Chapter 65 – End Days

The last day of school came too quickly. The days after the ball seemed to fly by even thought Anna was dreading the next step in her life. Anna spent the time hanging around with her friends trying not to think about what was going to happen next. It was not hard as there was a significant lack in attacks going on. It was like the quiet before the storm.

The feast seemed final and like the end of an era. Even though Anna had only been there for two years she felt like it had become her whole life. Everything she held dear was in Hogwarts, except for Ginny and her new brother.

There were a few things Anna still needed to take care of. One of these things Anna sorted out on the way to King's Cross Station. Anna and Remus were in a compartment by themselves. The others had gone off to chat to other friends or to find food in Sirius and Lupin's case.

"I never thanked you for talking to Nicky," Remus said.

"No problem," she replied. There were a few seconds silence and then Anna said. "Remus can you do me a favor?"

"Depends what it is."

"Well if anything happens to me I want you to make sure Lupin ends up with someone who deserves him." Remus sat shocked. He didn't know what to say.

"What are you talking about?"

"Promise me you will make sure." Remus saw the look in her eye and concern on her face.

"Yeah, sure I will. But nothing is going to happen to you." She was amazed at his faith in her.

They got off the train and said goodbye. Anna hugged Sirius and Nicky before turning to Remus and whispering "don't forget my promise." She then turned to Lupin who was waiting for his hug. They hugged neither of them wanting to let go. Leaning back Lupin said,

"This was going to be for your birthday but it only came in yesterday." Anna took the little wrapped box and opened it. It was a gold ring with a ruby heart in the middle and small diamonds around the outside of the heart. She gasped and kissed him forgetting the fact that everyone was watching her now. They said goodbye, tears forming in both their eyes not knowing if they would see each other again.

It had been decided that two weeks after the end of school was when Harry and Ron's attack would take place. It was ultimately Ron who had come up with the attack plan but, since it was Harry who was involved, he had a major say in it too. It became known as "The Riddle Plan". Anna's first night back she spent taking in the noises of her baby brother. She immediately noticed who pale and worn Ginny looked. She felt bad for her father and Ginny and wanted to do something for them. She suggested they go out for dinner and take their time so by the end of the first night Anna had been assigned baby sitting dates.

Anna, Ginny and Harry stayed up late her first night back talking. She could see how happy Ginny made her dad even in these dark times of Voldemort. She hoped they would grow old together with more children than they had now.

The first few days' back Anna sunk into a depression unlike she had ever known before. There were times when despair would take her so badly she wouldn't come out of her room for hours at a time. Her usual attitude was a happy one even in the worst of times, she would cry and things would be fine. Now, however, she couldn't cry. There was no point in crying, she had never felt so helpless and so alone.

"Anna, dinner is ready," Ginny said standing outside Anna's door. Both Harry and Ginny had noticed the change in her and both were worried.

"I'm not hungry," she replied through the door.

"Come on you have to eat," Ginny argued. There was a paused then finally Anna relented. She followed Ginny down the stairs and into the kitchen. Harry was sat at the table, no smile on his face. Ginny sat and there was complete silence, apart from Josh's voice coming from Ginny's wand. He was asleep and Ginny had a spell on his room so that she could hear everything he did.

They started eating in silence, the tension however could be cut with the knives they were eating with. A few times Harry put down his knife and fork and rubbed his forehead. Anna wouldn't look up as she ate and Ginny kept looking between Anna and Harry huffing slightly.

After too much of this horrible silence Ginny spoke.

"Harry will you sort this out," she said and stood up and walked out of the room. Both Anna and Harry stared at Ginny as she walked out the kitchen.

"It's you isn't it?" Harry said without a preamble.

"Yes." Her voice was monotone.

"Why?"

"Who else would do it?"

"I would."

"Who would cast the spell to physically bind us together?"

"Ron."

"Could Ron do that knowing it might kill you?"

