A/N: I am not going to put a specific trigger warning up for this one, I don't want to spoil anything. It is a battle, people are dying and getting wounded. Consider this your warning.

I am so so glad to post this and also kind of nervous. I set my expectations for myself quite high and I felt pressure to make this 'epic'. This is no POTC or LOTR epic battle but I do hope to deliver an exciting battle to read.

Some parts of this I have written months ago because I was eager to get to those final moments of the battle.

Next chapter update will be in a week or three I think? I am definitely already working on it.

Thank you!

It was barely light when they were ready on the field in front of the castle, the furthest away they could be. Bellatrix had gathered her troops too and they stood across. Both parties looked at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Bellatrix herself was not with her troops on the ground, which was a disappointment for Ginny. She had intended to go after her. Instead, Bellatrix was on top of the castle wall, armed with a bow and arrow. Ginny tried to estimate how many men were in front of her right now. Their guess had been correct. It could be no more than 1500. They had double that. But Bellatrix had the advantage of the castle.

Her eyes turned to Alastor, who had positioned himself on top of the incline of the field. It wasn't an ideal viewpoint, but it was the best they could do in this spot. Back when they lived in the castle, the lack of lookout spots for attackers had been to their benefit. Now that they were attacking the castle, it had become a gross disadvantage.

He raised his hand, signing it was almost time. The first ray of sunshine landed on the castle. Ginny raised her fist in reply. Her brothers copied it, letting the troops know to be at the ready. Horses nervously shuffled on the spot, sensing the tension in the air. The sun creeped just a little higher into the sky, sun beams landing onto the troops of Queen Bellatrix. Swords and armour reflected the light, like little glistening stars pointing out their targets.

With the sun fully in their enemies' eye, Alastor gave Ginny the cue. Her hand unfolded and then she counted down in her head. Five. Sword and dagger secure. Four. Reins in her hand. Three. Harry by her side, focused. Two. Her brothers were all leading a troop of their own. One. The field is open and inviting and they'll have the benefit of the first move.

As soon as they started to move forward, Bellatrix's scream could be heard too, ordering her troops to defend the castle. For a moment only the sound of screams and hooves filled the air and then the soldiers met in the middle. They swiped through the first wave of soldiers with ease. Knock one off his horse, stab a second. They fell quickly.

While she had advised Harry not to look for her, she kept looking for him and her brothers in the crowd. Their armour didn't set them apart too much — It would make them too easy of a target. — But she knew their horses well. Lightning was easy to pick out and Red veered towards him naturally as if she was searching for him too. Bill's horse was fairly easy to pick out too due to its size. She was unable to pick out her other brothers. They were too far away and there were hundreds of people between them.

She looked for Bellatrix too, standing safely on top of the walls, firing arrows into the field below. Ginny wished she'd stumble and fall off the castle wall but Bellatrix seemed far too sure on her feet. Ginny's sword raised again, meeting eyes with a boy far too young to be on the battlefield, eyes full of fear as he fought just to survive. Ginny kicked him in the chest instead, enough to knock him backwards but without much harm if he managed to avoid the horses' hooves. Her eyes slid back up to Bellatrix and that's when she saw it.

Bellatrix had not forgotten what Harry looked like or had spotted his horse. She was aiming right at him, her fingers about to release the arrow. Ginny pulled on the reins, and she didn't need to do much else as Red finally got permission to run towards Lightning. Harry would not die from an arrow, protected by his armour, but if Lightning got hurt or killed, he'd drop into the crowd and Harry's chances would be much less favourable. And while Red had been a reliable horse all this time, Ginny wasn't sure what Red would do if Lightning didn't make it out alive. Red pushed into Lightning with her whole weight and Lightning veered to the left, Red following him. Ginny looked up at the sky for the arrow as it came flying with incredible speed. It grazed Red's tail and then buried itself into the frozen ground.

Harry gasped and she looked back up at him. They couldn't remain there, now they were a two-person target standing still. The tiniest move, and Red was off again, galloping away from the clashing troops. Lightning followed her.

Being out of reach of both swords and arrows, she paused. "She knows what you look like, she's aiming for you." She nodded towards the castle walls.

Harry nodded. She touched her hand to his quickly and adjusted to grip on her sword. Her eyes scanned for any of her men needing help and took off in that direction.

His heart was beating rapidly as he watched Ginny ride back into battle without hesitation, without the need to catch her breath. He was still too busy sucking in the chilly winter air to push forward again. He watched as Ginny resolved a tight accumulation of soldiers with a few swings of her sword, pushing them back and suddenly that part was proceeding quicker than anyone else's.

He looked over the field. They were making headway quickly, the opposing side being no match both in strength and numbers, yet Bellatrix showed no intention to retreat or adjust. She watched from above. All of these men were expendable to her, she just wanted to remain in power. She was expecting them to give up before she ran out of men.

He took off again and found a similar spot as Ginny had gone off to help and tried to break up the clump of men attacking theirs. He may not be as quick in doing so as Ginny, but it was making a difference. They managed to advance much as they broke up Bellatrix's soldiers, who retreated or succumbed.

