A/N: Ok…I have reworked this about a million times! I think I finally like it; I think. I owe a big thank you to Rob and Mandi. They put up with a lot of wishy/washiness on this chapter. Thanks! Please let me know what you guys think…REVIEW!!!!! Thanks! LadyBrannon
The room was filled with flashing lights from every color in the rainbow. The lights sped around the room in chaos causing an almost strobe like reaction. There were no sounds, but it was obvious that something was very wrong. All the people in the room were pulled from activities.
"Albus, is that what I think it is?" Indigo asked the Headmaster.
"I'm afraid it is. Severus, put the defense plan into action. Austerus, you contact the members abroad and get them back here immediately. Use whatever means necessary. Minerva, get all students under sixth year into the Great Hall. Filius, you go with her and round up all the sixth and seventh years."
Ginny, Ron and Harry watched the commotion begin. While it was never explicitly said, it was obvious that someone, or something, was attacking Hogwarts.
Professor Snape, the first one directed, gave his wife a firm kiss and ran out of the room with his black robes billowing.
Austerus confiscated the copper pyramid and Dumbledore's muggle watch off of the Headmaster's desk and flew out of office as well.
Professor McGonagall magically amplified her voice and called for all students to meet in the Great Hall immediately. With that done, she and Professor Flitwick flooed to the Great Hall via the intricate, internal and private Hogwarts' fireplace network.
"Professor Dumbledore," Ginny began, but was cut off at the sudden appearance of a holographic model of the school. The image was projected into the middle of the room and was flashing yellow. There were agitated, black dots all around the projected image.
"Mrs. Malfoy, it seems Merlin has come to us. Indigo, you have thirteen minutes. Get Ron and yourself to the Astronomy Tower and get this working."
"Albus, we can't do this without knowing where Draco is. The bond between Ginny and Draco is as important as the one between Ron and Hermione."
"I think you will find, Indigo, that Mr. Malfoy is among the army outside our walls."
"What?" Ginny gasped.
"Fine," Indigo said, as she grabbed Ginny's arm, "You must come with us then. I am warning you, Albus. If Ginny and Draco cannot make their bond connection, I will NOT complete this process. Is that clear?"
"As a bell, dear," Dumbledore said with mock severity.
Indigo rolled her eyes at him and pulled the brother and sister out of the room.
They made it to the Astronomy Tower in record time. Once there, Indigo pushed them into the room and slammed the door shut. As Indigo began throwing locking charms and hexes at the door, Ginny ran to the window to see what was going on.
On the land below there were thousands of vampires. In the air were hundreds of wizards on their brooms. Each of the wizards had a large broad sword in their hand. The swords had been transfigured from plants in Professor Sprout's Herbology nurseries by the sixth and seventh year students. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, after getting everyone situated in the Great Hall, had joined the sixth and seventh years in the nurseries and had used trowels and shovels to make brooms. Apparently Professor Snape was the strategist and was in the center nursery meeting with all the wizards after they had their gear. He was working over a large tome and barking orders.
Once the wizards were in the air they would methodically swoop down to the land and remove the head of a random vampire. Ginny could hear the excited shouts of "Dusted the Bastard!" and "Bugger Off!" from all over the field. Sadly, sounds of the other type could be heard as well. Ginny, unfortunately, caught the tail end of a wizard being pulled off his broom and being sucked dry.
Just as Ginny thought she caught the glimpse of something bright and light in the vampire midst, she was viciously pulled from the window.
"Get over here," Indigo growled out, "We are running out of time."
Ginny, slightly frightened by the latent power in Indigo's voice, moved quickly to stand beside Ron.
Indigo pointed her wand skyward and yelled, "Tempus Retardo!"
Indigo, Ron and Ginny were immersed into a world where time barely moved. She then turned her wand on herself. With human-defying quickness, Indigo then moved to Ron and Ginny. In a mere split second, she tapped Ron on the arm and then Ginny. Now they too were allowed to move freely amongst the time slowed world, everything else seemed to stand in slow motion among them.
"Ron, come here and draw your wand," Indigo ordered.
Ron, doing as instructed, moved to stand by Indigo. From her sock hat, she retrieved a parchment and handed it to Ron, telling him to read the words and then speak them clearly. Ron nodded and took the paper.
Once finished, he allowed the parchment to fall to the floor and began, "Adeo mi Hermione. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
Through the far window, Ginny could see that the sky was turning blacker. There were no longer any stars visible. Screams and cries of horror could be heard from all sides. It was terrifying how long a scream lasted in the slowed universe around them. Ginny looked down to see that she was shaking excessively.
When Ginny looked up, she almost fell to the ground in a faint when the spirit of Hermione flew by and stopped next to Ron.
"Hermione," he choked out.
