Disclaimer: I forget to put this in the prologue. Everything related to Harry Potter belongs to the Supreme Queen and Goddess of the Cosmos, Ms JK Rowling. The prompt came from the imaginative GeekybyNature.

A/N: thank you so much for taking the time to review, despite the prologue being so short! Shout-outs to Meuba, MotekElm, pgoodrichboggs, and of course the lovely GeekybyNature.

Chapter One – Immediate Aftermath

2nd May 1998, minutes after the death of Harry Potter

Shell Cottage, Cornwall, England

Arthur, Molly, Bill, Fleur, Percy and George landed in the living room. Molly was hysterical at the loss of Ron and Fred and not being able to bring their bodies with them, while George was chalk white, wide-eyed and clearly in shock. Arthur started muttering 'brandy' to himself and went in search of the bottle in the kitchen cupboard. He heard the sound of a slap being administered, no doubt to his wife and returned without glasses, simply swigging from the bottle and passing it around.

No one had thought that the contingency plans would be necessary. They had been prepared with military precision but with a lack of belief that they would be used. It was likely that the constant repetition of their Plan B was what saved their lives, they had been able to apparate instantly without conscious thought; however, Arthur had had to take Molly by side-along and Percy had done the same with George.

Bill had the presence of mind to pull the charmed galleon from his pocket. He quickly spelled it with their names and the word 'safe'. He waited to see how many names came back. Several tense minutes later the galleon began to heat up and their fellow survivors' names appeared.

Sea View, Broad Haven Bay, outskirts of Caithness, Scotland

Kingsley looked around at what was left of the Hogwarts staff: Flitwick, Hagrid, McGonagall, Slughorn, Snape and Sprout. The galleon in his pocket heated up and he broke the silence as he read out the names of the Weasleys.

'What of Ginevra?' McGonagall asked, her voice shaky.

'It doesn't say. It may be that she went with Charlie, don't fear the worst Minerva,' Kingsley tried to soothe her. With a curt nod she hastened to the kitchen and came back with tea towels to press against Snape's wounds. Hermione had healed the worst of it with dittany and pouring her last two bottles of blood replenishing potion down his throat, but he still needed further healing.

'Pomona, upstairs in the bathroom cabinet – bring whatever potions are there,' Minerva instructed her colleague and got to work.

Longhorn House, Romania

Charlie Weasley reported the names that came up on his charmed galleon to the others sitting in his living room – Neville, Luna and her father Xenophilius. All four were bruised, battered and covered in dust from the fallen rubble of the castle walls that had been destroyed in the fighting. Luna met Charlie's eyes, 'she's safe Charlie, I know you're worried that Ginny's not with your parents but I know that she's safe,' she said softly. Charlie wanted to believe her and so he nodded. Neville reached for Luna's hand and clung on tightly. His gran hadn't made it.

Zabini Estate, Island of Capri

'What the hell Malfoy? Why have you brought me here, to kill me? You could have left me at Hogwarts for that, you evil git!' Ginny Weasley screamed at him.

Blaise Zabini ran into the room, having heard the cracks of apparition. 'Ginevra, you're safe,' he almost sobbed in relief. Ginny looked askance at his bizarre statement.

'What the fuck is going on? I'm supposed to be with my parents, not here. Where is here, anyway?' Her anger was starting to ebb as confusion took over, though the adrenalin was still flowing through her veins.

'My house, Capri. This was always the Malfoys' backup plan and I made Draco promise to grab you if you weren't near anyone in your family. I needed you to be safe, Ginevra,' Blaise started to speak quickly, he wanted to head off a meltdown and calm her as much as possible. She slowly turned round to realise that Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were standing a few feet away. Her eyes widened in fear.

'No, no, no,' Ginny shook her head, slowly backing away from them. Narcissa stepped towards her.

'We don't have time for this Miss Weasley, we can explain everything later but right now we need to get my sister Andromeda and my nephew Teddy. We need to bring them here now, before the Dark Lord finds them. You've been to her house, yes? You can apparate there to fetch them, no doubt the wards won't let me in', Narcissa spoke urgently. Ginny looked wildly from one to the other, had they all gone mad? Two of her brothers and her boyfriend had just been killed. Teddy's parents had been murdered and now she was standing in Italy with two Death Eaters. She could feel her mind begin to shut down but Mrs Zabini entered the room holding one of Hermione's charmed galleons and a switch flicked in her brain.

Sofia Zabini began to read out names, concentrating on Ginny as she spoke. 'Your parents, Bill, Fleur, George, Percy and Charlie made it out. They're alive, Ginny,' she said earnestly, trying to comfort the girl. Ginny was puzzled by the use of her nickname coming from someone she'd never met. 'Please Ginny, you must get Narcissa's only remaining family. Severus Snape was able to get this coin to me months ago, we're on your side and you need to trust us.' Hermione had given Ginny a brief version of events in the Shrieking Shack a mere couple of hours ago. Very brief. All she had said was 'Snape's on our side, Voldemort tried to kill him for betraying him but I saved him.' Ginny took a leap of faith and disapparated to the Tonks household in Dartford, Kent.

Andromeda was waiting in the kitchen, a bag packed on the table and Teddy in her arms. One look at Ginny's bloodstained face and she knew. She knew the light side had fallen and her daughter with it. The tears could come later, first they needed to leave; she held Ginny's arm, made sure the baby was secure in her arms while Ginny grabbed the bag and they disappeared with a crack.

She had been scheduled to go to Romania in the event that they lost, so Andromeda was shocked to land in a large, airy room with voile curtains fluttering in a warm breeze. Looking around her she came face to face with her estranged sister, Narcissa Malfoy. Ginny didn't even hear the other woman's gasp as she had reached her limit and the shock took over, luckily Blaise moved to her and caught her before she crumpled to the floor.

Unknown location

'Where on earth…? Oh fucking hell,' murmured Hermione before she fell to her knees on the damp sand.