Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.


Chapter 8 – The Battle of Hogwarts


A dragon. They had ridden out of Gringotts on a bloody dragon. Ginny didn't know what impressed her more, that they had broken in to Gringotts, or that they'd escaped. Neither feat was easy. The goblins prided themselves on their bank being absolutely secure, the only break in within the last two hundred years before this being Voldemort himself when he'd tried to get the Philosopher's Stone. Given that track record, it wasn't surprising that they didn't have as much security to stop would be thieves from escaping as most of it went into stopping them from getting in in the first place, and had been enough for two hundred years. Of course, they had never had Harry, Ron and Hermione try to break in before. Those three were known for getting in to places they weren't supposed to, and getting out on a dragon was about par for their adventures.

News of the break in had reached them mere hours after it had happened but Ginny had already known as of the moment Voldemort was informed. He had flown into a rage and had immediately gone to check on his other horcruxes, guessing correctly that that was why they had tried to break into Gringotts, of all places. She had known he was coming for her once he saw that the first horcrux was gone and had prepared accordingly. That bag she had placed the basilisk's fang into had been shrunken enough to fit into the pocket of her jeans, after having an undetectable extension charm cast on it, courtesy of Hermione's genius. It was the best she could do to keep the fang with her, but unless they did more than a visual look to ensure she had nothing dangerous with her, which was unlikely, then she was content that it would work. The Dark Lord's arrival at the castle brought forth a dark cloud, both figuratively and literally as he arrived in a cloud of black smoke. She had anticipated he would be angry, had known he was very angry, but hadn't thought he'd come directly into the great hall during dinner shooting a crucio at a nearby student as he rounded on her.

"You said he didn't know!" He snapped. "You said no one knew!"

"He doesn't-"

"Crucio!" Another student fell to his spell and Ginny jumped up.

"Stop! If he knows he found out without my help." He looked more than sceptical. "Do you think I could fool you? You saw into my mind, do you believe me so powerful that I could fool you?" It was the right card to play. His arrogance had already had him believing her fake memories once and she knew it was highly unlikely that had changed. "And do you really want to do this here, in front of everyone?" She added quietly, having come to stand right before him. She saw the moment he decided she was right, that this wasn't the place. While he would not give any specific information, and she could reveal none thanks to his spell, there were some highly intelligent people listening in who may be able to figure it out.

"Severus." He said instead of answering her directly.

"My lord?"

"She will not be returning." Was all he said before grasping her arm and disappearing in the same cloud of smoke he had arrived in, taking Ginny with him. They reappeared in the same room at Malfoy Manor that she had stayed in previously, and would no doubt become her prison once more, and Voldemort demanded answers.

"You saw that I knew Harry was up to something with Dumbledore. Perhaps he figured it out." She said. "I wouldn't know, because I purposefully told him not to tell me anything for this exact reason. What I don't know you can't use against him." It sounded plausible. Even so, Ginny was ready for the attack when he entered her mind, trying to find a crack in her memories. He didn't, luckily for her, and so stormed out when he determined that she must be right, that the ever-blasted Dumbledore was responsible for this, as there was no way the boy was smart enough to have figured it out on his own. Ginny was left alone and that was the way she preferred it given the alternative. She spent the next twenty-four hours playing the good little prisoner until she was convinced that Harry was headed to Hogwarts. Voldemort had come and checked the charms on her necklace before informing her he would be heading to the school and that she was to remain in this room until he returned. He said nothing about not using her magic to find out if anyone still remained in the manor, or not using her magic at all. None did remain, and as someone always remained with her, she knew it could only mean that all his Death Eaters were needed, and there could only be one reason for that. Wasting no more time, Ginny pulled the basilisk fang from its hiding place, and giving a quick plea for this to work, used it to sever the chain. The plea had been unnecessary. Just as she had thought, the magic keeping the necklace in place couldn't stand up to the highly potent venom. Leaving the piece of jewellery where it fell, Ginny put the fang carefully away and apparated to the castle gates, thankful for the usual lessons for sixth years still being held at Hogwarts that let her learn this particular skill. When she arrived, Ginny saw quickly that powerful wards had been erected around Hogwarts and she couldn't get inside it, though if the spells raining down on it were anything to go by, she wouldn't have to wait long. When they fell some minutes later, Ginny rushed inside, shooting spells at the Death Eaters who began appearing and taking full advantage of the fact that once they recognized her they didn't fight back. It took far longer to find Harry than she wanted, but eventually she did find him, not long after Voldemort called for a cease-fire. With a strangled cry Ginny rushed to Harry and crashed into him, both sagging against the other.

