The Final Hours

Day 68

I got relatively better sleep last night. After we had read through my photo album we stayed and recounted those wonderful happy years. The at about 1 am we all huddled together before sleeping in a tight ball. When I woke up everyone snapped to attention. They were reporting on the wars progress.

The war is drawing to an end. Battler's fought all through the night. Amazing phenomena occurred overnight. Around midnight the fight reportedly picked up again. From what we heard from outside the castle walls we were losing but around midnight our side found a new strength. Now with this war close to its end everyone is beginning to pray for the young Potter boy, who's duty is to defeat the one he fears the most. Good morning everyone. This is…

We switched off after that. I looked at Hermione and we both exchanged a fearful glance. We all knew there was nothing we could do. So there we sat all in a circle eating what Hermione called comfort food trying to act normal. I flicked through a couple of magazines and then turned to a book that I found. Neville was listening to a Muggle CD but he was tapping his fingers against his legs like he did when he was nervous. His eyes kept darting back to Luna's limp figure on the bed. Her condition had improved overnight. Her hands weren't icy anymore but her lips were purple. I fed her countless bottles of pepper-up potion. But she wasn't in danger anymore.

Hermione was on her Muggle laptop playing Minesweeper but she was sitting in a manner that looked like she was ready to jump up at any moment. Ron was ready a book on the Chudley Cannons but that ploy didn't work as he was reading it upside down. Then we were all shocked.

On Hermione's laptop a face appeared. It was Dumbledore.

Hermione screamed and scared a group of first years so badly that their Monopoly money flew up into the air. I trained the paper to fly into neat piles and Ron smiled and said, 'Don't worry just a mouse. It's gone now.'

Then the grin slid off his face. Hermione was staring at Dumbledore's picture. She shoved a microphone in a socket and began to talk into it.

'P-p-professor Dumbledore, Sir?'

Dumbledore's face lit up and he said, 'Miss Granger. I'm so glad you know how to ork Muggle computers. I was afraid my attempt wouldn't work. Now I need to get to business.' He drew a breath and Hermione said.

'S…sir. You're d-d-dead? Aren't you?'

'Well. I thought so. But anyway. No time for that. We need to get down to business.' He stopped to smile at the gathered students.

'Now. Professor McGonagall did the right thing moving you here and also making you Head Girl Ms Granger. Anyway. I need to stop getting sidetracked. I need you to pack all your belongings up. You will be at Hogwarts for the end of the war shortly. Just you girls and boys. No younger students. Though they need to pack too. Can you do that?'

Hermione nodded and slowly the rest of us followed suit. The rest of us were pretty much still in a state of shock from Dumbledore's appearance. He laughed his serene laugh and said, 'Well. I must be off. Ta ta.'

And with that his face popped off the screen. Suddenly we all started into action. We grabbed a Ravenclaw fifth year.

'You. Girl. Ravenclaw Chick!' Ron called out.

'Hey, Millie. Come over here.' I glared at my brother.

The confused girl ambled over and said. 'Yeh?'

We filled her in on us leaving and we told her that she was to be in charge of everyone and if any of the littlies asked about us she was to say that we were sleeping under a disullionsment charm and they weren't to bother us.

Suddenly everyone began throwing their clothes into their suitcases and trunks. I slid my bag onto my shoulder and everyone stood together their possessions in their arms. Neville was talking to Millie, the Ravenclaw girl and told her that she was to watch Luna and go to any method to keep her warm. Then he gave the girl instructions to write the second anything happened.

Then we looked over to the secnd years corner where we had stuffed Malfoy. We realised he had to come.

My brother's sensitivity really shows at moments like these, 'Oi! Ferret Boy! Get your butt over here.'

Draco looked up from the book he was reading sullenly. The kid hadn't moved since we first got here. Now he looked interested. All through the time we were here he had watched the news impassively. His eyes lit up as he walked over to us.

Hermione took charge, 'Draco. Pack your belongings. We're going on a little road trip. And we decided you can come with us.'

He nodded and within seconds his clothes were packed and he stood at the wall with us as silent as ever. And so we waited.

Nothing happened. We stood there feeling increasingly silly. But then suddenly the wall opened silently. It only opened a slither but we silently slid through the gap. I saw Millie looking at us uncertainly and I nodded and smiled at her. As we stood on the dusty road none of us were quite sure what to do. That was answered too. Just as the wind began to bite at our faces a black carriage trundled up for us to slide into.

Once we were in the warm, dry interior the carriage took off. Everyone was nervous. We were breathing deeply, each trying to calm our nerves. We could see out the windows again. Flourish and Blotts zoomed past. At least I could tell it was daytime now. Our carriage was moving faster than it did on the way there. And so within an hour we were pulling into the gates.
It took me this whole trip to write it. And now I am at Hogwarts' gates. I am terrified of what I might see. But here goes.

Ginny.

A/N: Ever so sorry. Another short chappie. But I will have the next chappie soon. Do ya like it?