He looked up again to check if Bellatrix was looking for him, but she seemed to have found a different target on the other side. He was about to look back down when he received a blow to his chest. The reins did nothing to help him keep his balance and he keeled right off his horse. He knew if he landed badly, he could be killed within seconds.

With much determination he twisted his body before he hit the ground. He didn't manage to land on his feet, there simply wasn't any time to do so but from where he landed on his knees, he could push back up quick enough. Ginny was nowhere in sight to defend him and so he was going to have to fight his way out of this himself. He whacked someone in the chest with enough force that doing so to Bill had made him stumble backwards during training. Except this man fell backwards as soon as the sword hit him. There was no weight to him, Harry noticed now; he was too weak to resist the blow.

Someone came up behind him. He whipped around and brought his sword down into his assailant's shoulder. His opponent fell down immediately and the man — boy — wailed for his mother. It made Harry's stomach churn. While Bellatrix did have a core group of skilled, adult men to fight, she had bulked up her army with boys and men too weak to stand a fighting chance. It was even worse than he had anticipated.

Harry did the hand sign towards Lightning that Ginny had taught him and while Harry stood to his side, Lightning reared onto his hind legs, his front legs kicking into the air and forcing people to retreat if they did not want a hoof to the head. As soon as Lightning's feet were back on the ground, Harry pulled on the saddle and quickly mounted Lightning again.

As he shifted back into the saddle, he looked for Ginny again. She was cutting through the mass of soldiers quicker than the rest, without pause or hesitation, determined. Everyone around her benefited from it too, creating a wave that slowly expanded through the frontline. By the time it reached the ends, she had already created a new wave in a different spot as they proceeded.

It could be no longer than two hours later. They were slamming Bellatrix's army. They were inching towards the castle as more men fell. Sure, they had their losses too but they were gaining noticeably and it encouraged the whole troops to push on harder. Ginny knew any sane commander would have already recalled their troops, but Queen Bellatrix didn't seem to plan on doing that at all.

At this point it was just a cruel crushing of her army, unnecessary suffering for both parties. Ginny knew it. She looked over at Alastor who was fighting three men who had made their way to him, but he was beating them easily. He looked over at her and nodded. Two hand signs later and Alastor loudly called for a retreat.

As their men started to pull back, she remained standing, only retreating a little to watch to see if they would dare to hit back now. Harry took off towards Alastor to help him fight the two remaining men. Together they made quick work of it. Bill rode up to her, wiping some blood off his armour. A few guards hung back too. Then her blood ran cold. A group of strong men broke off Bellatrix's exhausted troops and went straight for Alastor and Harry. Ginny wasn't sure if they were going after one or the other, but it did not matter. If they did not receive help, they'd both be dead soon.

Alastor reacted quicker than Harry did and took on most of the men in hopes of covering Harry from the attack. Ginny reached them first, Bill and the guards behind her. She noticed Harry take one man out with a swipe of his sword to the man's neck. Harry went after the men surrounding Alastor and pulled one off and then Seamus gave him a fatal stab. Ginny jumped off Red and used her dagger to stab the men and pulled them off desperately trying to get to Alastor. It was a blood bath and by the time she reached Alastor, it was too late. She knew it immediately. The guards stabbed the final one of the men and hooted triumphantly before their eyes landed on Alastor.

Suddenly it was dead quiet as they looked at their commander and Head Guard on the cold ground, battered and bleeding, unable to move or speak.

"One of us will call for a Healer," Ernest said, breathing heavily.

Harry shook his head, face taut. "It's no use."

They all knew it, but a sliver of hope remained. Ginny knelt down beside him. Alastor grabbed her hand and she held it. Three signs followed, pressed into the palm of her hand. "Lead. Battle. Guards."

She nodded and squeezed his hand. She threw a quick glance towards Bellatrix, but she had left her position. Healers and other helpers walked onto the field to treat the wounded, moved them if needed. Some were picking up swords and other weapons, anything that could still be of use. No one was helping the wounded on Bellatrix's side. If they could no longer walk back to the castle, they were left where they fell.

Ginny looked back at Alastor, the people around her eerily silent. His face grew paler every second, the strength leaving his grip. And all she could do for him was hold his hand. Another minute ticked by and his eyes turned vacant. Her hand moved to his neck to confirm what she already knew. Alastor was gone.

"Get some of the helpers to move his body," Bill instructed the guards.

Ginny put his hand down carefully and closed his eyes. She stood up again, trying not to let the grief overtake her body.

They returned to their camp silently, they left the horses to rest and walked back into the tent without uttering a word. Her brothers, while some had some minor cuts or bruises, were alive and excitedly discussing the battle. Their expression fell when the three of them came in.

Ginny couldn't get the words past her lips and was glad when Bill spoke instead.

"Sir Alastor is dead."

