XXXXXX

It had been several days since Dumbledore's death and classes at Hogwarts had been suspended indefinitely. Upon learning that the headmaster had been killed a lot of parents had pulled their kids out of the school, Harry didn't exactly blame them. The rest of the students were all just drifting through the halls and common rooms like ghosts, avoiding each other and not much activity going on. The great hall was pretty much silent during meal times as everyone seemed to know the gravity of the sitation. They were all in the same boat, no matter what house they were in, no matter if they were pureblood or muggle born. The war was on for sure now.

McGonagall had taken over as headmistress and Harry had let her know that it was Snape who was responsible for Dumbledore's death but mentioned nothing of Percy, not to her or Ron and Ginny. McGonagall then figured the vanishing cabinet was used to get the Death Eaters in and it was quickly destroyed.

That afternoon, Ginny had gotten a message from her mum telling her the Order was having an emergency meeting at headquarters and wanted her, Ron, Hermione, and Harry to be there. After finding out the news, Hermione went for a search for her boyfriend and found him on top of the Astronomy Tower, the spot where it had happened.

They had talked a little that night, Harry told her everything that had gone down and that Snape was the killer but since then Harry had kept to himself. Hermione then slowly walked up to him and stood beside him. For a few moments, neither spoke as they looked out at the open landscape, the peacefulness.

"So what happens now?" Hermione asked.

"They came here for Dumbledore." Harry responded. "They'll be back. And he'll be with them next time to come for me."

Hogwarts had every protection spell around it but in the end it didn't matter. He knew that Voldemort would find a way to get through.

"Should we leave?"

"There's no where to go."

"I still can't believe that Snape…" Hermione shook her head. "I don't understand why."

Harry then sighed.

"You know the funny thing is…it was like Dumbledore knew it was coming. It was like he knew he was going to die that night. And you know what the last thing he said to me was?"

Hermione shook her head.

"He said to trust Snape."

Harry then scoffed as he gripped the railing tightly with both hands, wishing that it was Snape's throat he had a hold of. Hermione put her hand on top of his but before she could tell him about the order meeting, Harry decided to finally tell her what else he saw that night.

"Percy Weasley was with them."

"What?" She asked, confused.

"He was with them. He's joined Voldemort."

"That can't be."

"He was there, Hermione." Harry spoke in much more forceful tone. "He may have even gotten the others in the school."

"Did you tell-"

"No." Harry shook his head. "I don't know how to tell them."

"You have to."

"How? How do I tell them Percy is a Death Eater?"

He then thought of the Weasley's, how they had become like a surrogate family to him over the years. The kind of family he wanted and could only dream about, knowing he could never truly be one of them no matter how much they assured him he was. He knew the news of what Percy had done would break them apart. Mrs. Weasley…he knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it, she wouldn't.

"The order is having a meeting and they want us there." Hermione said. "We'll let them know then."

The two them began to make their way downstairs while Ginny was standing outside the Slytherin common room waiting for Malfoy to come out. The portrait had refused to let her in so she had to wait until Pansy Parkinson came up and asked her to get Malfoy, getting a nasty look from her which she gladly returned. After a few more seconds, Draco finally came out in a silk black robe and slippers with his hair messed up. He looked like he just got out of bed.

"What is it?" The two of them hadn't spoken since his fight with Ron.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving and I don't know if I'm coming back. So if I don't…"

Ginny handed out the necklace he gave her for him to take. Draco stared at it for a second before taking it.

"Don't you want it?"

Honestly, she did but she really didn't see things working out between them. She continued to stare into his eyes for a few seconds before saying;

"You never did tell me why you were interested in me all of a sudden."

"Yes I did. It was about what you did at the library that night."

"How so?"

"You stuck up for yourself that night. All the girls in the Slytherin house just throw themselves at me. It's pathetic really, you were more of a challenge. And plus, you are a pureblood after all."

At that, Ginny rolled her eyes.

"What does being a pureblood have anything to do with it?"

