A/N: If you have time, please give a try to my new story A World Divided. It is OC and set in my native country of Canada, but it is a lot of fun... and Harry and Ginny do get involve at some points.

Thank you all for reading and your comments.

CHAPTER 25 – The rescue efforts

Professor McGonagall cancelled all Defence Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies classes for the week. The students, who had not been informed of what was happening, figured it out, especially when the happenings of the Great Hall spread throughout the school. While some of the youngest students were happy not to have classes, the older students who remembered Alecto and Amycus very well, remained in their Common Room, going out only when absolutely needed, with fear in their eyes.

Mrs Weasley, panicked at the thought of her only daughter in mortal peril, came to stay at Hogwarts and tried to help Hermione in her research in the library. Ron also joined the rescue effort, flying with Harry over the countryside while Hagrid, with the help of his half-brother Grawp, searched all the hideouts he knew of.

Harry could constantly feel Ginny's fear and pain but tried to block it out so he could concentrate on finding her. But he feared time might be running out… quickly.

On the second day of flyovers, they got lucky. While they were flying over a rocky patch covered with low bushes and lichens on the west side of town, Harry spotted something on the ground, something which reflected the sun. He motioned Ron and they landed close to where he had seen the reflection to search on foot.

"Mate! Look what I found!" said Ron, showing a small shiny square object to Harry.

Harry recognized it at once.

"Mate, it's got your initials on it!" exclaimed Ron.

"Because it's mine," said Harry, looking at the lighter.

He kept his eyes on it, not really believing what he saw, not really believing that they could have got that lucky.

"Ginny gave it to me for my eighteenth birthday. Amycus stole it from me last year when he escaped the warehouse," he added, the discovery slowly sinking in.

Ron just stared at him wide eyed.

"Better find Hagrid," said Harry. "He's on the north side of town and not searching in the right place."

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"Professor McGonagall, you've got to let the students into town. It may be our only chance!" said Hermione, pacing in front of the Headmistress desk.

It was Wednesday night, and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid had gone to see the Headmistres to ask her to allow students into town on Saturday.

"You think this is all related?" she asked.

"Yes!" answered Hermione.

"But we will be using the students as bait," protested the Professor.

"Won't be the first time!" said Harry shortly.

He remembered particularly well being used as bait for the teachers in his fourth year, when they decided to let the events unfold instead of intervening when he had been selected for the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"What about you, Hagrid? Can't you find her?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I'm trying, Professor. But I'm afraid I don't know the north side of town as much," he answered regretfully.

"I have no choice, do I?" asked Professor McGonagall with a heavy sigh.

"Not really, Professor," answered Hermione quietly. "And let's hope to Merlin, it won't be too late."

"We will announce it tomorrow night at dinner," said Professor McGonagall. "Hopefully, you will find something before and it won't be necessary."

Professor McGonagall went to sit behind her desk and returned to her paperwork, effectively dismissing them. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hagrid left her and went towards the Teacher's lounge. All the while, Harry kept on nursing his right arm and left ribs as if he had a lingering pain in them. He knew the pain was not his and wondered for the hundredth time what was happening to Ginny, if she could last until the following Saturday. At present time, he could feel she was mercifully sleeping. Her sleep was not restful but it was not plagued by a gut-wrenching fear either. Throughout the day, he had felt her fear and pain increased at various occasions, and had wanted to sit down and cry. However, those feelings were also fuelling his resolve to find her and he kept on whispering "Hold on, Ginny, we're coming" to his ring.

"Have you found how we can destroy the ring yet?" asked Ron to Hermione, pulling Harry from his thoughts.

"No, I haven't. But I was thinking if the sword of Gryffindor is strong enough to destroy the Horcruxes, maybe it would be strong enough to destroy the ring," answered Hermione. "But the most important thing to do is to get it away from the wearer."

"Who do you think that is?" asked Ron.

"Alecto," answered Hermione. "I think she's the only one cunning enough to pull it off."

Harry agreed. Amycus hadn't stricken him as very cunning or organized, and Harry doubted he could pull off something which required so much planning. Harry also doubted Antonin would have pulled it off either. Antonin was just a cruel person and he did not have the patience or the refinement to plan something which would take long to bear results. Alecto on the other hand could have definitely organised something like that. She had the patience and the cunningness required to do it. This also meant whoever was going to go for the ring would have to outsmart her.

