Disclaimer: JKR owns the characters and the background story. I own the
plot, nothing else.
A/N: I know, it's over used, but this is MY theory on what the next book will be like. I hope you enjoy reading this, please review!
Order of the Phoenix
Chapter Ten
Harry and Ginny finally got to the great hall and took their seats next to Hermione, Ron, Neville, Parvati, Parvati's twin Padma and her date, a Hufflepuff boy Harry only new from the Quidditch games he'd played against Hufflepuff. Dumbledore made the usual speech telling everyone to enjoy themselves, and with that they ordered dinner from their plates and ate dinner. Harry and Ginny couldn't seem to take their eyes off one another through dinner.
Hermione noticed Ron couldn't keep his eyes off Hermione either, he blushed every time she looked up at him. Finally they started to play some music, and Harry couldn't resist. He asked Ginny to dance, she giggled and they went off to dance. Hermione looked pleadingly at Ron, and he couldn't say no, so he asked her if she wanted to go too, and instead of answering Hermione jumped up, grabbed his arm and pulled him on the dance floor. Parvati and Neville followed, thankfully he'd had dancing lessons and wasn't stepping on Parvati's feet like he had Ginny's the year before.
Everyone was watching Ginny and Harry, they'd never seen Ginny look so incredibly beautiful. No one could believe how beautiful Hermione looked either. Hermione and Ron were dancing away as she put her head on his shoulder. Ron decided to tell her now instead of while they were walking by the lake later on. "Hermione I need to tell you something."
"What is it Ron? Is something wrong?"
"Oh no, no, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to tell you."
Suddenly there was a huge bang and the doors of the great hall swung open, and everyone heard the horrendous hackle of Voldemort as he entered the room. Everyone started to scream and run for the exits, which Voldemort had already blocked with his Death Eaters standing guard. Dumbledore is outraged, how did he get past the giants he had at the school's entrances, he quickly remembers he did not put one by the whopping willow and that Wormtail probably knows how to get past it.
The teachers quickly realize they are severely outnumbered with hundreds of students that had no wands with them because of the ball. Students are screaming and being bunched in the middle of the hall. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry are quickly pulled to Dumbledore's side. Harry could see the same face he had seen when Dumbledore saved him from Barty Crouch the previous year. Harry looked up at him, "Should I get the other Heirs and get rid of him now?"
"No, Harry stay here, if something happens try to find a way out, he doesn't know about Owen, and Owen isn't at the ball tonight, I don't know how I'd get him in here. Don't think about them think about something else so that he can't find out about them. Professor Sprout, find her quickly, I'm not so sure he doesn't know about her."
She nodded and took off through the students to find Lisa. Ron, Ginny and Hermione started to ask questions, Harry turned, "I'm the Heir of Gryffindor, forgot to tell you, sorry. The Heirs of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff both go here now too, but Voldemort doesn't know so don't think about it think about something else."
Hermione and Ron had no problem with that, they were thinking about what Ron was about to tell Hermione when Voldemort busted through the door. Ginny was only thinking about Harry, she was scared to death that Harry was going to get hurt, Harry could tell she was upset and kissed her forehead, "Don't worry Ginny, we're going to be alright."
She tried to smile at him, but couldn't as a tear fell down her cheek. Harry wiped away the tear and held Ginny close. Voldemort shouted "HARRY POTTER! WHERE ARE YOU? COME FOREWARD NOW AND I'LL SPARE GINNY WEASLEY!"
Harry couldn't risk Ginny's life that way, Ginny begged him not to go, let him take her instead. Harry didn't listen. He looked at Ron, "Take care of her for me".
Ron and Hermione looked horrified at the thought that Harry was willing to give up his life for Ginny when he still stood a chance of escaping with her. Harry pushed Ginny off and ran towards Voldemort. "This doesn't involve them Voldemort, leave the rest of them here alone. This is personal between you, and me."
Dumbledore looked like he was going to have a heart attack as he ran towards Harry screaming, "Harry get out of the way! I told you to stay put!"
Ginny was running after Harry too screaming "HARRY NO! PLEASE STOP! LET HIM TAKE ME!"
Hermione and Ron were running after him too, both of them shouting at the top of their lungs "HARRY WE CAN STILL GET OUT OF HERE DON'T DO IT!!"
Harry didn't listen to any of them and stopped dead center in front of Voldemort, "This time when my Mum and Dad come out of that stupid wand of yours I'm not leaving, I'm finishing you off."
No one had ever seen Harry so mad at anyone, the Death Eaters left their stations at the door and started to form a circle around Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore and the other professors who were rushing towards Harry ready to die saving him.
Everyone else ran screaming from the room, Neville ran straight up to the Gryffindor boys' dormitory to get Sirius. He only managed to get out, "Voldemort" before Sirius was off and running.
Sirius didn't bother to transform into the dog, but ran the entire way to the great hall, scaring several students on his way, Neville running behind him not keeping up at all. When he got there he pushed a frightened Cho out of the way and ran straight through the Death Eaters to Harry's side.
He looked from Dumbledore to Harry to Ginny, Hermione and Ron. Hermione felt something brush against her leg and looked down to see Crookshanks at her feet. As Hermione was bending over to pick up Crookshanks she noticed something funny happening to her and grabbed Ron's hand pointed to the cat that was becoming a full-grown woman with long, curly ginger-red hair and deep green eyes that looked like Harry's. This astonished even the Death Eaters; and Voldemort laughed when he saw the woman
Voldemort laughed when he saw the woman, "Why look Harry, your mother has decided to join us."
Everyone was looking at her wondering how this could be. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand while Harry looked from Sirius, to Dumbledore, to his mum. Harry barely managed to spit anything out, "h-h-h-h-ho-ho-how?"
