Ginny's eyes snapped open at the first bang of impact, and pushed the covers off of her, leaving Adelpha and Draco in their bed. Opening the door, she walked at a run through the living room and made her way towards the man door. Pressing her ear against it, she opened it slowly, and saw many students running to and fro, and saw that Bill was shouting orders to Slytherin House as the panic arose. Heart pounding, Ginny stumbled out of the room and ran forward, eyes wide, and went as fast as possible towards her brother.

"Bill!" she yelled, darting closer, and saw that Fleur was standing beside him. "What's going on in here? What—?!"

"No time, Ginny," Bill said quickly. "Rosier, stay in line!" he yelled towards one of the students, before turning back to his sister. "Death Eaters have taken Hogsmeade, and they're surrounding the castle."

"Then, we fight," Ginny said, her wand falling immediately down her arm from within its sleeve, and lifting her wand.

"Not in your condition, you don't," Bill shot back. "Besides, you're underage. Fleur, take Ginny to the safe house. I'll join you there as soon as I can."

Fleur immediately turned towards Bill, and threw her arms around him, kissing him. "I'll watch your sister with my life, William, just as your brother once did for Gabrielle."

Bill briefly pressed his forehead against Fleur's, and held her against him. "Marry me," he whispered, as a bang caused a wall to collapse itself just across the way.

Fleur pressed another kiss to Bill's lips. "Of course, my love," she replied. Squeezing his hand before she pulled away, she put an arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"Wait!" Ginny yelled. "What about Ron and Hermione, and Neville and Luna?!"

"Neville and Luna left earlier for his grandmother's. Luna's father is joining them," Bill said quickly, and drew his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" he shouted, and the great silver falcon flew out from the tip of his wand. "Ron, Hermione, use the Floo in the Gryffindor Common Room to get to the safe house immediately. That's an order!" he bellowed, the falcon cried out before it quickly flew off in the proper direction.

Ginny gave a torn expression to her brother. "Be careful," she said.

Bill nodded. "I will," he replied.

Fleur then dragged Ginny back down the corridor, and the door to their chambers flew open, with Draco already dressed, and their belongings packed. He was holding Adelpha in his arms, which he promptly opened to let Ginny fly into, while Fleur took charge of the Kneazle. Ginny remained in his arms for several moments while Fleur crossed the room, and opened up the fireplace to the Floo Network, knowing that they would have to get out of Hogwarts as soon as possible, now that the wards were being torn apart.

"Ready?" Draco whispered.

Ginny quickly calmed herself down, wiping her eyes as she pulled Draco towards the fireplace and watched as Fleur tossed some powder into the grate. Her eyes widened as Fleur shouted out for Grimmauld Place, but nevertheless, stepped in once the flames had swallowed both her and Adelpha flawlessly. "Grimmauld Place!" Ginny cried out, and pulled Draco in after her, the hearth expanding in size to accommodate them both, and they were engulfed in flames, just as their bedroom door was broken down, and Death Eaters watched as they were swallowed up to an unknown location.

"Were you followed?" Fleur asked, once they'd reached the living room of Number Twelve, and quickly dusted Ginny off.

"Some Death Eaters broke in as soon as we were swallowed up," Draco said quickly, his voice fraught with nerves.

Fleur promptly drew her wand and held it aloft. "Colloportus Severus Snape's chambers!" she yelled, and there was a locking sound from somewhere far off. "Come," Fleur said, and led them directly into the kitchen, where, surrounding the table, were Molly and Arthur, Kingsley, Remus and Tonks, Ron and Hermione, and Harry and Severus.

"Ginny!" Hermione yelled, launching to her feet, and throwing herself into her future sister-in-law's arms. "Oh, Merlin, are you all right?!"

"I think I am," Ginny replied, holding Hermione back for a moment before breaking away from her, and accepting an embrace from her parents, Ron, Harry, and Tonks before Draco helped her into a seat, and sat down beside her.

