My brother and I ran around the debris that was falling from the school. Hogwarts was falling to the ground, and all because of a greedy bastard who wanted to live forever. A sick, twisted bastard who wanted nothing more than to torture everyone, including those that had vowed to follow him. I hoped that Harry could put a stop to him tonight. There was no need for this meaningless bloodshed anymore. 

A glimpse of my mother crept into my mind as I ran. Tears were still pouring from my eyes. The light leaving Jade's eyes flashed in front of me. I let out a war cry; there was no way that I was going to let anyone else close to me die. I was going to protect them. I needed this to stop. I was currently an orphan; I didn't need to loose anyone else. 

As we entered the Great Hall, we ran into someone. I looked up to see that it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We didn't get a chance to exchange greetings. There was an explosion that collapsed half the Great Hall. Rumble had landed on top of the five of us, bringing about a world of pain and semidarkness. I pushed off what debris I could of myself before being pulled out of the pile and into someone's arms. I was nose to nose with Ron, who was staring into my eyes like he had in the summer. 

"Ron-" Hermione started but was interrupted by someone screaming. 

"No - no - no!" 

Ron had then let go of me and had moved over to the person who had been screaming, which was Percy. He had a tousle of red hair in his arms and was crying into their forehead.   My heart skipped a beat. A Weasley was hurt? 

"No! Fred! No!" 

I moved closer to get a good look at what was happening. Percy was shaking the person, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and that's when I saw who it was. Fred'seyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face. 

I automatically covered my face with my hands. Marcus put his hand on my shoulder as I softly cried for my friend, my first love. The battle was taking too many people away from us. Looking around the room, I couldn't keep count of how many motionless bodies I could see. 

"Ron-" I heard Hermione say. 

When I looked back, I saw that Ron had pushed her away and was clinging to Fred's body. My heart reached out to him. I had felt the exact same way not too long before that. A glimpse of my mum's limp body in my arms flashed before my eyes. My silent crying had then turned into sobbing as I continued to dwell on how many people we had lost already. 

"Courtney," Ron's voice came as he sat up and pulled me into his arms. "I know he was your first love, but we are going to pull through this. We are going to kill Voldemort. There's no if's about it. He will pay!" 

I nodded. "He's taken way too many people from us," I said into his chest. "Fred, my mum, Jade." 

He pulled away and looked down at me. "Who is Jade?" 

"Helena Burke," I swallowed. "Her real name is Jade Smith; she's my sister." 

He pulled me back into his chest. "Harry, Hermione. You two go on without me. I have to stay here and protect my family." 

"Ron," Harry said and then looked down at his brother, "Percy, there is nothing we can do for him. We have to keep going. Ron, mate, you're coming with me." 

"Mate-" Ron said before screaming. 

I let go of him and turned to see that a spider the size of a small car was trying to come in through the gaping hole in the wall. Harry and Ron both yelled a spell and knocked it back outside. 

"It's brought friends!" I screamed, pulling out my wand and throwing stunning spells into them just like Harry and Ron had. 

"We have to move - NOW!" Harry demanded. 

Ron pushed Hermione and I ahead of them. I followed her for a moment before realizing that Harry and Percy were trying to move Fred's body out of the way so it wouldn't receive more damage. A man jumped into the hole the spiders had been just trying to get into. 

"ROOKWOOD!" Percy growled before running and tackling the man, making both of them fall outside.  

Ron and Harry both looked over the edge to make sure Percy was alright before coming to join the both of us. Hermione had already started yelling for Ron by the time they had made it. 

"Listen to me--LISTEN RON!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm going to help fight the deatheaters." 

"Ron," I chimed in. "Listen to her!" 

"Thank you," she nodded towards me. "Ron, we're the only ones who can end it! Please--Ron--we needthe snake, we've got to kill the snake!" 

I knew how Ron felt: pursuing another Horcruxcould not bring the satisfaction of revenge;  he  wanted tofight, to punish them, the people who had killed Fred, and hewanted to find the other Weasleys. I had wanted that revenge, and I had gotten it, but at the expense of others. 

