I'm sorry I couldn't get to you -- December 2018

I was slowly destroying the family who killed my mother.  The two halfbreeds were gone.  I would continue to tear the Lupin family apart.  I also wanted to spread fear throughout the Wizarding community.  I had been operating behind the scenes for far too long and now I had to come to the main stage -- front and center.  It was not quite yet dawn; I had my select few inside Death Eaters with me.  Not that I needed the protection, but I knew they would enjoy the destruction.  I let them go ahead of me.  "I want them still alive... but go have fun," I whispered icily.  I watched them go forward.  The Weasley family was sound asleep -- but the wife, Desdemona, was the halfbreed's sister.  I wanted to tear them apart as much as I could.

I heard what sounded like movement outside and I rolled over.  Desi was still sound asleep next to me.  What had I heard?  Was Quinn sneaking back into the house or something?  She had graduated this past June and was still living at home, but she was a good girl.  She would not do that.  I stood up, knowing that things were starting to get worse and worse in the world again.  I glanced at the clock, it was far too early for me to get around for work.  I heard another noise and I grabbed my wand while slipping my feet into my slippers.  I looked out of the window and saw figures.  I barely had time to reach Desi when our front door burst open.  I instinctively waved my wand, thrusting a protection spell around my daughter's room.

I felt Charlie's hand on mine, but I did not really register it when I heard a crash in the other room.  My eyes snapped open adn I saw Charlie standing before me -- shirtless, pajama bottoms only, and slippers on his feet -- clutching his wand.  My mind immediately went to Quinn who was in her bedroom.  I heard more crashes and I quickly scrambled out of bed whilst wearing one of his t-shirts and some of my own pajama pants.  I held onto his hand tightly as I found my own wand.  "Charlie, what is it?" I whispered.

I heard a crash, jumping out of my bed.  What?  I was groggy and looked at my clock; it was so early in the morning... four in the morning actually.  I felt something go through my room, through me, and realized that it was a protection spell for my entire bedroom.  I was wearing Pops' old gryffindor sweater from his school days -- one of my favorites -- and a pair of leggings.  I grabbed my wand and went to my bedroom door; I could not get it open.  I needed to know what was going on -- I needed to help my parents.

I put my hands on Desdemona's shoulders.  "Get Quinn and get out of here," I said quickly.  "Shell Cottage -- wake Bill and Dora.  Stay away no matter what... just stay there..." I kissed her and moved so I was in front of her.  I would distract them so she could get far enough away with Quinn from the house to Apparate.

I strode forward after my Death Eaters.  I saw they had already blasted quite a few rooms apart.  I heard shouting down the hall.  I stepped back when one of my men got thrown through a wall by magic.  Ah, they would be putting up a struggle -- excellent.

"Charlie!" I shouted when they blast through our bedroom.  I was not going to leave him!  Quinn was safe... I thought.  How could I leave him?  I would get them both out if I could.  I would never see him again if I left!  I waved my wand and sent a curse at the nearest Death Eater, sending him through the wall.  That did hardly anything, however, as we were hit and got separated.  "No!" I moaned, trying to get up off the floor.  Where was he?  Was Quinn still safe in her bedroom?  I needed to help him.  There was so much dust -- and I smelled smoke.  Something was on fire.  I felt rough hands grab me, pulling my hair so my head looked into a pair of blue eyes I had seen before:  Greyback.

I heard my mum scream and I tried to get out of my room.  They needed my help!  I felt tears forming in my eyes as I struggled to get out of my room.  I could smell fire and hear blasts from outside of my room.  "No... Mum, Dad..." I whispered through tears as I tried to help my parents.

I smiled darkly when they brought me out Charlie Weasley.  I could see that my men had gotten the best of him, though not without a fight.  I took a step forward and waved my wand, putting ropes around him so he could not attack me or anyone else.  I nodded a dismissal of my followers.  "Find the girl," I said to them, enjoying watching her father struggle against the ropes.  I knew that Greyback already had Desdemona and was having some fun with her, I was sure.  That was fine... I wanted to deal with Charlie for the moment.

I heard banging right outside my bedroom door.  I backed away.  They knew I was here... I had to get out.  Where were my parents?  I gripped my wand tightly and tried to steady my breathing.  What could I do?  I looked around my room, knowing that the only way that the protection spell would be uplifted was if something happened to my mum or if the Death Eaters found a way to break through it before I did.  And I knew that if I broke through it to leave through my window, I would only have a few seconds to get out of sight before they entered.

When the blast separated me from Desdemona, I felt the familiar pain of being burned by fire.  I had been dragged out to the remnant of our living room.  The ropes bound me, sending pain all along the right side where my new burns were.  When a voice instructed the others to go fetch my daughter, I struggled against the ropes, but to no avail.  I looked up and saw the man standing in front of me -- the Dark Star; who else would be wearing blood red robes while his followers were black as night?  The one who took Will's life.  "You..." I said.  I heard laughter and a scream from the other room.  I struggled, again, against the ropes despite the pain.  "Des!  Leave her alone!" I shouted, knowing that was my wife screaming.  I had not heard a word or any new blasts from my daughter... did they even know she was here?  I did not want to say her name in fear of giving her away.

I laughed, making him fall quiet with a flick of my wand.  "You could save her... you could save both of them," I said to him, bending so our eyes were level.  Of course, I would not let the three of them leave here; I would spare one of them and only one.  I did enjoy the tease of the game, however.  Give them false hope, hear them beg, watch them fall apart when the realization hit them that they were already dead when I walked through their door.  The Dark Star had little mercy.

I stared into his emotionless eyes.  How I wished that were true.  I would not give him the pleasure of hearing me beg.  "Let me go and fight me like a man," I said angrily.  "Instead you have me tied up and plan on killing me like a coward!" Des's voice came from the other room and it broke my heart.  I could hear the others trying to get through to Quinn, but I still had not heard her.  She was safe for now.

I chuckled darkly.  "Oh, I shall... but first," I said, standing upright.  "Greyback, bring her out."  I waited until Greyback brought Remus Lupin's half sister out.  I could give them a choice.  William lupin got a choice -- his daughter or himself.  I turned to Charlie Weasley.  Without saying a word, I used the Crutiatus Curse on him.  I sneered and was pleased by Desdemona's reaction... and the reaction from the other room, letting me know that I was right in my information that the girl was indeed here.

When I heard my dad start yelling in pain, I could not help but cry out for him.  "Dad!" I yelled at the same time I heard my mum yelling for him.  The efforts on my door doubled, my entire room shuddering with the force of the spells.  A mother or father's love cast my spell, though, and it was rather strong.  But it also prevented me from being able to help them.