Wings of Time

Chapter 4

The Annihilation of Hogsmeade

Whenever Ginny Weasley wasn't in the library researching R.A.B., the Gryffindor found herself keeping Remus Lupin company. He had often helped her with homework and chatted about things that were happening with Tonks and the Order of the Phoenix. Ginny didn't dare say anything about Harry, only that she knew he was alive and well. Remus didn't push it and for that, Ginny was grateful.

It was one night in the middle of October that Ginny walked towards the Defense classroom with her satchel draped over her shoulder. She knocked gently on the wooden door to hear a muffled 'come in'. The redhead swung open the door to see the back of Remus's head sitting next to a woman with long black hair. The woman was crying softly into the professor's tattered robes.

Ginny felt suddenly embarrassed to walk in on a scene like that. She stood in the doorway, not knowing what to do. She didn't recognize the back of the woman's head. She shifted uncomfortably until the werewolf turned his head and his eyes caught his student's. Remus gave a reassuring smile.

"Come sit down, Ginny," Remus's voice was gentle and encouraging.

"Ginny?"

The dark-haired woman turned around to face the younger witch. It was then that Ginny realized the woman was Tonks. She looked eerily like Sirius's mother at that moment. Her gray eyes glistened with tears. Her heart-shaped face was pallid and drawn. The woman forced a welcoming smile on her face despite the fact that she felt as though she were dying inside - for Molly Weasley had always told her daughter that losing a child was the worst thing imaginable.

"It's good to see you, Tonks!" Ginny exclaimed lightly as she rushed over to the woman and pulled her into a warm embrace.

The two pulled apart and unconsciously, Tonks's hand wandered down to her flat stomach. Ginny couldn't help but stare. It wasn't until Remus's hand tenderly touched the redhead's shoulder that the teenager tore her eyes away from Tonks.

"I- I should get back to headquarters," Tonks sighed wearily. "Mad-Eye wants me out tonight."

"Be careful," Ginny whispered.

"Yes, we both want you back here safely," Remus stated calmly.

"Bye."

Tonks hugged Ginny briefly before turning towards the man she loved. Ginny watched out of the corner of her eyes as the two hugged. Remus kissed Tonks on the forehead and whispered words of comfort. The witch nodded as tears burned her eyes. Their lips met for a split second before the sulking Tonks made her way over towards the fireplace. She was gone in a swirl of green fire.

"How are classes?" asked Remus.

"Tonks is really upset isn't she?" Ginny ignored her professor. "I'm sorry I came. I know you two probably want to be alone..."

"Don't worry about it," Remus said nonchalantly. "There was no way you could have known."

"I'm really sorry about the baby..." Ginny trailed off. "I wish there was something I could do."

"Don't worry about it, Ginny," the werewolf spoke sternly. "You have enough to worry about than to indulge yourself in the problems that Tonks and I are having."

Ginny bit her lip. She wanted to be involved. She had come to think of Tonks like a sister - just like she thought of Hermione as a sister. Then Remus, over the past couple weeks she started to view her ragged professor as an uncle figure. Ginny thought of them as family and wanted to be involved in their affairs.

"Any word from Harry?"

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts of family to look at the drawn man. Dark circles resided under his eyes. He looked suspiciously thinner than usual. Was a full moon approaching?

"He's fine," Ginny replied with a sigh. "I just wish I could be there with him... I miss him so much, Remus."

No, no, Ginevra stop, Ginny thought furiously as tears stung her eyes. She swore she wouldn't cry over this. She was strong; she wasn't a little girl anymore. The redhead ducked her head and tried to wipe her face with her arm without looking like she was doing so. It was so hard; she missed Harry so much. It felt like a piece of her was dying each day she spent without Harry next to her. She never knew how she spent so many years without him.

"We all miss him, and we all wish we could be with him to help him out," Remus declared as he put a comforting arm around the teenager. "He doesn't want help. You and I both know that Harry doesn't want to put us in danger and that's why he's not telling anyone specifically where he is."

"Ron and Hermione are with him," Ginny stated bitterly. "I wish I meant as much to Harry as those two do."

"I think," the professor started, "that you mean more to Harry than Ron and Hermione combined."

