Chapter 25

With no body for them to bring home, the Weasley family contented themselves with a small memorial service for Ginny. The backyard of the Burrow was filled with people who wanted to wish Ginny a final farewell.

Everyone was there, except for Ginny's brother Charlie, who couldn't accept Ginny's death. He couldn't face the fact that his sister was gone.

Harry stayed on the periphery, never engaging openly with anyone. He had cut himself off from nearly everyone, only speaking with Hermione and the Weasley's. He didn't feel like anyone else could understand his pain.

The family has set a picture of Harry and Ginny on their wedding day on a table covered with flowers as the centerpiece of the memorial. As people lingered there, they set their flower on the table, said a final prayer for Ginny and mingled in once again with the crowd.

The mourners began dispersing at dusk and were all gone minutes later. Harry collapsed into bed trying unsuccessfully to find sleep. He kept seeing flashes of Ginny in his mind, always laughing and smiling, full of life. His heart ached for her.

Harry was exhausted, having been unable to sleep or eat for the past three days, ever since Italy. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he was lethargic.

He had gone to the Ministry when he returned to try and see Dean, but the officials there wouldn't allow it. Kingsley brought Harry into his office and tried to reason with him as Harry ranted and raved about seeing Dean. Kingsley would not budge in his decision. Dean had been kept under strict lock and key since his return, the Aurors at the Ministry now in charge of his keep.

The trial was set for the day after next, and Harry was fully planning on being in the first row, watching closely and making sure that Dean did not get away with murder.

Xxx

Harry sighed, exhausted and climbed from his bed. He walked through the kitchen and out the back door, planning on taking a long walk through the Burrow's grounds. He started out walking through the orchard, replaying his wedding to Ginny in his mind. He saw her as plain as if she was standing there in front of him. She was smiling and kissing him in her white lace dress, they were completely in love.

He closed his eyes and could feel the strands of her long beautiful hair running through his fingers; he could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo. The smell was so real for Harry that he turned his head quickly, fully expecting to see Ginny just behind him. He was losing his mind.

He smiled sadly, realizing that he would never see her running towards him again. He would never hold her, feel her soft skin, hear her telling him that she loved him. Never again.

The realization was agony. Harry couldn't comprehend the fact that he would never see Ginny again. The truth of it was too cruel – they had just started their life together! How could they have been given so little time together only to be ripped apart – it was beyond anything that he could imagine.

Xxx

Harry flooed back to Grimmauld Place the following day and was immediately overcome by the abundance of Ginny's things. He never consciously realized how much Ginny's things had been integrated with his here. Her touches were everywhere, and again the overwhelming flowery smell of her was tangible. It was as if Ginny had just walked through the room, leaving behind her unique scent.

It was so real that Harry looked around the bottom floor, again expecting to find her there. He opened the door to the kitchen and found Kreacher there waiting for him.

"Master," Kreacher said, bowing low.

"Morning, Kreacher," Harry replied. "Has…anyone been here?"

"No, Master. Not since Master and Mistress left for holiday."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I thought so. Thanks."

Harry returned to the lounge and turned on the TV. He sat there idly watching mind-numbing shows for the rest of the day. Tomorrow was the trial, and he couldn't wait to face Dean.

XXX

The next morning, Harry flooed to the Burrow and went to the Ministry with the Weasley's. They got there early and took two lifts down to the Department of Mysteries where the trial was to be held. It was going to be a closed trial, so only the family and members of the Wizengamot would be in attendance. The Minister expected the proceedings to only last a couple of hours at the most – it was as close to a cut and dried case as he ever saw, and the Minister himself would be the key witness.

The family found their seats in the expansive room, the members of the court already seated and the presiding officer already set at his podium. He began,

"Called to order, the distinguished members of the Wizengamot are here to decide the fate of Dean Thomas, accused of numerous offenses including arson, kidnapping, attempted murder and murder in the first degree. Please bring in the defendant."

An antechamber under the floor of the room opened and Dean, chained to his chair, rose from below and was settled in the middle of the room. He glanced around and spotted Harry and the Weasley's easily. A small smile spread across his face and it was all Harry could to control his temper and not to strike Dean down right there.