Ginny pulled her helmet off, ignoring the stunned silence. She eyed Harry. He had a small cut on his hand and there was mud and blood streaked across his face. Nothing she'd need to worry about. His face was pale from shock. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"If..." Ron started, swallowing hard. "If he is dead, who is leading the army?"

Ginny felt dizzy.

"She is," Harry said without missing a beat.

She leaned her hands on the table. "Don't," she begged, her eyes meeting his.

"You were second in command. You're meant to." He seemed pained to say it, but she had been the one to set all this up. He was simply sticking to the plan. "I saw what he told you," he continued. "He said to lead the army and lead the guards, didn't he?"

"He did," she confirmed bitterly. With Alastor out, she knew she was their best bet. She suddenly wished Regulus had been here, she would have gladly put him in charge. While she had won plenty of battles, she had never been in charge of leading the army and she did not have the experience.

She looked across the tent, at all her brothers expecting her to lead and give instructions. Now their fate rested in her hands. She looked at Harry for any snippet of advice he had to offer.

He came to stand beside her. "Right before we were ambushed... Alastor said that Bellatrix wasn't going to admit defeat any time soon." He breathed out carefully. "That if we wanted to end this quickly, we needed to get her down to the ground no matter what so we could kill her. That the commanders will give up then."

"They would," she agreed. "But Bellatrix is never going to come down because she knows it too." She looked up. Her eyes widened. "Unless..."

"No."

"Harry, we need to get up there," she told him.

He looked away, a muscle jumping in his jaw.

"Can we use the secret corridors?" Charlie asked. "There is one that opens outside."

Fred shook his head. "It only opens from inside the castle. And they know we know the castle; I am willing to bet it's well-guarded."

"This is turning into unnecessary bloodshed," Bill spoke. "And Bellatrix knows we care about the lives lost, and she doesn't. She is willing to go until the last man and we can't afford that."

She looked between Bill and Harry. "You are both unwilling to admit what has to be done. You know I can get up there and I'm the only one who stands a chance against her. Imagine it was not me you could send up there, but another fighter that could end the fighting, today. You would do it immediately."

Bill stepped closer to her. "Can you blame us for being reluctant?"

Charlie pushed forward, shaking his head warily. "You want to climb the castle walls?"

"You know I have done it before, more than once, I can do it." At least that she was sure of.

"You were a kid then," he argued.

She nodded in agreement. "And now I'm twice as tall, it will go twice as fast."

"It's risky, Ginny," Percy chimed in. "If you fall... when is the last time you even climbed a wall?"

Ginny would have smiled if the situation wasn't so glum. She looked between Harry and Bill again.

"Last week," Bill said. "She climbed the wall during her wedding. Don't ask me how I know."

Such a fact would have gotten a roar of laughter from her brothers on most days, but their eyebrows just raised. Perhaps if they all lived, they could laugh about it later.

"What do we know of Bellatrix's skills?" Ron asked.

Ginny shook her head. "She hasn't been fighting so we don't really know but from what I have heard, she is a formidable opponent... but if anyone could take her on..."

Harry's hand ran through his hair briefly. "As much as I hate the idea of you going up there and fighting her, it is our best bet. Every moment on the battlefield we risk all of us. She doesn't fight fair. She's not going to give up."

"You know I wanted to kill her, at least give me that," she said to Bill. "You could be King tonight."

Bill gritted his teeth as he looked at her, nodding reluctantly. He closed his eyes. "What do you need us to do?"

Now she knew what she was about to do, determination set in. She rummaged around the table for the map Alastor had drawn up. Mentally she was going over all the scenarios Alastor had gone over, the possible approaches... "We are going to need much distraction for me to be able to get up to the castle to start with. We will all be on foot; this will confuse them. Anyone who can still stand should join. So if this goes wrong, we can hit them harshly and end it either way." She pointed at the map. "I will be in the first wave over here; I'll look for a weak point and break through. If there are enough men approaching them, I can sneak through unseen." She looked at Fred and George. "Then I am going to need a major distraction so no one will notice me climbing up. Fred and George should each take the flanks on the side and do a targeted attack. Give it your all."

Fred and George nodded dutifully. "We can manage that."

"I will only have a limited time to fight Bellatrix before guards can step in so... if I succeed, that is all we are going to need." She paused. "If I don't manage," she said, trying not to say 'die' so they didn't blow her whole plan off. "You continue in waves where the middle wave flows into the flanks and drives them away from the castle. Isolate them so they'll surrender in groups while the rest of our troops tries to enter the castle."

"How much time do you need to prepare?" Harry asked her.

"We can't give them time to recover, we have more men to spare right now than they do. By the time you have informed your groups of the attack plan and ready them, I'll be ready too. There is no time to waste," she said with a nod. "Come back here when you're ready." She turned to Ron. "You are good at keeping oversight, you need to take Alastor's spot because I can't do it. Redirect if needed. Your group can split up into Fred and George's."

Her brothers nodded and filed out of the tent. She turned to Harry, and she could tell he was trying so very hard not to lose his composure.

She closed the space between them and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"It was always going to come down to this, wasn't it?" Harry told her quietly.

"I am sorry," she said.