"I am going to Fire Call my family, let them know what has happened," Fleur said softly, and Ginny knew that she would likely mention the engagement to them, but not to the Weasley's yet, as Molly was still slightly perturbed by her relationship with Bill.

"Yes, of course. Go ahead, dear," Molly said, and Fleur smiled, hugging Harry and immediately congratulating him before she slipped from the kitchen.

Ginny turned back to the crowd gathered and sighed. "Baby's been a bit active tonight..." Her voice was soft as she caressed her stomach, and Draco promptly moved closer and wrapped a rather protective an arm around her shoulders.

"What is it we're waiting for now, Mum?" Ron asked, swiveling his head to regard his mother, from where he sat, in between Harry and Hermione.

"Well, Kingsley would rightly know more about it than I would, dear," Molly replied, as the Floo sounded again, and Fred and George came into the kitchen, and moved immediately towards their mother. "Boys," she said, dragging them into her arms.

"Bill called Charlie away from Romania," Fred told her.

"We wanted to fight, too," George continued.

"But he told us to come here and stay with the family," the twins concluded together.

"Well, now," Kingsley said, getting to his feet once all pleasantries were out of the way, and everyone had moved to sit. "Albus informed me that, in this event, that he and Minerva would come as soon as possible."

"They're probably helping establish more wards on the school," Hermione said quietly.

"Quite right, Miss Granger," Kingsley replied. "As such, many people who are Muggleborn will be forced to go into hiding, which would typically include you, Miss Granger..."

"Typically?" Hermione asked, shaking her head. "I don't understand, sir. Either you are a Muggleborn, or you're not..."

"Yes, Miss Granger, but you are currently engaged to a Pureblood," Kingsley explained in a patient manner to the sixteen-year-old witch as Fleur returned to the room, and all seemed slightly surprised at how quick the conversation with her family had been, before she slipped into a chair on Draco's other side. "It is an old law within the Wizarding World that, once someone marries someone of differing Blood Status, the higher one will then be taken over by the second member of the wizard kind bonded in marriage. This did not change, however, the Blood Status of Mr. Potter-Snape, or the new Mrs. Malfoy, or the new Mrs. Longbottom, for Mr. Potter-Snape and Professor Snape are both Half-Bloods, while the new Mrs. Malfoy and the new Mrs. Longbottom were Purebloods, like their husbands."

"So, let me get this straight," Ron said, immediately straightening up, "when Hermione and I get married, that would make her...?"

"A Pureblood," Kingsley said, nodding to himself. "Quite right, Mr. Weasley."

"It originally started in France, a few hundred years before the revolution," Fleur said softly, her accent thick, with a smile Hermione's way. "We still follow the law over there. I would not be surprised if other wizarding families still followed it here."

Ron turned and looked over at Hermione. "Well, I did propose..."

"As did I," she reminded him.

"All ministry employees are permitted to marry couples," Arthur said softly, mulling the rather sudden information over. "And, as you well know, Dumbledore is permitted as well, as is Remus, for they're part of the Hogwarts staff..."

"Tonks!" Ron cried out unexpectedly then, and the young Auror turned to look at him. "I mean, you could marry us, couldn't you?"

Tonks smiled. "I would be happy to, Ron."

"Wait," Hermione said, cutting across the exchange. "Tonks, I wanted you to be my bridesmaid, so we'll have to find someone else."

Tonks flushed becomingly. "I'd be honored to be your bridesmaid, Hermione."

"And Fleur," Hermione said quickly, turning to her, "you're going to be my sister-in-law in a matter of days, so please, be my bridesmaid as well."

"It would be a great honor, Hermione," Fleur told her with a smile.

"And Ginny," Hermione said, turning towards her, "could you be my Matron of Honor?"

"Naturally," Ginny replied, clasping Hermione's hand.

"Harry, you'll be my Best Man, won't you?" Ron asked.