"That's stupid," the redhead laughed sourly. "Those are his best friends, and I'm just the clingy little girl who's obsessed with him."

"Harry's doing this for you," Remus whispered, "because he loves you. He wants you to be happy. He wants to be with you, but he can't unless all this darkness is gone. He'll come back, Ginny, and you two will start where you left off. I promise."

Ginny lunged at her professor and hugged him tightly around the neck. That was exactly what she needed to hear to keep going. Ginny never considered herself weak or naïve, but it was these times of war that made her insecurities jump out from under her skin.

The rest of the month passed quickly. The end of October marked the first Hogsmeade visit. It was announced at breakfast that all classes would be cancelled and a visit to the town was guaranteed. No one was allowed to go anywhere after breakfast except to the front door to be marked off Mr. Filch's list. The students then piled into the carriages and rode to Hogsmeade. Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Ian parted when they arrived in the village. Ian had a date with a sixth year Ravenclaw named Janelle Winters. Luna and Neville were going out on their first official date. Luna offered Ginny to come along with them, but the redhead didn't want to be a third wheel. Ginny decided to walk around the village by herself.

Something seemed off about Hogsmeade. It didn't hold the same kind of glimmer it usually did. The sky was a murky gray that seemed to dampen the moods of everyone. Ginny clenched her cloak closer to her to keep the warmth within. The redhead was alone as she walked down the stone walkways. Ginny wished that Harry were there with her. She hoped that he'd come up behind her and twirl her around. Then he would laugh and say he was there to stay with her forever. That what was holding him behind didn't matter anymore. That everything was going to be okay as long as they had each other.

She peered in several shops looking for Christmas gifts for her brothers, since she didn't know when she next would have a chance to shop for them. It was incredibly hard to shop for her brothers, due to the fact that they were boys. It was always harder shopping for boys than it was for girls.

Ginny had purchased several objects from Zonko's for Fred and George, knowing full well that the twins would work feverishly until they improved the items for their own shop. She had also purchased a Cannon's t-shirt and hat for Ron, hoping that she would see him at Christmas. She then purchased several miniature fire-breathing dragons for Charlie, hoping that he didn't already have those models in his collection. The redhead looked down at her bag of money to see it was considerably lighter. All the money that she had acquired since last Christmas was slowly disappearing, and she still needed to buy presents.

A loud bang sounded throughout the village, snapping Ginny out of her thoughts of Christmas. She whipped around to see a jet of green shoot up into the sky. The emerald mist started to take the form of the Dark Mark. Shouting came from the direction where the Shrieking Shack stood. Students fled towards her with tears pouring down their fear stricken faces. Ginny reached a hand into her cloak pocket and withdrew her wand. The girl shrunk her packages and placed them into her pockets.

Trying to make your way through a crowd of people running in the opposite way you are isn't an easy thing. A sickening feeling filled her body as Ginny pushed her way through the crowd to where the Dark Mark was gleaming in the gray sky. Ginny couldn't keep the creeping thought of Harry being in the fight out of her mind. She was convinced 'The Chosen One' was down there fighting. Ginny would be damned if she let anything happen to the boy she loved.

Another loud explosion filled the air as the Shrieking Shack collapsed into a pile of dust. With adrenaline running through every inch of her body, Ginny broke out in a run. She pushed people who were in her way. She fought to get towards where the fight was. In succession, four more building buckled in a pile of debris. It was then that Ginny saw bloody bodies of her fellow classmates lying dead on the cold ground. Dust filled the air; it was making it unbearable to see anything.

Flashes of lights blazed through the fog of dust. Spells were being cried and thumps were heard. Ginny saw several people fall to the ground. The redhead raised her wand and pointed it, but didn't utter a curse. Ginny didn't know which figures were Death Eaters and which ones were on the side of the light. A curse flew at Ginny and grazed her arm. Crimson swelled up and bleed on her robes.

"GET THE STUDENTS TO SAFETY!" a familiar voice shouted.

The fog started to slowly disperse, and the figures came into a clear view. Ginny pointed her wand at one of the masked Death Eaters and shouted a stunning spell. The figure went down like a ton of bricks. That's when Ginny saw him. Lord Voldemort was staring at her with piercing red eyes. He smirked and his wand rose into the air. The wand pointed at Ginny's chest, and she stood there immobilized. The Dark Lord's mouth moved and a ray of green light emitted from the wand. I'm going to die, Ginny's mind thought frantically.

