Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

On My Own

Chapter Four

" Why must they make us come to Hogsmeade so early?" Ron yawned. He stretched and placed an arm around Hermione's shoulder. He closed his eyes and leaned on Hermione, his chin resting on her hair.

" Ron, wake up, you prick!" Hermione snapped, her face red, shoving him. He stumbled over his own two feet and stopped a few feet away from her. Ginny and Harry laughed at their antics.

" I don't know, Herm. You looked pretty comfortable there for a second," Ginny said, grinning devilishly. Hermione whirled around, her ponytail swinging like a pendulum.

" Ginny Weasley if you want to see your next birthday, I advise you to shut up!" Hermione hissed. Ginny looked taken back.

" It' s not I will…" Ginny muttered. Shaking herself, she glanced up and smirked. " That's what you said when I told you I would tell Ron about this dream you had… fond of whipped cream and strawberries Ron?" Ginny laughed. Hermione shrieked with disbelief and lunged forward.

"Harry!" Ginny squealed, stepping behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he unconsciously rested his arms over hers. " Protect me!"

He shook with laughter and choked out, " Hermione… stop. Leave Ginny alone. She didn't do anything wrong."

" She said…things…" Hermione sputtered, looking at Ginny with a murderous glare.

" I did no such thing… you need to get your hearing checked dear Hermione," Ginny said with a aristocratic air about her. Harry grinned and patted her hand. Both tensed, suddenly aware of their position.

" Sorry," Harry said, reluctantly letting her go. She slipped her arms away and grinned, her face a lovely red.

" It's okay," Ginny smiled.

" Come on, it's 11. Maybe we can catch an early lunch and then, we go shopping," Hermione informed, glancing at her watch.

" 11?" Ginny gaped. " That's so close to 11: 25..."

" Yeah, that tends to happen, Gin," Ron said, patting her head.

She wasn't listening. She was closing her eyes and the letter surfaced from her memory.

Time Ultimatum Initiated: 21 of August 1996 - 1125 hours

Deadline: 21 of September 1996 - 1125 hours

Please report to Albus Dumbledore office, Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will be transported to a secret location where we await your decision.

" Ginny, what's wrong? Did you forget you need to meet someone?" Hermione asked, waving her hand in front of Ginny's face.

The one month was up and she had to decide. She didn't have a decision. She didn't want to go and it wasn't a decision.

" I have to go," Ginny murmured, whirling around.

"Ginny, are you okay?" Harry asked, gripping her arm.

" No…" she paled. She paused. " It's okay. I'm scaring myself. I'll stay for another few minutes before I go meet my friend. I promised to tutor her. I forgot. Sorry," she sighed. Harry weighed her answer before nodding.

" It's okay-"

It was as if someone suddenly pushed the ground up as Ginny and Harry went flying up. Harry pulled her towards him and they landed on their side.

" Ah…" Ginny groaned. She got up and looked around. A large crack appeared down the street leading towards the Shrieking Shack. People began running down towards them, a stampede, running from the source of the eruptions of green light. A crackle, like a cracker, sounded in the ear and the Dark Mark began appearing the sky.

" We have to go," Hermione said, tugging at Ron's hand. Even though everybody was panicking, the four of them remained deadly calm. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand, their fingers linking and their rings showing, bright against their skin.

~*~

Time Ultimatum Initiated: 21 of August 1996 - 1125 hours

Deadline: 21 of September 1996 - 1125 hours

Present Time: 15 of September 1996 - 1930 hours

" Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred and George, " Ginny greeted, balancing a large box in her arms. " I have early Christmas presents for you."

"This early?" Fred laughed. " Three months early?"

" Well, these gifts were special ordered. They only make them a few months advance," Ginny explained. " I just got them."

She opened the box and handed each one of them a velvet box with their initials on it. " Well, open them!"

They shrugged and opened the boxes. Hermione let out a shriek and a gasp (around the same time).

" Ginny, this was from the Greek Calmative Talisman!" Hermione stated. She held up the bangle and pointed the flat black stone disc adorning it.

" The what?" Fred asked.

" This special necklace Ginny got from her Greek friend," Ron explained.

" All my brothers got a chain with their initial. The stone is embedded into it," Ginny explained. " The stone has Empathic powers and it relaxes nerve points and pulse points. Keeps you calm in any situation. Mum and Dad got rings."