"If you don't mind," said Hagrid when they reached the Teacher's lounge, "I'll go back out there and try to search some more."

"Thank you, Hagrid," said Harry gratefully.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into the Teacher's lounge where they found Mrs Weasley asleep in one of the chairs. Ron looked at his mum sadly. She was pale and looked like she had aged ten years in the last five days. Her hair was in a shamble and she looked like she had lost some weight.

"Mothers should never outlive their kids," said Ron sadly.

"She won't die, Ron!" whispered Hermione furiously. "We will find her."

"It's been five days," said Ron resigned. "How much longer can she last?"

Harry knew the answer was 'not long'. He felt the fear and the pain, and he doubted she was provided with enough food to sustain herself. She was growing weaker every day. And he nursed his right arm and left ribs again, hoping against hope they would find her before it was too late.

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"Hermione, if the ring is like an Imperius Curse, maybe the only way for me to be able to resist it is if you curse me," said Harry in despair.

It was Friday night. The next morning, they would be following the bewitched students into town. Harry knew it was the only chance they had. Ginny had spent most of the day unconscious and Harry had started nursing his right ribs and his left leg as well. She was beyond fear also. Harry could feel she had given up hope and was preparing herself to die.

"It's worth a try," said Ron "It's the only plan we've got. Besides, Harry was not able to curse Dennis because he was already cursed."

"Let's try it, then," said Hermione, taking her wand. "Imperio," she casted at Harry.

But a few seconds later, Harry's survival instinct kicked off the curse. Hermione tried, again, again, and again, but with no success. Then Ron tried to cast the curse and it also proved to be insufficient.

"It's no good," he said, sitting down. "Harry, you're just too strong for us to curse. Crouch had his uses after all."

That night, none of them slept. They just stayed in the Teacher's lounge, going over what they knew, hoping their plan would work. In the morning, the search for Ginny had now grown increasingly urgent as Ginny had not regained consciousness since the previous night. Harry had begun to seriously worry almost to the point of lethargy which he tried to fight in order to assist as best he could. But he knew the day's search would be the last chance to find her alive.

Harry was at the castle door with Hermione on his way to the village when he heard someone running towards him.

"Professor! Professor!"

It was Connor, running as fast as he could, still in his pyjamas. Harry stopped and waited for him.

"Professor!" said Connor, panting hard. "You… need… the ring!"

"What ring, Connor?" asked Hermione.

"The one… in… Professor… McGonagall's… office!"

Harry and Hermione looked at one another. They had no time to question Connor as they had to get to town before the students began to leave the castle. But they knew what Connor was and what he could see.

"Connor, come with us," said Hermione, taking his little hand in hers and walking as fast as she could towards the Headmistress's office.

Harry followed. A few minutes later they were in Professor McGonagall's office.

"A ring?" asked Professor McGonagall. "But which one, my dear child?"

Connor walked to one of the cupboards and opened the door. He then took out a little wooden box which he opened on the desk.

"That one!" he pointed.

The box was full of small jewellery items such as very fine necklaces, bracelets and earrings mostly made of gold and platinum. On top of it all sat a very thin golden ring which could have easily been confused for an earring. Professor McGonagall took her quill and fished it out of the box.

"Professor, you got to wear it!" said Connor, pulling on Harry's sleeve. "In my dream, you were wearing it!"

"Potter?" said Professor McGonagall, offering the ring to Harry.

Hesitantly, Harry took it. While he didn't like touching an unknown magical object, he knew there was no time for further research. But when he touched it, nothing seemed to happen. He frowned and looked at it. He tried it on his little finger of his left hand, which was the only finger it seemed to fit on.

"No! No! Not on the left! On the right!" said Connor.

Harry changed the ring, pushed it up his finger, and felt no different.

"Well?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Nothing," answered Harry about to remove the ring.

"No, Professor!" said Connor, stopping him. "You got to wear it! Please, Professor!"

"Well," said Professor McGonagall again, "since Mr McKeithan seemed so adamant, maybe you should wear it for now. Off you go!" she dismissed them.

Harry and Hermione left Connor with the Headmistress and ran to the front door of the castle. Hagrid and Ron had already left as they would take position in the hills and the outskirts of town. Hermione would stay in town and Harry, wearing his Invisibility Cloak, would be flying over the area.

