Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites! I'm slightly worried this chapter's a bit weak and rushed, see what you think.

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Cost is High

Ron was lying in a bed in the Ministry's hospital wing, two healers working to close up his wounds. He had recovered from the shock of the spell and was more like his old self. Scorpius had visited to give him a report. "How are our people doing?"Ron asked.

"Just a case of giving the appropriate counter-spell in most cases,"Scorpius replied. "Seamus was a bit trickier, we had to send him to Saint Mungo's. They say he's doing fine though."

Ron waved the two healers away to talk to his son-in-law in private. "What about the other side?"

"All gone without trace. No idea where they went to." Scorpius paused. "Lily was hurt."

Ron nodded slowly. "Yeah, I thought I saw that."

"I didn't see Rose. I don't think she was with them."

Ron gestured for Scorpius to help him up. "We're going to have a lot of difficult clashes to come. We're going to have to look after our own first."

"Rose and Lily aren't our own now?"

Ron lowered his gaze. "Yes,"he said at last. "Yes, they are. Sorry. But they're on the other side. I guess that's the real curse of this war. Having to fight the people we love."

Emily was bent over Lily, examining her with her wand. "I think she's going to be okay,"she said at last. "Just a concussion. But I'm not really sure. If Susannah was here…"

"She's not,"Harry snapped harshly. He turned and walked off in the direction of his room, still holding his injured arm despite the wound having been sealed up.

Hermione shot Emily a look that was part reassurance, part apology. "Just do the best you can,"she said before following Harry.

Harry looked round as she came in, as though challenging her to say something. "Do you think I was wrong?"he said at last.

Hermione looked at him with slight confusion. "To snap at Emily?"

Harry sighed. "No. To start all this in the first place."

That left Hermione on even more shaky ground. "We all agreed this was the right thing to do."

"But what have we achieved? People have been hurt, on both sides. And Ron's still going ahead. There's been no great revolution. Most people are just happy to sit back and see what happens."

"Harry…I'll support you whatever, you know that. But I don't think we should stop. There's more we can do, there's more we've got to do."

"If we stop,"Harry said slowly,"if we let this happen, that'll mean we were wrong." He looked at Hermione, who nodded cautiously. "So we go on."

Beverley walked with Nymphadora to the door of the changing room. "Are you okay?"

Nymphadora was looking downtrodden. "They're not going to be here."

Beverley bit her lip nervously. "I know you wanted your parents here for your first game. But…your friends are here."

"And James and even Hugo,"Nymphadora confirmed. "It just feels…it just feels as if everything's going wrong and I'm playing Quidditch!"

"What do you think we should do?"Beverley replied. "Just give up?"

"No. I guess…I guess we've got to carry on like we would before."

Beverley patted her on the shoulder. "Sounds good to me."

Nymphadora entered the room. David Barclay turned round to look at her. "Potter. Glad you could join us."

Maxwell had managed to get the job as commentator and was enthusiastically announcing the Gryffindor team, before slightly less enthusiastically announcing the Slytherin team. James was with the Gryffindor supporters and gave a loud cheer when Nymphadora was read out as chaser. It was only as the game started that he became aware that the headmaster of Hogwarts was standing next to him.

"Aren't you showing a bit of bias being here?"James asked.

Neville shrugged. "Everyone knows Gryffindor was my house."

There was a loud cheer as Gryffindor scored, including from the two teachers.

"I'm hearing a rumour that you fought alongside Ministry personnel,"James noted.

"Against your dad,"Neville confirmed. "You got a problem with that?"

James shrugged. "I just don't think we're going to find a solution if we're part of the problem."

Out on the pitch, Nymphadora intercepted a Slytherin pass and hurled the ball up to her fellow chaser, Meg Best. There was enthusiastic cheering from the Gryffindor supporters.

"Hogwarts still recognises the authority of the Ministry,"Neville stated. "If you've got a problem with that, go and join the Order."

"I've no problem with that,"James replied. "I just don't see the need to provide them with soldiers."

Gryffindor Seeker Manuel Peregrine caught the snitch and the crowd went wild.

"Just be careful what you're teaching the students,"Neville said quietly.