Harry grinned, and looked at Severus, who smirked, before Harry turned back to Ron. "Of course I will, mate," he assured him.

Ron sighed and turned to Draco, after noticing Ginny's expression. "And, well, I suppose it wouldn't be very brotherly if I didn't include you... Would you be willing to be my other Best Man, Draco?" he asked.

Draco, to everyone's surprise, smiled. "Yes, Weasel. I'd like that very much."

"Fantastic, Ferret," Ron replied.

"Watch it," Ginny said, narrowing her eyes at her brother, and Fleur twittered at the exchange, which she found it be quite funny.

"Gred, Forge," Ron said then, turning red to his ears at the notion that Fleur had found his words to be funny. "Be my groomsmen."

"We'd love to," the twins told him.

"When shall this event take place, then?" Molly asked.

"Next weekend," Hermione told her brightly. "That'll give me time to ask for an early wedding gift from Professor Snape."

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Severus asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"Please, call me Hermione, as we've been family for months now, truly," she said, and Severus found that he was surprised at her demeanor.

"Well, then I suppose I could permit you to call me Severus," he replied, and it had next to nothing to do with Harry's hand gently squeezing his leg.

"Well, thank you, Severus... And, well... Could I potentially trouble you for a vial or two of Polyjuice Potion?" she asked, and he looked surprised. "I want to be able to go out into Muggle London to buy a wedding gown—"

"Muggle Paris," Draco said, cutting across her. "It would be much safer there, and you'll find something you'll like much better. Trust me."

Hermione nodded at him, before turning back to look at Severus. "Harry had mentioned that you had a new formula," she said quietly.

"I'm quite sure he did," Severus said softly, knowing that he would have to have a word or two with his husband later, and shot him a look, and smirked at the notion that Harry trembled deliciously in anticipation at the expression he was giving him. "I would only be too glad to assist you in your endeavor, Hermione," he told her, turning back to face her, and Hermione beamed at him. "How many would you like?"

"Well, four for me," she told him. "Ginny, Fleur, and Tonks will have to come as well to get a Matron of Honor and a bridesmaid dresses. I'll also write to Luna, see if she'll be my other bridesmaid and if she consents, I'll take five."

Severus nodded, before turning to Ron. "I assume you will be wanting new dress robes, Mr. Weasley, as well as some for your Best Men and groomsmen?"

"Yes, that would be best," Ron said, nodding. "I'll take five vials, please."

"Four, mate," Harry put in. "Severus bought me some dress robes over Christmas that'll do very well for the wedding. Besides, it wouldn't be wise for me to leave the safety of Grimmauld, given the circumstances..."

"What circumstances?" Ginny asked.

Harry slowly turned and looked at Kingsley, before nodding at the man to speak.

"Since Scrimgeour's execution by the Death Eaters earlier this evening, a campaign against Harry and all that he stands for has been launched," the senior Auror informed them. "As well as a dreadful Muggle Registration Commission—which is said to be rumored throughout the various departments of the ministry, with that toad Dolores Umbridge behind it—Harry has been proclaimed the Undesirable Number One."

"Makes for a much better title than 'Chosen One', don't you think?" Harry joked.

Severus narrowed his eyes at his mate and shook his head. "Harry, this is hardly a laughing or joking matter," he reprimanded him.

Harry sighed, leaning back in his chair and repeatedly running the palms of his hands along his swollen belly; he wasn't as big as Ginny was, and likely would never be able to catch up to her in the long run, but the pair of them did indeed have similar symptoms. "I suppose the pregnancy has the ability to affect my filter," he said quietly.

"Are you feeling all right?" Severus asked, immediately concerned for his husband's well-being, knowing full well that, given that Harry's family was around, he would have to tread carefully, and appear to be quite doting, even though he was in their private lives.

"Tired," Harry replied.

