Harry grasped Ginny's hand as he dropped onto the cold stone surface of platform nine and three quarters. The train had only just rounded the familiar corner when the pain struck one more time. It was the pain that had bothered him for most of his life. The familiar pain. The pain of the scar etched onto his forehead. He raised his hand and gently traced the lighting shape. He didn't understand. The pain had not bothered him for nineteen years.
'Harry!' cried Ginny as she sank to the floor beside him. Her face was carved with worry, something Harry was not used to seeing on the seemingly warrior like Ginny.
'Ron! Hermione!' she bellowed at the two figures who had not yet noticed their best friend lying helplessly on the floor. Ron was the first to turn around due to the senseless panic in his sister's yelp.
'Harry!' he said worryingly as he turned to notice the pained look on his weakened friend. Hermione turned quickly to face the commotion. Unlike the others Hermione seemed to know what was going on. She had seen that look in Harry's eyes so often that it was not something she could easily forget. She ran beside him and Ginny and took his other arm.
'It's the scar isn't it' she said as she observed the gentle nod Harry had provided her.
'I don't understand! Voldemort's dead!' replied Ginny as she searched around the platform for the sight of a 's doctor. Hermione began to look even more worried.
'He is! We destroyed the seven horcruxes' interjected Ron. Hermione seemed to be looking down with fright and disbelief. Was Voldemort gone forever?
Harry began to tremble. The nerves in his hands pained him. It was that feeling. The feeling he had so often got. The feeling that soon he will be looking through the dark lords eyes. Soon he will be seeing what Voldemort will be seeing. But how? He was surely dead! Suddenly everything turned black.
He was walking down a landing in a homely house. His feet had an icy chill and his mind was filled with hatred and despair. His black cloak swayed around his feet. His head was filled with just one thought. Kill the boy. Gently approaching a door he pushed it open. Inside was a women standing before her Childs cot. The tears in her eyes only made Harry feel the more angrier. For Harry was no longer in his own mind but Voldemorts.
'Step aside Mudblood' hissed the icy chilling voice of Harry. The women shook her head. The determined task filled Harry's mind once more. The boy must die by any means necessary. Harry raised the wand in his cold hands and directed it at the women's chest. Her face was filled with fear, but she wasn't going to give up. A mother's love is unbreakable.
'Avada Kedavra' hissed Harry's voice. The flash of green light left Voldemort's wand and hit the women squarely in the chest. The women yelped but quickly silenced. She fell to the floor motionless. The baby in the cot began to cry. Harry directed the wand at the baby.
'Avada Kedavra' he hissed again as the flash of green light left voldemorts wand and zoomed towards the crying child. However the child continued to cry as the flash of green light contorted and turned from the child and straight back at Harry himself. The spell had rebounded and had hit Harry in the chest. Harry felt motionless but his eyes remained open. He could see what could only be described what looked like smoke coming from his body and going into the child. His soul. However the smoke did not only enter the child for the child was not the only living thing in the room. The friendly family cat was silhouetted in the moonlight by the window. The potter's cat 'Shambles' was also absorbing voldemorts soul.
Harry's mind suddenly flooded back to him. The faces of Ginny, Hermione and Ron all looked at him with worry. Harry found the motivation to speak.
'Voldemorts still alive! There's an eight horcrux!' spat Harry. The pain began to drain away from him like water would through a hole. His mind came back to him. He felt himself once more.
'What? How?' Added Ron confused and panicking. Hermione gently tapped him as if too silence him. They all waited for Harry to speak.
'Do you remember that letter I found in Sirius' room at Grimmauld place?' Harry said as he began to get himself up of the cold stone flooring. Hermione and Ron both shook their heads as Ginny helped Harry to his feet.
'Well my mother had written a letter to Sirius when I was only young. He had bought me a little broomstick that I whizzed around on. I only remember it now but she said i nearly hit the cat when i was upon it. We had a cat'. Ron had suddenly interrupted Harry.
'Yes that's all good and well Harry but what's it got to do with an eight horcrux?' he said as Hermione hit him once more.
'Ronald will you just let him finish?' she said with brisk authority. Ron silenced immediately.
'Well when I was looking through snape's memories that night we defeated voldemort, Dumbledore had said that Voldemorts soul had latched onto the only living thing in the room. That was me of course, but what I saw was something else. The cat! The Cat was in the room. It had come in through the open window in the room. Like me Voldemort's soul had latched upon it also. The cat is the eighth horcurx!'