"Ron, my dearest," Hermione said with love in her spiritually altered voice, "I am here. I am so thrilled you called me. I love you, Ron."
"I love you too, Hermione," he said as he attempted to rub her check, but it passed through her spirit.
"Miss Granger, I hate to be rude here, but we need your help," Indigo said drawing Hermione's attention from Ron.
"Ms. Reyes, I thought you might be here," Hermione said sagaciously - being dead did even more for omniscience than reading books and being clever.
"Then you know what we need you to do." Indigo said.
"Yes, I do. I love you, Ron, with all my heart. Goodbye, my love," Hermione said as she allowed her spirit to run through Ron's body. Ron fell to the ground. He was crying hysterically. Ginny went to console her brother, but was stopped.
"Your turn, Ginny," Indigo said, "Call Draco, the very same way."
Ginny nodded and lifted her wand. "Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
Because Draco was not dead, Ginny knew, from the earlier research, to expect something much different. Ginny's mind was bombarded with memories of Draco and her: when he gave her the engagement ring, a picnic by the pond, their wedding, etc. The last memory that flashed through her mind was that of a Draco and Amberlin joining forces in a castle.
Ginny gasped. She was literally shaken from her musings by Indigo, "Did you expect anything else, child? Merlin is strong. It will take you both to finish him. Call him, Ginny. Keep calling him."
Ginny repeated the words, "Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
This time she could see Draco as he was. He was currently in the army below attacking Hogwarts. He was pulling a brown haired wizard off his broom and handing him over to vampires beside him. Ginny shut her eyes in horror, but the image would not leave.
Ginny said them again, "Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
Instead of the images, Ginny heard Draco's voice in her head, "Leave me, Bitch."
Ginny sniffled and felt the tears begin to run down her face.
"Don't give up now, you silly girl. Call him!" Indigo screamed.
"Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
"Fuck off, Bitch," the voice called again.
This time though, Ginny was expecting it. She strengthened her resolve and yelled, "Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
"You can't have him!" the voice screamed in her head.
"I already DO have him, you blood-sucking heifer!" Ginny yelled.
Ginny closed her eyes in concentration, focused on her love for Draco and chanted the words three more times, "Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi. Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi. Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi."
"Ginny! Save me, Ginny!" she heard in her head. This time is it was definitely Draco's voice.
"Adeo mi Draco. Auxiliaris mi. Amo mi!" she yelled one last time. In a blinding flash of light, Draco appeared in the Astronomy Tower.
"Ginny!" he shouted as he ran to his wife. He pulled her into his arms and swung her around.
Ginny watched Ron over Draco's shoulder. He had begun chanting the Latin words over and over. Ginny saw Hermione's spirit come back to him once more then shoot of in a bright streak to the moon. Once encumbered in the moon, her face reappeared. She gave a bright smile and the light from the moon began to change.
Instead of the normal cool ambient light that the moon naturally reflects, the world began to take on the warm, yellow hue of noon. The light continued to grow in intensity. Soon the light was so bright, the moon was no longer visible; instead, it was as if the sun itself was in the sky. The cries of dying vampires could be heard filling the air.
Just when it seemed the light could get no brighter, a searing flash ripped through the night. Ginny had to turn her head away as the world turned white around her. She closed her eyes tightly and felt the heat of the light burning into her flesh. Draco immediately used his body to block Ginny from the intense heat of the now fiery moon.
When Ginny thought she couldn't take the sweltering heat of the light any longer everything just ceased - all motion, all sound – nothing moved. It was if some giant switch and been flipped. Ginny could feel the heat and light retreating back into the night. Carefully she opened her eyes and looked up at Draco. Even though he had tried to protect himself from the light, he had what appeared, for lack of better words, a nasty sunburn across his face. Ginny wept at the sight and thought that Draco had once again sacrificed himself to protect her.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Ginny glanced out the window. The once incomprehensibly bright light was rapidly fading and soon Ginny could start to make out the details of the terrain outside the window. Within a few seconds the sky was back and the moon had returned to its normal state. The stars began to twinkle in the night sky.
Hermione called out to Ron from her place on the moon. She blew him a kiss, smiled and faded into the night – never to be seen again. Draco quickly rushed over and caught Ron as he collapsed into hysterics. He held him as a brother would and Ginny cried silently from the sight. She honestly did not know if she could deal with all that Ron had.
Slowly, regaining there strength, Ginny, Draco, Ron and Indigo moved to the Astronomy Tower's window and surveyed the battlefield below. In unison, they let out a collective gasp of horror. There were thousands of small heaps of ash scattered across the land. Even Indigo had to turn her head when she saw the hundreds of desiccated bodies strewn amongst the ash – all that remained of the wizards that had fallen during the battle.
Some movement caught Ron's eyes and he pointed to it. Alone, in the middle of this field of death, was a blonde woman walking directly towards them.