"I'm a horcrux." He murmured. "I'm a horcrux, just like you." Ginny held him that much tighter. They had wondered if he had a piece of Voldemort's soul inside him given his connection to him, but had ruled it out with how different the connection was to Ginny's, or even Quirrel's. Although Harry's first Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher hadn't been a horcrux, he had been possessed by a piece of Voldemort's soul, the same as Ginny had been, and the differences between them and Harry were quite noticeable. However, as he explained what he had learned from Dumbledore, courtesy of Snape's memories which he'd been given just before the man died, she began to see how they could have missed it. The piece of Voldemort that had possessed Ginny, and Quirrel for that matter, had done so knowingly. Tom had created the diary horcrux on purpose and so Dumbledore theorized it was given a certain awareness, which gave it the power to act, to possess someone, to influence and even teach someone, as it had done with Ginny after she was no longer possessed. However, if Voldemort had unknowingly split his soul the night he had gone to kill Harry, then the piece of soul would remain dormant, having latched on to Harry as the only other living thing around, and influencing him only in the barest of terms by virtue of simply existing inside him, any influence it had being completely unconscious. At least, that was Dumbledore's theory, and as his theories usually proved accurate, and as they had no better explanation themselves, they concluded that he must be right. This left the problem of how to destroy the horcuxes inside them. It was a topic they had avoided at all costs, truthfully knowing what the answer was but not wanting to admit it. "I have to go, Gin. I have to face him. I have to let him kill me."

"As do I." She returned and both had to fight their instincts to protect the other for they knew they were right. They were both resigned to their own deaths, that part was actually quite easy, with the death of their loved ones being much harder. However, they knew that Voldemort had to be stopped, and to do so they both had to die. Gasping each other's hands, the two began to make their way into the woods, Voldemort having made it very clear that's where he would be waiting for Harry. All his Death Eaters stood around him as they waited, Nagini floating nearby in a protective orb meant to guard what they knew to be his last horcrux, save themselves. The Death Eaters saw their arrival first, followed by Hagrid, who had been captured at some point, and it was his cry that alerted Voldemort.

"Harry? Ginny? What are you doing here?!" He was begging them to leave, but though they spared a glance for their half-giant friend, he was not the one who held their attention. Voldemort stood stock still before them. He had not expected Ginny to arrive with Harry. He'd known when she'd removed the necklace but being in the middle of a battle had been unable to do anything about it. He'd sent orders for her to be brought to him when found, having no doubt that she would be here fighting, but they'd had no luck; any who had seen her had fallen quickly to her wand.

"How?" He breathed, demanding to know how she'd gotten around his magic.

"You're not as powerful as you think, Tom." She said simply, not bothering to tell him that it hadn't actually been her power that had circumvented his.

"You dare-" Bellatrix immediately jumped to her master's defense, but Ginny wasn't having any of it.

"Do shut up, Bella." She said, sending a wandless silencing spell at her. "You're only going up against your lord. Or at least a part of him. I do have a piece of his soul inside me, after all." The gathered Death Eaters broke out into gasps and murmurs, though Voldemort remained silent. "There were seven horcruxes he created, me included, and only one will remain. I tell you this in the hope that when I'm gone, someone else will finish the job. The others know as well, so it's not just your Death Eaters. Be sure that many will be looking to finally kill you." This was partially true. Harry had caved and told the rest of the Weasleys, as well as Luna, Neville and a few others he trusted implicitly, though he'd not advertised it openly. Ginny was doing just that here, knowing that some of his Death Eaters were discontented with him now and would be looking for a way out. Keeping the secret was also no longer imperative. Voldemort knew that they knew, that they had already destroyed some of his horcruxes and with his soul as fractured as it was, even he would be hesitant to split it even more. As such, it was no longer a game of subterfuge as they sought out the horcruxes, but strength to finally finish off the last one, and there was certainly strength in numbers.