"Please be aware, Members, that the maximum penalty allowable for each offense is as follows: arson has a maximum sentence of twenty years, kidnapping's maximum penalty is fifty years, and for both attempted murder and murder in the first degree, the maximum penalty is death. Now, let us begin with the first witness. Harry Potter, please come forward."

Harry rose from his seat and climbed to the right side of the judge and sat. He was sworn in and the questions began.

"Mr. Potter, can you tell us your version of the story related to the defendant and the charges of arson and kidnapping?"

Harry breathed in deep and looked around the room. He put his head down and began. He told the story from the beginning: the arson attack on the Burrow, the plan that the four of them had come up with to find the culprit, the cornering of Dean in the park and his kidnap of Ginny. Harry talked about how he managed to find her and rescue her from Dean's house, unharmed.

The entire time that Harry was speaking, Dean had sat there in the idle of the room with a sick grin on his face, like he was relishing the tale as told from Harry's perspective, He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

"You say that Mr. Thomas acknowledged his guilt of the arson attack on the Burrow in your presence?" The judge asked.

"Yes, Sir," Harry answered. "It was in front of me, Ginny, Hermione and Ron."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter for your recount. You may step down." Harry made his way back to the Weasley's, staying as far away from Dean as he could. Harry knew that if he got within reach of him, that Dean would be sorely sorry.

"Minister Shacklebolt, please take the stand." Kingsley made his way to the chair that Harry had just vacated, and was sworn in.

"Sir, would you please tell us in your own words your account of the events as they relate to the defendant?"

"Of course," Kingsley said. "I knew that Harry was interested in helping us search for the arsonist, as he had said as much to me in the hospital. However, I was unaware that the foursome had taken it upon themselves to launch their own search until Mr. Thomas was brought into the Ministry by Mr. Potter. I can tell you my first hand account of events from that moment on."

Kingsley took his time in telling the judge and Wizengamot about Dean being taken into custody, the story that Harry had told him that day of how they had captured Dean and his treatment of Ginny.

"Mr. Thomas was taken to the detention room and was held there until he could be brought to trial. He was being guarded by a rotation of Aurors. Throughout Mr. Thomas' internment, it is believed that the Aurors would occasionally speak of Mr. Potter and the happenings in his life and these discussions were overheard by Mr. Thomas. On the day that he escaped, Mr. Thomas was being guarded by one Auror, as the rest of the small group were assigned to various duties, and since we had had no trouble from Mr. Thomas up to that point, I agreed to the scaled-down guard.

Well, the Auror in charge became lax in his duties, ventured too close to Mr. Thomas for an instant, enough time for Mr. Thomas to reach the Auror's wand and grab it out of his hand, wrap his legs about the Auror's neck and snap it, killing him instantly.

Mr. Thomas used the Auror's wand to disconnect the binds around his wrists. He changed clothes with the Auror, used charms to disguise his appearance and walked to the atrium of the Ministry.

The deceased Auror was discovered minutes after the incident, and an alert was sent out immediately. Mr. Thomas was cornered as soon as he reached the lifts and a struggle ensued during which time the wand that Mr. Thomas had taken was broken in half.

He fought off two Ministry staff and made it to the fireplaces, where he flooed to the street, and as far as we are able to determine, Mr. Thomas then apparated to his family home, In want of a new wand, it's guessed that when he got there, he stole his father's wand and, now knowing the whereabouts of Harry and Ginny, apparated throughout Europe until he came to the hotel where they were staying in Italy.

We can further assume that he didn't have to wait long for Ginny to appear alone on the balcony, and he didn't waste any time in stunning a sleeping Harry and grabbing Ginny, who was wandless and defenseless. He took her to the cliffs at the edge of the water, 300 or so feet in the air as far as I could tell."

Kingsley paused to take a breath and shook his head. He continued slowly, "As soon as I was notified of his escape, I ordered all Aurors on the case, and I apparated myself to his home. I found his parent's there, stupefied. I reversed the spell, but they had no idea where he had gone. According to them, he didn't say a word when he was there, just stunned them, took the wand and apparated out. They said that he had only been there about three minutes total.