Sirius looked at her not believing his eyes, "How could you let me, James' best friend, godfather to your son, live in Azkaban all this time when you knew the truth?"
Lily looked at her son for the first time in 14 years and smiled, "I've missed you so much Harry, it's such a long story, and I'm so sorry Sirius, but there was nothing I could do about it".
Voldemort smiled, "Why don't you tell him, Lily darling."
"Don't call me that, you know very well I don't return your feelings. You're trying to kill my son, you killed my husband and now you think I'm going to just move out of the way, let you and than be with you? You must have gone mental these past years."
Sirius saw this as an opportunity, Voldemort was distracted by Lily, and so were the Death Eaters. Sirius leaned over and whispered to Harry, "Get Ginny and get out of here."
Harry looked at Sirius, and started to run pushing Ginny in front of him the entire way. Hermione and Ron ran after them as Sirius moved in-between Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort screamed after him "AVADA KEDAVRA!" with his wand stretched out in front of him.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks and pushed Ginny as far away as he could, but Ron was already pushing Hermione out of the way and standing in front of him blocking Voldemort. Ron looked at Harry and said his final three words, "Tell her, run."
Hermione screamed when she saw Ron fall to the ground, she dropped to her knees, the professors, Lily and Sirius tried to get through to them repeatedly but where held back while Voldemort raised his wand again. Ginny saw and pulled on Harry, "We have to go, come on."
Harry picked up Hermione, threw her over his shoulder, grabbed Ginny's hand and they ran for the door. Hermione was just screaming over and over "No, not Ron, not now, I wanted to tell him. Oh Ron..."
Ginny and Harry see Cho standing watching too scared to move, than they hear Voldemort scream again sounding more angry than before, "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!!!!!!!!!"
Cho couldn't let that happen, she ran in front of Harry, letting herself be killed instead of Harry. Ginny looked at Harry, "You know she must really love you the way she ran to stop him from getting you, stop pushing me in front of you Harry let it hit me instead please you have to make it out of here."
By the time she was done saying that they were racing up the corridor to the Gryffindor tower. Harry didn't know that during the disappointment of missing Harry twice the Professors had been able to place a stunning spell on Voldemort. Sirius and Lily ran after Harry as fast as they could.
Snape had come running in to warn Dumbledore, realizing he was too late he ran to help, and had single handedly stunned all of the Death Eaters and managed to get the wand from Voldemorts hands and break it into two pieces. Finally Harry reaches the portrait of the Fat Lady and puts Hermione down, he pulled Ginny and Hermione close to him and hugs them close trying to comfort them both, even though they are trying to comfort Harry too. Lily and Sirius come running down the hall screaming "Harry wait for us please!"
Harry let go of Hermione, but held on to Ginny's hand, he stared at the two of them blankly. Sirius ran straight to Harry and hugged Harry and Ginny close to him in a hug that Harry had only felt once before, from Molly Weasley the previous year. Lily stood back not knowing what to do, she hadn't held her son in fourteen years.
Sirius finally released them from his tight grip and asked if they had been hurt at all, they all said no they hadn't been. Harry pushed Sirius away and turned his gaze onto his mother, "Why did you do this to me? Why did you let me have such an awful life with those unimaginable horrible people? Do you know what they did to me for those fourteen years mum? Do you?"
Sirius glared at Lily as well, he was quite unhappy that she'd let them both suffer as well, he however was more upset that she had let Harry go through all of that. Ginny and Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable, they were hugging trying to comfort one another.
Lily and Harry looked at one another for a while and Lily finally said, "Harry I couldn't bear facing Voldemort, not after he'd killed your father. I knew he would come for me, and I couldn't bear the thought of betraying your father that way. Harry please try to understand, I thought you were safe with Sirius, I had no idea he would be blamed because he wasn't our secret keeper, Peter was, though apparently that was a mistake. Harry I'm so sorry, so deeply sorry that you had to live with those awful people, if I had only known you weren't with Sirius."
Lily took a deep breath and continued, "And than I was captured, tortured for many years to live within that store waiting for someone to take me home with them. When I saw you come in with Ron and Hermione I thought you were just out shopping with your friends before you went back to school, so when I noticed Hermione liked me I jumped on the opportunity to be close to you. I was careful not to let Sirius know that I wasn't really a cat, and when I realized Peter was hiding as Ron's rat I thought that he was doing the same thing I was, trying to be close to you. But I knew he was going to bring you back to Voldemort so I attacked him at every chance I got trying to kill him before he hurt you. I am truly sorry Harry, and Sirius I don't expect you to every forgive me, either one of you."
Ginny pulled Harry aside before he could say anything and quickly said to him, "I know you're upset with her now, but she's your mother Harry. You've missed her for so long, the only thing that should matter is that you're together now. Please Harry, for me."
Harry smiled and kissed her, "I don't know what I'd do without you Ginny," he took her hand and turned back to his mother and godfather, "Listen Mum, I understand you thought I was safe with Sirius. I'm still mad at you, but my life was awful. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon locked me in a cupboard under the staircase for 10 years of my life, and then tried to stop me from going to Hogwarts. Dudley chased me everywhere, hit me made fun of me, Mum I went through hell because you decided to leave me 'safe with Sirius', no one else knew Sirius was safe!"
Lily looked completely disgusted at this, "She locked you in a cupboard?"
Harry nodded, Hermione piped in, "Believe me, Mrs. Potter, those people are awful."
"Oh I knew that dear, but they had the nerve to lock my child in a cupboard. Sirius did you know this? My baby boy, in a cupboard. What was Petunia thinking, goodness I'll be sending them a howler in the morning. How dare they, oh Sirius tell me he's joking."