Just as the curse was flying towards her, a body launched itself at her and the two fell to the ground. Ginny's head was swimming, and she didn't know what was going on. She felt strong arms wrap themselves around her and drag her away from the fight. Ginny clung to the robes of the person who was helping her. Brown eyes wandered up to see a white mask covering the person's face. Ginny squirmed to get out of their reach, but the person tightened their grip on her.

"Lemme go!" Ginny cried. "Help!"

"Stop struggling," a cold male voice hissed.

Ginny froze. How many times had she heard that voice insult her before? How many times had she hexed him for being an utter git? Why was he - of all people - helping her? Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater, and he was disobeying his master. Ginny struggled against the seventeen-year-old's firm grasp.

"Let me go, Malfoy!"

"If you don't come with me, you're going to die!"

Ginny reached up a hand and pulled the white mask down from Malfoy's face. His pointed features were as pale as ever. His lips were a pallid pink. His gray eyes were cold and distant. Malfoy didn't seem fazed by the fact his mask was lying on the floor. The blonde kept dragging the redhead away from the fight. Another explosion sounded from behind the two teenagers causing Malfoy to push Ginny to the ground.

A sea of dust filled the air as Malfoy covered as much of Ginny as he could with his body. Two more buildings blew up on either side of them. Malfoy stood up and grabbed Ginny to stand up. He then proceeded to drag her off towards Hogwarts. The two started coughing from the inhaling of wreckage.

"Why are you doing this?" Ginny asked as she still resisted.

"I'm saving your life!" Malfoy shot back.

"You're a Death Eater!" Ginny spat. "Why the hell do you care if I die?"

"I made a mistake!" Malfoy shouted. "I'm trying to make up for it!"

Ginny stomped her right foot onto Malfoy's toe. He grunted in pain and let go of her, which gave the redhead ample time to whip around and knee him in the crouch. The boy fell over in a heave of pain onto the dust filled street. Ginny's wand was nowhere to be seen, as she searched frantically around her.

Another loud explosion sounded as three building went up in smoke before crumpling into the ground. Jets from wands started flying around Ginny. She flung herself at the ground so that she wouldn't be hit. She was wandless and therefore vulnerable to attack. The redhead knew she was going to die. She couldn't help but think about her funeral. Surely, Harry would hear about it and attend it - weeping over her icy, lifeless body.

A hand gripped Ginny's wrist and hauled her up, strong arms wrapped around her whole body. The Gryffindor didn't register who was helping her nor could she see. Tears were blinding her vision. Spells flew in every direction, but Ginny barely took notice of them. Her mind was so numb to everything happening around her.

The person who was holding her fell to the ground, causing Ginny to tumble with him. She blinked back several tears and looked into the wizard's wide, cold-looking eyes. Sturgis Podmore - member of the Order of the Phoenix - lay dead on the ground. The girl reached out a shaking hand and closed the eyes of the man. It was all too much.

"Weasley!" a voice filled with malice hissed.

Another person grabbed Ginny and dragged her away from the fight. The teenager turned to freeze in horror at the wizard who was helping her - or very well trying to kill her. Black, greasy hair was matted around his face. His eyes were colder than ever. It was the man who murdered Albus Dumbledore as though it was nothing. Severus Snape was hauling her away from the battle to do what? Torture her? Rape her? Kidnap her? Kill her?

"You!" Ginny hissed. "You bastard! Lemme go!"

Ginny Weasley tried to fight against the Death Eater's strong clutch, but found that her energy was completely drawn from her. She was tired and hurting. The cut on her arm was still bleeding profusely, and the redhead feared she would soon pass out from the blood loss. She tried to fight none the less, for Weasleys don't give up.

"Draco!" Snape hissed as he ignored Ginny. "Get her up to the castle."

Snape pushed Ginny into the arms of Malfoy. The castle? It was too good to hope. Surely, they weren't going to just save her life? No, they couldn't. They were ruthless, cruel Death Eaters who took pleasure in torment and slaughter. Several more explosions sounded as Malfoy half dragged/half carried Ginny closer towards the castle.

Ginny allowed the boy to take her away. Her vision was too blurry and her head too dizzy. Before she knew it, the two teenagers were at the entrance of Hogwarts. Malfoy tried to open the gate, but found it was locked. He cursed under his breath. The blonde then started shooting several spells at the chains, but found it was a futile attempt.

A silver mist emitted somewhere behind the two teens and dashed its way through the bars. The redhead turned her head - as a sharp pain shot through her whole body - to see that Snape was standing behind them with a very pale third year boy leaning up against his side.

Ginny's eyes drooped, but she fought to keep them open. The Gryffindor tried to speak to Snape, but found her throat oddly dry. Her whole body felt as though it were on fire. Ginny found the strength to ask, "What are you doing?" Snape turned towards her with a mild look of shock on his face, but it quickly left to be replaced with the usual sullen-looking face.

"Saving your life, Weasley," he answered coldly as he shot another silver mist from his wand.

"You're a murderer," Ginny hissed in a low voice. "You murdered Dumbledore."

"Potter didn't see what he thought he saw," Snape retorted bitterly. "His mind can't even begin to comprehend what he doesn't understand. Draco, leave her. We have to go. The Dementors should be arriving soon."

Ginny was placed gently on the ground as was the third year. Malfoy and Snape turned and dashed off towards the village. The Gryffindor crawled towards the smaller, bloodstained wizard. The boy looked up at Ginny with tears glistening in his eyes. The two Hogwarts students then embraced, both hoping that a professor would find them soon.

The lock to the gate clicked several times. Ginny turned to see Hagrid standing above them. She forced a small smile onto her face as the half giant swept down and pulled them both into his arms. Ginny winced in pain, but was grateful that she was going to be safely inside Hogwarts. The locks to the gates clicked into place once the three of them were on the grounds of the school.

"Hagrid..." Ginny wheezed. "Dementors are coming. The Dementors... Snape... Malfoy...."

"Yeh shhh," Hagrid instructed. "I need ter get yeh ter Madam Pomfrey."

Ginny vaguely remembered being laid down onto a stiff hospital bed and Madam Pomfrey forcing down goblets filled with nasty tasting liquid. It was then that her world went black. Nothing else seemed to matter as she slept peacefully for the first time since Harry had broken up with her. Her troubles and worries slipped away into nothingness.

A slight buzz reached Ginny's ears as she forced her eyes open. The professors were huddled towards one corner whispering feverishly. Brown eyes wandered over towards the bed next to her to see that the pale third year was sleeping. With her head pounding, Ginny turned towards the other side to see Adrasteia Pomeroy resting peacefully. The Gryffindor strained her ears to hear what the professors were talking about, but there was that annoying buzzing blocking the voices.

"Ginny?" Professor Lupin asked as he stood above her bed with worry etched across his face. "Are you okay?"

Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but found that her throat was too dry. Having no other way to communicate, the redhead simply just nodded her head. Her brown eyes wandered over towards the other professors who were making their way to her bed. McGonagall led the small group. Following her were Hagrid, Flitwick, Aberforth Dumbledore, Slughorn, and Pomfrey.

"Are you all right long enough to answer some questions?" McGonagall asked.

"Throat," Ginny rasped, "hurt."

Madam Pomfrey rushed towards her office and came back seconds later with a goblet filled with white liquid. The matron basically shoved the contents down the girl's mouth. Ginny felt immediately better, her throat seemed not so dry or tight as it was before. The teenager smiled her thanks before turning to address the headmistress.

"Yes, but," Ginny started, "how is that boy?"

Ginny pointed to the third year that Snape saved earlier. The adults turned their head simultaneously to look at the boy. Then they all turned back to Ginny with looks of bewilderment on their faces. It was as if they couldn't believe Ginny knew the boy or even cared about him.

"He- he was with me, you see," Ginny continued. "Hagrid saved us both by the gates."

"You mean Shane Nottingham?" McGonagall inquired. "He's fine. Who brought you and Mr. Nottingham to the castle gates?"