"Harry, dear, why don't you go up and get some rest?" Molly asked softly. "You had that goblet of blood when you arrived, plus an entire platter of sandwiches. Why don't you have an early night, my dear?"

Harry sighed, not wanting anything to be kept from him, but also knowing that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Fleur, and the twins would likely keep him in the loop. "Yeah, all right," he said, and got to his feet with Severus's help, and hugged everyone in turn, before his husband guided him from the kitchen and up the creaky old staircase.

"Filth!" screeched Mrs. Black as they got to the landing and came into view. "Half-Blood filth in my house! I'll—!"

"Oh, shut up you great big windbag!" Harry yelled and, for once, the portrait was stunned to complete silence. "In case you didn't realize, it's my house now, because you're a bloody portrait of a dead woman! Dead people can't own property, magic or not. Now, if you don't keep your mouth shut about your betters—for everyone in this house is a great deal better than you—then I'll hex, burn, or liquify you off the wall! Do I make myself clear?!"

Mrs. Black considered a retort, before thinking better of it, and clamped her mouth shut.

"Good," Harry said stoutly, and walked up the stairs, pulling his husband up behind him. They made their way to Sirius's old bedroom, which Kreacher had kept clean—especially when he had heard that Harry was expecting—and Harry pushed open the door.

No sooner had the door closed behind him than Severus slammed him up against it, devouring his younger husband's mouth. To his delight, Harry automatically wrapped his arms around his neck, allowing him to plunder within. "You have no idea what you do to me," he whispered against his lips, and Harry grinned up at him. "Listening to you talk down to that harridan made me so bloody hard..."

Harry absorbed his husband's words into his very pores, slowly dragging his teeth along his lower lip, as he practically felt his pupils dilating in desire, and slowly moved to stand on his toes, so as to reach his husband's ear. "Then fuck me, Severus," he whispered to him, and teasingly trailed his tongue along the lobe, before biting onto it. "Fuck me into the fucking mattress and calm me down, make me forget..."

"You... You said you were tired," Severus said.

Harry smirked. "I'm never too tired to be with you," he said simply.

Severus smiled openly down at the man he loved, before he gently took ahold of his waist and guided him across the room and towards the massive bed. He eased him down onto the mattress and slowly removed the dark green cardigan he wore, which covered that Chudley Cannons shirt he'd gotten from Ron a year ago Christmas, before he permitted his fingertips to graze slightly at the waistband of his jeans. The jeans his husband wore, ever since the pair of them had married, seemed to hug him in all the right places, which drove him mad...

"I do it on purpose, you know," Harry said quietly, and Severus's eyes snapped to his.

Severus blinked, attempting to cover his thoughts as his husband stared so openly up at him. "I don't... What?" he asked.

"I deliberately wear tight jeans," he explained, stretching out like a cat along the mattress and bolsters beneath the two of them. "I'm hoping it'll drive you up the wall enough to fuck me on every foreseeable surface we can find."

Severus leaned down then, gently grazing Harry's neck with his teeth. "You're purposely attempting to tempt me, are you not?" he asked.

"Merlin, yes," Harry groaned, arching up automatically at the feeling of Severus's mouth on the sensitive skin of his neck. "I don't want you thinking I'm made of glass, just because I'm pregnant with our child," he said, his tone husky. "I feel wonderful, but that feeling is only eclipsed when you're inside me."

Severus pulled back then to admire the beautiful man that was inexplicably his, and found that it would take a long time, perhaps forever, to fully come to terms with that fact. "And, would you like that to happen now?" he asked, his fingers flicking inside of his pants once again, and teasing the treasure trail beneath his boxers.

"Fuck, please," Harry begged, arching just so Severus's hands wrapped around his cock, and mewled beautifully at the sensation.

Severus find himself awed at the noises he could summon from Harry's lips, and the blood seemed to automatically pool in his groin immediately upon hearing them. It was a rather heady phenomenon, having Harry, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, his mate, at his fingertips whenever they both could potentially want it. It would come out like a song, like a rare opera of the highest-quality, or perhaps a symphony, with each litany a note, thus continuing the story, which was composed entirely for him.