"Lily do you really want to involve me in this conversation? I'm an awful lot more upset with you than Harry is. I cannot believe you had the nerve to desert me, they didn't even give me a trial Lily! Do you know what those Dementors are like? You can be so selfish sometimes Lily, and to think that you did nothing because Harry was supposedly safe with me. Did you think that I was just raising him on my own? The boy thought his parents were dead, and his godfather helped kill them. James would be disgusted with you if he knew what you'd done to your son. Don't talk to me Lily. I'm not letting you take Harry, he's staying in Godric's Hollow with me, you're back I'll make you testify to the ministry, and they might just lock you up for a while for evading them for so long!"
"Sirius please, I had no idea surely you understand. James wouldn't want you talking to me like this you know, especially in front of Harry! I've been through a lot too Sirius. Surely you remember what it's like to lose the love of your life. You didn't lose a son as well! All I've wanted to do for fourteen years is hold my little boy again!"
"WILL YOU TWO STOP! I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!" Harry had enough of them arguing. They both stood and looked at him, and noticed the entire time Ginny had been inching closer to Harry.
"Harry would you mind introducing your mum to your girlfriend?" Lily smiled at him.
Ginny blushed and Harry said slowly, "Mum, this is Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, Ginny this is my Mum. Happy Mum?"
"Harry be nice to your mum," Sirius was giving him a rather stern look.
"You didn't make me introduce her to you though Sirius."
"That's different Harry, I already knew her, and she knew about me before she met me. Your Mum and Ginny just met. Now Ginny we need to find your brothers, would you like to tell them about Ron or should Lily and I talk to them?"
Ginny couldn't answer, she just buried her head in Harry's shoulder and cried. Harry answered for her, "Ginny and I will talk to them together. Hermione come on, we better go find them. Maybe you two," he pointed at Sirius and Lily, "should go sort out where exactly I'm living and who's taking care of me. Honestly though, I've lost enough family and friends. Maybe you should settle your differences and move in together so that I can get to know both of you."
With that Hermione, Ginny and Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room. Fred, George and everyone else were waiting for them to come in. Fred and George looked up, saw the three of them had been crying, noticed Ginny still was, and didn't need to be told. They knew Ron had been killed.
Harry asked them to follow him up to the boys' dormitory. Everyone respectfully gave them space to talk. Harry wrote owls to their parents, Bill, Charlie and Percy.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Percy,
Please apparate to Hogwarts immediately. Something has happened and you should find out in person instead of by owl. Meet Ginny and I in one hour at the main door to Hogwarts. Please don't delay. I've sent faster owls for Charlie and Bill, hopefully they will meet us there.
Love,
Harry"
"Bill,
Please apparate to Hogwarts when you receive this owl, something terrible has happened and you need to be here immediately. Please explain to your job that it is a family matter and you won't be back to work shortly. Meet Ginny and I in one hour at the main entrance. Your parents, Percy and Charlie are also getting owls to come, hopefully they'll meet us there. Please hurry.
With Love,
Harry Potter"
"Charlie,
Apparate to Hogwarts immediately, meet Ginny and I by the main entrance. Your parents, Percy and Bill will hopefully be there by then as well. Something horrible has happened, come quickly don't delay.
With Love,
Harry Potter"
Hedwig took the note for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Percy. Pig went zooming along with a letter for Bill, and Fleur with the letter for Charlie. While he had been writing the owls, Fred had been comforting Ginny while George and Hermione cried and hugged. Harry remembered suddenly what Ron had said, 'tell her'. He looked up and said "Hermione I need to talk to you."
She looked at him and said "Alright Harry, we'll be right back you three, don't go anywhere."
Harry and Hermione walked just outside the door and Harry put his arm around her and said, "Do you remember what his last words were to me Hermione?"
"Yes Harry I do," Hermione was looking at him like he was crazy, "What did he mean by them? Tell who what?"
"Hermione, Ron was going to tell you tonight himself, but he can't now. Ron loves you Hermione. I think that he thought once Voldemort had me he'd go after you and him and Ginny, and he couldn't take Voldemort coming after you because he loves you and didn't want you to die. He died to save you from him Hermione."
At his words Hermione threw her head into Harry's shoulder and sobbed for what seemed like hours. Ginny finally came looking for them to make sure Harry was still okay and Harry was still holding a sobbing Hermione, Ginny didn't say anything out loud but mouthed to Harry, "What'd you say to her?"
He mouthed back quietly "That Ron was going to tell her that he loved her tonight"
Ginny smiled and mouthed back, "I knew he did, he should've said something sooner!"
An hour had almost passed since they'd sent the owls, so Hermione went back with Fred and George while Ginny and Harry walked down to meet the rest of the Weasleys and tell them what had happened, Harry grabbed the locket he'd bought for Mrs. Weasley on the way. When they stepped out of the portrait hole Lily and Sirius were still standing there arguing away. Lily saw them leaving and said quickly to Harry, "You're not going anywhere until Voldemort is gone, get back in there where you're safe."
As if on cue, Dumbledore came running down the corridor to check on Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. Harry explained the owls and Dumbledore escorted them to the front door. On the way he explained to Harry and Ginny what had happened after they left, and that Voldemort once again would be forced to live off another body for the time being.
He said that they had managed however to get almost all of the death eaters, including Peter Pettigrew. Dumbledore also said that the meeting with the Heirs and their parents would need to take place tomorrow so that they could start training with the Order of the Phoenix for Voldemort's next attempt to kill Harry.
They made it to the door to find the rest of the Weasley's arriving together, running for Harry, Ginny and Dumbledore. Mrs. Weasley looked terrified and ran straight to Harry and Ginny who were both crying and hugged them both to her, "What's happened Harry? Where are Fred, George and Ron? Is everyone okay?"
