Disclaimer: This chapter has lines taken directly from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The characters all belong to the esteemed Ms. Rowling, and I mean no copy right infringement, so please do not sue me, for I am a poor college student.

Chapter 4: Vengeance

"No! Not Neville too!"

Neville lay still for a moment, but then quickly returned to his feet, staring defiantly into Voldemort's snakelike eyes, as if challenging him to do worse. It was hard to believe that this was the same boy that Ron had introduced her to on her first day of Hogwarts, the same awful dancer who had accompanied her to the Yule Ball. Well, it was just hard to believe it was Neville.

"Ah, who would this be?" Voldemort ventured.

"That's Neville Longbottom my Lord!" Bellatrix exclaimed gleefully.

Voldemort looked thoughtful for a moment, before continuing,

"Ah, Longbottom. You are pureblood, are you not my boy?

"So what?"

"We could use people like you. A fine little Death Eater you'd make."

Ginny held her breath as she waited for Neville's response, and she could tell she was not the only one. How much she wanted just to break free of Percy's embrace, to run forward, to stand by Neville's side, to openly deify Voldemort. She wanted to hex him into oblivion, no, she wanted to kill him. For the first time in her life, Ginny felt the urge to kill. She wanted Voldemort to pay. To pay for what he had done to countless families, for all the people he had hurt, all of the lives he destroyed, for Mad-Eye, for Remus, for Tonks, for Collin, for Fred, for Harry. Yet she could not, or perhaps would not, leave her family. They had to stick together. They, her heart lurched at the thought; they were all she had left. There in Percy's arms, she felt safe. She felt sheltered, as if nothing could go wrong. Yet, she knew the moment she broke loose, the instant she left, the world with all of its cruelty and peril would crash down upon her. She also felt as if, that if she let go, if even for an instant, she would be lost. She would be swallowed up in grief, and drown in a sea of loneliness and regret. If only…., the list of things she wished she had had the chance to share with Harry went on and on, it was infinite. Not only would she be lost, but Percy. If Percy didn't have anyone to anchor him home, he may drift away again. Ginny doubted that she would be able to handle the losses of Fred, Harry, and Percy all at the same time. Strong, she may be, fiery, she was, but there was always a breaking point. Ginny was jarred out of her reverie by Neville's defiant cry.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's army!"

Ginny joined in the rousing defiant cry that again broke through the silencing charm. Voldemort's red eyes narrowed into dangerous slits and he now looked livid. The saying, 'if looks could kill' suddenly flew through Ginny's mind.

"Now Neville will demonstrate what happens to anyone who becomes an enemy of the new regime."

With that Voldemort waved his wand, and the ancient sorting hat soared toward him through a broken window in the headmaster's office. Showing the crowd what it was that he was holding, he placed the hat upon Neville's head. With one last contemptuous glance at Neville's rigid vertical form, Voldemort waved his wand carelessly and watched with uncontainable glee as flames sprang up, quickly engulfing the old hat, and Neville.