Hermione, Ron and Ginny all looked confused. Hermione the less so, then asked 'So Voldemorts still out there? That's why your scar is burning?'
'He must be!' replied Harry. 'It's the only explanation'.
'So now we have to kill the cat?' asked Ron as if he wanted nothing less than to go hunting horcruxes one final time.
'How are we going to find an old cat that could be anywhere?' asked Ginny hopelessly. Hermione looked at the pair of them as if she had gotten an idea.
'I know this is going to sound completely and utterly mad but I think I know just the place!'
Ron turned to Ginny and Harry with bewilderment.
'Magical Menagerie' said Hermione. Ron looked as bewildered as before.
'The pet shop on the north side of Diagon alley?' Ron asked questioningly. Hermione nodded frantically.
'They have archives of all magical creatures sold from there shop. They also home homeless magical animals. They have a charm that detects where and when a magical animal is homeless. They could tell you exactly where the cat was and may even have it there!' Hermione interjected. Harry seemed to understand.
'Still after all these years you surprise me' said Ron happily. Hermione blushed as she used to when they were back at Hogwarts together. At that sudden moment the youngest Weasley and Potter trotted up to their parents. They had been playing with some of the younger students who like themselves would not be starting Hogwarts for a few more years.
'What's happened Daddy?' said Lily the youngest of the potters. She could see the distinct fear in her father's eyes and her stomach flooded with dread. Harry looked at the four adults. How could he ever explain the magnitude of what had happened to his nine year old. Ginny understood and interjected.
'Your father's just taken a tumble on one of the stone panels on the platform floor. He'll be alright once we get him checked over at 's' she said. Harry looked at her with pleasant delight along with Ron and Hermione.
'So we've got to take you two to uncle George's' said Ginny. Her plan was to be commended. If the children were with George that would make their task much easier and would make sure that they were both safe and far away from harm's way.
'Yes that's right' began Harry as he looked at both Lily and Hugo. 'Your mother will join you also' he said as he looked to the displeased Ginny. Above anything else she hated being secluded from the adventure and hated how Harry felt it best for her to be kept away from danger.
'Oh will you mummy? That's great! I won't have to talk about Quidditch with Hugo and Uncle George if you'd come along' said Lily happily as she took her mother's hand and waited for the sudden jolt when they would apperate to Uncle Fred's. Ginny gave Harry a daggering look as Hugo took Ginny's left arm. Both children waiting to be spun through the air.
'Be careful!' said Ginny as with a sudden CRACK she disappeared. Harry knew he had upset her but felt delighted that the one's he loved where now safe. Hermione turned to harry.
'She won't ever forgive you for that' she said as she knelt forward and hugged Harry.
'Trust me I'd know! She's as tough as old boots that one!' added Ron. Harry and Hermione both laughed.
'It's best we head of now!' said Hermione as with a sudden CRACK she appearted from the platform closely followed by Ron and then Harry. The trio opened there eyes. They were now standing on the cobbled street of Diagon alley just in front of the bricked wall that led into the leaky cauldron. Hermione did not speak but just made her way down the alley in search of the magical menagerie. Ron and Harry followed behind her. They passed Gambol and Japes Joke shop, Madam malkins robes for all occasions, eeylops owl emporium, quality quidditch supplies, Flourish and Blotts and slug and jiggers until they finally reached the shabby entrance to the magical menagerie.
'Do you remember when we came here in the third year and I got crookshanks?' Reminisced Hermione as she walked through the entrance into the shop. Ron turned to Harry.
'What a great day that was, and we've still got the bleeding thing' Harry laughed as the pair of them entered. Harry suddenly felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He missed the trio. He missed being with them all the time 24/7. He missed the adventures they would have, the jokes they would share. To him all this had changed when they left and were forced to grow up. At that thought Hermione tapped a little silver bell on the counter just in front of an illuminating yellow frog. Harry and Ron stood beside her and waited avoiding the hanging cages as they did so.
'Oh hello dears' came an elderly voice from a small opening between two cages.
'How may I help you?' she said as she fumbled behind the small counter. Her glasses were barley on her face and her grey withering hair was raped to the top of her head in a bun.
'Hello' began Hermione kindly. 'I was wondering if you could help us out' she said as the old women gently smiled at Harry and then Ron.
'Yes, yes of course! How would you like help?' she said sweetly.
'We need help trying to find a cat that was abandoned about thirty seven years ago. The potter's cat' said Hermione as the old women's face turned curiously towards harry. She pushed her glasses up her nose to take a closer look at him.
'Harry potter?' she questioned unbelievingly. Harry nodded.