"One remaining?" Voldemort finally spoke. "You are going nowhere, Ginevra."

"Oh but I am." She promised. "You see, to kill Harry, you have to kill me." The two had not let go of each other and Ginny grasped Harry's hand tighter. She was prepared for the first attempt to separate them, was even prepared for the second and third attempts, but Voldemort was relentless, and for all her bravado, for all the power granted her, she couldn't hold him off.

"Did you really think you were more powerful than I?" He asked when he finally had her in his grasp. "Than Lord Voldemort? Even with a piece of my teenage self's soul?"

"Hey!" Harry called, drawing Voldemort's attention back to him. "Leave her alone." It was a gut reaction to seeing his girlfriend in the hands of his greatest enemy, even if he knew that Voldemort couldn't hurt her, and that ultimately she had to die as well. Still, for now the Dark Lord could allow no harm to come to her and to that end the orb protecting Nagini floated closer, expanding to cover Ginny as well.

"Let me out of here!" Ginny cried, banging on the side of her new prison, the magical cage proving solid. Nagini slithered up her shoulder and Ginny shrugged her off, heedless of the gasps that followed such an act and being in such close quarters with the deadly snake.

"Do not worry, Harry." Voldemort ignored Ginny and took a few steps forward, raising his wand, though Harry didn't move for his. "I promise she will come to no harm."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Lord Voldemort always keeps his promises, Harry. Rest assured she will be safe. Until I discover a way to remove my soul from her at any rate." Harry tried not to laugh, having known there would be a catch. Even so, he knew there was nothing he could do. Not only was he resigned to death, but he was well aware of how helpless he really was. He may have evaded Voldemort and his Death Eaters for his whole life, but most of it was because of other people, or sheer dumb luck, not because he was a great wizard, regardless of what Ginny, Hermione, Ron and a few others he cared about told him. However, he knew Ginny was a great witch – there was absolutely no bias speaking there – and if anyone could survive Voldemort better than he could it would be her, so he had to hope that when he was gone, she would survive long enough to ensure that when she too was gone, Voldemort would be mortal once more. Saying nothing else to the man about to kill him, Harry closed his eyes and waited. It didn't take long. Ginny saw Voldemort raise his wand and say the words that would end Harry's life, the tell-tale green flash of the Avada Kedavra curse hitting him dead on.

"Harry!" Ginny couldn't stop the cry that left her, nor the tears that fell, as she watch the man she loved collapse. But he wasn't the only one. Voldemort too fell when the curse hit Harry. His Death Eaters rallied to his side, some holding their wands aloft as they looked for the source of the attack, while others tried to see if he was alright, though Bellatrix was the only one who actually dared touch him.

"My lord! My lord!" She was heard murmuring, her concern matched by the hissing of Nagini, though Ginny paid little attention to either of them, her eyes still glued to Harry's unmoving form.

"I am alright. I do not need your assistance." She vaguely heard him say. "The boy, is he dead?" No one spoke and Voldemort's wand shot out causing a bang and a yelp of pain. "You! Check him!" Ginny saw Narcissa Malfoy approach Harry, bending to check him as she'd been instructed. Ginny felt a tiny bit of hope that perhaps Harry had survived the curse yet again, but when Narcissa stood, that hope slipped away.

"Dead." The weight of that one word crashed around Ginny, dropping her to her knees.


A/N - *Gasp!* Is he really dead? Given how close I'm sticking to the books/movies, I think you all know the answer to that. ;)

Review please!