Put two twins together Book 7

by jacquisup

It's seventh year but they aren't going to school this year. It's up to them to finish this war. But it won't be easy. (Like I said the fifth one, he won't see the visions just hear them.)

4/28/19- 5/4/19

Put two twins together: Book 7

Chapter 1

Harry and Tracey were in Harry's room thinking about how to contact their family and the Order while they're gone. Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were taking after Dumbledore instead of their last year of school.

They had told their family what Dumbledore was doing last year. And that if they want this war to end sooner than the last one they need to get their job done.

They were saying no at first but after Harry telling them that they need to do it. So they said they could do it.

Sirius is letting them stay at his home to keep them safe. He would stay with James and Lilly at in hiding.

Since Dumbledore was gone their secret keeper is McGonagall.

Then Tracey came up with an idea.

"I have an idea!" Tracey said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"We share Hedwig so she's easily recognized. What if I get an owl for myself to keep our parents and the Order in check?"

"That's a great idea! Sirius already said we could use Gramauld Place as hideouts and that Sirius is it's secret keeper since it's his own home. So we're good for there."

She nodded. "He's staying with mum and dad. Hermione and me were working on a charm where you can fit anything but make it look like a real purse. She also said she's gonna bring a tent just in case we need to be gone."

Hermione had used obliviate on them but weak enough for her to be able to get them to remember her when they're done with the war and school.

"OK, that works. Nobody will recognize it but us and the Order. So we have that. We can write to them and have Kreacher give them to them."

She nodded. "Alright, we have our plans done. We have our license, Hermione has her's but Ron doesn't. So he needs to try and not be seen apperating without one of us legally. If we don't split up it should work."

"Alright, plans done. Let's go tell mum and dad our idea."

So they headed downstairs.

While they figured everything out their parents, uncles and Tonks were in the kitchen.

"I can't believe we all agreed with them doing this." Lilly said.

"Honestly even I'm shocked. But like they said, 'This war needs to end. We know he's made Horcruxes, and with Dumbledore gone it's our job to finish this. It can't be another fifteen year long war. Not with us being in our last year of school and able to use magic outside of school now. We can do this. Me, Tracey and Hermione have our apperation licenses so we can apperate when we need to and have Ron hold onto one of us or close.' You know they can do this. They said they're going to owl us when they get the chance and I'm letting them use Grimauld Place as a hideout."

"We have an idea of how we can contact you. When we're at Grimauld Place we can flew you or ask Kreacher to send you the letter. And if we leave get me an owl and we can use that because Hedwig is really familiar by now." Tracey said.

Their parents, Remus, Sirius and Tonks jumped and took out their wands.

"Oh, it's you two." Tonks said.

"Sorry, we came up with an idea." Harry said.

"Alright, sounds like a good plan." Lilly said.

"That sounds like a good idea. Let's go get one now. That way you have one now." James said.

So they headed to the pet store and get her an owl. While they did that Harry went to his room and started looking at important things. He was going to keep Hedwig stay here to keep her safe.

A half hour later James and Tracey was back with a brown owl.

"Alright, we have an owl. This is whoster. She who's a lot."

"I like her." Sirius said.

When they got her settled down they wrote down their plans to Ron and Hermione and had whoster send it. Then Tracey started packing her own important things.

Chapter 2

A few weeks had gone by and they were all at the Burrow getting ready for Bill and Fleur's wedding. It was the day after Harry and Tracey's birthday and they decided to have a mixture of a birthday and wedding cake.

Three hours until the wedding everyone was getting ready. Harry was inside when he heard something.

"Zip me will you?" Ginny said.

So he started to zipper it when she said something.

"Silly isn't it? Having a wedding at this time."

"Maybe that's why they're having it. To try and cheer everyone up." he said.

Then they looked at each other and gave each other a kiss.

Outside the minister appeared.

"Bloody hell, what's the minister of magic doing here?" George asked.

He told them that he wanted to talk to Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione.

"To what do we owe the honor of minister?" Harry asked.

"This." He said with a piece of paper.

"And this is?" Tracey asked.

"'The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'... Yes, here we are... 'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it.'"

"Dumbledore left it for me?" Ron said.

Then he opened it and lights were going in it. Then he opened it again and they went back to their lights.

"Wicked."

"'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.'"

She took the book and looked at it.

"To Tracey Lilly Potter I leave tears of Fawkes, to heal someone when they need it."

She took it and looked at it wondering why he left her some.

"And last, 'To Harry James Potter,'" he read, and Harry's insides contracted with a sudden excitement, "'I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.'"

He handed it to Harry and he put it in his hand. Then he looked at him again.

"Is that it then?"

"Not quite. Dumbledore left you a second bequest, Potter. The sword of Gryffindor. Unfortunately the sword is missing but it belongs to-"

"Harry, it belongs to Harry. It appeared to him when he needed it." Hermione said.

"It can come to any Gryffindor that needs it. I don't know what you're up to Mr. Potter but you can't win this war on your own." Then he left.

A few hours later they were celebrating the wedding. Harry was standing there with the snitch next to him. He looked at it and put it in his pocket again.

He saw Ron looking at Hermione and Tracey sitting there having some pumpkin juice. Then he saw someone else and was stuck in thought.

"Hello Harry." Luna said. "I just made you lose your thought didn't I? I could see it in your eyes."

"No, how are you Luna?"

"Exceptionally ordinary. I got bit by a gnome a few minutes ago."

"My daughter can be strong. Xenophilius Lovegood." he said and shook his hand.

Luna could tell Harry was trying to do something. "Come daddy, Harry doesn't want to talk to us right now."

He smiled saying thank you silently. Then he headed to a table.

"Excuse me sir, my I sit down?"

"Mr. Potter! Of course." Dodge said.

"I was reading the paper and it seems you know Dumbledore quite well."

"As well as anyone," said Doge, dabbing his eyes with a napkin. "Certainly I knew him longest, if you don't count Aberforth – and somehow, people never do seem to count Aberforth."

"I didn't know Dumbledore had a brother."

"Ah yes, he was always quiet."

"Don't be so sure about that. Bathilda Bagshot knew the Dumbledore's quite well. She was close to the Dumbledore's since they lived in Godric Hollows." Muriel said.

"Godric Hollows, Bathilda Bagshot grew up there?" Harry said.

"That's where she met the Dumbledore's." she said.

"You don't mean they lived there to?"

"Of course they did. Albus grew up there. Honestly my boy, are you sure you knew him at all?" Muriel asked.

Then suddenly a patronus appeared.

"The ministry has fallen. The minister of magic is dead. They're coming, they're coming." Then it disappeared.

"Nice meeting you Mr. Potter." Then Dodge apperated.

Ron bumped into someone and then people appeared and they started fighting. Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione went to get together.

Then Harry saw Ginny. "Ginny!"

He was interrupted by Remus.

"GO! GO!"

So Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione grabbed hands and were gone.

Chapter 3

Suddenly they were in a city.

"Where are we?" Ron asked.

"Shocks pray avenue. I used to come to theater here with mum and dad. I don't know why I thought of this it just popped into my head." Hermione said.

So they kept going and headed to a corner.

"We need to change." she said opening her purse.

She and Tracey reached into their bags and grabbed each of them some clothes.

"What is that?" Ron asked.

"Undetectable extension charm, Remus tought us over the summer. I put everything in here days ago just in case."

"Same here. Mine has me and Harry's things and Hermione has hers and Ron's." Tracey said.

"You're amazing you are." he said.

"All of a certain surprise." Hermione said back.

"Alright, get changed, head to Grimauld Place and owl everyone telling them we're safe." Tracey said.

"Sounds good." Harry said.

So they got changed under the invisibility cloak and then headed to Grimauld Place.

When they got there they hurried across the street.

"Alright, let's go." Harry said.

When they got there they locked the door and went to the kitchen.

Then they wrote to the Order and told them they're safe at where they were supposed to be.

"Alright Harry, you're the boss of the group now. We have to listen to you." Hermione said.

"Let's just get some rest and then we can figure out what to do tomorrow while Kreacher makes breakfast." he said.

"I don't wanna be on my own, can we sleep here together tonight?" Hermione asked.

Then Ron noticed him wincing tightly.

"What is it? What did you see? Is he at my place?"

"No, I just felt anger – he's really angry –"

"But that could be at the Burrow," said Ron loudly. "What else? Didn't you see anything? Was he cursing someone?"

"No, I just felt anger – I couldn't tell –" Harry felt badgered, confused, and Hermione did not help as she said in a frightened voice,

"Your scar, again? But what's going on? I thought that connection had closed!"

"It did, for a while," muttered Harry; his scar was still painful, which made it hard to concentrate. "I – I think it's started opening again whenever he loses control, that's how it used to –"

"But then you've got to close your mind!" said Hermione shrilly. "That's why you were supposed to use Occlumency! Otherwise Voldemort can plant false images in your mind-"

"Hermione, Ron, you do remember he's a master of occlumency and after being able to do that and lagilimancy he can decide whether to see what he's doing, right? And besides, he can only feel him not see him." Tracey said.

Ron's ears turned bright red. "Oh yeah."

Hermione's face was as red as his ears.

Then Hermione gasped and Harry turned around with his wand out. Then they saw another patronus.

"Family's safe. In hiding and guarded do not reply with patronus." Then it was gone.

"They're safe, they're all safe!" Hermione said.

Then Tracey wrote to the Order and their parents that they made it safely.

"Kreacher!" she called.

Then he came out of nowhere. Sirius had told him about his idea and to call Harry and Tracey his Master and Mistress. He could either call Ron and Hermione that to or just their name.

"What can Kreacher do for Mistress Tracey and Master Harry?"

"Can you send this letter to our parents please?" Tracey said.

"Of course Mistress." So he took the letter and snapped.

"Alright, why don't we go to bed now?" Hermione said. They nodded and got ready for bed.

The next day while Kreacher made breakfast Harry read the letter out loud to Tracey, Ron and Hermione.

"I know I'll be dead before you read this but I stole the real Horcrux. And intend to destroy it as soon as I can. R.A.B."

"We've got an idea of who it's from." Tracey said.

"Who?" Ron asked.

She looked at them all. "Sirius' brother, think about it. Regulus Arcturus Black, R.A.B."

"That makes sense, Sirius had said that they were really close." Hermione said. "So that's gotta be it."

A few seconds later Kreacher appeared with some pancakes, bacon and pumpkin juice for them.

"Thanks Kreacher." Harry said.

"You're welcome Master Harry." Kreacher said.

Suddenly Whoster appeared.

"Looks like they have an answer for us." Hermione said.

So Tracey untied the letter and read it out loud.

Dear Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione,

Thanks for letting us know. We're fine right now like Arthur said. Be careful and continue to owl us.

Lilly and James

"They're safe to." she said.

"Good, now lets look around the house after breakfast. I'll go in Regular and Sirius' rooms, Tracey you look downstairs in the kitchen, Hermione you look in the library and Ron you look in the living room." Harry said.

"Alright." Hermione said.

After breakfast they split up and went to their places. Harry started out with Sirius' room but nothing.

Hermione looked everywhere and every book but got nothing.

Tracey looked in the oven, shelves, Kreacher's home but also got nothing.

Ron looked around everywhere in the living room but nothing.

Then Harry went to Regular's room. He looked the closest he could but didn't see or feel anything.

"Hmm, maybe someone got in here before we did when Sirius left to stay at our house." he wondered out loud.

So he double checked but didn't see anything. So he went back downstairs and saw his friends and sister at the table.

"No luck either?" he asked.

"No. You?" Tracey asked.

"No. I worked the hardest at Regulus' room but got nothing. I do have an idea of what it is though. But we're going to need help." Harry said. "Kreacher!"

There was a loud crack and the Kreacher appeared out of nowhere in front of the cold and empty fireplace.

"Master Harry, Mistress Tracey call Kreacher?" croaked Kreacher in his bullfrog's voice, and he bowed low.

"We've got a question for you," said Harry, his heart beating rather fast as he looked down at the elf, "and I need you to answer it truthfully. Understand?"

"Yes, Master Harry," said Kreacher, bowing low again.

"Two years ago," said Tracey, "there was a big gold locket in the drawing room upstairs. We threw it out. Did you steal it back?"

There was a moment's silence, during which Kreacher straightened up to look Harry and Tracey full in the face. Then he said, "Yes."

"Where is it now?" asked Harry jubilantly as Tracey, Ron and Hermione looked gleeful.

Kreacher closed his eyes as though he could not bear to see their reactions to his next word.

"Gone."

"Gone?" echoed Harry, elation floating out of him, "What do you mean, it's gone?"

The elf shivered. He swayed.

"Kreacher," said Harry fiercely,

"Mundungus Fletcher," croaked the elf, his eyes still tight

"When Master Sirius left to stay with you Mundungus Fletcher stole it all; Miss Bella's and Miss Cissy's pictures, my Mistress's gloves, the Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and – and – "

Kreacher was gulping for air: His hollow chest was rising and falling rapidly, then his eyes flew open and he uttered a bloodcurdling scream.

"—and the locket, Master Regulus's locket. Kreacher did wrong, Kreacher failed in his orders!"

Harry reacted instinctively: As Kreacher lunged for the poker standing in the grate, he launched himself upon the elf, flattening him.

Hermione's scream mingled with Kreacher's but Tracey bellowed louder than both of them: "Kreacher, stay still!"

She felt the elf freeze and released him. Kreacher lay flat on the cold stone floor, tears gushing from his sagging eyes.

"Tracey, let him up!" Hermione whispered.

"So he can beat himself up with the poker?" snorted Harry, kneeling beside the elf next to Tracey. "I don't think so. Right. Kreacher, I want the truth: How do you know Mundungus Fletcher stole the locket?"

"Kreacher saw him!" gasped the elf as tears poured over his snout and into his mouth full of graying teeth. "Kreacher saw him coming out of Kreacher's cupboard with his hands full of Kreacher's treasures. Kreacher told the sneak thief to stop, but Mundungus Fletcher laughed and r-ran … "

"You called the locket 'Master Regulus's,'" said Harry. "Why? Where did it come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything you know about that locket, and everything Regulus had to do with it!"

The elf sat up, curled into a ball, placed his wet face between his knees, and began to rock backward and forward. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct in the silent, echoing kitchen.

"Master Sirius ran away, good riddance, for he was a bad boy and broke my Mistress's heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper order; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns … and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve …

And one day, a year after he joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said … he said …"

The old elf rocked faster than ever.

"… he said that the Dark Lord required an elf."

"Voldemort needed an elf?" Harry repeated, looking around at Tracey, Ron and Hermione, who looked just as puzzled as he did.

"Oh yes," moaned Kreacher. "And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do … and then to c-come home."

Kreacher rocked still faster, his breath coming in sobs.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the cave was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake … "

The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood up. Kreacher's croaking voice seemed to come to him from across the dark water. He saw what had happened as clearly as though he had been present.

"… There was a boat …"

"There was a b-basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it …"

The elf quaked from head to foot.

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank he saw terrible thing … Kreacher's insides burned … Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed … He made Kreacher drink all the potion … He dropped a locket into the empty basin … He filled it with more potion."

"And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island …"

"Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake … and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface …"

"How did you get away?" Harry asked, and he was not surprised to hear himself whispering.

Kreacher raised his ugly head and looked Harry with his great, bloodshot eyes.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back," he said.

"I know – but how did you escape the Inferi?"

Kreacher did not seem to understand.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back," he repeated.

"I know, but – "

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it, Harry?" said Ron. "He Disapparated!"

"But … you couldn't Apparate in and out of that cave," said Tracey, "otherwise Dumbledore – "

"Elf magic isn't like wizard's magic, is it?" said Ron, "I mean, they can Apparate and Disapparate in and out of Hogwarts when we can't."

"That's right!" Tracey said.

There was a silence as Harry and Tracey digested this. Hermione spoke, and her voice was icy.

"Of course, Voldemort would have considered the ways of house-elves far beneath his notice … It would never have occurred to him that they might have magic that he didn't."

"The house-elf's highest law is his Master's bidding," intoned Kreacher. "Kreacher was told to come home, so Kreacher came home …"

"Well, then, you did what you were told, didn't you?" said Hermione kindly. "You didn't disobey orders at all!"

Kreacher shook his head, rocking as fast as ever.

"So what happened when you got back?" Tracey asked. "What did Regulus say when you told him what happened?"

"Master Regulus was very worried, very worried," croaked Kreacher. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house. And then … it was a little while later … Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell … and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord … "

Kreacher knew how to open the concealed entrance to the underground cavern, knew how to raise the tiny boat: this time it was his beloved Regulus who sailed with him to the island with its basin of poison …

"And he made you drink the poison?" said Harry, disgusted.

