Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling owns these characters- and I am forever grateful for the imagination and adventure she has bestowed upon her books, and the morality and lessons of friendship and love that will eternally entwine the readers of the world who are bound in their love of Harry Potter.

CHAPTER 1

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

The battle is won. You had lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Voldemort's words rung through the silent castle grounds.

The sound of his voice carried through to the ears within the Great Hall. A cold chill of defeat swiftly settled in the room, on many of the inhabitants kneeling upon the floor over the deceased. Mrs. Weasley's body lifted from her son's frozen form, and was helped to her feet by an incredulous looking Mr. Weasley.

"It, it can't be." Bill was the first to speak amongst the group that huddled around in a circle beside the three brutally slain. Small gasps and silent, hurried murmurs scattered throughout the room, growing louder with each passing second. Harry Potter, dead? Their only hope could not have been lost. Five figures stood erect in the middle of the room intoxicated by mayhem and fear. The trepidation and panic that began to fill the room had not touched any of them. Their skepticism at Voldemort's announcement prevented the aged look on each of their faces from falling into despair.

However all five were the first to exit the building- to witness for themselves, the horrible truth.

The bushy brown-headed girl nearest to the exit flew out the large oak doors first. Her breath hitched- causing the others to hastily follow in her wake. "No!"

The tall lanky red head bounded across the courtyard after her, hearing her cry reverberate off the walls of the castle. He came to a halt at the end of the hill, his body incapable of movement. The sight before him was disbelieving, he couldn't, he wouldn't believe it. His best mate…

"No!" His stomach plummeted, but before he could become sick himself, Hermione's form began to plummet to the ground, and it took all of Ron to hold her up against him. Her tears were already mixing with his, spilling onto his shoulder.

Directly behind them, stood Neville and Luna- who had followed Ginny out from the door.

He's lying, he's just trying to set a trap! Ginny had her wand drawn, convinced that Voldemort's announcement was a bluff to mass murder Harry's dearest friends. But as she turned the corner out the door, watching Ron picking up Hermione into his arms…her mind suddenly fell into blankness. Voldemort's cruel laughter and instructions for Hagrid to drop the body at his feet, seemed to reverberate within her mind.

Harry, her Harry, lay limp within Hagrid's arms- pale, his black hair flopped over and hanging towards the ground…his glasses askew…

"Harry! HARRY!!!" Ginny's cries carried with her bounds down the hill, her wand pointing menacingly at Voldemort's pasty, detestable features.

"What are you going to do? You meager child?" Voldemort challenged, roaring with laughter.

How could he? Ginny's tears were blinded by her hate- she couldn't look away from Voldemort, afraid that she would catch a glimpse of the lifeless body being laid before Voldemort's feet. The pain Ginny felt was intolerable. She knew Harry would succeed- he had to- he couldn't be dead-

"What? Come to avenge your cowardly leader? Your lover?" Voldemort's mocking words shot through Ginny's being like electricity.

"He was never cowardly! He was braver than you'll ever be! You pitiful, foul, spineless-"

Ginny's words were cut short by the shot of red that aimed at her chest. Ginny gaped as the pain overtook her before she succumbed to the ground for solace of her aching limbs. Luna and Neville rushed foreword for Ginny. Voldemort roared in laughter as Ron began to struggle towards him.

"Do you wish it too?" In one swift flick, Ron was cast to the ground, writhing in agony.

"Ron!" Hermione rushed to his side.

In the middle of Voldemort's wild laughter, a shot of green flew towards him-

Dolohov dodged before him, taking the blow of the powerful source- collapsing to the ground in a heap, his face burning from the boils and scars that began to etch across his skin. "My Lord!" he gasped out before falling into unconsciousness.

The Death Eaters rounded around Voldemort, searching for the perpetrator of the deadly hex. Voldemort caught eyes with the small, petite fiery red head who glared vehemently back at him from the ground, clutching her holly wand tightly.

Suddenly Voldemort broke into hysterical laughter, finding amusement in the wrath of the tiny girl before him. "You think that you can defeat me? When even Harry Potter didn't stand a chance?" his wicked eyes burned into hers. At the mention of Harry's name, Ginny's grip upon her wand loosened, her eyes no longer fastened on Voldemort, but the figure that lay beneath his feet, with mouth open- looking tormented, even in death.

"You would be an excellent addition to my rally, Ginevra Weasley. Do not think I have forgotten you." Voldemort's cold, high pitch voice startled Ginny's trance- and apparently startled others with his words.

Ginny stared up at Voldemort's cool collected face impassively- before Neville blocked her view, charging towards Voldemort. He was disarmed quickly and fell back to the ground. Hogwarts students, teachers, and Order members had now filled the courtyard- most of the students screaming profanities and abuses at the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself.

"Silence!" his voice was magnified magically, and his silence charm spread through the courtyard.