"Hermione, I-" 

"And we will fight!" Hermione said. "We'll have to, to reach the snake!But let's not lose sight now of what we're supposed to be ddoing! We're the only ones who can end it!"

"Go with her," I interrupted him. "You can't risk getting revenge will others are dying."

He nodded as he wiped at the fresh tears streaming down is face. Hermione was crying too, and she wiped her face on her torn andsinged sleeve as she spoke, but she took great heavingbreaths to calm herself as, still keeping a tight hold on Ron,she turned to Harry. "You need to find out where Voldemortis, because he'll have the snake with him, won't he? Do it,Harry--look inside him!" 

We all four looked at Harry as he closed his eyes with a deep breath. I looked over to Marcus who looked back at me. He gave me a nod before turning and throwing curses at whoever just came up to them. He disappeared from view as he led the enemies away. 

"Courtney," Hermione whispered. "Will you go with Harry? We have to separate, but I want to make sure that someone has his back as well."

I nodded. It took a little bit for Harry to figure out where he was, but he finally did it. 

"He's doing some kind of ritual with three pregnant girls in the woods, not too far out from Hagrid's hut," he said, reaching his hand out for mine and taking it. "Be careful you two," he said to Ron and Hermione before pulling me through the hole where Percy had fell. 

"What do you think he's doing with those girls?" I asked. 

"I have no idea, probably another attempt to prolong his life because he senses the horcuxes are dwindling. However, I didn't see the snake with him."

We made it to Hagrid's hut, where we saw the man himself disappear into the woods. Harry yelled after him but it was no use, the sounds from the battle drowned him out. The ground then began shaking as a giant came into view. 

"Yo' leave 'im alone. Yo' hear!" Hagrid was yelling at the men chasing him, but it was no use. 

"Here, Court," Harry said as he threw the invisibility cloak over us. 

The men had caught Hagrid and Grawp. Harry had explained that the giant was his half brother. We followed them as they got closer to where Voldemort was having his little ritual. Harry and I hid ourselves on the outskirts. He had Bellatrix twirling and chanting some spells over one of the pregnant girls. All three of the girls looked to be about the same age as us. As I looked closer, I saw that I recognized two of the girls: Millicent Bullstrode and Diana Prince. Both were Slytherins. What a surprise that they were also deatheaters...

"Let us celebrate in this giving of life," Voldemort called over his minion's chants. "This life will bring longevity to our cause. It will be our livelihood!" 

The girl had started screaming, sounding as if she was in severe pain. I winced a bit, trying not to cry again as I watched was what was unfolding. It chilled me to the bone to think about what he could've been trying to do with these new born children. 

"Lila's death will bring us a new awakening!" 

I then heard someone say Draco's name, begging him not to do it. I looked out, scanning the crowd for his face. What was he about to do? I had asked him to do what it took to stay alive. He wouldn't do anything stupid..would he? That's when I saw him. He had pushed himself to the front and had his wand pointing at Voldemort. 

"No," I said, pulling myself from Harry. 

"Courtney, where are you going?" 

I completely ignored him as I saw what was unfolding in front of me. It was like it was happening in slow motion. Draco was about to try and kill Voldemort. He was saying the first word, but that's when I saw Bellatrix moved in the corner of my eye. I sprinted forward and pushed myself to the front of the crowd. Bellatrix had her wand at the ready. I jumped in front of Draco, blocking him from the green spell that had erupted from his aunt's wand. The beam hit me square in the chest. The last thing I saw was Bellatrix's twisted face, laughing, as I felt myself fading away. 

A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait. I really wasn't happy with this chapter and kept changing my mind at what I wanted to happen. I also had some private stuff come up. I just hope the wait was worth it! 

Also, I had an epiphany the other day about the second generation fanfiction after this one. I had released the title as  A Web of Lies....but I have completely changed the direction that I was going. It will now be titled: Druella Malfoy's Famous Last Words. Tell me what you think!