Harry has been spending an endless amount of time searching for the last horcrux. Once it is destroyed Voldemort will be a mortal and can be defeated for good. Hogwarts will then be able to return to its state of peace and tranquility. Until then everyone would remain anxious until they felt safe again.
It was now morning and time for Harry to wake up. Fortunately, the protego maxima around Hogwarts was intact and there was enough time for him to have a quick breakfast. He retreated to the cafeteria for some tea and cereal. As usual, he met up with two best friends Hermione and Ron. Except today was different. Ron was not there. Hermione said she had not heard from him in since she said goodnight to him last night, but she was not too worried about it. They proceeded to have a normal breakfast.
It was now mid-afternoon and Professor McGonagall had suggested that her, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Nevil meet up to set up a plan of action in case of disaster. They were all confused as to why Voldemort still remained strong even though all 7 horcruxes had been destroyed. They suspected that there was another one out there.
Once again Ron was a no show. They waited for about 20 minutes before sending Nevil out to search for him. 5 minutes after Nevil left, Ron showed up. He looked a little disheveled, but nevertheless he was there. Everyone just assumed he was exhausted and had spent the day sleeping in.
"Ron, where have you been all day!?" Harry exclaimed.
"I was…just sleeping in. I wasn't feeling too well for some reason." Ron calmly said. His tone was easy going, but something was off. Harry was not quite sure what it was, but he knew something was off.
"Well, I'm glad you are here now. We have a lot to go through. We have to make sure we're prepared for the worst." Hermione chimed in.
"Whatever needs to be done, I'm here to help with…as long as it does not involve spiders." Ron playfully replied. This playful response helped ease any suspicion of something odd for the time being.
For the next hour and a half the group formulated and perfected a plan for when the protego maxima wore off and Hogwarts would once again be exposed to Voldemort's army. The only way to truly destroy Voldemort before the protego maxima wore off was to find the final horcrux and destroy it. There was no way of even knowing if the horcrux was within the confines of the school, but it was also far too dangerous to travel outside the campus. Their best bet was to study clues and facts and hope that they could find out where it is located exactly.
"There is no way of even knowing if the final horcrux is here. It feels impossible to search for. The only places we could search for clues have either been damaged or we have already searched them aggressively. Unless-" Harry's sentence silently faded away.
"Unless, what?" Hermione said. "What are you thinking Harry?"
"Well, in Dumbledore's office he always had a secret cupboard with several vials of tears. Whose exactly? I don't know, but there may be something in there that could help us. It is worth a try. We have got nothing to lose except for everything right?"
"Good thinking, Harry!" McGonagall proclaimed. "I'll go check how the students are doing while you search the Pensieve for information"
Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their way to Dumbledore's office and located the secret cupboard. Unfortunately, it was locked. Hermione quickly said "Alohomora" and the cupboard door slowly crept open. Harry carefully checked every name on the vials to see if there was anyone who had a relationship with Voldemort. Upon searching the vials, Hermione came across a name that peaked her interest.
"Lucious Malfoy…" Hermione mumbled to herself. "Harry try this one."
Hermione carefully handed Harry the vial and he proceeded to pour its contents out into the Pensieve. He took a deep breath and dove in. Unfortunately, all of the deep breaths in the world could not prepare him for what he was about to see.
Harry is transported to a memory from several years back. It seems to be from a day around the time Dumbledore passed away. In the memory he witnessed Lucious Malfoy and dark hooded figure having a conversation. They were discussing the seven horcruxes. Those that had been destroyed and those which remained.
"I have been thinking of something lately. Although, seven is considered the most magical number, several of your horcruxes have been destroyed already and I would hate to see you be weakened any further." Lucious explained.
"What are you getting at?" the masked figured snapped back.
"One of Potter's greatest sources of strength are his friends. Ronald Weasely and Hermione Granger, but I am particularly interested in the Weasely. Granger is far too smart for this to work. What about creating a new horcrux within Weasely? No one would ever be able to destroy it without killing him. He is just too weak. Harry would face such a moral dilemma. It would distract him and present you with a new advantage."
The masked figure's body straightened. He removed his hood. "What a brilliant idea! This must be done immediately, but carefully. I would hate for something to go awry." Voldemort placed his hands together and began to scheme.