Hermione had been busy in the last two days. In addition to casting an undetectable extension charm on Harry's jacket pocket, in which he was currently hiding the Sword of Gryffindor, she had searched the library in order to find a mode of communication which would be both invisible and undetectable. They had considered using the DA coins at first but the coins could not indicate a location precisely enough to serve their purpose.

Hermione had come across a very old charm which would suit their needs perfectly. After the wizard cast his spell, the pre-determined target would hear a noise which would grow louder as they drew nearer to the wizard. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, with the help of Professor Flitwick, had experimented with it the night before and it had seemed to be working fine.

Harry had been flying for almost four hours when he heard the noise in his ear. He flew in the direction of the noise and soon found himself next to Ron and Hagrid.

"It was Dennis," whispered Ron. "He just disappeared over there," he pointed.

But Harry could still see Dennis. Quickly he grabbed Ron and Hagrid and motioned for them to hide.

"I can see him," whispered Harry for an explanation.

"Wh – what?" asked Ron. "I can't."

"Do you see the cave over there?" asked Harry. "He's walking right towards it."

"We – we don't see anything, mate," said Ron.

A few minutes later, Hermione arrived and crouched behind the bushes with them.

"What have I missed?" she asked.

"He says he can see a cave," said Ron to Hermione.

"Can't you see it?" asked Harry.

"No, Harr,. I can't," she answered, looking in the direction Harry was pointing.

She looked at his hand.

"The ring, Harry! That must be why you can see it! There must be a protection spell on the place."

"Can you break it?"

"Let me try," answered Hermione.

She began murmuring spells under her breath and, after a few minutes, Harry heard Ron gasp.

"Bloody hell! I see it!" he exclaimed.

"Let's go," said Harry, walking towards the cave entrance.

Harry could feel Ginny had just regained consciousness. Her pain was now a dull ache, as if she had grown numb to the pain. She also felt serene and peaceful, as if she knew it was the end and had made her peace with herself. It scared Harry greatly to feel her this way, to know she was on her last few breaths.

Harry arrived at the entrance of the cave and looked behind him. Hermione and Ron were there. As they had previously agreed, Hagrid would be guarding their backs lower down the slope while Ron and Hermione would remain out of sight under the Invisibility Cloak. They figured it was better for Alecto to try and only bewitch one of them and, since Harry was the strongest of the three, it was only logical he should be the one to go in first.

Harry walked in and once his vision adjusted to the darkness, the sight greeting him horrified him. Alecto, Amycus and Antonin were there, facing the entrance, waiting for him. In one corner, Dennis laid unconscious next to a first year Gryffindor who stood still, as if paralyzed. It was the little girl he had seen in the village a few months before. In another corner, Harry could see Ginny lying on the ground. Her left foot and right arm were at a wrong angle. Her face and what he could see of her body through her torn clothes were red and purple with multiple cuts and bruises. Her left eye was swollen shut. She was dirty and soiled. She looked up at him as if she could not comprehend what she was seeing.

"Harry Potter!" said Alecto with a cold smile. "We were waiting for you. It seems our bait has worked," she said, indicating Dennis and Ginny.

"Release them," said Harry.

"Of course, I will do no such thing," said Alecto amused. "You see, they were all so useful," she gloated, pointing to Ginny's ring.

Her face changed from a cold smile to an evil scroll.

"Poor Potter! Couldn't resist playing the hero again, couldn't you? I knew by leaving this ring on her, you would run to the rescue. I knew everything we did to her, you would feel and it would fuel your desire to run right into our waiting hands. Lucky for us, you ran quick enough, otherwise, she would have died."

Harry, in his anger, took a step forward and reached for his wand.

"Stop!" said Alecto, and just in time, his hand almost to his wand, Harry stopped, realising Alecto had undoubtedly used the ring. He felt a tingling sensation for a few seconds and then it passed, leaving Harry with no doubt Alecto's ring would have no more effects on him.

"Let me explain a thing or two to you, while you listen to me patiently," began Alecto, using the power of the ring again. "You, Harry Potter, have destroyed the Dark Lord and everything we believed in. You, Harry Potter, have fraternized with filthy Muggles and Mugbloods, and you, Harry Potter, are the one responsible for the destruction of our master's vision.

"For this, Harry Potter, you will pay... you will pay by destroying the world you tried so hard to save. You will pay by doing our binding and bringing down Shacklebolt's government. You will pay by helping us bring the next Dark Lord to power.