But Kreacher shook his head and wept. Hermione's hands leapt to her mouth: She seemed to have understood something.

Everyone who had already figured it out either looked disgusted, pained or their eyes were filled with tears.

"M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had," said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snoutlike nose.

"And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets …"

Kreacher's sobs came in great rasps now; Harry and Tracey had to concentrate hard to understand him.

"And he order – Kreacher to leave – without him. And he told Kreacher – to go home – and never to tell my Mistress – what he had done – but to destroy – the first locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched … as Master Regulus … was dragged beneath the water … and …"

"Oh, Kreacher!" wailed Hermione, who was crying.

She dropped to her knees beside the elf and tried to hug him. At once he was on his feet, cringing away from her, quite obviously repulsed.

"The Mudblood touched Kreacher, he will not allow it, what would his Mistress say?"

"We told you not to call her 'Mudblood'!" snarled Harry, but the elf was already punishing himself.

"And you need to remember that I'm your Mistress. Sirius made me the heir of Black since Harry is the oldest and heir of Potter." Tracey said.

He fell to the ground and banged his forehead on the floor.

"Stop him – stop him!" Hermione cried. "Oh, don't you see now how sick it is, the way they've got to obey?"

"Kreacher – stop, stop!" shouted Harry and Tracey together.

'Damn he's hard to calm down.' Tracey said.

'I know.' Harry said back.

The elf lay on the floor, panting and shivering, green mucus glistening around his snot, a bruise already blooming on his pallid forehead where he had struck himself, his eyes swollen and bloodshot and swimming in tears. Harry had never seen anything so pitiful.

"So you brought the locket home," she said relentlessly, for he was determined to know the full story. "And you tried to destroy it?"

"Nothing Kreacher did made any mark upon it," moaned the elf.

"Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work … So many powerful spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it would not open …Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared and Kreacher could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him to tell any of the f-f-family what happened in the c-cave …"

Kreacher began to sob so hard that there were no more coherent words. Tears flowed down Hermione's cheeks as she watched Kreacher, but she did not dare touch him again. Even Ron, who was no fan of

Kreacher's, looked troubled. Harry sat back on his heels and shook his head, trying to clear it.

Harry and Tracey looked at each other then back at Kreacher.

"We don't understand you, Kreacher," Harry started finally.

"Voldemort tried to kill you, Regulus died to bring Voldemort down, but you were still happy to go to Narcissa and Bellatrix, and pass information to Voldemort through them …" Tracey continued.

"Harry, Tracey, Kreacher doesn't think like that," said Hermione, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. "He's a slave; house-elves are used to bad, even brutal treatment; what Voldemort did to Kreacher wasn't that far out of the common way.

What do wizard wars mean to an elf like Kreacher? He's loyal to people who are kind to him, and Mrs. Black must have been, and Regulus certainly was, so he served them willingly and parroted their beliefs. I know what you're going to say," she went on as Harry and Tracey began to protest,

"Tweeky and our family have gotten along together for years. We treat them like a family member." Tracey said.

"that Regulus changed his mind … but he doesn't seem to have explained that to Kreacher, does he?"

"And I think I know why. Kreacher and Regulus's family were all safest if they kept to the old pure-blood line. Regulus was trying to protect them all."

"Sirius is pretty nice to him."

"Sirius isn't as good as his brother to Kreacher, Harry, and it's no good looking like that, you know it's true. I'm sure 'Miss Cissy' and 'Miss Bella' were perfectly lovely to Kreacher when he turned up, I've said all along that wizards would pay for how they treat house-elves. Well, Voldemort did … and Sirius could treat him a little better."

Harry and Tracey looked at each other again and nodded.

"Kreacher," said Harry after a while, "when you feel up to it, er … please sit up."

It was several minutes before Kreacher hiccupped himself into silence. Then he pushed himself into a sitting position again, rubbing his knuckles into his eyes like a small child.

"Kreacher, I am going to ask you to do something," said Tracey.

They glanced at Hermione for assistance. He wanted to give the order kindly, but at the same time, he could not pretend that it was not an order. However, the change in his tone seemed to have gained her approval: She smiled encouragingly.

"Kreacher, we want you, please, to go and find Mundungus Fletcher. We need to find out where the locket – where Master Regulus's locket it. It's really important. We want to finish the work Master Regulus started, we want to – er – ensure that he didn't die in vain." Harry said.

Kreacher dropped his fists and looked up at Harry.

"Find Mundungus Fletcher?" he croaked.

"And bring him here, to Grimmauld Place," said Harry. "Do you think you could do that for us?"

As Kreacher nodded and got to his feet, Harry had a sudden inspiration. He pulled out Hagrid's purse and took out the fake Horcrux, the substitute locket in which Regulus had placed the note to Voldemort.

"Kreacher, I'd, er, like you to have this," he said, pressing the locket into the elf's hand.

"This belonged to Regulus and I'm sure he'd want you to have it as a token of gratitude for what you—" Harry said.

"Overkill, mate," said Ron as the elf took one look at the locket, let out a howl of shock and misery, and threw himself back onto the ground.

A few hours later Harry was in the process of lowering the newspaper when a deafening crack echoed around the kitchen.

For a split second, he did not take in the mass of struggling limbs that had appeared out of thin air right beside his chair. He hurried to his feet as Kreacher disentangled himself and, bowing low to Harry, croaked,

"Kreacher has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher, Master and Mistress."

Mundungus scrambled up and pulled out his wand; Hermione, however, was too quick for him.

"Expelliarmus!"

Mundungus's wand soared into the air, and Hermione caught it. Wild-eyed, Mundungus dived for the stairs. Ron rugby-tackled him and Mundungus hit the stone floor with a muffled crunch.

"What?" he bellowed, writhing in his attempts to free himself from Ron's grip.

"Wha've I done? Setting a bleedin' 'house-elf on me, what are you playing at, wha've I done, lemme go, lemme go, of – "

"You're not in much of a position to make threats," said Harry.

He threw aside the newspaper, crossed the kitchen in a few strides, and dropped to his knees beside Mundungus, who stopped struggling and looked terrified.

Ron got up, panting, and watched as Harry pointed his wand deliberately at Mundungus's nose. Mundungus stank of stale sweat and tobacco smoke. His hair was matted and his robes stained.

"Kreacher apologizes for the delay in bringing the thief, Master, Mistress," croaked the elf. "Fletcher knows how to avoid capture, has many hidey-holes and accomplices. Nevertheless, Kreacher cornered the thief in the end."

"You've done really well, Kreacher," said Tracey, and the elf bowed low.

"Right, we've got a few questions for you," Harry told Mundungus.

"Why the 'ell am I being 'unted down by 'ouse-elves? Or is this about them goblets again? I ain't got none of 'em left, or you could 'ave 'em –"

"It's not about the goblets either, although you're getting warmer," said Harry. "Shut up and listen."

It felt wonderful to have something to do, someone of whom he could demand some small portion of truth. Harry's wand was now so close to the bridge of Mundungus's nose that Mundungus had gone cross-eyed trying to keep it in view.

"When you came out this house of anything valuable when Sirius left," Harry began, but Mundungus interrupted him again.

"Sirius never cared about any of the junk –"

There was the sound of pattering feet, a blaze of shining copper, an echoing clang, and a shriek of agony; Kreacher had taken a run at Mundungus and hit him over the head with a saucepan.

"Call 'im off, call 'im off, 'e should be locked up!" screamed Mundungus, cowering as Kreacher raised the heavy-bottomed pan again.

"Kreacher, no!" shouted Harry.

Kreacher's thin arms trembled with the weight of the pan, still held aloft.

"Perhaps just one more, Master Harry, for luck?"

"We need him conscious, Kreacher, but if he needs persuading, you can do the honors," said Tracey.

"Thank you very much, Master, Mistress," said Kreacher with a bow, and he retreated a short distance, his great pale eyes still fixed upon Mundungus with loathing.

"When you stripped this house of all the valuables you could find," Harry began again, "you took a bunch of stuff from the kitchen cupboard. There was a locket there."

Harry's mouth was suddenly dry: He could sense Tracey, Ron and Hermione's tension and excitement too.

"What did you do with it?"

"Why?" asked Mundungus. "Is it valuable?"

'I'm starting to regret letting him in when Sirius left.' Tracey said.

'Yup.' Harry said.

"You've still got it!" cried Hermione.

"No, he hasn't," said Ron shrewdly. "He's wondering whether he should have asked more money for it."

"More?" said Mundungus. "That wouldn't have been effing difficult . . .bleedin' gave it away, di'n' I? No choice."

"What do you mean?"

"I was selling in Diagon Alley and she come up to me and asks if I've got a license for trading in magical artifacts. Bleedin' snoop. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she'd take it and let me off that time, and to fink meself lucky."

"Who was this woman?" asked Harry.

"I dunno, some Ministry hag." Mundungus considered for a moment, brow wrinkled. "Little woman. Bow on top of 'er head."

He frowned and then added,

"Looked like a toad."

Harry dropped his wand: It hit Mundungus on the nose and shot red sparks into his eyebrows, which ignited.

"Aquamenti!" screamed Hermione, and a jet of water streamed from her wand, engulfing a spluttering and choking Mundungus.

Harry looked up and saw his own shock reflected in Ron's and Hermione's faces.

"This isn't going to be fun or easy." Ron said.

Chapter 4

Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were hiding behind a wall outside. Waiting for some people from the ministry.

Then Ron saw an assistant in the Improper Use of Magic Office. He used his wand and silently used the stunning spell.

Harry was behind her and caught her before she fell. Ron ran across the street and then they carried her over to the wall.

Hermione took peace's of hair from each person and put some in the potion.

"Right, try and act normal. Then we can go to the ministry."

"This is completely mental." Ron said.

"Completely." Hermione said.

After they drank the potion they got out of the room. Then they headed to the ministry.

When they got to where they have to go to get there they split up and headed down to the bathroom.

When it was their turn Ron looked at Harry.

"We flush ourselves here?"

Harry nodded.

"That's bloody disgusting!"

So Harry stepped in and pulled the string. Then was gone.

When he got to the ministry he and Ron headed to Tracey and Hermione.

Then they saw stone people.

"Are those?" Tracey started.

"Muggles, in their, rightful place." Hermione said.

"How long did you say this polyjuice potion going to work Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I didn't." she said.

They passed through the gates and into a smaller hall, where queues were forming in front of twenty golden grilles housing as many lifts. They had barely joined the nearest one when a voice said,

"Cattermole!"

Then he stopped the door.

"It's still raining in there." Yaxley said.

"You can try in an umbrella." 'Ron' said.

"You realize that I am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife, Cattermole?"

Harry stood there and used legilimancy to look for any help. He got nothing but what happened to his office.

Then Yaxely left.

"Oh my god! My wife's all alone downstairs! What am I gonna do?" he said.

"Ron, you don't have a wife." 'Harry' said.

Tracey fought laughing the best she could.

"Oh, right. But how am I supposed to stop it raining?"

"Try Finite Incantatem." Hermione said.

"Level 4." the elevator said.

"This is you Ron." Hermione said.

"Right, Finite Incantatem, and if that doesn't work?"

But they were gone before they could answer.

"I say that if we don't find Umbridge we find Ron and try again on a different day." Harry said.

"Deal." Hermione and Tracey said together.

Then the door opened again and saw Umbridge.

"Ah Mathilda, good, we'll go right down."

Then she looked at Harry and Tracey.

"Albert, Jane, aren't you getting out?"

Then they walked out and looked at Hermione. She looked scared.

When Harry got to his floor he headed to Umbridge's office.

Tracey dropped something that they stole from the Weasley twins. Then the room started to explode.

While the room was hard to see Harry and Tracey headed to Umbridge's office.

When they got there they strode straight over to the door to examine the eye. It was not moving. It gazed blindly upward, frozen.

The plaque beneath it read:

Dolores Umbridge

Senior Undersecretary to the Minister

Below that a slightly shinier new plaque read:

Head of the Muggle-Born

Registration Commission

Then they turned to face the room again, Harry raised his wand, and murmured,

"Accio Locket."

But got nothing.

"Well, it was worth a shot." Tracey said.

"Let's start looking around." Harry said.

So they started looking around.

Harry opened the desk and found a list of people.

Arthur Weasley

Blood Status:

Pureblood, but with unacceptable pro-Muggle leanings. Known member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Family:

Wife (pureblood), seven children, two youngest at Hogwarts. NB: Youngest son currently at home, seriously ill, Ministry inspectors have confirmed.

Security Status:

TRACKED. All movements are being monitored.

Strong likelihood Undesirable No. 1 will contact (has stayed with Weasley family previously.

"Undesirable Number One," Harry muttered under his breath as he replaced Mr. Weasley's folder and shut the drawer. He straightened up and glanced around the office for fresh hiding places he saw a poster of himself on the wall, with the words UNDESIRABLE NO. 1 emblazoned across his chest. A little pink note was stuck to it with a picture of a kitten in the corner. Harry moved across to read it and saw that Umbridge had written, "To be punished."

Then he saw Dumbledore, Hermione and Mad-Eye.

"Any luck?" Tracey asked.

"No, you?" Harry asked.

"No."

"Alright, let's get back to find Ron."

She nodded and then left.

When they got there they saw Ron coming in.

"Morning." Ron said.

"Ron, it's us." Harry said.

"Harry! Tracey! Blimey, I forgot what you look like." he said. "Where's Hermione?"

"She's gone down to the court room. With Umbridge." Tracey said.

When they got there Harry and Tracey stood there quietly.

"Mary Elizabeth Cattermole," Umbridge started.

"Yes." Mary said.

"It's here." Harry said.

"Mother to Maisie, Ellie and Alfred; Wife to Reginald?

"Regi." she said.

Harry pushed him out and he walked over to Mary.

"Thank you, Albert. Mary Elizabeth Cattermole."

"Yes?"

"A wand was taken from you upon your arrival at the Ministry Mrs Cattermole. Is this that wand?"

She nodded.

"Would you please tell the court, from witch or wizard you took this wand?"

"No one. I bought it in Diagon Alley, by Ollivanders, when I was 11. It chose me."

"You are lying. Wands choose only witches, and you're not a witch."

"But I am. Tell them, Reg, tell them I am."

Harry stood there and used some more legilimancy on Umbridge to see what he could find. But didn't get much.

Then Harry took out his wand and Umbridge noticed.

"What on Earth are you doing, Albert?"

"You are lying, Dolores. One must not tell lies. Stupefy!"

When Hermione grabbed the locket Harry and Tracey started to change back. Tracey handed Harry his glasses.

"It's Harry and Tracey Potter!" someone said.

Then they started running.

"It is them. Its okay to tell the kids." Ron said.

When they got to the elevator the door shut. Then Harry took out his wand when something started to come.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled when the door was shut and dementors came.

When it was gone and they were downstairs Harry, Tracey, Hermione, Ron and Mary started to leave.

Ron stopped and looked at Mary.

"Mary. Go on home. Take the kids I'll meet you there. We have to leave the country, do you understand? Mary, do as I say." Ron said.

Then she kissed him and he turned back into Ron Weasley.

"Mary? Who is that?" Regi said.

Ron looked at him then Mary.

"Long story... Nice meeting you." he said.

"It's Harry and Tracey, Harry and Tracey Potter!

The four of them started to run to the flew networks and grabbed Hermione's hand since she was first. Then they were somewhere outside.

Harry and Tracey sat up and heard something.

"Harry, Harry quickly in my bag. Essence of Dittany." Hermione said.

Tracey went and looked at Ron.

Harry looked inside and didn't see it.

"Quickly!"

"Accio Dittany!"

He caught it, stood up and then tossed it to Tracey who was looking at Ron.

"Hermione his arm." she said.

"I know but just do it!"

Tracey handed her the dittany while Harry grabbed the locket.

"OK, it's gonna, it's gonna sting a little." she said.

Tracey stood up and looked around.

"Where are we? Aren't we supposed to be at Grimauld Place?" Harry said.

"We have a secret keeper!" Tracey said.

"I know but Yaxley had hold of me and we were getting close so before we got to close I brought us here. But, Ron got splined!" she said.

Then she stood up and took out her wand.

"Protego Totalum. Salvia Hexi."

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Protective enchantments. I do not want a repeat of what happened at Shaftesbury Avenue, do you? Get going with a tent." she said.

"Tent?" Harry said.

"Protego Totalum." Hermione continued.

