Reliving the Past, Present, and Future

Chapter 41

Ginny was terrified.

Her brothers and parents were okay, thank Merlin, but where was Harry?

After helping Neville over to a large oak tree that had become a makeshift medical tent to tend to his broken leg, she'd been searching for Harry with no luck.

"Have either of you seen Harry?" she asked, running over to Hermione and Ron.

The pair looked to each other anxiously. "We thought he was with you," said Ron nervously.

"Hermione!"

"Char- oof!"

Ron loudly pretended to gag as they embraced.

Ginny punched him in the arm.

"Bloody hell, woman," he muttered, deliberately turning away from Charlie and Hermione who now had their heads down together, speaking quietly.

Ginny thought she heard the name "Malfoy" but everything else was much too quiet.

"Do you think -" she started, eyes beginning to burn as she turned to Ron.

"Don't be stupid," said Ron gruffly, still scanning the crowd. "Teddy would have -"

Ginny's eyes widened when she realized he was also missing. No, no, no... "Maybe... maybe they're together," she whispered, biting her lip. Maybe Teddy wasn't dead as Voldemort had taunted and he and Harry were doing some secret mission...

Please be together. Please be safe.

"Ginevra Weasley!" shouted her mum, looking horrified as she quickly made her way over. "What are you-"

"It is done..." Voldemort hissed in her head as many gasps and groans of pain were heard around the group. "Harry Potter and the time traveller are dead..."

LIAR! she internally screamed. It wasn't true, it couldn't be true...

"We bring you his body as proof that the boy-who-lived is finished.

"There will be no more war, Order of the Phoenix... approach the front gates and join me as we build a new world together... or die. You will not have another chance for forgiveness..."

Ginny opened her eyes and everyone looked to each other, feeling helpless.

"He's lying!" shouted Sirius, trembling with his anger as Remus held him back from charging the manor. "Harry... Harry isn't -"

Ginny watched as a dozen or so fighters quietly disappeared to the border of the property to disapparate to safety.

Cowards!

Kingsley stepped into the center of the distressed fighters, his calm voice breaking through the panic as he asked for everyone to give the Order time to safely plan a retreat so they could regroup.

"I'm not leaving!" Ginny shouted furiously as every eye turned to her. She shook off her mother's firm grasp and backed away. "This is the best chance we'll have to finish this! Teddy wanted this to happen here and now!"

"Miss Weasley -" started Kingsley calmly.

"I'm with Ginny," said Neville stubbornly, standing next to his friend and holding her hand.

She squeezed his hand, smiling weakly.

Slowly, the rest of Dumbledore's Army stood in camaraderie.

"Kingsley," said Charlie softly, squeezing Hermione's hand in solidarity. "We won't have another chance like this."