'Merlin's beard' she continued shaking her head with utmost disbelief.
'I remember when Rubeus came in here buying you an owl on your eleventh birthday! Oh my how you've grown' she said excitedly. Hermione's face contorted with rage.
'Excuse me but do you think you can help? I just mean we don't have a lot of time that's all' she said as nicely as she could. The old women suddenly turned to look at Hermione.
'Oh I'm sorry dear. What was it you were after again?' she said as she scratched the top of her bun. Hermione's face began to redden with anger.
'We are looking for a cat. The potter's cat. James and Lily potter!' she said quickly and angrily. The women nodded gently.
'Yes that shouldn't be a problem just bare with me' said the elderly woman as she disappeared behind masses of paper and documents. Hermione turned to Harry and rolled her eyes which made Harry slightly chuckle. The woman suddenly appeared again holding a large scroll.
'If there's any animal you're looking for it will be in here' she said as she unrolled either ends and stuck a large weight on both sides to hold it open.
'Potters you said?' she asked forgetfully.
'Yes' said Hermione with emphasis. The woman nodded then smiled and pushed her glasses up to her nose once more and searched through all the writing on the paper.
'Ah here we are!' she said to the delight of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Her finger was tightly pressed against a mass of writing on the document.
'Yes a cat was bought in from James' and lily potters' house' she said as her eyes began to read the small black ink writing.
'Dust coloured fur, yellow eyes...' Harry had interrupted her.
'Yes that's it' he began. He turned to Ron and Hermione. 'That's the cat I saw' he said. The Woman nodded pleasantly.
'Do you have her in here?' asked Harry as he looked at all the cats in their cages.
'After thirty seven years? No m'boy we sold her long ago' she said. Harry's face suddenly changed from euphoria to disappointment.
'Who did you sell her to?' asked Ron at Harry's silence. The woman looked down at the scroll once more.
'Ah yes here it is! Seems like she was sold to a man called Argus Filtch when she first came in thirty seven years ago' said the woman as she stared into the blank faces of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ron then turned to Harry.
'Does that mean that the cat is Mrs. Norris?' he asked to Harry and Hermione's bewilderment. Harry stood there as still as a statue. He didn't know what to say or think or even do. He looked for Hermione for an answer, something he was sure she would be able to provide as she so oftenly used to.
'I think that would be the right presumption to make' she said as she stared down at her feet.
'Looks like we'll be going back to Hogwarts then' said Ron as he turned to look at Harry. Harry nodded gently. He couldn't believe everything that was going on. He had destroyed the seven horcruxes nineteen years ago along with Voldemort himself. Nineteen years the scar hadn't pained him. Nineteen years he had felt safe for the first time in his life. But now, now he would be thrown into the situation one last and final time. He would have to destroy the horcrux before voldemort has the opportunity to return.
'It would be too risky to go through the front door. If that cat see's us it will try its hardest to get away like nearly all of the horcruxs did' said Hermione down hearted.
'And we can't apperate!' said Ron as he and Hermione turned to Harry for an answer.
'Is the Hog's head still open?' questioned Harry. Hermione shook her head uncertainly.
'I'm not sure since Aberforth died, why?' she asked.
'Because of the passageway that linked the hog's head with Hogwarts. It would be a good place to get into the castle'.
'Brilliant mate' said Ron as he gently tapped his shoulder.
'But Ron, I'm not sure it's still open' said Hermione as she looked worryingly at Harry.
'We could always check it out' said Harry. Hermione and Ron both nodded.
'Yes I suppose it wouldn't harm' said Hermione as with a sudden loud CRACK she apperated just before Ron and then Harry.
The cold chilling wind swept through the little village of Hogsmeade as Harry, Hermione and Ron apperated outside of Madam Puddifoot's tea shop the place Harry shared his first date with Cho. He turned to face the small shop and remembered the flying cherubs and the kissing couples. Still to this day he found it sickly.
'Come on' said Hermione as she set down the little lane that led to the hog's head. Harry looked around the once familiar streets of Hogsmeade as he set of after her. Nothing had changed. Everything looked as identical as it ever had. Zonko's, the three broomsticks and even the Hogsmeade train station had not changed one bit.
'This can't be it!' said Hermione as Ron and Harry stood beside her and looked up at the deserted building. The shutters swung loosely on the windows, the roof had half collapsed onto the top level, the doors had been broken and vandalised.
'It never looked great but this is something else' said Ron as he observed the run down building.
'Nobody must have bought it after Aberforth!' said Hermione as she looked at the old sign which now was left in pieces on the floor in a damp puddle.
