Ginny's Story

Chapter 37 The Worst News

It's only been 2 days since the last upload - you happy with me? Haha :) Well this is a bit of a sad chapter I think... at least I felt sad! 

Chapter 37 – The Worst News

I was the Great Hall when I realised something wasn’t right. Well really, what could be right in war? But all I knew was something was different and it wasn’t good.

“Ginny,” Mum called, still sounding choked up. We all were. A family member’s death as not something you got over quickly. But we all had to pull our weight in this war, and the best way we could do that at the moment was to help tend to people with injuries. After all, we wanted to stop all repeats of Fred and save others from that overwhelming pain of losing a loved one. “I think you should come here.”

I looked over my shoulder at her and saw everyone gathered, watching something very intently. I rushed to Mum’s side and my heart leapt to my throat.

At first all I was a large figure approaching us, shaking like a leaf. I realised it was Hagrid, since nobody else I knew was that size (not counting Madam Maxime). Then I noticed something in his arms. I was scared to look. Did I want to know what it was – or who it was, as I had come to realise that it was a person Hagrid had in his arms, limp.

“Stop,” came the icy voice I had heard twice that day. Hagrid lurched forward.

All previous warmth had been chilled. I felt more scared than I ever had before, not for me, but for the limp figure in Harry’s arm. I didn’t know for sure, but I knew it would be someone important. Someone like… no, I couldn’t make myself say it. It wasn’t him.

“Harry Potter is dead,” You-Know spoke out. I blinked, not taking in what he said. “He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down you lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

“The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death eaters outnumber you and The Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family/ Come out of the castle, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. You parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together.”

The silence was terrible beyond anything before. I knew it was Harry’s body in Hagrid’s arms. I knew it. But he couldn’t be dead, could he? The numbness that followed Fred’s death began to disappear. I wanted it back. At least it saved me from the searing pain in my heart. But I still hadn’t seen Harry’s face. How would I know for sure that it was Harry? I would let myself hope he was alive and that You-Know-Who was just playing some dirty trick to get us all to lose hope. I could only hope.

Voldemort moved closer to Harry and Hagrid with a smug expression. He was so close… so close…

“Come,” Voldemort ordered. He began to move forward, and his army of Death eaters, and Hagrid, followed him forward. Hagrid was sobbing, giant teardrops falling from his eyes and landing on Harry’s dead body – no, not dead. He wasn’t dead. He just wasn’t, I knew it.

Mum squeezed my hand tightly. Her face held pain and I knew she believed Harry to be dead. How could they all lose hope so easily?

“Harry,” sobbed Hagrid. “Oh, Harry… Harry…”

“Stop,” Voldemort said and everyone stopped moving. They were now standing closer to the Great Hall. Closer to us.

“NO!” screamed McGonagall with so much despair that it finally made me realise my worst fears were confirmed. That was when I lost it. That was when I truly believed Harry to be dead. Surely McGonagall, being such a powerful witch, would know the difference between a dead body and a living body.