Author Note: Hellow Readers and I know that there is no excuse for me to not have posted this ages ago. I'm sorry for the horribly long wait. This chapter is up now. There are only two, including this one. I seriously want to apologize for my horrible-ness in not posting this sooner, but I just forgot about it. I hope you enjoy it and you can spam me as much as you want with hate because of the wait, but I hope you like it anyway. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 19

Realization

Ginny, Oliver, and Neville continued to search for people. They held their wands up as they searched. They didn't come across others, until they saw the frail, small body of Colin. Ginny stood there shocked. Colin had come back to Hogwarts after Luna and Harry left the Room of Requirements. He was excited to help out the fighting. He found a way to escape the group of younger students to help fight without McGonagall finding out before they reached the door to the Hog's Head. Oliver and Neville picked up the body and began carrying back into the castle as Ginny stood there. Tears built up again as she continued to look for others, when she saw a body move a couple feet in front of her. As she got closer to the person, realizing it was a girl she didn't know. The girl wanted her mom, as Ginny crouched over the girl.

"It's all right, it's okay," she said, trying to comfort her. The girl was injured pretty badly, with cuts that were bleeding profusely. "We're going to get you inside."

"But I want to go home," whispered the girl, looking at Ginny with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to fight anymore!"

Tears spilled out of her eyes. "I know," Ginny said her voice breaking. "It's going to be all right."

The girl opened her mouth to say more, but Ginny knelt down and took one of the girl's hands. She closed her mouth and didn't say anymore. Ginny looked around, feeling someone nearby, but she didn't see anyone. She turned back to the girl and tears streamed down her cheek again. They sat there for a couple more minutes until she saw Seamus and Oliver walking around.

"I found someone," she shouted to them. They ran over to her.

Oliver and Seamus picked the girl up and carried her quickly to the Great Hall, Ginny still holding onto her hand. They got her to Madam Pomfrey and left her to get healed. Ginny saw Seamus walk toward Avery, who was sitting on the edge of the platform, one of her legs bandaged up.

"Are you all right?" Ginny asked when she got near her.

"Yeah," Avery replied, "hurts a bit, but that's what happens when this happens."

Avery looked at Ginny.

"I'm sorry about your brother and your friends," she said.

Ginny nodded, quickly wiping away tears that began to build up again.

Avery stood up and hugged her friend. Ginny looked worried.

"I' m all right," Avery said, "Madam Pomfrey said it will be okay if I get up and continue to fight."

Before Ginny could ask if that was a good idea, Ron and Hermione ran up to Ginny, looking scared.

"Have you seen Harry?" He asked Ginny, before she could say anything.

"I thought he was with you," Ginny said, getting scared herself. Could he have possibly left to give himself to Voldemort? They stared at each other for a second, realizing they haven't seen him since the last message from Voldemort. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione ran through the Hall frantically, looking for Harry. They ran out of the Hall, realizing he wasn't there, and searched the Common Room and Dumbledore's office, hoping he was there. They looked out on the grounds through windows as they ran, hoping to see if he was walking around or even stop him if they saw him going toward the forest. They were about to check the grounds from outside, when they saw a large group coming out of the Forbidden Forest. They ran into the Hall.

"The Death Eaters are coming!" Ron shouted to everyone. All the survivors followed Ron, Hermione, and Ginny out of the front doors, waiting for the Death Eaters. Everyone pulled out their wands, ready to fight, until they heard a heart wrenching scream.

"NO!" screamed McGonagall.

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione looked at the Death Eaters, wondering what she screamed about until they realized themselves.

"No!" Ron screamed.

"No!" Hermione screamed.