Dumbledore answered for Harry, "Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy will you please accompany me to my office, it's a bit more private there."
Lily and Sirius had finally caught up with Dumbledore and Molly's face went white as a ghost, "Lily Potter? Lily is that you? Dumbledore, what is going on here?"
Dumbledore insisted they go immediately to his office, and they all complied. Fred, George and Hermione were arriving at Dumbledore's office as the rest were and everyone quickly went into the office together. Molly and Arthur noticed of course that Ron wasn't there and they didn't need to be told, Arthur's only question was short, "Was it Voldemort?"
Dumbledore nodded, "Ron sacrificed himself to protect Harry, Hermione and Ginny. He was very brave and pushed them out of the way of Voldemort's wand as Voldemort said Avada Kedavra."
All of the Weasley's, Hermione and Harry were crying and hugging each other. Lily, Sirius and Dumbledore were talking quietly. Mrs. Weasley finally got ahold of Harry and hugged him close to her and whispered, "Harry, we don't blame you for what happened."
Harry took the locket out of his pocket and handed it to her, "I was going to give you this for Christmas as a thank you for everything you've done for me, but I think now is better."
Molly opened the locket to see the pictures inside and started crying and held Harry close to her and thanked him for it before pushing him over to Ginny saying that he needed to be supportive for her too.
Ginny and Harry stood there hugging and crying in each other's arms for a while. Dumbledore finally spoke again to everyone, "I think it's time the Heirs of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff came to join with the Order of the Phoenix, we've wasted enough time, it's time to stop Voldemort for good."
Harry just nodded and went to get Lisa and Owen. Ginny and Hermione followed him not wanting to let him just roam the castle when they knew very well that Voldemort could still be close. They found Lisa and Owen talking with Professor Sprout just outside of the Ravenclaw Dormitory. Lisa and Owen saw Harry coming and didn't need to be told to follow him.
Professor Sprout came with to Dumbledore's office to ensure the Heirs made it safely. When they returned Dumbledore had the entire Order of the Phoenix in his office. The Weasleys, Lily, Professor Sprout, Hermione and Ginny waited outside the office while the three went into his office.
Harry said what all three were thinking, "We need to start training for this immediately, I'm not about to let another of my friends die."
Remus Lupin was the first to say anything, "Harry, Lisa and Owen, we know we're asking a lot of you, but we think this is the only way."
Arabella Figg quickly added, "The three of you have to unite your wands together against Voldemort, it's the only way to ensure that he won't come back."
Dumbledore was the last to say, "We have to talk to your parents, but we will not start serious training until Owen is done with his third year. There's still too much for him to learn. Owen we'll be asking you to take a couple extra courses next year so that you can catch up to Harry and Lisa on spells."
Owen was quick to say, "I'll do anything you want me to do Headmaster, it's time this stopped."
They all quickly agreed that Dumbledore would talk to Lisa and Owens' parents tomorrow, and would decide what to do from there as far as training over the summer for Owen especially. Dumbledore went to send owls to Owen and Lisa's parents, as well as Cho Chang's parents, and talk to Lily about Harry.
He had the Prefects bring everyone back into the great hall once the Ministry of Magic removed the Death Eaters that had been caught, and sent them on their way to Azkaban. However even though Peter Pettigrew was found alive and well among the Death Eaters they had found, they took Sirius with them to Azkaban to await a trial. Ministry officials were not happy with Lily for not registering herself as an animagus and wrote out a nice fine for her, as well as one for Sirius.
Harry and Lily assured Sirius that he would not be in Azkaban long and that they would come see him soon. Madam Pomfrey had already taken Ron and Cho's bodies to the Hospital Wing where they would be kept until burial services were arranged. Dumbledore had the Weasleys stay in his office so they could be left alone while Dumbledore talked to the school. Harry and Hermione went with him, though they also were still crying and Harry was upset about Sirius.
Dumbledore let Harry and Hermione sit with him at the professor's table, along with Lisa and Owen. Everyone was whispering while the five walked in together and sat down at the professor's table. Harry and Hermione held hands to support each other and rumors flew quickly that both Ron and Ginny were dead. Dumbledore stood up slowly and sent sparks out of his wand to quiet them all down.
Dumbledore looked at Harry before starting to address the students. "Everyone please listen carefully. Voldemort has once again been brought to a halt in his plans. He is left with very few followers, and we have organized a plan to bring him to his end. However Voldemort managed to kill twice before he escaped. Ronald Weasley and Cho Chang are no longer with us."
Dumbledore paused briefly, allowing the students to quiet down slightly before continuing, "Both willingly sacrificed themselves to save the Heir of Gryffindor, Harry Potter. With their deaths they have protected the only way to destroy Voldemort. As you may have noticed sitting beside Harry is Hermione Granger, his best friend, and loved one of Ronald."
Hermione turned to Harry who almost immediately hugged her as she sobbed onto his shoulder. Dumbledore hesitated slightly before adding on, "Also sitting with them are Lisa Turpin and Owen Cauldwell. Lisa is the Heir of Ravenclaw, and Owen of Hufflepuff. As you may know, Voldemort is the Heir of Slytherin, and the last remaining Heir of Slytherin. I'm sure that the Fred, George and Ginny Weasley will appreciate it when no one questions them about their brother, they have suffered a tremendous loss. I would also ask that you not ask Harry, Hermione, Lisa or Owen about yesterday's events. They all have a long and difficult time ahead of them. Now everyone together, please raise your glasses in honor of Ron and Cho, may everyone always remember them as the protectors of the Heirs."