"Where are we supposed to find a tent?" Tracey asked.

Then they looked at her purse. Then back at each other.

'She's good.' he said.

'Yeah.' she said.

So they went and grabbed it and started to make the tent.

"Good thing we'd go camping when we were kids." Harry said.

"Yeah, thank Merlin she's a muggle born." Tracey said.

When they were done Harry helped Hermione get Ron in the tent and Tracey carried the bags.

Chapter 5

The next day they were outside with the locket.

"You first." Hermione said to Harry.

"Incendio!" he said.

But it didn't work.

"Incendio." Hermione tried.

That didn't work ether.

"Expulso!" Tracey said.

Still didn't work.

"Diffindo!" Harry said.

Then they looked at each other and nodded.

"Reducto!" Harry and Tracey said together.

They sighed so Harry went and put it on his neck.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"We have to keep it safe." he said.

"Isn't it strange mate. Dumbledore tells you to do something but doesn't tell you how." Ron said.

Then Harry just looked at him.

A few hours later Harry was outside on watch and picked up the locket.

While he looked at it he heard something familiar from fifth year.

'You know the spell Harry.'

Then his scar burst into pain and he locked the connection as tightly as he could.

He could still hear it in him.

"Tell me, Gregorovitch."

"He stole it from me."

"Who was it? The thief?"

"The boy. It was he who took it. I never saw it again I swear on my life."

"I believe you. Avada Kedavra!"

Then he stopped hearing things.

"I thought it stopped." Hermione said.

"You know he can only hear it. Not see it." Tracey said.

"Voldemort found Gregorovitch." he said.

"This Wand Maker?" Tracey said confused.

"He wants something that Gregorovitch used to have. I don't know what. But he wants it desperately. As if his life depended on it."

Then the radio said something and he was about to go shut it off.

"Don't, it's his comfort zone." Hermione said.

"It sets my teeth on edge, What's he expecting to hear? Good news?" he asked.

"One can only hope not to hear bad news." she said.

"How long before he can travel?" he asked.

"I'm doing everything I can." she said.

"You are not doing enough!" he said.

"Take it off!" she said.

"She said, Take it off, now!" Tracey said.

So he took it off and handed it to Tracey.

"Better?" Hermione asked.

"Right." he said.

"We will take in turns, okay?" Tracey said handing it to Hermione.

Later that night while Hermione was on night shift and reading her book. Then she heard something and looked up.

She saw people walking by.

When they were gone Harry and Tracey walked up to her.

"Snatchers." Hermione said.

"We know. He had some with the last war. We were five when it ended. Our parents were homeschooling us at the time for safety." Tracey said.

"Good to know that your enchantments work." Harry said.

"He could smell it, my perfume." she said.

They started to talk about what to do now.

"I told you two, Ron isn't strong enough for apperating." Hermione said while they started walking.

"Well then, we'll go on foot and then go back to Grimauld Place when he's healed." Tracey said.

Ron stepped outside a bit and listened.

"And next time Hermione, don't use perfume." Harry said.

Tracey started laughing a little.

Chapter 6

While they started moving Ron would get angry and see Hermione with Harry and Tracey.

While they were on a hill Hermione handed Harry a water bottle.

"Thank you."

He took a few sips and handed it to Tracey.

"Thanks." she said.

As they walked around Ron would listen to the radio and slowly get healed.

One day while they were in the woods Ron was sitting next to Hermione while Harry was next to Tracey.

"They don't know what they're doing do they?" Ron said.

"None of us do." Hermione said.

Later that night Hermione was cutting Harry's hair, Ron was fully healed and Tracey was on her sift.

"Oh my god." Hermione said.

Then stopped and stood up.

"What?" Harry asked.

"I'll tell you in a minute, call Tracey." she said.

So it's easier for her to hear he used their connection.

'Trace, come here.' he said.

'What is it?' she asked.

'Hermione thought of something.' he said.

So she stood up and went inside.

"What?" she asked.

"The sword of Gryffindor, it's goblin made." she said.

"OK?" Tracey said.

"We're looking for a way to destroy Horcruxes right? Harry destroyed one second year, Tom Riddle's diary."

"With a basilisk fang. If you have one of them in that bag of yours I already know Trace doesn't."

Tracey started laughing hard.

"Maybe we should have! That would make it a lot easier!" she said.

"Focus you two!" Hermione said.

"Sorry, continue." Harry said.

"Thank you. As I was saying, don't you two see? In The Chamber of Secrets Harry stabbed the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor Its blade is impregnated with basilisk venom."

"It only takes in that which makes it stronger!" Tracey said.

"Exactly, which is why,"

"It can destroy Horcruxes." Harry said.

"That's why Dumbledore left it to you in his will." Hermione said.

"You're brilliant, Hermione. Truly." Harry said.

"Actually, I just highly logical thinking, which allows to me see past and irrelevant details ... and perceived cleary which others overlook." she said.

"Yeah, there is only one problem. Someone stole the sword." Tracey said.

Then some of the light was gone and they looked at Ron.

"Yeah, I'm still here. But you three carry on. Don't let me follow the fun." Ron said.

Then Harry sat on the other side of the bench.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. At least for you three." he said.

"Well if you have something you want us to hear spit it out." Tracey said.

"Alright I'll spit it out. Now that we're going to have to find another damn thing."

"I thought you knew what you signed up for?" Harry said.

"Yeah, I thought I did to."

"Well then we're sorry but we don't know what you think is wrong." Tracey said.

"I only thought that you would have told us something that would help. I thought Dumbledore told you two something!"

"We told you what Dumbledore told us! And Incase you haven't noticed we have found a horcrux already." Harry said.

"Yeah but we've only found one of the other five horcruxs we need to find." he said.

Hermione looked at Ron and thought of something.

"Ron, please take off the horcrux, you wouldn't be saying anything if you took it off." she said trying to get it off.

Ron moved her over.

"You know why I listen to the radio so much? I listen to out to hope I haven't lost Ginny, Fred, or George or mum."

"You don't think we know how it feels?!" Harry yelled.

"NO YOU DON'T know how it feels! All your family's alive! You have your family!" Ron yelled.

"We do know what it's like! We almost lost our parents when we were five during the first war! The only family we have are our parents, Uncle Moony and uncle Padfoot! Our aunt, uncle and cousin hate magic so obviously they're not part of the family! Uncle Wormy turned his back on us, our grandparents are gone to, both mum and dad's parents! Unlike your family we only have seven biological family members and two unbiological members!" Tracey yelled back.

"If you can't take it leave!" Harry yelled.

Then Ron took the locket off and looked at Hermione.

"And you two? You coming or staying?"

Tracey stood next to Harry.

"I'm staying." she said seriously.

Hermione looked back and forth. "I, I'm with Ron."

All three of them were shocked. Then Harry and Tracey stared at each other for a second.

'We have each other. We can do it if neither of them knows where we are.' Harry sent her.

'Yeah, we can do it.' Tracey sent back.

"Fine, go run away with Ron." Harry said.

"You're going to regret this, we can tell." Tracey said.

Then Ron and Hermione left the room and apparated somewhere.

"Alright, we'll stay here for the night and then think of somewhere else to go. Sound good?" Harry said.

"Sounds good. Do you think he might have something at Godrics Hollow?" Tracey asked.

"Maybe, I'll write it down. Thank Merlin we can use magic outside school and have our apparation license." he said.

"Ron doesn't have his does he?" she asked.

"No, only me, you and Hermione do. I'll take the shift while you take the locket. Sound good?"

She nodded and put it on her neck while Harry went outside.

"I have an idea of where one might be." Harry said.

"Where?" Tracey asked.

"Hogwarts. He considered Hogwarts his home. He lived in an orphanage remember? A muggle Orphanage to."

"He did didn't he? I'll write it down." she said.

"Alright."

Then a letter appeared out of nowhere. A letter in form of an owl.

It fell on Harry's hand.

They looked at each other.

"That's mum. Everyone knows she's good at Charms." Tracey said smiling.

So he opened the letter and read it out loud.

Dear Lightning, Chess King, Bookworm and V-Girl,

The letter we gave you are only opened by your team. To everyone else it's invisible like the map. That was your father's idea, and for once a good one.

They started laughing for a few minutes then he continued.

It will only open for you four and us. We all came up with names for us to use. The names are,

Lee Jordan- River

Fred- Rodent

George- Red Head

Kingsley- Royal

Lilly- Charmed

James- pointer

Sirius- fur ball

Remus- Romulus

Harry- Lightening

Tracey- V-girl

Hermione- Bookworm

Ron- Chess King

That way no one knows what it is to be safe. Keep writing to us and be careful. Get back where you were soon to. You know we have a secret keeper and who it is.

Charmed

They looked at each other and laughed even harder.

"Pointer?" Harry said.

"Fur Ball?" Tracey said.

"Charmed?" they said together.

They looked around and Harry used the silence charm even though they're hiding.

"I hope no one finds out. I mean, everyone knows mum is great at Charms." he said.

"And dad and Uncle Padfoot are registered now. They got each other registered after the first war." she said.

"Uncle Wormy didn't because he was put in Azkaban. But I'm pretty sure dad, uncle Moony and uncle Padfoot told them that they were all animagi."

"Probably. Alright, let's write back to them."

Harry nodded and undid the silence charm. Then they headed back inside and started writing.

Dear Charmed, Pointer, Fur Ball and Romulus,

We're in hiding right now. While we were looking around we were under Polyjuice potion and started to transform back into our true self. We were in the ministry and grabbed by Yaxley on our way there so Bookworm took us somewhere else. We've been looking for something else and planned on going back home tomorrow. But Chess King, me and lightning got into a fight and he and Bookworm left us. So we're on our own. We're still going to go back tomorrow. We're going to call Fur Ball's elf and have him bring us back. One thing we heard was that we have a taboo for you-know-who. So say that, he-who-must-not-be-named or Tom. We tried that and it worked so me and V-Girl say Tom. Hopefully Chess King and Bookworm will be back soon. We're going to have the elf bring us back so that we don't have to worry about being caught. Me and Bookworm worked on undetectable charms and put our things in our bags. I have mine and Lightning's things and Bookworm has her's and Chess King's stuff with her. I've been using legilimancy on people we see just standing there to try and find something that will help and it has helped us a little. I feel guilty about doing it but whatever it takes I'll do it. We'll let you know when we get back home. Be careful and we'll do the best we can.

Lightning and V-Girl

They looked at the letter and nodded.

"Alright, that sounds good." Tracey said.

So they tried to form something to send the others.

"Hopefully this will work. We've been getting pretty good at Charms anyway." Tracey said.

"Thanks to mum." Harry said.

"We need to find a way to get the sword. But how?" Tracey said.

"We'll think of something." he said.

Then Harry went on his shift and Tracey went to bed.

Chapter 7

The next day they checked everything to make sure they don't forget anything.

"Alright, got everything in your bag?" Harry asked.

"Yup, you?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, KREACHER!" she called.

Then there was a snap.

"Mistress Tracey call Kreacher?" he said.

"Yes, is Grimauld Place still in hiding?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Alright, can you please take us back?" Harry said.

"Yes Master Harry, Mistress Tracey. Hold onto Kreacher's hand."

So they held on and a few seconds later they were back in Grimauld Place.

"Ahh. Much better. Thanks Kreacher." Tracey said.

"Would Mistress Tracey and Master Harry like Kreacher to make lunch?"

"Yes please Kreacher." Harry said.

So he went to make lunch and Harry and Tracey went to go unpack in their rooms.

"After lunch I'm taking a shower." Tracey said.

"Same here. Thank Merlin there's more than one bathroom." Harry said.

So they headed downstairs and had some chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese.

"I think we should go to Godrics Hollow tomorrow." Harry said.

"Alright. Let's bring our bags with us just in case we need to stay in hiding." Tracey said.

"Alright. Let's get some sleep and leave after dinner tomorrow." he said.

She nodded in agreement.

So they went to bed.

The next day after dinner they told Kreacher they were going somewhere and didn't know if they were going to be back after.

They had packed everything up while Kreacher made breakfast.

So they took hands and apparated to Godrics Hollow.

When they got there they were at the graveyard.

"Harry, I think it's Christmas Eve." Tracey said looking around.

Then they saw the graveyard. They looked at each other and nodded. So they headed there and looked at people from the first war and the past.

Tracey was looking at one with snow on it and then saw the Deathly Hollows sign. Then pushed more snow and saw Ignotus on it.

"Hey Harry?" she called.

He turned around and was about to say something but saw someone looking at them.

"Trace someone's watching us and I think I know who it is." he said.

She looked up and saw them.

So they followed her and saw their old house.

They looked at it and remembered what happened. Tracey's eyes started to water a little but wiped them before Harry could see it.

Then he saw something outside the door

On this spot, on this night of 31 October 1981, their son, Harry, and daughter Tracey remain the only wizard and witch ever to have survived the Killing Curse. Their son is the first wizard ever to survive the killing curse while their daughter survived after the safe of her brother. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family.

And all around these neatly lettered words, scribbles had been added by other witches and wizards who had come to see the place where the Boy Who Lived and his sister had escaped. Some had merely signed their names in everlasting Ink; others had carved their initials into the wood, still others had left messages. The most recent of these, shining brightly over sixteen years' worth of magical graffiti, all said similar things.

Good luck, Harry, wherever you are.

If you read this, Harry, Tracey, we're all behind you!

Long live Harry and Tracey Potter.

Harry wrapped his arms around Tracey and she started to cry again.

When she calmed down they followed her inside.

"Here let me do that." Harry said while she tried to light a candle.

He followed her upstairs. When they got there she saw the locket and then looked at him.

"Miss - Bagshot?" he said, and his voice shook slightly. "Who is this?"

"You are the Potters?" she whispered.

"Yes, we are."

She nodded slowly, solemnly.

Then she closed her eyes and several things happened at once: Harry's scar prickled painfully; the Horcrux twitched so that the front of his sweater actually moved; the dark, fetid room dissolved momentarily. He felt a leap of joy and spoke in a high, cold voice: Hold him!

Harry swayed where he stood: The dark, foul-smelling room seemed to close around him again; he did not know what had just happened.

"Over here," she whispered, pointing to the corner.

Harry raised his wand and saw the outline of a cluttered dressing table beneath the curtained window.

This time she did not lead him. Harry edged between her and the unmade bed, his wand raised.

"What is it?" he asked as he reached the dressing table, which was heaped high with what looked and smelled like dirty laundry.

"There," she said, pointing at the shapeless mass.

And in the instant that he looked away, his eyes taking the tangled mess for a sword hilt, a ruby, she moved weirdly: He saw it out of the corner of his eye; panic made him turn and horror paralyzed him as he saw the old body collapsing and the great snake pouring from the place where her neck had been.

The snake struck as he raised his wand: The force of the bite to his forearm sent the wand spinning up toward the ceiling; its light swung dizzyingly around the room and was extinguished;

Then a powerful blow from the tail to his midriff knocked the breath out of him: He fell backward onto the dressing table, into the mound of filthy clothing - He rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding the snake's tail, which thrashed down upon the table where he had been a second earlier. Fragments of the glass surface rained upon him as he hit the floor. From below he heard Tracey call, "Harry?"

He could not get enough breath into his lungs to call back: Then a heavy smooth mass smashed him to the floor and he felt it slide over him, powerful, muscular -

"No!" he gasped, pinned to the floor.

"Yes," whispered the voice.

"Yesss... hold you ... hold you ..."

"Accio ... Accio Wand ..."

But nothing happened and he needed his hands to try to force the snake from him as it coiled itself around his torso, squeezing the air from him, pressing the Horcrux hard into his chest, a circle of ice that throbbed with life, inches from his own frantic heart, and his brain was flooding with cold, white light, all thought obliterated, his own breath drowned, distant footsteps, everything going... and now he was flying, flying with triumph in his heart, without need of broomstick or thestral...

He was abruptly awake in the sour-smelling darkness; Nagini had released him. He scrambled up and saw the snake outlined against the landing light: It struck, and Tracey dived aside with a shriek; her deflected curse hit the curtained window, which shattered. Frozen air filled the room as Harry ducked to avoid another shower of broken glass and his foot slipped on a pencil-like something - his wand –

He bent and snatched it up, but now the room was full of the snake, its tail thrashing; Tracey was nowhere to be seen and for a moment Harry thought the worst, but then there was a loud bang and a flash of red light, and the snake flew into the air, smacking Harry hard in the face as it went, coil after heavy coil rising up to the ceiling. Harry raised his wand, but as he did so, his scar seared more painfully, more powerfully than it had done in years.

