of little children. We don't know how many kids we want. Once this war is over, we get to decide.

Ginny looks over at me, and I hide my hand, but it's too late. She sees it. She gets all stiff and rolls her eyes, but thankfully she doesn't approach Fred. I'm happy I brought it, at least. It reminds me that I'm his no matter what. I can't just up and leave again, even if I want to head for the hills. If it's true what they are saying, and Voldemort is bringing in all of his supporters tonight, I could run into Landry.

More people start to arrive. The Weasley parents, Professor Lupin, and even Kingsley Shacklebolt. They begin to create a plan of attack on Hogwarts, and I'm included in this conversation even though I have minimal experience in battle. Even Bill and Fleur come.

I help the children evacuate. Ginny argues with her mother, begs to stay, and eventually, Molly relents. I don't know why she does. I wouldn't.

Percy comes as well. I've never met him before. He furrows his brow when he sees me. He notices the band on my finger.

"Blimey, I didn't know another brother of mine was engaged," he says, a bit too loudly. "Fred or George?"

Mrs. Weasley's head nearly spins 180 degrees to turn and look at me.

Mr. Weasley smiles and gives Fred a pat on the back. "It's about time, innit?"

I ignore everyone's glares and instead let myself grin. It feels good, not to be hiding anymore, even if it will hurt people's feelings.

"If you knew when they were actually engaged-" George begins, but Fred cuts him off with an elbow to the gullet.

"We're happy, and I would love to do a question and answer period with you all about it, but we've got a bit of fun on our hands," Fred points out.

We make our way down to the Great Hall when it happens. We all hear Voldemort's voice booming in our ears. He demands for Harry Potter and promises to leave us all unharmed if we give him Harry.

The question is, how long will we be unharmed?

Because of his declaration, all of Slytherin house gets evacuated, along with those under the age of 17.

Then, we fight. Fred, George and I get pulled to the front lines, to create defences. One of the Gryffindor boys blows up a bridge, and since there is no apparating on Hogwarts grounds, the Death Eaters on it all fall to their death. We can't hold them off forever though, and eventually, they get in.

I launch curse after curse. Stupify and Expelliarmous and Protego. I spin fire around myself, I disarm them, I send people soaring backwards through the air. None of it is enough to keep them from penetrating Hogwarts gates. The others in there are 17. I think about who I was at age 17. I was barely an adult, still pressed under the thumb of my parents. It makes me angry that we have to resort to letting them fight, even if they are the age of majority.

It even makes me angry that I have to fight.

"It's a beautiful night," Fred says.

I haven't had the time to stop and think about it. As we run away from the coming onslaught, I look up at the stars. It is a rather beautiful night. I'm not cold, even though I'm not wearing a cloak.

"Fancy another night like this?" he asks.

"This could be my every Tuesday," George laughs.

I smile at the two of them. I reach forward and squeeze Fred's hand, wand still grasped in mine.

Eventually, we retreat into a hallway. He reunites with Percy, and while I'm distracted for a second, I notice the death eater standing at the end of the hallway. He removes his mask.

It's Landry.

"Did I mention I'm resigning?" Percy jokes from behind me.

Fred laughs. I can hear the sound, crisp and sweet. I don't turn to look, watching as Landry stalks up next to me. I have my wand ready.

"Fred," I begin, not daring to remove my eyes from my brother. I take a few steps forward.

"You're joking, Perce?" Fred laughs, distracted. I don't dare take my eyes away from Landry, but I know he isn't looking at me. "You're actually joking."

Landry winds up to cast a spell at me. I have my countercharm ready. Unless he casts an unforgivable, which he might, I can countercharm it.

"I haven't heard you joke since-"

"Reducto!" Landry throws the spell at me and I knock it away. It ricochets onto a wall behind me, I hear the boom of it exploding.

I never did get good at aiming my non-verbal shield charms.

The force of the explosion sends me flying through the air. I hit the other wall, and slide to the ground. My body shakes as I force myself up, staring Landry down.

"Fred! Fred no!" Percy is shouting.

I turn around and see Fred, still smiling, lying on the ground. I take a step closer, my feet stumbling. His eyes are blank. He's bleeding from the head and he's not moving. Why isn't he moving?

There is a hand on my arm, and I turn to see Landry. My wand shoots flames upon his hand. Landry recoils, and then it is just him and me.

I hit him with a disarming charm, and he blocks it. Then again, and again, and again. I keep moving until his wand goes flying.

We run for it, the both of us. I leap on top of it first and snap it in half. Landry tackles me and tries to snatch my wand from my hand, but I won't let him. We wrestle on the ground for it, and I slam his head down.

I run away, and he gets up. He looks at me, and I look at him.

"Why?" I beg, tears in my eyes. I refuse to acknowledge what is happening. "Why do you do this to me?"

"Because you never listened!" he shouts back. "I told you to marry Marcus. I told you that's what was right for us. And you brought us shame."

I could do it. I could end him here. My hand is on my wand, and I am ready to fight.

Instead, I lower it.

"Run," I tell him. Not because he matters to me, but because I matter to me. And if I kill him, I will lose myself too. I can't let that happen. Fred might be mad at me later, but we'll get through it.

Landry smirks and begins to walk away.

Percy runs up behind us and charges him. "Avada Kedavra."

Landry is struck and falls to the ground.

I don't waste any more time on him. Instead, I run back to Fred. He's been moved, and Percy grabs me and leads me to him.

His eyes are still open, still blank, and he leans against a wall behind a statue. I feel myself begin to shake. My knees collapse beneath me. I hold him and tremble and everything becomes a blur, and I need to get up and keep fighting, or else I will go mad, but I'm okay with going a little mad.

Fred is my everything. I gave up everything for him.

No, I tell myself. I gave up everything for myself. He is just everything I've ever wanted. Wanted in the past sense.

~~~~~

Welp, this is good. I'm very happy. I'm also very sad. What do you think of her last decision? There is one chapter left, hopefully you'll enjoy it!