It was when Voldemort finally gazed back at Ginny in amusement, watching her conceal her agony, then cascading his glance to the newcomers who entered the grounds, only to be greeted by Voldemort's threatening presence – and in front, the body of their savior, of their fellow student and friend, that it happened. Ginny's body collapsed to the ground – not even Ron or Hermione could help her now. Ginny was lost in a sea of darkness, waves of grief plummeted over her – rocking her body foreword and backward. She began shaking, her arms barely supporting her on the ground, shaking not in fear, but in unbearable pain. She gazed into Harry's face, only a few feet from her own – without Voldemort's notice as he continued to address the crowds. His hallow cheeks and even the scar on his forehead, were pallid- everything about him seemed devoid of life, except the slight pink of his lips. If she could only have kissed him once more, to press her lips softly against his and breathe in the sweet scent of his breath, letting it wash over and pour her emotions into him. If she only had a moment, to divulge her every dying secret - that she loved him, and always would. But now, she would never get that chance…her last was watching Harry walk away from her with that fierce look in his eyes, as she pouted, waiting in the Room of Requirement, waiting for him to come back to her, until she heard the scream of her brother Percy…

Her chest throbbed when her lungs choked for air. She was afraid to reach her hand out and brush it across his forehead, afraid that this nightmare was real…

Apparently Ginny had ignored the turmoil around her – and reluctantly liberating herself from her moment of despair, found Neville before her screaming in pain – upon his head the sorting hat aflame.

Swiftly her wand took action. "Aqua Relinquo!" Neville became drenched in a pool of water, the fire extinguished. Grawp suddenly emerged from the trees, shouting for Hagrid, and a roar of calamity broke out within the crowd.

Voldemort was unable to perform his killing curse upon Neville- someone had cast a shield charm.

"HARRY!" Hagrid shouted, "HARRY- WHERE'S HARRY?"

To Ginny's horror, the boy before her had vanished. Astounded, somehow within the next second she found herself in the clutches of Voldemort- his white slender hand tightly and neatly placed around her neck- lifting and strangling her off the ground.

"What have you done with the boy?" he hissed. Ginny scrambled for air, her hands clawing at Voldemort's magically strengthened grip about her neck. She could hear Ron and Hermione fighting off Death Eaters, screaming Ginny's name.

"I know you've taken him! Where have you sent him!!" Voldemort's menacing voice squeezed tighter around Ginny's neck. Ginny squeaked, trying to speak- but instead, narrowing her eyes, she found resolution in spitting into Voldemort's face. Hot rage built within Voldemort's hand – he roared in boiling fury – his own hand around Ginny's neck turning red with pressure, piercing her flesh with his long sharp nails till they grew stained with her blood.

Ginny's eyes rolled into the back of her head, her wand escaping to the ground…

"GINNY!" she heard Ron's distant scream.

There was a small cry of pain, and Ginny fell upon the ground- heaving for air. She rolled over, laying on her back and sucking in the precious life-force about her.

"Ginny!" Hermione rushed beside her, helping her sit up. "Ginny, are you alright?" her face was white with fright. Jets of red shot past them, and Hermione had to duck out of the way twice.

"Yes- thank you…for saving…me" Ginny hoarsely got out, jumping to her feet and rushing with Hermione behind a broken gargoyle.

"It wasn't me! We couldn't get to you Ginny, we thought for sure-" Hermione couldn't finish her sentence. Ginny, still confused, decided it best to ask questions later.

"Let's get back in" Ginny lead, her voice now stronger and filled with vigor. She wasn't going to go down without a fight.

Despite her burning and soaking neck where Voldemort's lethal nails dug into her skin, drawing copious amounts of blood, Ginny was struck by the thrill of the battle before her.

Hermione charged towards Ron who was struggling against two Death Eaters. Luna and just sent a body-binding jinx on Yaxley, McGonagall and Kingsley were fighting two other Death Eaters-

Ginny met Bellatrix's glare.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Protego!"

Ginny's swift charm had saved her- before whipping around with a bat-boogey hex that accidentally hit the writhing Dolohov – now sprouting wings about his head and flying around with a gaping, drooling mouth. However, this relieved Mr. Weasley's fight with Goyle who was kicked in the head by the flying Dolohov.

"Crucio!"

The spell hit the gargoyle behind Ginny, the force shattering the head of the statue.

"Stupefy!"

Bellatrix was too swift, but Ginny didn't panic- Luna was at her side within seconds.

"Avada-"

"Opius Morphus!"

Luna's spell barely missed Bellatrix, and instead hit Rookwood who was dueling Neville- Rookwood fell back stiff with a thud, and began to morph into a sort of flower. Ginny smiled at Luna briefly before ducking another red jet of light. Hermione joined the duo, and the trio now matched Bellatrix.

"Avada Kedavra!"

If Ginny hadn't moved to the right an inch, the curse surely would have struck her full force. Mrs. Weasley abruptly charged into the scene, throwing all three girls aside. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Everything around her spun. Hermione and Luna had already run off towards Dean and George, who were trying to fight with Aberforth against Thicknesse. Ginny couldn't watch the fight, every moment her body was on the verge of collapse. How much longer could she last?

A huge, dark figure loomed towards her, barring its teeth and snarling. Ginny whipped around- facing the gruesome hairy face of Fenrir Greyback- his mouth bloody from his recent attack. Ginny's breath hitched in her throat. Her body rested up against the cold stone- she was cornered. Her wand hand shook violently-

Come on, be brave!

I don't want to be brave anymore…

Her mind wandered to Harry, and instead of raising a defense, she lowered her wand, tears trickling down her face.

Fenrir's inhuman face slithered into a grimace- which Ginny took to be a smirk- and with one last bite and clenching of his massive jaws, he launched himself into the wall- his mouth ready to maw.