Disclaimer: I take credit for this plot and my own characters, but everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Note: And so we near the ending. You guys have been amazing and have made my first experience as an Author on Portkey so remarkably memorable. I hope someday soon, "M" and I can provide you with more fics. Half the fun of writing, I think, is getting the feedback, and though you may not know it, you reviewers have written half of this story! There are only two or three chapters left in Unsung Hero, and I just wanted to thank all of you for following this and perfecting the experience. Enjoy the latest chapter!
Chapter Twenty-One
The End of the World As We Know It
Luna grew increasingly quiet during the next two days. Had she been any other woman, Ron would've pressed the matter with an endless array of questions: Was she okay? Was it something he had done? Was it anything he could fix? But if Luna were any other woman, he wouldn't be able to know what was on her mind simply by looking at her face. He kept an eye on her in her silence and noted how her eyes flicked uneasily at the mountains before them as they steadily grew larger with each passing day. He would wake up at night to find her crying softly while she slept uneasily in his arms. When they would stop to rest their horses, he would watch as she went to sit by a tree or a stream and close her eyes, and as she did the wind would pick up around her, as if it was trying to comfort her in ways he could not.
As much as it pained him to see her so distraught, Ron kept his distance from his love at those times. He knew without asking what this change in her mood was about. As they neared the mountains where the fortress lay, he could only begin to imagine the memories that came flooding back and mixed with the foreknowledge that her life had been predicted to end in this upcoming battle. There was no guarantee that there would be bloodshed, but they both had the premonition that their visit to Damien's would not be a simple matter of search and rescue. He tried to pretend that he didn't notice the lingering somber looks she cast his way, tried to ignore the tragic message he would find in her blue eyes if he dared to look. "I love you," they would say, "but I'm doomed to die and will never know happiness with you." Ron set his jaw and clenched the reins in his hands. Luna would not die when they reached the fortress tomorrow, he would make sure of that.
They reached the base of the snow-capped mountains around noon. Ron stared up at them, not in awe of their majesty, but of the simple matter that this time tomorrow, the entire war might be over. He spotted the path they were to take and cast the Charm that would keep them warm and dry as they passed through it. Without a moment's hesitation, he urged his mount forward, eager to get Draco and Hermione back to Hogwarts and avoid a battle if they could. The sooner he was back inside the castle walls, safe behind it's protection charms and spells, the sooner he was back in friendly territory with Luna, the better.
He heard a whinny and looked behind him, confused. Luna's horse was prancing nervously in place, and Luna herself looked as if she had been hit with a Freezing Charm. The death-grip she held on her reins had rendered her hands white, her face had paled, her misty eyes were wide and unseeing, her lips were so pursed Ron thought she might split them, and her hair blew around her on a wind unfelt by him. He watched her for a moment, understanding her delay, but they had to keep moving. If he let her be overcome with doubt now, she would not make the rest of the journey.
"Luna," He said quietly. She jumped and looked around at him. She bit her lip and nodded, then fell into place beside him. They rode on in a stiff silence until darkness fell. Luna created a particularly strong gust of wind to clear them a spot in the snow, and Ron cast a Bubble Charm for them to reside in for the night, safe from the bitter cold. After they had successfully started a fire, Ron began to undo his bedroll for the night. Finished, he looked around the fire for Luna. Her complete silence up to this point was beginning to actually worry him. He found her with her back to the fire, arms crossed and staring up at the snow-filled sky, an unreadable look on her face. She felt him staring and looked over her shoulder, and as she did Ron had a clear view of the sadness in her eyes. He felt his heart break in two.
"Come here," He said gently, standing and holding out his arms. She smirked ruefully and went over to him. Ron gathered her against him as she twined her arms through his and rested her forehead against the hollow of his neck. Lovingly, he kissed the top of her head and pulled her as close as he could possibly get her. He said nothing, but eventually he felt hot tears begin to drip down his chest. He stroked her hair as her tears thickened and her body began to shudder, but still he said nothing. In time, her weeping subsided, but she continued to cling to Ron. Gently, he eased himself away from her and took her face in his hands. Her eyes avoided him.
