- Rating:
- PG-13
- House:
- The Dark Arts
- Characters:
- Harry Potter Neville Longbottom Lord Voldemort
- Era:
- Multiple Eras
- Spoilers:
- Prizoner of Azkaban
- Stats:
-
Published: 07/26/2002Updated: 07/26/2002Words: 3,111Chapters: 1Hits: 730
Ginny's Memories
Athena04
- Story Summary:
- While taking her son shopping an older Ginny reflects on the past, everything that happened and those who were lost.
- Posted:
- 07/26/2002
- Hits:
- 730
- Author's Note:
- Firstly I have to say thank you so much to my mom for always encouraging me to write (I know that's really lame but still) and to my wonderful beta catz415!
Ginny Longbottom walked down the streets of Diagon Alley with her twelve year old son, Harry. They were picking up the new supplies he would need for his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They went to Gringotts Bank first so that Ginny could fill her coin purse with Galleons, Sickles and a few Knuts. She then ushered him into Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions because Harry had grown nearly two inches over the past school year and his current robes were well above his ankles. As they entered the shop the girl behind the cash register stopped what she was doing and came over to shake Ginny's hand and welcome her to the shop. Ginny was of course used to this kind of treatment by now after all, her husband was the Minister of Magic. The thought of this brought back the memories of Neville while the two were at Hogwarts themselves and she had to hold back a laugh at the thought of the clumsy chubby boy that stepped on her toes that night so long ago at the Yule Ball who grew up to run most of the wizarding world.
Once Harry was in the back trying on robes they had picked out she allowed herself to sit in a comfortable chair and remember many more things from her last years at Hogwarts. Everyone knew she had a crush on Harry Potter when she was eleven years old but what they didn't know was that she still had that crush five years later when he not only graduated from Hogwarts, but also when he died. This was one memory Ginny wished she could forget sometimes but then she would realize she could, with one simple spell she could forget all about Harry's death. The thought of forgetting was even more terrible then remembering.
Because deep down in her heart Ginny knew that if people did not remember what had happened then the same evilness would be born again in another witch or wizard's heart and then Harry and all the others would have died for nothing.
They died fighting a man who once was so feared that when he died Harry was one of the only two people she had ever heard saying his name. The other was Professor Dumbledore. All though Professor Lupin was rumored to have said it also. Professors Dumbledore and Lupin --- the mere thought of them brought another rush of memories. Remus Lupin died dueling with Peter Pettigrew or Wormtail as he was called. But then again Ginny thought it wasn't really dueling with Wormtail that had killed the Professor, he was much too good for that, no it was the slime known as Lucius Malfoy saying the deadly killing curse at Lupin's back that had killed him. Professor Dumbledore on the other hand died during the final battle on Harry's, Neville's and her brother, Ron's, last day of school at Hogwarts.
That morning had started out perfectly normal with everyone making sure they had everything for the summer and friends saying good-bye little did we know Ginny thought, that it would be the last time we would see so many of our number alive. Everything was fine until the freshly graduated Gryffindors and a few others including Ginny herself walked out of the castle that is Hogwarts. They were almost to the gates when from the Forbidden Forest curses were thrown right at the group of eleven to nineteen year old students. All around Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and even a few Slytherins were being hit as the Death Eaters marched closer and closer to them. They would have been inside the castle sooner but nobody wanted to leave their friends or their friend's bodies behind. Once the teacher's had all the students they could back inside the school everyone went into the Great Hall and looked frantically for whom among them were missing.
From Gryffindor it was painfully obvious that Seamus Finnigan and Parvati Patil from Harry's year were missing as well as Dennis Creevey, Natalie McDonald and several other students in years below her that Ginny could not recall the names of in such a short time. By looking around at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables you could see Mandy Brochelhurst, Terry Boot, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Owen Cauldwell and many others missing. Padma Patil was also missing from the Ravenclaw table and with dismay Ginny heard Dean Thomas telling Neville he saw her run to Parvati just after she was hit with a curse and was therefore struck with curses as well. Although she had never been remotely close with either of the girls Ginny felt a great sorrow for their parents. After all it had not been that long ago that Percy and Bill had died in a Death Eater attack.
Looking at the Slytherin table was what shocked most people. They all knew that a few of them had been cursed along with the rest of the school but what they didn't realize was that only those below the fourth year had come back in. It appeared as though everyone else who didn't pledge loyalty to the Dark Lord had been killed. People all around were trying to sort out they had seen fall to the ground and who had become a Death Eater. Surprisingly among those accounted for being dead were Millicent Bulstrode, Morgg MacDougal and Malcom Baddock. Not surprisingly in the least Draco Malfoy and his two massive friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were not accounted for unless you count wearing black robe and mask while killing their classmates accounted for.