"He's coming! Tracey, he's coming!" As he yelled the snake fell, hissing wildly.

Everything was chaos: It smashed shelves from the wall, and splintered china flew everywhere as Harry jumped over the bed and seized the dark shape he knew to be Tracey- she shrieked with pain as he pulled her back across the bed:

The snake reared again, but Harry knew that worse than the snake was coming, was perhaps already at the gate, his head was going to split open with the pain from his scar –

The snake lunged as he took a running leap, dragging Tracey with him; as it struck, Tracey screamed,

"Confringo!" and her spell flew around the room, exploding the wardrobe mirror and ricocheting back at them, bouncing from floor to ceiling.

Glass cut his cheek as, pulling Hermione with him, he leapt from bed to broken dressing table and then straight out of the smashed window into nothingness, her scream reverberating through the night as they twisted in midair...

He was Voldemort and he was running across the fetid bedroom, his long white hands clutching at the windowsill as he glimpsed the bald man and the little woman twist and vanish, and he screamed with rage, a scream that mingled with the girl's, that echoed across the dark gardens over the church bells ringing in Christmas Day...

And his scream was Harry's scream, his pain was Harry's pain... that it could happen here, where it had happened before... here, within sight of that house where he had come so close to knowing what it was to die ... to die ... the pain was so terrible ... ripped from his body ... But if he had no body, why did his head hurt so badly; if he was dead, how cold he feel so unbearably, didn't pain cease with death, didn't it go ...

The night wet and windy, two children dressed as pumpkins waddling across the square and the shop windows covered in paper spiders, all the tawdry Muggle trappings of a world in which they did not believe ... And he was gliding along, that sense of purpose and power and rightness in him that he always knew on these occasions ... Not anger ... that was for weaker souls than he ... but triumph, yes ... He had waited for this, he had hoped for it...

"Nice costume, mister!"

He saw the small boy's smile falter as he ran near enough to see beneath the hood of the cloak, saw the fear cloud his pained face: Then the child turned and ran away ... Beneath the robe he fingered the handle of his wand ... One simple movement and the child would never reach his mother ... but unnecessary, quite unnecessary...

And along a new and darker street he moved, and now his destination was in sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though they did not know it yet...

And he made less noise than the dead leaves slithering along the pavement as he drew level with the dark hedge, and steered over it ...

Harry, Tracey, James and Lily were in the living room playing.

When the woman said words he cold not hear, her long dark-red hair falling over her face.

So Harry and Tracey stood up when they heard something. James went to see what it was.

"LILY! IT'S HIM! TAKE THE KIDS AND GO!"

So they ran upstairs and heard something. Then the door was burst open.

"No! Not them! Take me, I'll do anything!" Lily said.

"Stand aside, stand aside you silly girl!"

"Please, NOT THEM!"

"This is my last warning."

Before she could say anything she was hit with the stunning spell.

'Now, which one? I'll just kill them both.' "AVADA KADAVRA!"

And then after the boy in front of the girl he broke. He was nothing, nothing but pain and terror, and he must hide himself, not here in the rubble of the ruined house, where the child was trapped screaming, but far away ... far away ...

Chapter 8

"No," he moaned.

The snake rustled on the filthy, cluttered floor, and he had killed the boy, and yet he was the boy ...

"No..."

And now he stood at the broken window of Bathilda's house, immersed in memories of his greatest loss, and at his feet the great snake slithered over broken china and glass... He looked down and saw something... something incredible...

"No..."

"Harry, it's all right, you're all right!"

He stooped down and picked up the smashed photograph. There he was, the unknown thief, the thief he was seeking...

"No... I dropped it... I dropped it ..."

"Harry, it's okay, wake up, wake."

He was Harry... Harry, not Voldemort ... and the thing that was rustling was not a snake ... He opened his eyes.

"Harry," Tracey whispered.

"Do you feel all - all right?"

"Yes," he lied.

He was in the tent, lying on one of the lower bunks beneath a heap of blankets. He could tell that it was almost dawn by the stillness and quality of the cold, flat light beyond the canvas ceiling. He was drenched in sweat; he could feel it on the sheets and blankets.

"We got away."

"Yes," said Tracey. "I had to use a Hover Charm to get you into your bunk. I couldn't lift you. You've been ... Well, you haven't been quite ..."

You've been ill," she finished. "Quite ill."

"How long ago did we leave?"

"Hours ago. It's nearly morning. I gave you some of my energy to try and come back sooner. And the phoenix tear Dumbledore gave me when you got hit by Nagini."

"Thanks. And I've been... what, unconscious while you did that?"

"Not exactly," said Tracey uncomfortably. "You've been shouting and moaning and ... things," she added in a tone that made Harry feel uneasy.

"I couldn't get the Horcrux off you," Tracey said, and he knew she wanted to change the subject. "It was stuck, stuck to your chest. You've got a mark; I'm sorry, I had to use a Severing Charm to get it away. The snake bit you too, but I've cleaned the wound and put some dittany on it ..."

"Where've you put the Horcrux?"

"In my bag. I think we should keep it off for a while."

He lay back on his pillows and looked into her pinched gray face.

"We shouldn't have gone to Godric's Hollow. It's my fault, it's all my fault. Tracey, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I wanted to go too; I really thought Dumbledore might have left the sword there for us."

"Yeah, well ... we got that wrong, didn't we?"

"What happened, Harry? What happened when she took you upstairs? Was the snake hiding somewhere? Did it just come out and kill her and attack you?"

"No." he said. "She was the snake ... or the snake was her ... all along."

"W-what?"

He closed his eyes. He could still smell Bathilda's house on him; it made the whole thing horribly vivid.

"Bathilda must've been dead a while. The snake was... was inside her. Tom put it there in Godric's Hollow, to wait."

"The snake was inside her?"

He opened his eyes again. Tracey looked revolted, nauseated.

"Uncle Moony said there would be magic we'd never imagined." Harry said.

Tracey thought of something that could've been how she was a human but kept it to herself.

"She didn't want to talk in front of you, because it was Parseltongue, all Parseltongue, and I didn't realize, but of course I could understand her. Once we were up in the room, the snake sent a message to Tom, I heard it happen inside my head, I felt him get excited, he said to keep me there ... and then ..."

He remembered the snake coming out of Bathilda's neck: Tracey did not need to know the details.

"...she changed, changed into the snake, and attacked."

He looked down at the puncture marks.

"It wasn't supposed to kill me, just keep me there till Tom came."

He sat up and threw back the covers.

"Harry, no, I'm sure you ought to rest!"

"You're the one who needs sleep. No offense, but you look terrible. You used enough strength to give me some of yours. I'm fine. I'll keep watch for a while. Where's my wand?"

She did not answer, she merely looked at him.

"Where's my wand, Trace?"

She was biting her lip, and tears swam in her eyes.

"Harry ..."

"Where's my wand?"

She reached down beside the bed and held it out to him.

The holly and phoenix wand was nearly severed in two.

One fragile strand of phoenix feather kept both pieces hanging together. The wood had splintered apart completely. Harry took it into his hands as though it was a living thing that had suffered a terrible injury. He could not think properly: Everything was a blur of panic and fear. Then he held out the want to Tracey .

"Mend it. Please."

"Harry, I don't think, when it's broken like this -"

"Please, Trace, try!"

"R-Reparo."

The dangling half of the wand resealed itself. Harry held it up.

"Lumos!"

The wand sparked feebly, then went out. Harry pointed it at Tracey.

"Expelliarmus!"

Tracey's wand gave a little jerk, but did not leave her hand. The feeble attempt at magic was too much for Harry's wand, which split into two again. He stared at it, aghast,

"Harry." Tracey whispered so quietly he could hardly hear her. "I'm so, so sorry. I think it was me. As we were leaving, you know, the snake was coming for us, and so I cast a Blasting Curse, and it rebounded everywhere, and it must have - must have hit -"

"It was an accident." said Harry mechanically. "We'll - we'll find a way to repair it."

"Well," he said, in a falsely matter-of-fact voice, "well, I'll just borrow yours for now, then. While I keep watch."

Her face glazed with tears, Tracey handed over her wand, and he left her sitting beside his bed.

Chapter 9

While he sat outside he saw a patronus. A doe.

"That can't be mum, she doesn't know where we are."

So he stood up and followed it.

When he got there he looked down and saw a lake. When the light was gone it was over part of the ice.

He brushed the snow off some of it and saw the sword.

Then he looked on his left then right but saw nothing.

"Accio sword!"

But it didn't work. So he looked back and forth again and then said.

"Defindo!"

The ice cracked enough for him to go down. So he started to undress and then went down.

While he was down there he felt the locket start to chock him. While he tried to stop it he heard footsteps.

A few seconds later there was a different sound. When he was about to pass out he felt someone pull him out of the water.

When he got out he started to cough. Then he put his glasses on.

"Tracey?"

"Are you mad?!"

"Ron? Hermione?"

"Well yeah, who did you think it was?" Ron said.

"It was one of you, one of you made a patronus." he said.

"No we thought that was you?" Hermione said.

"No my patronus is a stag like my dad."

"Oh, right, antlers." Ron said while he made some with his hands.

When he was all dressed up he took the locket off and put it in front of them.

Hermione had gone behind a tree so that she didn't have to worry about something hitting her.

"OK then, do it Ron." Harry said.

"I can't. I can't do it." he said.

"Then why did you two come back? Why are you here?"

Ron stood there quietly for a few seconds.

"I'm going to open it," said Harry, "Don't hesitate because whatever's in there will put up a fight. The bit of Riddle in the Diary tried to kill me."

"How are you going to open it?" asked Ron. He looked terrified

"I'm going to ask it to open, using Parseltongue," said Harry.

"Ready?"

He nodded and took out the sword.

"Alright, One . . . two . . . three . . .open."

Behind both of the glass windows within blinked a living eye, dark and handsome as Tom Riddle's eyes had been before he turned them scarlet and slit-pupiled.

"Stab," said Harry, holding the locket steady on the rock.

Ron raised the sword in his shaking hands: The point dangled over the frantically swiveling eyes, and Harry gripped the locket tightly, bracing himself.

Then a voice hissed from out the Horcrux.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine."

"Don't listen to it!" Harry said harshly. "Stab it!"

"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible..."

"Stab!" shouted Harry, his voice echoed off the surrounding trees, the sword point trembled, and Ron gazed down into Riddle's eyes.

"Least loved, always, by the mother who craved a daughter . . . Least loved, now, by the girl who prefers your friend . . . Second best, always, eternally overshadowed . . ."

"Ron, stab it now!" Harry bellowed:

He could feel the locket quivering in the grip and was scared of what was coming. Ron raised the sword still higher, and as he did so, Riddle's eyes gleamed scarlet.

Out of the locket's two windows, out of the eyes, there bloomed like two grotesque bubbles, the heads of Harry and Hermione, weirdly distorted.

Ron yelled in shock and backed away as the figures blossomed out of the locket, first chests, then waists, then legs, until they stood in the locket, side by side like trees with a common root, swaying over Ron and the real Harry, who had snatched his fingers away from the locket as it burned, suddenly, white-hot.

"Ron!" he shouted, but the Riddle-Harry was now speaking with Voldemort's voice and Ron was gazing, mesmerized, into its face.

"Why return? We were better without you, happier without you, glad of your absence... We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption-"

"Presumption!" echoed the Riddle-Hermione, who was more beautiful and yet more terrible than the real Hermione: She swayed, cackling, before Ron, who looked horrified, yet transfixed, the sword hanging pointlessly at his side. "Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One? What are you, compared with the Boy Who Lived?"

"Ron, stab it, STAB IT!" Harry yelled, but Ron did not move.

His eyes were wide, and the Riddle-Harry and the Riddle-Hermione were reflected in them, their hair swirling like flames, their eyes shining red, their voices lifted in an evil duet.

"Your mother confessed," sneered Riddle-Harry, while Riddle-Hermione jeered, "that she would have preferred me as a son, would be glad to exchange..."

"Who wouldn't prefer him, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to him," crooned Riddle-Hermione, and she stretched like a snake and entwined herself around Riddle-Harry, wrapping him in a close embrace: Their lips met.

On the ground in front of them, Ron's face filled with anguish. He raised the sword high, his arms shaking.

"Do it, Ron!" Harry yelled. 'My head is going to split if he doesn't do it soon!'

Ron looked toward him and Harry thought he saw a trace of scarlet in his eyes.

"Ron -?"

The sword flashed, plunged: Harry threw himself out of the way, there as a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream. Harry whirled around, slipping in the snow, wand held ready to defend himself, but there was nothing to fight.

The monstrous versions of himself and Hermione were gone:

There was only Ron, standing there with the sword held slackly in his hand, looking down at the shattered remains of the locket on the flat rock.

When it was gone Hermione walked over to them and sat next to them.

"One down. Only four to go." Ron said.

Chapter 10

A few minutes later they were back with the tent. Harry had told them what they had done while they were gone.

"Tracey? Trace!" Harry called.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine, actually it's more than fine."

Then he showed her the two people.

Tracey was furious at both of them.

"You two, complete awful Weasley and Granger! You two had been gone for weeks and you say hey?"

Then she looked at Harry. "Where's my wand Harry? Where's my wand?"

"I don't know."

"Harry Potter you give me my wand!"

"I don't have it!" he said and put it in his pocket.

"How come he's got your wand?" Hermione asked.

"It doesn't matter why he's got my wand!" Then she looked down. Then looked at Harry.

"What is that? You destroyed it! And how is you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?"

The three of them looked at each other.

"It's a bit of a long story." Harry said.

"Don't you two think this is change of anything."

"Of course not. I just destroyed a bloody horcrux!" Ron said.

"When we realized what we did we tried to find you but didn't know where you would have gone." Hermione said.

"Yeah how did you find us?" Harry asked.

"It was dark out and we had no idea where we were when I felt something in my deluminater." Ron said.

"Which would be what?" Tracey asked.

"Both you're name. Harry and Tracey." he said.

They stood there quietly for a few minutes. Then Harry said something.

"Right, why don't we get changed into something dry and sped the night here." Harry said.

The other three nodded and went inside.

A few hours later Hermione was on her shift and Harry, Ron and Tracey were sitting inside.

"How long are you gonna take to forgive me?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine with it, Trace on the other hand. She may might not have as bad of a temper then me but she can still hold a grudge sometimes." Harry said trying not to laugh.

Then he gave in and the three of them started to chuckle.

"Bloody hell, you need a wand don't you?" Ron asked looking at Harry.

"Yeah." he said.

"I've got one here." He then handed it to him. "Ten inches."

Harry putted the wand at the fire.

"Ingoshio." Then the fire got enormous and the three of them jumped.

"Reduco!" he yelled.

"What's going on in there?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing!" Harry said and put the wand in his pocket.

"We need to talk." Hermione said.

"Alright then." Ron said.

"I want to see Xenophilius Lovegood." Hermione said.

"Why?" Tracey asked.

"You see this mark? It's on the book again."

Then she shut the book.

"Look, I have no idea where the next horcrux is and neither do you."

"It was on his necklace to. The one he was wearing at the wedding." Harry said.

"Let's make a vote, all those in favor?" Ron said.

The three of them looked at him.

"Let's just do it." Tracey said.

"Alright." Harry said.

So they packed everything up and then apperated to Mr. Lovegood.

When they got there they looked at the door.

"Luna." Hermione said.

"Luna." the other three said.

When they got there they knocked on the door.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Xenophilius said.

Then Harry walked up to the door.

"Hello, Mr. Lovegood," said Harry, holding out his hand,

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"And I'm Tracey, Tracey Potter."

Xenophilius did not take Harry's hand, although the eye that was not pointing inward at his nose slid straight to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Can we come in?" Harry said.

So he opened the door and got them some tea.

They picked it up and sat down.

"Where's Luna?" Hermione asked.

"Luna? She'll be along soon." he said.

"Now," he remove a tottering pile of papers from an armchair and sat down, his Wellingtoned legs crossed, "how may I help you, Mr. Potter?"

"Well," said Harry, glancing at Hermione, who nodded encouragingly, "it's about that symbol you were wearing around your neck at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Mr. Lovegood. We wondered what it meant."

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows.

"Are you referring to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?"

Harry turned to look at Tracey, Ron and Hermione. None of them seemed to have understood what Xenophilius had said either.

"The Deathly Hallows?" Tracey asked.

"That's right," said Xenophilius. "You haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised. Very, very few wizards believe. Witness that knuckle-headed young man at your brother's wedding," he nodded at Ron,

"who attacked me for sporting the symbol of a well-known Dark wizard! Such ignorance. There is nothing Dark about the Hallows – at least not in that crude sense. One simply uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest."

