Within the Hogwarts castle stood a crowd of no less than 1,000 witches and wizards. They were silent, each wearing a grave face, their wands gripped tightly in their hands. All of them wore robes of black, the light catching on the fabric and glinting off as if they wore armor instead. A man, his robes a little more tattered than the others, stood pacing back and forth in front of them. He stopped somewhere around the middle of the front row, and gestured outward. A boy, no older than 17, appeared by his side shortly afterwards. The man in the worn robes clapped the boy on the back, and then raised his head to speak.

“Today, you stand before me as an army,” Remus Lupin called out to the crowd, “You are an army that has waited to march for the past sixteen years. Tonight, I present to you the Chosen One. He will lead us to victory!”

The crowd bellowed loudly as Harry Potter’s hand was lifted into the air. Lupin reached a hand up and put it on his shoulder. Harry, trying to focus on something, scanned the room for familiar faces. He found Luna, up against the wall, radishes swinging from her ears. She had come to cheer them on into battle. There, near the far end of the back row, stood Neville. He had no idea just how close he had come to being the one standing before them now. He had his hands high in the air, clapping for the boy he considered his hero. Harry’s eyes moved on. He saw Hagrid, the tallest of them all, mouthing Harry’s name and looking more ready then ever. He grinned, gestured out to his giant friend, and then shifted his gaze.

He found the two he had been searching for. Hermione, her hair as bushy as ever, was jumping up and down, cheering at him and boosting his confidence. Ron stood beside her, nervous but ready, happy to know that it was his best friend standing before them. Harry gave them each a nod, which they returned. He knew in that moment that he could do this. He could lead them in. As he began to come back and make his speech, a final face caught his eye. There she was, standing against the wall with her mother. It was the face that had haunted him since the summer of last year. It was the one he had had to let go of. Ginny.

She looked more beautiful then he had even been able to remember. Her long, shining red hair fell down upon her lovely face. Her emerald eyes, as vivid as his, shone brightly out at him. She was angry, this he knew. Lupin had declared that no underage wizard would be allowed to fight in this battle. Ginny, who knew and loved most of those going into battle today, wanted desperately to be a part of it. He hoped that he could speak to her before he left. He just needed to hear her voice again. Shaking his head, he pulled his thoughts away from her. Then, silencing the crowd with a gesture of his hands, he spoke.

“I know that most of you are scared,” he said, “and that most of you aren’t sure if you have the courage to do this. I know this because I am feeling the same way. I don’t know what is going to happen when we find the Death Eaters. I can’t predict the future. But, I think that if you think about the ones that you care about today, then you will make it through.”

He looked up at Ginny, and she locked eyes with him. He snapped his gaze back to the crowd.

“Remember the ones who have fallen before you,” he continued, his voice getting steadily stronger, “and the ones who can’t be here today. Fight for them and their memory. Remember Dumbledore, and everything he offered to us. When you get out and you face them, remember everything! Remember the pain that you felt when you lost them, and the love that you felt for them! Remember it all!”

The crowd gave a loud cheer, and Harry handed it back over to Lupin. He silenced them with his wand. Then, gently, he gestured out the door. They began to scatter, some off to say goodbye to family members. Others were following Lupin out the door. Hermione grabbed Ron and Harry’s hands and pulled them over to where the Weasleys and Luna were standing. It was Luna who spoke first.

“You be careful out there today,” she said in her airy tone, and all three of them nodded, “You watch out for those Death Eaters, and you fight hard! Oh, and be on alert for the Toxic Snorkflug. They live in pine trees, and they like to feast on human flesh.”

“Yeah, we’ll be sure to wear our Snorkflug repellent,” said Ron, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Goodbye, Luna,” she said, and Harry gave her a farewell smile.

Then, it was Mrs. Weasley’s turn with them. She pulled Ron into a tight hug, and reached up to wipe a tear from her eye.


