Chapter 1: Further Losses
Harry potter awoke vaguely listening to a somewhat distant commotion seeming to be issuing from out of his dormitory. After checking he wasn't still dreaming, he sat up and realised something, he could now relax, he could be whatever he wanted to be, his future was no longer planned around something or someone else. As this thought occurred to him he pondered on what he actually wanted to do, apart from the possibility of an auror he hadn't considered many other professions, he was often scared to plan too far ahead when his future was never clear.
However as he thought of a couple of the great men that had made it possible for him to have this future, he also thought back to his fifth year at Hogwarts and to comments made by many of his classmates such as Cho Chang and Neville Longbottom, it was at this moment that he was curious as to why he had not thought of the idea of teaching before now. As these memories of his classmates waved through his mind, he quickly realised he still wasn't sure just how bad the casualties to many of his friends were, he checked his watch and saw to his astonishment that it was now late afternoon, after not being able to sleep for over a day he had seemingly fallen into a part-time coma!
He jumped out of bed and jogged downstairs towards the common room. Upon arrival he realised the mood was subdued and more of relief than celebration. Seamus Finnegan came running up to him and called out 'Harrys up!' many people cheered and clapped him on the back, he wasn't sure where he wanted to be at this moment in time but sought to seek out Ron and Hermione in their usual spot by the fire – to his disappointment after proceeding through the younger years they were not there. So at this he made to walk to the portrait hole but almost walked straight into Ginny who at first glance swung her arms around him almost cutting off the air to his lungs. After a while she pulled away and Harry noticed her glazed over eyes were patchy and raw. He didn't know what to say, he had been there as George fell and however hard he tried he still felt a big part of responsibility.
Psychic-like Ginny whispered 'your the bravest man I know, Hermione told me why you walked into the forest on your own'.
Harry attempted to give her a smile but barely moved his mouth. Ginny was never overly emotional so when she let a tear dribble down onto her cheek Harry struggled to know what to do, she sobbed into his chest, 'when h-h-he dropped you at his feet like that, I thought that was it, I couldn't move, I-I thought...'. Harry returned the suffocating hug to her this time and told her 'it's going to be ok now though, it's over'. Saying this made it sink in a little bit more for Harry too, however much he wanted to stay holding onto Ginny he still didn't know exactly who else had been hurt in all the commotion. So he told Ginny this at which she new Harry wanted to see for himself and so she replied 'ok, i'll come with you'.
Turning the corner into the Entrance Hall, Harry realised Hogwarts had now turned into somewhat of a crime scene. Families had been removed from the Great Hall and Professor Mconagall seemed to be taking control of moving the bodies, of which there were so many, too many. 'Harry! Mate, I, well I can't believe we, I mean you did it! All them D.A lessons certainly paid off huh?' Ernie Macmillan had almost ran straight into Harry as he came storming around the corner. Harry attempted a weak smile and strode onwards to look into the Great Hall, at this moment Ginny took hold of his hand as they peered around the corner, he felt her whimper beside him as they looked onwards into the vast piles of bodies.
'Hey! What do you two think you're doing? You're not allow- Oh it's you Harry, I'm sorry Potter but the same goes for you, could you please wait outside'.
Harry made to obey Professor McGonagall's orders before she added, 'Ginny your mother was looking for you earlier, I believe the Weasley's have gone down to Hagrid's you may find her there'. Ginny motioned to turn towards the grounds, Harry however turned the other way as a loud groan followed by a weak whimper had issued from behind him.
Harry's heart swelled with pity as there now slumped at the bottom of the staircase was Neville Longbottom, tears streaming down his battle-scarred face while standing over him, evidently hating himself was Elphias Doge who had clearly been chosen to deliver the news. Luna Lovegood was kneeling down beside him, 'Neville, you know she would have been so proud of you,' she whispered. At this, Elphias must have felt it safe to talk too and added 'I am ever so sorry for your loss Neville, we shall have to put all our efforts into capturing any wizards or witches involved'. As though he had awoken from a bad dream, Neville sprung upwards, got onto his feet with surprising agility, pulled himself up to his fullest height and then commanded 'I will find who did this and they will pay, mark my words!'.