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Not From Others | ||||||
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Category: Post-HBP, Post-DH/AB Characters:Harry/Ginny, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Extreme Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Violence Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 348 Summary: She may not have been able to join Harry, Ron and Hermione, but Ginny refuses to go down without a fight. As war approaches, Ginny returns to Hogwarts to resurrect Dumbledore's Army and face the darkest year the wizarding world has ever seen. DH from Ginny's POV. Canon. Hitcount: Story Total: 108171; Chapter Total: 3632 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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There was no crueller sound than Bellatrix Lestrange’s laugh. It echoed through the grounds like the caw of a crow, and her expression as she looked down at Neville was one of pure, unhinged, delight. ‘It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!’ she announced. ‘The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?’ Ginny had never hated her more, hated the way she taunted people, hated her perverse delight in the suffering of others. ‘Ah, yes, I remember,’ said Voldemort, as Neville scrambled to his feet. Neville, despite his vulnerability, stared resolutely at Voldemort, no hint of fear in his eyes. ‘But you are a pure-blood, aren’t you my brave boy?’ ‘So what if I am?’ said Neville, and Ginny felt a fierce rush of pride at his bravery. ‘You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.’ Voldemort’s voice was like cold silk, the snake around his shoulders shifted slightly, raising her monstrous head. Neville looked furious, disgusted at the offer. ‘I’ll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore’s Army!’ he cried, raising a clenched fist. The crowd cheered, and on instinct Ginny did too, she could feel her heart growing back, filled with passionate bloodlust and fury. Voldemort face darkened at the realisation that his silencing charm had broken, and when he spoke he sounded more dangerous than ever. ‘Very well… If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head… be it.’ He rose his wand, his face, like thunder, fixed upon Neville, his red eyes burning in the dim light. Over their heads, something dark and misshapen flew through the air, landing in Voldemort’s outstretched hand. He shook it out, and Ginny recognised it as the Sorting Hat. Then, with horror, she watched as Neville was immobilised, and the hat forced on his head. She tried to rush forward, as did others, but the surrounding Death Eaters raised their wands and she seemed to bounce back, as though an invisible barrier had been raised between them. Voldemort was speaking, but Ginny was deaf to him, her ears rushing with revulsion and fear. All she could do was helplessly watch Neville as the hat was set aflame, and though screams rent the air, nobody was able to reach him. A tremendous thundering and the shriek of war cries momentarily distracted her, and she tore her eyes from Neville to see Grawp charging toward the giants, swiftly followed by the herd of centaurs, shooting arrows into the crowd of Death Eaters. It seemed that yet another battle was upon them, and though the prospect of losing yet more loved ones was heinous, Ginny’s anger was unquenchable, and she gripped her wand tightly, ready to kill. In the confusion, perhaps Voldemort’s attention was briefly distracted, for Neville was able to break from the body-bind curse, and Ginny too, found that she was able to rush forward, heading eagerly into the fray, Luna appearing at her side. She was ready to curse at a Death Eater who had his back to her, but a flash of silver caught her eye, and she turned in time to see the head of Voldemort’s snake spinning to the ground, bouncing heavily at her master’s feet. Voldemort screamed in fury, Ginny was quite sure she would see another flash of green and lose yet another friend, so looked away to Harry, hoping to stand guard over his body as Tonks had done to Remus. He wasn’t there. ‘Where is he?’ she shrieked to Luna. ‘Who’s taken him? What have they done with him?’ Her eyes searched the crowd, but Hagrid had noticed too, and now he roared Harry’s name. Others looked around in confusion, chaos reigned, Ginny dodged the stamp of a giant’s foot and looked to Ron and Hermione, to see if they had picked Harry up, but Ron was dragging Hermione away from the skirmish, pulling her towards the castle. ‘Come on, Ginny!’ yelled Luna, seizing her hand. Together they retreated to the castle, desperately trying to aim jinxes and curses at Death Eaters amongst the tightly packed crowd. Ginny wanted desperately to hurt them, make them pay, but was terrified of hitting someone she knew… A Death Eater was ahead of her, and she began to shout the sectumsempra curse, but before she could, he crumpled, though she could see nobody around that looked as though they had just sent a stunner in that direction. She stumbled into the Entrance Hall, her feet standing on what was likely the face of a Death Eater, nearly falling but seizing onto the robes of a man she recognised from Hogsmeade, who helped pull her up. ‘Kill them!’ Voldemort was screaming to his followers, backing into the Great Hall. ‘Kill them all!’ He sent a curse at Seamus and Hannah Abbot, Neville gave a cry of pain, but a shield charm appeared seemingly from nowhere, and, without questioning it, they ducked under his arms and ran into the Great Hall. House elves were wielding knives and squealing threats, flashes of light and bangs punctuated the screams and shouts, people were grabbing at friends and family, trying to drag them aside, away from the fighting, but for what? There was no place of safety now. A centaur reared, shooting an arrow into the chest of a Death Eater who gave a wail of pain and fell to his knees, but Voldemort, now standing in the centre of the hall, sent a jet of green, and the grey centaur fell with an almighty crash. Others stumbled over the dead that still lay on the floor, some dragging them aside, tearfully trying to get them to a place of safety even though they could no longer be hurt, she saw George and Lee carrying Fred to a corner, before spotting Yaxley and charging towards him. Flitwick was duelling Dolohov, and Ginny ran forward, her heart pounding with desire to punish him for what he had done to Remus, but something like a rope lashed at her. Blood poured down her face, and she spun, throwing up a shield charm just in time to block Bellatrix’s second curse. Bellatrix giggled, her lips pulled back over her teeth like a vicious dog. ‘We got your boyfriend, little girly,’ she sneered, dodging Ginny’s hex. ‘We’re going to hang him above the doors for everyone to see.’ ‘Crucio!’ Ginny screamed, and she was so surprised at Bellatrix’s howl of pain that she lifted the curse almost immediately: Bellatrix had barely sunk to her knees. This had enraged her, and now she sent jinx after jinx, coping easily when Hermione and Luna appeared by Ginny’s side. All of them battled the witch with fury, but even Hermione was no match to Bellatrix’s expertise, nor her viciousness. ‘Filthy Mudblood!’ Bellatrix screeched, sending a curse at Hermione. Hermione retaliated, white faced but determined, resolutely trying to disarm Bellatrix, who blocked her between further attacks on Ginny and Luna. A bright green light came hurtling towards Ginny, and she ducked just in time, feeling the power of it blow through her hair- ‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!’ Molly stampeded towards them, throwing of her cloak and growling with rage. Bellatrix spun and cackled, delighting in a new challenge. Hermione moved to attack Bellatrix while her guard was down, but Molly gave the three girls a fierce look. ‘OUT OF MY WAY!’ Ginny had never seen her mother like this. Her usual kindly face was contorted in wrath, the power of her spells matching Bellatrix’s, as they snarled and clashed at each other like animals. The stone floor around them glowed and cracked with the heat, Ginny found herself backing to the wall, transfixed with horror at the duel, only occasionally glancing over to where Voldemort battled McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn. She realised she was breathing heavily, terrified, frozen on the spot. Neville and a handful of other students rushed forward to help Molly, but she shouted them down, and they backed away and stood with the rest of the crowd, lining the walls and watching the two battles. Hermione gripped Ginny’s hand. Bellatrix was taunting her mother, glorying in Fred’s death, and Ginny wanted to fight alongside Molly and attack Bellatrix herself, but she could see a dangerous power in Molly’s eyes, and knew that she was fighting to kill. ‘You-will-never-touch-our-child ren-again!’ Molly screamed, sending a burst of light after each word. Bellatrix simply laughed, her mouth wide in exhilaration, she stretched out her arm to point directly at Molly’s face. ‘Avada Kedavra! The beam of green light hit Bellatrix’s heart, and she toppled backwards ungracefully, landing on the floor with her arms outstretched like a fallen angel. Molly lowered her wand and looked down at Bellatrix with disgust. Ginny wondered if it felt better, once you had avenged a loved one’s death. Voldemort screamed, and Ginny turned in time to see McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley being blasted aside, before he turned his wand on her mother- ‘PROTEGO!’ The familiar, protective voice struck at her heart, and suddenly he was there, standing in the middle of the hall. She wondered if she had died. Perhaps the curse that brushed her hair had killed her, and she had watched her mother avenge her death, and now she was with him again. But Hermione was shouting his name, and there were gasps of astonishment around the hall, they could not all be dead. Her eyes filled with tears, she had thought she had lost him forever, but now he was back, and the emotion that filled her still felt like grief, but seemed also to be joy. She could have collapsed, screamed, others certainly were, but she was stunned into place, her eyes drinking him in. Voldemort stared at Harry. There was a cold fear in his expression. Silence fell around the hall immediately, and they all watched, encircling Harry and Voldemort like a gladiators ring. ‘I don’t want anyone else to try to help,’ said Harry, his voice ringing through the hall. They had begun to circle each other like wolves, Voldemort’s astonishment only just hidden behind his murderous gaze. ‘It’s got to be like this,’ Harry continued. ‘It’s got to be me.’ Ginny knew it was true. There was something in the air that seemed to tremble with meaning. ‘Potter doesn’t mean that,’ hissed Voldemort. ‘That isn’t how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?’ Ginny’s heart was thudding, she would have gladly rushed forward to act as a shield, but Harry seemed so calm, so in control, that she knew it was unnecessary. ‘Nobody,’ he said. ‘There are no more Horcruxes. It’s just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…’ Voldemort’s expression might have appeared to others as calm as Harry’s, but, as much as it disgusted her, Ginny knew this dark wizard. She had been inside his mind. Inside his thoughts. Acted out his evil. Though she could not remember most of it, she knew instinctively that the way his red eyes had widened, the tense way he moved, the hiss of his voice, meant that he was afraid. ‘One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?’ Still they circled, a dangerous tension building between them. Hermione was still gripping Ginny’s hand, and Ginny could hear her ragged breaths. Ron was the other side of her, his arm had stretched around Hermione and was clenching Ginny’s shoulder. All of them together feared for and trusted Harry, lost in their confusion of anguish and relief. ‘Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?’ said Harry. Though his voice was soft, it sounded through the silent hall as loud as a shout. ‘Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn’t defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?’ Ginny found her breath catching in her throat, squeezing Hermione’s hand tightly. Ron had been right, that he had given himself up, and yet here, miraculously, he was. Part of her was still too afraid to believe it, afraid that he would be snatched away again, but even if that was so, she had been able to see him, one last time. ‘Accidents!’ screamed Voldemort. ‘Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled-’ he spat the words venomously, but Harry did not falter. ‘-Behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!’ Harry’s expression was something like patience. He continued to circle, his feet treading lightly, wand carefully directed at Voldemort, while he waited for his enemy to finish his accusation. When he spoke, it was with careful measurement, as though placating a misbehaving child. ‘You won’t be killing anyone else tonight. You won’t be able to kill any of them, ever again. Don’t you get it? I was ready to die to stop you hurting these people-’ ‘But you did not!’ ‘I meant to, and that’s what did it. I’ve done what my mother did.’ Tears were running down Ginny’s face, she could not stop staring at Harry. Had he really done that? Accepted death as Lily Potter had done? Still they circled, and still they spoke, of things she didn’t understand and events she hadn’t seen. They spoke of love, and despite Voldemort’s cruelty Harry still remained composed. Harry spoke of Snape, and the pieces of the jigsaw she had collected over the past year fell into place, and clearer than ever she remembered that torn photo of the laughing Lily Potter she had found in the study. They spoke of Dumbledore, and of wands, and Harry even asked Voldemort to show remorse. Nothing seemed to throw Voldemort as much as this, and even Ginny wondered what on earth Harry was playing at, but beside her Hermione gave a small, quiet gasp of realisation. ‘Oh, Harry…’ she whispered, barely breathing the words. Ginny wanted to turn and ask her what was going