The Forgotten 7th Year

The Forbidden Forest

I'm going to take away the request to not swear that I made in the first chapter. I feel like a hypocrite to tell you not to, when I swore in this chapter. I felt like it's what Neville would have said. I will however, ask you to keep it to a minimum.

Ginny's POV

We stood there staring at the point were Snape had left. I sighed as all the adrenaline drained from me, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Luna and Neville rushed to my side.

"Are you ok?" Luna was in tears

"That Bastard! And she just let him." Neville looked livid, like he wanted to break something.

"This is all my fault, I wish the Umbigular Slashkilter ate me."

"Don't say that. This is no one's fault by theirs. Don't blame yourself, and it's—,"

But I couldn't force myself to say "fine." Because, it wasn't. None of this was fine.

From upstairs we heard Snape yelling. Amicus was trying to defend himself.

"It's not what it looked like."

"Oh, really? Because it looked like you pinned her the wall while you tried to rip off her shirt! Is that not what happened?"

"But, if you knew the whole story-"

There was a bang and a pained yell.

"There is nothing else I want to hear."

As Snape continued to punish them, I couldn't help but feel a small twinge of satisfaction.

But all too soon, it ended.

"The Dark Lord will hear about this." Amicus muttered.

"Oh, yes. Count on it. I will send him a message as soon as I get back to my office."

Alecto's reply was muffled.

Footsteps stormed away.

I realized I was still on the ground. I curled, catlike, into a ball and went to sleep.

The door slammed and my eyes flew open. Amicus stood there, wand in hand. He pointed it at Neville with sinister intent.

"No!"

I jumped to my feet, but I was too late.

"Avada Kedavra!" He roared, and Neville fell, lifeless. Luna ran to him, but Amicus pointed his wand at her too. "Avada Kedavra!" She fell, and her head hit the stone floor with a sickening crack. Blood pooled around her, and seeped into her long blonde hair.

"Now, it's just you and me, Pretty."

And then Harry was there, Hermione by his side. He watched with amused interest. Amicus looked at him.

"Go ahead, I never loved her. I found my soulmate, right here." And Hermione intertwined her arms around him. He gazed passionately into her eyes. She combed her fingers threw his messy black hair.

Amicus moved in, and just briefly I saw Harry and Hermione kissing.

"You're mine, Pretty."

I woke in a cold sweat.

"Ginny! Are you ok?" Luna ran to my side.

"Wha-you're dead! I saw him kill you. And you!" I pointed at Neville. "He, just-. And then Harry was there, and." But the words caught in my throat, and I couldn't continue.

The dream was fading, but the terror remained.

"It's ok, it's not real."

"I know. But it felt real." I hugged her, and cried into her shoulder.

***

The door once again opened, but this time it was not a dream.

Alecto opened the door.

"Come." She led us out to the Forbidden Forest, then, with a pained look handed us back our wands.

I looked at my wand, and a stroke of brilliance hit me. It was stupid, careless, and I would surely pay for it a hundred times over, but-"

"You've given me the wrong wand. This one's Neville's."

"Why should I care, switch it up amongst yourselves."

"But that's not what the headmaster directed. He told you to give us our wands, and right now you're one for three." I paused for a moment.

"All I'm asking for you to do is your job."

She growled something incoherent, and ripped my wand out of my hand. She forced it on Neville, and gave me his.

"Thank you." I said with determined pleasantness.

She stomped up to the castle, muttering threats and promises.

"That was very stupid of you."

"I know." I switched with Neville.

"Actually, give that to me. She did mess up, it just wasn't yours."

"Why didn't you complain?"

"Because I'm in Ravenclaw."

I gave her a look.

Neville changed the subject. "Let's go find Hagrid." His cabin door creaked when I opened it.

"Ah, there ye are. I was gettin nervous." We followed him. "And I can trust you not to tell them Carrows nothing?"

"Of course."

"Well, when they tell me to tend to the Ferbidden Forest, well, there isn't much to tend to ter be honest ..I've been sneaking down ter have a few pints now and then. An I brought Buterbeers fer you."

Neville chortled. "If only the Carrows knew. They'd go ballistic!"

Hagrid led us down to a clearing wear a picnic table had been set up. It really was quite beautiful here. Hagrid revealed several tankards of foaming Butterbeer.

Hagrid toasted.
"To the hope of a free Hogwarts!" We echoed and drank. It tasted better knowing it signified some small victory over the Carrows.

Hey! I know it's short, but I wanted to do a less stressful chapter. Again, thanks for reading and watch out for the next update. Comments, criticism, random letter combinations,

Here

Thanks,
Aria