'Yes but at least the building is still here. At least they didn't knock it down or demolish it. The passageway must still be in there!' said Harry as he began to make his way in through the door.
'No wait!' began Hermione as she pulled Harry away from the door.
'Why?' Harry asked bewildered.
'It's a bit dangerous to just go straight into a collapsing building!' she said with deep authority. Ron rolled his eyes. Just like Harry he hated how cautious Hermione could be.
'Reparo' called Hermione as she directed her wand at the building. Before they're very eyes the building began to shift and change. The roof began to form back together as the hogs head's famous sign flew up to its hanging post. The doors began to fix together as the shutters stuck back onto the newly repaired windows. The building looked as it ever had.
'Now we can go in' she said as she led the way in through the wooden door. Ron followed closely behind Harry.
Inside the building was deserted. Racks of chairs and tables where piled high to the side of the room, abandoned and unwanted. Hermione immediately went straight up the stairs up into the old room with which Arianna's portrait hung on one of the old worn down walls. Ron and Harry both followed. The room upstairs was also deserted apart from the odd bits of old debris which lay scattered upon the floor and a large frame lying up against a large hole in the wall.
'It's Arianna's portrait' observed Ron as he walked beside the painting and raised it to show Hermione and Harry.
'But where's Arianna?' asked Harry as he saw the blank canvas.
'She must have abandoned the frame since Aberforth died. She could be in any painting around the whole country' said Hermione as she stood beside the hole in the wall.
'This is the passageway that used to be behind the portrait. This will lead us into Hogwarts' said Hermione before disappearing through it. Harry and Ron quickly followed.
'Lumos!' cast Hermione as she led the way down the long dark tunnel. Her wand tip suddenly ignited with light.
'It seems so long ago since we last went into Hogwarts' said Ron as the three of them gently continued down the dark tunnel.
'Sometime's I wish we were back' said Harry mournfully. Hermione nodded with agreement.
'We are here now' she said as she tried to steer away from the conversation. She gently slid a door which opened up onto a large room.
'The room of requirement' said Ron enthusiastically. Hermione, Harry and Ron all leapt from the hole and onto the stone flooring.
'Remember all the training sessions we did in here in the fifth year!' said Ron as he reminisced on the happy memories. Harry nodded.
'I've still got the charmed galleon' said Harry jokily.
'I think I accidently spent mine, but they really where a great idea Hermione' said Ron as Hermione smiled and then blushed. It reminded Harry of when they were back at school when Ron would give Hermione a compliment and she would modestly blush.
'Anyway we haven't got much time so we can't stay here' said Hermione as she walked over to the wall that transformed into the door which led onto one of the many familiar Hogwarts corridors.
'We have got to be careful. If she spots us she will try and get away as best she can!' exclaimed Hermione as the three of them continued down the long dark corridor.
'How else are we going to get close to her?' asked Ron.
'We could make her come to us. It's simple really. Remember how she would come if anything broke or smashed? We have just got to break something' said Hermione as she began to make her way over towards one of the many statues that stood amongst the corridor.
'That's brilliant Hermione!' enthused Harry.
'Yes it is a rather good plan but Harry you should hide or wear your invisibility cloak as if she sees's you we won't stand any chance of getting anywhere near her!' said Hermione as Harry began to unfold his invisibility cloak from his charmed suit blazer pocket.
'Reducto!' cast Hermione as she directed her wand at the chest of the statue. A large explosion erupted from it and shattered all over the stone floor. Ron flinched but relaxed as a shadow appeared from the end of the corridor.
'It's her!' sad Ron as he pointed at the shadow in the distance which now showed a small scruffy cat. Mrs Norris. Her purr sounded like a hiss as she made her way towards what she believed was just Ron and Hermione. Her tail swung with excitement at the thought of getting anyone in trouble.
'What do we have here my sweet?' came a fourth voice from where the cat had just appeared from. It was Filtch.
'You're not supposed to be in the castle' he spat as he saw Ron and Hermione.
'Students are all in bed and parents shouldn't be here at all!' he said with pleasure. Hermione began to mutter a response but stopped suddenly. She had spotted something odd about the back of flitch's head.
'The boy is here! He is here within the castle' came a fifth voice. Ron and Hermione both looked around frantically. Where had the snake like voice come from?
'That's Voldemort's voice!' said Harry as he threw the cloak from around himself and onto the stone flooring. Harry directed his wand at Filtch, as Hermione and Ron aimed there's at Mrs. Norris.