The memory abruptly ended. Harry pulled himself back from the Pensieve, out of breath and in deep shock. He stared silently at the ground and then up at his two best friends.
"What did you see Harry? Are you okay!?" Hermione said
"Ro—I saw Lucious and Voldemort. Ro...n, you're a—" Harry stumbled on his words.
"I'm a…what Harry!?" Ron questioned.
"There's an eighth horcrux and you're it Ron." Harry finally managed to say.
Ron sat down on the floor carefully and just stared at the ground. Harry stared off into space as well. Hermione knelt down beside Ron and gently placed her arm around him. Even Hermione, who is usually prepared for anything, was at a loss for words.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked slowly.
"We have to destroy the horcrux,…" Hermione said
"But how!? It will kill Ron." Harry said
"That's just a risk we're just going to have to take I guess." Hermione replied defeated.
The trio sat in the room in silence for a few moments before deciding to go report what they had learned to Professor McGonagall. They each walked into the room silently.
"Did you find anything?" Professor McGonagall asked with her soothing tone.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry each looked at each other. Hermione was the first to speak up. "We found out where the next horcrux is located. Unfortunately, it—it is located inside of Ron."
McGonagall took a step back. "Oh my…"
The shock seemed to have worn off of Hermione. Her face was focused and she seemed to be deep in thought. Her eyes lit up and everyone around her knew she was onto something.
"Wait, I think I have an idea. I'm not sure it's going to work, but we have to try it may be our only hope." She began. "Harry, you're definitely strong enough to make this work. "
"What are you thinking Hermione?" Ron nervously asked.
"Remember the old greenhouse professor. One time during a very bad season all of her plants were either dead or dying. I stopped by to visit her one day and we were talking. She told me there was a revival spell to bring things back to life, but wizards are only allowed to use it under dire circumstances."
"Well, I'd say this counts as a dire circumstance." Neville said.
Professor McGonagall looked pensive yet intrigued. "It very well might be the only solution. As long as we're prepared for the worst and hope for the best, the result will be tolerable."
"So you're going to kill me!? Then bring me back to life?" Ron yelled.
Hermione looked at him with tears beginning to form in her eyes "It's the only way Ron! If not Voldemort will always be immortal and the entire wizarding and muggle world will be at risk." Ron thought for a moment. His shoulders slumped down. "I'd rather be chased by spiders again, but I trust you Harry." He turned to his best friend. "I know you can do this. If I go down this way I'll be glad to know it was for the sake of everyone."
They had all decided that it would be best to not tell anyone. Ron wrote out letters for his family and close friends fearing the worst. They retreated to a secluded wing of the Hogwarts infirmary. The protego maximo was set to wear off in approximately two hours. The destruction of the horcrux and revival needed to take place within that span of time.
Ron gave each of his friends a hug that could last a lifetime. He whispered I love you to Hermione as she looked at him with tears in her eyes. Harry's hands were sweaty and he was visibly nervous, but he hugged his best friend for as long as he could.
Ron laid across the cot and took several deep breaths. McGonagall handed Harry the basilisk fang that would be driven through Ron's heart to destroy the horcrux while Hermione stood by with Harry's wand in hand ready to give it to him for the revival spell.
"Remember Harry, time is of the essence. The faster you do it and the faster you perform the spell the better off he'll be" McGonagall advised as she hand him the basilisk fang. As Harry slowly nodded back he turned to his friend and whispered tearfully "I'm sorry, Ron. Please forgive me."
With a swift arm movement he went to strike Ron straight in the heart. He stopped abruptly.
"I can't do it!" he yelled. Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder.
"It's for the best, Harry" she assured him.
Harry took a deep breath and attempted again. With another swift arm movement he struck. Ron yelled in agony as Harry said "I'm sorry" over and over while sobbing. McGonagall remained focused.
"Harry, you have to perform the spell now! There is no time to waste."
Harry grabbed his wand from Hermione's hand. After another deep breathe he point the wand at Ron's wound and repeated "Vulnera Sanentur Revival!"
They all stood in silence. It seemed as if nothing was happening and they had begun to accept defeat. Soon enough the blood was clearing away and they realized the wound had been healing from the inside out. Within five minutes there was no sign of injury, but Ron remained lifeless. As did the final horcrux.