"Come here," Severus said gently, and moved them so that Harry was straddling his hips, and banished both of their clothing with a wave of his hand. The feeling of their cocks touching was nearly undoing, but Severus had other plans for the night. He held out his hand, and his personally-made lubricant flew into it, and he dipped his fingers into it, and gently eased one inside of his husband.

"Oh... Oh, fuck," Harry whispered, his eyes rolling back into his head, as he dragged his hands through his hair, breeching himself on his husband's finger further. "Don't stop... Severus, please, don't ever stop..."

"Never," Severus declared, stretching him to the point where a second finger could be added to the mix, and he added it slowly. "Tell me what you want..."

"Merlin," Harry said quietly, lowering his hands from his hair so as he could tease and twist at his erect nipples. "You," he breathed. "I want you. Forever."

"You have me," Severus assured him. "Always."

Harry let out another keening sound then as Severus added a third finger, and found that he liked the slight burn which came along with it. "Fuck, make me forget..."

"Always, my Harry," Severus whispered, slowly removing his fingers, and gently easing Harry over his erect member, before teasing the furl of his entrance with it.

"Let me forget that our world is burning, just for a little while," Harry begged, biting down hard upon his lower lip. "Let me forget that it's up to me, that it's always been up to me. Let me forget that Dumbledore made me into his little weapon... Merlin!" he hissed as Severus's cock breached him for the first time that evening, and groaned at the feeling of it. "Make me remember how much I'm loved, and that I've got family, and I have you..."

"You'll always have me, Harry," Severus told him, gently caressing his husband's hips as he eased them in a fluid up and down motion, which Harry seemed to like. "And once we defeat Riddle, will we truly be free."

"Free," Harry groaned, as the head of Severus's cock brushed that bundle of nerves inside him, and he cried out as they met. "Oh, Merlin, free..."

"Yes, my Harry. Free," Severus whispered.

"I want..."

"Yes?" Severus asked.

"I want us to have a house all our own," he told him, swallowing slightly, wondering if he was asking for too much. "I don't want to live here, or at Spinner's End, because based on what I saw last year, it is hardly a place for..." He gently caressed his swollen belly.

"As soon as all of this is over, and it is safe, we will find a proper home to raise our family in, my love," Severus assured him.

"Somewhere with a palace of a basement potions lab for you, and a massive garden to grow all your ingredients in," Harry told him.

Severus grinned, humming in agreement. "And many, many bedrooms."

Harry stilled for a moment, staring down at his husband. "Severus?" he asked.

Severus kept smiling up at him. "I take it that you will want more children after our daughter is born," he said softly.

Harry's eyes filled with tears unexpectedly then. "You... You would like to have more children with me after she is born?" he whispered.

"Merlin, yes," Severus replied, arching slightly so that the head of his cock gently caressed Harry's prostate once again. "If you would want more, of course..."

"Fuck, Severus," Harry whispered. "Of course, I would. I mean, what kind of parents would we be if we didn't give Lily a sibling or two?"

Severus raised his eyebrows. "You would call her Lily?"

"Lily Eileen," Harry replied, his voice trembling slightly. "To honor the women who, despite the fact that they could not be here, are half of the reasons why we are here in the first place. If you don't like it, we can..."

Severus promptly wrapped his arms around Harry's frame and dragged his husband against him, and kissed him feverishly. "I adore you," he whispered. "Yes, we may name our daughter Lily Eileen Potter-Snape."

"Thank Merlin," Harry breathed, before he suddenly managed to propel them so that he was back lying on the mattress again. "Now, fuck me into the mattress, Severus," he ordered, although his expression and tone of voice was cheeky.