" Oy, Harry what did you get?" Ron asked as he clasped his chain on. The 'R' rested neatly over his chest.

" A ring… just a silver band with the stone in it… going all the way around. About the width of it," Harry said, slipping on the thick ring.

" Ginny, I know you got something yourself," Hermione said, putting on the bangle over her right wrist.

" A ring…" Ginny said, fanning her left fingers out. The ring was a thing silver band with a round pearl shaped black stone, embedded in the ivy vine designed setting.

" Greek wizards wear versions of this kind of stone to calm themselves during combat. These work wonders, extremely powerful in stabilizing someone. I'm glad you decided to share it with us," Hermione said, hugging Ginny.

~*~

Present Time

~*~

Screams erupted in the air. Hermione stood a few feet from the gates with Professor McGonagall, covering the students that were running towards the castle.

"Come on! Run, hurry! Watch out for the other people!" Hermione screamed.

" Hermione!" Professor McGonagall screeched, pointing over her shoulder.

" Avada Kedavra!" Hermione screamed the first spell that came to mind. The Death Eater crumpled to the ground. She paled, knowing she had caused this man his life but she shook herself. She had better things to do.

" Ginny, leave!" Ron roared. He ducked as a red colored jet shot past his shoulder.

" No!" Ginny shot back, throwing another spell over the fountain's wall. Currently, the few defending students had set a barrier, hiding behind the water fountain in the center of town.

" Go! You can't help us just with the Stupefy spell! Now go and help those who cannot help!" Ron said, throwing a Body Binding spell. Fred and George levitated a large bench and threw it at the Death Eaters, knocking three clean off of their feet.

" Why are you still here!" Harry shouted, gripping Ginny's shoulder. " Go! If you get hurt, you'll be no help to us! Go!"

Ginny looked helplessly at them. " Fine, I'll go , only to get teachers."

She got up crawling slightly, kissing her brothers and finally, Harry on the cheek. He seemed stunned but then recovered and kissed her back.

" Be careful," he whispered.

" I will… don't worry. See you later," she said back.

" You will," he said, pushing her away.

Ginny took a deep breath and waited then she darted towards the gates, gaining speed. The spells shot past her, never landing on their target. She shot past stores and alleys, looking for any teacher that will help them.

" Mommy!" a distressed little voice called. Ginny stopped and walked several paces back. Her heart completely dropped at the sight of what she saw. In the alley, a little girl, a metal rod protruding out from her body.

"Oh," Ginny cried. She stepped forward, little by little, before running full out before skinning her knees, sliding on the stone ground.

" Can you help my Mommy?" the girl asked, pointing weakly at a body sprawled on the ground. The woman was pregnant.

" I not sure," Ginny said, her voice trembling. She felt a warmth rush through her. She slipped off her ring and pressed it in the girl's palm.

" Hold onto that," she told her. Ginny lifted the girl into her lap, pressing her fingers to the girl's temple. " Tell me you name."

" Sophia," she responded, her eyes closing. " My Mommy told me that bad people were here and tried to get me over the fence," she told Ginny, pointing at over her mother's body. " Told me to go and hide…"

Ginny noticed that the fence was missing a rod. " What's wrong with my Mommy?" the girl asked.

" Nothing… the bad people just made her sleep. Like Snow White…"

" Where's the prince then? He's suppose to kiss my Mommy," she asked.

" Well, Sophia, the prince is saving other little girl's like you. They'll be here soon. "

" Are they heroes? Because only heroes can defeat bad people…" Sophia muttered.

" Yeah… their my brothers too and my good friend. They'll come back and wake up your Mummy. Don't worry…"

The girl didn't answer and Ginny knew she'll never will. She sobbed, lying the girl down, closing Sophia's eyes. She got up and looked up at the sky, the dark gray sky.

" Professor Dumbledore!" she screamed. After a few seconds, Dumbledore appeared in front of her.

" Miss Weasley, we must escort you back to the castle. Aglaia is already there and she'll await your decision.

" I already have one," Ginny whispered. " I going to go train."

Dumbledore looked at her. " I had every intention of just leaving happy but this girl… her few seconds with me showed me that… that what I'm going to work for can save other little girls like her. She … died and she wasn't suppose to. I always had someone protecting me but now, I had someone to protect and I failed."