He shook his head. "I couldn't ask you to be less than you are." He pressed a kiss against her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin.

"If I don't make it," she spoke, meeting his gaze. "You have to continue, don't let it stop you from our goal. Don't let me die in vain."

He took her face between his hands. "No. You stop this right now. You are going to win, we are going to put Bill on the throne and then we will go home."

She kissed him softly. "I know. That's what we came here to do." Her eyes searched his. "I love you."

"I love you too," Harry told her. His thumb brushed some dirt off her brow. "Daggers and all."

She chuckled weakly. "I am determined to make Bellatrix pay." She nodded with her eyes locked on him. "I really truly am. And I will give it my all."

He nodded. "Yes, you will. You always do."

She wrapped him into a hug again and they just stood there together, taking every second they could get holding each other.

"I am sorry about Alastor," she said.

Harry nodded. "Me too."

They assembled again on the field. Across from them stood an even smaller group than this morning. Their losses had been bad. Ginny looked up and saw Bellatrix return to her spot on top of the castle wall, between the two watchtowers. So far, their plan was playing out as planned.

As soon as Ron saw everyone had gathered, he gave the sign and there was no time to lose. Ginny ran forward, covered by Charlie's group. While Bill's group was making much noise in the middle, Charlie's group worked on breaking through. As soon as Ginny saw a gap, she snuck through quietly and unassuming.

Then the roars on either side grew, right on cue and anyone who had even noticed her would be too busy turning towards the new group of attackers to mind her. She put her sword back and walked to the castle wall. She pulled her helmet off. It was a necessary measure to climb the wall, she could not have it restrict her vision in any way and it didn't allow her to look up that far. She attached it to her belt, out of the way.

She knew she had a limited time before someone would notice her. Her fingers found the first seam of a stone above her head and she pulled up, her feet finding support in the cracks between the stones. The last time she climbed this wall, it had been for fun. Now a lot more was at stake. She took a deep breath and started moving. She did not look down, only looking ahead. Her feet pushed up; her fingers curled around the stones to ensure her grip as she pulled her weight up with ease.

She thought someone on the ground had noticed her, but she was already too far up for anyone to stop her and the noise of the attack drowned out any sound of alarm the soldier could utter.

As she neared the top edge of the wall, she slowed down so she could assess the situation before she showed herself. The first guard was right in front of her, standing with his back to her. She took a deep breath and pulled herself over the wall in one smooth move. Her feet didn't make any noise. She came up behind him before he noticed, dagger in her hand and slit his throat. That's when the second guard spotted her, running up the stairs toward her. Swinging her dagger as he came near the top caused him to lose his balance and all he needed was a kick to the stomach and he tumbled back down the stairs. He wouldn't give her any more trouble for the next few minutes.

"Get her!" Bellatrix hissed at the guard that had been guarding the door of the watchtower on Bellatrix's other side. The Queen turned around and continued to shoot arrows off the wall, arrogant enough to think her guard would manage alone.

Ginny saw an opportunity, if she took care of the guard quickly, perhaps she could get Bellatrix while her back was still turned. She had no choice but to take him on first as he rapidly ran forward to protect his Queen. He swung his sword at her, but she was eager to be done with him. She lifted the dagger and threw it at him.

It hit him right in the neck and he sunk down. Bellatrix turned around in shock and Ginny realised she had made a mistake because now she was without a dagger. Regulus had warned her not to get ahead of herself, to take her time but in the heat of the moment, she had forgotten all about his advice. She pulled out her sword instead, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

Bellatrix discarded her bow and arrow and took out her sword, eyes eager. "You can't think you can win from me, little girl?" she taunted.

Ginny couldn't care less what Bellatrix had to say, she had wreaked enough havoc on all their lives. Without replying Ginny leapt forward and attacked. It took only a few swings of her sword to take notice of how well Bellatrix fought. She was quite a match for Ginny, if not better. Both their swords swung viciously at each other, both aiming to kill and quick to defend. It went back and forth for a while but neither of them made any progress and Ginny was determined to hold her ground.

"I have seen your type of ginger before, haven't I?" Bellatrix snipped without ever pausing, attacking relentlessly as if it was just a game to her and she knew she had the upper hand.

Ginny wasn't about to lose her breath to talk to her. At least Bellatrix knew who she was up against, who she hadn't managed to kill. Ginny found new energy and her attacks became quicker and Bellatrix had to focus on defending instead of attacking to keep up with Ginny's quick moves as they moved around in a circle, trying to come at each other from different angles.

It was not a pace Ginny could keep up for long. She slowed down and Bellatrix leapt right at the chance. She let out a wicked laugh as she brought her sword down from above. Ginny raised both her hands to bar the attack, but she lost her own sword in the process. It clanged loudly as it fell behind her and she could tell it was too far to pick up without being killed in the process. Ginny looked up brazenly to meet Bellatrix's triumphant expression.

