Part X

[Scene: Hogwarts Castle]

Neville, with blood dripping down his face, walked through the ruins of his beloved school. The battle had reached an hour-long ceasefire, requested by Lord Voldemort in hopes that Harry would seek him out. The break gave Neville ample time to check the casualty list and chuck up on the statuses of Luna, Seamus, Hannah, and of course Harry.

He reached the Great Hall and immediately a sense of dread filled his soul. The hall was littered with rubble and bodies. Everyone was in mourning. He walked around, patting the shoulders of quiet buddies and stopping to pay respects with sobbing students. Fred Weasley's limp form lay sprawled on a dark canvas, all the Weasley's surrounding him. Tonks and Remus were being placed respectfully on two stretchers, their hands slightly touching.

Neville spotted Seamus cradling a girl with massive curly hair. He rushed over and it was a terrible confirmation- Lavender was lying in his arms, her neck and right cheek covered in blood. She was crying hysterically.

"…he was so horrible, clawing and biting," she was wailing. Seamus looked up sorrowfully at Neville. "Greyback got ahold of her and had a field day," he muttered darkly. "Dean and I found her, made short work of him." Lavender began to writhe.

"Burning…burning…let go…get off…help…Shay won't want me anymore," she murmured wildly. Seamus began to flush red, true to his Irish blood. "I'll always want you, love," he whispered, rocking her back and forth.

"I'm a monster…won't marry me now…too horrible to look at," Lavender cried, clearly not in her right mind. Seamus began to unleash his temper. Angry tears appeared in his eyes. "Why didn't she ever say that's what she wanted, to get married?" he asked Neville, looking up helplessly.

"You wouldn't have asked," she said calmly, sanely, her eyes suddenly flying open and locking on Seamus'. Softly he replied, "Blimey Lavender, I'm asking now." Then she passed out from blood loss and Seamus rushed off to get her medical attention. Neville wandered away in search of Luna. If Seamus could have love in this war zone, why shouldn't he?

Moments later, though, all thoughts of Luna or the others were forgotten. Students were straggling in from the Grounds, many sporting injuries. Several, however, were carrying bodies, and that was what caught Neville's eye.

Dean was in the lead of this group of survivors. He spotted Neville and jerked his head behind him. "There's at least 15 more out there. Help us carry them in," he said. Neville nodded and hurried outside. He instantly saw a tuft of blond hair over by a bush, and when he arrived at the scene he discovered that it was Collin Creevey. With a sigh of sadness, he gingerly picked up the boy and turned to head back into the castle, but a lone figure had emerged and was heading his way.

It was Harry.

"Neville," he said quietly, coming towards our protagonist. He looked pretty well off, considering the battle that had taken place. Neville nodded politely and gestured off behind him. "Help me out, mate. We need to get them inside."

Harry shook his head. "I can't, I'm going to meet him." Neville nearly dropped Collin. "Harry, you can't just give yourself up! All these people will have died for nothing if you go turn yourself in."

"You don't understand. I can't have anyone else die for me. Best to give him what he wants so he'll leave you all alone."

Harry headed off, but Neville called, "What about this one right here?" Harry turned his head. "You just walk off like you don't remember? This boy right here worshipped the bloody ground you walked on Harry, he taught his brother to follow in your footsteps, does that mean anything to you? How about the girl in there who loves you? You're just going to give up and leave her like this? It seems pretty selfish to me mate."

A period of silence ensued. "The longer you stand here in my way, the more time ticks away, getting closer to the hour that he kills all of you. This is the only way, Neville. Why can't you wrap your thick head around that?" With this, he left, heading to the Forbidden Forest where sure and sudden death awaited him. To anyone else, Harry may have seemed like a hero, but to Neville, who watched the departure holding Collin Creevey's dead body in his arms, he just seemed like an arse.

Sorry about the romance, but I just can't help myself sometimes, being the hopeless romantic that I am. The next installment will be up real soon. R&R if you wish.