Despite the cloud that settled over the sky, it was still fairly bright compared to the darkness they'd waged war in.
At least that was until Voldemort and his trooped walked into the courtyard, and everyone's eyes landed on the body Hagrid was carrying.
Rosalee was right at Neville's side as everyone came spilling out of the Great Hall, Fred's hand still in hers.
"Who's that Hagrid's carrying?" Ginny asked as she walked out with her father's arm around her. "Neville, Rosalee who is it?"
And Rosalee only squeezed Fred's hand because she didn't have the voice to answer.
"Harry Potter....is dead!" Voldemort announced proudly as Fred pulled Rosalee to his side.
"No! NO!" Ginny screamed as she started to run towards Harry, but Arthur held her back.
"Silence!" Voldemort ordered as he cast a spell to push them back that Rosalee blocked easily, pinning the Dark Lord with a murderous glare.
She'd let this play out.
See where it goes.
And if she didn't like it, then she'd kill him.
"Stupid girl," Voldemort said to Ginny. "Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me."
He then turned to his army, all of whom were dressed in black.
"Harry Potter is dead!" he boasted as they all laughed in victory, but you could tell that some of it was fake, even with the people who didn't laugh.
"And now is the time to declare yourself," Voldemort said as he waited for people to come over to his side, and Bellatrix moved to stand on a pile of rubble, and Rosalee's blood boiled. "Come over and join us!" he invited, but no one moved. "Or die!"
But again, no one moved.
"Draco," called the raspy voice of Lucius Malfoy and all eyes turned to the steps that led to the great hall where Draco stood. "Draco," Lucius repeated, but the boy didn't move.
"Draco," came his mother's calming voice. "Come."
And Draco's eyes met his cousin's.
Rosalee gave him a small nod, holding two fingers to her chin, a silent message that everything would be ok.
And so, Draco walked.
"Ah. Well, done Draco. Well done," the Dark Lord praised as he pulled Draco into an awkward hug and Draco didn't return.
But you could see how Voldemort's nails dug into Draco's arm and Rosalee's jaw tensed as anger began to flood her veins.
And when Draco reached his mother who placed an arm around him and was about to escort him through the crowd and out of the castle, he shook her off.
In a low voice that no one could hear, he said, "You got me over here, but you will not get me to leave. I am no coward. We are not cowards. If this comes to a fight, we're going to fight."
And though Rosalee couldn't hear what he said, she was proud of the look Draco gave his father. One of anger and one that allowed no room for argument before he turned to watch and listen as the Dark Lord spoke.
Rosalee however was more surprised than ever when Neville limped forward, an even more tattered Sorting Hat in his hand.
"Oh, well, I must say I'd hoped for better," Voldemort remarked as his followers laughed. "And who might you be, young man?" he asked.
"Neville Longbottom."
And cue another mocking round of laughter, namely Bellatrix's cackle that made bolts of lightning spark from Rosalee's fingers.
"Rosalee, control. Not yet," Arthur warned as he saw the sparks and leant towards her ear.
"Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks," Voldemort said.
"I'd like to say something," Neville cut him off and you could see the frustration in Voldemort's eyes and stance as he paced.
"Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say," he ceded.
"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," Neville began.
"Stand down Neville," Seamus said and Neville only turned to him.
"People die every day," he fired back. "Friends. Family. Yeah. We lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us, in here," Neville said as he held a hand to his heart and Rosalee pressed herself to Fred's side, remembering how she very nearly lost him too. "So is Sirius and Remus. Tonks," Neville continued, mainly looking at Rosalee as he spoke, her eyes pained but her expression supportive. "All of them. They didn't die in vain."
And then Neville turned back to Voldemort, who seemed to be laughing at the situation.
"But you will! Because you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us! For all of us! And it's not over!" Neville yelled before Rosalee's eyes widened as Neville pulled the Sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and pointed it at the dark wizard.
And then her heart stopped completely as Harry pushed himself out of Hagrid's arms and onto the floor.
And while everyone stood in shock, Draco was first to move.
"Potter!" he called as he tossed Harry his wand, running back towards Rosalee who threw hers at him.
"Confringo!" Harry shouted as he cast the spell at the snake only for it to ricochet and hit a group of Death Eaters.
"GO!" Rosalee screamed as Draco made it to them and they began ushering people back inside, Harry running as Voldemort fired spell after spell at him only to miss.
And only for Rosalee's to hit home as she successfully knocked the Dark Lord off his feet, sending him crashing onto the stone floor.
It was after that, that death eaters began to flee left right and centre, a large portion of them turning into black smoke as they disappeared, Bellatrix calling them cowards.
And Rosalee and Kingsley threw up shields around the entrance to the Great Hall as Harry got behind them.
"I'll lure him into the castle. We have to kill the snake," Harry said as Rosalee blocked spell after spell.
"You'll need this," Hermione said, as she handed him the basilisk fang before Neville ran forward, pushing Rosalee out of the way as he brandished the sword only to be hit with a stunning spell and sent flying backwards.
And Voldemort and Nagini Disapparated.
"Harry go! We'll keep them busy!" Rosalee promised, and Harry gave her a nod before he, Hermione and Ron ran for it.
And so began part 2 of the final battle.