He stirred several lumps of sugar into his Gurdyroot infusion and drank some.

"I'm sorry," said Harry, "I still don't really understand."

To be polite, he took a sip from his cup too

"Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows," said Xenophilius, smacking his lips in apparent appreciation of the Gurdyroot infusion.

"But what are the Deathly Hallows?" asked Hermione.

Xenophilius set aside his empty teacup.

"I assume that you are familiar with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"

"Yes." They all said. Xenophilius nodded gravely.

"Well, you all know the whole thing starts with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'... I have a copy somewhere . . ."

He glanced vaguely around the room, at the piles of parchment and books, but Hermione said, "I've got a copy, Mr. Lovegood, I've got it right here."

And she pulled out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from the small, beaded bag.

"The original?" inquired Xenophilius sharply, and when she nodded, he said, "Well then, why don't you read it out aloud? Much the best way to make sure we all understand."

"Er. . . all right," said Hermione nervously. She opened the book, and Harry saw that the symbol they were investigating headed the top of the page as she gave a little cough, and began to read.

"There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight –'"

"Midnight, our mum always told us," said Ron, who had stretched out, arms behind his head, to listen. Hermione shot him a look of annoyance.

"Sorry, I just think it's a bit spookier if it's midnight!" said Ron.

"Yeah, because we really need a bit more fear in our lives," said Harry before he could stop himself.

Xenophilius did not seem to be paying much attention, but was staring out of the window at the sky.

"Go on, Hermione."

"In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

"'And Death spoke to them –'"

"Sorry," interjected Tracey, "but Death spoke to them?"

"It's a fairy tale, Tracey!"

"Right, sorry. Go on."

"'And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

"'So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

"'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

"'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.'"

"Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.

"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking . . . sorry, Hermione."

"'Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts.

"'In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

"'The first brother travelled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

"'That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.

"'And so Death took the first brother for his own.

"'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

"'Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

"'And so Death took the second brother from his own.

"'But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.'"

Hermione closed the book. It was a moment or two before Xenophilius seemed to realize that she had stopped reading; then he withdrew his gaze from the window and said:

"Well, there you are."

"Sorry?" said Hermione, sounding confused.

He picked up a quill from a packed table at his elbow, and pulled a torn piece of parchment from between more books.

"The Elder Wand," he said, and drew a straight vertical line upon the parchment.

"The Resurrection Stone," he said, and added a circle on top of the line.

"The Cloak of Invisibility," he finished, enclosing both line and circle in a triangle, to make the symbols that so intrigued Hermione.

"Together," he said, "the Deathly Hallows."

"Mr. Lovegood, does the Deathly Hallows have anything to do with the Peverill brothers?" Tracey asked.

"Yes, Ignotus, and his brothers Cadmus and Antioch were the original owner of the hallows ... and therefore inspiration for the story." Xenophilius.

"Your tea has gone cold." Harry said.

"Don't go I'll be right back?" Xenophilius said.

"Let's get out of here. I have more of this brndy pi? I will not." Ron said.

"Thank you for ..." Hermione said.

"You forgot the water." Tracey said.

"Water?"

"In the tea." Ron said.

"How silly of me." he said.

"You do not have to, we should be going any way." Tracey said.

"No, you do not!" Xenophilius.

"Sir?" Harry said.

"You are my only hope. They were angry, you see, because of what I've been writing. so they took ... took my children."

"Who took her, sir?"

"Voldemort."

Then snatchers appeared out of nowhere.

So the four of them held hands and ended up on a different place.

Chapter 11

A few seconds later they were somewhere else.

"That bloody trader! Is there no one we can trust?" Ron asked.

Then a few snatchers appeared.

"Hello beautiful. Don't just hang back Snatch them!"

While they were running Hermione aimed some spells at them and then saw Harry.

She aimed a spell on him that caused his face to become swollen and then he was on the ground.

When he got down he heard someone he's familiar with.

"Tell m Grindward. Tell me, where it is." Voldemort said.

"I knew that one day you come. But surely as you know. I no longer have what you seek." Grindelwald said.

"I believe you Grindelwald, tell me where it is Tell me who posseses it." Voldemort demanded.

"The elder wand lies with him of course... Buried in the earth with Dumbledore."

"Avada Kedevera!" Voldemort said after hearing that.

Then he was gone and Hermione was sitting in front of him.

"The hallows exist. He is only after one... the last one He knows where it is. He's gonna have it by the end of the night? You know who's had the elder wand."

Then a snatcher grabbed on to Hermione.

"Do not touch her!" Ron said.

"Your boyfriend will get much worse for that if he doesn't learn to behave himself."

Then he looked at Harry.

"And what happened to you, ugly?"

Someone else looked at him while Harry looked at him.

"No, not you." he said to Harry.

"What is your name?"

"Dudley. Vernon Dudley."

"Check it. And you him and ugly, lovely? What do they call you?"

"Penelope Clearwater. Half blood." Hermione said.

"There is no Vernon Dudley on here."

"You hear that ugly? This means you're lying to us. Why did not you tell us? Who you are?"

"Do you have a mistake, I already told you who I am." Harry said.

Then he looked closer at Harry and saw his scar.

"Change of plan. We are not taking this lot to the Ministry."

When they got to their destination they were at Malfoy Manor.

"Get Draco." Bellatrix said.

"Well?" she asked when he was there.

"I can't be sure." Malfoy said.

"Look closely, son. If we are the ones who hand Potter to the Dark Lord... everything would be forgiven, it would all be as it was understood?" Lucius said pushing him a little.

"Now we won't be forgetting who really caught him ... I hope Mr. Malfoy."

"Don't dare to talk to me like that in my own house?!"

"Lucius!" Narcissa said.

"Do not be shy, come closer! If this isn't who you think it is Draco ... and we will call Him, He'll kill us all. We need to be absolutely sure!" Bellatrix said.

"What's wrong with his face?" Malfoy asked.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix asked.

"We captured him like that. Something he captured in the forrest I reckom That happens during a stinging jinx Was it you."

"Give me your wand, let's see what your last spell was."

She looked at it and then saw the sword from Hermione's purse.

"What's that? Where did you get that from?" Bellatrix asked.

"It was in her bag when we searched her I reckon its mine now."

"Are you mad? Get out!...Get out! Cissy ... hold those boys in the basement! I'd like a conversation with this one... girl to girl!"

So they pushed the other three down to the basement.

"What are we gonna do? We can't leave Hermione alone with her!" Ron said.

"Ron? Tracey? Harry?"

"Luna?" Tracey said.

Then they heard Hermione screaming.

"We have to do something?!" Ron said.

"There is no way out of here. We tried everything. It's enchanted." Mr. Olivander said.

Harry bent down and pulled out the glass.

"You are Bleeding Harry, its a curious thing to keep on yourself." Luna said.

"Help us!" he said.

"Let her go!" Ron said.

"Get Back! You Goblin, come with me." Wormtail said.

A few minutes after he left Dobby came.

"Dobby?" Harry said.

"What are you doing here?" Tracey said.

"Dobby has come to rescue Harry and Tracey Potter! Dobby will alwyas be there for Harry and Tracey Potter." Dobby said smiling.

"You say that you can apparate out of this room?" Tracey asked.

"Can you take us with you?" Harry asked.

"Of course, I'm a elf." he said.

"No clear." Ron said.

"Well, Dobby, take Luna and Mr. Ollivander, please." Harry said.

"Take them to shell cottage its near the sea. Trust me." Ron said.

"When you're ready, sir." Luna said.

"Sir? I like her very much!" Dobby said.

Then he took Luna and Olivander in both hands.

"Meet me at top of the stairs in ten seconds."

A few seconds later the door opened again.

For a split second Wormtail gazed into the apparently empty cellar, ablaze with light from the three miniature suns floating in mid-air. Then Harry, Tracey and Ron launched themselves upon him. Ron seized Wormtail's wand arm and forced it upwards. Harry slapped a hand to his mouth, muffling his voice.

Silently they struggled: Wormtail's wand emitted sparks; his silver hand closed around Harry's throat.

Harry could barely breathe.

"You're going to kill me?"

Harry choked, attempting to prise off the metal fingers.

"After I saved your life? You owe me, uncle Wormy!"

The silver fingers slackened.

Harry had not expected it: He wrenched himself free, astonished, keeping his hand over Wormtail's mouth.

He saw the rat like man's small watery eyes widen with fear and surprise: He seemed just as shocked as Harry at what his hand had done, at the tiny, merciful impulse it had betrayed, and he continued to struggle more powerfully, as though to undo that moment of weakness.

"And we'll have that," whispered Ron, tugging Wormtail's wand from his other hand.

Wandless, helpless, Pettigrew's pupils dilated in terror. His eyes had slid from Tracey and Harry's face to something else. His own silver fingers were moving inexorably toward his own throat.

"No –" they said together.

Without pausing to think, Harry and Tracey tried to drag back the hand, but there was no stopping it.

The silver tool that Voldemort had given his most cowardly servant had turned upon its disarmed and useless owner; Pettigrew was reaping his reward for his hesitation, his moment of pity; he was being strangled before their eyes.

"No!" they said together.

Ron had released Wormtail too, and together he and Harry tried to pull the crushing metal fingers from around Wormtail's throat, but it was no use. Pettigrew was turning blue.

"Relashio!" said Ron, pointing the wand at the silver hand, but nothing happened; Pettigrew dropped to his knees, and at the same moment, Hermione gave a dreadful scream from overhead. Wormtail's eyes rolled upward in his purple face; he gave a last twitch, and was still.

"Uncle Wormy." they whispered together.

After that they started to go upstairs.

They stood there quietly and listened to what Bellatrix was saying to Hermione.

"I guess I'll just have to use Crucio on you for you to tell me."

"Like hell. Expelliarmus!" Ron said.

"Stupefy!"

"Stop!" Bellatrix said with Hermione around her. Her wand on Hermione's neck.

"Drop your wands."

They just stood there.

"I said, drop them!"

Then they dropped their wands.

"Pick em up, Draco, now! Well well well ... Look who we have here. Its Harry and Tracey Potter. Whole bright shiny and new Just in time for the Dark Lord. Call him."

Lucius pulled his sleeve and was about to call him when they heard something. They all looked up. Then a lamp started to fall and almost land on Bellatrix.

"Ahh! Stupid elf! You could have kill me?!" she said.

"Dobby never meant to kill. Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure." Dobby said.

Then Bellatrix took out her wand but Dobby snapped his finger and caught her wand.

"How dare you take a witch's wand? How dare you defy your masters?" she shouted.

"Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf ... and Dobby has come to save Harry and Tracey Potter and their friends!" he said.

Then Harry grabbed the three wands.

"Stupefy!"

Then they grabbed Dobby and started to apparate. While he did that Bellatrix threw her dagger at him.

When they were gone the dagger was gone to.

Chapter 12

A few seconds later they were outside Bill and Fleur's house. Harry stood up and headed to Hermione, Ron and Tracey.

"Hermione! Are you alright?" he asked.

She nodded.

"We are safe. We are all safe." he said wrapping his arms around her.

"Harry Potter ..." Dobby said.

"Dobby!" Harry said while he

"That would be fine ..." Dobby said.

"Hold on. Hold on. Hold on, yes? We are going to fix it. Hermione, the dittany ... in your purse Hermione! Hermione! Help me!" he said and looked at her.

"It's so beautiful than alone... with you here as friends. Dobby is Happy ... that may be with his friends ... Harry and Tracey Potter."

Then he laid there in silence and still.

"We should close his eyes." Luna said.

She closed his eyes.

"There. Now he could be sleeping." she said.

Harry looked up.

"I want to bury him... Properly, without magic."

So he grabbed a shovel and started.

When he was done Hermione passed him Dobby and he put him down. Then he filled the whole and Harry and Tracey stood there quietly.

Harry took out his wand and wrote, 'Here lies Dobby a free elf'

They sighed quietly.

"Thanks for the help Dobby. We'll never forget you." Tracey said.

"Yeah, thanks Dobby." Harry said.

So they all headed to the cottage.

Chapter 13

Later that day Harry, Ron, Tracey and Hermione were talking to each other.

"Think he'll help us?" Hermione asked.

"I hope so. Mr. Olivander won't be that hard. Griphook will be hard though." Harry said.

"We'll think of something. Even if it takes money." Tracey said.

They all nodded and then Harry headed to Bill.

"We need to talk to the goblin." he said.

So Bill took them to the goblin and then left.

"How are you?" Tracey said.

"Alive." Griphook said.

"You probably don't remember-" Harry started but was cut off.

"That I showed you to your vault when you two were eleven? Even goblins know about you Harry Potter." he said.

Then he looked at the sword.

"How did you come by the sword?" Giphook asked.

"It's complicated. Why did Bellatrix Lestrange think that it should be in her vault at Gringotts?" Harry said.

"It's complicated." Tracey said.

"The sword presented itself to us, in moment of need." Hermione said.

"We didn't steal it." Ron said.

"There is a sword in Madam Lestrange's vault identical to this one. But it is a fake. It was placed there this past summer.

And she never suspected it was a fake. The replica is very convincing. Only a goblin would recognize that this is the true Sword of Gryffindor." Griphook said.

"Who is the acquaintance?" Hermione asked.

"A Hogwarts Professor. As I understand that he's now Headmaster."

"Snape." Ron said.

"He put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"There are more than a fewcurious things in the vaults at Gringotts."

"And in Madam Lestrange's vault as well?" Tracey asked.

"Perhaps."

"We need to break into a Gringotts vault." Harry said.

"It is impossible." Griphook said.

"Alone yes, with you, no." Tracey said.

"And what will I get in return if I were to help you?"

"We have gold. Lots of it." Tracey said.

'Dad would kill us but whatever it takes he'd understand.' Tracey said to Harry.

'Yeah, if he lives this war. Whatever it takes to end this war.' Harry said.

"I'm not interested in gold." he said.

"Then what?" Harry asked wincing.

His scar had been hurting for a while and he fought his hand from rubbing it. He keeps his mind locked full time now. At school and at home.

"That." Griphook pointed to the sward. "That is my prize."

When they left they shut the door and looked at each other while Fleur was in Mr. Olivander's room.

"You think there's a Horcrux in the Lestrange vault?" Ron asked.

"Yes, we all know that she's one of Tom's favorite and best followers. So who else would he trust enough to put one in?" Harry said.

"And she was scared that we had been in there. She kept asking you what you'd taken." Tracey said.

"Another piece of his soul. Let's find it, kill it, and we are one step closer to killing him." Harry said.

"And what happens when we find it, How're we supposed to destroy it, now you're giving the sword to Griphook?" Hermione asked.

"We're still working on that part." Tracey said.

"He's weak." Fleur said.

The three of them nodded and walked in.

"Mr. Ollivander I need to ask you a few questions." Harry said.

"Anything, m'boy. Anything!" he said.

Harry took out the wand and handed it to him.

"Would you mind identifying this wand? We need to know if it's safe to use." Tracey said.

"Uhh... Walnut Dragon Heartstring Unyie... Unyielding. This belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange. Treat it carefully." he said handing it back.

"And this?" Tracey said handing him the next one.

"Hawthorn. An unicorn hair. Reasonably pliant. This was the wand of Draco Malfoy."

"Was? Is it not still?" Harry said confused.

"Well, perhaps not. If one of you won it from him. I sense its allegiance has changed." Mr. Olivander said.

"You talk about wands, as if they have feelings... can think!" Tracey said.

"The wand chooses the wizard, Ms. Potter. That much has always been clear to those of us who've studied wandlore." he said.

"And, what do you know about the Deathly Hallows?" Hermione asked.

"It is rumored there are three. The Elder Wand, the Cloak of Invisibility, to hide you from your enemies... and the Resurrection Stone, to bring back loved ones from the dead. Together, they make one the Master of Death. But, few truly believe that such objects exist."

"Do you? Do you believe they exist, sir?" Hermione said.

"Well... I see no reasons to put stock into an old wives' tale."

"You're lying! You know one exists. You told him about it.

You told him about the Elder Wand... and where he could go looking for it." Harry said.

"How?"

"I just know." he said rubbing his scar without knowing.

"He tortured me... I only conveyed rumors. There's... There's no telling whether he will find it."

"He has found it, sir. We'll let you rest." Harry said.

They stood up and started to leave the room.

"He's after you, Mr. Potter. If it's true what you say, that he has the Elder Wand, I'm afraid, you really don't stand a chance."

"Well, I am supposed to kill him, before he finds me, then."