With that everyone raised their glasses and proudly said "Protectors of the Heirs".
A/N: I know, it's over used, but this is MY theory on what the next book will be like. I hope you enjoy reading this, please review!
Order of the Phoenix
Chapter Ten
Harry and Ginny finally got to the great hall and took their seats next to Hermione, Ron, Neville, Parvati, Parvati's twin Padma and her date, a Hufflepuff boy Harry only new from the Quidditch games he'd played against Hufflepuff. Dumbledore made the usual speech telling everyone to enjoy themselves, and with that they ordered dinner from their plates and ate dinner. Harry and Ginny couldn't seem to take their eyes off one another through dinner.
Hermione noticed Ron couldn't keep his eyes off Hermione either, he blushed every time she looked up at him. Finally they started to play some music, and Harry couldn't resist. He asked Ginny to dance, she giggled and they went off to dance. Hermione looked pleadingly at Ron, and he couldn't say no, so he asked her if she wanted to go too, and instead of answering Hermione jumped up, grabbed his arm and pulled him on the dance floor. Parvati and Neville followed, thankfully he'd had dancing lessons and wasn't stepping on Parvati's feet like he had Ginny's the year before.
Everyone was watching Ginny and Harry, they'd never seen Ginny look so incredibly beautiful. No one could believe how beautiful Hermione looked either. Hermione and Ron were dancing away as she put her head on his shoulder. Ron decided to tell her now instead of while they were walking by the lake later on. "Hermione I need to tell you something."
"What is it Ron? Is something wrong?"
"Oh no, no, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to tell you."
Suddenly there was a huge bang and the doors of the great hall swung open, and everyone heard the horrendous hackle of Voldemort as he entered the room. Everyone started to scream and run for the exits, which Voldemort had already blocked with his Death Eaters standing guard. Dumbledore is outraged, how did he get past the giants he had at the school's entrances, he quickly remembers he did not put one by the whopping willow and that Wormtail probably knows how to get past it.
The teachers quickly realize they are severely outnumbered with hundreds of students that had no wands with them because of the ball. Students are screaming and being bunched in the middle of the hall. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry are quickly pulled to Dumbledore's side. Harry could see the same face he had seen when Dumbledore saved him from Barty Crouch the previous year. Harry looked up at him, "Should I get the other Heirs and get rid of him now?"
"No, Harry stay here, if something happens try to find a way out, he doesn't know about Owen, and Owen isn't at the ball tonight, I don't know how I'd get him in here. Don't think about them think about something else so that he can't find out about them. Professor Sprout, find her quickly, I'm not so sure he doesn't know about her."
She nodded and took off through the students to find Lisa. Ron, Ginny and Hermione started to ask questions, Harry turned, "I'm the Heir of Gryffindor, forgot to tell you, sorry. The Heirs of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff both go here now too, but Voldemort doesn't know so don't think about it think about something else."
Hermione and Ron had no problem with that, they were thinking about what Ron was about to tell Hermione when Voldemort busted through the door. Ginny was only thinking about Harry, she was scared to death that Harry was going to get hurt, Harry could tell she was upset and kissed her forehead, "Don't worry Ginny, we're going to be alright."
She tried to smile at him, but couldn't as a tear fell down her cheek. Harry wiped away the tear and held Ginny close. Voldemort shouted "HARRY POTTER! WHERE ARE YOU? COME FOREWARD NOW AND I'LL SPARE GINNY WEASLEY!"
Harry couldn't risk Ginny's life that way, Ginny begged him not to go, let him take her instead. Harry didn't listen. He looked at Ron, "Take care of her for me".
Ron and Hermione looked horrified at the thought that Harry was willing to give up his life for Ginny when he still stood a chance of escaping with her. Harry pushed Ginny off and ran towards Voldemort. "This doesn't involve them Voldemort, leave the rest of them here alone. This is personal between you, and me."
Dumbledore looked like he was going to have a heart attack as he ran towards Harry screaming, "Harry get out of the way! I told you to stay put!"
Ginny was running after Harry too screaming "HARRY NO! PLEASE STOP! LET HIM TAKE ME!"
Hermione and Ron were running after him too, both of them shouting at the top of their lungs "HARRY WE CAN STILL GET OUT OF HERE DON'T DO IT!!"
Harry didn't listen to any of them and stopped dead center in front of Voldemort, "This time when my Mum and Dad come out of that stupid wand of yours I'm not leaving, I'm finishing you off."
No one had ever seen Harry so mad at anyone, the Death Eaters left their stations at the door and started to form a circle around Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore and the other professors who were rushing towards Harry ready to die saving him.
Everyone else ran screaming from the room, Neville ran straight up to the Gryffindor boys' dormitory to get Sirius. He only managed to get out, "Voldemort" before Sirius was off and running.
Sirius didn't bother to transform into the dog, but ran the entire way to the great hall, scaring several students on his way, Neville running behind him not keeping up at all. When he got there he pushed a frightened Cho out of the way and ran straight through the Death Eaters to Harry's side.
He looked from Dumbledore to Harry to Ginny, Hermione and Ron. Hermione felt something brush against her leg and looked down to see Crookshanks at her feet. As Hermione was bending over to pick up Crookshanks she noticed something funny happening to her and grabbed Ron's hand pointed to the cat that was becoming a full-grown woman with long, curly ginger-red hair and deep green eyes that looked like Harry's. This astonished even the Death Eaters; and Voldemort laughed when he saw the woman
Voldemort laughed when he saw the woman, "Why look Harry, your mother has decided to join us."
Everyone was looking at her wondering how this could be. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand while Harry looked from Sirius, to Dumbledore, to his mum. Harry barely managed to spit anything out, "h-h-h-h-ho-ho-how?"
