February of 1996

77

As she was running down the hall, she looked for the familiar face of Fred Weasley. Everywhere in the castle was chaos and destruction.

The two stone gargoyles that regularly guarded the entrance to the staffroom had been destroyed.

The castle was strangely silent, Irena realized as she continued to run to the Great hall.

There were no flashes of light now, no bangs or screams or shouts.

The flagstones of the deserted entrance hall were stained with blood. Pieces of marble and splintered wood were scattered all over the floor. Part of the banisters had been blown away.

As Irena entered the Great Hall, she saw the survivors standing in groups, their arms around each other.

The injured were being treated upon the raised platform by Madam Pomfrey and a group of helpers. The dead lay in a row in the middle of the Hall.

Tears were running down her face when she saw Remus and Tonks, pale and still and peaceful-looking, apparently asleep underneath the dark, enchanted ceiling.

She saw a familiar group of red hair gathered around Arthur hugging Molly; not too far from them were George and Rue, who had minor injuries on their faces. She walked closer to them, but she didn't see Fred "where is he," she asked George, her voice shaking.

He moved and behind him was Fred, his back against the wall with one of his eyes swollen yellow and purple there were gouge marks on his face and blood on the left side of his stomach.

Tears started running down her face, and she kneeled down carefully touching his cheek, Fred flinched and opened his eyes, "Rena," she hugged him tightly, "you arse, I thought you were d-dead," she said, breaking the hug and hitting him on his shoulder.

"Ow Rena, I'm injured," he said, moving his hand from his stomach that was covered in blood "and don't worry, Madam Pomfrey already checked me. I'll be alright but she advised me to go to St Mungo's Hospital to make sure no internal organs were damaged," he said knowing that she was worried about him.

She nodded and rested her forehead on his; she was happy that he was alright, and the rest of the Weasleys were too.

They were barely able to rest when they heard his voice once again.

Voldemorts voice could be heard from outside the castle as he said, "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

Fred tried to get up, and Irena helped him. Many didn't believe what he was saying; Harry couldn't be dead; they didn't want to believe that. Harry would have never run away that was not the Harry that they knew.

"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. Anybody who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your 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."

There was silence on the grounds and from the castle. Everyone that was in the Great Hall made their way outside.

Irena saw the death eaters and Voldemort in front of them as well as Hagrid carrying the lifeless body of Harry Potter.

"NO!" The scream was the most horrifying because no one had ever expected that Professor McGonagall could make such a sound. Bellatrix let out a loud wicked laugh gloried in McGonagall's hopelessness.

"No!" "Harry! HARRY!" Ron's, Hermione's, and Ginny's voices were worse than McGonagall's as they tried to make their way to him, but Arthur and Bill held them back.

Irena had tears in her eyes as she saw the scene. "SILENCE!" cried Voldemort, and there was a bang and a flash of bright light, and silence was forced upon them all. "It's over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!" Harry was lowered onto the grass.

"You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!" Bellatrix was laughing and jumping around celebrating the death of Harry.

No one moved, no one said anything until Neville started limping closer to Voldemort himself.

Voldemort looked at him up and down as Bellatrix said something to him.

"Neville Longbottom, is it? You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville." "I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville.

"Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted, and there was an answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort's Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold.