Author Note: Again, not much to say. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer~ still the same!

Chapter 17
Preparing to fight

"Fine," she said. "I'll say goodbye now, then, and-" she couldn't remember what she was going to say because at that moment, the tunnel opened and out of it stumbled Percy. He picked himself up and looked around.

"Am I too late?" he asked. "Has it started? I only just found out, so I – I-"

He went silent. He was looking and Ginny realized he hadn't expected to run into his family. Ginny wanted to hit him. Everyone was silent as Ginny refrained herself, until Fleur spoke.

"So – 'ow eez leetle Teddy?"

Lupin blinked at her for a moment, and then he answered loudly. "I – Oh yes – He's fine! Yes, Tonks is with him – at her mother's-"

Ginny noticed all the Weasleys, along with her and Percy, were all looking at each other, frozen, waiting for something to happen.

"Here, I've got a picture!" Lupin shouted, pulling out the picture and showing it to Harry and Fleur.

"I was a fool!" Percy shouted. "I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a-a-"

"Ministry – loving, family – disowning, power – hungry moron," said Fred. Percy swallowed.

"Yes, I was."

"Well you can't say fairer than that," said Fred, holding out his hand to Percy. Mrs. Weasley ran up to Percy, pushing Fred, and hugged him. He patted her back.

"I'm sorry dad," he said, looking at Mr. Weasley.

Mr. Weasley ran up to his son, hugging him too.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" George asked.

"It's been coming on for a while," Percy answered. "But I had to find a way out and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am."

"Well," said George, imitating Percy's most pompous manner, "we do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these. Now," he continued normally, "let's get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters'll be taken."

"So, you're my sister-in-law now?" Percy said to Fleur, shaking her hand.

They began to run out, Ginny tried to get out with them.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, making Ginny stop in her tracks.

"Molly, how about this," said Lupin. "Why doesn't Ginny stay here, then at least she'll be on the scene and know what's going on, but she won't be in the middle of the fighting?"

"I-" Ginny began to protest.

"That's a good idea," said Mr. Weasley firmly. "Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?"

Ginny looked angry. She was about to protest until she saw her father's fierce gaze, and nodded in reluctance. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Lupin headed off the stairs as well.

"Where's Ron? Where's Hermione?" Harry asked.

"They must have gone up to the Great Hall already," Mr. Weasley said over his shoulder.

"I didn't see them pass me," Harry said, and then Ginny remembered.

"They said something about a bathroom not long after you left," Ginny said.

"A bathroom?" he asked. He went to the open door and left for a moment, then came back.

"You're sure they said bath-"

Ginny didn't know what he said after that because he stopped short and looked as if in pain.

"Harry, are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

He was silent for a moment, and then he nodded. "I have to go," he said. "I'll find them soon." With that, he left, leaving Ginny in the Room of Requirements, wishing to have said some sort of luck to him.

~Neville~

Neville left the room along with everyone else in the Room after Harry came back, declaring a fight. He led everyone to the Great Hall, where most of the teachers were already, along with all the other students. Everyone sat at their usual house tables. Neville listened as Lupin, McGonagall gave instructions and answered questions. McGonagall was telling everyone what was going on when a voice cut across her.

"I know that you are prepared to fight." Some students screamed and looked terrified. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight." There was silence after the voice spoke. Neville looked at Harry and noticed, so was everyone else. Then there was a scream from behind them all.

"But he's there!" someone screamed. Neville spun around to see Pansy standing on the Slytherin table, pointing toward Harry. "Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

Neville stood up, along with many other Gryffindors, toward Pansy. He pulled out his wand, as everyone else did. Hufflepuff students stood not too long after, and then the Ravenclaws stood up, looking toward the Slytherin table, pulling out their wands.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," said McGonagall. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of you House could follow. "

The Slytherins got up from their table and were leaving the hall as Neville lowered his wand. The tables emptied after that, sometimes McGonagall having to tell underage students to leave. Then Kingsley got addressed everyone. He listened as he gave everyone else instructions. He went up to get divided to fight. He was sent to the grounds with others; Ernie, who showed up while Harry and Luna were away, Terry, Michael, Anthony, and Parvati. They helped the teachers get the younger students out of the school and prepared for battle. Professor Sprout found him, being followed by a couple of other students.

"Mr. Longbottom," she said, "would you like to help me? I'm getting some Mandrakes and I thought you would be the best for the job." He nodded and followed her carefully out of the school and to the greenhouses.

"Some of them are fully matured," she said. She handed each of them the large pots with the plants in them and gave them all earmuffs. They all put the earmuffs on and picked up their plants as she grabbed a couple plants herself and put on her earmuffs. They followed her back into the castle. They ran past Harry and Neville quickly explained what they were doing. They continued to run. They stopped at one of the wall, waiting to throw the Mandrakes.

~Ginny~

Ginny was waiting in the Room of Requirements. She was being quiet to see if she can hear anything going on. Suddenly, she heard a loud, high, and cold voice. She looked around trying to find out where it came from, but couldn't. She realized it must be coming from Voldemort.

"I know that you are prepared to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood." There was a pause, and Ginny held her breath, knowing there was more. "Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

It went silent again and Ginny was scared. She trusted that the teachers, D.A, Order, and some others wouldn't turn Harry over to him, but she didn't trust the Slytherins. She knew that one, if not some, are trying to capture him or get others to catch him to save themselves. She hoped that no one would let Harry get turned over to Voldemort.

As Ginny started thinking about what could be happening in the Great Hall, the door opened. Ginny jumped to her feet, pulling out her wand, in case she had to defend herself. She relaxed when she saw McGonagall, but stiffened when she saw her with Filch, the Slytherin students, and underage Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors.

"Where is the exit, Miss Weasley?" She asked her. She led her to the exit. They opened the door and everyone filed through it. McGonagall closed the door after all the students.

"Professor," Ginny started, hoping to get answers while someone could give them to her, "what's going on?"

"We had to evacuate the younger students. Why haven't you left already?"

"My parents are keeping me here to keep me safe," Ginny answered, hoping McGonagall won't force her to leave.

"If that is what your parents want," McGonagall said, "then it is for the best."

Ginny nodded, knowing McGonagall said that because she knew how much Ginny wanted to help. McGonagall left, leaving Ginny alone once again. Ginny began thinking about what could be happening now, knowing midnight was approaching rapidly, when the passage way to the Hogs Head opened again, revealing Tonks.

Ginny smiled and walked over to her.

"Ginny," Tonks said, "what's going on? Why are you here?"

"My parents left me here to keep me safe," Ginny explained, "and I don't know. I just know that You-Know-Who wants Harry before midnight or he will attack."

"You don't know where Remus is?" she asked, looking sad.

Ginny patted her arm. "I'm sorry," she said. "I bet he's alright. This is Remus Lupin we're talking about."

Tonks laughed, smiling at Ginny.

"What about Teddy? I thought you were taking care of him?" Ginny asked. Tonks explained where Teddy was when the Hogs Head passage way door opened again, revealing Aberforth, and then an older woman Ginny knew, but couldn't remember who it was.

"Hundreds of kids going through my pub," Aberforth muttered. Before Ginny could say anything, Aberforth left the room. The older woman looked at Ginny.

"Do you know where my grandson is?" she asked. "I'm Augusta Longbottom."

Then Ginny remembered the older woman as Neville's grandmother.

"I'm very proud of my grandson," she said. Before Ginny could answer her question, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the room.

"Ah, Potter," Neville's grandmother said. "You can tell us what's going on."

"Is everyone okay?" Ginny and Tonks said together.

" 'S far as we know," Harry said. "Are there still people in the passage to the Hog's Head?"

"I was the last to come through," said Neville's grandmother. "I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?"

"He's fighting," Harry said.

"Naturally," she said proudly. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him."

She ran passed the trio and out of the room. Tonks explained where Teddy was and ran off when Harry told her where Lupin was. Harry turned to Ginny.

"Ginny," he started, "I'm sorry, but we need you to leave too. Just for a bit. Then you can come back in."

Ginny was delighted. She was glad to leave the room and help everyone.

"And then you can come back in!" Harry shouted to her, but she wasn't really paying attention. She followed Tonks until she caught up with her.

They spotted Death Eaters out of a window and pulled out their wands. They each took a spot without a window pane and started shooting spells toward the Death Eaters. Ginny hit a fighter as Aberforth ran by.

"Good girl!" he yelled to her. Ginny realized Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there.

"Have you seen Remus?" Tonks asked Aberforth.

"He was dueling Dolohov, haven't seen him since!"

"Tonks," Ginny said to her, "Tonks, I'm sure he's okay-"

Tonks ran off behind Aberforth as Ginny looked at the others.

"They'll be alright," Harry said to her. "Ginny, we'll be back in a moment, just keep out of the way, keep safe-come on!"

They ran off as Ginny stayed where she was for a couple moments, and then ran to join the rest of the battle.

Next chapter up now. Hope you enjoyed it. Review's are appreciated as usual, but only if you want to.