"Look at me, Luna," He whispered and she obeyed. Sniffing and biting her lip, she looked up at him, eyes bloodshot and face tear streaked. Consumed by the desire to wash away her grief, he kissed her lightly on her forehead, watched her eyes close when he moved to the tip of her nose, and was awoken by her sigh when he passionately found her mouth. He didn't need words; he let his kiss tell her everything he needed to say.
"I love you," She heard him say as he sat on his bedroll and pulled her into his lap. "I'll protect you forever," said his hands as they caressed her face and arms. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," declared his lips as he ran them over her neck, jaw line, and eventually, hard and ardently against her mouth.
Suddenly, in a moment of pure and utter passion, their hands found each other's faces, and as she held on to him she looked deep into his eyes. The fire and snow around them vanished and they knew nothing but each other. Luna didn't need words or touches or kisses to hear what Ron was telling her as he looked at her in that moment.
"And I will not let you die tomorrow."
~*~*~*~*~
Ever since Draco's capture, Ginny had formed a habit of waking before the sun. The night after Harry had left, she found herself being jolted out of sleep even earlier than usual. Carefully, she moved off of the bed and slipped out of the room. Her daughters had taken to sleeping on either side of their mother, and Ginny did not want to wake them. Silently, so as not to disturb anyone in the castle, she made her way to one of the Astronomy towers. Something was wrong. She couldn't place it, but she could definitely feel it. Shaking back her sheet of red hair, she stepped through the trap door and went over to the parapet. Squinting, she looked out to the horizon. The navy blue of the night was steadily lightening to a pearly gray as the sky yielded to morning's grace, but Ginny could see nothing in the distance but the usual trees and scenery. With a restless sigh, she turned to go back down into the castle, and in doing so, was nearly knocked over by an extremely excited Neville Longbottom.
"Ginny!" He exclaimed as he bounced away from her.
"Neville?" She demanded, instantly on her guard. The last time she had seen Neville like this, the Death Eaters had captured Hermione. "What is it?"
"I just got word! An army of Death Eaters found the location of Forgotten Valley and broke through the magic barrier. The entire town has been destroyed."
"Oh my God," Ginny gasped, one had going to her mouth and the other searching behind her for support from the parapet. Her heart beat wildly beneath her chest. She knew what he was going to say next.
"Ginny," Neville said slowly, forcing himself to be calm. He could tell that his commotion would not help her any at this moment, and she was currently their commander and needed to have as clear a head as possible at all times. "Ginny, if they've found Forgotten Valley, they've found the Express, and if they've found the Express--"
"They've found us," She whispered in a terrified voice as her eyes wandered in the direction of Forgotten Valley. Neville waited in expectant silence as Ginny composed herself. She was in control of Hogwarts now. Harry was depending on her to keep everyone safe.
"How much time do we have?" She asked Neville, her gaze still trained to the east, where the sun and Death Eaters would soon crest the hills that lay in that direction.
"Approximately three hours," Neville said. Ginny nodded.
"Wake the castle. Take the children and the elders into Hogsmede through the secret passages. Secure them in the caves there. I want everyone we can get to fight to be ready. I don't care if they're even a Muggle. If they're willing to fight, give them a sword. I want the members of the Few in the Great Hall at once. Send sentries to Forgotten Valley to look for survivors and send any to Hogsmede. We need to prepare. We cannot let the castle fall."
Neville nodded, turned on his heel, and sped into the castle. Ginny's hand went back to her mouth and she watched the horizon again. It was painting itself a beautiful shade of burnt orange, but she knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. The Death Eaters were coming for Harry; they thought he would be most vulnerable now that he had learned that Hermione was not only imprisoned in their fortress, but pregnant as well.
"But Harry's not here," Ginny told the hills quietly, but firmly all the same. "Harry will take you down from the inside, and you have to deal with me now. And no one takes my husband from me without paying the price."
She could hear the inhabitants of the castle stirring. Drawing herself up to her full height, Ginny turned and went through the trap door, avoiding all the questions that were being shot at her. She wanted to wake her daughters personally, see them safely out of harm's way with her own eyes...and then she had to prepare for war.