" You simply came too late," he responded, glancing sadly at the body.

" I'm going, that's it," Ginny pressed firmly. " I know I'll regret it soon but so be it. I'm going to train and come back, I'll avenge her death."

Dumbledore pulled out a flask and summoned a random Death Eater after putting an invisibility shield on him. A weight knocked into Dumbledore.

" It's too late to get a Hollow Clone," Dumbledore said. Hollow Clones were inanimate duplicates of a specific subject and they never lasted long. They began deteriorating from the inside out, gaining the name Hollow Clone. " I have Polyjuice Potion and give me your hair."

Ginny took the flask and plucked a strand of hair from her scalp. She stuffed it into the flask and capped it, shaking it furiously.

" Okay, you can remove the shield," Ginny said. The Death Eater appeared, a Body Bind and Silencing Charm placed on him. She shoved the uncapped flask in his mouth and poured it down his throat. He wouldn't swallow. " Swallow you little piece of-" she spat, pressing down on his Adam apple. He gurgled and the potion slipped down his throat.

Dumbledore killed him and he dropped to the ground, a duplicate of Ginny. " This Polyjuice Potion lasts 24 hours but still, the effects wear off. We'll directly apply it like paint, from now on."

" Why are you walking around with Polyjuice Potion in your pocket?" Ginny asked, kicking her the duplicate. It hurt to see yourself dead on the ground.

" I sometimes go out to the slums of the wizarding society to conduct undercover business. I need a cover and the Polyjuice is a perfect solution. They last a long time, no expiration date and the effects wear off after a designated amount of time."

Dumbledore explained. He twiddled his thumbs glazing at the sky thoughtfully. " People don't come back from the dead. Not even in the wizarding world."

" I know…" Ginny said. She was regretting it already but as she rested her eyes on Sophia regret slipped out of her mind. " It's time to go."

With that, she and Dumbledore disappeared. The only memory left of Ginny Weasley was the dead one, laying lifeless on the ground.

~*~

" Ron!" Hermione screamed. She launched herself into his arms and he caught her awkwardly. " I thought you died! I thought you got hurt! Don't ever do that again!" she cried. She hugged him tighter and let go. " Harry!"

" Hermione, the both of us are fine. The only one who got seriously hurt was Fred," Ron explained with a tight voice. " Those little bastards hit him with a mild Severing Charm. He'll be okay soon."

" Thank god," Hermione said. " I'm glad you're alright."

She swept hair out her eyes and her eyes widened when they rested on her bangle.

" Where's Ginny? She took off after you guys," Hermione asked, looking around. ' Is she helping the others look for people who are wounded or hiding?"

" What are you talking about? We sent her back and she never came back. We assumed she was with you…or she went back to the castle," Harry said.

" Can't be. We were taking an attendance and Ginny never showed up and we can't make a mistake. Whoever walks through those gates, their names were automatically written down. I just checked it. Ginny's name wasn't on it," Hermione said, her voice raising.

" She's probably okay. Probably over looked her or she's somewhere helping. You know-"

" Ron…" George said, coming up behind his younger brother.

" Jesus Christ!" Ron yelped as he jumped a foot in the air. " What the bloody hell did you do that for? Scared the hell out of me."
George face constricted in anger and pain, his features paled and all laughter gone from his eyes. " Ron," he grounded out," Seamus found our little sister. The Death Eaters got to her. She's dead."

George's voice broke at the end of the sentence. He rubbed his eyes. Tears slipping underneath his eyelids, he was far from his usual state.

" I'm sorry, I didn't hear you right. Did you … did you just tell me… that our little sister is dead? As in no longer breathing and her heart no longer beating?" Ron asked, his lips turning white.

" Yes…" George whispered. " She's dead."

" She's is not…" Ron whispered furiously as if he and George were arguing over something little.

" She is!" George screamed. " I saw her with my own eyes! She's dead! Dead! She's gone!"

Ron stood rooted to the spot, staring into nothing.

" Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron shook violently and collapsed on the floor, clenching his fists and tears flowed down his cheeks. " No… no," he moaned pitifully. Ron's collapse triggered George's and both brothers sank to the ground, crying over their sister. Their baby sister who never got to see life, along with the little girl Sophia.