"Now, come to me, Harry Potter!" she ordered.

Harry, pretending to fight a compulsion he didn't feel, began to slowly walk towards her.

"Is it wise, Alecto?" asked Amycus worried. "What if he is not bewitched? What if he can fight the ring and is only pretending?"

"Stop!" she ordered Harry, who stopped instantly.

She turned to her brother.

"You have a point. Let's try something else," she said. "Cast a Cruciatus Curse on her!" she ordered Harry, pointing to Ginny.

Despair in his eyes, Harry walked slowly towards Ginny. He was trying to buy time, to be close enough to Alecto so he could do something, anything, before he had to hurt Ginny. But Alecto was too well protected. Antonin and Amycus were in his way, and had their wand raised and pointed towards him. With tears in his eyes, he slowly raised his wand and said "Crucio."

Nothing happened.

"You need to mean it, boy!" yelled Alecto.

Harry whispered the spell again but he could not find it in his heart to mean it. However, Ginny twitched on the floor, her mouth opened in a silent scream, as if the curse had really touched her. Mercifully, she passed out within a few seconds and Harry lowered his wand, knowing they were now on borrowed time, that Ginny wouldn't last another five minutes. He could feel her slowly fading away and his heart constricted in pain at the thought of losing her.

"See, Amycus," purred Alecto, approaching Harry from behind. "Mr Potter is now under our complete control," she added, putting her ringed hand on his shoulder.

Harry knew it was now or never. He grabbed the sword hidden in his pocket and, pulling it out, he swirled around, effectively severing Alecto's hand right between the wrist and the elbow. On the back swing, he caught her wand effectively preventing her from casting any spells.

"Now!" he yelled to Ron and Hermione.

Harry heard them yell the 'Expelliarmus' spell, and Amycus and Antonin's wands flew in the air. Hermione and Ron were running towards him when he suddenly felt Ginny exhale her last breath.

"Ginny!" he screamed, running to her. "Ginny!"

She was so broken, he didn't know where to start, he didn't know what would make her better. He cast the only spell that came to his mind, the same spell Snape had used when Harry had cast a 'Sectumsempra' spell on Draco Malfoy.

"Vulnera Sanentur,"he whispered, over and over again, pouring all the love he felt in his casting, floating his wand over Ginny's broken body.

He had never wanted something as much as saving her life.

He didn't know how long he whispered the spell but suddenly, he felt her breathe again, as if her life had stopped seeping away and was slowly returning to her.

Hermione was next to him, working frantically to stop the bleeding.
"Hagrid!" she yelled.

Hagrid came crashing in, his big frame barely fitting into the cave.

"Hagrid, take care of this garbage," she said, showing the prisoners who were held at wand point by Ron despite the Body-Bind Hex they had casted on them. "Take them out of here and make sure they don't escape!

"Ron!" she called, turning to Ron. "Go get your mum and Madam Pomfrey. She needs care now or she'll die!"

Ron ran out of the cave and Harry heard the loud crack of somebody Disapparating. Ron came back a few minutes later with Madam Pomfrey and Mrs Weasley, who moved Harry and Hermione out of the way.

"Oh! Poor thing," whispered Madam Pomfrey. "Oh, poor thing."

Harry felt to the floor and began to cry. Ginny's life force was so low, he could not help to think she may not make it despite his best efforts. He cried like he had when Dumbledore had died at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower. Hermione and Ron put their arms around him and cried also.

Harry did not know how long he stayed there, on the floor, but eventually Hagrid returned with a stretcher and Professor McGonagall in tow. Harry could feel Ginny through the ring but barely.

Madam Pomfrey took her wand and levitated Ginny to the stretcher, and then, levitated the stretcher out of the cave. Professor McGonagall went to Dennis and the first year Gryffindor who were no longer under spell and directed them out of the cave. Mrs Weasley stood up and looked at the three figures prostrated on the ground.

"Come, children," she said gently, helping them to their feet.

Harry then saw the severed hand on the floor with the ring still on its finger. He took the sword and, standing up, brought the sword down on the ring. The ring and the finger on which it was, split in two effectively destroying the ring. Harry took the two ring pieces and looked up. Mrs Weasley, Hermione and Ron were looking at him gravely.

"Come now," said Mrs Weasley gently.

Harry followed them out of the cave.