"Everything. Your family has a history in magic, it always has. I just wish you and the rest of them would understand that. You should be proud of it."

"I am proud of what I am. But I don't look down or think I'm better than others because of that." Ginny responded. "You shouldn't look down on other because there not purebloods, I wish you'd understand that."

And that's why she knew a relationship between them couldn't work. Ginny turned away and prepared to walk down the steps when Draco spoke out.

"My father sent me a letter, he wants me to come home. I'm supposed to start training."

"For what?" Ginny asked, turning back to him.

"You know what."

Her eyes widened as she quickly went back to him.

"To be a Death Eater? You're only sixteen!"

"I know. Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott already left. I was supposed to leave last night but…"

"You don't want to." Ginny finished for him and then noticed what could only be described as shame in his eyes. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, you really want to follow in that bastards footsteps?"

"Do I really have a choice?" Draco snapped as he narrowed his eyes at her. "And the bastard happens to be my father. So keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand."

"There's always a choice." Ginny responded as she began to turn away again. "If only you weren't so cowardly to realize it."

She was about to go down the steps when she was roughly grabbed and pushed against the wall. Ginny was looking up at Draco whose eyes were now blazing with full-blown anger.

"Don't ever call me a coward." He growled.

"Then prove your not." Ginny challenged. "There is a group Dumbledore established long ago to fight the Dark Lord. They've called a meeting, why don't you come with me?"

"What makes you think I want to fight against him?"

"You don't want to be a death eater, you don't want to fight against him, what do you want to do?"

Draco relaxed his grip on her as he took a step back, looking conflicted now.

"I…I don't know. I really don't know."

"Well, I'll tell you what, Malfoy." Ginny began. "Do neither. Go run and hide some where and when everything is over, if the Dark Lord wins you'll be wishing that you did something. Because he cares nothing for you, or your father or anyone else for that matter. You really think you're safe because you're a pureblood?"

She then scoffed.

"You're kidding yourself."

As Ginny walked away from Malfoy, landing with a thud in the fireplace at 12 Grimmauld Place, Harry and Hermione walked further into what was headquarters and heard commotion coming from the kitchen area, as usual. They headed in to see Ron had already arrived. All the members of the Order were here, the Weasley's…Fred and George, still recovering from the loss of their shop

Harry slowly took a seat with Hermione right next to him.

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, sitting across from them with Bill next to him.

"I don't know." Hermione answered. "She said she would wait to us but when we got back to the fireplace she was gone."

"Why don't we start anyway?" Lupin suggested. "Dumbledore is gone, so what do we do? What's our plan of a counter-strike?"

"Azkaban is their base, isn't it?" Moody spoke. "Why don't we gather as many aurors as we can find and storm the damn place?"

"Terrible idea." Kingsley answered. "The Death Eaters and Dementors would pick them all off one by one. Not one would step foot in that place."

"We can't just sit here and wait for another damn attack!"

"They'll be coming for Hogwarts again, I know it." Harry said, getting their attention. "We need to make sure it's ready for them."

"Why would they come for Hogwarts?"

"Because it's where I'll be. I'm the one he wants, aren't I? He's coming now that Dumbledore is out of the way."

"So we need to move Harry to another location-" Lupin began.

"No!" Harry yelled. "I'm not running from him."

"But if he attacks Hogwarts-"

"I'll do what I can." Harry remembered Dumbledore telling him that's all that could be expected. "I'll fight him the best I can."

"And we'll take care of the rest of them." Fred added as George nodded in agreement.

"Now what about Snape?" Kingsley then questioned. "I thought he was spying for us. He supplied us with a lot of good information in the past. Why would he kill Albus?"

"I don't know why, but that's what he did. He looked him right in the eye and killed him."

They were quiet after that and the sound of another arrival from the fireplace could be heard. Ron looked over as Ginny slowly walked into the kitchen, but what he saw next made him get up with such a force that his chair was thrown backwards into the wall as he withdrew his wand.

"What the hell is he doing here!?"