NO SIGNAL ➝ FRED WEASLEY [1] ✓

ONE HUNDRED AND ONE [HOGWARTS]

here's a picture of my cat as an apology

Amelia hugged Fred as tightly as she could as Voldemort's army congregated in the ruined courtyard along with what was left of Hogwarts' fighters and the Order of the Phoenix.

Her face was puffy from bawling her eyes out upon seeing her dead classmates, teachers, and friends, but she was not prepared to surrender. Not while her heart was still beating.

Rubeus Hagrid stood tall above the crowd of Death Eaters around him, and in his arms was a body, but he was too far away for Amelia to tell who it was.

At her left side, Ginny stiffened. "Who is that, that Hagrid's carrying?" She asked Neville Longbottom, who stood a few feet in front of her. "Nev, who is it?"

"Harry Potter... is dead!" Voldemort proclaimed proudly.

"No!" Ginny screamed. She would have rushed forward if it weren't for Amelia's grip on the back of her jacket.

Voldemort waved his wand, and she went quiet. "Silence!"

"Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead! From this day forth, you put your faith... in me."

A cheer went up among the Death Eaters, and Bellatrix Lestrange cackled from her place in their ranks.

With his arms wide open, the Dark Lord continued. "Now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us—or die."

Amelia huddled even closer to Fred and felt her sister shuffle up behind her, so close that she could feel her body heat.

She would not surrender.

Neville stepped forward, the tarnished Sorting Hat in his hand.

"Oh, godric, no." Amelia whispered, heart sinking at the thought of Neville joining the other side.

Neville cleared his throat. "It doesn't matter that Harry's gone."

"Stand down, Neville." Seamus Finnegan said lowly from somewhere off to Amelia's left.

"People die every day—friends, family." Neville continued as though he was never interrupted. "Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us. We lost Percy. And Remus, Tonks. But they didn't die in vain!

"But you will, 'cause you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us, for all of us."

Neville pulled the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, and she gasped.

"It's not over!"

Suddenly, what was supposed to be the dead body of Harry Potter tumbled out of Hagrid's arms, whipping out his wand and casting a spell at the snake that lay coiled beside Voldemort.

Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix was alive with hope once more, and as the other side Disapparated away, the students and adults rushed to get into the castle.