on, but Harry and Voldemort were still talking, still circling, talking of wandlore. She remembered that Harry and Ollivander had talked at great length, and wished she’d pressed Mr Ollivander for more information at Muriel’s. When Draco Malfoy was mentioned, Ginny chanced a glance around the hall, quickly spotting his pale and terrified face amongst the crowd, between his parents, the family holding each other so tightly it seemed nothing would tear them apart. He was clearly astonished to have a role in this; from the way Harry was talking Malfoy had been of crucial importance, and she saw him wince in terror as Voldemort spoke of attending to him… ‘So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it?’ said Harry, and though it was a whisper, everyone could hear him. The room seemed to hold its breath. ‘Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand.’ Finally, after the hours of darkness, a dawn burst across the enchanted sky, bathing the room in a red-gold glow, illuminating Harry like fire. They shouted together, both of them striking as the light blinded them. ‘Avada Kedavra!’ ‘Expelliarmus!’ A cataclysmic bang erupted between them, shaking the room and blasting Ginny with hot air, golden flames bursting from where the spells collided, she saw the green of Voldemort’s spell bounce back and engulf him, his wand spinning through the air where it was caught swiftly by Harry. Voldemort fell backwards, his death as mundane and brief as everyone else’s that night, sprawled against the floor. Harry looked down at the body, a slightly stunned expression on his face, and swaying slightly. It took a moment to sink in, before there was an almighty roar of uncontrolled emotion. Ron and Hermione were running to him, and Ginny followed, they barrelled into him so hard that he was knocked to the side slightly, but he hugged them back, still in stunned silence among their incomprehensible shouts, his head bowed. All Ginny could do was shout and scream and cry, she didn’t know how to feel, everything was rushing through her at once, but underneath Ron and Hermione’s arms she could feel him, her hand against his chest where underneath his heart was beating madly, alive, living, there. She was sobbing, hundreds of others were pressing in, all desperate to touch Harry too. She wanted nothing more than to be closer, to hug him, to feel his arms wrapped around her, but all they could do was exchange a brief, intense look, before he was pulled away from her. His fingers still reached for her even as Professor McGonagall embraced him, and soon the rest of the crowd had surrounded him so much that he was no longer in sight, and a terror rose in her; what if she had lost him again? But suddenly her mother’s arms were around her, and soon the rest of her family too, and in the growing light of day they began to realise their safety, that it was truly over. Ginny hugged her mother back, burying her face into her shoulder, sobbing relentlessly for the evil that had finally passed. Soon McGonagall waved her wand, and the house tables were replaced, the battle weary house elves cheerfully bringing out trays of food, even sitting at the tables with their fellow comrades. Molly pulled Ginny to a table, and tempted her to eat — it was not until the bread touched her lips that she realised how hungry and exhausted she was, and as she ate, she gazed around the hall now buzzing with life, wondering if it was all a dream. Demelza held Zaha in a hug, both of them staring out into nothing, their cheeks stained with tears. Beside them, Seamus and Dean were laughing together, Dean apparently regaling Seamus with stories from his time on the run. Several times, she saw Harry attempt to sit and eat, or approach the table where the Weasley family sat, but time and time again, he was pulled aside as mourners clasped his hands and gave thanks, embracing him and clapping him on the back, speaking gently either with news or gratitude. ‘He looks exhausted,’ she said to Luna. ‘Can’t they see how pale he is?’ ‘I’ll help,’ said Luna simply, and she rose, heading to the bench where Harry had just sat heavily, head in his hands. Ginny watched her speak quietly to him, before he gave a brief nod, and she rose, pointing out of a window. ‘Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!’ Ginny gave a small, sad smile, and rested her head on her mother’s shoulder, watching as Harry vanished under his cloak. She would find him later, give him a chance to rest, to eat, to come to terms with what had happened. She had no desire to join the crowds surrounding him, and gave Luna a smile of gratitude as Ron and Hermione left the hall, a Harry-sized gap between them. |
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