“Oh, what I wouldn’t give to make all of you younger right now,” she said, and a hiccupped chuckle escaped her, “Take care of yourselves.” She kissed them all on the cheek, and gave them each a hug. Now, it was Ginny's turn for farewell.

Ron said goodbye to Ginny quickly. It was an emotional exchange of a hug and kiss. Then, Hermione went up for her goodbye. Ginny’s eyes watered, but she didn’t let herself cry. She was strong. Harry loved her more for it. It was his turn now.

“Long time, no see, Gin,” Harry said, and he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his robes. He was nervous about saying goodbye to her. He wanted to do it right, to let her know that he loved her. That, however, might put her in danger.

But it is over today, he thought. It all ends today.


“I know,” Ginny replied, “It has been a long time.”

“I wanted to tell you before I left that…” Harry began. He was stuttering. His tongue was tied. He couldn’t think.

“I wanted to tell you that…I’m…I…”


He felt her put her finger to his lips. Then, leaning in slowly, she kissed him. He wanted to forget about the battle, to stay in that moment forever. Sadly, it ended just after it had begun.

“Be careful out there,” she said to him, “You keep yourself alive.”

“I love you, Ginny Weasley,” he told her, and he kissed briskly again on the cheek. She smiled.

“Come back to me, Harry Potter,” she said, and he laughed.

“You know I will,” he said. He grabbed her hand and backed away, his grip loosening more and more the further they grew apart. He walked backwards into the crowd, watching her until he could no longer see her face.

Lupin had predicted that the Death Eaters would be located in or around Spinner’s End. A dead fox had been found in a field there last year, and he had a high suspicion that it had died after being hit by a Killing Curse. It was about a three-day walk from Hogwarts, but Lupin just didn’t feel secure about them Apparating. Half of the crowd had just learned how to do it, and he didn’t need them all ending up in strange place. He decided to make the journey in a covered area. The easiest way of avoiding being spotted from the sky would be to walk through the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid, who knew the forest better, led the way, followed closely by Tonks and Lupin.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in the front row. Hermione and Ron were holding hands, and Harry was wishing desperately that Ginny were here. Hermione turned to talk to him.

“Do you really think that the Death Eaters will all be at Spinner’s End?” she asked him. Harry shook his head.

“Probably just two or three at the most,” he told her, “but that’s what we want. We can’t take them all out at one time. It’s better to eliminate them in small numbers.”

‘What about Voldemort, though?” Ron asked, “I mean, who’s to stop him from going off and attacking anymore people if we can’t find him.”

“We’ll find him, Ron,” Harry told him, “Believe me, we’ll find him.”

“Hush,” snapped Hermione.

They had stopped moving. Hagrid had signaled to Lupin and Tonks to hold up. Hermione, Ron, and Harry whipped out their wands, and those behind them did the same. Harry watched Hagrid inch forward, silent as he could be with his large feet. Not hearing anything, he waved them on. They had only taken two steps when Harry heard it.

A low, resounding growl came from the right side of the forest. Signaling up ahead, the three leaders stopped. Lupin raised his wand in the direction of the noise, poised and ready for anything. In a flash of a second, Fenrir Greyback was upon him.

“AMBUSH!!” Hermione screamed, and the three of them ran forward to assist Lupin. Harry could hear footsteps running out of the woods, and he knew instantly that the Death Eaters were attacking. Ignoring them, he pointed his wand at Greyback.

“STUPEFY!” he uttered, but the spell was deflected. He couldn’t see who had shielded Greyback, but he and his friends moved in to wrestle him off of Lupin. Ron was hit by one of Fenrir’s hands, and the strength that came from them was enough to knock him backward.

“AVADA KEDAVRA!” Tonks shouted, and her spell was deflected too. Harry’s eyes snapped around, looking for the defenseman. He found no one there. His eyes snapped down to Lupin. His eyes were open, but Harry knew that blank look too well. It was the same look that Dumbledore had given him last year after Snape had hit him with the Killing Curse.

