Seven Gifts from the Descended

When they first saw it, Ron ran out of the door and emptied the contents of his stomach right on the Welcome mat of the house. Blood. Everywhere there was blood and dead bodies. Five to be precise. And it looked like someone had dragged another one across the floor to somewhere else in the house.

00:57. The time on the digital clock on the wall. And as they walked further, Harry saw a small light escaping from the open door of a room at the far end of the hallway. With Ron behind him, wands drawn,the boys quickly made it to the door. Crying was what they heard. Of children and a mother.

Opening the door so very slightly, they peeked in, there on the floor lay Hermione, with her back resting on one of the cribs, her hands cradled the head of her dead husband, his white blond hair streaked red. She was also bleeding heavily. Her sobs wrecked her entire body.

"'Mione!" Harry cried rushing to his best friend's side. Her eyes slowly, very slowly and painfully rose from the face of her lover to that of her brother.

"They killed him." she said, tears flowing more freely down her cheek than ever."They killed him with Seictumsempra. Not one.....but five of them................hit him at the same time." She kissed the cold lips of her Draco, hoping to get a response, but was rewarded with another jolt of reality. A reality where her love was dead, she was dying, and they were leaving behind their twins, orphaned at the age of two.

"Keep it together Hermione! Keep it together!!" Harry said, performing multiple healing charms but to no avail. " It's okay love, it's okay. Think about Scorp. Think of Leia. They need you. Don't give up." As Harry helped her, Ron reached into the crib and brought the children to their mother."Look at them 'Mione, please. Think about them. We've sent for help, healers will be here any moment. Don't give up!" Ron said, his own tears falling on one of the children's heads. The kids reached for their mother. Silently crying, but unable to utter anything other than "Ma".

Her breath was shallow, and it grew heavier by the second, "Always remember" she said to her children crying "Always remember that your father and I loved you two, very very much. Remember him for the good he did, not for what Hogwarts: A History says." After a pregnant pause and deep breaths, she added "Be brave my babies. Mama and Papa will always love you".

"And with that, Hermione Granger- Malfoy, gave up on life on April 27, 2008 at the young age of 27. Along with her, keeping true to their marriage vows of 'I will go with you to the afterlife, if the need arises', Draco Malfoy, her husband of 7 years too descended from this world, killed by a band of escapee death eaters."

This was what Scorpius and Leia had found, a framed cutting of the newspaper report about their parents, in their hands, as they got on the train ride from Hogwarts to their godparents' place. Hagrid, their friend and Care For Magical Creatures teacher, gave it to them. He had said, drying his tears with his sleeve that they would have wanted their children to know.

It became a custom. The last day of their school, every year, they would spend with Hagrid at his hut, and he would give them one more part of the parents they lost. Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron also always told stories of their parents' love (their favorite being the punch in third year),how they both found each other, mending their broken souls, anchoring to each other. But Hagrid gave them things to hold on to.

They have seven treasured gifts that always sit on the mantelpiece below the portrait of Draco and Hermione Malfoy, in the house the twins share. Engraved in beautiful cursive, on the hard oak frame are the words "Seven Gifts From The Descended". They being.

The newspaper cutting in first year.
The photo album in second year.
Their prefect badges in third year.
His first snitch in fourth year.
Her addition of Hogwarts: A History in fifth year.
Their marriage vows in a frame in sixth year.
Their wedding rings in seventh year.

And finally, the one gift that was most cherished and taken care of, which was given to them by their godfather Harry at their graduation, their mother's favorite memories which she had been regularly sending to Harry for safe keeping, in a small casket, for pensive viewing.

These were the most precious items in their house, and on silent nights, when all were asleep, Scorpius and Leia would find comfort sitting in front of the fireplace, just gazing at what was left of their creators, comforting each other just by being there. They knew, Mama and Papa would always love them.