Though the confusion and the fear the teachers made their way up to the staff table at the head of the hall. Dumbledore looked as if he knew he was to die but somehow at the same time he looked more determined and powerful than anyone present had ever seen him before. Professors McGonagall and Sprout looked as though they somehow had been expecting this to happen but never thought it would actually occur. Professor Snape had lost his trademark sneer and was looking rather green and was staring at Harry as if he pitied him very much. The instant people saw Dumbledore the hall went silent. He calmly told all students to return to their common room and stay there until a teacher came and told them it was safe to come out. Harry walked up to Dumbledore and nodded as if he knew what was going on. Of course Ron and Hermione stayed but perhaps the most surprising thing that happened that day was what occurred next. Shy clumsy little Neville refused to leave.
Professor Snape walked over to him and shouted at him,"Longbottom did you not hear the headmaster or have you just reached a new low in your foolishness, we that are staying are most likely about to DIE."
Neville finally stood up to the man that for seven long years tormented and terrified him yelling back,
"Professor these are my friends --- the only people who have ever helped me and if you think for one second that I'm going to stand aside and the Voldemort kill them as I watch from Gryffindor tower well then you have reached a new low in your foolishness and there is nothing you can do to stop me I am a fully trained, graduated wizard."
The entire hall was completely stunned no one had talked to Severus Snape like that since James Potter himself. Slowly Ginny made her way to stand beside Neville with tears going down the side of her face. Soon after that many, many students came to stand next to them the staff looked too shocked for words. Finally Professor Dumbledore came to his senses as a very powerful curse hit the castle though it was deflected by magic.
"Quickly we have precious little time" he said, "Mr. Longbottom is right there is nothing I can do from stopping the older students from fighting with us however I will not permit the young one to go you WILL be slaughtered I will ask for at least one older student to stay to keep the young ones safe in each house."
Ron shouted suddenly, "Ginny will watch over the Gryffindors."
To which Ginny cried out, "What? Oh no I won't, I'm going to fight!"
Neville was still standing beside her and looked her in the face and softly said, "Please do it Ginny I wouldn't have stood up to Snape if I had known you were going to as well I couldn't live with myself knowing I caused your death, I love you!"
With fresh tears on her cheeks Ginny said, "Okay."
Once all those who were staying inside were safe, the others moved outside to face the death eaters. The battle was the sickest one in a very long wizard history. Death Eaters young and old alike shot curse after curse at the students and teachers. Many on the side of good were falling but at the same time those on the dark side were falling as well, the only difference was when someone on the dark side fell they were stunned at the worst while when someone on the light side fell it was to a flash of green light.
In the Gryffindor common room Ginny and Lavender Brown along with different ghosts watched over the young Gryffindors and some of the young Slytherins that had been divided up between the other three houses because there were not any older Slytherins to watch them. For the second time in five minutes Ginny rushed over to break up a fight between some Gryffindors and Slytherins. When she pulled the boys apart a second year Gryffindor she knew was named Steven hatefully spat, "Why can't we kill them it's their fault we're up here and everyone else is dying!"
It took a moment for Ginny to get over her shock and then regaining her composure said, "It is not, I repeat not they're fault that we are being attacked it's V- Vol- VOLDEMORT'S fault we are up here and his alone. If we kill these innocent children, no different than yourselves, then we become every bit as bad as those Death Eaters killing my friends!" By the time she was finished with her speech the boys all looked ashamed and Steven held out his and to one of the boys he had been attacking and said he was sorry.
Outside it was a very different story however it was looking as though all hope was lost for the side of good when a killing curse was headed straight for Dumbledore but just as it was about to hit Hagrid jumped in front of him sacrificing himself for the headmaster that meant so much to him. After being shocked by Hagrid's death the fighters were re-energized with anger and passion. They pushed ahead getting closer and closer to where Voldemort sat on a throne laughing at the blood and carnage before him.
Once Harry reached him Voldemort cast a spell so that just the two of them were in a web not unlike the pair ended up in the last time they dueled when Harry was only fourteen years old.
"Potter," the Dark Lord spat, "We meet again for the last time. Do you like my little cage? It will not come down until one of is dead and that will not be me for you see we won't be having any interruptions this time. I have a new wand so we don't have to worry about your dear sweet parents saving you AGAIN! And you can forget about your Mudblood loving friends out there my followers seem to be taking rather good care of them don't you think?"
Harry had finally had enough of listing to the ranting of the only man he had ever truly hated. He calmly said, "Fine let's get it over with."