“LEAVE HIM!” he shouted to Ron, Hermione, and Tonks. Ron and Hermione, stunned momentarily, shook their heads. Harry motioned for them to move on into the battle. They obeyed. Tonks, however, continued her attempts to Stun Greyback.

“TONKS, MOVE ON!!!” Harry shouted, but she ignored him. He lunged at her and knocked her to the ground. She pushed him up.

“LISTEN TO ME, TONKS!” Harry bellowed, “Any minute now, Greyback is going to realize Lupin’s dead! You have to leave, or he’ll kill you too!”

“I LOVED HIM!” Tonks shouted, “I LOVED HIM!”

“Harry, the battle needs yer!” Hagrid uttered to him. Knowing that he had to move, he unwillingly left Tonks. He couldn’t sacrifice any more lives because she was too stubborn to listen to him. He raced into the battle.

Looking around, he knew they were outnumbered. Voldemort’s ranks had grown sufficiently since their last battle. He fired a Killing Curse at Rookwood, who was attempting to sneak up and murder Mad-Eye Moody as he dueled with Avery. He searched for Ron and Hermione. Hermione was battling a new Death Eater, and he saw her hit him with a Stunning spell. Ron was locked in combat with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. Much as he wanted to aid him, the battle needed him more. Knowing that they were alive was enough for him. As he whirled around, ready to run in the opposite direction, he found himself face to face with Draco Malfoy.

“Hello Potter,” his enemy sneered, and he shot a torture curse at him. Harry deflected it with his wand.

“Coward!” Harry spat at him. Draco merely sneered.

“You die today!” he cackled, and then Harry felt his feet go out from under him. Leaping up, he swung his wand at Malfoy’s face.

“Expelliarmus!” he cried, and Malfoy’s wand flew away. He lunged forward to finish him.

“Crucio!” uttered a voice behind him, and Harry felt a wave of agonizing pain sweep over him. He felt as if a thousand pins were puncturing his limbs. His body was surely on fire. Rolling in agony, he tried to open his eyes. The pain receded, and he saw his tormentor. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. He tried to get up, and she hit him again.

“HARRY!” he heard Hermione utter. He could hear her footsteps rushing over to aid him.

“Ah, Granger,” Lestrange said, and he saw her make a slashing movement with her wand. The next thing he knew, Hermione fell in a heap on the forest floor.

“NO!” Harry uttered, and he crawled over to her. She was as still as a corpse. He rounded on Bellatrix.

“STUPEFY!” he cried, but she deflected it, and immobilized him. Unable to move, rooted to the spot, he heard her call for her master.

“I have him, my Lord!” she cried, “Bring in the dark ones, and complete the Prophecy as it should be!"

The land grew cold. Harry watched above him, horrified by what was happening. A hundred Dementors swooped in upon the army, feeding and kissing upon the surviving souls. He heard one near him, and watched it swoop over his head, Hermione held in its arms. He wanted to move, to save her, but he couldn’t budge. Then, he felt life return to his body…and a foot came down on his shoulder. Looking up, he found himself face to face with Lord Voldemort.

“It ends today, Potter,” he said in his high-pitched voiced. He laughed satanically. Harry attempted to get up, and Voldemort’s heel dug deeper into his shoulder. He bit his tongue against the pain. Looking around, he noticed that no one could see what was happening to him. The Dementors had blocked their view of Harry and Voldemort.

“You’ll be back with your beloved godfather and headmaster soon, Harry,” he hissed, “Don’t worry about this world, though. We’ll take good care of your friends…especially Ginny Weasley.”

Harry had no time to react. Before his eyes could even light up with terror, he felt something icy pierce his chest. It was a Killing Curse, this he knew. The world swam before his eyes. Names raced through his foggy mind. He felt darkness closing in on him, and he focused on those he knew he would see in a few moments.

Mum…Dad…Cedric…Sirius…Dumbledore…Lupin.

One more thought before his mind went blank. He hoped that she would be okay.

Ginny.