Chapter 14

The next day they were in the room Hermione and Tracey had slept in.

"You sure that's her?" Ron asked.

Hermione life the hair.

"Positive."

Then she drank it and got changed.

After that they stood outside. Ron was Rodolphus Lestrange and Tracey was in an invisibility spell that Bill had taught them.

Harry was going to use the invisibility cloak to carry Griphook.

"Well, how do I look?" Hermione asked.

"Hideous." Ron said.

"You can put the sword in Hermione's bag." Harry said.

So Griphook put the sword in her bag and then they stood up straight.

"We're relying on you Griphook. If you help us get through the guards the sword is yours." Tracey said.

So they all grabbed Hermione's hand and were gone.

When they got there someone saw them.

"Madam Lestrange." he said.

"Good morning." Hermione said.

Then the man left.

"Good morning? Good morning? You're Bellatrix Lestrange not a school girl!" Griphook said.

"Hey!" Ron said.

"No he's right, I was being stupid." she said.

"Alright, let's go." Harry said and put Griphook on his back. Then Tracey put the cloak on him.

When they got to Gringotts Hermione did the best she could to look and act like Bellatrix.

When they got to the goblin she cleared her throat. She got no answer so she did it again.

"I wish to enter my vault." Hermione said.

"Identification?" the goblin said.

"I hardly think that would be necessary."

The goblin looked up in shock.

"Madam Lestrange!"

He looked at other people.

"I don't like to be kept waiting!" she said.

"It's an impostor!" someone whispered.

"I know." someone else whispered.

"What do we do Harry, Tracey?" Ron asked quietly.

"Madam Lestrange, would you mind presenting your wand?" the goblin said.

"And why should I do that?" she asked.

"It's the bank's policy! I'm sure you understand, given current climate." he said.

"No! I most certainly do not understand!"

"I'm afraid, I must insist."

"Use the imperious curse!" Griphook said.

"WHAT?" Harry asked.

"Do it!"

He sighed and then quietly walked to the goblin.

"Imperio!" he whispered said.

'Mum and dad would kill you if they find out!' Tracey said.

'I know. And I hope they don't.' Harry said.

"Very well Madam Lestrange. If you will follow me."

So he lead them to their vault. While they did that they saw things they weren't expecting.

While they headed to the vault they saw something.

"What is that, Griphook?" Harry asked loud.

"Griphook!" Tracey yelled.

Then they stopped and were back to their real selves and visible again. Tracey had put the cloak in her purse again.

"Aresto Momentum!" Hermione yelled while they fell.

Then they were on the ground.

"Well done, Hermione." Ron said when they stood up.

"Oh no, you two're like you again. The Thief's Downfall, washes away all enchantment. Can be deadly." Griphook said.

"You don't say. Just out of interest, is there any other way outta here?" Ron said.

"No." Griphook said.

A few seconds later the goblin was back.

"What the devil are all you doing here?! Thieves!"

"Imperio!" Harry said again.

Then they heard something.

"That doesn't sound good." Tracey said.

Then they saw a dragon.

"Bloody hell! It's an Ukrainian Iron belly!" Ron said.

"Here." Griphook said handing them something.

Then he started shaking it back and forth.

"It's been trained to when it hears this noise." he said.

"That's barbaric!" Hermione said.

Then they stopped shaking it.

After they opened the door Harry took out his wand.

"Lumos."

Then some light appeared and they looked around.

"Blimey!" Ron said.

Hermione took her wand.

"Accio Horcrux!"

Then nothing happened.

"You honestly think that was going to work? Hermione if it didn't work with the fake Horcrux it won't work with the real Horcrux!" Tracey said.

"No kind of magic will work here." Griphook said.

"Is it here Harry? Can you feel anything?" Ron asked.

He looked around and then looked up and started to hear it.

"That's it! Up there!" he said.

They all looked up and saw a cup. Then Ron bumped into something and it started to make copies of itself.

"A duplication spell! Anything you touch will multiply!" Griphook said.

"Give me the sword!" he said.

Hermione took it out of her bag. Then tossed it to him.

While he started to climb Ron kept moving.

"Stop moving!" Hermione said.

So he stood still and watched Harry climb. A few seconds later he was able to grab it.

"Got it!" Harry said.

Then they started to leave and had trouble getting up. Griphook just stood there.

"We had a deal Griphook!" Harry said.

"The cup for the sword!" he said.

So Tracey handed him the sword. When he grabbed it he smirked.

"I said I'd let you in. I didn't say anything about getting you out!"

"Griphook! Griphook!" Harry yelled while Griphook took the other goblin's hand and unlocked the door.

After that he got away from the dragon.

"We've still got Bogrod." Ron said.

Then the dragon set him on fire and he was gone.

"That's unfortunate." Tracey said.

"We can't just stand here," Hermione said.

"You got any idea?" Tracey asked.

"Should be a brilliant one." Ron said.

"I've got something, but it's mad!" she said.

Then she put her wand down and got the dragon.

"Reducto!"

After that she climbed on the dragon.

"Well, come on, then!"

The other three did as told.

"Relashio! Keep moving!"

So they did as told.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

"Reducto! Hold on."

While they did that they broke the bottom of Gringotts and got out.

"That was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Ron said.

A while later they were at a lake and started to go down.

"We're dropping!" Tracey said.

"I say we jump!" Ron said.

"When?" Hermione said.

"Now!" Harry said.

So they all started to fall in the water. While they were under water Harry's scar started to hurt and he unlocked his occlumency to see what it was.

He say Rowena Ravenclaw and Voldemort shot the killing curse at everyone.

A few seconds later he locked up his connection and spit out water.

Then he headed to the surface.

When he got there he looked at his friends and sister.

"He knows, Tom! He knows we we broke into Gringotts and he knows we're hunting Horcruxes." he said.

"How is it you know? Hermione asked.

"I saw it!"

"You let him in! Harry you can't do that!" Tracey said.

"Tracey I did it on purpose to see what he was doing and checking to see if he found out!"

"Never mind what happened?" Ron asked.

He knows, if we find and destroy all the Horcruxes, we'll be able to kill him. I reckon he'll stop at nothing to make sure we don't find the rest. And there's more. One of them's at Hogwarts."

Hermione fixed up his hand and then he started to change into dry clothes after Tracey handed him some.

"What? You saw it?" Tracey said.

"I saw Hogwarts, and Rowena Ravenclaw. It must have something to do with her. We have to go there and we have to go there now!"

"What? We can't do that, we have to figure it out we have to make a plan!" Hermione said.

"Hermione! When have any of our plans ever actually worked? We plan, we get there and it doesn't work!" Tracey said.

"He's right! One problem... Snape's Headmaster now, we can't just move freely from the front door!" Ron said.

"Well, we'll go to Hogsmeade, to Honeydukes. Take the secret passage in the cellar. It's... There's something wrong with him. It's like, you know, in the past... I've always been able to follow his thoughts. And now everything just feels disconnected." Harry said fixing his glasses.

"Maybe it's the Horcruxes. Maybe he's getting weaker. Maybe he's dying!"

"No! No, it's.. it's more like he's wounded. If anything, he feels more dangerous." Harry said.

After that they apparated to Hogsmead.

Chapter 15

When they got there they heard something go off.

"Potter's!" someone yelled.

"Right here!"

"Search everywhere!"

While they did that Harry, Ron, Tracey and Hermione heard someone else say something.

"In here, Potters. Come on, move!"

"Did you look at him. For a second I thought that was..." Ron said.

"I know. Dumbledore!" Tracey said.

Hermione looked at the mirror.

"Harry? I can see you in this." she said.

He took out the glass and put it on the mirror.

"Bloody fools, what are you thinking coming here? Have you any idea how dangerous it is?" someone said.

"You're Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother. It's you who I've been seeing in here. You're the one who sent Dobby." Hermione said.

"Why've you left him?" Aberforth asked.

"He's dead." Harry said.

"Sorry to hear it. I liked that elf."he said.

"Who gave that to you? The mirror?" Harry asked.

"Mundungus Fletcher, about a few months ago."

"Dung had no right selling that to you. It belongs to..." Tracey started.

"Sirius... Albus told me. He also told me you'd likely be hacked off, if you ever found that I had it. But, ask yourself; Where would you be if I didn't?" he said.

Then Aberforth gave them some butterbeer.

"Do you have any others much? From the Order?" Hermione asked.

"The Order has finished. You-Know-Who has won, anyone who says otherwise is killing themselves." he said.

Harry turned around and looked at him.

"We have to go to the Hogwarts, tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do." Harry said.

"Did he now? Nice job? Easy?"

"We've been hunting Horcruxes. We think the last one is at Hogwarts. But we'll need your help to do it." Tracey said.

"What my brother gave you is a suicide mission. Do us all a favor and go home you two! Live a little longer."

"Dumbledore trusted us to see this through." Harry said.

"What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? And in all the time you knew him... Did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mentioned hers?"

"Why should he..." Harry said.

"Keep secrets. You tell me?"

"We trusted him." Tracey said.

"That's the boy's answer. A boy goes chasing Horcruxes is on the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start. You're lying! Not just on me, it doesn't matter. To yourselves as well. That's what a fool does. You don't strike me as a fool, Harry and Tracey Potter! So, I ask you two again, there must be a reason."

"We're not interested in what happened between you and your brother." Tracey said.

"We don't care that you've given up. We trusted the man we knew. We need to get into the castle tonight." Harry said.

He looked at the two of them and then Ariana.

"You know what to do."

"That's your sister, Ariana. Isn't it? She died very young, didn't she?" Hermione said.

"My brother sacrificed many things, Mr. Potter. On his journey to find power. Including Ariana. And she was devoted to him. He gave her everything. But time." he said.

"Thank you, Mr. Dumbledore. He did save our lives twice! Kept an eye on us on that mirror. That doesn't seem like someone who's given up!" Hermione said.

"She's coming back." she said.

They looked closer.

"What's that with her?" Tracey said.

"Neville! How you look..." Harry started.

"Like hell, I reckon. But this is nothing. Seamus is worse. Hey, Ab! We've got a couple more coming through." Neville said.

"Don't remember this on the Marauder's Map." Ron said while they followed him.

"That's because it never existed till now. The seven secret passages were sealed off, before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out, now. The grounds are crawled with Death Eaters and Dementors." he said.

"How about Mr. Snape as Headmaster?" Hermione asked.

"Hardly ever seen. It's the Carrows who's watching out for."

"Carrows?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Brother and sister. Incharge of discipline. They like punishment, the Carrows."

"They did that to you? Why?" Tracey asked.

"Today's Dark Arts lesson was practicing the Cruciatus curse. On first years. I refused. Hogwarts has changed."

A few seconds later they were where they got to school.

"Let's have a little bit of fun shall we?"

Then he opened the door.

"Hey! Listen up you lot. Got you a surprise."

"Not more of Aberforth's cooking I hope. I can't even keep it digested!" Seamus said.

Then Neville stepped away and then Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were seen.

"Blimey!" Seamus said and started clapping.

Everyone else started to.

"OK OK!" Neville said smiling.

Then everyone started to calm down and then looked at Harry.

"So, what's the fun Harry, Tracey?" Neville asked.

"OK. There's something here that can defeat you-know-who and it's somewhere in Hogwarts." he said.

"What is it?" Neville asked.

"We don't know." Tracey said.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"We don't know that either. I guess there's nothing else to go on." she continued.

"We think it has something to do with Ravenclaw. It would be something small, easily concealed. Anyone have any idea?" Harry said rubbing his scar.

"Well, there's the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous." Luna said.

"Yes but Luna, it's lost. For centuries now. There hasn't been a person to find it." Cho said.

"Excuse me can someone tell me what a bloody diadem is?" Ron said.

"It's a sort of crown. Like a tiara." Cho explained.

Then the door opened and it was Ginny.

"Harry." she said.

"Hi there." he said.

"Six months she hasn't seen me and it's like I'm a frankie first-year. I'm her brother!" Ron said.

"She got lots of them, but she has got only one Harry." Seamus said fighting the laughter.

"Shut up, Seamus!" Ron said.

"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asked.

"Snape knows, he knows Harry and Tracey were at Hogsmead." she said.

They all looked at her and came up with an idea.

Chapter 16

A few minutes later everyone was at the great hall.

"Many of you must be wondering why I summon you here at this time of night. It has come to my attention that earlier today Harry and Tracey Potter have appeared." Snape said.

Everyone started whispering.

"Now... should anyone... student or staff attempt to aid Mr. and or Ms. Potter? They will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transcription, further more... Any person found have knowledge of these events... who fails to come forward... will be treated as equally guilty. Another... If anyone in here has any knowledge of Mr. or Ms. Potter's movements this evening. I invite them to step forward. Now!" he said.

Then two people appeared.

"It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a security problem, Headmaster." Harry said.

People from the Order appeared with Ron and Hermione. Lilly, James, Sirius and Remus looked at Harry and Tracey in relief and worried at the same time.

"I'm afraid it's quite extensive. How dare you stand where he stood?" Tracey said.

"Tell them how it happened that night? Tell them how you looked him in the eye... A man who trusted you, and killed him." Harry said.

"Tell them!" they shouted together.

Snape pulled out his wand and Harry, Tracey and McGonagall did the same thing. Then she started aiming at him. And he just used a shield charm.

Then he flew away.

"COWARD!" McGonagall yelled.

Harry and Tracey pulled off their cloaks. While McGonagall let off the candles.

A few seconds later Harry's scar started burning.

"Harry?" Tracey said worried.

"Potter?" McGonagall said.

"I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you might even think to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour." Voldemort said.

Everyone stood there quietly.

'You're not getting my big, protective brother!' Tracey thought.

"What are you waiting for? Someone grab him!" someone said pointing at him.

Tracey grabbed one of his hand and Ginny grabbed the other while his friends came and stood in front of him or next to him.

"Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!" Mr. Filch yelled.

"They are supposed to be out of bed you bombaling idiot!" McGonagall said.

"Oh, sorry ma'am." he said.

"As it happens, Mr. Filch, Your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I wouldd like you please, to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin house, from the hall." she said.

"Exactly where is it I'll be leading 'em to, ma'am?" he asked.

"The dungeons would do."

After that she looked at Harry and Tracey.

"I assume that you two are here for something important. What is it you need Potters?" McGonagall asked.

"Time Professor. As much as you can give us." Harry said.

She nodded and Harry and Tracey started to leave.

"Potters."

They turned around and looked at her.

"It's good to see you."

"Good to see you to Professor." Tracey said.

When they left the room Hermione called their names.

"Harry! Tracey!"

They turned around and looked at them.

"Hermione and I were thinking, it doesn't matter if we find the Horcrux." Ron said.

"What do you mean?" Harry said.

"Unless we can destroy it. So, we were thinking, well Ron was thinking which is completely brilliant. You destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with a basilisk fang, right?" Hermione said.

He nodded.

"Well, me and Hermione did remind where we might find one." Ron said.

"OK, OK well take this." Harry said handing them the Marauders map. "That way, you can find me when you get back."

"Where are you two going?" Hermione asked.

"The Ravenclaw common room! Gotta start somewhere!" Tracey said with a shrug.

"Harry! Tracey!" Luna said following them.

"Harry, Tracey, I need to talk to you!"

"We're a bit preoccupied at the moment Luna. We'll talk to you later." Tracey said."

"But-"

"Later!" Harry said.

"Harry and Tracey Potter! You listen to me right now!" Luna said.

They looked at her in shock a little.

'Wow, she never does that.' Tracey said.

'I know.' Harry said.

"Do you remember what Cho said about Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem? There is not a person alive who's seen it. It's obvious, isn't it? We have to talk to someone who's dead." she said.

Then they followed Luna to find her. They stopped for a few minutes.

"It's very impressive, isn't it? If you want to find her, you'll find her down there." she said when they got there.

"Aren't you coming?" Harry said.

"No. I think it's best if you three talk alone. She's very shy."

They nodded and walked over to her. When they found her they looked at each other and nodded.

"You're the Grey Lady. The ghost of Ravenclaw tower." Harry said.

"I do not answer to that name!" she said and started to leave.

"No, I'm sorry, we're sorry! It's Helena, isn't it? Helena Ravenclaw, Rowena's daughter." Tracey said.

"Are you friends of Luna's?" Helena asked.

"Yes." They said together.

And she thought you might be able to help us." Harry said.

"You two seek my mother's diadem?" she said.

"Yes. That's right." Tracey said.

"Luna is kind. Unlike so many of the others. But she was wrong, I cannot help you!" she said.

"Wait, please! We want to destroy it!" Harry said.

