Two: Atop Golgotha

"I don't know what your plans are, but you should go home first. Your family should be together now."

Aberforth's words still hung in the air. She saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice. She'd gotten far too good at picking up on that lately. Someone was gone. Someone dear. Her heart sunk and her stomach twisted as she held on to the bar for support.

Someone was dead. And Tom laughed inside her mind.

"Go home, Ginny," Aberforth said kindly, refusing to answer her unspoken question. "Go home and give grief its moment."

It was clear that Aberforth had no intention to say anything further on the matter, no matter how many terrified entreaties Ginny made. So instead, Astoria wrapped up Gryffindor's sword in one of Aberforth's tablecloths as Ginny tried to stop her mind from conjuring horrifying vision after horrifying vision.

At least he lent them their floo. That alone was a risk, and would later make Ginny less wroth with Aberforth. The Ministry monitored floo travel and while for now, there was nothing suspicious about them, that would change once word of Rookwood's demise spread.

At that point, Ginny didn't care. She needed answers and more than that, she wanted to hold her whole family. But that she already knew to be an impossible wish. As the flames turned green and danced before them without a care in the world, Ginny took a step forward. Astoria took her by the shoulder and pulled her in for a hug.

"Best of luck," she whispered.

"You're not coming?" Ginny asked, voice muffled by Astoria's shoulder.

Her friend blinked at that. "Do you want me too? Whatever has happened, it sounds private—"

"And you're a friend. You were at Charlie's funeral too. I need you there again. Please," Ginny said, not caring how pathetic that might make her sound.

Astoria straightened and nodded. "Then I'll come along. Of course I'll come along."

They both dove into the floo, the world briefly spinning as flashes of flame and ash whistled past. They both landed on the floor of the Burrow, each only just keeping their balance. Floo travel: there really ought to be a better way. If only she knew how to apparate. Unfortunately, she'd been deemed too young for that. Too young to disapparate, but not to fight a war. Go figure.

Any concerns on the nature of the wizarding transportation network left her mind the second Mum and Dad came sprinting in. They were safe, at least. Still, she could see in their red-rimmed eyes that the same couldn't be said for everyone.

"Ginny?" Dad stammered.

"How? Why are you here?" Mum added, even as her eyes briefly flickered to Astoria. "What happened?"

Only then it dawned on Ginny that maybe they should have freshened up first. They had to look like quite the spectacle, covered in ash and grime and wounds from their earlier skirmish with Rookwood. But none of that mattered.

"Something came up at Hogwarts, but it isn't important." She shook her head to further dismiss the enquiry. "What happened here?"

Both her parents looked at her, grief-stricken. Seconds ticked by, long enough for her to wonder if anyone outside of this room still lived. "Mum, Dad," she pressed.

Dad breathed in sharply and opened his mouth. Instead of words, a horrible cry left his mouth as the tears ran down his face. He turned away as his emotions overcame in. Ginny could only watch in horror as he slumped against the wall, his whole body wracked with sobs. Mum scooped her up in a hug, less like a comforting mother and more like a drowning soul lost at sea desperately for an anchor.

And then the fated words left her mouth. "Fred and George… they're gone."

The twins.

Gone.

Dead.

The floor seemed to disappear beneath her. Someone was screaming, only when her own throat hurt did Ginny realise she was making the noise. She dropped to her knees and hugged herself, feeling the scars burst into life. They burned, as a thousand images ran through her mind of possible ways the twins could have died. Would it have been one of the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries? Lucius Malfoy eager to add another Weasley to his tally?

But how could they be gone? They'd always been an indomitable force of nature, laughing in the face of death and despair, never relenting when faced with opposition, whether that be Umbridge or Death Eaters. They'd unleashed fireworks upon Hogwarts and left in style, to show the world what they could create. And they had. Even in these dark times, their store had done well.

"How?" she eventually managed to stammer.

"Uproar in Diagon Alley," Bill said in a hollow voice. She hadn't even heard him enter. Yet here was. He walked towards her and her parents, each step stripping away a layer of his usual armour of level-headedness and determination. When he reached them, he sank to his knees. Fleur hovered at the door, taking place next to Astoria. Both looked grief-stricken and at the same time in doubt how much grief they were allowed to know and show in the face of a family who had once again lost so much.

"I thought…"

That you were safe? That your family had lost too much already and was due for some peace? You really don't get war, do you? Tom sneered.

"It shouldn't have happened," Bill said, staring into nothing next to her. She vaguely noted he smelled like fire too. "Just a stupid scuffle in Diagon Alley. Some Death Eaters were picking on Muggleborns. One threw a punch in retaliation. They began to torture him. No one did anything. And you know the twins, they'd never let something like that slide, let alone right in front of their store." Bill fell silent, silent tears running down his face.

"Someone drew a wand," Mum picked up. "Spells started flying. You know your brothers, they're great duellists. They stunned a Death Eater. That's when Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange stepped in. Perhaps they were still looking to avenge Rabastan. Perhaps they were just bored."

"No," Ginny breathed, even though it had all come to pass already.