Sirius looked at her not believing his eyes, "How could you let me, James' best friend, godfather to your son, live in Azkaban all this time when you knew the truth?"
Lily looked at her son for the first time in 14 years and smiled, "I've missed you so much Harry, it's such a long story, and I'm so sorry Sirius, but there was nothing I could do about it".
Voldemort smiled, "Why don't you tell him, Lily darling."
"Don't call me that, you know very well I don't return your feelings. You're trying to kill my son, you killed my husband and now you think I'm going to just move out of the way, let you and than be with you? You must have gone mental these past years."
Sirius saw this as an opportunity, Voldemort was distracted by Lily, and so were the Death Eaters. Sirius leaned over and whispered to Harry, "Get Ginny and get out of here."
Harry looked at Sirius, and started to run pushing Ginny in front of him the entire way. Hermione and Ron ran after them as Sirius moved in-between Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort screamed after him "AVADA KEDAVRA!" with his wand stretched out in front of him.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks and pushed Ginny as far away as he could, but Ron was already pushing Hermione out of the way and standing in front of him blocking Voldemort. Ron looked at Harry and said his final three words, "Tell her, run."
Hermione screamed when she saw Ron fall to the ground, she dropped to her knees, the professors, Lily and Sirius tried to get through to them repeatedly but where held back while Voldemort raised his wand again. Ginny saw and pulled on Harry, "We have to go, come on."
Harry picked up Hermione, threw her over his shoulder, grabbed Ginny's hand and they ran for the door. Hermione was just screaming over and over "No, not Ron, not now, I wanted to tell him. Oh Ron..."
Ginny and Harry see Cho standing watching too scared to move, than they hear Voldemort scream again sounding more angry than before, "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!!!!!!!!!"
Cho couldn't let that happen, she ran in front of Harry, letting herself be killed instead of Harry. Ginny looked at Harry, "You know she must really love you the way she ran to stop him from getting you, stop pushing me in front of you Harry let it hit me instead please you have to make it out of here."
By the time she was done saying that they were racing up the corridor to the Gryffindor tower. Harry didn't know that during the disappointment of missing Harry twice the Professors had been able to place a stunning spell on Voldemort. Sirius and Lily ran after Harry as fast as they could.
Snape had come running in to warn Dumbledore, realizing he was too late he ran to help, and had single handedly stunned all of the Death Eaters and managed to get the wand from Voldemorts hands and break it into two pieces. Finally Harry reaches the portrait of the Fat Lady and puts Hermione down, he pulled Ginny and Hermione close to him and hugs them close trying to comfort them both, even though they are trying to comfort Harry too. Lily and Sirius come running down the hall screaming "Harry wait for us please!"
Harry let go of Hermione, but held on to Ginny's hand, he stared at the two of them blankly. Sirius ran straight to Harry and hugged Harry and Ginny close to him in a hug that Harry had only felt once before, from Molly Weasley the previous year. Lily stood back not knowing what to do, she hadn't held her son in fourteen years.
Sirius finally released them from his tight grip and asked if they had been hurt at all, they all said no they hadn't been. Harry pushed Sirius away and turned his gaze onto his mother, "Why did you do this to me? Why did you let me have such an awful life with those unimaginable horrible people? Do you know what they did to me for those fourteen years mum? Do you?"
Sirius glared at Lily as well, he was quite unhappy that she'd let them both suffer as well, he however was more upset that she had let Harry go through all of that. Ginny and Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable, they were hugging trying to comfort one another.
Lily and Harry looked at one another for a while and Lily finally said, "Harry I couldn't bear facing Voldemort, not after he'd killed your father. I knew he would come for me, and I couldn't bear the thought of betraying your father that way. Harry please try to understand, I thought you were safe with Sirius, I had no idea he would be blamed because he wasn't our secret keeper, Peter was, though apparently that was a mistake. Harry I'm so sorry, so deeply sorry that you had to live with those awful people, if I had only known you weren't with Sirius."
Lily took a deep breath and continued, "And than I was captured, tortured for many years to live within that store waiting for someone to take me home with them. When I saw you come in with Ron and Hermione I thought you were just out shopping with your friends before you went back to school, so when I noticed Hermione liked me I jumped on the opportunity to be close to you. I was careful not to let Sirius know that I wasn't really a cat, and when I realized Peter was hiding as Ron's rat I thought that he was doing the same thing I was, trying to be close to you. But I knew he was going to bring you back to Voldemort so I attacked him at every chance I got trying to kill him before he hurt you. I am truly sorry Harry, and Sirius I don't expect you to every forgive me, either one of you."
Ginny pulled Harry aside before he could say anything and quickly said to him, "I know you're upset with her now, but she's your mother Harry. You've missed her for so long, the only thing that should matter is that you're together now. Please Harry, for me."
Harry smiled and kissed her, "I don't know what I'd do without you Ginny," he took her hand and turned back to his mother and godfather, "Listen Mum, I understand you thought I was safe with Sirius. I'm still mad at you, but my life was awful. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon locked me in a cupboard under the staircase for 10 years of my life, and then tried to stop me from going to Hogwarts. Dudley chased me everywhere, hit me made fun of me, Mum I went through hell because you decided to leave me 'safe with Sirius', no one else knew Sirius was safe!"
Lily looked completely disgusted at this, "She locked you in a cupboard?"
Harry nodded, Hermione piped in, "Believe me, Mrs. Potter, those people are awful."
"Oh I knew that dear, but they had the nerve to lock my child in a cupboard. Sirius did you know this? My baby boy, in a cupboard. What was Petunia thinking, goodness I'll be sending them a howler in the morning. How dare they, oh Sirius tell me he's joking."