~*~*~*~*~
"There it is," Luna said softly the next morning. She had insisted that they wake up for and early start, and Ron knew better than to argue with her on today of all days. Not long after the sun began it's ascent into the sky they crested a mountain of snow and looked down. The path they were taking wound around to the left, but the road was narrow. It was a straight drop beneath them, and far below, Ron saw it for the first time.
The massive building dominated the expanse of the snowy field it was situated upon. Snow fell around them thickly, but the dark iron of the fortress refused to be lost in the ballet of the white flurries. Ron could see two huge trolls stationed at either side of the main gates, and with the magical eye drops of the Spell Caster to aid him, he was sure he would be able to make out the innumerable Charms, Curses and Spells that had been cast on the stronghold.
Ron turned to Luna, who was staring intently at the tallest tower of the fortress. He didn't need to ask what she was thinking; he had seen enough of her thoughts to understand the memories that flooded her from that balcony. He waited out her reverie in silence. Finally, she turned to him, a grim look on her face.
"The moment of truth," Ron said quietly, a sad smile on his face. He trusted and believed that she was not working for the enemy, but his years of training were waging an internal war with his heart. He wanted to follow her in and out of this fort with the utmost faith in her, but he still couldn't dismiss the twinge in his gut that said he was being led into a trap.
"We ought to leave the horses," She said decisively, ignoring the frivolity of his last remark. Briskly, she turned to their mounts and cast a spell over them to prevent them from wandering off and keep them warm while they accomplished the mission. Ron watched as she took a deep breath, and then placed her palms together and closed her eyes. He didn't know whether she was praying or performing some sort of magic, but he knew better than to disrupt her. Looking away so as to giver her full privacy, he adjusted his sword in its sheath and his wand in his belt.
Apprehensively, he ran his fingers through his hair and watched the snowfall. It seemed so long ago when he had told Harry he would prefer it if Luna stayed behind and when Harry had questioned his adamant displeasure at her companionship, Ron had sworn that he had no feelings for her whatsoever. He was a warrior, and warriors had no room for emotions. But for the past week and a half, he had been human again. He had known camaraderie, had known friendship, had understood the meaning of sacrifice, had been a confidant and above all, had discovered love. Now all of a sudden, he was being asked to transform back into the aggressor, to cast all affections aside and once again take up his sword and wand and do battle. He was being asked to kill, that's what it came down to in the end. He hadn't taken a life since Isabella, and she had been half dead anyway. He didn't doubt his ability, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to walk that path anymore. But he would for today, once more, for Luna.
Luna could hear his thoughts as clearly as her own as she meditated a few yards away. She knew he would try to protect her today and his loyalty to her brought tears to her eyes. She knew he would go to the ends of the earth to ensure her safety, but she also knew that she had sealed her destiny years ago the night she had killed Eric. She had tried to tell him during their entire journey, but he had refused to listen, had refused to brand her as the murderer she was and condemn her to the fate she had long ago accepted, and now her day of judgment had finally dawned. She cared not for her own safety; her concern was getting Hermione, Draco and Ron out of the fortress unharmed. Eyes closed, she took a deep breath and went over the route on final time in her mind. She could do this, she could and she would. She had to. There was no other way.
"Let's go," She said without glancing at Ron and turned around. Up ahead their narrow path met with a rock wall, but behind them was the freedom of the snowdrifts. Ron expected to take the path farther down the sloping cliff, but Luna backtracked and skirted the path, her feet sinking deep into the white dunes of frozen water as she clambered over them. Confused, Ron followed. They traversed the snow mounds as they sloped up and down for a while, until Ron was sure the fortress was a good mile and a half behind them. This self-forged path of theirs perplexed him, but he never once even consider doubting her.
The whiteness of the snow was beginning to blind him when Luna stopped in front of a particularly large snowdrift. Ron watched as she dusted off some of the snow and then placed her palm hard against it. To his surprise, her hand did not sink through the snow; in fact, it suspended against it as if she were pressing upon a rock. She took her left hand and, placing it directly above her right one, she pushed against the snowdrift with all of her might. Ron saw vapor steaming off of it and the snow suddenly surrendered and metamorphosed back into its original form of water. Luna took her hands away from the magical waterfall as it all poured down around her, splashing down in hot puddles at her feet and then evaporating into the chilly air. Ron stared in shock at the misty cave that suddenly stood before him.