Rodolphus and Bellatrix stand there, studying them with barely restrained hunger even as Lucius Malfoy tries to negotiate with Harry. Neither of them seem to be fully there. Bellatrix is dancing to some inaudible tune, even as Rodolphus eyes flit from left to right, as if following an insect only he can see. Yet somehow, they both feel her eyes on them. They shift their gazes to her and wink in tandem.

"It wasn't quick. Merlin, it wasn't quick," Mum sobbed as she slumped to the ground, laying there like a faithful struck down by lightning

Ginny could imagine. It was far too easy to imagine. She let out a muffled scream and ran out of the room, bursting through doors until she found herself outside, standing amidst the grass around the Burrow. The sun was shining, a beautiful May day. Birds were chirping, mindless of the fact that two of their greatest friends were gone—the twins had so loved to race birds with their brooms. Like they had flown with her, after the Department of Mysteries. They'd risen so high until they'd all forgotten what they were fleeing from.

Somehow, she knew it wouldn't work this time. Instead, she just stood there as sun and gentle breeze lapped at her, hands hanging by her side.

"Haven't we given enough?" she asked the clear blue sky. "What more do you want?" she screamed. She wasn't even sure who she was screaming at. The Wizarding world, whatever divinity existed, or just cruel fate? All she knew was that she wanted, needed to scream. To hold someone accountable so it would at least make sense.

There's no such thing as sense in times like these.

Tom sounded almost mournful. She didn't care. Let him be mournful or gloating or whatever… she didn't care.

"Ginny?" Behind her, she could hear Astoria approach. "Do you want me to be here?"

Of course she did. She needed a friend. Someone around whom she could collapse because Merlin knew she couldn't do that around her family, who were far too busy collapsing already. But she couldn't voice all that. Instead, she held out a hand and could feel her friend grip it.

"Thanks Tori," she whispered.

"Anytime," her friend replied.

They just stood there as the sun moved across the sky, the air slowly got cooler and her thoughts kept going in circles a thousand miles an hour, like horses on a racetrack.

The twins had taken her to one of those two summers ago, three weeks before the Quidditch World Cup. They'd all snuck away from the Burrow, claiming to go to Ottery St. Catchpole. Instead, they'd planned to go to one of the bigger cities nearby. Of course, public transport had confused them even more than Muggle money had, and they'd ended up somewhere else completely. Ginny still wasn't quite sure where, but they'd all loved cheering on those horses and making fun of those posh Muggles in their equally posh and ridiculous clothes. They'd even made it home in time for dinner, their parents and siblings none the wiser.

Merlin, that had been fun. Before all the death and destruction. Before Voldemort. Before they'd all stopped feeling young and invincible.

"When will it stop, Tori?" she pleaded as she sank to the ground and felt the grass prickle her hands.

Astoria followed suit, draping an arm around her. "I don't know, Ginny. I don't know."

"Why do we even bother still, if all we do is die and die and die?" Her voice broke on those last words.

"Because it won't stop if we do," Astoria said simply.

#

They were still sitting in the grass when Percy came home. He apparated with a plop a few steps away from them, looking haggard and broken. When he saw them, Ginny could see a fragile mask slide in place. He must have apparated here in the grass instead of inside to give him a little while to steel himself before facing the rest of the family. So much for that plan.

Ginny pushed herself upright and flew into his arms, sobbing by the time she reached him and could feel her brother's firm grip around her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I really tried to keep them safe. Yaxley promised. He promised." His voice cracked on those last words.

"Oh Perce, it's not your fault," Ginny said, hugging her brother as he trembled in her arms. From the corner of her eye, she could see Astoria keep a respectful distance. Poor girl, Ginny had dragged her along and now she had to feel like an intruder upon their grief over and over again.

"I mean, I knew the Lestranges were not good with instructions. But You-Know-Who usually kept them busy. Why were they even in Diagon Alley? Why didn't I…"

"Percy. Breathe. It's okay," she whispered, knowing it all to be a lie. Nothing was okay. But she couldn't stand hearing her brother accuse himself and blame himself for the cruelty of the world.

How could the twins have ever thought he'd truly sided with Voldemort? Had they died thinking their brother a liar? He'd tried so hard to keep them all safe, sacrificed so much and now his reward had turned to ash in his hands. He'd kept them safer, but not safe. That had proven to be impossible. But at least he'd tried. He'd tried so hard. And of course, the world hadn't rewarded him for it.

"We'll get them for this," she promised.

Percy nodded firmly, a glint of iron returning to his tearful eyes. "The sick bastards. I had to sit through their gloating all day at the office. Couldn't show weakness lest they considered it suspicious. Had to pretend I didn't mind that much that my weak blood traitor family had been culled again," he spat out, shaking his head. "And they believed it. The bastards believed it… But we'll get them."

Behind her brother, she saw Bill and Fleur come down the hill towards them. Both looked worn and shaken, but there was a resolve that hadn't been there before. War made you heal quickly, it was that or break. She let go of Percy just as they reached them. Bill instantly pulled his younger brother in a smothering hug.

Fleur gave Ginny a searching look, only now noticing the state she and Astoria were in. "What happened to you two?" She asked as she took out a handkerchief and began dabbing at the cuts on her face.