She froze and turned around.

"I thought you want to do it. Isn't it, Helena? You want it destroyed?" Tracey said.

"Another promised to destroy it many years ago. A strange boy with a strange name?"

"Tom Riddle." Harry and Tracey said together.

"But he lied."

"He lied to many people." Harry said.

"I know what he's done! I know who he is! He defiled it, with dark magic!" she yelled.

"We can destroy it. Once and for all. But only if you tell us where he hid it? You do know where he hid it? Don't you, Helena? You just have to tell us." Tracey said.

"Please!" Harry said.

"Strange! You remind me of him a bit." she started going around Harry.

"It's here, in the castle. In the place where everything is hidden. If you have to ask... you will never know. If you know... you need only ask." she said getting away from him.

"Thank you!" they said together.

Then they headed to where they needed to be.

Chapter 17

While Harry and Tracey were on their way to the Room of Requirements Harry felt pain he's felt before.

While he was feeling that he was falling in the ground.

"Harry!" Tracey said.

A few seconds later he didn't feel the pain anymore and took a few deep breaths.

"You alright?" she asked helping him up.

"Yeah, Ron and Hermione got the cup all set."

She nodded and then they continued to get where they have to go.

While they did that they bumped into Ginny and Neville.

"Ginny, Neville! You alright?" Harry asked.

"Never better! I feel like I can spit fire! Have you seen Luna up there?" Neville said.

"Luna?" Tracey said confused.

"I'm mad for her. I think it's about time I told her since well probably both be dead by dawn." he said.

Then he left to go find her.

Harry looked at Tracey and shrugged. Then looked at Ginny. Harry gave her a kiss and then they started running again.

When they got there they stood there for a second.

When they got there they saw Ron and Hermione and looked around. When Harry got close to a box he felt something he was familiar with.

So he turned around and opened it. There was the diadem. He was about to pick it up he heard something.

"Well well well, what brings you here Potters?" Malfoy said.

"We'd like to ask you the same question." Harry said.

"You have something of mine. I'd like it back." he said looking at Harry.

"Well what's wrong with the wand you have there?" Harry asked.

"It's my mother's. It's powerful but, not the same. It doesn't understand me, you know?"

"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix? You knew it was us. You didn't say anything." Harry said.

He stood there quietly.

"Come on, Draco! Don't be a prat. Do it!" Goyle said.

"Easy!" Ron said.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione said.

"Avada Kedavra!" Goyle shouted.

"Stupefy!" Ron said.

"This is my girlfriend, you bloody gits!" To yelled running after him.

'About time!' Harry said.

'Yeah.' Tracey said.

Then they heard something.

"Ahh! Goyle set the bloody place on fire!" Ron said grabbing hermione's hand and running.

Harry and Tracey did the same thing.

"Come on! This way!" Harry said tossing the other three a broom.

While they flew Harry saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle climb up the things.

"We can't leave them!" he said looking at the other three.

"He's joking, right?" Ron said.

Harry started to go to the two of them.

"If we die for them, Harry, I'm gonna kill you!" Ron said while they headed to them.

Harry grabbed Malfoy's hand while Ron grabbed Goyle.

Crabbe had fallen into the fire.

When they got out of the room Harry headed to the diadem.

"Harry!" Hermione said tossing him a fang.

He caught it and put it in the diadem.

When he did that he felt the pain and crawled backwards. While he did that Voldemort's fire face went off and the door shut.

Harry took a few deep breaths and heard something.

"Come Nagini. I need to keep you safe."

Tracey, Ron and Hermione looked at him.

"It's the snake. She's the last one. I heard him say her name and he needs to protect her." he said.

Ron, Tracey and Hermione looked at each other then Harry.

"Look inside him. If you find him you can find the snake. We can end this." Ron said.

So he shut his eyes tightly and unlocked his occlumency.

"My Lord... Might it be less... I should not be more prudent to call off this attack. Simply seek the boy. Yourself." Lucius said.

"I do not need to seek the boy before the night is out, he will come to me! Do you understand?" Voldemort snapped.

Then he slapped Lucius.

"Look at me! How can you live with yourself, Lucius?"

"I don't know." he said.

"Go and find Severus. Bring him to me."

Then Harry was back and relocked his occlumency. As tightly as he could.

"I know where he is." he said.

Chapter 17

When they got to where Voldemort was they stood there quietly.

"You have performed extra ordinary magic with this wand, My Lord, in the last few hours alone." Snape said.

"No! No! I am extra-ordinary. But the wand resists me. There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander himself has said it.

Tonight, when the boy comes. It will not fail you, I am sure."

"It answers to you, and you only."

"Does it?"

"My Lord?" Snape said confused.

"The wand, does it truly answer to me? You're a clever man, Severus. Surely you must know... Where does its true loyalty lie? With you..."

"Of course, My Lord."

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine. You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever."

"My Lord..."

"Nagini, kill!"

Then she jumped on to Snape and bit him deeply a few times. Then they were gone.

After that Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione headed to Snape. Harry and Tracey knelt down next to him. Harry put his hands on his face.

"Take them. Take them." Snape said while he cried.

"Quickly, give me a floss anything." Harry said.

So Hermione handed him a pensive.

He put it under his eye and got enough tears.

"Look at me." Snape said.

Harry and Tracey looked at him.

"You look just like your mother. And you have your mother's eyes."

Then he was gone.

Harry looked at Tracey and Tracey looked at Harry. Then they stood up. When they did that Harry felt his scar and put his hand on the window.

"You've fought valiantly, but in vain... I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat...

In their absence, dispose your dead with dignity, Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you.

On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you, rather than face me yourself.

There is no greater dishonor.

Join me in the Forbidden Forrest... and confront your fate.

If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me."

After he was gone the four of them went back to Hogwarts.

When they got there they walked around.

"Where is everybody?" Hermione said.

When they got to the great hall they saw people sitting there. Ron saw his family crying and found out Fred was gone.

Hermione walked over to Ron and Harry and Tracey kept going. Then they saw their parents, Sirius, Remus and Tonks. Tracey's eyes started watering.

Harry put her in his arms and rubbed her back.

"You can stay here or come with me." he said.

Tracey looked at him.

"We started this together, we're ending this together."

So they continued to the office.

When they got to the room Harry grabbed the pensive.

Then he poured the memory and then they went in.

They saw their mom using magic in front of their aunt.

"Freak! Come here! I'm gonna tell mommy! You're freak! You're freak, Lily! Come here!" Petunia said.

Then Snape appeared and she ran away.

"She's jealous. She's ordinary and you're special." he said.

"That's not true, Severus."

"Gryffindor!" The sorting hat said.

"Hi, I'm James." he said shaking her hand.

"Hi, I'm Lily."

"Masters shall be reunited once more!" Trigawny said.

"Severus." Dumbledore said.

"Don't kill me!" Snape said.

"The prophecy did not refer to a woman. It spoke about a child born at the end of the July."

"Yes, but they're her kids! He intends to hunt them down and kill them. Hide him... hide them all. I beg you!"

"What would you give me in exchange, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"Anything."

"They doesn't need protection, the Dark Lord has gone." Snape said."

"The Dark Lord will return. And when he does, the boy will be in terrible danger! He has her eyes. Even though their parents are alive. They won't be there in school. If you truly love her..."

"No one, can know." Snape said pointing his finger at Dumbledore.

"I shall never reveal the best of you, Severus."

"Your word?" Dumbledore said.

"Can you risk your life every day

to protect the kids? He possesses no measurable talent, his arrogance rivals that of his father's and he seems to relish in his fame..." Snape said.

"Drink it, it will contain the curse to your hand, for the time being. It will spread, Albus." Snape said with his hand on Dumbledore.

"How long?"

"Maybe a year." he said then started to leave.

"Don't ignore me, Severus. We both know Lord Voldemort has ordered the Malfoy boy to murder me. But should he fail, I should presume the Dark Lord will turn to you. You must be the one to kill me, Severus. It is the only way. Only then, will the Dark Lord trust you completely." Dumbledore said.

Then he stood up and walked over to Snape.

"There will come a time, when Harry Potter, must be told something. But you must wait, until Voldemort is at his most vulnerable."

"Must be told what?" Snape asked suspicious.

"On the night Lord Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow to kill Harry... Then, Lily Potter cast herself between them and Harry did the same for Tracey the curse rebounded. When that happens, a part of Voldemort's soul... latched itself onto the only living thing it could find... Harry himself. There's a reason Harry can speak with snakes... There's a reason he can look into Lord Voldemort's mind... A part of Voldemort lives inside him."

"So, when the time comes... the boy must die?" Snape asked.

"Yes... yes. He must die."

"You've kept him alive, so he can die at the proper moment? You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter.

"Don't tell me now, that you've grown to care for the two of them." Dumbledore said.

'Does he?' Harry and Tracey wondered together.

"Expecto Patronum."

Then a doe came and started hopping around.

"Lily! After all this time!"

"Always. So, when the time comes... the boy must die?"

"Yes. He must die. And Voldemort himself must do it. That is essential."

After that they were gone. When they got back they stood there quietly.

After a few minutes they went back downstairs.

Chapter 18

When they got there they saw Ron and Hermione sitting there.

Then Ron and Hermione stood up.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked.

"I thought you were going to the forest." Ron said.

"I'm going there now." he said.

"Are you mad? No, you can't give yourself into him." Ron said.

Then Harry and Tracey stood there.

"What is it Harry, Tracey?" Hermione asked.

"There is a reason I can hear them. The Horcruxes. I think I've known for a while. And I think you have, too." he said.

"I'll go with you." Hermione said crying.

"No, kill the snake. Kill the snake, and it's just him!" he said.

He looked at Tracey and gave her a hug.

"Don't go with me. I don't want anyone to lose you. And with you and Neville still being who can defeat him we still have a chance." he said while he felt tears going on his jacket.

Then she nodded and then let go.

After that he headed to the forest.

When he got there he took out his snitch.

"I'm ready to die." he said.

Then he put it on his mouth and something came out.

"The Resurrection Stone." he whispered.

Then he shut his eyes with it in his hand.

Then he opened them and saw his parents, Remus and Sirius.

He walked over to his mum with her hand out and his went through hers.

"You two've been so brave, sweetheart." Lilly said.

"Why are you here? All of you." he asked.

"We never left." Lilly said.

Then he looked at Sirius.

"Does... Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Dying? Quicker than falling asleep." he said.

"You're nearly there, son. We're so proud of you two." James said.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted any of you to die for me. And, uncle Moony, your son?" he said then looked at Remus.

"Others will tell him what his mother and father died for. One day, he'll understand. Don't worry cub. We chose you as godfather for the reason you'll take good care of him like you do with Tracey." he said.

Harry nodded and then looked at Lilly.

"You'll stay with me?"

"Until the end." James said smiling.

"And he won't be able to see you?"

"No. We're here, you see pup." Sirius said.

Then he looked at his mum.

"Stay close to me." he said looking at her.

"Always." she said.

He put the stone down and headed to Voldemort.

When he got there he heard something.

"No sign of him, My Lord." someone said.

"I thought he'd come." Voldemort said and turned around.

Then he heard something and turned around. Then saw Harry.

"Harry, no! What're yeh doin' 'ere?" Hagrid said.

"Quiet!" someone said.

"Harry Potter... The Boy Who Lived... come to die." Voldemort said.

Harry shut his eyes and waited.

'By Trace, I love you.' Harry said.

'I love you to.' Tracey said.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A few seconds later he found himself on the ground and looked around.

He stood up and heard something. Then he looked underneath the bench and jumped.

It was a small Voldemort.

"You can't help... Harry, you're a wonderful boy... You brave, brave man! Let us walk." Dumbledore said.

"Professor, what is that?" Harry asked looking behind himself.

"Something beyond either of our help. A part of Voldemort sent here to die." he said.

"And exactly where are we?"

"I was gonna ask you that. Where would you say where we are?"

"Well, it looks like King's Cross station. Only cleaner... and without all the trains."

"King's Cross, is that right? This is as they say, 'your' party. I expect you now realize that you and Voldemort... have been connected by something other than fate. Since that night at Godric's Hollow all those years ago."

"So it's true then, sir. A part of him lives within me, doesn't it?"

"Did. It's been just destroyed many moments ago by none other than Voldemort himself. You, were the Horcrux he never meant to make, Harry."

They sat down and Harry sighed.

"I have to go back, haven't I?" he said looking at Dumbledore.

"Oh, that's up to you." Dumbledore said.

"I've a choice?" he asked surprised.

"Oh, yeah! We're in King's Cross, you say. I think if so decide, you'll be able to board a train."

"And where will it take me?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"On."

Then Dumbledore stood up and turned around.

"Voldemort has the Elder Wand?" Harry said.

"True."

"And the snake is still alive?"

"Yes."

"And I've nothing to kill it with?"

"Help will always be given at Hogwarts, Harry. To those who ask for it. I've always pride of myself on my ability to turn a phrase. Words are, in my not so humble opinion... almost inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of inflicting injury and remedies. But I would in this case... amend my original statement to this: Help, will always be given at Hogwarts,

To those who deserve it. Do not pity the dead, Harry... Pity the living. And above all... all those who live without love."

Then he turned back around.

"Professor, my mother's Patronus... was a doe, wasn't it? As the same as Professor Snape's. It's curious, don't you think?" Harry said.

"Actually, if I think about it... it doesn't seem curious at all! I'll be going now, Harry."

"Professor? Is this all real? Or is it just happening inside my head?"

"Of course it's happening

inside your head, Harry. Why should that mean, that it's not real?"

Professor? What should I do? Professor!"

He shook his head then thought.

"Trace needs you, and swore to protect her when you you were younger. She maybe seventeen but will always be my little sister. And with mum, dad, uncle Moony, uncle Padfoot and uncle Wormy all gone it's just us. And with Ted an orphan at four months old he needs you." he said to himself.

He decided to come back.

"My Lord, My Lord... Are you hurt?" Bellatrix said.

"I don't need your help." Voldemort said pushing her off of himself.

"The boy... Is he dead?" she said.

Narcissa walked over to him and saw him breathing.

"Is he alive? Draco, is he alive?" she asked quietly.

He nodded.

Then she looked at Voldemort.

"Dead."

So they had Hagrid pick him up and then headed to Hogwarts.

Chapter 19

When they got there Voldemort moved a dead troll out of his way.

When everyone saw him they froze.

"Neville, who's that Hagrid's carrying? Neville who is it?!" Ginny asked.

"Harry Potter, is dead!" Voldemort said.

"No! No!" she said running.

But Arthur pulled her back.

"Silent!" Voldemort yelled with the wand in his hand.

"Harry Potter, is dead. And now it's the time to declare yourself.

Come forward and join us... or die!" he said.

"Draco! Draco." Lucius said waving his hand.

"Draco. Come." Narcissa said.

He started to walk over to him and then Voldemort put his hands around him.

"Well done, Draco. Well done!"

Narcissa gently pushed him over a bit.

Then Neville came.

"Well I must say I hoped for better." Voldemort said.

People started laughing.

"And who might be young man?"

"Neville Longbottom." he said.

Bellatrix laughed.

"Well I'm sure we'll find a place for you Neville."

"I'd like to say something." he said.

"Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."

"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone." he started.

"Stand down Neville." Seamus said.

"People die every day! So is Fred, Remus, Sirius, Lilly, James, Tonks. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. All of them.

They didn't die in vain. But he's still with us. In here." he said with a hand on his heart.

Then he looked at Voldemort.

"Because you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us! It's not over!" he said with the sword in his hand.

Then Harry jumped off Hagrid and took out his wand.

"Confringo!" Harry said.

Then ran. Everyone laughed a little to Ron, Hermione and Tracey.

"Come on! All stay in the castle. We have to kill the snake!" he said.

So they split up and looked for the snake. Harry tried to keep Voldemort busy.

"Hey, you were right... when you told Professor Snape that wand was failing you. It was always fail..." Harry said.

Then was hit in the face by Voldemort.

"I killed Snape!" he said.

"Yeah, but what if the wand never belonged to Snape?

What if its allegiance has always been with someone else? Oh, come on, Tom... Let's finish it the way we started."

Then Harry grabbed his face.

"Together!"

Then they started to fall on the ground. When they stood up Harry saw Voldemort feeling something and smirked.

Then the people were all standing there quietly. Everyone had been close.

The crowd was afraid, and silence fell abruptly and completely as Voldemort and Harry looked at each other, and began, at the same moment, to circle each other.

"I don't want anyone else to help," Harry said loudly, and in the total silence his voice carried like a trumpet call. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

He looked specifically at Tracey.

