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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Flitwick came hurrying into the office. "Professor. There are Death Eaters appearing just outside the anti-apparation wards. They'll be here in minutes."

Dumbledore nodded. "Tell Minerva to prepare the defences. The Potters and the Longbottoms will help her. We should look to evacuate the younger students to the safe houses. You should go with them, Filius, and the rest of the staff."

Flitwick shook his head. "I will stay here, Professor."

"Very well. Be aware that reinforcements should be arriving." Dumbledore waited until Flitwick had left before turning to Ginny. "The two of us are the key to luring Voldemort here. We must make our presence known but then we must be kept out of the front line, forcing Voldemort to press his attack. I understand that this will be difficult for you but it is essential if we are to foil his plan. This will be our last stand."

Ginny nodded slowly. "I understand, Professor."

"If Voldemort does attack, he will have Nagini with him. She must be killed before him, in order to rob him of a horcrux he would otherwise survive through." Dumbledore looked over Ginny's friends. "I am reluctant to ask this of you but you have proven yourself well. Will you kill Nagini if you have the chance?"

"Of course we will, Professor,"Luna replied. "It was very nice of you to ask us."

Dumbledore produced an object that they all recognised. "The Sword of Gryffindor!"Harry exclaimed.

Dumbledore nodded. "The ordinary death of the living receptacle for a horcrux may be enough. But to make sure, this can be used. Which of you will take it?"

There was a pause, then Neville stepped forward. "I will."

"Neville, no!"Hermione gasped.

But Neville had already taken it. He looked at Hermione and shrugged. "Hey, I always wanted to do something really brave."

Hermione smiled despite herself. "You already have." She gave him a hug.

"Go and conceal yourselves,"Dumbledore told the four teenagers. "You will rely on stealth." He turned to Ginny. "As for us, we have a public appearance to make."

Voldemort was with his army on the hill, planning his next move when the air in front of them shimmered. An image of Dumbledore appeared there, with Ginny by his side, the top halves of their bodies appearing to float in the air. "Voldemort,"Dumbledore noted. "You have failed once again. You have failed to kill me and you have failed to kill Ginny. Your control of the ministry and of Hogwarts is broken. Many of your followers are dead or captured and you and your army will soon be crushed. I suggest you surrender. It is the only way to save your lives."

The image disappeared and there was a long silence. Augustus Rookwood cautiously stepped forward. As one of the few members of Voldemort's inner circle still active, he had fallen into the role of his lieutenant. "What are your orders, my lord?"he asked nervously.

"Albus Dumbledore and Ginny Weasley have lived for too long,"Voldemort said slowly. "Clear a path for me. I will kill them myself."

Ginny had stood at Dumbledore's side on the balcony, in full view of the castle's defenders, as he had issued his challenge to Voldemort. Then he had turned and re-entered his office. Ginny was about to follow when a voice called out,"Ginny!"

Ginny was surprised to see Katie Bell coming towards her, along with an Asian girl the same age. "Katie, what are you doing here?"

"Just got back from one of the safe houses. I've been there ever since the evacuation last year. This is Cho, by the way. Cho Chang."

Ginny nodded a brief greeting to the other girl, who she vaguely remembered being in Ravenclaw. "What are you both doing?"

"Oliver's here as well,"Katie explained. "He and Cedric are organising a sort of flying squadron to bomb the Death Eaters. But I just wanted to see you first. Wish you luck."

Ginny gave a nervous smile. "I kind of hoped we'd play together again some day but didn't think it would be like this. Good luck to all of you too."

Next moment, the gate exploded.

Neville and Hermione were crouched in the courtyard as Death Eaters came piling in through the gate, exchanging spells with the castle's defenders. Both sides took casualties. "Should we help?"Hermione asked.

Neville shook his head. "Wait for the big prize."

As they watched from hiding, the Death Eaters forced the defenders back until they had control of the entrance hall, making it a place of relative calm with the battle raging elsewhere. It was then that another figure entered the hall. Voldemort.

Hermione gave an involuntary gasp at the sight of him. "Do we really have to face that?"

"No." Neville nodded towards Nagini, curled at Voldemort's side. "We have to face that."

Voldemort sniffed the air then turned to two Death Eaters and gestured to Nagini. "Guard her."

Hermione and Neville waited until most of the Death Eaters had moved off, leaving only the two guards behind. Then Neville gave a nod. "Now."

They leapt out of cover, wands raised. "Stupefy!" Caught unawares, the two Death Eaters went down. Hermione fired off a barage of spells at Nagini, only for them to bounce off the snake's hide. Enraged, Nagini lunged at her…which had been the plan. Neville swung the Sword of Gryffindor and cleaved Nagini in half in midair.

Neville nodded, satisfied. "I think that went quite well."

Hermione grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's go before someone comes back to check and finds you preening yourself."

Although Dumbledore had told her to stay out of sight, Ginny couldn't help but creep out onto the balcony to witness the duel. Seeing the black smoke rising from Nagini's corpse, she ran back to Dumbledore excitedly. "Professor, it worked! The last horcrux is destroyed, Voldemort's mortal again! We can finally defeat him!"

She expected Dumbledore to share her enthusiasm but instead he looked at her sadly. "No." Somehow he filled the one word with a world of pain.

Ginny didn't understand. "Professor, what do you mean? We've come this far. Come on, let's try and find him."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Voldemort is not mortal. Not yet. There is still one horcrux left. One that even Voldemort himself does not know about."

Ginny was confused. Why hadn't he mentioned this before? "Well…what is it?"

"You."