Voldemort laughed his cold laugh and said, "Ready to die so soon are you, Potter? Fine then we'll begin. I do hope however you have learned some manners by now and you won't make me force you to bow again. No? Okay then have your way." He raised his wand and twisted the seventeen year olds spine into a hunched over position and then bowed himself.
When Harry was able to stand again he began throwing almost every curse he knew at the Dark lord as he did the same to him. Harry was not even trying to use the three unforgivable curses however Voldemort was trying in vain to hit Harry with them. Seven years as a Seeker had paid off it seemed.
After an hour of dueling both of Harry and Voldemort were immensely tired and worn out. Finally Voldemort had Harry trapped against the side of the cage like web without his wand.
Voldemort had barely finished laughing and saying, "I told you would die Potter and when you do I will leave this cage and go and finish off the Mudbloods myself." When a wand was slipped through the cage and into Harry's hand. At the same instant the two men shouted the same spell, "Avada Kedavra," and they fell to the ground dead at the same time. Unbeknownst to them another man fell at the same time as they did.
Albus Dumbledore had given Harry his wand and his only hope of living with it. Draco Malfoy had just enough time to kill his headmaster of seven long years before being stunned by Neville.
Once the last of the few remaining Death Eaters that were left standing were stunned the survivors of the light side looked around at the blood and bodies that covered the front of their beloved school. Among the newly dead were Hannah Abbot, Sally-Ann Perks, Ernie Macmillan, Orla Quirke, Laura Dobbs, Madam Hooch and Professors Sinistra, Vector, Sprout and even a few house elves who had joined in the fight, including Dobby. By far the worst bodies were that of Dean Thomas and Colin Creevey they were Muggle born, Gryffindors and the Death Eaters let their opinions of them be known in the brutal carvings in their flesh saying words such as "Mudblood" and "true Muggle."
The effort was not a complete failure even with all they lost the light side had been able to capture all the Death Eaters. Some were the two generations of Malfoys, Goyles, Crabbes, and Notts. By far the most treasured capture for many on the side of good was that of Peter Pettigrew. After over sixteen years Sirius Black's name was finally cleared and he was a free man. However he felt it was not worth it because of everyone who was lost in order for it to happen.
Just as Ginny was thinking about the last time she had seen Sirius before he took his own life she felt Harry...her Harry tugging at the sleeve of her robe.
"Mum, Muuuuum are you okay?" he said
Ginny looked at him and said, "What? Oh yes I'm fine do you like the robes?"
"Yes Mum, can we go now?" he whined.
"Of coarse just let me pay for your things," Ginny replied.
As she walked to the register to pay Ginny thought about her Harry and how much alike he and Neville were they were both rather tall, very well fit for their respected ages and Ginny loved them more then any other two people dead or alive. However Harry did have his mother's brown eyes. While they were leaving Ginny silently laughed about Harry's having their mother's eyes.
After visiting the apothecary, Flourish and Blotts, and a few other stores to pick up odd things for around the house Ginny finally allowed her son to practically drag her into Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Mum, please, please, please buy me a broom," Harry said, "You know I'm going to make the Gryffindor team."
It was true Harry had been flying since he was five years old and he was great at it. Her surviving brothers wasted no time in training him to be a Quidditch star. The only real question was what position he would play. He could knock Fred and George off a broom by hitting a Bludger at them, out score his mother who had been a Chaser on the team for her last four years of school, easily get a Quaffle past Ron who was on the team as Keeper for his last three years of school, and catch a Snitch five times faster than Charlie and he was only twelve.
Ginny shook her head and said to her son, "And why would I go and let you be on the team with all the owls you got sent home last year?"
"Oh, come on Mum, me and the guys were just having some fun," Harry said trying and failing at looking sweet and innocent.
"Harry Neville Longbottom, don't you give me that 'just having fun' bit, do you not remember who my brothers are? For half of those tricks they taught you I was the 'Ginny Pig' for them to test them out on."
Harry looked at her with puppy dog eyes and she instantly forgot she was mad.
She finally said, "Oh, all right if by the time try-outs are over and you are on the team AND I haven't gotten a single owl saying that you snuck into Hogsmeade or into the Slytherin Common Room and painted trolls that look like other students in your year again I will send you a new Nimbus 3000. Do we have a deal?"
"Mum," he said, "you drive a hard bargain but deal... now I wonder who I'll have to bribe to move try-outs up to the night we get back?"
Laughing at her twin brothers' knack for getting in trouble that was most defiantly in her son, Ginny Longbottom lead Harry back to the Leaky Cauldron so they could use the Floo network to get back home and prepare for him to go back to her entire families, her husband's, and her own ammeter, and that was also the site of the deaths of Lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Harry Neville Longbottom was going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.