Harry all but forgot he was in the middle of a fight but then his opponent got distracted too by the fight happening above. He looked as the two women fought, swords clashing with each other quicker than he had ever seen anyone do. Back and forth it went and at least Ginny was a true match for Bellatrix, standing her ground firmly and getting a good few attempts in too.

Then Bellatrix laughed and her sword came down with such force, he had expected Ginny to sink down to the ground. Yet Ginny remained not only standing, but she also managed to stop the attack.

Everyone around him paused now to look at the duel happening on top of the wall. It seemed as though everyone knew that the outcome of the fight would decide the outcome of the battle. When Ginny's sword escaped her hands, Harry let out a horrified 'No!'. Ginny was unarmed in front of Bellatrix on the enemy's turf. He almost turned away, terrified to see her die; he could not face it. Yet he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Numbly he watched, more scared than he had ever been as Bellatrix's hand wrapped around his wife's throat.

Bellatrix's hand grabbed onto Ginny's throat, tightening like a vice as she was pushed up against the tower's wall. Bellatrix could have killed Ginny immediately, but she seemed to want to relish in her victory. A sword came to Ginny's throat. Black spots started to cloud her vision and she desperately tried gasping for air, but nothing would come through. She knew she had mere seconds before the sword would slice her throat or she would run out of oxygen and pass out. It was all or nothing now, with nothing to lose.

Using all the strength she could muster, she lifted her hands quickly and pushed the sword away. She did not care if it cut her. If she did nothing she'd be dead for sure. She had one last surprise left, one last resort. Putting all her hopes into the hidden blade, she reached into the back of her armour and pulled out the knife, grateful as her hand wrapped around the hilt. Without ever letting Bellatrix see it, she pushed the knife upwards right below Bellatrix's armour, into her stomach.

Bellatrix screeched at the pain and stumbled backwards, not evening noticing how her sword escaped her grasp and let go of Ginny...

Ginny gasped desperately for air, filling her lungs with much needed oxygen as she pushed off the wall. She knew it would only take Bellatrix a few seconds to bite through the pain of the stab wound and so she jumped forward immediately. Bellatrix reached for her dagger too. She was quick and dodged Ginny's attempts a few good times before she could get in a swing of her own. Ginny was quicker. She jabbed her dagger forward, but Bellatrix dodged it again. The dagger came towards Ginny once more from the side and she ducked. Bellatrix had used such power to attack Ginny that she lost her balance and landed against the castle wall.

Bellatrix used her elbow to push off the battlement. Their eyes met and Ginny knew it. This was her moment. Bellatrix was barely upright again, and Ginny had already moved. Ginny swung her dagger in a big motion. She watched as the blade came against the side of the Queen's throat and with a big swipe she pushed through without hesitation. Blood came pouring out the big cut on Bellatrix's throat immediately as she gurgled. She stumbled forward, raising her dagger at Ginny in one last desperate move. Ginny lifted her leg and kicked up, landing against Bellatrix's chest. The Queen, mortally wounded, was sent backwards towards the battlement. She toppled over and it was as if time stood still. Eyes bulging, face paling as she went over the wall. Then she fell.

Ginny leapt forward as well, she had to see it with her own eyes. She climbed on top of the battlement to get a good view. Queen Bellatrix lay lifeless in front of the gate in such a way that she must have been dead before she reached the ground.

Coming back to her senses, she turned around to look behind her to see if anyone was planning on attacking her. She stood up on the wall, knife still tightly in her grip. With the Queen dead, they didn't seem so keen. Then she heard the horn being sounded on the next tower over, indicating their surrender. It was done. They had won. Everywhere people threw down their weapons, tired, defeated, injured.

She looked over to the battlefield now as she caught her breath, searching for the seven men. Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ron, Fred. Six brothers, alive. Then her eyes fell on Harry. Alive, well and looking at her. She stepped down from the wall and picked up her sword and dagger and put them back into their sheaths. She tucked the knife with her dagger too.

She made her way down the stairs, past men who no longer cared to fight her. She ran out of the castle gates, not sparing Bellatrix a second glance. She ran straight for Harry, past numerous men and fallen soldiers. He was waiting for her, his eyes never leaving her for a second. His arms opened for her and she ran into them. She kissed him harshly as his arms wrapped around her.

"You did it," Harry said against her lips as if he couldn't quite believe it; she couldn't either. "We won. You're alive."

"I am alive," she said in disbelief.

Her brothers reached her and she released Harry. She met eyes with Bill, who was crying without shame. "King William," she said and bowed her head.

"You don't bow to me," he said and wrapped her into a hug.

Soon all her brothers were hugging each other and Harry was somewhere in the hug too. She looked at the castle again. "Fifteen years. We're back."

Bill nodded. He righted his shoulders. "We need to... We need to reorganise, take care of the wounded. We need to send word to Orion and the Moonlands." His eyes danced over the field as if he was looking for other things to do.

Percy stepped forward. "I planned for this part. They can cooperate or they can go. The Healers will manage the wounded. You just make sure you manage the Kingly duties."

Bill pulled him close and kissed his forehead. "Thank you."