"Come on," Luna urged him forward, not at all phased by what had just happened, almost as if she turned solid ice into lakes every day. Obediently, Ron followed her. The inside of the cave was dark and moist, the stalactites and stalagmites covered in algae and slime. Ron and Luna lit up their wands with a whisper of "Alohamora" and navigated their steps around the puddles, so as not to telegraph their footsteps to anyone who might be lurking nearby. There was a massive crunching noise and a sudden flood of darkness that made Ron spin around. The mouth of the cave had filled with snow again, sealing them off from the rest of the world. He turned to Luna for an explanation. Though her back was to him, she answered him anyway, as if she had read his mind.
"This is a forgotten passageway," She whispered, her soft words throwing a haunting echo around the dim cavern. "I read about it in one of the books in the back of the library in the fortress. After I knew the secret, I burned it so it would remain hidden to all but me. It's simple, really. The snow only melts for a magical touch. To anyone else, it's pure ice underneath. No one's been down here in ye--" Her voice trailed off and she stopped so abruptly, Ron nearly walked into her. She held up her hand for silence when he opened his mouth to question her and peered into the darkness. With a swish of her wand, both of their lights were extinguished. Ron's eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden change of light, but in that instant of vulnerability, he heard an impromptu series of splashes and a struggle. Ron heard a sword being ripped from a sheath instantly drew his and advanced on the fight. Without thinking, he relit his wand and illuminated the startling scene for all three of them.
Luna was three yards away, half concealed by a rock, but Ron could still see everything perfectly. She was straddling a man, her legs pinning his strong arms against his side, her left hand full of black hair, her right hand poising her sword menacingly against his throat. The emerald eyes of Harry Potter stared up at her in shock, then flicked over to Ron as soon as he came into view. Luna's threatening sneer slid off her face much like the snow had melted a few moments ago, and she jumped off of Harry as quickly as she had attacked him.
"Harry!" She exclaimed as she shoved her sword back in its sheath. "How did you get in here?"
Ron too sheathed his blade and went over to help his commander to his feet. Harry wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve before looking them over. Ron couldn't help notice that his friend seemed to have aged ten more years since he had been him last. His face was gaunt, his eyes large and bright against his sallow skin. Water dripped off of him from where Luna had pushed him in the water, but Harry didn't seem to mind. He looked relieved to see them.
"I couldn't stand staying behind with Hermione in danger," He explained. "We got word a few days ago that she's pregnant, and Ron, I had to come myself. So I Apparated to this area and...well, I got lost from there," He laughed bitterly to himself. "I got word from Ginny on the cell phone before I lost reception this morning that the Death Eaters ransacked Forgotten Valley and are headed for Hogwarts--" Ron and Luna gasped simultaneously and exchanged terrified looks. "--but by then I was too cold and weak to Apparate back. So I leaned up against this gigantic snowdrift and it turned into a tsunami right over my head. I followed the tunnel for a little while and then stopped to rest, and then you guys came and Luna nearly decapitated me." He nodded approvingly at Luna, commending her for her agility and ferocity in which she had handled the situation. She blushed and muttered an apology that Harry dismissed with a wave of his hand. He then turned his eyes on Ron. "I was beginning to get worried when an eight day trip took you eleven. What happened?"
Ron laughed just as bitterly as Harry had as he thought back on their excursion. "We, er, ran into a few delays that couldn't be helped," He explained with a look that clearly said, "You can hear the gory details later." Harry nodded his understanding and then swept his gaze over the two of them. A broad grin broke out on his face, a smile Ron hadn't seen since the day he married Hermione a mere month ago. "Come on, guys. With the three of us fighting together, this godforsaken fortress won't stand a chance." He reached behind the rock he had been using for refuge and adjusted his gear. With a sweeping bow, he said to Luna, "Ladies first." She smiled and led them down the length of the tunnel, Ron and Harry flanking either side of her. Perhaps, with The Boy Who Lived and her love beside her...perhaps she stood a chance.