"This is going to sound crazy, but I swear to you I'm not lying," Ginny spoke as she looked pleadingly over at Remus. "Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was dragging me towards the castle. I fought with him, because I thought he was going to kill me or something. I attacked him basically, and got away. Then Snape - this is the weird part - Snape grabbed me and was dragging me. Then he threw me at Malfoy and told him to take me to the castle. Then when Malfoy and I arrived at the gates, we figured out they were locked. Then Snape comes up behind us with- with Shane and shoots this silvery stuff pass us-"

"Snape casted a Patronus," Remus explained. "It's how the Order communicates."

"I saw Snape's Patronus," Hagrid commented. "I was goin' ter murder him, but when I got there, Ginny and Shane were there. I took 'em in."

"Snape said that Dementors are coming," Ginny said frantically, just remembering. "The Dementors are coming! We gotta stop them!"

"They've already came and went," Flitwick told her. "You've been out for a whole day. Your parents were here earlier, but they just left about an hour ago to get some lunch. They'll be back soon."

"People- people died... Sturgis Podmore -"

"Yes, we found his body along with several others from the Order and Ministry," McGonagall announced as her face grew very grave. "A couple students have passed as well."

Ginny closed her eyes tightly at the thought of her fellow classmates dying. Please not Luna, Ginny thought furiously, Or Ian or Neville. The redhead opened her eyes and looked up at Remus. Her eyes burned and itched with tears threatening to fall. The few students who were still attending Hogwarts would no doubt start being pulled from the castle. Hogwarts would most likely be closed down and abandoned.

The infirmary doors burst open to reveal Ginny's parents and her big brother Bill. Each of them had looks of relief on their faces when they saw the youngest Weasley awake and sitting up in bed talking to the professors. Molly pushed her way through the professors and pulled her only daughter into a bone-crushing hug.

"You're all right!" Molly cried. "I've been so worried!"

"Mum, please, need air!"

Molly pulled away from her daughter and sat back on the edge of the bed. Ginny's mother started fussing with the bed covers and pushing strands of hair out of her daughter's pale face. Arthur and Bill walked over with smiles on their faces. Bill clamped a hand on his baby sister's shoulder.

"Gave us quite a scare, Sis," Bill said fondly.

"I'm fine," Ginny stressed as her mother gave her a dubious look. "Seriously. I mean at least I'm not dead like some others."

"Ginny!" Molly cried. "Don't talk like that!"

"It's the truth!" the younger redhead protested. "Students died out there, Mum!"

"I know, Ginny, Merlin knows I know," Molly sighed.

"You don't know the half of it, Molly," McGonagall spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Arthur spoke for the first time since he arrived.

"Snape and Malfoy were the ones who brought Ginny to the castle," the headmistress said bitterly. "They were the ones who saved her and the other boy."

"Snape?" Bill questioned. "Why would he save Ginny? He murdered Dumbledore, and I'm willing to bet my life he's not the only one who has met a sticky end because of Snape."

Something didn't make sense to Ginny or to anyone else in the room. Why would Snape and Malfoy - known Death Eaters - save the life of someone they hated? Ginny wracked her brain. What had Snape told her about Harry? He mentioned him, that was for sure.

"Snape... he talked about Harry," Ginny announced as all eyes turned towards her.

"What did he say?" Aberforth Dumbledore spoke up from the back with his eyes narrowed.

"He- he talked about how- how Harry didn't see what he thought he saw or something like that. He was talking about Dumbledore's death and how Harry didn't understand what happened."

"That's suspicious," Remus declared with a pensive look on his face.

"Harry wouldn't lie," Hagrid interrupted. "Harry knew what he saw, and Snape's just trying ter get back in the Order ter spy."

"I'm not talking about Harry, Hagrid," Remus said firmly. "I know Harry wouldn't lie about anything, especially something like that. It's Snape's words that make me curious. I think he was trying to tell us something and found the perfect opportunity with Ginny. He aided in saving her life to send us a message."

"You think Snape's innocent, Lupin?" Aberforth Dumbledore asked gruffly.

"I didn't say anything of the sort," Remus protested. "I was just suggesting that it seemed peculiar that's all.

Ginny slowly started to fall asleep again, and she started to tune out the voices around her. They were arguing about Snape and what his motives were. Sleep was coming to the redhead with open arms, so Ginny embraced it back.