"Lily do you really want to involve me in this conversation? I'm an awful lot more upset with you than Harry is. I cannot believe you had the nerve to desert me, they didn't even give me a trial Lily! Do you know what those Dementors are like? You can be so selfish sometimes Lily, and to think that you did nothing because Harry was supposedly safe with me. Did you think that I was just raising him on my own? The boy thought his parents were dead, and his godfather helped kill them. James would be disgusted with you if he knew what you'd done to your son. Don't talk to me Lily. I'm not letting you take Harry, he's staying in Godric's Hollow with me, you're back I'll make you testify to the ministry, and they might just lock you up for a while for evading them for so long!"
"Sirius please, I had no idea surely you understand. James wouldn't want you talking to me like this you know, especially in front of Harry! I've been through a lot too Sirius. Surely you remember what it's like to lose the love of your life. You didn't lose a son as well! All I've wanted to do for fourteen years is hold my little boy again!"
"WILL YOU TWO STOP! I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!" Harry had enough of them arguing. They both stood and looked at him, and noticed the entire time Ginny had been inching closer to Harry.
"Harry would you mind introducing your mum to your girlfriend?" Lily smiled at him.
Ginny blushed and Harry said slowly, "Mum, this is Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, Ginny this is my Mum. Happy Mum?"
"Harry be nice to your mum," Sirius was giving him a rather stern look.
"You didn't make me introduce her to you though Sirius."
"That's different Harry, I already knew her, and she knew about me before she met me. Your Mum and Ginny just met. Now Ginny we need to find your brothers, would you like to tell them about Ron or should Lily and I talk to them?"
Ginny couldn't answer, she just buried her head in Harry's shoulder and cried. Harry answered for her, "Ginny and I will talk to them together. Hermione come on, we better go find them. Maybe you two," he pointed at Sirius and Lily, "should go sort out where exactly I'm living and who's taking care of me. Honestly though, I've lost enough family and friends. Maybe you should settle your differences and move in together so that I can get to know both of you."
With that Hermione, Ginny and Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room. Fred, George and everyone else were waiting for them to come in. Fred and George looked up, saw the three of them had been crying, noticed Ginny still was, and didn't need to be told. They knew Ron had been killed.
Harry asked them to follow him up to the boys' dormitory. Everyone respectfully gave them space to talk. Harry wrote owls to their parents, Bill, Charlie and Percy.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Percy,
Please apparate to Hogwarts immediately. Something has happened and you should find out in person instead of by owl. Meet Ginny and I in one hour at the main door to Hogwarts. Please don't delay. I've sent faster owls for Charlie and Bill, hopefully they will meet us there.
Love,
Harry"
"Bill,
Please apparate to Hogwarts when you receive this owl, something terrible has happened and you need to be here immediately. Please explain to your job that it is a family matter and you won't be back to work shortly. Meet Ginny and I in one hour at the main entrance. Your parents, Percy and Charlie are also getting owls to come, hopefully they'll meet us there. Please hurry.
With Love,
Harry Potter"
"Charlie,
Apparate to Hogwarts immediately, meet Ginny and I by the main entrance. Your parents, Percy and Bill will hopefully be there by then as well. Something horrible has happened, come quickly don't delay.
With Love,
Harry Potter"
Hedwig took the note for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Percy. Pig went zooming along with a letter for Bill, and Fleur with the letter for Charlie. While he had been writing the owls, Fred had been comforting Ginny while George and Hermione cried and hugged. Harry remembered suddenly what Ron had said, 'tell her'. He looked up and said "Hermione I need to talk to you."
She looked at him and said "Alright Harry, we'll be right back you three, don't go anywhere."
Harry and Hermione walked just outside the door and Harry put his arm around her and said, "Do you remember what his last words were to me Hermione?"
"Yes Harry I do," Hermione was looking at him like he was crazy, "What did he mean by them? Tell who what?"
"Hermione, Ron was going to tell you tonight himself, but he can't now. Ron loves you Hermione. I think that he thought once Voldemort had me he'd go after you and him and Ginny, and he couldn't take Voldemort coming after you because he loves you and didn't want you to die. He died to save you from him Hermione."
At his words Hermione threw her head into Harry's shoulder and sobbed for what seemed like hours. Ginny finally came looking for them to make sure Harry was still okay and Harry was still holding a sobbing Hermione, Ginny didn't say anything out loud but mouthed to Harry, "What'd you say to her?"
He mouthed back quietly "That Ron was going to tell her that he loved her tonight"
Ginny smiled and mouthed back, "I knew he did, he should've said something sooner!"
An hour had almost passed since they'd sent the owls, so Hermione went back with Fred and George while Ginny and Harry walked down to meet the rest of the Weasleys and tell them what had happened, Harry grabbed the locket he'd bought for Mrs. Weasley on the way. When they stepped out of the portrait hole Lily and Sirius were still standing there arguing away. Lily saw them leaving and said quickly to Harry, "You're not going anywhere until Voldemort is gone, get back in there where you're safe."
As if on cue, Dumbledore came running down the corridor to check on Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. Harry explained the owls and Dumbledore escorted them to the front door. On the way he explained to Harry and Ginny what had happened after they left, and that Voldemort once again would be forced to live off another body for the time being.
He said that they had managed however to get almost all of the death eaters, including Peter Pettigrew. Dumbledore also said that the meeting with the Heirs and their parents would need to take place tomorrow so that they could start training with the Order of the Phoenix for Voldemort's next attempt to kill Harry.
They made it to the door to find the rest of the Weasley's arriving together, running for Harry, Ginny and Dumbledore. Mrs. Weasley looked terrified and ran straight to Harry and Ginny who were both crying and hugged them both to her, "What's happened Harry? Where are Fred, George and Ron? Is everyone okay?"