"Yes he would."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine that may be all well and good but the prophecy is about me."

"What does it say?" Ginny asked.

"The Marked One and the Pure Soul shall work together to defeat the Dark Lord. But the Pure Soul shall be the one who finishes all; the Pure One is connected to all."

There was silence.

"It has to be me, no one else deserves this," Anna said looking Ginny in the face.

"You're such a good girl," Ginny replied. "Is there anything we can say to stop you?"

"No."

Anna,

I know there is nothing I can say to get you to change your mind and stop you doing what you are going to do, and you know I want to help. Please just let me. Tell me something.

My dad has been making me fill out job applications so that's all I have been doing. I wish you would let me visit you but I am going to be the good boyfriend I am and respect your wishes.

Love Lupin

Anna put the letter with all the others he had sent saying pretty much the same thing. She replied to them but never giving him specifics of where "The Riddle Plan" was taking place. Today she didn't reply to the letter straight away, today she had babysitting duties to take care of. Harry and Ginny were just getting ready to leave. They were stood in the living room. Ginny was talking a mile a minute giving Anna last minute instructions, Josh in her arms.

"If he starts crying and you can't figure out why give him this--" she held up a purple blanket, "or Apparate to us. You know my mum's address and St. Mungo's right? I had better write them down and put them next to the fireplace."

Ginny went off to do that leaving Harry and Anna alone. They looked at each other in silence, they both had the same thing going through their heads, the final battle was approaching and it was the turning point it would save the world or bring it to destruction.

"Dad-" Anna began.

"Let's not. Why dwell on something that's inevitable? It's going to happen let's just appreciate what we have now?"

"I was just going to say have a nice time tonight," Anna grinned. "But that was what I thinking."

"We will, if anything happens call Molly."

"I will."

"I will put the addresses here." Ginny had come back in now and put the addresses next to the fireplace. "Ok I think that's it."

"See you soon, but not too soon I hope," Anna said. Harry and Ginny walked to the fireplace Harry and Anna both looked at Ginny, she looked back at them.

"What?" she asked.

"You won't be needing that," Anna said pointing to Josh in Ginny's arms.

"Oh," Ginny said laughing and passed Josh carefully over to Anna. Anna cradled the baby in her arms and watched Ginny and Harry leave.

Anna spent the first few hours watching Josh like a hawk. She was so worried something would happen to him if she looked away for even a second. After a while he started crying, and Anna couldn't find a way to make him stop. She tried feeding him, bouncing him around in her arms, giving him the purple blanket but it didn't work. She tried laying him in his crib to go to sleep but he wouldn't. She was about to call Mrs. Weasley by floo before she tried one last thing and laid him on her thighs. He sat facing her, his green eyes wet with tears.

"Joshie," she cooed. "Don't cry my baby. Don't cry. I don't know what's wrong but you have to stop crying or mummy and daddy will come back and they will put you to bed." Anna rolled her eyes at herself, she knew she sounded like an idiot saying this but it was kind of weird talking to a baby who wasn't even 3 months old.

"I'm your big sister, but you won't get to see me when you're older. I hope you'll remember me from stories. Daddy and mummy will tell you all about me… well they had better for all I did for them. I just hope they leave out the nasty details. Daddy has a tendency not to shelter his children. But I'm sure he will protect you until you're old enough to look after yourself and even then I'll be right here… I'll be your guardian angel."

Anna took a leaf from the flowers in the vase on the table. She transfigured it to a tiny angel pin with an emerald on the angel's belly. She took a now peaceful Josh and put him in his crib to sleep. Anna placed the angel pin on the dresser. She then went into her own room and took out a jewelry box her mother had given her many years ago. She emptied the few necklaces and rings she had collected over the years and placed the angel in the center. Bringing it back into Josh's room she placed it open on the dresser. Her footsteps fell lightly as she walked over to the side of his crib and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I'll always be watching over you."