"Alright, alright," Percy spluttered. "That was unnecessary." Then he smiled brightly at his brother.

As Percy took off, Harry turned back to Bill. "We don't need to send urgent word to Orion and the Moonlands. I already had Neville draft a treaty and all three of us signed, recognising you as the rightful King of Harpia. All we need is your signature, and it will be official."

Bill looked at him in wonder. "I can... I can never repay you."

Harry smiled. "And you don't have to." He turned to Ginny again, but a few guards ran up to her.

She waited for them to speak but they almost gawked at her and that's when she remembered they were trying to consolidate Gwyn with the Queen. Her secret was out now, and she was a little relieved about it. "Yes?" she asked.

Ernest, always the most daring, spoke first. "We are not injured, and we are waiting for orders."

Not only was she still their commander, but Alastor had also told her to become Head Guard as he died, and the guards had been instructed to follow her orders when he wasn't around. She nodded. She looked at the group of twenty guards. She was one short of the guards that had joined them. "Where is Nigel?"

"He was badly injured, your Highness—Sir, I—" Seamus said nervously.

Ginny didn't care for titles or pleasantries for the moment. "Ten of you can go to Percy and help clear out the castle and anything else he needs help for. Eight of you can check anyone still left on the field. Bodies will be moved to the side. Anyone alive needs to be brought to the Healers for assessment. One of you can check if Walto needs help with food. One of you, go hold Nigel's hand."

Ginny was surprised when they took her orders without any hesitation. Terry volunteered to go to Walto. Seamus said he'd check on Nigel. Ernest took a group towards Percy and Justin led another group to check for bodies. She watched as they took off and then turned to Harry.

"You need to go to the Healers too," he told her. "You're bleeding and your throat—"

It was as if she had forgotten about the pain until now, only at the back of her mind. She reached for her throat, the skin was tender and likely bruising rapidly. The cuts on her wrists were a minor concern. She shook her head. "I'm fine."

Harry did not reply, but his eyes were insistent.

"I'll go with you," Ron said. "I think I dislocated my pinkie earlier and I need someone to check on it." Before she could object, he pulled her along and she decided not to put up a fight.

As they reached the Healers' tents, someone stood outside. Unconscious people were carried into a tent on the right tent while patients who could still walk and weren't profusely bleeding were led into a tent on the left.

"I am fine," she insisted as she walked towards the healer.

He bowed to her. "You can go over there, Queen Ginevra."

Ron walked along with her.

"Do you think I can draft a decree so people will stop calling me Ginevra?" she wondered out loud.

Ron chuckled. "Probably."

Ginny almost grabbed her sword when she heard a thunderous noise when she stepped into the tent. Then she noticed it was applause. People were clapping for her, yelling a mix of 'Queen Ginevra' and 'Sir Gwyn' as they applauded her.

She was about to turn to Ron to complain but he was clapping too. He smiled at her. "You've earned this. You're our hero."

It felt strange to be celebrated as Gwyn while they could see her face. They seemed to accept that she had been a Knight all along. Then again she did just win them the battle. While the cheers warmed her heart, she was relieved when a Healer came up to her and led her further down the tent.

"You need to check him too," she told the Healer loudly over the applause that was dying down only slowly. "Hurt his pinkie finger."

She was put on a straw bed and the Healer looked over her injuries. Ointment was applied to her wrists, and it was then bandaged tightly to stop the bleeding. The Healer took a look at Ron's finger too and wrapped it up against his other finger.

"You can't wear anything close to your neck," the Healer advised. "It will prolong the healing. Your voice is fine so that's good news. Can you swallow?"

Ginny tried it. It was painful and uncomfortable, but she could manage fine. She nodded. "Yes."

The Healer nodded. "It will be painful as it heals. Don't try to eat too many tough foods, chew well." She came back with a tin. "This will help with the bruising. Apply at least three times a day."

Ginny took the tin from her. "Thank you." She looked over at Ron. "How bad is the bruising?"

He looked at her more closely. "You can tell where her fingers were," he said, his eyes sliding up to her face.

She nodded. It would heal and it would be gone soon enough.

When she walked back into camp, a large group of people had gathered. They parted to let her through, bowing as she went by, eyes admiring. Then she locked eyes with Harry and he gestured for her to come closer.

All her brothers had already gathered around a table. The treaty placed put on it and there was a quill next to it along with a pot of ink. Bill was about to sign it, but it looked like they had been waiting for Ginny and Ron. They joined the row, standing in order.

Bill looked over at his younger siblings for a moment and then nodded to himself. He took up the quill with a surprisingly steady hand and dipped it into the ink. He put it on the paper.

William Arthur Septimus Harpus, King of Harpia

He put the quill down and stood up straight.

"Congratulations, King William of Harpia." Harry shook his hand.

"King William!" Ginny yelled, surprised her voice did not object to the volume.

The crowd began chanting his name which was eventually followed by a thundering applause. It took a good few minutes for the applause to subside. Bill stood there, looking around and taking it all in, eyes brimming with tears.