~*~

Hogwarts suffered twelve casualties, ten from Hufflepuff, one from Slytherin and one Gryffindor. The wizarding world was in a uproar, demanding to know why Aurors never showed up until Dumbledore called them, an hour after the attack. The Death Eaters bodies weren't sent to the morgue, the attendants refusing to embalm, which preserved the bodies, murderers or innocent children. The families of the Death Eaters were dragged into for questioning so the officials had no choice but to cerement them.

The Gryffindor Tower was so quiet, a ghost could be heard breathing. The Weasleys were dangerous. George had broke Neville's nose accidentally. George had to take a sedative, the stone wasn't strong enough to suppress his anger. The only ones that the Weasley allowed within a few feet of them were Hermione and Harry. Hermione spent most of her time with Ron and he grew attached to her, afraid she'll go away like Ginny.

The rest of the family was notified and it was worse than Harry's second year because there was no hope. They had her body and no breath escaped from her lips, nor was there a heartbeat.

Percy spent most of his time owling the Ministry with signatures supporting Fudge's removal. He had spent most of his day in Dumbledore's office with his father, talking and planning. The others just sat around staring into space.

Harry leaned back and rested his head on the back of the couch. He remembered the last time he saw Ginny and it haunted him. That promising Ginny he'll see her later was what pushed him to go back, unharmed. But it wasn't him who broken the promise, it was her.

" It's dinner," Hermione said quietly. She smoothed Ron's hair, who was sleeping on the couch, his arms gripping a pillow like mad. He had been having nightmares with Ginny coming back only to blame him for not being there. For being a horrible brother. Hermione was worse for wear, having to be in Ron's line of sight every waking moment. Now that she finally had time to herself, she retired up to the girls' bathroom to wash up.

Only moments after she left, Ron woke up with a jolt. He looked around, scanning for Hermione. He panicked when she didn't appear anywhere in the Common Room. " Hermione?" he screamed. "Hermione!"

Harry sat up startled, " Hermione's in the bathroom! She need to…" he didn't finish considering Ron had vaulted over the couch and ran up the stairs. Moments later, he heard a high pitched screamed.

Ron came back down, the front of his shirt soaked and a stinging red welt across his left cheek. " Why do girls have to be so self conscious?" he growled as he rubbed his cheek. He sat down.

Harry laughed for the first time days and soon, he got the Weasley brothers to laugh.

" Walked in on her in the shower, didn't you? See anything you like?" Fred laughed.

" Couldn't. Once I threw back the curtain, she screamed… god so loud too… and took the shower head and drenched me in water. Then she saw that it was me and slapped me across the face. Then I came down…" he explained, turning so red, the welt looked pale against it.

~*~

Ginny signed the last form with a tired flourish, thanking the attendant. As swung her bag over her shoulder and walked out into the Waiting Lounging, stretching after a few hours of waiting at the Arrival Plateau on Towerman's Island. The attack in Hogsmeade had sent a flood of new recruits and departing fighters. She sat down in a hard, cold plastic chair. She tapped her fingers to her chin.

She shifted the duffel bag with her feet, staring at the fray straps.

" Eh, Ginny Weasley?" a voice asked. Ginny looked up and nodded. The girl that was standing in front of her had waist length blackish brown hair. It was thin and flat but the color gleamed like it was highlighted. She had a tanned complexion with floaty freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She had glasses with thin, gray frames that shield hazel eyes with visible blue flecks.

" I'm Milan Dumbledore," Milan greeted, sticking out a hand.

" A Dumbledore?" Ginny blurted. " But you're…"

" I'm Malaysian… well, part. Great-grandfather was stationed for quite some time in Malaysia and he married my great-grandmother there, who was Malaysian. My grandfather also married a Malaysian woman, as did my father. If you didn't I look Asian, you should see my brothers."

" Oh," was all Ginny could manage.

" I'm Milan," Milan repeated. " Third class War Mage, Two Lashes," she pointed at her neck which had something a kin to a dog collar wrapped around it. The front had a pendant on it and two metal slashes flashed silver against the black. " That's my rank."

Milan picked up Ginny's duffel bag and waved her left arm slowly across the room, " And welcome to Towerman's Island, the jewel of Neptune's Crown."

To Be Continued

Notes: The fourth chapter! Whoa! That was so quick… I think I rushed it a bit to much… I hope it was good! And I updated two days in a row! I think I should take a break…