Prologue

Soon after the funeral of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter reluctantly returned one last time to number four Privet Drive, home of his Muggle aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. To his relatives' dismay, Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley, had insisted upon accompanying him. The thought of having 'two of that kind' spending any amount of time under their roof frightened the Dursleys so much, they dared not voice an objection.

Harry spent much of their brief stay explaining electrical appliances to a fascinated Ron who had been raised in a completely Wizarding fashion. Unbeknownst to Harry, Ron had had a specific reason for insisting on tagging along for his last 'homecoming'.

A few days after their arrival, Ron found an opportune moment to get Harry's bully cousin, Dudley, alone. Cornered, Dudley's eyes bulged in fright as Ron thanked him in a polite tone for all he had done for Harry over the years. Ron informed him that he had agreed to magically repay Dudley for his generous treatment of his cousin since Harry could not perform magic outside of school until he came of age. When Ron raised his wand, a terrified Dudley pushed past him screaming hysterically and nearly fainted dead away when he knocked into Harry in the hallway. Dudley apologized profusely to a stunned Harry before running into his room and bolting the door. At Harry's quizzical look Ron had only shrugged and grinned broadly.

After Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, Ron and Hermione Granger accompanied Harry on his pilgrimage to Godric's Hollow. Harry had spent several days walking among the ruins that had once been his parents' house. The parcel of land had remained in trust for him all these years so no one had ever cleared away what had been left in the wake of the attack on that Halloween night over sixteen years ago. That had been the night the most evil and ruthless of Dark Wizards, Lord Voldemort, had killed Harry's parents and changed the course of the young wizard's life forever.

While at Godric's Hollow the three of them had still been coming to grips with Dumbledore's death in their own way but Hermione and Ron knew Harry was having a much harder time dealing with it than they were. Of course, they had not been forced to look on helplessly while they witnessed their mentor's murder; but even so, Harry had become extremely sullen and uncommunicative even for him.

Just when Hermione had nearly gathered up the courage to talk to him about it, a large owl had arrived with a package addressed to Harry. He stood frozen as he gazed at his name written in familiar handwriting. Ron and Hermione could hardly believe he was serious when he whispered mostly to himself, "It's from Dumbledore!"

He had torn open the wrapping to find a well-used journal. A brief note from the old wizard accompanied it stating that he had magically ensured Harry would receive the journal upon his death in the hope that it would aid him in his quest.

Nearly every page of the old book was covered in Dumbledore's distinctive script detailing his thoughts and ideas as to what and where the remaining Horcruxes were and descriptions of the modern and ancient curses Voldemort might use to protect them.

Dumbledore's most recent entries included references to information hidden in several ancient libraries which he insisted Harry seek out. There Harry would find the means to counter many security measures Voldemort might use to guard his Horcruxes. The journal had been like an elixir for Harry; he had immediately begun to pore through the pages and his mood greatly improved each day after that.

It turned out Dumbledore's original assumption had proven correct; Salazar Slytherine's locket was one of Voldmort's Horcruxes and it had been practically under their noses all along. The Order of the Phoenix had maintained number twelve Grimmauld Place, the house Harry had inherited from his godfather, Sirius Black, as headquarters even after Dumbledore's death. Due to Professor Moody's quick thinking, he had been able to place additional wards on the location and had become the Order's new secret keeper; therefore even with Snape's betrayal, headquarters had remained safe.

Dobby, the house elf had found the old locket while sorting through hordes of useless items that Kreature, another house elf whom Harry had reluctantly inherited from Sirius, had hidden in the attic. Since the piece looked valuable, Dobby had checked with Harry to see if he might want to keep it. Harry could barely believe his eyes when Dobby presented it to him and he wasted no time in destroying it soon after.

The fourth and fifth Horcruxes turned out to be more illusive even with the aid of the journal but the trio had eventually tracked them down and destroyed them. But after their most recent success only this morning, none of them could have anticipated the unthinkable turn of events that was to follow.