As the crowd started to disperse and people went back to heat up by the fire or check on wounded friends, Ginny walked over to the other side of the table towards Harry.

"And?" Harry asked with a glance towards the bandages.

She held up her hands. "These simply need to heal, the bandages need to be kept on it but it's superficial, likely won't even leave a scar." She dropped them again. "As for my throat there isn't much they can do. They gave me some ointment for the bruising. I haven't had a chance to look at it myself but Ron said it was pretty bad."

"It's definitely noticeable," Harry replied, his eyes trailing over her throat. "I hope it heals soon."

Harry followed as Ginny walked into their tent.

"I have to change into something else. Armour keeps rubbing against my neck." She opened the chest and took out a dress. She started pulling at her armour. "Do you mind?" she said.

"Not at all," Harry said, swiftly walking up to her and undoing her armour with ease.

"You need to get that cut on your hand checked," Ginny said. If she had to see the Healers, so did he. "You do not want that to get infected."

Harry pulled her armour off her. "I know. I will. I just had some more important business to attend to first."

Ginny turned around. "Like what?"

He laid her armour down. "There was the treaty for one." He pulled her closer by her hips. "And now there's you. You are my most important business."

"Don't think you can use me as an excuse for taking care of yourself, that's not how it works, my love." She pecked his lips and then sat down on the bed and took out a tin of ointment. She looked at it for a moment and then met his eyes again. "Can you do it? You can see better where the bruising is."

He kneeled down in front of her and dipped his fingers in the ointment. He was so incredibly careful putting his fingers to her throat, but she hissed immediately. He pulled his hand away, but her hand came around his wrist.

"It's okay," she said. "Please continue."

She gritted her teeth as his fingers touched the bruised, raw skin again. As delicately as he could he spread the ointment and slowly Ginny's face relaxed. He rubbed it in, watching her expression, moving more carefully when she reacted.

Then suddenly her hand covered his and she moved it to rest against her throat in the same way Bellatrix's had been. She breathed in slowly.

"Every time I close my eyes, I see her face as her hand wrapped around my throat. Perhaps if I feel your fingers, I will stop seeing her face," she clarified.

He nodded in understanding. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

He shifted a little closer to her. "Close your eyes."

He could tell she was a little apprehensive, but her eyelids closed. He kept his hand softly against her throat and placed a kiss against her forehead. Then slowly to her temple. He kissed her lips next, and she kissed him back. Her lips slid against his, slightly chapped from the cold weather but soft and warm all the same. His hand slipped softly from her throat to her jaw.

Her hands came up to his face, one slipping into his hair.

"Thank you for not dying," Harry said, his nose pressing against her cheek.

She shifted against him, lips trailing against his skin. "I really tried."

He leaned away to look at her and her eyes opened. His thumb brushed her cheek. "I know."

She shivered and he moved away, picking up her dress.

"Let's get you dressed," Harry said. "Before you catch a cold."

She stepped into her dress, keeping her trousers on. She put her belt with her sword over her dress and then added a cloak on top, knotting it loosely so it wouldn't be tight at her throat.

He smiled softly at her and she raised an eyebrow in question.

"You look both Queenly and Knightly right now. I like it," he told her. "Now that your secret is out..."

She nodded. "May as well embrace it, right?"

He nodded. "It suits you rather well."

As they exited the tent, Seamus walked up to them. "It's Nigel," he said and Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach immediately. "He doesn't have long."

They had moved Nigel to an empty tent and all the guards had gathered there. The young men, usually loud and active, were uncharacteristically quiet. Nigel was slowly blinking as he stared up, but it didn't seem like he was registering anything his eyes were seeing.

Ginny walked to him and squeezed his hand. "I saw you fight today, you were very brave. You can be proud of yourself. You'll be able to go home soon, just rest a bit in the meantime. I know you're tired." She squeezed his hand and then silently made her way back to Harry.

For a moment it was silent apart from shuffling feet and a few sniffs. Seamus stepped forward and sat with Nigel. "It's okay, Nigel. You can close your eyes. We're all here watching over you until you're better."

Harry bit back tears. Nigel had only started as a guard two years ago, young and nervous, and now his story ended here. His hand searched for Ginny's and she took it, giving it a small reassuring squeeze.

Seamus took both of Nigel's hands in his. "We're going to see each other again. I'm sure Alastor is waiting for you." Suddenly Nigel's eyes landed on Seamus, who froze for a moment. Then he smiled through his tears. "It's okay. We got you."

Nigel seemed to give the smallest nod and then his eyes closed. Seamus' chin trembled. No one in the tent said anything. Then Ernest bent down on the other side of Nigel and checked for a pulse. He gave a small nod. Seamus let go of Nigel's hands carefully and placed them on top of his stomach. Several of the guards leaned on each other, seeking comfort.

Harry decided to leave, and let the guards mourn their friend in peace. Ginny exited the tent with him.

"Do you know if he had any family?" Ginny asked.

"An older sister — lives close to Kingsley's estate." He sighed. "I still need to send Hedwig out with the news that we've won. I'll— I'll ask Kingsley to deliver the news."

