Turn the World Upside Down

By Nanaho-Hime

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

For Werewolf Vampire Mistress's H Challenge

Katie Bell had screamed when she saw Fred Weasley's body. She hadn't cared that she garnered the attention of everyone around her, it didn't matter that she had been hit with a funny looking curse, and now her arm and half of her face were disfigured, and twisted. The world had just been turned upside down. It was the first casualty she had actually seen, with her own eyes, and of all the people in the room it had to be Fred Weasley. The world was now helter-skelter, disorganized, chaotic, a mess.

After the battle, up in St. Mungo's, where she was being treated for the curse they had used on her, she was perfectly aware that the Healers wouldn't be able to fix her. She knew it was a waste of time, she knew that her face would never be as it once was, but she had it easy. She was just going to be ugly. Alicia was paralyzed from the waist down, and everyone else was lost inside their own heads, lost inside their own misery.

"Katie Bell?"

She smiled weakly at the guest. She was one of the lucky ones; there was never a shortage of visitors for her. But this time, it wasn't Oliver, or Angelina, or Leanne. It was the second eldest Weasley, Charlie, resting his weight against the door frame.

She nodded, and straightened up , "Yes, hello."

"A friend of Fred and George's right?"

The agony in his eyes didn't go unnoticed, and she nodded.

"Baby Bell, they used to call you Baby Bell right?"

She flushed at the age old nickname, reminiscent of simpler times and happier days, "Stupid Gits.'

Charlie threw back his head and laughed, but it wasn't a pleasant sound, bitter and ironic, "They were."

They are silent as they remember. Charlie interrupts again, "They said you were a bloody brilliant Chaser."

Katie shrugged modestly, and ducked her head, "I haven't played Quidditch in ages."

Charlie returned the shrug, "Neither have I."

"Well, that's just ridiculous," Katie scolded, "You were the greatest Quidditch player Hogwarts had seen in years."

"Guess it's just not as exciting as dodging angry dragon mothers."

"Do you miss flying?"

"Do you?"

There is more silence, and Katie can't understand why he is visiting her. Why they are having this pointless conversation about flying when he had lost his brother and she had lost one of her best mates.

"How about we sneak out for the day?"

She was more than a little startled.

"What?"

Putting a finger to his lips, he silently summoned his broomstick, and motioned for her to follow him. Bewildered and a little nervous, she struggled to disentangle herself from her white sheets. He offered her his arm, and she took it. She'd always hated side apparition, and when they landed in the yard of the Burrow she blinked. Charlie stared up at his home, as though he were lost, as though he'd never seen it before.

"No one's home much anymore."

His tone of voice nearly broke her heart, but he grinned at her, all the same, and Katie was struck by just how brave the Weasley family was. Wordlessly, Charlie positioned himself on the broomstick. When she stood there, blinking, unsure of what he wanted her to do, he chuckled.

"Get on Baby Bell, I know you were going stir crazy in there."

She didn't need to be told twice. She clambered onto the back of his broomstick and held on and they were soaring. The wind was whipping through her hair, and the countryside blurred below and she could finally pretend that she was fifteen again.

"You know," Charlie called back, "This is probably a little weird for you."

"Yeah, a little."

He flew a loop d loop and she shrieked, holding onto him tighter.

"You're mental, no wonder you were a good Quidditch player."

"Aww looping? I love looping, makes the world go all helter-skelter."

"Death does that to."

She could have slapped herself for letting that comment slip out, but that was exactly how she felt when she had seen Fred, exactly how she felt when she heard about Colin, and when Alicia had cried to her.

"You screamed, when you saw Fred's body."

"I'm sorry."

"That's why I came to visit you."

"I'm sorry."

"You know I've never heard a more heartbreaking sound in my life."

"I'm sorry."

"That scream, I thought it was in my head, a sound my heart was making."

He lowered them to the ground, and Katie could feel her cheeks burn in humiliation.

"You go up front."

She obeyed him, and he settled in behind her. She was surprised when he put his large calloused hands over her own.

"You know, when you cry on a broomstick, no one can hear you."

"You'll be able to hear me." She pointed out bleakly.

"That's ok, Baby Bell," he rested his chin on top of her head, "Cause I'll be crying too."

And she cried, but he didn't, assuring her that he was crying on the inside for their world turned upside down.

A/N: Short, drabble-ish, reviews would be love :)

So if you would?