Dumbledore answered for Harry, "Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy will you please accompany me to my office, it's a bit more private there."
Lily and Sirius had finally caught up with Dumbledore and Molly's face went white as a ghost, "Lily Potter? Lily is that you? Dumbledore, what is going on here?"
Dumbledore insisted they go immediately to his office, and they all complied. Fred, George and Hermione were arriving at Dumbledore's office as the rest were and everyone quickly went into the office together. Molly and Arthur noticed of course that Ron wasn't there and they didn't need to be told, Arthur's only question was short, "Was it Voldemort?"
Dumbledore nodded, "Ron sacrificed himself to protect Harry, Hermione and Ginny. He was very brave and pushed them out of the way of Voldemort's wand as Voldemort said Avada Kedavra."
All of the Weasley's, Hermione and Harry were crying and hugging each other. Lily, Sirius and Dumbledore were talking quietly. Mrs. Weasley finally got ahold of Harry and hugged him close to her and whispered, "Harry, we don't blame you for what happened."
Harry took the locket out of his pocket and handed it to her, "I was going to give you this for Christmas as a thank you for everything you've done for me, but I think now is better."
Molly opened the locket to see the pictures inside and started crying and held Harry close to her and thanked him for it before pushing him over to Ginny saying that he needed to be supportive for her too.
Ginny and Harry stood there hugging and crying in each other's arms for a while. Dumbledore finally spoke again to everyone, "I think it's time the Heirs of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff came to join with the Order of the Phoenix, we've wasted enough time, it's time to stop Voldemort for good."
Harry just nodded and went to get Lisa and Owen. Ginny and Hermione followed him not wanting to let him just roam the castle when they knew very well that Voldemort could still be close. They found Lisa and Owen talking with Professor Sprout just outside of the Ravenclaw Dormitory. Lisa and Owen saw Harry coming and didn't need to be told to follow him.
Professor Sprout came with to Dumbledore's office to ensure the Heirs made it safely. When they returned Dumbledore had the entire Order of the Phoenix in his office. The Weasleys, Lily, Professor Sprout, Hermione and Ginny waited outside the office while the three went into his office.
Harry said what all three were thinking, "We need to start training for this immediately, I'm not about to let another of my friends die."
Remus Lupin was the first to say anything, "Harry, Lisa and Owen, we know we're asking a lot of you, but we think this is the only way."
Arabella Figg quickly added, "The three of you have to unite your wands together against Voldemort, it's the only way to ensure that he won't come back."
Dumbledore was the last to say, "We have to talk to your parents, but we will not start serious training until Owen is done with his third year. There's still too much for him to learn. Owen we'll be asking you to take a couple extra courses next year so that you can catch up to Harry and Lisa on spells."
Owen was quick to say, "I'll do anything you want me to do Headmaster, it's time this stopped."
They all quickly agreed that Dumbledore would talk to Lisa and Owens' parents tomorrow, and would decide what to do from there as far as training over the summer for Owen especially. Dumbledore went to send owls to Owen and Lisa's parents, as well as Cho Chang's parents, and talk to Lily about Harry.
He had the Prefects bring everyone back into the great hall once the Ministry of Magic removed the Death Eaters that had been caught, and sent them on their way to Azkaban. However even though Peter Pettigrew was found alive and well among the Death Eaters they had found, they took Sirius with them to Azkaban to await a trial. Ministry officials were not happy with Lily for not registering herself as an animagus and wrote out a nice fine for her, as well as one for Sirius.
Harry and Lily assured Sirius that he would not be in Azkaban long and that they would come see him soon. Madam Pomfrey had already taken Ron and Cho's bodies to the Hospital Wing where they would be kept until burial services were arranged. Dumbledore had the Weasleys stay in his office so they could be left alone while Dumbledore talked to the school. Harry and Hermione went with him, though they also were still crying and Harry was upset about Sirius.
Dumbledore let Harry and Hermione sit with him at the professor's table, along with Lisa and Owen. Everyone was whispering while the five walked in together and sat down at the professor's table. Harry and Hermione held hands to support each other and rumors flew quickly that both Ron and Ginny were dead. Dumbledore stood up slowly and sent sparks out of his wand to quiet them all down.
Dumbledore looked at Harry before starting to address the students. "Everyone please listen carefully. Voldemort has once again been brought to a halt in his plans. He is left with very few followers, and we have organized a plan to bring him to his end. However Voldemort managed to kill twice before he escaped. Ronald Weasley and Cho Chang are no longer with us."
Dumbledore paused briefly, allowing the students to quiet down slightly before continuing, "Both willingly sacrificed themselves to save the Heir of Gryffindor, Harry Potter. With their deaths they have protected the only way to destroy Voldemort. As you may have noticed sitting beside Harry is Hermione Granger, his best friend, and loved one of Ronald."
Hermione turned to Harry who almost immediately hugged her as she sobbed onto his shoulder. Dumbledore hesitated slightly before adding on, "Also sitting with them are Lisa Turpin and Owen Cauldwell. Lisa is the Heir of Ravenclaw, and Owen of Hufflepuff. As you may know, Voldemort is the Heir of Slytherin, and the last remaining Heir of Slytherin. I'm sure that the Fred, George and Ginny Weasley will appreciate it when no one questions them about their brother, they have suffered a tremendous loss. I would also ask that you not ask Harry, Hermione, Lisa or Owen about yesterday's events. They all have a long and difficult time ahead of them. Now everyone together, please raise your glasses in honor of Ron and Cho, may everyone always remember them as the protectors of the Heirs."
With that everyone raised their glasses and proudly said "Protectors of the Heirs".