"I'll write to Regulus," Ginny said. "Tell them it's okay to stand down. Tell him where I messed up."

He shook his head. "You didn't mess up," he told her firmly.

She shot him a look. "I did. I risked too much because I rushed." She shook her head. "And I almost paid the price. Regulus will know."

He couldn't really argue with her. The duel would become one for the history books, but to Ginny the details mattered. "Alright. I'll write to Neville, and you write to Regulus. After that I'll write to Sirius and Remus too."

"And after that I am taking you to a Healer, yes?" she asked.

He was a little disappointed she hadn't forgotten. "Fine."

They all stood in front of the castle gates. Bellatrix's body had been removed and the enemy had left. Only most of the staff remained and the Ignotian guards had gathered inside.

Ginny and her brothers waited for Bill to take the first step walking through the gates. The seven Harpian Royals crossed the courtyard, with Harry in tow. Bill walked through the doors of the castle and paused there. He let out a happy sigh. "We're home."

After a moment Percy gestured to walk into the ballroom. All the guards had been gathered on one side. On the other side were the staff. Bill looked them over.

"They all decided to stay," Percy informed him. "They were celebrating our victory, if that tells you anything."

Bill froze as his eyes landed on a particular woman. Then he walked to her, eyes wide. "Catherine, is that you?"

The woman's eyes filled with tears as she nodded eagerly. "I saw you sneak away that night..."

He nodded. "I know you did." Emotion was clear in his voice.

"I always hoped you would come back..." She seemed hesitant but she gained confidence as she spoke. "A lot of staff is new but some of us never left. And we're so happy you're back."

"That means a lot." He stepped back, addressing the whole staff. "I know this has been an eventful day. I won't ask more of you tonight. I would just like to ask if you would show our cooks the way to the kitchen so they can provide food to our troops. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them. Thank you."

The staff bowed and exited the room. The group turned toward the guards.

"I know you are not my guards," Bill started off. "So I will leave it up to the Queen to arrange with you, but I do appreciate you standing here." He looked towards his sister.

She smiled at him and then turned towards the guards. "You've all fought today. And we lost Alastor and Nigel so I understand you may not want to be here at all," Ginny said, careful with her choice of words. "And I know accepting me as your Head Guard may be difficult for some. It's been a long day and so if you do not want to stand guard for the coming days, you're allowed to leave." She paused to see if anyone would go but none of them made a move.

Her brothers watched quietly as she talked, standing to the side to give her space.

"We are short-staffed, and I do not want to ask you to do long hours right now." She knew they were tired too. "You will be guarding at night for the most part. Do short shifts. If you made friends with some soldiers you trust, feel free to bring them in. We will compensate them just the same." She looked over the twenty guards. "In a few days we'll talk about how we'll manage without Alastor, and who wants to head home but right now safety is our top priority. Once I know how many men we have, I'll make a schedule for the coming three days. Any questions?"

Istor raised his hand. She nodded at him. He seemed unsure. "Nigel preferred the midnight shift. Can we all be set to work then? I think he'd like that."

She blinked back tears. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Istor."

Ernest raised his hand. "Can I ask a question about you being Gwyn?"

She raised her eyebrows. Ernest was always the toughest egg to crack. If he decided he didn't want to accept her as the Head Guard, it would become an issue. "Yes..."

"I was just wondering... how long has the King known you were a woman?" he asked.

Several guards looked at Ernest in surprise. Her brothers seemed to chortle. She looked over at Harry, who shrugged.

She turned back to them. "About a month after I started working at the castle. Was that a pressing question, Ernest?"

He shrugged, slightly embarrassed. "I just am still a little surprised, is all."

Justin's eyes widened. "That's why Gwyn wasn't at the wedding!"

"I can assure you I was," Ginny told them, a little amused.

Seamus stepped forward. "I think we were all surprised to find out you're one and the same person but we know what you can do, especially after today. I'm happy to answer to a Queen who understands our job the way you do. And I know you have things to teach us." He bowed his head.

Several guards nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. That means a lot." She folded her hands together. "Any other, urgent, questions concerning guarding right now?"

They all shook their heads.

"Okay, then you are dismissed. One of you will come back to me in an hour and let me know how many men we have for tonight."

The guards filed out too.

Harry walked up to her. "Told you that you were good at bossing people around," Harry commented.

She smiled at him. "I guess it comes naturally to me."

Charlie turned on his heels. "Dibs on my old room!" And he took off.

"No!" Fred let out, running after him. "We were after that room for years and you know it, you bastard!" He turned to George. "Are you coming or what?"

Bill raised his voice. "Get back here, I'll decide the rooms!"

Charlie halted and turned. Fred let out a groan. They both made their way back to Bill, looking defeated.

Bill's eyebrows rose and he looked at Ginny. "I am surprised that worked."

"You're the King," she said, watching as her brothers walked back to them. "Now they have to listen."

Bill looked at her and let out a laugh. "Yes. That's incredibly doubtful."