'You three always where to clever for your own good' spoke Filtch with a grin of hatred plastered across his face.
'Show them' Came Voldemort's voice for a second time.
'Yes of course master!' Said Filtch with a proud smile as he began to lift his greasy hair from the back of his head and turned around to reveal a head protruding from the back of his own head, just like Quirrell in Harry's first year. The second head was Voldemorts. Harry's heart thumped and pounded. That feeling he thought he had escaped nineteen years ago had returned.
'Sometime's an unintended horcrux can be just what I need, even if I am not fully in my human form' hissed Voldemort again as his eyes darted towards Ron and Hermione's wands.
'You can dispose of the cat for all I care. The horcrux has left her and is rebuilding me and mending me as we speak!' he hissed yet again. Harry held his wand more firmly. He was about to cast a curse, a curse that could end all of this once and for all, but with a sudden head shake from Hermione he thought better of it.
'Now Filtch if you wouldn't mind, let's dispose of this vermin!' Voldemort spoke again. Filtch turned around so that the face of Harry's nightmares was no longer in view. Filtch began to remove a wand and pointed it at Harry.
'Yes you all used to think I was just a weak squib, didn't you? The dark lord has provided me with his powers now!' he said as he fired a killing curse straight for Harry. Harry ducked, taking cover behind an old statue of Godric Gryffindor.
'Stupefy!' Cried Hermione as a streak of red rushed from her wand and blasted Filtch back onto the floor.
'Get up you fool! Kill them!' spoke Voldemort as Filtch hurriedly tried to get up on his feet.
'You stupid mud blood!' said Filtch as he raised his wand straight at Hermione.
'Avada Kedavra!' he said as the green spell erupted from his wand and soared towards Hermione.
'NO!' Cried Ron as he jumped in front of Hermione casting a protective charm, with which blasted him back in the process as the spell hit it leaving him unconscious on the floor.
'RON!' Called Hermione as she knelt beside him frantically.
'Not my friends!' screamed Harry as he ran from behind the statue and continually began to cast spells at the unsuspecting Filtch.
'Destroy him!' cried Voldemort as the spells began to hit Filtch one by one.
'Expelliarmus!' Cried the weakened Filtch. Harry's wand flew out of his hand like an owl taking flight. It landed several metres behind him on the cold stone flooring.
'How are you going to kill us now!' chortled Filtch as he held his wand steadily pointed at Harry. Harry's face contorted with rage.
'The same way I did it before!' and with those few lines Harry had already began to run directly at Filtch with his arms held out in front of him. Before Filtch could act however, Harry's hands had already locked themselves onto Filtch's face.
'No! You idiot, stop him!' Cried Voldemort hopelessly as Filtch's face began to burn. He screamed with pain but Harry did not let go. He had to end it before Voldemort had fully returned. The screams and wails from filtch subsided as his face began to crumble and drop until there was just a neat pile of dust gathering on the floor. He had done it. He had stopped Voldemort returning.
'Harry! Help!' cried Hermione as Harry turned to see Ron lying unconscious on the floor, his head gently resting into Hermione's lap. Harry rushed over.
'We'll have to take him to the hospital wing' said Harry as he knelt beside Ron and began to lift him up on his shoulder. Hermione did the same, and the two of them carried him along the corridor, up the large staircase's and into the hospital wing, where madam Pomfrey stood feeding a young student some medicine in a nice neat bed.
'Oh my word!' she uttered as she saw the limp Ron between Harry and Hermione.
'Sit him down here!' she said as she directed them towards a bed in the far corner as she ran into her office and began searching around. Hermione and Harry did so, and waited frantically for Madam Pomfrey's return.
'I've got just the thing!' she said as she sprinted back to them and lent Ron's head back, as she poured a vial of a purple liquid down his throat.
'Will he be ok?' questioned Hermione.
'Oh yes m'dear. You see this here? It's the elixir of life' she said as Ron's eyes began to open slowly. Hermione's face lit up as she wrapped him in a warm embrace. Harry smiled. Everything was going to work out just the way he had wanted it to all those nineteen years ago.
'I'll give you two some space!' he said as he turned and left the hospital wing and began to make his way down one of the large corridors. Ron was going to be fine, and Voldemort was finally gone, he thought as he smiled to himself. He turned onto another corridor and continued down it until he came across something peculiar. Something was splashed against one of the old stone walls. Harry lent in closer and rubbed his glasses for a closer inspection. His mind began to whirl and worry as he saw written in blood,
'The chamber of secrets have been open!'