I apparated to the only place I could think of, knowing full well that while under our supervision, Mr. Thomas had spoken of nothing but revenge. I was about twenty minutes behind him by the time I got to Italy. I popped in on the crest of a hill between the hotel and the water, immediately spotting Mr. Thomas and Ginny. Ginny was on the ground, not moving, and Mr. Thomas was standing over her. I was about to raise my wand when he pointed his wand at her chest and killed her with the Avada Kedavra curse, then sent her over the cliff.

I stupefied him and bound him. I snapped his wand and threw it over the cliff. I looked for Ginny, but couldn't see a trace of her. All the while, Mr. Thomas had a twisted sort of smirk on his face, like he was enjoying the moment immensely. It made me sick."

Kingsley paused and looked up at the judge. "My assistant met me in Italy and took custody of Mr. Thomas. He was brought back here and restrained until he could stand trial."

The room was silent. For many, this was the first time that they heard every detail about Ginny's death and they were stunned. Not only that she had died, but they couldn't believe the violent and cruel way that it had been done. The members of the Wizengamot stared at Dean Thomas, and he looked back up at them, undisturbed by their judgment.

After a few moments to taken to collect his thoughts, the judge continued, "Well, is there anyone here that is willing to testify on behalf of the defendant, or give testimony as to his innocence? Any further questions for the witnesses?"

No one moved or even breathed.

"Well, then. The defendant will be returned to his cell and the Members of the Wizengamot will deliberate and come to a verdict. The court will recess for an hour, at which time we will reconvene and judgment will be given."

The judge banged his gavel loudly, Dean was removed and the Weasley's along with Harry and Hermione, filed out of the claustrophobic room.

XXX

"I think it went well," Hermione said as the family sat in a small café two blocks from the Ministry entrance. "It all moved very fast, I thought."

Harry nodded. "It should be an easy decision."

"Thank you, Harry, for your testimony." Mrs. Weasley said. The family was unusually silent, not yet back to their boisterous selves. They were still grieving for Ginny, unable to believe that this was all quite real. Harry knew just how they felt. He was numb.

They all finished their coffees and snacks and headed back to the courtroom. The Wizengamot had reassembled, and everyone was still. Dean was brought back in to the room, and the judge banged his gavel, reconvening the court.

He addressed the members. "Have the members of the Wizengamot come to a verdict as to the guilt or innocence of Dean Thomas?"

An elderly woman stood and faced the judge. "We have, Sir."

"And was it a unanimous decision?"

"Yes, Sir," she replied.

"What say you all on the charge of arson?"

"Guilty, your honor."

"What say you on the charge of kidnapping?"

"Guilty, your honor."

"What say you on the charge of attempted murder?"

"Guilty, your honor."

"And what say you on the charge of murder in the first degree?"

"Guilty, your honor."

Dean continued to smirk at the gathered group, completely unfazed that he was no longer a free man.

The judge continued," Have you further decided upon sentences for said crimes?"

"We have, your honor."

"Continue."

"On the charge of arson, we sentence Dean Thomas to 10 years in Azkaban. On the charge of kidnapping, we sentence Dean Thomas to 30 years in Azkaban. On the charge of attempted murder of Ginny Weasley, Ronald Weasley, Molly Weasley and Arthur Weasley, we sentence Dean Thomas to 30 years in Azkaban for each count. And, on the charge of murder in the first degree, we sentence Dean Thomas to death."

A gasp came from Mrs. Weasley, and tears ran down her cheeks. Arthur put his arm around her and tried to comfort her.

Dean was taken from the room and taken directly to Azkaban where he would await the carrying out of his death sentence. Harry didn't have time to say anything to him, and he was glad. Dean wasn't worth his time.

"Come on," Harry said at last, rising. "Let's go home."

A/N: Man, you guys were rough with the reviews for the last chapter. If you know me at all, you know that I have a plan. I just wish you would have trusted me a little before being mad at me for killing off Ginny.