Ginny couldn't stop herself; before she knew what she was doing she was screaming his name, "Harry! HARRY!" Tears built up in her eyes for what felt like the millionth time that night. The boy she loved, the boy that gave everyone around her and herself hope to keep fight, was dead. For a long time, she tried to force herself to wake from the nightmare she was in. she wanted to be pinched to see if it didn't hurt and to realize it was only a nightmare. She realized it wasn't a dream, but reality. Her tears spilled out of her eyes. She felt a pat on her shoulder and looked to see Luna, eyes red, Neville standing beside her, eyes determined. She looked around to Ron, who was crying and was holding Hermione, whose face was concealed in his chest, her shoulders shaking. Everyone around them shouted and screamed abuse to the Death Eaters, saying how brave Harry was and they should burn in hell for killing him. It continued, until…

"SILENCE!" Voldemort yelled, waving his wand. A bright light flashed and a loud bang and they were silenced. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet where he belongs," said Voldemort. Hagrid set Harry down. Ginny had an urge to run up and see if Harry really was dead, but found that she couldn't move, either from shock or Voldemort's spell, she didn't know, but she stayed where she was, waiting with baited breath for what was going to happen. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

Ginny opened her mouth to shout a retort, but Ron beat her to it. "He beat you!" he shouted. Hermione looked up, looking worried. Everyone else shouted in response. Hermione said something to Ron that Ginny missed. Ron shook his head.

"Nothing's going to happen," he said to her. A second light flashed, and another bang followed, silencing them once more.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort said with relish, "killed while trying to save himself-"

He broke off because Neville broke the charm and ran as fast as he cold toward the Death Eaters.

"Neville!" Ginny and Luna shouted at the same time. They tried to run after him, but were stopped when Voldemort waved his wand again, a flash of light, and a loud bang. They heard someone fall. They looked and realized Neville was on the ground, his wand in Voldemort's hand. He threw the wand aside and said something no one could hear on their side, until they heard Bellatrix laugh.

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" she said. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

They saw Voldemort speak again, but too softly for them to hear. They all waited, hoping no harm will come to Neville.

"So what if I am?" Neville shouted. Voldemort continued to speak, until Neville retaliated.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," he shouted, "Dumbledore's Army!" He said, turning toward the defenders. They cheered in response. Ginny and Luna, however, watched anxiously. They saw Voldemort speak again, not hearing any of it, and then waved his wand again. A window shattered above them. Nobody was hit by the glass, Ginny was relieved to know. They watched the bundle fly toward Voldemort, until they realized what it was: the Sorting Hat.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," Voldemort said to everyone. "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?" He pointed his wand at Neville, who grew still and forced the hat on his head. Ginny and Luna began to run toward them, not even wondering how they were able to. Others began to follow. However, before they got too far, the Death Eaters raised their wands and kept them at bay. They stopped and watched at what happened next.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," Voldemort said. He flicked his wand again and screams filled the silence as the sorting hat burst into flames.

The defenders began running toward them again, but so did the Death Eaters, war crying as they ran.

The defenders stopped running and prepared for the battle about to ensue. Ginny and Luna watched both the Death Eaters and Neville as the Death Eaters, Giants, and Centaurs approached. Ginny wondered if the centaurs were on their side, but didn't think she would get an answer. The Death Eaters had almost reached them when they saw Neville break free of the curse on him, pull off the hat, pulled a sword out of it, and made a huge swipe toward Voldemort. Ginny wondered if she hit him, but was disappointed when she looked and saw the head of his snake spin off its body, into the air as the body thudded to the ground. The centaurs reached the Death Eaters as everyone began to fight and made them scatter from everyone. Everyone ran to the castle to get away from the giants fighting outside. Ginny noticed a couple Death Eaters fall to spells coming from it seemed nowhere. But before Ginny could see where the spells were coming from, her dad grabbed her and led her inside the castle. Neville ran in soon after, Luna giving him a quick hug of relief, and prepared to fight. In fact, everyone was preparing to fight and defend Hogwarts and hope to end the war.

Sorry for the really closeness to the book, but the next chapter is too, except the ending. Well I hope you like it. Comment if you want, they are welcome. Love you all and thanks for being so good with reading and again, sorry for the lateness. Love, Hp-Music-Fan-25.