"With pleasure," Severus replied, gripping at Harry's hands, never letting go as he effectively pinned his husband to the mattress. He pistoned his hips appropriately, repeatedly hitting at Harry's prostate, which caused Harry to clench around him. "Merlin... Harry. Oh, fuck, Harry," he breathed, the sensation of his husband encapsulating him almost too great.

"Yes, Severus, yes," Harry breathed. "Come inside me, Severus. I'm close. I'm so close," he moaned, arching into the movements.

Severus reached between them and took ahold of Harry's cock, pumping it in time to his thrusts into his husband's body. "Tell me when, my love."

"Now... Now!" Harry suddenly screamed, bursting in between the two of them, long white ropes covering their bellies, and nearly came a second time when Severus let out a great groan and emptied himself inside him. "Oh, fuck..." He whispered.

Severus promptly casted a Cleaning Charm, before collapsing next to his husband, and smiled in relief when Harry curled himself around him, and placed his head onto his shoulder. "You are amazing," he whispered.

"Promise me we'll always do that, and it'll always be that way..."

"If I have anything to say about it, it certainly will be," Severus told him.

Harry dragged his fingers along his husband's chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too, my Harry," Severus replied, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Always."

~*~

Everyone who hadn't adjourned upstairs for the night remained in the kitchen waiting for the report on the Death Eaters' attack on Hogwarts. Ginny and Draco had followed Harry and Severus to Regulus's old bedroom about half an hour after the vampire couple had gone to bed, which left Molly to pace around before deciding to make tea and biscuits for everyone. Arthur and Kingsley talked about battle strategies with Remus, while Fleur, Tonks and Hermione discussed wedding plans, and Ron accepted a job offer from the twins to be a partner in the joke shop upon his graduation from Hogwarts.

The Floo flared just as Molly placed the tray of tea and biscuits onto the table, and immediately was on edge as Minerva stepped into the room, Filius and Pomona in her wake, with Bill bringing up the rear, and, finally, Moody coming in behind them. Ron and Hermione's jaws fell open then as Kingsley rushed forward, wrapped up Moody in a tight embrace. They were shocked even further when Moody pulled back, and were worried that one Auror was going to hit the other, but they were in for the greatest shock of the night when Moody kissed Kingsley roughly on the mouth.

"Don't worry about me, Kings," Moody told him. "Another limb wouldn't make a difference."

"Don't scare me like that, Mad-Eye!" Kingsley ordered, his voice firm as he leaned in to kiss Moody again. "I was worried sick!"

"We were all worried sick," Tonks said, flashing a smile at her mentor.

"Yes, this is all very touching," Moody said, rolling his fake and real eye, before he was ushered to the table by Kingsley to sit in between him and Remus.

"William," Fleur said, and made her way to her fiancé's side, and Molly was most put-out playing second fiddle to her.

"That'll be enough," she said, and promptly moved to put herself between them.

"No, Mum, that's enough from you," Bill said firmly, as Fleur scanned his face, taking in the series of scars that hadn't been there before. "I've asked Fleur to marry me and she has accepted, so that makes her my family now, too."

"She couldn't possibly..." Molly said.

"What?" Fleur demanded then, narrowing her eyes at Molly. "Because of his scars? I happen to think that William is beautiful! I am not with your son because of his looks. I am with him for his kindness, compassion, consideration, bravery, and intelligence. Furthermore, I am also with him because I am in love with him."

"I'm in love with Fleur, too," Bill said resolutely to his mother. "Nothing you say or do will ever come between the two of us."

Molly stammered for a moment before Arthur gathered her up and gently eased her back into the chair she had vacated.

Arthur then approached his son and put out his hand. "Congratulations," he said, shaking the hand of his oldest son and kissing Fleur on the cheek.

"Touching indeed," Moody growled. "But I think Minerva has something to say."

"Yes, Minerva, of course," Kingsley said, putting a hand on top of Kingsley's, who appeared to be begrudging of the action, but nevertheless slipped his fingers into his. "Please. Tell us what happened at Hogwarts this evening."

