Chapter 1
In a matter of seconds she'd lost everything she'd ever known. Everything she'd believed in, worked for, lived for. Gone.
Hermione granger collapsed to her knees. She knew it was inappropriate, childish and most importantly extremely stupid but she couldn't move. The boy who lived had finally died. Harry lay struck down only meters away from her and she mourned him profusely. Life would never be the same but they had done their best….and failed. Bodies littered the ground around her, people from both sides of the war, light and dark. People with families, wives and children, parents and siblings, grandparents and aunts, all of them left behind, in the hands of Voldemort. It was hard to tell who had been better off.
"ALL OF YOU LEFT MAY LIVE FOR NOW, SO PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS. I WILL ALLOW YOU TO COLLECT THE DEAD AND PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO YOUR NOBLE ARMY UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF MY FOLLOWERS. YOU WILL ALL THEN ASSEMBLE ON THE FRONT LAWN HERE AND AWAIT MY INSTRUCTIONS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LEAVE OR DISOBEY ANY OF MY ORDERS FOR I SHALL KNOW AND YOU WILL BE KILLED. I HAVE NO TIME FOR HEROICS. YOU HAVE 2 HOURS." Voldemorts voice bellowed out in his 'sonorous voice'.
Hermione struggled to her feet, the voice of Voldemort echoing in her ears. She and the rest of the (living) light side picked up the dead and wounded and took them into the great hall with the others. The hall had magically expanded, for there was no room for the bodies without it. The old castle seemed saddened and the atmosphere was positively thick.
She took a moment to take it all in, looking over the bodies, horrified by what she saw. Over one third of the schools population, students and teachers alike were dead and laid out along with three quarters of the order. The entire Weasley family was dead except for their one mourner, Ginny Weasley. And of course lying at the foot of the headmaster's chair, at Voldemorts feet, was harry potter, the boy who finally died. Everyone else in the room was injured if only slightly, no one having escaped the brutal harshness of it.
"ASSEMBLE BEFORE ME IN THE FRONT LAWN WHERE I WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU YOUR SITUATION." Voldemorts voice called almost happily through the sea of mourners.
Hermione made her way out with Ginny, neither of them speaking a word.
"ALL OF YOU HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE LIGHT SIDE, AND YOU HAVE ALL LOST SO IT IS A CLEAN SLATE……FOR SOME OF YOU. ALL PUREBLOODS ARE FREE TO LEAVE AND NO CHARGES WILL BE LAID AGAINST YOU, HOWEVER IF I FIND OUT ABOUT ANY ACTION AGAINST ME YOU WILL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY." A flurry of people apparated away, none of them being able to help the rest. Ginny stayed though, not knowing where to go. "I HAVE TO ADMIT, I LIED BEFORE. ALL OF YOU HERE DO NOT HAVE A CLEAN SLATE NOW, I NEED PURE BLOODS TO CARRY ON THE MAGICAL LINE BUT YOU? YOU'RE DISPOSABLE…..BUT USEFUL ALL THE SAME SO AS OF NOW YOUR LIFE IS CONDEMNED TO SLAVERY." With a wave of his hand a silver band appeared around everyone's throat. "YOU WILL NEVER BE RELEASED FROM THIS AS THAT IS YOUR PUNISHMENT. YOU WILL NOW LINE UP AND BE ASSINGED TO YOU FUTURE MASTERS, MY FOLLOWERS. AND BE THANKFUL I HAVE GIVEN YOU LIFE."
Hermione POV
Ginny turned to me pulling at her choker. Her already bloodshot puffy eyes filled up with tears, "what are we gonna do mione?"
"I don't know yet gin, I'll think of something…" I said.
Several death eaters tried to move us into lines, Neville, one of the purebloods who had stayed behind protested, "Slaves?! I'll fight forever rather than be one of your slaves!". They struck him down without saying a word, the horrors of silent incantations. After that we pretty much all moved into a single file line.
I wasn't paying much attention until we got near the front and then I realized the system of "slave picking". The chosen death eater or voldemort follower would stand at the front of the line and would get a choice of the first five. If they chose one of those another person would join the selection five. Each death eater was allowed a certain amount of slaves depending on their contribution and the mood of voldemort towards them. Lucius Malfoy stood ahead of them with his bedraggled son and wife next to him, and I was 3 people away from the selection five, Ginny only two places.
A young girl, Slytherin, possibly 3rd year, traitor to her family, was chosen by Draco who whispered in his father's ear. Maybe he wasn't so bad, I thought. We moved up one closer. A middle-aged woman was chosen, she looked a lot older with the past events worn on her, and I absent mindedly wondered what I looked like. We moved up again and Ginny joined the selection five and once again I saw Draco whisper in his father's ear. Lucius frowned for a split second before pronouncing the name….."Ginny Weasley".
I gave a gasp, this surely would push her over the edge, but she only gave me a small reassuring smile.
I moved up and took a breath.
A/N hey everyone, yes I realize I swapped POV in the middle of the story and it sounds a bit weird but if you like it you won't care too much. If you see any mistakes (because I am not getting a beta…)or have any ideas feel free to pm me so that I can address it. Thanks again and please review!!!!