"Rookwood," Ginny spat out.

"You should see the other guy," Astoria said at the same time, earning her a shocked chuckle from the rest, even Percy.

It did earn her an intense look from both of her brothers though, one that demanded an explanation. Even as Fleur worked on Ginny, Bill moved to Astoria and began checking her over, unleashing a series of healing spells. Percy just stared in shock, seeing yet again how his protection had failed.

"Merlin, it looks like you've been through a war," Bill remarked as he prodded Astoria's ribs and was rewarded with a wince.

"I think we all are in one," Ginny pointed out, resisting the urge to swat away Fleur's wand as it disinfected a cut on her cheek. She shut her eyes and tried to ignore the stinging.

"I'm sorry we didn't see it earlier, it's just—" Bill began.

"It's fine. Really, I get it. The wounds weren't my priority either," Ginny said, though she had to admit Fleur's spellwork was a relief. She hadn't noticed how much every bone in her body had been hurting until the pain faded. The adrenaline had probably been to blame for that.

"Rookwood did that? I'll kill him," Fleur vowed. There was not much emotion in her voice, just a cold anger and sheer finality.

"Bit too late for that," Ginny admitted. Fleur's hand froze halfway an incantation and she could feel everyone's eyes on her, even with her own eyes closed.

"You killed Rookwood?" Percy stammered.

"Officially, yes. Unofficially…" she hesitated, but if she couldn't trust her family, they were done for anyway. "Snape took care of him."

"So he is still on our side," Bill mused.

"Not necessarily. Plenty of Death Eaters want to kill each other," Percy remarked, rubbing his own Dark Mark. "Either because they distrust each other, or just wish advancement. Selwyn tried to get me two weeks ago and I'm sure it wasn't because he'd seen through my cover. He was far too dumb for that. I dumped the bastard's corpse in the Channel," he added darkly.

"Snape's with us. Otherwise he wouldn't have let me leave after destroying this." She took the diadem from underneath her robes and showed its charred remains to her brothers. "I'd hoped to come home triumphant with it. But I don't feel like celebrating anymore."

"I thought I smelled Fiendfyre on you," Fleur said.

"And the funny thing is, we had similar plans," Bill said as Fleur placed the remains of Helga Hufflepuff's cup on the grass.

She could hear Tom breathe in sharply inside her mind, even as the molten lump arrested her gaze. It had become almost unrecognisable in its current state, looking hardly like a cup, let alone like one of the founders' artefacts. But they'd done Horcruxes down after months of searching. Only two Horcruxes remaining.

And two brothers. It was hard not to think of it as a curse at this point. Was that how it'd end? Voldemort mortal, and them dead? Her two brothers who were crouching in front of the Horcruxes, her last two brothers, gone? Two more tombstones next to so many? And would she die as Voldemort did? The war over, the Weasleys, gone?

Bill sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I take it your friend knows? As you came here together?" he asked, eyes briefly darting to Astoria. They both nodded in unison.

"Alright, well… So, Percy… you're probably wondering what all this is about." His eyes slid to her, looking for confirmation or perhaps permission to share the secret with their most ambitious brother. She nodded. "The thing is—"

"They're Horcruxes, right?" Percy said calmly.

They all stared at him, incredulously.

"Dumbledore told me," Percy continued.

"I thought he'd only told me and Ginny," Bill protested, even as Ginny recalled how she'd once thought Dumbledore had only let her in on that particular secret.

"Funny, he said to me that I was the only one to know. Guess that's compartmentalisation for you," Percy let out a humourless laugh. "Did he give you Secrets of the Darkest Arts too?" They all nodded. "Makes me wonder how many copies he had."

"Merlin," Ginny exclaimed, dropping down in the grass. "This would have been much easier if we'd known we could talk about this amongst each other. You wouldn't happen to know where Slytherin's Locket is? Or at the very least Kreacher?"

"I'm working on it," Percy admitted with a wry smile. "I haven't had as much success as the rest of you, clearly."

"Makes you wonder if anyone else in the Order knows about Horcruxes," Bill said.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't think so. Snape definitely doesn't know and the rest seemed equally clueless at the last meeting. It's just us Weasleys."

"Not Mum and Dad though, I think," Percy said.

"No," Bill agreed. "Speaking of which, we need to get them out of here."

"Here being…" Percy asked, voice trailing off.

"The war. Britain. Everything. They've lost four sons now. That's too much. I spoke with them just now and… they're broken. Merlin, they're broken." Bill hid his face in his hands, even as Fleur pulled him in.

"Bill's right. I tried to speak with them," Fleur continued. "And they've lost the fire needed for a war like this. It's normal. In all honesty, I don't understand why we're still combative. But they're…"

"They're done," Bill said.

"France is nice this time of the year. Nicer than Britain at least. My family will take care of them," Fleur said. It's clear she and Bill had talked things through on the way here. Perhaps even earlier, after Charlie's death. And it did make sense.

"If you can convince them to leave, sure," Ginny said. It's not like they'd be able to stay here at the Burrow. Soon, people would come calling for her anyway. That's what you get for supposedly killing one of Voldemort's chosen.

"I think I can," Bill said sadly.