"A bloody battle is what happened," Minerva said, her voice grave.

"Riddle and Albus engaged in an all-out war," Filius squeaked.

"No telling who would win," Pomona put in.

"But, in the end, there was only one winner," Bill said quietly, and Fleur wrapped her arms around him immediately. "Albus is dead. He killed him."

Molly's head sprang up then, and there were tears in her eyes. "Merlin, no," she whispered. "I... I want to know who else we..."

"Greyback," Minerva said softly. "Your son fought against him valiantly, despite the scratches he received from him, before delivering the Killing Curse like a hero."

"Was he in his wolf form?" Remus asked.

Bill shook his head. "No."

"Thank Merlin for small miracles," Remus said softly.

"Hagrid is helping gather up the dead, but he is all right," Minerva continued, sliding her gaze onto Ron and Hermione. "I am sorry to report that we lost Seamus and Dean in the battle. But, I can say that they went together..."

"Oh, no!" Hermione said, immediately breaking into sobs and throwing herself into Ron's arms, who automatically stroked her back.

"It's how they would've wanted it, 'Mione," he whispered into her hair.

"Who else?" Arthur asked.

"Lavender Brown, Cormac McLaggen," Pomona put in softly. "Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"Colin and Dennis Creevey," Filius whispered. "Such bright, gifted boys..."

"Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle," Minerva continued. "Although I'm not positive many people will mourn them, although they were children..."

"You're neglecting to mention your battle against Bellatrix Lestrange," Moody put in. "Which, of course, you won. The bitch is dead and gone, while I took out her husband and brother-in-law, and Dolohov."

"I killed the Carrows," Filius said, but there was no excitement in his tone.

"Yaxley and I engaged in battle which ended in death," Pomona whispered, her face grave, seriously lacking the cheery smile she always seemed to wear.

"There's something you're neglecting to tell me," Molly said in the moment of silence that followed, and her eyes slowly drifted to Bill, who looked uncomfortable. "Bill. Bill, what happened?" she whispered.

"Mum... Mum, I'm so sorry," Bill said brokenly, tears entering his pale blue eyes as he struggled to put the words together.

"Bill," Arthur said firmly, as Molly threw herself into his arms with a great wail. "Bill. Don't drag this out. Just..."

The Floo flared in the living room then, and a battle-scarred Charlie struggled into the room, what appeared to be lashings on him, and he was sporting a broken leg. "Hey, Mum, Dad," he said, his tone weary, which caused Molly and Arthur to let out shouts and launch themselves to their feet and grab ahold of their son.

"Don't you scare me like that!" Molly yelled at him.

"Mum!" Bill cried out then, and Molly finally let Charlie go, catching the note of desperation in her oldest child's voice. "It's Percy."

"Percy?" Arthur whispered.

"He was battling with me and Charlie," Bill recounted, his voice shaking. He quit the ministry, and we were all so excited. Charlie got hexed, which caused the broken leg," he went on, his voice continuing to tremble. "Percy engaged in battle in vain with Lucius Malfoy, but the senior Malfoy killed him before we could get in there to help him."

"Where is that blaggard now?!" Molly demanded, amid Hermione's continued sobs, and Ron's whispered words of comfort, although tears were coming down his face, and he looked across the table to see the twins holding each other.

"In hiding with Riddle," Minerva said, trying to keep sadness from her voice and failing to do so entirely. "I am sorry to cut this short, but, as headmistress, I need to go and observe and be sure that things are being handled accordingly."

"Of course, Minerva," Arthur said, his face devoid of any emotion as he comforted his wife. "We shall see you soon."

Minerva nodded, before ushering Filius and Pomona out with her. The Floo flared in the living room once more, before the three Hogwarts professors were subsequently swallowed up. And no sound could be heard further from Grimmauld Place that evening, save for the sobs of the people gathered in the kitchen, grieving for those lost.