Voldemort hissed.

"Potter doesn't mean that," he said, his red eyes wide. "This isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," said Harry simply. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good. . . ."

"One of us?" jeered Voldemort, and his whole body was taut and his red eyes stared, a snake that was about to strike. "You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save us? Me doing the same thing for Tracey?" asked Harry.

They were still moving sideways, both of them, in that perfect circle, maintaining the same distance from each other, and for Harry no face existed but Voldemort's.

"Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

"Accidents!" screamed Voldemort, but still he did not strike, and the watching crowd was frozen as if Petrified, and of the hundreds in the Hall, nobody seemed to breathe but they two.

"Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," said Harry as they circled, and stared into each other's eyes, green into red.

"You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people - "

"But you did not!"

" - I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

"You dare -"

"Yes, I dare," said Harry. "I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort did not speak, but prowled in a circle, and Harry knew that he kept him temporarily mesmerized at bay, held back by the faintest possibility that Harry might indeed know a final secret. . . .

"Is it love again?" said Voldemort, his snake's face jeering. "Dumbledore favourite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like and old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter - and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?"

"Just one thing," said Harry, and still they circled each other, wrapped in each other, held apart by nothing but the last secret.

"If it is not love that will save you this time," said Voldemort, "you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," said Harry, and he saw shock flit across the snakelike face, though it was instantly dispelled; Voldemort began to laugh, and the sound was more frightening than his screams; humourless and insane, it echoed around the silent Hall.

"You think you know more magic than I do?" he said. "Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh he dreamed of it," said Harry, "but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" screamed Voldemort. "Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!"

"No, he was cleverer than you," said Harry, "a better wizard, a better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!"

"You thought you did," said Harry, "but you were wrong."

For the first time, the watching crowd stirred as the hundreds of people around the walls drew breath as one.

"Dumbledore is dead!" Voldemort hurled the words at Harry as though they would cause him unendurable pain.

"His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore is dead," said Harry calmly, "but you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

"What childish dream is this?" said Voldemort, but still he did not strike, and his red eyes did not waver from Harry's.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," said Harry. "Snape was Dumbledore's. Dumbledore's from the moment you starting hunting down me and Tracey's mother. And you never realised it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort did not answer. They continued to circle each other like wolves about to tear each other apart.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," said Harry, "the same as our mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realised," he said as he saw Voldemort's nostrils flare, "he asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," sneered Voldemort, "but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him - "

"Of course he told you that," said Harry, "but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" shrieked Voldemort, who had followed every word with rapt attention, but now let out a cackle of mad laughter. "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path!"

"Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy - I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it; I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did." said Harry. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you think what you've done... Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle. . . ."

"What is this?"

Of all the things that Harry had said to him, beyond any revelation or taunt, nothing had socked Voldemort like this. Harry saw is pupils contract to thin slits, saw the skin around his eyes whiten.

"It's your one last chance," said Harry, "it's all you've got left. . . . I've seen what you'll be otherwise. . . . Be a man. . . try. . . Try for some remorse. . . ."

"You dare - ?" said Voldemort again.

"Yes, I dare," said Harry, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle."

Voldemort's hand was trembling on the Elder Wand, and Harry gripped Draco's very tightly. The moment, he knew, was seconds away.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"He killed - "

"Aren't you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort's voice shook with malicious pleasure. "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against the last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard . . . The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance . . ."

Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly, and Harry could feel the curse coming, feel it building inside the wand pointed at his face.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Blank shock showed in Voldemort's face for a moment, but then it was gone.

"But what does it matter?" he said softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone . . . and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy . . ."

"But you're too late," said Harry. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him."

Harry twitched the hawthorn wand, and he felt the eyes of everyone in the Hall upon it.

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" whispered Harry. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does . . . I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

A red-glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above them as an edge of dazzling sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. The light hit both of their faces at the same time, so that Voldemort's was suddenly a flaming blur. Harry heard the high voice shriek as he too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco's wand:

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The bang was like a cannon blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead centre of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided.

Harry saw Voldemort's green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air toward the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last.

And Harry, with the unerring skill of the Seeker, caught the wand in his free hand as Voldemort fell backward, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upward.

Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty, the snakelike face vacant and unknowing.

Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy's shell.

One shivering second of silence, the shock of the moment suspended: and then the tumult broke around Harry as the screams and the cheers and the roars of the watchers rent the air.

The fierce new sun dazzled the windows as they thundered toward him, and the first to reach him were Tracey, Ron and Hermione, and it was their arms that were wrapped around him, their incomprehensible shouts that deafened him.

Then Ginny, Neville, and Luna were there, and then all the Weasleys and Hagrid, and Kingsley and McGonagall and Flitwick and Sprout, and Harry could not hear a word that anyone was shouting, not tell whose hands were seizing him, pulling him, trying to hug some part of him, hundreds of them pressing in, all of them determined to touch the Boy Who Lived, the reason it was over at last –

The sun rose steadily over Hogwarts, and the Great Hall blazed with life and light. Harry was an indispensible part of the mingled outpourings of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration.

They wanted him there with them, their leader and symbol, their savoir and their guide, and that he had not slept, that he craved the company of only a few of them, seemed to occur to no one. He must speak to the bereaved, clasp their hands, witness their tears, receive their thanks, hear the news now creeping in from every quarter as the morning drew on; that the Imperiused up and down the country had come back to themselves, that Death Eaters were fleeing or else being captured, that the innocent of Azkaban were being released at that very moment, and that Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named temporary Minister of Magic.

They moved Voldemort's body and laid it in a chamber off the Hall, away form the bodies of Fred, Tonks, Remus, Sirius, James, Lilly, Colin Creevey, and fifty others who had died fighting him.

McGonagall had replaced the House tables, not nobody was sitting according to House anymore: All were jumbled together, teachers and pupils, ghosts and parents, people were throwing food into his laughing mouth.

After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Tracey.

She looked at him and smiled. Then grabbed his hand and shut her eyes tightly. Then gave him some of her energy.

A few seconds later she smiled and he smiled back.

"Thanks." he said.

"You deserve it. Now why don't we go find Ron and Hermione. Then go to Dumbledore's office where it's quiet?" she said.

He nodded and then they looked for their friends.

When they found them they went to Dumbledore's office.

Chapter 19

When they got there they heard paintings clapping and Dumbledore smiling.

Dexter Fortescue was waving his ear-trumpet; and Phineas Niggelus called, in his high, reedy voice, "And let it be noted that Slytherin House played its part! Let our contribution not be forgotten!"

But Harry had eyes only for the man who stood in the largest portrait directly behind the headmaster's chair.

Tears were sliding down from behind the half-moon spectacles into the long silver beard, and the pride and the gratitude emanating from him filled Harry with the same balm as phoenix song.

At last, Harry held up his hands, and the portraits fell respectfully silent, beaming and mopping their eyes and waiting eagerly for him to speak. He directed his words at Dumbledore, however, and chose them with enormous care.

Still tired and bleary-eyed though he was, he must make one last effort, seeking one last piece of advice.

"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch," he began, "I dropped it in the forest. I don't exactly know where, but I'm not going to go looking for it again. Do you agree?"

"My dear boy, I do," said Dumbledore, while his fellow pictures looked confused and curious. "A wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would have expected of you. Does anyone know else know where it fell?"

"No one," said Harry, and Dumbledore nodded his satisfaction.

"I'm going to keep Ignotus's present, though," said Harry, and Dumbledore beamed.

"But of course, Harry, it is yours forever, until you pass it on!"

"And then there's this."

Harry held up the Elder Wand, and Ron and Hermione looked at it with a reverence.

"I don't want it." said Harry.

"What?" said Ron loudly. "Are you mental?"

"I know it's powerful," said Harry wearily. "But I was happier with mine. So . . ."

He rummaged in the pouch hung around his neck, and pulled out the two halves of holly still just connected by the finest threat of phoenix feather.

He laid the broken wand upon the headmaster's desk, touched it with the very tip of the Elder Wand, and said,

"Reparo."

As his wand resealed, red sparks flew out of its end.. He picked up the holly and phoenix wand and felt a sudden warmth in his fingers, as though wand and hand were rejoicing at their reunion.

"I'm putting the Elder Wand," he told Dumbledore, who was watching him with enormous affection and admiration, "back where it came from. It can stay there. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, its power will be broken, won't it? The previous master will never have been defeated. That'll be the end of it."

Dumbledore nodded. They smiled at each other.

"Are you sure?" said Ron.

There was the faintest trace of longing in his voice as he looked at the Elder Wand.

"I think Harry's right," said Tracey quietly.

"That wand's more trouble than it's worth." said Harry.

"And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portraits, thinking now only of the four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wondering whether Kreacher or Tweeky might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

"You can say that again." Tracey said.

"Come on. Let's go see Madam Pomfrey. Call Tweeky or Kreacher and ask them to make us something to eat." Harry said.

They nodded and headed to Madam Pomfrey.

When they got there she looked at them and fixed them up. Harry called Tweeky and asked her for some food.

"Yes Master Harry, in Tweeky's opinion Master Harry and Mistress Tracey deserve food. Especially Master Harry!" she said.

He and Tracey laughed after she went to the kitchen.

After Madam Pomfrey was done and they finished their food Harry was out of it first, then Tracey and then Ron and Hermione looked at their friends and smiled. Then they fell asleep to.

They deserve the rest they got. Especially Harry.

A few days had gone by and they still hadn't told Tweeky and Kreacher about their parents and Sirius yet.

They stood there in Godrics Hollow looking at their family graves Harry and Tracey looked at each other.

"I have an idea of what we can do." Harry said.

"What? Tracey asked.

So he took out his wand and started.

I solemnly swear it I'm up to no good.

Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Remus AKA Moony

H. T

Cub Cubbling

Peter AKA Wormtail

H. T

Prongslet Kitten

Sirius AKA Padfoot

H. T

Pup Prongslet

James AKA Prongs

H. T

Prongs jr. Prongslet

Are PROUD to PRESENT the MArAuDeRs.

Mischief MANAGED

They looked at the graves, smiled and nodded.

"There we go!" Tracey said.

They stood there quietly for a few minutes.

"I guess I have to take lordship of the Potters don't I?" Harry said.

Tracey nodded. "And I have to take ladyship of the Black."

"You staying at Potter Manor or Grimauld Place?"

"I'm staying at Potter Manor then after school I'll head to Grimauld Place. I'm gonna finish my last school year. You?"

"Same. I'm gonna finish school and then accept the auror offers Kingsley gave us. Ron's not going back to school. Just us and Hermione."

Then he thought of something.

"Why don't you have Kreacher stay at home until next year. That way he can still work and have help with Tweeky?"

"Sounds good. KREACHER!"

"TWEEKY!"

They called together.

Then they heard two snaps at once.

"Mistress Tracey call Kreacher?" he said.

"Master Harry call Tweeky?" she asked smiling.

"Yes, I'm staying at Potter Manor for the next year so you can go to Hogwarts or Potter Manor. Your choice." Tracey said.

"Kreacher will stay with his Mistress Tracey at Potter Manor. Can Kreacher ask why?"

"And can Tweeky ask Master Harry why he and Mistress Tracey are here and where Master James and Mistress Lilly are?" Tweeky asked.

"Mum, dad, Sirius and Remus are gone Tweeky, Kreacher." Harry said.

Tweeky burst into tears. While Kreacher stood there in shock.

"Come here Tweeky. Let it all out. We can dry our clothes." Harry said.

So she ran into his arms and Tracey did the same thing.

When they all calmed down they looked at the graves.

"Well, why don't we go to Potter Manor and have some dinner?" Tracey said.

"Sounds good. Tweeky, do you mind giving me a ride?" he said.

"Of course Master Harry!" Tweeky said smiling then took his hand and was gone.

"Same thing with me Kreacher?" Tracey asked.

"Of course Mistress Tracey." he said.

So like Harry did with Tweeky she held onto his hand and was gone.

When they got home they had Tweeky and Kreacher make dinner.

While they did that Harry and Tracey sat in the living room quietly.

"This is going to be hard." Tracey said.

"Yeah. But we'll always have each other. From the day we're born to the day we die we'll always have each other." Harry said.

So they gave each other a hug and then went and had dinner.

It was a hard war and they lost a lot of people they care about but will always have them and their friends. They'll also have each other for the rest of their life.

Chapter 20

Nineteen Years Later,

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road toward the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.

Two large cages tattled on top of the laden trolleys the parents were pushing; the owls inside them hooted indignantly, and the redheaded girl trailed fearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.

"It won't be long, and you'll be going too," Harry told her.

"Two years," sniffed Lily. "I want to go now!"

The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Albus's voice drifted back to Harry over the surrounding clamor; his sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.

"I won't! I won't be a Slytherin!"

"James, give it a rest!" said Ginny.

"I only said he might be," said James, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth -"

But James caught his mother's eye and fell silent.

The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, James took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later, he had vanished.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.

"Every day, if you want us to," said Ginny.

"Not every day," said Albus quickly,

"James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

"We wrote to James three times a week last year," said Ginny.

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry put in. "He likes a laugh, your brother."

Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Albus winced, but no collision came. Instead, the family emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which James had already disappeared.

"Where are they?" asked Albus anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform.

"Dad, can you call aunt Tracey?" Albus asked.

"No, she and uncle George are here somewhere." he said.

"We'll find them," said Ginny reassuringly.

But the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud, Harry thought he head Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello . . . .

"I think that's them, Al," said Ginny suddenly.

A group of seven people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Ginny, Lily, and Albus had drawn right up to them.

"Hi," said Albus, sounding immensely relieved.

Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

"No, I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."

"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train.

"I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it; I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."

Harry and Tracey laughed quietly.

Back on the platform, they found Lily, Hugo, Rose's younger brother, and Andrew having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," said Ron, "but no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily, Hugo and Alex laughed, but Albus and Rose looked solemn.

"He doesn't mean it," said Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was no longer paying attention.

"What about me mum?" Dora asked.

Tracey smiled and so did George.

"Don't worry sweetie, we don't care. Remember that every Black except Sirius has been a Slytherin. And being Dora Black, you never know." she said.

Since she married George and being a Weasley they decided to take the Black family name. Tracey Lilly Black and George Arthur Black.

Catching Harry's eye, she nodded covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist.

"Look who it is." George said.

Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized the pointed chin? The new boy resembled Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry.

Draco caught sight of Harry, Tracey, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and George staring at him, nodded curtly, and turned away again.

"So that's little Scorpius," said Ron under his breath.

"Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, sorry," said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood."

"Hey!"

James had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl, and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.

"Teddy's back there," he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam.

"Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"

He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing -"

"You interrupted them?" said Ginny. "You are so like Ron -"

"- and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added as though worried he had not made himself clear.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!"

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," said Harry "Why don't we just invite him to live with is and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" said James enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Al-Teddy could have my room!"

"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."

He checked the battered old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.

"It's nearly eleven; you'd better get on board."

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.

"Same for us Dora." Tracey said.

"But you know Neville-"

James rolled his eyes.

"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love . . . ."

Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus.

"I'll do it mum." Dora said.

"See you later, Al. Watch out for the Thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then sprint away up the corridor to find his friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Ginny kissed Albus goodbye.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Al," said Harry as his son hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you're learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

"What if I'm in Slytherin?"

The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.

Harry crouched down so that Albus's face was slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Albus had inherited Lily's eyes.

"Albus Severus,"

Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-"

"- then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me," said Harry.

He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face when he said it. But now the door were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred outlines of parents swarming forward for final kisses, last-minute reminders, Albus jumped into the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind him.

Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned toward Harry.

"Why are they all staring?" demanded Albus as he and Rose craned around to look at the other students.

"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me, I'm extremely famous."

Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Lily laughed.

"Yeah right! It's me and Harry they look at. Especially Harry." Tracey said.

"Why exactly do they look at you mum?" Alex asked.

Harry and Tracey froze for a second.

"They look at me because I survived the night to from your uncle protecting me. He went in front of me that night so technically I survived that night to." she said.

The train began to more, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him.

The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell.

"He'll be alright," murmured Ginny.

As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead.

"I know he will."

The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years.

Harry looked at Tracey and she looked at him smiling. Then looked back at the kids on the train.

'Mum and dad would be proud of us.' Tracey said.

'Yeah, Dad, uncle Moony, uncle Wormy and uncle Padfoot would be proud of James for taking after them.' Harry said.

They had stayed together like they promised and even though everything was fine, they would still protect each other.

Everyone in London knew how close they were and knew they would stick together forever.