~*~*~*~*~
The doors of the Great Hall were shut tight. The ceiling above their heads mimicked the mood that had befallen over them all; huge black thunderclouds and puffy gray rain clouds that were waiting for the opportune moment to relieve themselves. Heat lightning crackled high above the clouds, and a particularly strong bolt lit up the face of Virginia Malfoy as she stood on top of the old teacher's table and looked down at the members of the Few who had assembled there. Their serious faces looked gravely into hers, their bodies arrayed with an impressive assortment of weapons, their muscles toned and trained for battles such as this. Ginny recognized schoolmates, old teachers, some of the original members of the Order of the Phoenix. She saw friends and relatives, old and young alike, pureblood, Half-blood and Muggle born banded together to engage in the largest confrontation of good and evil known to mankind. And she was at the head of it all. She was to lead these people to battle, to urge them to step outside and fight for a cause that could either save them all...or take their lives and imprison their families.
Those who could not fight were residing safely in Hogsmede. Ginny could count the survivors of the Forgotten Valley attack on both of her hands and still have fingers to spare. Those who were part of the fighting force under ARMED were stationed at various intervals around the castle and its grounds, but Ginny knew their only hope at salvation today lay in the abilities of these three hundred or so people before her.
Already the Death Eaters were outside the grounds, their powerful magic combining and whittling down the barriers of the castle. Ginny knew that a force of that magnitude would succeed in breaching the magical walls within the hour, and she knew her troops were just as aware of that fact as she was. And yet here they all were, their expressions ready and serious, not a moment's glimpse of hesitation or doubt for their cause ever crossing their face. Though their dedication was obvious, they could not dismiss their nerves. Hands twitched over handles of swords, fingers fiddled with wands, teeth chewed on lips, eyes darted about the room. She needed to settle them if she wanted to have a chance at winning this thing. She felt a sudden wave of compassion for Harry, who had put up with being the one they turned to for his entire life.
"Prophecies have whispered of this day for years," She said softly, the tomblike silence of the room carrying her voice to those assembled in the very back just as clearly as it was to those in the front. "As children, we all knew the stories of the evil that had once been banished from our community. But that evil returned not too long ago, and today, we are going to become the characters in the stories for our children. Look at the person standing beside you. It does not matter who they are or what ancestry runs in their blood. Today, we are all allies. Today, we will fight for each other's families, each other's beliefs...each other's lives."
A jet of red light flashed across the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall followed closely by three more. People everyone pointed and gasped. Ginny calmly acknowledged it, then looked back at the assembled Few. She gave them a moment for her words and that demonstration from the enemy to sink through. The soldiers outside of the Hall were shouting to one another, their voices audible but unclear. The Death Eaters must be getting close.
Eventually, all the faces looked back to Ginny. She ran her eyes over them, making contact with those she could, hoping she was stirring confidence in them as she did. "This is for your families," She began, her voice calm and unwavering. "This is for your friends, for the Muggles, for the person you pass in these very halls every day but never see. This," she raised her voice as their eyes began to shine in inspiration, "is for Albus Dumbledore, who gave his life for this cause because he believed. This is for Harry and Hermione Potter, my brother Ron Weasley, my husband Draco Malfoy, and Luna Lovegood, who took their fight to the doors of the enemy like the enemy has come to ours. Why did they go? Because they believe in this cause!" She was shouting now. The spells and curses above their heads were coming faster now, the raised voices outside the Hall becoming more frantic. "This is for everyone, whether they are from the past, the present, or the future, everyone that has ever believed in the independence of man! This is the deciding factor! This is the end of the world as we know it! Do you want Voldemort to win this war?"
"No!" They shouted in unison, not one cringing at the sound of his name.
"Do you want these Death Eaters to take this castle you've built so many memories on?"
"No!" Blue, green, violet, orange, red...a deadly rainbow was dancing above their heads, but no one paid attention anymore.
"Do you want freedom?" Ginny shouted.
"YES!" The Few answered, their combined voices shaking the walls of the Great Hall. Ginny narrowed her eyes and looked at them all in turn again. There was a magnificent explosion on the grounds. The time had almost come.
"Then go and give them hell," She said softly, solidly. Her soldiers roared an agreement and spilled out of the doors of the Hall. Ginny jumped down from her perch on the table and sprinted after them as the thunder pealed and the sky fell in and the castle's boundaries were breached. The rush of an impending victory pounded in her veins. Hogwarts would not fall today.